Free-to-Play Reappearance: Pinball Arcade

Hey folks welcome back for Day 3 of Free-to-Play and let's just jump right in. So a phenomenon that has happened around Steam is the love of pinball games. Farsight Studios created exact replicas of some of the all-time greatest pinball tables from Williams, Bally, Stern Pinball and Gottlieb all together in this one game. From every sound effect, bumper and flipper has so much detail and vibrant colors. This is Pinball Arcade.

Well those paddles are well placed.

A single-player, multiplayer game that is not only PC, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U and Playstation 4 mimicking famous pinball machines as far back as 1966. Stern Company associated with Sega brought Starship Troopers with movie quotes, sound effects, flashing lights and a 3D pinball with a sheen like a freshly made ball bearing. Ranging from over 5 seasons these titles are very familiar and have some history to them.

A few off-hand will age me but I care not. Taxi released by WMS Industries in 1988. The goal of the game is to pick up five passengers: Pinbot, Gorbie (a parody of General Secretary of Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev), Santa, Dracula and Lola (or Marilyn Monroe from the original release). Collecting all five passengers gives the jackpot. Amusingly enough there was some likeness rights over Marilyn Monroe, the character Marilyn had to be changed to Lola which looks identical to Marilyn made brunette.

Terminator 2: Judgement Day was the first game to feature the auto-plunger (a trigger device vs a spring plunger) with Arnold Schwarzenegger gave voice to the game, showing the original dot matrix display or DMD (showing informations on machines, clocks, railway and plane depatures with a limited resolution) and frame and box-board artwork of the T-800 in Arnold form, damaged Arnold form and exoskeleton. A per-release had a finite release with Robert Patrick's T-1000 image to maybe 500 machines.

1979 Disney's The Black Hole with spring plunger.

From the early 60s woodrails (wood to frame the playfield glass) to showing of the EM Electron-mechanical (a pinball machines design with relays, motors and switches to run it) which was phased out of design in the late 1970s. After the 1970s pinball machines were referred as Solid State (a machine design that relies on computers and printed circuit boards to run it) are easily recognized by the scoring display powered by electricity vs the score reels that spin to display the scores.

So game play is easy enough with mouse left to right click for paddles, A and D to tilt. Pressing left or right mouse button to launch a ball. Aside from gorgeous graphics, sound effects supplied from the original standing units with 65 different arcade pinball and the DLC offers additional tables each month. Downside is you will have to pay for these new tables. Still love the intro music is an instrumental version of Pinball Wizard via The Who.

Mars needs women and blasters apparently.

Free-to-Play Reappearance: Marvel Heroes 2015

How do all and welcome back for Day 2 of Free-to-Play Reappearance. Yeah that didn't feel extremely long-winded at all. Well I wanted to see more of a dynamic in the sense of teamplay, storyline and maybe even voice work for the characters. My opinion the right voice for some of these games just sets the tone that much better. David Brevik (creator of Diablo and Diablo 2) presents a free-to-play MMO set in the Marvel Universe with our heroes combining not only game-play of a Action style RPG but MMO in using the rather substantial library of heroes in the verse.

Teaming up to defeat Doctor Doom from the horrific side effects of the power of the Cosmic Cube (SHIELD really needs to lock that way) following the story written by Brian Michael Bendis (The New Avengers, Ultimate Spider-Man, Daredevil and Mighty Avengers), just find a favorite and get in the game. This is Marvel Superheroes 2015.

BEHOLD!!! THE COSMIC MCGUFFIN!!!

After thwarting the Utau the Watcher (Huge ancient bald guy that has proceeded over Earth since its creation) Doom proceeds to remake the Earth in his image...yet this somehow didn't alter all the heroes...PLOT HOLE! That being said, our heroes rally to do battle with Doom and his villainous allies (Ugh, this type of writing is why I am not making a comic book title), repair that which has been done to Mother Earth and kick the crap out of a tin-plated overbearing dictator with delusions of godhood. So I chose Johnny Blaze a.k.a. The Spirit of Vengeance: Ghost Rider. Thought a wee bit of Hellfire, guts and some soul searing was in order...also someone already laid claim to Doctor Strange so can't have the Sorcerer Supreme, go with the Supreme Supernatural Ass-Kicker.

Okay before we go into the standard game-play pros and cons, let's hit my favorite, the voice cast.

You can't pit a decent set of pipes to the character then who wants to play them?

Yeesh, feels like Ghost Runner rather than Rider.

For example: Steve Blum (Wolverine of Wolverine and the X-Men, Hulk Vs Wolverine, Batman: Arkham Origins, Lego Marvel Super Heroes, Transformer Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising), Christopher Daniel Barnes (Spider-Man of Spider-Man, Spider-Man: Secret Wars, Malcolm & Eddie, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, Spider-Man: Edge of Time) one of my personal favorites the gravely and downright sinister Keith David (Nick Fury in Marvel Heroes, Gargoyles, Spawn, The Thing, Platoon, Community, and Sons of Liberty).

Say aren't there superheroines as well? Oh yeah we have: Julianne Buescher (Black Widow in Marvel Heroes, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Naruto: Shippuden, Guild Wars 2, XCOM: Enemy Unknown,Sid the Science Kid and The Muppets), Kat Cressida (Elektra of Marvel Heroes, Dragon Age: Origins, Guild Wars 2, Skylanders: SWAP Force, Elder Scrolls Online, Skylanders: Trap Team, Batman: Arkham Knight and Fallout 4) and Kat Higgins (Scarlet Witch/Jocasta/Firestar in Marvel Heroes, Monster High: Freaky Fusion, The Last: Naruto the Movie, Sailor Moon Crystal, and Son of Nor)

Okay, I could name names all day but let's get down to the game mechanics. So we have a lot of mouse control her with left button down to move to your location of choice, cursor on an enemy and click for attack. Right click for a different power and the optional keyboard (A,S,D,F,G,H) for the other powers. This is mostly about teamwork with other players that you can simply end up joining in your collective quests.  MMO community that aids the newbies and gives flack to the noobs. Newbies are polite and confused on the mechanics of the character, environment and game. Noobs claim to know everything and bitch excessively. Bottom line: Don't be a noob.

We got Team-Ups, Patrolling regions, Holographic simulated battles to better train you in your powers, we have characters within each classification or group. Hell form your own group. Make an Avengers of the Supernatural if you feel so inclined. Doctor Strange, Satana, Ghost Rider, Man-Thing and maybe Magik. Maybe an all bruiser squad with Hulk, She-Hulk, Thing, Wonder-Man and Thor. The options are open. Yes X-fans plenty of mutants with tortured souls and nifty powers to partake in the action. Hell I saw a Cable running around gunning creatures down and a nice TK takedown. I however am not a nut for avid gaming for longer than 4 hours so pass on me for raids. 

Rocket Racoon blowing up...ninjas?

Free-to-Play Reappearance: Neverwinter

Greetings all as we explore Free-to-Play Reappearance Day 1. Well I promised we would take a peek at some of these games and see how they roll. I thought we should start with a very popular title and none more popular than the ever expanding MMORPGs. Yeah these glorious graphics and eager amounts of wasting time have been a staple since 1997 with Ultima Online and ran via LANs providing hours of entertainment until up to Everquest. Typically speaking this would involve players to log on to a client and then allow them access to the world which would change, update even when no one is on.

Now several MMORPGs charge a service fee of monthly or annually like Warcraft does with 10 dollars a month but extra effects like class or species changes like DDO does can get a bit pricey. Not to mention additional magic items, tomes of power and creature companions. That can eat up your checking account toot sweet. Why am I speaking of costs on a free to play week? Well some games are free to start but eventually you will want gear that gives you not only an edge in a dungeon but in PVP (Player vs Player for those are not hip to the term.) So let's see if today's game is any different. This is Neverwinter.

Are you digging these graphics as much as me?!!!

Developed by Cryptic Studios and released in 2013, Neverwinter is based on the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop universe as well as the four novels by R.A. Salvatore (Gauntlgrym, Neverwinter, Charon's Claw and The Last Threshold), the City of Skilled Hands or Jewel of the North is a spiraling metropolis of the northwestern Sword Coast of Faerun. The games Neverwinter Nights 1 and 2 get their name from the city itself. The land is deemed the most civilized and cultured city in all of Faerun and has a unique diversity among the races. While being way up in the mountains (picture Greenland) the Neverwinter River flows and many believe that fire elementals living nearby in Mount Hotenow deep in the woods heat it.

Okay with that bit of babble out of the way, let's get on with the game overall. You start off shipwrecked on Neverwinter due to the city, its guards both warriors and wizards are having a massive throw down with of all things a blue dracolich (Undead dragon with the abilities of a spellcaster that somehow avoids death through dark arts of magic.) blasting the very ship you were on. Rummaging around the wreck you find subtle clothes and whatever weapons your class depicts and make your way on your very user-friendly map to the icon NPCs to correct this awesome evil.

Sgt Knox here is voiced by the late Sir Christoper Lee, which makes him that much more awesome.

Classes range from: Control Wizard (crowd based death dealing as well as protection) , Oathbound Paladin (Armored Warrior that has blessings, buffs and limited healing as they are holy warriors) , Devoted Cleric (Holy man/woman granting stats boosts, temporary hit points, healing and protections from evil), Hunter Ranger ( Archer/Fighter adept to firing multiple arrows to handling duel weapons), Great Weapon Fighter (Heavy weapon fighters with no regard for a shield use a two-handed weapon and brute strength on the enemy), Guardian Fighter (Protector and defender, this warrior relies on cunning, tactical analysis and usually the leader), Scourge Warlock (Magical practioner of the dark arts ranging from necromancy, thaumaturgy and grimores of dark magic) and Trickster Rogue (Stealthful fighter, thief, assassin and official treasure finder). Finding your weapons and dealing out some decent damage you team up with the existing army of the Winterguard and make your way to the city encountering tons of zombies, skeletons and even a few slain warriors from the dead.

With the private NPC red shirt you make your way to the gates with the lich Valindra leaves her own gate guardian to deal with you both. The dude is massive. Fallout 3 fans, imagine the Behemoth and you know where I am coming from. So I chose Hunter Ranger and managed to kill that monstrosity after 2 attempts of the leveling up with new powers option. My arrows had to hit him facing me period. This guy turns his back and you cannot even damage him.

After that, you are in Neverwinter. Yup everything I just described to you was all outside the city walls. Let's talk game control dynamics now. The standard W,A,S,D, for directions via PC gamers along with the mouse right click for weapons overall and F is your main interaction with loot, conversing with NPCs and treasure chests. Behind the city walls the game is very fluid and open ended. There are quests, dungeon delving(exploring underground caverns or sewer regions) and campaigns galore. Special powers and items come by very quickly and for all you DDO purists, leveling happens SooOOoOoO much quicker. Overall story lines seem to arc very nicely and in general I have enjoyed it thus far and I am quite impressed with it.

Give me your pump, the oil, the gasoline, and the whole compound, and I'll spare your lives.

Free-To-Play Reappearance

Hello and welcome back to Rotten Reelz. We had a week off due to needing to make some serious funds. My apologies but I do not get paid to write 4 to 5 times a week on here and believe me if I did I wouldn't miss a beat as writing is one of the greater gigs out there. That being said we have had zombie films, horror films and some sci-fi as of late but I am thinking it is time to hit Steam up again for some free-to-play games and find out what the big fuss is about it. As many of you know, Steam engine maintains several games ranging from multiple genres, tastes and ratings. I myself enjoy the ones I have downloaded and CANNOT WAIT for Fallout 4. That game will be my jam!

Jake's G/F is in the shower.  I'd give details but I am sworn to only watch.

I thought I would focus on different titles, genre and play and re-play-ability. From the continuation of Ghost Recon: Phantoms for hardcore FPS to trying my luck at team building, adventuring action of Neverwinter after its now 6^th expansion. Who says I don't get my geek on?

'Tis a battle greater than getting on DDO's hub.

Oh FYI to all you Phantom players, the pricing guide for updated weapons just got a whole lot more reasonable costs so enjoy that. I have been trying out Neverwinter since all of...well last night. I will get my co-star of Rotten Ramblin' On Shawn on the horn and get his take on Neverwinter vs DDO.

Who knows, maybe I will even give the massively unnecessary reboot of Marvel Heroes 2015 a gander but I am a wee bit sick of revamps, reboots and re-imagining.

One and all are welcome to join me as I burn out my retinas and blow my ear drums on some old school PC gaming goodness. Ta ta!

Ew, he is peeping in that girl's shower...lucky bastard.

Rotten Ramblin On' 8 Cult Classics

Number 850!!! Zombies for Halloween: Zombie Town

Well folks we have reached that plateau of the week as always. The end of it if you will. I hope your Halloween plans work out, that you play it safe and avoid drinking and driving while costumed. Oh and ladies skip the “Sexy” outfits. Seriously for most of the country it is going to be too cold to wear a fraction of that flimsy material outdoors. Now then I decided to take a peek at some of the indie titles via zombie films and after reading titles like MILFs vs Zombies, Porn Star Zombies, Ninjas vs Zombies and A Zombie Invasion I just threw up my arms in the air in disgust. So settling for an indie title I found a flick shot on film stock and not some crappy HD Camcorder. This is Zombie Town.

PACKERS!!!!

Normally I cringe at the prospect of a writer/director combo because it can lead to misery and pain but Damon Lemay knocked it out of the ballpark with a comedy horror film. Hillbilly hunters up in a cabin in the woods(Are you kidding me?? At least the name of two horror movies, man!) are getting hammered and bitching about their wives when they accosted by zombies. One infected attacks the others and it is fairly gory but looked impressive on film. Roll opening credits as we have no rhyme or reason why there are zombies other than a nod to the local swamp.

Local mechanic Jake LaFond (Adam Hose of Zombie Town) and his brother Denton (Phil Burke of Hell on Wheels, Dirty weekend, Wind Walkers and Legend of the Lich Lord) are trying figure bills and how to make ends meet inheriting their late father's garage. They get the call for an abandoned truck in the woods and our brothers LaFond make their way to the plot device. A quick nod to his ex-girlfriend Alex (Brynn Lucas of The Vault, Convict, Eve of the Dead and Mondo Americana) Denton tells Jake he needs to get off his slacker ass and make something of himself.

Wow, never seen projectile vomiting like that before.

Denton is attacked by one of the hillbilly zombies and has a few issues with that. Otis is a remote town up in Vermont, mountainous and isolated so only one major road leads in and out of town. Jake notices something odd in the town of Otis as people seem to be keeling over. Bad batch of KFC perhaps? Whatever the case may be, there are some of the residents getting back up and becoming ravenous zombies in search for the flesh of the living. Alex is an environmentalist/scientist of obscure notion finds something unusual.

Jake's rival Randy (Dennis Lemoine of The Hiking Trip, Illegal Aliens, Tricks of Love and The Invention of Lying) teams up Jake trying to figure out what in the nine hells is going on. Randy is a decent enough guy but has his eye on Alex.

Parasitic slugs seem to infect and incubate in the bodies of the victims creating more incubators i.e. zombie hosts. Their reproduction is exponential creating more parasites.

Can our trio handle this infection before spreads? Will the whole town be infected? Must everything be solved with a napalm strike?

Between the fairly amusing dialogue, gore effects are pretty effective and keeping the cast down to a few allows for clever interaction. Contained in a small town with local support, the silly gorefest was fun.

Scaffolding protect us!!!

Zombies for Halloween: Zombies! Zombies! Zombies!

Back again for Day 3 of Zombies for Halloween and I noticed something that made me snicker. There seems to be a craze for exotic dancers (Strippers) must do battle with the living dead. I mean clear heels are not an effective melee weapon unless the girl can skull crack that well. This has become a subgenre via Horror and apparently it is deemed needed to have at least five movies that I am aware of. So why don't we gander at one of those then? Well this time around this particular film is taped on a HD camcorder via Canon. This is Zombies! Zombies! Zombies!

So naughty nurse is not a real profession?

With a horror duo director Jason Murphy and writer Anthony Steven Giordano(Zombies! Zombies! Zombies!, The Unbroken, Robo-Dog and Monsters at Large) film vehicle is also known as Strippers vs Zombies starts with the best intentions as the story goes. Searching for the end all cure for cancer, scientist Dr. Stewart (Michael Clinkenbeard of Dark Frontier Vanishing Point Fan Based, Zombies! Zombies! Zombies! And Switch) creates a chemical to promote cellular growth but a drug addict breaks in and accident mixes up the cure and drugs with and shoots up with a couple of prositutes. Enter plot device! Junkie and ladies of ill-repute are zombified and proceed to bite folks around them. Meanwhile at the campy named strip club, The Grindhouse have had their dancers working away.

Yo baby, wanna a hot date?

Stripper pro and fan favorite Dallas (Lyanna Tumaneng of The Fiesta Grand, Zombies! Zombies! Zombies!, and Letters to God) takes newcomer Harley (Hollie Winnard of Death Plots, Hoodoo for Voodoo, The Fiesta Grand, 1000 Ways to Die and The Republic of Two) under her wing and shows her the ropes, pulleys and how best to straddle the brass pole. To offer assistance to our new rookie regulars Pandora (Juliet Reeves London of Automaton Transfusion, All Wrapped Up, Second Coming and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) and Dakota (Jessica Barton of Survival of the Nude Reality Girls, The Fiesta Grand and JM After Dark: Volume 1, Issue 1) and just really work with one another. The local pimp Johnny Vegas (Anthony Headen of Zombies! Zombies! Zombies!, Perfect Combination, The Bay and Internal Affairs) has lose a few of his stable, asking the girls if they see them, to send them his way. Really wanted to savage the stripper DJ with a ball bat. What a pointless job description in any universe.

Bystanders make their way to a diner for breakfast when zombie hookers (Imagine using that term in real life) proceed to attack them as they wander their way back to Vegas...hopefully to eat him.

Somewhere down the line Dallas and her guy Chris get the idea to head to the chemical research facility and receive a gob of exposition and handed an antidote.

Can the zombie outbreak be resolved? Will the antidote be the final measure?

 

Well the girls are lovely in spite of following into the jiggly girl category, the camcorder operator needed to learn how to block the actors, there was no real practical effects and they relied entirely too much on CGI gore effects. There is practically no soundtrack to speak of for any atmosphere or even ratcheting up tension. Hell the lighting was pretty painful as well. How do I put this? The Big Tits Dragon was more realistic and more thought provoking. If you want to see girls, zombies and blood, have at it.

Yeah I think the A/C is cranked up.