tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793813797858728142024-12-18T19:29:34.864-08:00Reviews about Everything|Software|Sports|Movies|Songs|Videos|News|WondersAmerican Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16123783415068331755noreply@blogger.comBlogger307125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-37910002224914455012013-03-13T14:31:00.000-07:002013-03-13T14:31:00.318-07:00<P>I’ll never forget when ADW Launcher was first released. Discovering the power that a replacement launcher could have on Android was exciting. From themes and gestures, to action icons and in-depth widget customization, using a custom launcher like ADW felt like using a totally different OS at times. It seemed like every week, home screen replacement type apps were coming out with bigger and better features. And then things hit a wall.</P><br /><P>For the longest time, real innovation, in practically any area with replacement launchers, was virtually nonexistent. Sure, apps like Nova Launcher and Apex are incredible, and have improved on the legacy developers like Ander Webbs have built, but I don’t feel like a whole lot has changed in terms of features and functionality.</P><br /><P>If you want real innovation, with real productivity tweaks and adjustments, look no further than Chris Lacy’s Action Launcher. My new home screen replacement.</P><br /><P>Action Launcher does away with themes and gaudy transition animations, and instead focuses on a few dramatic changes that change the way you use your device. The three main focal points of Action Launcher fall in the quick search bar, quick drawer and folders.</P><br /><P>The quick search bar is essentially the Google search bar on steroids. While the Google search bar does allow you to search for things like apps and contacts, the quick search bar on Action Launcher has improved upon this ten fold. The first thing you’ll notice is that no longer does Google Now need to open to look for things. Simply touch the quick search bar, and start typing. Google Now results will always be your first option, but access to apps, contacts and shortcuts are readily available in a scrollable list with immediate access. It ends up being much faster than the default Google search, and just as reliable.</P><br /><P>The quick search bar also includes other default shortcuts, like a voice search icon, quick access to the Play Store, a quick drawer button and a menu key. Recent apps will also appear in the quick search bar before any text is inputed.</P><br /><P>The quick drawer is the second focus point of Action Launcher, and it’s amazing. Accessible by either tapping the quick drawer icon in the quick search bar, pressing the home button from the default home screen or with a swiping gesture from the left to right side of your display, the Action Launcher is a vertical alphabetized list of all your apps.</P><br /><P>I love that with the quick drawer, you can easily touch a letter on the side of the list to skip to that letter, which is insanely fast. I have experienced zero lag or stutter anywhere throughout Action Launcher, but the quick drawer really exemplifies this. It makes the default app drawer on Android 4.2 feel clunky and slow. It doesn’t feature immediate access to widgets, but those are available by either choosing “customize” in the main menu, or long pressing on any home screen.</P><br /><P>The last feature that totally changed how I access apps and information on my phone are the new folders, and covers. Traditionally, folders simply house apps. Action Launcher allows you to not only create folders, but use a specific app as a cover icon that allows you to access that app, without opening the folder.</P><br /><P>For example, You can create a folder for messaging, with the stock messaging app, Facebook Messenger and a few 1×1 sms shortcuts. You can then set the stock messaging app as the cover, so that if you click on the folder, the messaging app automatically opens. If you want to use something else inside the folder, either swipe up on the folder, or double tap. Folders and cover icons are absolutely genius. I was skeptical of their use at first, and they took a minute to get used to, but now I can’t live without them.</P><br /><P>At $3.99, I highly recommend Action Launcher for anyone who is looking for more productivity out of their home screen. Right now, Action Launcher is actually on sale for fifty percent off, only $1.99, for Google Play’s birthday. So if you were or are on the fence about it, don’t miss out.</P><br /><P><A href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidandme/~3/JTCX79psPKA/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-53528266448745067212013-03-13T11:48:00.000-07:002013-03-13T11:48:00.206-07:00<P><STRONG>FROM MTV NEWS:</STRONG> What would Hermione Granger say?</P><br /><P>The teaser trailer for Sofia Coppola's upcoming caper "The Bling Ring" hit the web today, proving once and for all that starlet Emma Watson has left Hogwarts far behind. </P><br /><P>The film, inspired by actual events, centers around a group of young burglars who bust into the posh homes of the rich and famous. It's slated for a June 14 release. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Watch the "Bling Ring" teaser at MTV News!</STRONG></P><B>Tags</B> Bling Ring, Emma Watson<br /><P></P><br /><P><A href="http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2013/03/08/emma-watson-bling-ring-teaser/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-10079752669313468192013-03-13T09:05:00.000-07:002013-03-13T09:05:00.124-07:00<P>Despite a seemingly successful intervention on the part of her parents last week, Hannah continued to spiral into darkness (see: picking her wedgie eight times in an elevator) during the penultimate season two episode of "Girls." </P><br /><P>The would-be e-book author went to meet with her editor, who hadn't even finished reading her pages—not because he didn't have time but because he didn't want to. "I just felt like I didn't know who was writing them," he said, suggesting that if she wasn't having sex, she should just start making stuff up and rejigger the work as a novel. Hannah promised to dust off the other 200 pages or so of material she had on her laptop and send it off to him.</P><br /><P>At her apartment (which she is affording by herself how?), Hannah sat on the floor working in her undies, periodically scooting around like a toddler to reach jars of olives and other necessities...until she got a big, fat splinter embedded in her butt cheek. She removed the offending sliver then moved on to her ears, swabbing one with such force that part of the Q-Tip broke off inside her ear. Really, Hannah?! She went to the hospital, where the attending physician treated her with not a little disdain. "What were you digging for, gold?" he asked. Nonetheless, he let her take the bloody swab home as a souvenir. </P><br /><P>As Hannah floundered, it seemed ex Adam was finally getting his footing again. He and Natalia had been dating for a whole week, and she was ready for sex (albeit with several caveats). "I like how clear you are with me," he said. (A dig to ex Hannah who had a hard time vocalizing her feelings for him?) Natalia invited Adam to be her date to her friend's engaged party, and as you may have guessed, he didn't exactly fit in. "He has the face of an old-timey criminal," the newly affianced told Natalia. Wandering outside for some air, Adam bumped into a recently released-from-the-hospital Hannah, whom he chatted with awkwardly from a distance. For a brief moment, it seemed the life returned to Hannah's eyes, but it quickly vanished when he vanished back into the bar.</P><br /><P>Perhaps undone by his run-in with Hannah, the long-sober Adam ordered a drink to show Natalia a good time. Or something. He finally took his new girlfriend to see his apartment, which she deemed as darker than him. But it didn't take long for her to find out just how dark Adam could get. He ordered her on all fours to crawl to his room, which she did, hesitantly. The two had sex, and it wasn't at all how Natalia wanted it. "I really didn't like that," she said. "Is this it? Are you done with me?" Adam replied, having showed her all the ugliness inside him. (If next week's preview of Adam tearing down his apartment is any indication, he and Natalia are indeed done.)</P><br /><P>And then there was Marnie, who continued to make a fool of herself. She appeared at Charlie's Chelsea office once again, but this time for good reason: He stood her up for lunch. (Did he and his GF break up?) To make amends, Charlie invited her to the office party that night in celebration of 20,000 MAUs (monthly average users, duh). At the fete, Marnie co-opted the DJ booth, plugging in her own iPod to perform a slowed-down version of Kanye West's "Stronger." The room was not impressed. Charlie dragged her into his office, where he decided once again that the best way to solve Marnie's problem was to kiss her. And this time she kissed him back. </P><br /><P>Guilt-ridden thanks to her brief entanglement with a doorman, Shoshanna kept her distance from Ray at the party, talking up any man who seemed gainfully employed. When Ray finally confronted her about it, she broke down and admitted to "holding hands" with the doorman—a very 4th grade sort of half-truth. To his credit, Ray said it was okay as long as she still wanted to be with him, which she agreed she did. For how long, is now the question.</P><br /><P>What did you think of last night's "Girls"? Do you want Marnie and Charlie to get back together? How will Hannah get out of her funk? Should Shoshanna just break up with Ray already? Tell us everything in the comments and on Twitter!</EM></P><B>Tags</B> Girls<br /><P></P><br /><P><A href="http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2013/03/11/girls-recap-on-all-fours/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-40129604529554349512013-03-13T06:16:00.000-07:002013-03-13T06:16:00.558-07:00 <P>If you haven't seen "Oz the Great and Powerful" yet—and if you've also somehow managed to stay away from the spoilerrific buzz surrounding Mila Kunis's, ahem, wicked acting skills in the film—then you may want to steer clear of this video in which the actress spills the beans on her character's emotional and physical journey to the dark side. Because really, the cat's pretty much out of the bag as soon as our interviewer notes that it takes a heck</EM> of a lot of makeup to make Mila look ugly.</P><P>"Aww, I don't know," the actress replied. "Come to my house at like 6:30 a.m., and then let's have a conversation... but thank you."</P><P>We're referring, of course, to Mila's on-screen evolution from her usual gorgeous self into the sneering, avocado-colored Wicked Witch—a process that involved numerous facial prosthetics and a whole lot of paint. (Asked if she'd taken advantage of her on-set getup to send freaky texts to her friends, Mila exclaimed, "Oh god, yeah. OH, yeah. While this makeup may not be the most attractive, when it's coming off, and peeling off in pieces, it's even less attractive!") And the actress said that as significant as the physical transformation was, her character's emotional journey was just as intense.</P><P>"This is the first time I've had a character that goes through such a strong arc, emotionally and physically," she explained. But while Mila does an impeccable job as Theodora, she doesn't think much of her character's choices.</P><P>"[She] took the easy way out and bit into an apple, instead of dealing with her emotions like an adult," she said. (Or in other words, in the land of Oz, it actually is</EM> easy being green. Who knew!) And when asked to describe how Theodora might handle herself in modern-day real life... well, Mila's not going to speculate on the character's likely issues with chemical dependency? But only because she's got to watch her tongue out of respect to a certain family-friendly studio. ("The mouse would come in and get me!")</P><P>Have you seen "Oz"? What did you think of Mila's wicked look? Tell us in the comments and on Twitter!</EM></P><B>Tags</B> Mila Kunis, Oz: The Great And Powerful, Video</P><br /><p><a href="http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2013/03/11/mila-kunis-oz-the-great-and-powerful-makeover/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-25915997379940018132013-03-13T03:30:00.000-07:002013-03-13T03:30:03.898-07:00 <P><IMG class=thumbnailmain alt="Oz the Great and Powerful" src="/oz1.jpg">by Jessica Marshall</EM></P><P>Disney's "Oz the Great and Powerful" hits theaters this week and we are so off to see the wizard.</EM> </P><P>"Spider-Man" director Sam Raimi helms this "Wizard of Oz" prequel in which James Franco plays a younger, hotter version of Oz, the powerful man behind the curtain, back in the days when he was just a womanizing circus magician from Kansas. When he gets swept away in a tornado to a mystical world whose inhabitants are convinced he's a wizard sent to save them from ruin, he has to prove that he's more than just a two-bit huckster. Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz and Mila Kunis co-star as the witches of Oz, who by turns help, thwart and woo him. </P><P>But before you check out of Kansas for that somewhere over the rainbow, here are five things you should do to prepare yourself for "Oz the Great and Powerful."</P><P><STRONG>Watch "The Wizard of Oz"</STRONG><BR>The 1939 technicolor tale of the plucky gingham-wearing girl who gets swept away to a magical land of munchkins, flying monkeys and yellow brick roads has captivated audiences for more than 70 years. "Oz the Great and Powerful" is meant to be a prequel to this beloved film, so prime yourself for some more primate aviation and more ogling of Oscar "Oz" Diggs with a viewing. And if you're feeling brave, follow it up with a screening of the irrationally terrifying 1985 sequel, "Return to Oz." (Or don't.) </P><P><STRONG>Go see "Wicked"</STRONG><BR>This hit Broadway musical is still making the rounds after almost 10 years on stage. Its catchy music and fun plot detail the life and times of the Wicked Witch of the West in the land of Oz before Dorothy and her little dog come along. If you can't make it to the theater, read the book it was based on (Gregory Maguire's "Wicked") or listen to the soundtrack, featuring the vocal stylings of Kristin Chenoweth and "Glee" alum Idina Menzel.</P><P><STRONG>Go "Gingham Style"</STRONG><BR>Channel your inner Dorothy Gale and don some blue gingham when you head to the theater. The iconic fabric makes a cameo in "Oz the Great and Powerful" too, proving that it still hasn't gone out of style. And while you're at it, throw on a pair of ruby slippers. You know, for the trip home after the movie. </P><P><STRONG>Learn a magic trick</STRONG><BR>Practical magic and sleight-of-hand come in very handy for the would-be wizard in "Oz." While you probably won't need to outwit any wicked witches anytime soon, you can certainly impress your friends with a little card trick—or if that fails to impress, a disappearing act. </P><P><STRONG>Go for a hot air balloon ride</STRONG><BR>Oz narrowly escapes a serious beat-down by jumping into a hot air balloon during the film, only to get caught in the tornado that transports him to Oz. Despite major turbulence during the storm, the view is breathtaking. This is definitely a bucket-list-worthy activity—even though the real world doesn't quite have the same glitter as the computer-generated landscape of Oz, a view from the basket of a hot air balloon will be well worth it. Just make sure you check the weather before taking flight.</P><P><STRONG>Related</STRONG>:<BR><STRONG>+ The Wonderful Witches Of 'Oz': Get The Look</STRONG><BR><STRONG>+ The 8 Creepiest Moments From 'Return To Oz'</STRONG></P><P>Do you plan to see "Oz the Great and Powerful" this weekend? Tell us in the comments and on Twitter!</EM></P><B>Tags</B> Oz: The Great And Powerful</P><br /><p><a href="http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2013/03/08/5-things-to-do-before-seeing-oz-the-great-and-powerful/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-2119465509813476072013-03-13T01:30:00.000-07:002013-03-13T01:30:00.945-07:00<P>Yes, okay, so the government officials of "Delirium" are hateful, horrible fascist freaks who want to scalpel out our Feelings Lobe and make the world a loveless place. We know this! But hey, if they all look like Senator Hargrove, then...well, at least we understand how their brutal policies might have become popular in the first place. </P><br /><P>Lauren Oliver, who penned the books that the show is based on, announced on her blog today that the gorgeous Michael Michele has been cast in the role of the Senator.</P><br /><P>For the uninitiated, "Delirium" is a dystopian tale of a society in which love, rechristened amor deliria nervosa</EM>, has been declared a disease. All citizens undergo a lobotomy-like procedure to "cure" the illness on their 18th birthday. The story centers on Lena, a young woman who's never questioned the righteousness of the government policy, until she has the shocking bad luck to fall in love only weeks before she's set to be cured.</P><br /><P>Unlike the other roles we've been hearing about, Senator Hargrove isn't a familiar character from the novel—but she might be the TV take on the book's Mayor</EM> Hargrove, whose son is among the teens bound for the lobotomy table. And more importantly, if they're getting this far down the list of characters to be cast, shooting on this bad boy is going to start super soon, right?! </P><br /><P>What's your take on the latest news from the "Delirium" casting couch?</EM></P><B>Tags</B> Delirium, Michael Michele<br /><P></P><br /><P><A href="http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2013/03/08/delirium-michael-michele/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-43996084602559981162013-03-12T22:43:00.000-07:002013-03-12T22:43:00.094-07:00<P>After weeks of awards season haute couture, all those glamorous evening gowns are starting to blur together into one giant, indiscriminate blob of chiffon-satin-organza-whatever. So this week, we're giving ourselves a break from the dress parade, and the Style Superstar props to a pair of ladies who went for fresh, sleek, sophisticated looks that involve...pants. Pants! Imagine! </P><br /><P>This week's best? It's Zoe Saldana, who wins all of the awards for her chic look at the Miu Miu show during Paris Fashion Week. Skinny leather leggings, sophisticated stilettos, a pop of bright lipstick and the perfect cozy camel coat to finish it off. This outfit, with its clean lines and contrasting textures, is Exhibit A in the case for Zoe as the reigning queen of casual style. Well played, Superstar. </P><br /><P>Meanwhile, Abigail Breslin took a pair of wide-leg trousers to their dressy limit, with a dramatic all-black ensemble at the premiere of her new film, "The Call." With her long blonde hair in a 1940s-style sweep, a big bow, and just a peek of midriff above her high-waisted pants, this is a daring look that paid off for the young actress—except for the part where her pants are so long that there's no sign of her feet anywhere. Here's hoping she finds her way to a tailor before she wears them again, because denying the public a peek at her undoubtedly-fabulous shoes is just not fair.</P><br /><P>What do you think of our pants-wearing style picks?</EM></P><B>Tags</B> Abigail Breslin, Zoe Saldana<br /><P></P><br /><P><A href="http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2013/03/08/best-dressed-zoe-saldana/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-71478230229742614162013-03-12T20:25:00.000-07:002013-03-12T20:25:00.102-07:00 <P>In case you weren't aware, Lady Crushes, today is International Women's Day. So...happy day to you! </P><P>The holiday dates back to the early 1900s, and is meant to highlight women's progress over the last century-plus and the issues we continue to face. </P><BLOCKQUOTE class=twitter-tweet readability="8"><P>Happy International Women's Day! Us women have achieved SO much over the years & I'm so proud of all of us.Let's keep dominating ladies! <IMG class=wp-smiley alt=;) src="/iconwink.gif"> </P><P>— Victoria Justice (@VictoriaJustice) March 8, 2013</P></BLOCKQUOTE><P>A slew of celebrities took to Twitter today to offer their comments and congratulations, including "Victorious" starlet Victoria Justice, who gave a cute rallying cry via the social network. </P><P>We're right behind you, Victoria! Lead the way.</P><P>Are you doing anything to recognize International Women's Day? Tell us in the comments and on Twitter!</EM></P><B>Tags</B> Tweet Dreams, Victoria Justice</P><br /><p><a href="http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2013/03/08/victorial-justice-tweet-dreams/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-64545839258569153222013-03-12T18:08:00.000-07:002013-03-12T18:08:00.335-07:00<P>Olivia Wilde couldn't help but be charmed by her fiancé, "Saturday Night Live" funnyman Jason Sudeikis. We must say, we don't blame her. </P><br /><P>She immediately had a crush on him, telling Marie Claire in their April issue that she didn’t think she had a shot with him.</P><br /><P>"I thought, 'He won’t be interested in me; I’m not a contender.' He was so cool, so funny—I was such a fan of his and had always fancied his speed and his intelligence," she said. "He's a brilliant actor with a brain like lightening... I felt like fresh meat at the market... I thought, ‘I’m not beautiful enough or his type.’ I couldn’t wait to sit down and hear him talk. On our first date, in New York City, we closed the restaurant down at 2 a.m.! He didn’t kiss me, and I was madly in love. I was overwhelmed."</P><br /><P>While we have yet to meet a human man who could not be charmed by Olivia, she broke down what drew her to him when they met in 2011. "I was just learning to be by myself," she explained. "We were both seeing people but were single. He seemed to really see me, see through the bullshit. He said very few words and couldn’t keep eye contact. He was so handsome, and he could dance."</P><br /><P>And, as the story goes, first comes love, then comes marriage (the couple announced their engagement earlier this year), then comes the baby carriage. And she’s totally down for that. </P><br /><P>"We’ve discussed all our ideals and hopes. I can’t wait for children. I’m open-minded about how many, but three, which I love, is like a little party. I am not trying to have kids now—there’s no strict plan for anything in my life,” she told the mag. “What happens, happens. He’s so good with kids... I’ve never before experienced looking at someone and thinking, ‘That’s who I want to raise a child with.'"</P><br /><P>What do you think of Olivia's cover?</EM></P><B>Tags</B> Jason Sudeikis, Marie Claire, Olivia Wilde<br /><P></P><br /><P><A href="http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2013/03/11/olivia-wilde-jason-sudeikis/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-68100253707406356882013-03-12T15:33:00.000-07:002013-03-12T15:33:00.071-07:00 <P>Bikinis and big booties might be what it's all about, yo, but this year's biggest spring break destination isn't a beachside retreat: instead, a critical mass of the cast of "Spring Breakers" showed up at Austin's South by Southwest festival to party down, celebrate digital culture and take part in a fun panel discussion with fans and filmmakers. </P><IMG src="/sb1.jpg"><P>Selena Gomez, Rachel Korine, Ashley Benson and James Franco joined director Harmony Korine at the Texas to-do, where they posed for pictures and answered questions about the soon-to-be-released movie.</P><IMG src="/sb2.jpg"><P>Unlike their on-screen alter egos, all three leading ladies left their swimwear at home (after wearing nothing else on set, they've probably got a serious case of bikini fatigue), opting instead for colorful dresses in fun, funky prints. Ashley was the most glam of the bunch, with a black-and-white halter dress, a mess of silver bracelets, and her recently-dyed brunette hair in a messy topknot, and Rachel Korine sported a multi-hued asymmetrical number in a wild floral print. But it was Selena Gomez who was the spring break standout in a high-waisted orange skirt and a tropical tie-back bustier halter that was pure Carmen Miranda; all that's missing is a fruit-laden headpiece.</P><P>What do you think of the spring break looks on these "Spring Breakers" ladies?</EM></P><B>Tags</B> Ashley Benson, James Franco, Rachel Korine, Spring Breakers, Vanessa Hudgens</P><br /><p><a href="http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2013/03/11/spring-breakers-sxsw/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-48148336073918265702013-03-12T13:01:00.000-07:002013-03-12T13:01:00.161-07:00<P>While Kristen Stewart has made a career of balancing big-budget films and smaller indies, she just couldn't make time for "K-11." While she had an in for a bigger role in the LGBT-themed prison drama (her mom is the director!), she wasn't able to take time out of her busy filming schedule for a lead role. </P><br /><P>"She kept working and she kept working and she kept working," mom Jules Stewart told Us Weekly</EM> about downsizing her daughter’s role in the movie. "And she got really big and we were still really small and I was like, 'Go! Go do 'Snow White,' please, go make those big films honey, that's wonderful!'"</P><br /><P>Kristen's original role will now be played by Portia Doubleday ("Youth in Revolt"), but Stewart-philes should still tune in. She'll be in the flick, albeit briefly, playing a secretary. "Kristen has a dark side," her mom said about her daughter’s ability to play grittier roles, like the one Portia was cast in. "Kristen has the edge—thank god, right?" </P><br /><P>The film is out in limited release on March 15. News first broke of KStew's smaller role in “K-11” last year, when her mom blogged about it. She said, "Kristen has always been supportive of 'K-11,' but you'll have to look very hard to find her. It's a micro-cameo. We'd already finished shooting the movie, but Kristen still wanted to be a part of it in some way."</P><br /><P>Will you go to see "K-11"? Tell us in the comments and on Twitter!</EM></P><B>Tags</B> Jules Stewart, K-11, Kristen Stewart<br /><P></P><br /><P><A href="http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2013/03/11/kristen-stewart-jules-k-11-cameo/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-27402535193911383352013-03-12T10:18:00.000-07:002013-03-12T10:18:00.860-07:00 <P>In an announcement this morning, Ubisoft revealed that you'll be able to play "Blacklist" during PAX East, along with some of their mobile titles. "Watch_Dogs" and "Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag" will just be there for show during closed-theater events. So you can, you know, watch "Watch_Dogs" some more. </P><P>The downloadable "Call of Duty Juarez: Gunslinger" will join "Spartacus Legends" and "Splinter Cell: Blacklist" in getting demos during PAX weekend. Not playable at the show: the recently-announced "Assassin's Creed IV" and "Watch_Dogs," both of which will be presented to gamers in closed theaters. Both events are promising never-before-seen content for attendees to check out. </P><P>Everything Ubisoft has presented up to this point for "Watch_Dogs" as unleashed my inner crank (and I'll admit a little unfairly so). Up to this point, we haven't seen much of anything that could convincingly be described as gameplay for the cyber thriller, but up to this point, the publisher's really only been trying to whet gamers' appetites for it, given that it's a little ways off. Still, there's just something about seeing Ubisoft put someone on stage while the heavily-scripted sections of "Watch_Dogs" play out that rub me the wrong way. </P><P>Related posts:</P><P>PlayStation 4’s Increased Memory is a ‘Joy,’ says ‘Dishonored’ level designer<BR>Comic Publisher Valiant Goes 8-bit With Free Episodic 'Harbinger Wars' Tie-in Game And Retro Covers</P><P>--</EM></P><P>Follow @MTVMultiplayer on Twitter and be sure to "like" us on Facebook for the best geek news about comics, toys, gaming and more! And don’t forget to follow our video gaming and TV writer @TheCharlesWebb.</EM></P><B>Tags</B> Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist, ubisoft, Watch Dogs</P><br /><p><a href="http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/03/08/watch-dogs-splinter-cell-blacklist-and-assassins-creed-iv-coming-to-pax-east/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-91875128068167308092013-03-12T07:35:00.000-07:002013-03-12T07:35:00.227-07:00<P> </P><br /><P>Looking back at WiiWare, Nintendo's first attempt at an online marketplace, it's pretty clear that there was not a ton of standout software. However, in the end, there was ultimately an entire franchise that rose to the top, Gaijin Games' "BIT.TRIP" series. The six games that were released under the "BIT.TRIP" moniker (Beat, Core, Void, Runner, Fate, and Flux) set the standard for what great downloadable games on a Nintendo platform could be. Their retro-inspired art style and unforgiving difficulty helped them carve a niche out on WiiWare in a way that no other game, much less franchise, could touch. Now, two years after the last game in the series was released, Gaijin Games have returned with a new adventure for Commander Video, "BIT.TRIP Presents... Runner 2 Future Legend of Rhythm Alien," and this time he's going HD and multiplatform.<BR><BR>In "Runner 2" Commander Video returns for another round of dashing through branching courses, collecting as much gold along the way as possible. This time around, our hero has been transported to a mysterious land where he and some of his unlockable friends, have to run, jump, and slide their way to the end of some of the most challenging platformer levels since the original "Runner." </P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>The core concept of the original game (running) has returned in this sequel, but this time around Commander Video has some new obstacles to deal with. In addition to his jumps and kicks the Commander will need to clear larger gaps, grind some rails, and even learn to speed by upside down as he loop-d-loops his way to the finish line. Gaijin Games made use of the additional controller buttons by giving Video more abilities which were mapped to the different directions of both the left and right sticks, and as well as by adding a dance button (for extra points) on the right trigger. In short, the very simple gameplay from the original is built upon, creating a much more complex outing, so much so that it might push the limits for some of the more causal gamers out there. </P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>One of the defining features of the first set of "BIT.TRIP" games was the fact that they were so punishingly difficult, and "Runner 2" is no different. With the upgrades to the controls and the gameplay, this time around Commander Video looks more like a parkour runner whizzing through each of the levels. Fortunately, Gaijin have taken mercy on us, and included optional mid-level checkpoints so that you don’t have to reset all the way back to the beginning of the level when you "bonk out" (run into something and suffer from a one-hit kill). In addition to that, each of the levels features different difficulty options, and, aside from not having as many opportunities to score points, there's no real penalty for completing a level on an easier setting, which helps to make the game a bit less frustrating. </P><br /><P>In addition to their difficulty, the first six "BIT.TRIP" games had a very unique retro art-style about them that seemed to unify them, and evoked a strange level of nostalgia at the same time. "Runner 2" leaves all of that in the past, and opts for way more bells and whistles this time around. For starters, there are the updated HD graphics, that make this new world pop all around Commander Video. There's also a more fleshed out story that is narrated by the one-and-only Charles Martinet, and is seemingly done in the style of classic "Rocky and Bullwinkle" cartoons. The result of these updates is a much more polished, entertaining, and less confusing game. </P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Overall, "Runner 2" is a great addition to the BIT.TRIP franchise, and actually improves on what was the best game of the original Saga. This update manages to retain the same essence of what made the original great; the addictive gameplay that keeps you saying "just one more level" before you put down the controller. The game also heavies up on the content, including tons of unlockables (including updated versions of the much-loved retro-inspired bonus levels), and the encouragement to replay each of the levels at different difficulty settings, so there's an abundance of content here that will keep you running for hours and hours. If you're looking for something that's easy to pick up, but will ultimately offer an enduring challenge, "Runner 2 Future Legend of Rhythm Alien" is one of the best games out there to push you to your limits, and then, in turn, offer an overwhelming sense of satisfaction (as long as you can actually beat the level).</P><br /><P><STRONG><br /><P><A href="http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/03/11/bit-trip-presents-runner-2-future-legend-of-rhythm-alien-revie/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P></STRONG>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-50985975702161882502013-03-12T04:46:00.000-07:002013-03-12T04:46:00.158-07:00<P> </P><br /><P>The act of throwing a rock down a well is a childhood activity that most people superimpose into their memories, because, really, how many people have ever seen a real, working well? It's such a basic concept - take a rock, throw it down a well, hear a splash. That's really all there is to it. But, what if there was pizza down that well blocking the way? Or maybe there's a big fan slowing your rock down? What if the rock you were throwing wasn’t really a rock at all, and instead it's a Russian nesting doll? Those are the kinds of questions that developers Poi Soft are trying to answer in their newly localized 3DS eShop game "Kersploosh!"<BR><BR>Originally released in Japan as "Hyu-Stone," "Kersploosh!" attempts to tackle an entirely new video game genre - items falling down a well. The concept is extremely simple: use the circle pad to navigate your choice of falling objects (rocks, bouncy balls, watermelons, etc.) safely to the bottom of a well. Along the way there are various obstacles, and obstructions that will deplete your projectile's health, as well as add to your overall time. However, if you're on the look out for balloons and doughnuts you'll be able to replenish your health and get some much needed speed boosts, which will help you achieve your goal of hitting the water at the bottom of the well as quickly as possible. </P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>The gameplay is fairly simple and easy to grasp on to, especially since the starter items (a durable rock and a bouncy ball with infinite health) help players to get their bearings in this odd title. As you progress through the game's ten different wells, the difficulty increases as more random obstructions appear in each well. There are also ten different projectiles that can be unlocked, each of which have different attributes for speed, boost, and health, making each run through with a new item a different experience. </P><br /><P>Overall, the gameplay itself isn’t that deep, and the options don't vary too much, but for a $2.99 game, you're still going to get your money's worth, especially when you factor in the game's localization. Prior to tossing each item down the wells in the game, a faceless character sets up why they are throwing their stuff down the well. Each mini conversation is brief, but oddly entertaining as you're privy to tales like a shot putter giving up on his dreams of going to the Olympics as he tosses his iron ball down the hole. </P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>Outside of the shallow gameplay, which can be overlooked due to the game's price point, there are a couple small flaws with the overall product that are likely to bother some players. For example, there's no way to advance to the next well after completing one - you always have to go back to the stone selection menu, or all the way back to the title screen. It's small, but at this point, advancing to the next level of a game should be a pretty obvious design choice. </P><br /><P>"Kersploosh!" clearly isn’t the next big thing, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a unique way to waste some time on your 3DS. When you combine the seemingly random objects found in the wells, with the odd conversations that happen before each level, the game somehow manages to have a bit of a "Katamari Damacy" vibe to it. If you're looking for something new to experiment with, and you don’t want to spend too much money, "Kersploosh!" may well be worth your time, but if you're in the market for a game with a bit more depth, then you should probably search through some of the eShop's other excellent titles.</P><br /><P><STRONG><br /><P><A href="http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/03/11/kersploosh-review/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P></STRONG>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-72711434157865013572013-03-12T02:00:00.000-07:002013-03-12T02:00:01.123-07:00<P><STRONG>By Joseph Leray</STRONG></P><br /><P> </P><br /><P>The games industry -- and the media that covers it -- is kind of predicated on the idea that the people that play videogames will just keep buying them indefinitely. It’s part of the reason store shelves are filled with sequels, spin-offs, and reboots.<BR><BR>During a speech at the Wedbush Transfomational Technologies Conference earlier this week, Rockstar chief operations officer Karl Slatoff explained that “Often times people ask us 'Why don't you come out with Grand Theft Auto every two years?'”</P><br /><P>The answer, in what I can’t help but read as a dig against Activision’s “Call of Duty” franchise or even Ubisoft’s “Assassin’s Creed” series, is that a yearly model “doesn’t make sense” to Rockstar. “Grand Theft Auto, every single time it comes out, is a brand new experience. You can't possibly do that in two years,” Slatoff explains.</P><br /><P>“And if we did that, our product would fatigue and the franchise would degrade from a value perspective.”</P><br /><P>I’m not the biggest fan of “Grand Theft Auto” -- or, really, open-world games in general -- but it’s got to be one of the strongest brands in the industry, providing a unified and thematically interesting series consistently for over a decade. No other studio does Americana better, ironically, than Rockstar.</P><br /><P>“Grand Theft Auto V” will be released in September for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, a healthy five years after “Grand Theft Auto IV.” It’s worth noting that the DS, PSP, and iOS devices were graced by “Chinatown Wars” in 2009, but even that was four years ago -- surely fans of the series are chomping at the bit by now.</P><br /><P>So take your time exploring Los Santos -- it’s going to be a while before you’ll get another chance.</P><br /><P>[Gamespot]</P><B>Tags</B> Grand Theft Auto V, gta, rockstar games<br /><P></P><br /><P><A href="http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/03/09/releasing-too-many-grand-theft-auto-games-would-fatigue-the-brand-rockstar-says/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-87811590542034650422013-03-12T00:00:00.000-07:002013-03-12T00:00:03.536-07:00<P>2013 is going to be a big year for Mario’s little brother, Luigi, so much so that Nintendo has already taken to calling it "The Year of Luigi." Never really one to steal the spotlight from Mario, Luigi has always been a secondary character for the franchise, but, that still makes him arguably one of the biggest names in video games... ever. Between the release of "Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon" on March 24, the upcoming "New Super Luigi U" expansion pack, and his role in a host of other Nintendo games on both the Wii U and 3DS, Luigi is set to have an unprecedented presence this year, which should make his faithful followers, both inside and outside of Nintendo very happy. We recently had a chance to ask Luigi’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, some questions about the origins of everyone’s favorite green-shirted plumber, and we learned that there’s a lot more to Luigi than you might think. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Multiplayer: At what point did you realize Luigi would develop into his own character, and be more than just a palette swap for Mario?</STRONG></P><br /><P>Shigeru Miyamoto:</EM> The definitive moment was probably "Luigi's Mansion" for the GameCube, but even before that, the first opportunity for Luigi to change was "Super Mario Bros. 2." That's when we decided to give him a slightly different jump from Mario, and make him a little bit taller, and a little bit lighter. Then with "Super Mario World," we really went though the artwork for the game and started to make him look very different.</P><br /><P><STRONG>Multiplayer: In "Super Mario Bros. 2" Luigi started to act differently, is the fact that he is kind of based off the character Mama from "Doki Doki Panic" one of the reasons that he became a lanky, tall character with a floaty jump?</STRONG></P><br /><P>Miyamoto: </EM>With "Doki Doki Panic," that was a game with four characters that had different abilities, and in bringing the Mario characters into that game, it make sense for Luigi to fill the role that you mentioned. But, actually, before that, in Japan we made a different version of "Super Mario Bros. 2," now generally known in the U.S. as "The Lost Levels," and in that game we had a Luigi mode, where he jumped differently, and performed differently. So, even though the art was the same that was the first time that you saw slightly different abilities.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P><STRONG>Multiplayer: Do you think that the red and green colors, the two that were chosen for Mario and Luigi, are important, or were they just products of the technological limitations at the time?</STRONG></P><br /><P>Miyamoto: </EM>I think that the red and green choices were the right ones to make, especially where "Mario Bros." is a two-player game, and you needed to be able to tell which one you were controlling. But, in fact, as you note, the system at the time had severe limitations as to the number of different colors that could be used in the palette. What we ended up having to do was look at the green of the turtle characters in that game, the shells were green, and the color of their faces was essentially somewhat skin tone, so we were able to use the same color palette as the turtle on the Luigi character. So, because of the limitations, we had to make that decision, but looking back on it now, it appears to have been the right decision to make.</P><br /><P>Of course, as those limitations have gone away, and we've had more colors to use, Luigi is not only green, but he also has his own blue shirt. In "Mario Bros.," he originally had a white shirt, but now he has a blue shirt, and we were able to make him a little bit taller and things like that to differentiate him.</P><br /><P><STRONG>Multiplayer: So is it safe to say that Luigi has a little bit of koopa in him?</STRONG></P><br /><P>Miyamoto:</EM> [Laughs] I don’t think so.</P><br /><P><STRONG>Multiplayer: Luigi has appeared to play a lesser role in more recent Mario games, say as an unlockable character after you complete the game, as opposed to a main character, how do you factor his role into Mario’s games from the beginning?</STRONG></P><br /><P>Miyamoto: </EM>Of course, when we are developing the Mario games, we always start off with Mario as the main character, and so the focus is that Mario is the main, and then Luigi becomes a sub character. Because he's a sub character we often look for those other roles that he can fulfill. For example, the Super Guide in the "New Super Mario" games, we see Luigi appearing in those hint modes, but also because Luigi has a higher jump, but also he slips a lot more. That makes him a little bit of a harder character to use, so that is why you may not be able to as him until later.</P><br /><P>Certainly in multiplayer modes, Luigi is always one of the first characters to appear, and I'm fairly certain that he is there in the multiplayer mode in "Super Mario 64" for the Nintendo DS, as one of the first characters you can play. But, you know, certainly I don’t think that once the Year of Luigi is over that is going to change when or how Luigi will appear in a single player mode.</P><br /><P>Of course we do have "Super Luigi U" coming to the Wii U, and certainly that will change his role in that game.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P><STRONG>Multiplayer: In "Super Luigi U," does Luigi have his own storyline, or does he just have the levels available to him?</STRONG></P><br /><P>Miyamoto: </EM>He doesn't get his own story, but all of the levels have been redesigned for Luigi, so it should be a pretty good role for him.</P><br /><P><STRONG>Multiplayer: Does Mario make an appearance at all?</STRONG></P><br /><P>Miyamoto:</EM> I can't say yet.</P><br /><P>There are some people that say that they want Mario to appear, but Mr. Tezuka is saying that he's not going to let Mario into this game.</P><br /><P><STRONG>Multiplayer: I look forward to seeing who wins that. Going back to Luigi's original mechanics - how was his higher jump, and sliding run determined to be his unique set of mechanics?</STRONG></P><br /><P>Miyamoto:</EM> In creating a game, one thing that you do is you establish a number of different parameters that set the framework for what that gameplay is going to be. In trying to determine those parameters we looked at a number of different varieties of Marios, and how they performed. Ultimately, we made the decision on the Mario that you see in the original "Super Mario Bros." games. After completing the primary development on the game, and determining if we were to create another variety of parameters through which people could play the game, what would it be? In looking back at the work that we had done, we decided on the parameters that became the settings for Luigi's jump and slide.</P><br /><P>So that's actually what makes the character interesting, it brings this new style to the courses that you've played through and already mastered once as Mario.</P><br /><P><STRONG><br /><P><A href="http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/03/11/luigi-101-with-shigeru-miyamoto-origins-importance-and-his-role-in-new-super-luigi-u/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P></STRONG>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-45015937328826417732013-03-11T21:13:00.000-07:002013-03-11T21:13:00.317-07:00<P> </P><br /><P>A Naughty Dog tweet has revealed that their upcoming survival horror (action?) game "The Last of Us" will be available to gamers who pick up a copy of "God of War: Ascension." The demo will be available on May 31 via the main menu of "Ascension." </P><br /><P>While the demo will provide early access for "God of War: Ascension" players, no word yet on when it will be available for other PSN users. </P><br /><P>I got some hands-on time with "The Last of Us" earlier this year, getting a look at some of the enemies and encounters Naughty Dog has planned for their new title. While the version myself and other journalists played at the time was still in alpha, there was enough interesting creeping and combat to keep "The Last of Us" at the top of my 2013 list of very anticipated games. </P><br /><P>[Source: Joystiq]</P><br /><P>Related posts:</P><br /><P>Releasing Too Many ‘Grand Theft Auto’ Games Would ‘Fatigue’ the Brand, Rockstar Says<BR>Co-op Alone In Starbreeze's 'Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons'</P><br /><P>--</EM></P><br /><P>Follow @MTVMultiplayer on Twitter and be sure to "like" us on Facebook for the best geek news about comics, toys, gaming and more! And don’t forget to follow our video gaming and TV writer @TheCharlesWebb.</EM></P><B>Tags</B> God of War: Ascension, naughty dog, PS3, The Last of Us<br /><P></P><br /><P><A href="http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/03/10/the-last-of-us-demo-coming-in-late-may-with-early-access-for-god-of-war-fans/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-14402339968789476662013-03-11T18:55:00.000-07:002013-03-11T18:55:00.855-07:00There's a broad streak of humor and winking at the audience in "Citadel," the final piece of DLC for "Mass Effect 3," much of it calling attention to the silliness Shepard and his crew's latest adventure amid the high rises and malls of the ancient space station/waypoint. It's the kind of humor that explicitly calls out the ridiculousness of the characters' circumstances which have to do, in part, with an admittedly cleverly-conceived villain who wants to off the Normandy commander and his crew, and while this kind of thing should grate after a while, the main adventure as well as some quality time with the surviving characters in the series effectively hit me in the sweet nostalgia spot for "Mass Effect," making this (along with "From the Ashes") an essential piece of the final game in this trilogy. With the Normandy crew needs some R&R in the middle of the galaxy-spanning battle against the Reapers, Shepard is ordered to dry dock at the Citadel and given ballerish new digs in a swanky high-rise. But before he can settle in to enjoy his new pad, armed mercenaries attack, having hacked all of his communications and drawing Shepard into a series of light stealth solo gun fights with his silenced pistol.It's not long before the Normandy crew is drawn into the gunfight, and the enemy is revealed (their identity I won't spoil here but it works fantastically within seeds set up by "Mass Effect 2"). From there, it's a lot of quipping and chasing as Shepard and the gang hunt down the would-be killer, into a mysterious, archival vault inside of the Citadel, a location worth its own DLC mission and further exploration. If "Mass Effect" as a series has been an occasionally self-serious homage to the VHS-era space operas of the 80's, "Citadel" is a tribute to the quip-heavy buddy comedies of the 90's (everyone's got jokes) in this kind of weird, low-stakes conflict against a villain who even the heroes don't see as having a chance of winning. Sure, by the end of it, you won't want to hear another joke about the restaurant fish tank, but hanging with the other characters in this way is a kind of welcome respite from the doom and pessimism at the back end of this saga. The corniness/sentiment is kicked up a couple of notches once your battle with the baddie is over and Shepard returns to his/her place to... throw a party. An entire 2 hour or more section of the DLC serves to let you explore, the new chunk of the Citadel and meet your crew members (along with one-time crew members) before throwing a bash at your place. This unexpected turn doesn't offer a lot in the way of gameplay, but it's a much more satisfying final encounter with some of these characters than the one provided via the rushed video chats on Earth. Corniness aside (or maybe because of it), "Citadel" offers a perfect send-off to the "Mass Effect" trilogy in a way that honors the characters and the relationships you've spent years establishing with them. <STRONG>View the original article here</STRONG>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-60493538023164518232013-03-11T16:38:00.000-07:002013-03-11T16:38:00.303-07:00<P> </P><br /><P>What do you do when your daughter wants to play as Pauline? If you're megadad Mike Mika the asnwer is simple- hack the game. As you can see in the video above, Lara's not the only woman who can save the day.<BR><BR>From his YouTube discription:</P><br /><BLOCKQUOTE readability="8"><br /><P>My three year old daughter and I play a lot of old games together. Her favorite is Donkey Kong. Two days ago, she asked me if she could play as the girl and save Mario. She's played as Princess Toadstool in Super Mario Bros. 2 and naturally just assumed she could do the same in Donkey Kong. I told her we couldn't in that particular Mario game, she seemed really bummed out by that. So what else am I supposed to do? Now I'm up at midnight hacking the ROM, replacing Mario with Pauline. I'm using the 2010 NES Donkey Kong ROM. I've redrawn Mario's frames and I swapped the palettes in the ROM. I replaced the M at the top with a P for Pauline. Thanks to Kevin Wilson for giving me the lead on the tools and advice.</P></BLOCKQUOTE><br /><P>Suffice it to say, it's pretty neat when a parent goes above and beyond the call and delivers a truley magical and special gift to their child. I'm sure Mike's earned more than another bland shirt and tie combo come Father's Day! And maybe, we've finally made a small step toward equality in the game world.</P><br /><P><STRONG><br /><P><A href="http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/03/11/move-aside-mario-pauline-takes-charge-in-donkey-kong-hack/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P></STRONG>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-1460538058105384382013-03-11T14:03:00.000-07:002013-03-11T14:03:00.266-07:00 <P>This German trailer for the upcoming Netherrealm fighting game based on a twisted mirror universe version of the DCU reveals costume packs based on the publisher's sprawling "Green Lantern" zombie mega event from a couple of years back. Will it be coming to the U.S. version of the game? </P><P>According to the trailer for German preorders of the game, the "Blackest Night" DLC will be available for the PS3 and Xbox 360 (sadly, leaving the Wii U out in the cold). </P><P>In "Blackest Night," the evil Black Lanterns attacked Earth, resurrecting the dead and siccing them on the heroes of the DCU. If I recall, it was an end-run to get Swamp Thing back into the main DC Universe as well as chance to have Aquaman's wife vomit acid blood at her zombie son. </P><P>Because comics, y'all. </P><P>Anyway, the "Blackest Night" DLC sees the characters from "Injustice" kitted out in stylized costumes from the event. Again, no word on when (or if) it will be making its way to the U.S. but fans of the zombie-resurrecting Batman can only hope. </P><P>[Source: Go Nintendo]</P><P>Related posts:</P><P>Move Aside Mario! Pauline Takes Charge In 'Donkey Kong' Hack<BR>Releasing Too Many ‘Grand Theft Auto’ Games Would ‘Fatigue’ the Brand, Rockstar Says</P><P>--</EM></P><P>Follow @MTVMultiplayer on Twitter and be sure to "like" us on Facebook for the best geek news about comics, toys, gaming and more! And don’t forget to follow our video gaming and TV writer @TheCharlesWebb.</EM></P><B>Tags</B> dc comics, Geoff Johns, Injustice: Gods Among Us, netherrealm studios, PS3, wii u, Xbox 360</P><br /><p><a href="http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/03/11/german-trailer-touts-blackest-night-dlc-for-injustice-gods-among-us/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-26171841773191357262013-03-11T11:31:00.000-07:002013-03-11T11:32:25.891-07:00 <P>"It's a top-down action-adventure emotional experience" explains Starbreeze's Josef Fares, who provides a two-minute walkthrough for this downloadable game coming to the 360 and PS3 this spring. "Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons" kind of slipped under my radar over the last few months, and I've been curious what Starbreeze was up to post-"Syndicate" reboot.</P><P>Their new title has you controlling two brothers as they search for a cure for their father's life-threatening illness, with independent control of each brother assigned to the thumbsticks and varied interactions with the world based on which brother's doing the interacting. So there's a cooperative element to the game in as much as you can consider cooperating with yourself "cooperation."</P><P>From the official synopsis:</P><BLOCKQUOTE readability="11"><P>Guide two brothers on an epic fairy tale journey from visionary Swedish film director, Josef Fares and top-tier developer Starbreeze Studios. Control both brothers at once as you experience co-op play in single player mode, like never before. Solve puzzles, explore the varied locations and fight boss battles, controlling one brother with each thumb stick.</P><P>This is one journey you will never forget.</P></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Watch for the bit in the middle where Fares explains why "Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons" wouldn't work as a traditional cooperative game in a demonstration that involves a shoe and a baffled Starbeeze employee.</P><P>[Source: Giant Bomb]</P><P>Related posts:</P><P>Harebrained Schemes Release The First 'Shadowrun Returns' Gameplay Footage<BR>Dracula Bites Back: MercurySteam Boss Dave Cox On 'Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror Of Fate' And 'Lords of Shadow 2'</P><P>--</EM></P><P>Follow @MTVMultiplayer on Twitter and be sure to "like" us on Facebook for the best geek news about comics, toys, gaming and more! And don’t forget to follow our video gaming and TV writer @TheCharlesWebb.</EM></P><B>Tags</B> 505 games, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, PS3, Starbreeze Studios, Xbox 360</P><br /><p><a href="http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/03/08/co-op-alone-in-starbreezes-brothers-a-tale-of-two-sons/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-37201611204144902342013-03-02T05:08:00.000-08:002013-03-02T05:08:28.809-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://akcontent.ebuddy.com/website/v4.0.25/img/subpages-art/iphone-pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://akcontent.ebuddy.com/website/v4.0.25/img/subpages-art/iphone-pro.jpg" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Download</b></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?atyi0r09uzsyaiu">http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?atyi0r09uzsyaiu</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11993032238337618802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-65453363800309506042013-01-15T20:19:00.000-08:002013-01-15T20:19:00.085-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://cdn.pocket-lint.com/images/Jncp/samsung-galaxy-s-iv-ces-2013-0.jpg?20121119-200550" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://cdn.pocket-lint.com/images/Jncp/samsung-galaxy-s-iv-ces-2013-0.jpg?20121119-200550" width="320" /></a></div> While Samsung left most of us a tad let down at this year?s CES with no new device announcements, it did manage to get us excited about the future regarding its upcoming Exynos 5 Octa SoC.<br /> <br /> As the name implies, the Exynos 5 Octa will feature eight cores of processing power; four Cortex A7's, and four Cortex A15's.<br /> <br /> While the Exynos 5 Dual variant features a new-gen Mali-T604 GPU, it seems this was not good enough for Samsung's octa-core model, which will instead feature a PowerVR SGX 544MP3.<br /> <br /> If the name sounds familiar, that?s because similar graphics processors are found in the Apple's A5/A6 processors - the PowerVR 543. The 544 is set to feature many of the same options that are found in the 543 plus DirectX 10 texturing and 2x faster triangle setup.<br /> <br /> It won't, however, match the performance of the PowerVR 554MP4 found on Apple's A6X chipset, so the performance delivered by Exynos 5 Octa's GPU will likely be somewhere between the third and fourth-gen iPads' GPUs.<br /> <br /> Source | Via<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.gsmarena.com/samsungs_exynos_5_octa_will_still_have_powervr_graphics-news-5341.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-57639557907981869312013-01-15T17:36:00.000-08:002013-01-15T17:36:00.430-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/samsung-exynos-5-dual.jpg?w=558&amp;h=9999&amp;crop=0" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/samsung-exynos-5-dual.jpg?w=558&amp;h=9999&amp;crop=0" width="320" /></a></div> It's no secret that Samsung's Galaxy S series of smartphones has been a game changer, for the company as well as for Android smartphones in general. Now the series has reached a new landmark, with the total worldwide shipments exceeding 100 million units since the first Galaxy S device shipped two and a half years ago.<br /> <br /> The Galaxy S III has been the biggest and fastest contributor so far, with 40 million shipments coming in the first seven months after launch and currently shipping close to 190,000 units every day. The venerable Galaxy S II, which has been around for almost two years now, has managed to ship 40 million units in 20 months.<br /> <br /> With people now eagerly looking forward to the next flagship in the series, we don't see the popularity of the Galaxy S brand waning any time soon.<br /> <br /> Source<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s_series_sales_surpass_100_million-news-5340.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379381379785872814.post-4567800623616487352013-01-15T14:47:00.000-08:002013-01-15T14:47:00.750-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.techjailbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Sony-Xperia-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://www.techjailbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Sony-Xperia-XL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> Yesterday we brought you a report that the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL will be joining forces to tackle the competition in Canada.<br /> Today, courtesy of Sony Xperia CA, comes a confirmation that the Xperia ZL will be Canada-bound, which is great news for those who fancy it over the more slender Xperia Z.<br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" readability="5"> Great news and you're hearing it here first - The #XperiaZL will be coming to Canada. #SonyCES<br /> ? Sony Xperia CA (@SonyXperiaCA) January 8, 2013</blockquote> The Xperia Z and Xperia ZL share a lot of similarities, like the 5" 1080p Mobile BRAVIA 2 display but while the Xperia Z is thinner (7.9 mm vs 9.8 mm) and offers extra water and dust protection the Xperia ZL is shorter whilst retaining the same screen diagonal.<br /> We expect to hear more about the availability of both smartphones in other countries too, so stay tuned.<br /> Source | Via<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.gsmarena.com/new_report_backs_info_that_canada_will_get_xperia_zl-news-5337.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0