While the infamous Antennagate made bumper cases famous, the Nexus 4 was the Android device that introduced bumper cases to the green team.  While the official Google bumper is very good, it is relatively expensive and hard to find in stock.  So today we’ll take a look at the GENx bumper case and see if this minimalistic case is worth using.

The GENx hybrid bumper case for the Nexus 4 looks very much like the official Google version - and that’s not a bad thing.  The GENx iteration is also a hybrid in that it mixes polycarbonate (hard plastic) and TPU (softer gel-like plastic) in the construction of the case.  The end result is a flexible yet protective case that holds its shape well.

Slipping on the case is super simple.  The Nexus 4 simply clicks into place with the bumper securely around the phone and all ports are easily accessible.  One big difference is that GENx decided to highlight their button-extensions on the case in the same chrome finish as the phone.  Where in the Google version of this case, those buttons are in black.  This lends a great look to the case and makes it look more like a part of the phone rather than a rubber band around it.

As with all bumper cases, the face and back of the phone is exposed.  The Nexus 4 being designed in a similar fashion as the iPhone 4/4S/5 where it’s a glass-sandwich, this leaves little protections against scratches or faceplants.  But the GNEx bumper does raise the faces off a rested surface by a few millimeters so that you can leave your phone lying flat on a table.

In use however, I found that while the GNEx bumper was slim (4mm in thickness) it was just enough that it made my hand forget how to hold my phone.  I used it as my primary case for well over 2 weeks and I was still prone to dropping it while trying to handle it.  The extra width did give me better grip while typing but in the general holding of the phone, it was just slightly too wide for my liking.

Comparing the official case to the GENx version, I would conclude that not only is the GENx better looking with the Chrome buttons, but it’s also cheaper than the official Google version.  Besides a minimalist slim-case, a bumper case is as close to bare-back as you can be with a phone.  If that’s what you’re looking for, then the GENx bumper gets our seal of approval.

Official first episode of Blow Me is now live! We're using Google Hangouts to better display our ugly mugs so feel free to watch out live recording or listen at your leisure.  This week, Amos and Jeff bitch about the Man of Steel - major spoilers be warned.  We also list all the wonderful ideas we can Kickstart now that it's available in the Great White North.  Plus listen to us wonder at the marvel of stupid parents and their new babies.  Tune in and leave a comment!

We're back after to discuss the new Xbox One and how it stacks up to the PS4. Jeff and Amos also saw Star Trek Into Darkness separately and came out with different opinions.  Plus, what does Will Smith sound like with a New Zealand  accent?  Tune in and find out!

This week's episode is a very scientific one. We discuss the finer points of coffee-douchebaggery and why we wouldn't buy a ticket to Mars - even if the powers-that-be allowed us to go.  We also have a laugh at the hilarity that is Nintendo's copy protection.  Plus, ever wonder what Ryan Gosling's been doing with Hideo Kojima?  Yeah, we were wondering the same thing.  Tune in and have a laugh with us!

The third installment in the mega-blockbuster Iron Man franchise is a loud, action-packed thrill ride that at times feels a bit too Michael Bay-esque, but still manages to deliver a film that is both exciting and quite enjoyable.

Director Shane Black has assumed the duties from Jon Favreau and has managed to establish a new layer to the already fantastic Tony Stark character, helping to highlight the vulnerability suffered by a man tasked with protecting the world from aliens and terrorists.

Stark is plagued with insomnia and anxiety attacks after the events in the massive hit movie The Avengers, and now the audience is introduced to a man who is no longer only served by his dry wit and deep pockets.

Robert Downey Jr. once again proves that no one else could play this role, and though there are moments during the 90 minute blitzkrieg that it feels as if he is going through the motions, there are also times where his wit and sharp delivery are better than ever.

Tony Stark and Pepper Potts have established quite a nice life together when an Osama Bin Laden-style terrorist named the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) starts hijacking the world’s television feeds to deliver cryptic anti-American sentiments in conjunction with a series of massive bombings within American cities. Kingsley is magnificent as the Mandarin and adds a certain brand of eeriness and mirth to the role.

Partnered with Aldrich Killian (Guy Pierce) who has managed to “hack” into human DNA with a project called Extremis that turns formally injured humans into sort of exploding super-villains, the Mandarin provides a new type of enemy for the bravado laden Stark.

It is only when Stark is attacked at his Malibu uber-mansion and that he is forced to rethink his attack as well as his plan as he attempts to put an end to the tyranny.

In light of the recent events that transpired in the Boston Marathon Bombings, the subject matter of bombs and the visual imagery of maimed victims and destruction perhaps rings too close to home and may cause some to look negatively upon the film.

Though unintentional and beyond the control of both the film makers and the production studios, Iron Man 3 is at times quite gritty and seems a bit too real.

Movies are meant to be a form of escape for audiences as they go to films to suspend reality and immerse themselves into a story, but the subject of terrorisms and the current climate of the real world is once of high sensitivity to this type of subject matter.

It is a hard topic to cross, and though Iron Man 3 is fictional it also happens to bring more exposure to things that are far too real and the levity of the situation can never really suspended or ignored.

Iron Man 3 is a good movie, with great actors, amazing digital effects and humor that audiences have come to love from Downey Jr. and his Tony Stark alter ego, it’s just unfortunate that we live in a world where these supposedly fictional situations are at times oh so real.

We're back after a nice break at Coachella and other debauchery.  We get to rant a bit on how Metacritic plays into today's gaming landscape.  Plus, we try and understand why boobs seem to be offensive to people - and really come up dry.  Finally, we celebrate the Internet's 20th birthday by taking a walk down memory lane.  Join us and remember to subscribe to the show!

Samsung's latest flagship phone has been released and made widely available in North America.  We're eager to get our hands on this beast of a phone but in the meantime, check out what some of our media partners are saying about the definitive Android device.

The Verge: Review
David Pierce over at The Verge didn't like to hold the S4 and complained about the overwhelming plasticky design of the phone. However, he does praise the S4 for having "the best Android camera I've ever used" and is as good as the iPhone 5's camera.

TechRadar: Review
Gareth Beavis across the pond "really, really liked" the S4.  TechRadar defends the S4's plastic design by stating a lighter chassis, removable battery, and general durability over glass or aluminum.  Additional praise was given to the improved battery life and upgraded TouchWiz.  But complaints of complicating the simplicity of the S4 with over abundance of "Air" apps hampers an otherwise positive review.

CNET: Review
Jessica Dolcourt gave the S4 an outstanding 4.5/5 stars and praised the latest Galaxy with fantastic innards, NFC, user-replaceable battery, and microSD storage.  General complaints of a dimmer screen as compared to the HTC One and the long list of (unnecessary) software features are consistent with other reviews.

CBC Canada: Review
Peter Nowak, representing a Canadian view on Samsung's latest, felt the S4 was really in incremental step from the S3 - akin to a new installment of Call of Duty or Harry Potter.

Globe and Mail: Review
Omar El Akkad for the Globe and Mail has traditionally be a cautiously optimistic supporter of Samsung phones.  Overall, the S4 was giving good marks but again the overabundance of Samsung software (and carrier installed bloatware) hampered the overall experience.  El Akkad recommends the S4 for folks with an older phone looking to upgrade to the latest and greatest.

Reviews have generally been favorable for the latest entry from Samsung's Galaxy line.  Complaints of bloatware is nothing new and the reserved recommendations are also expected at this point in the Smartphone race.  But if you're one of the many that's made the jump to the S4, make sure you check out all of the latest accessories.

Though the post-apocalyptic storyline surrounding Oblivion seems a little rehashed, and the script at times is stagnant and rigid, the bottom line is that Oblivion is one of the better sci-fi movies released in the last few years.

The story of an unlikely pair tasked with reclaiming the vital resources left on a post-apocalyptic Earth seems to be taken straight from Pixar’s hit WALL-E, but Director Joseph Kosinski's (Tron: Legacy) sleek visuals and gorgeous cinematography add a certain depth to the film that goes above and beyond what audiences would expect from a sci-fi movie in the CGI era.

Tom Cruise stars as Jack Harper, a fighter pilot and technician charged with repairing drones and eliminating any “scavs” or scavengers left over on Earth from the planet’s destruction that occurred some 60 years prior.

Together with his girlfriend/co-worker Victoria (or “Vika” as he calls her) the pair must ensure that giant hydroelectric vacuums continue to operate and suck the water out of Earth’s remaining oceans for a colony of survivors from Earth currently located on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon.

Harper, along with Victoria, have had their minds erased for security purposes, but for some reason Harper cannot shake a dream of himself and lovely brunette standing atop of The Empire State Building in what appears to be modern day Manhattan.

Try as he may he cannot shake this dream until one day a mysterious craft crashes into Earth and Harper rescues the lone survivor from the crash, and as chances have it, she is the woman from his dreams.

The story gets a bit muddled in the slow moving film, but at the core is another movie at which Cruise plays the ultimate hero, one hell-bent on ensuring that the human race survives.

Cruise is his typical self in this movie and, though sci-fi might not be his genre, he delivers an admirable performance. The scene where two Cruise’s battle it out is worth the price of admission alone.

Morgan Freeman is also in the movie, but unfortunately it takes most of the film to introduce him to the audience. A shame considering Freeman is such a talent, one whose voice alone can often save the worst of movies.

Oblivion may not be completely original, treading on such sci-fi pillars of aliens, clones, invaders, but the fact that it was an original screenplay is quite refreshing.

Kosinski is on a whole different level with the visuals in this film. The shattered remnants of New York City long since destroyed are quite captivating. Utilizing three cameras set up on a Hawaiian volcano to project images onto huge screens helped to give the film a more organic and compelling feeling.

The pace may be slow throughout the film, but the investment is quite worth it in the end as the story unfolds meticulously. Audiences who manage to remain engaged should be quite rewarded.

Jackie Robinson is one of the most significant figures in all of sports history. Shattering the color barrier in 1947 when he joined ‘Dem Bums’ with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Robinson’s bravery and importance to the civil rights movement are beyond measure, and while 42 is a good movie, it lacks the bravery and the true fire that made Jackie Robinson such a captivating and inspiring figure.

Director Brian Helgeland does a great job of capturing the emotional significance and sheer magnitude of what it meant to America’s favourite pastime when Jackie Robinson donned that number 42 jersey for the Dodgers, but at times it feels as if he merely touches on the surface of what could have been a much deeper story.

42 does everything right, in that it is a heartfelt and honest tribute to a significant figure and it avoids treading on biopic clichés and formulas, but at times it feels as if Helgeland plays it a little too safe.

Helgeland has found an absolute winner in Chadwick Boseman, who brings an honest and humble approach to the role of Robinson. His emotional and heartfelt approach to the role required finesse and Boseman delivers on every account.

Harrison Ford is robust and quite impressive as Branch Rickey, the general manager of the Dodgers whose idealism for equality extended beyond the primary colors of black and white and centered around the all mighty dollar.

While Rickey was certainly an important character and one who could warrant his own bio film, it seems like an interesting call how at times it seems as if 42 is more about Rickey than it is Robinson.

Perhaps Helgeland was trying to figure out how to get as much screen time for Ford, the only real ‘star’ in the film, but at times there is too much Rickey and not enough Robinson.

This was a period of time when America was forced to look at itself in the mirror and realize how ludicrous their bigotry really was, and 42 does a decent enough job of highlighting this absurdity.

The real emotional fireworks are contained in the scenes where Robinson is on the field trying to filter out the constant barrage of racial slurs.

There is a scene where it appears that Robinson has lost it after having to endure more n-words than could be counted by Philadelphia Phillies manager Ben Champman (played by Alan Tudyk) that perfectly captures the raw emotions of what this process would have been for Robinson, but unfortunately Helgeland doesn’t give the audience enough of these moments throughout the film.

The baseball scenes are great, and it is certainly nice to see old Ebbetts field in Brooklyn re-imagined in CGI, but at the end of the day there needs to be more about Robinson and his struggles beyond that first year in the big leagues. There isn’t enough back-story here and it leaves the film feeling incomplete at times.

So you’ve already read the reviews about this game and heard how terrible it is. This is no different but instead adds in the disappointment of waiting for a game for so long only to find out just how bad it is. Something Gearbox seems to be all too familiar with.

I first saw this game at PAX a few years ago when I got to see a developer play an early version of the game. It looked beautiful. Obviously as a tech demo the game was going to look pretty because it was a piece designed just to show off the game but it wasn’t even game itself that won me over but the excitement that the developers had about being able to continue this franchise. They were like kids in a candy store getting to develop what looked to be an amazing Alien game. I got my sweet “Peace through superior firepower” shirt swag and left looking forward to the future of this game.

I followed it a little online and everything seemed great and finally got a chance to see it at PAX 2013 where I got to play a multiplayer version of the game. It was a lot of fun trying to finish a mission while the evil Xenomorphs came at me from all sides. I couldn’t wait. Sure it didn’t look perfect but the game still had a few months till the finished product and it really didn’t need much work, right? I was so wrong and now that I’ve played it I think I almost understand the disappointment those who actually played Duke Nukem felt last year.

The premise of the game is awesome. You’re a rescue ship sent to save the crew from the USS Selaco and you arrive seventeen weeks after the Aliens movie. You get to said ship and very quickly everything goes to crap. Perfect, or it should be. Unfortunately I got this from the developer who told me about the game and Wikipedia because it just wasn’t described very well at the start of the game. To be honest I’m not even totally sure how the rest of the story played out because I didn’t want to finish it. I played as long as I could before putting the controller down and feeling so disappointed in something I was so excited about.

The dialogue is terrible in the game. It was so bad that I actually had moments when I wondered who actually wrote it and if it was just a mean joke. The connection between one soldier and another who were in a relationship was discussed vaguely until one seemed to get tired of talking and got straight to the point saying something like “a sex relationship”. I wish the developer I first heard talk about the game had written the speech because at least then it would have been exciting. The AI is also as stupid as can be to the point where they often stand there smiling at you while you’re being attacked.

They’ve since released a patch and it looks much nicer but that doesn’t excuse the fact that it looked horrible when it was released. I felt like I was playing Halo:CE and not the updated version. I recently started playing Duke Nukem 3D again and some of the computers looked really similar. The worst though was the aliens themselves who basically looked like they should have been popping up in an old shooting game in the arcade. Basically big poorly rendered black things that sort of looked like gorillas mixed with juice heads (sort of the same thing). This would be disappointing but it was made more so by the fact that they moved quite well when running along the girders or vent systems.

Once cool part of this game is the motion tracker that you can use to see when you’re about to be pounced on. It ends up being relatively useless because even if you are surprised it doesn’t help but it’s a really cool idea.

I normally don’t feel right putting a stamp on a game without playing the whole thing but this is one instance where I feel it’s totally justified. They had a great back story to work with and an awesome base that they just didn’t capitalize on. There is talk that Gearbox simply put all their work into Borderlands and this became an afterthought. Either way this will definitely make me a little bit cautious when approaching the next Gearbox titles.

Ed Note: I will say that looking at images online of the game after the patch (so most images used in this post) it actually looks like they did a good job. Maybe I’ll try again.

Primordia is a cyber-punk, point and click, adventure game that takes place in a dystopian future ruled by robots.  Borrowing from such classics as Space Quest and Monkey Island, Primordia lets you explore this futuristic world through a series of complex puzzles to solve a mystery.  Beautifully animated with just the right touch of nostalgia, Primordia is a game that could use more exposure among the masses.

You play through the game as the character Horatio Nullbuilt, a cynical, somewhat cantankerous robot who prefers the isolation of open desert to the interaction with other robots within the giant robot city, Metropol. Alongside him is his own robot creation, the rather sarcastic Crispin Horatiobuilt. The two characters make this adventure even more enjoyable as the dialogue and commentary that the two provide adds a sense of humour to the otherwise bleak landscape of the game.

Wormwood Studios has done an amazing job in the cinematics and animations in this game. While the graphics are not as realistic and sharp as what gamers have become accustomed to, they are beautifully rendered and provide a rich visual landscape in which to explore the world that Man left behind. The graphics add a sense of time travel to the game, and as I was playing I was transported back to the times my brothers and I would be playing Space Quest and getting our trusty space janitor totally smashed at the bar. One of the most impressive aspects of the graphics in this game is that each of the areas to explore has been hand-drawn.  The artists who created the backdrops to this adventure deserve a pat on the back.

The controls in the game are incredibly simplistic, with everything being controlled with either a right or left click of the mouse (it is a point and click after all).  When interacting with the environment, you can often obtain different commentary, and sometimes even different actions, depending on whether or not you right or left click on the item. If you are ever stuck for ideas of what to do, it is often a good idea to try both a right and left click to see if it either does something you want it to or, more rarely, gives you a hint.  Other than that, the only control left is your mind, which you are required to use quite frequently in order to solve the mystery laid in front of you.

The game does not have to be played in a linear fashion, and in many cases it is impossible to play it in a linear fashion.  There are so many pieces of each puzzle to solve, that you really have to explore your map and piece together different parts of the information before you can reach the end of any given section.  Thankfully, the map is easy to use and can transport you quickly from area to area so you aren’t wasting time walking between events. There are some parts of the game that must be completed before you can move on, but it is largely open to exploration.

My biggest complaint with the game is that some of the puzzles are really obscure.  You largely have to figure out how to use your inventory, Crispin, and the environment on your own.  There really is no tutorial for this game, so you have to figure out the right combinations of actions that are going to make things happen, and rely on your knowledge of similar styled games to help you out. Occasionally, and I do mean very, very rarely, Crispin can be clicked on to give a hint.  The helpfulness of said hints varies greatly, with some being incredibly vague and some being quite blunt and to the point.  However, sometime he doesn’t give hints at all. Still, it is always worth clicking on Crispin to see what he has to say.  He is quite funny.

The other part that makes this game frustrating is how deeply they imbed some of the clues into the game.  There are some puzzles that can be solved using hints that you did not even know were hints.  It is incredibly important to keep track of all the information you come across in this game in order to solve some of the puzzles.  That being said, there are often secondary ways to solve puzzles that don’t require quite as much time or thinking to solve. However frustrating this might be though, it certainly adds a level of logical thinking to the game that keeps the gameplay from getting boring and repetitive, as your brain is constantly trying to piece together all the clues to help you reach the solution.

When there is more than one solution to the problem, there is often more than one outcome when you solve to puzzle.  You can earn different achievements on Steam based on how you play the game, and what method you use to solve certain puzzles.  What this game does particularly well is that you don’t know how the outcome is going to affect you later on.  There are something like 7 distinct endings to this game (I have not played them all), and a multitude of different choices to make throughout the game. This is definitely a game you could play over again, just to see how the mystery of Horatio Nullbuilt’s life plays out differently.  Also, replay is necessary in order to get all the achievements, so if achievement hunting is your thing, then you must.

Overall, this is an awesome game. If you like point and click adventures, then you must get this game.  If you don’t like point and click adventures, get this game anyway.  It is a ton of fun.

Weekend 1 of the 13th Coachella Music Festival finished up last Sunday and it was a great festival as usual. This is the second annual list of Coachella awards. This year is tough to judge with so many great reunions so with this being the year of reunions, we’ll be telling you the best.

Best Hip Hop reunion

Tie! Wu Tang Clan and Jurrasic 5

Jurrasic 5 killed it on stage with their typical easy flow and hard hitting rhymes. They proved that combining a great combo of live DJ with hip hop artists is always the way to go. They even had a giant J5 record on stage that Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark scratched during an interlude in the set. It just doesn’t get cooler than that…but it does get just as cool with the reunion of Wu-Tang Clan who announced their newest album and also proved that they indeed ain’t nuthin to f**k wit. The crowd went nuts to their huge hits like “Gravel Pit” and “C.R.E.A.M”. Anyone who missed throwing up their Wu hands was missing out big time.

Best Band with an Artist that’s always at Coachella

Blur

Damon Albarn has been to Coachella a few times while playing with multiple bands. The Good, the Bad and the Queen and Gorillaz were previous appearances but now he’s bringing back Blur to the US for the first time since 2008. They started strong with their hit “Boys and Girls” to get the crowd going. The rest of the songs were spot on and this was a band that knew their craft. Finishing strong with “Parklife” and “song 2” this was an awesome return to America.

Best 80’s reunion

New Order

There was a terrible conflict at this time between Sigur Ros and New Order. I definitely wanted to catch both of them, and I did get a few minutes of Sigur Ros, but once New Order started playing there was no leaving that set. Hearing so many classic songs from a band that most will likely not see again after this year was one of those amazing moments of Coachella where you are just happy to be there. They played almost all their classics (They obviously couldn’t play them all) and they were all perfect.

Biggest disappointment

No Daft Punk

This wasn’t actually that big of a deal but with all of the crazy rumors spreading, it started to seem like it could happen. When it didn’t happen you could feel the collective sigh of relief at all the other stages.

Best addition to the festival

The new Sahara

This new tent is amazing! It has more lights and a stellar DJ booth that really puts the DJ up on a pedestal. Watching acts like Moby, Eric Prydz and Wolfgang Gartner here was super cool. If they keep upgrading these stages there are definitely going to be some heads blown clean off.

Best food

Spicy Pie

If you go, try it. That’s all that needs to be said.

Best tent

Fruttare

This was a simple tent but they gave out popsicles! It was a perfect break from the heat or sandstorms and they popsicles were delicious. Way to go!

Runner up

Playstation

This booth is always fun so a big shout out to the people at the Playstation society for making the competitions fun even if I lost (finished second) every single time!

We're back and pretty much on time. It was a big week after the trade deadline and Branden and Jeff talk trades. We talk about how long the Leaf's can last and who is going to pull it off when it gets important. We get an early start on next year since that's all some teams have and talk about who might be the zero to hero team next year (hint: They have warm weather). We also try to figure out a name for a new Seattle team and Jeff manages to settle on it needing to be a bird but somehow death sparrows doesn't have much of a ring too it.

Listen in and let us know what you think. Tell us what Seattle should be called and if you agree or disagree with us!

We’ve run out of time and Coachella is upon us so this will be the final before the event itself. We’ll be coming to you next week with our second annual Coachella awards but here is our last little article about a few of the bands you might not know about but should definitely check out. (That said the conflicts are impossible this year so you might have to choose carefully among these and the other gems).

Friday

C2C – This French turntable group is sort of an electronic turntable boy band without the prepackaging. They dance in sync among their turntables but don’t let that fool you, this group can play. They’ve won quite a few DJ awards and they’ve only just released one album. This is sure to be a great set early on in the strong Sahara lineup

Stars – Stars is always a great act. They get on stage and you can tell they just love to perform. Most of the members are part of Broken Social Scene so they’re pretty much the top of the Canadian indie performers. The combo of Torquil and Amy just makes the show. Don’t miss this.

Of Monsters and Men – This Icelandic band has been all over every radio station recently and for good reason. Their music is fun and pretty catchy. Definitely a good band to check out and sit to watch as the sun goes down.

Passion Pit – Their newest album is fantastic with a mix up of different sounds put together for something great. They were awesome when they performed last time at Coachella so this time is sure to be no different. Great for a good dance set.

Blur – You should know Blur and you’ve definitely heard their song “Song 2” so go check out the rest of the discography from this amazing band. You’ll regret it if you miss them.

Saturday

Biffy Clyro – This Scottish band has finally made the jump over to North American mainstream and there is a pretty large discography to catch up on. The band looks like they should be in a metal band but sound a lot like Snow Patrol.

Hot Chip – A Hot Chip show is just a good time to groove to the music and enjoy what you’re listening too. They’re music is melodic, fun and catchy. They almost manage to capture the fun from their videos but that would be pretty impossible.

Simian Mobile Disco – This is a set that will have you dancing nonstop the whole time. It would be a perfect Sahara set but instead it’s in the Mojave this year which means that tent is likely going to become a bit of a sweaty mess to their heavy beats.

Franz Ferdinand – One of the best shows I’ve ever seen. They are so much fun live. See them!

I’m going to take this moment to say that a Knife Party, New Order and Sigur Ros conflict is totally unfair. Knife Party will put on an amazing live show in the Sahara with their dubsteppy beats. Sigur Ros will lull everyone into a trance on the outdoor stage and New Order will take everyone back in time at the Mojave.

Sunday

The Gaslight Anthem – Some good melodic almost punk. Should be a strong performer to keep everyone going and get people excited.

The Lumineers – This performance could go two ways. It could be a great sing-along set with everyone singing and having a great time or it could be incredibly boring and a great time to sleep. Hopefully it’s the former.

La Roux – She hasn’t done much for a while but with hits like Bulletproof and the work she did with Major Lazer and some remixes it’s sure to be a pretty fun set.

Vampire Weekend – The music is good and they put on a solid set. Definitely worth checking out because it’s a good time.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – You don’t really know what this band is going to bring. They’ve pretty much done every type of sound so you could get noise rock to some ambient music with simple guitar and synthesizers. Either way the variety they have should make this an awesome set.

No matter which artists you see this is sure to be a great Coachella! So if you're not there be sure to tune into the webcast from the Coachella website and if you are there be sure to tweet me @jclemy!

Hot button topic this week.  We discuss the right and wrong of a cosplayer's scorn. Just because you dress like a sexy video game player, does it mean you should put up with the oafish comments? We also continue our rant on the love/hate for SimCity and what can be done to make it better.  Tune in and let us know your opinion: podcast@gamerwok.com

The old saying  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is something that rarely applies to videos games. With new engines and new innovations it’s hard to keep putting out the same game over and over without getting a little stale. God of War: Ascension on the other hand is definitely the exact same game as its predecessors and that’s a good thing.

The same premise comes with this game: Kratos is being tormented by a higher power (this time the Furies) and killing and maiming everything in his way. The story again is quite good with this being a prequel to the other three games in the main God of War series. This sets up the battle between Kratos and Ares and how everything came to be. This sets up the other games well and gives a back story to Krato’s quest for vengeance.  As usual this quest involves a fair bit of anger (a bit less than in previous games), a healthy dose of breasts, and enough violence to get lots of concerned parents upset.

The game sticks with the main weapon being the twin blades attached to chains on Kratos’ wrists. Using these with many different moves, it’s possibly to get insanely high combos and in general just decimate opponents. They’ve also given four magical attacks based on different gods such as lightning for Zeus and raising the dead for Hades. The usual rage bar is there to allow for special attacks once you’ve built up your hit meter high enough. If you’ve played God of War before, none of this is new to you and if you haven’t, you should try it.

A cool addition to the game is world weapons that you can pick up or take from enemies. Items like shields, javelins that can be thrown, hammers that smash and a multi-swing sword give a little extra depth. Personally, I didn’t use them often because the Blades of Chaos are just too much fun! It was a nice new addition and it occasionally allowed the enemies to attack from different levels so you could throw the weapons at them.

The game also does what it does best with the Quick Time Events which have you pressing buttons quickly to annihilate the creatures attacking you. Of all the games that do this, God of War is definitely the best with the buttons showing up clearly on the side of the screen that they appear on the controller. This is nice for someone who rarely picks up their PlayStation controller and often forgets exactly which one is O and which one is X.  Fighting monsters bigger than a house would be stupid without these events because it would simply be a grind. This allows for an amazing cinematic while giving the player a little bit of control over living or dying. That said, the mini games that were included where you would hack and slash enemies while dodging their attacks with the thumbstick were a little dumb. It looks cool when you’re slashing up a gorgon but if its attacks are so telegraphed that you barely need to try to dodge, it gets old pretty quick.

Overall the game is pretty short but that seems to be because they decided to add in multiplayer. The multiplayer is pretty fun but overall it’s not amazing. There’s definitely room for improvement but adding it in and doing a good job on their first attempt means there’s likely going to be some pretty epic multiplayer in the future. In the end though, this isn’t a game you pick up for multiplayer, it’s a game you pick up for some ultraviolence.

My biggest complaint and likely biggest compliment to the developers involves a section late in the game called the Trial of Archimedes. They have since added a patch to the game to ensure this part of the game isn’t impossible, but I really think the first few attempts should be done at the harder difficulty just to allow people to see how hard this game can be. By the end of this section I was actually yelling a little when I killed enemies and I’m pretty sure I felt a bit of the rage that Kratos is feeling in all of these games. It was impossibly hard and so mean but at the end it felt damn good to finish it.

God of War: Ascension adds in a few new items to the game but overall it’s the same game they’ve released numerous times. That said if they were to release another tomorrow they should do the exact same thing. A few more trials of the classical Greek minds might be a nice add-on as well.

When the first live action G.I.Joe movie came out four years ago, it was every boy born in the 1980’s dream come true. Finally, the heroes that we spent countless hours immersed in our rooms playing with were now taking the big screen. Unfortunately for everyone who saw that film, it was a complete disappointment.

Fast forward four years and G.I. Joe ‘Retaliation’ is more a reboot than it is a sequel and in that is serviceable enough to perhaps set the foundation of what could be a formidable action franchise.

‘Retaliation’ may be little more than a nostalgic trip for adults and an exciting ride for kids, but at least this film delivers a little bit of wit, some charm and enough explosions and action to keep everyone entertained.

While the film features many returning cast members, from Channing Tatum as Duke and Star Wars’ Ray Park as the bodysuit-wearing Snake Eyes, this movie belongs (and rightfully so) to Dwayne ‘The Rock” Johnson who shines as Roadblock.

This is a man who was born to be a G.I. Joe and truly embodies the ‘Real American Hero’ look that was established some twenty plus years ago.

The sheer spectacle of his chiseled physique coupled with uncanny comedic timing serves to prove that if there were one actor who could revive this franchise, it would be The Rock.

This is established in the first 10 minutes of the film, as the Joe’s head to Pakistan to recover some lost nuclear warheads. This mission goes well, but the Joe’s are betrayed and all but a handful of the elite group are killed, leaving Roadblock and a couple other Joe’s to set out and uncover who in the American Government betrayed them.

The movie does well to not only introduce audiences to Roadblock, but finally the Cobra Commander makes an appearance. Along with Destro (who has a brief cameo) the fact that Cobra Commander is in the film establishes legitimacy with their old fan base.

The fact that the face of the Cobra is actually in the film is enough to erase most memories of the horrible original movie.

Director Jon M. Chu (most famously of Justin Bieber’s Never Say Never) made the right decision in straying from an over-the-top special effects bonanza and delivered an outright action film.

Though the action is intense and constant, never once is a single drop of blood spilt, nor any other display of gore, highlighting the fact that beyond the bravado and machismo, this film is a vehicle for children.

The script and dialogue is a bit rigid, but there are glimpses of some depth. The scene between The Rock and Channing Tatum during a heated round of Call of Duty, gives depth to The Rock’s character and instantly wins over the audience. These 5 minutes of playful banter between the two stars is enough to provide the emotional depth and character development that will carry the Roadblock character onto further movies.

G.I. Joe ‘Retaliation’ is clearly a movie geared towards those fans and fanboys who either grew up with the G.I. Joe action figures or still continue to play with them, but it is this fan base that will be best served by this enjoyable film.

The festival is the ultimate music experience. This year seems to be a great year for music festivals with so many amazing headliners. To help you get to the festival and, even better, get through the festival we're giving you the Gamerwok guide to music festivals.

This information comes from the experience of five Coachella's, Fuji Rock, Summer Sonic, Pemberton and numerous other smaller festivals. That said, every festival is different so make sure you look into your festival before you go.

An important part of a music festival is knowing what the weather is going to be before you go. If you're at a festival like Coachella, you're sure in for some ridiculous hot weather and you'll want to plan accordingly with lots of water. If you're going to a festival like Glastonbury or Fuji Rock then you'll get lots of rain so having a good rain jacket and boots is essential.

For the warm weather festival it's easy to get overheated and end up with heatstroke. This means watch your alcohol consumption as well. This can ruin a festival pretty quick and possibly even end up with a trip to the hospital (Which really sucks if you're in another country like Japan and you don't speak the language very well). A good mix is to plan for a water with every alcoholic drink you consume and possibly even more water at night to make for a nicer morning.

For wet festivals it can be miserable if you're not prepared. Wet shoes for an entire day feels like you've been standing in a cold bathtub all day and your feet get incredibly sensitive. Good rainboots and a rain jacket that's not from a dollar store will give you a much better experience. With Fuji Rock, if it's raining, it is definitely worth hitting the Onsen to clean off and get warm.

Accomodations at a festival can make a huge difference for the festival. If you're staying at a hotel then the main thing to think about is the time it takes to get to and from the festival. You will definitely have a lineup getting in so if there is an act you want to see be sure to get there nice and early. Camping is a whole new story.

With camping it also depends on the weather at the festival. For example with Fuji Rock it will likely rain and the camping is on a golf course. Get there early enough to try to get some of the prime flat camping space otherwise plan on bailing out your tent a few times in the night. With a festival like Coachella the camping is layed out in neat rows so getting there early means you'll likely end up closer to the festival entrance but that's not always the best place to be.

For a festival where you have a vehicle be sure to bring lots of supplies. Save money on water and be sure to bring a nice cooler to fill with ice. A shade tent also goes a long way for the hot mornings when it's too hot to sleep any longer. Some snacks like oranges and chips are great to have to get re-hydrated after a long day in the sun.

If you're camping it will be pretty tough to get a shower without waiting in a long line and even when you get out the dust sticks to you like glue. Bring along some wet naps and leave a bottle of water out in the sun. You'll be able to get a little clean that way until you can finally get all the dirt cleaned off.

Bring allergy medicine! With all the dust and allergens flying around you can definitely feel like your head is ready to burst at the end. A bit of allergy treatment in the meantime will save you from some real nasty stuffed sinuses.

In regards to the music you definitely need to explore as much as possible. It's easy to simply go to the artists you know but a better idea is to simply explore. Go to as many different tents and stages as you can. There is no better way to discover new music than to simply go and watch it.

There are so many things to a music festival that this could go on forever. Next week is Coachella and after that so many more. Be sure to look on the websites to tune in for some of the show. Comment below if you have any suggestions for festivals or any other questions.