Monthly Archives: June 2015

Transformers Adds Female Writers Amid Calls for Diversity

The Transformers franchise's creative team has reportedly hired two female screenwriters just days after being criticized by some in the media for solely hiring white male screenwriters as members of its "brain trust."

Christina Hodson and Lindsey Beer will help create Transformers spinoffs and sequels under the supervision of Akiva Goldsman, reports Deadline.

A three-time Black List honoree, Hodson scripted the upcoming Naomi Watts film Shut In and her spec script The Eden Project was purchased by Sony.

Beer penned scripts for a Short Circuit reboot, the edgy comedy How To Nail An Alien, and a Wizard of Oz re-imagining for Warner Bros. Deadline adds that Beer "studied neuroscience and the intersection of technology and society at Stanford."

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Documentary About Sony Hack Is in the Works

A new documentary investigating last year's high profile hack on Sony Pictures Entertainment is in the works.

THR reports the film will come from Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer--the duo behind Netflix's Oscar-nominated documentary about the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, The Square. The new documentary will follow the cyberattack, putting forth alternative theories about the culprits and using it to look more broadly at cyber aggression.

“The Sony story is an important chapter in this larger issue,” Amer told THR. “The analysts and experts we speak to see it as the 9/11 of cyberattacks, and the implications will be felt for years to come.”

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GameFly Announces New Game Streaming Platform

GameFly has a new on-demand game streaming service, GameFly Streaming.

GameFly recently purchased Playcast and is using their technology to power GameFly Streaming, which is available on the Fire TV app store starting today.

GameFly Streaming offers games in six separate packs which cater to different genres or tastes, according to a release on GameFly's website.

For example, the Action Pack comes with F.E.A.R. 3, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, Red Faction: Armageddon, Red Faction: Guerilla, Mafia II, Sleeping Dogs and Hitman (though the site doesn't specify which Hitman title in the series is available).

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Splatoon Review

It's no longer strange to see the concept of genres challenged by unusual games, but Splatoon is a special case. It's a lighthearted, sugar-coated game that's landed on the back of today's dark and gritty shooters (Battlefield, Call of Duty, Wolfenstein, and Titanfall come to mind). Splatoon is special because it redefines the rules of shooters, stripping away realistic violence and aggression in the name of innocent fun. More than that, its rules make you look at your environment and opponents in new ways. There's so much to love about Splatoon that it's stripped-down multiplayer support systems are forgivable, because as long as I'm playing in Splatoon's world, I'm a happy camper.

Splatoon is the perfect game for people who want the experience of playing a shooter without all of the killing and such. Because it lacks mainstays of the shooter genre, people question its identity. That speaks volumes about how bog-standard shooters have become in some respects, further highlighting why Splatoon is so refreshing. It's joyful atmosphere is uplifting, and it plays like a dream, with a unique movement system that permeates every moment and match. Splatoon isn't another hardened shooter, and that's a good thing, especially when the risk pays off as well as it has here.

Splatoon's locale is the hip and colorful city of Inkopolis, which is run by hybrid beings known as Inklings. These guys and gals can take the form of either a squid or a human on command, and to them, ink is everything. Inklings arm themselves for work and play not with guns that shoot bullets, but with weapons like squirt guns and paint rollers. These are used to paint the environment and knock out opponents during multiplayer matches. Ink splotches are also great for swimming and hiding, granting you much needed speed and stealth during hectic matches. Need more ammo? Turn into a squid and take a dip to watch your tank on your back fill up.

Splatoon's ink-based mechanics are the crux of what makes playing it so great, and running on foot feels stale once you get used to dipping in and out of ink in quick succession, partially because it's empowering and snappy, but also because it's such an effective tactic. Transformations occur quickly, allowing you to react to an impending threat or a chance at victory in a flash. Matches typically begin with teams laying down plots and strips of ink to swim through and hide in, but by the time things heat up, it's a tie-dyed mess of opportunities with people sinking into ink, jumping to safety, then reappearing when you least expect it with their sights trained on your location. No worries, because if you're quick enough, you can dip into ink and slink away into a corner, too, only to re-emerge when your opponent comes looking for you. It's a cycle that plays out dozens of times in a match, and when the timer ends, you get the itch to jump back in as soon as you can.

Multiplayer is Splatoon's bread and butter, but there's trouble afoot in Inkopolis and your efforts are needed outside of the arena, too. Inkopolis's source of power, the Great Zap Fish, is being held captive by the invading Octarians. You guessed it: Octarians are octopus-human hybrids. There are roughly thirty stages between you and the Great Zap Fish, which sounds like a lot, but it doesn't take very long to get the job done because most levels are on the short side. Still, the mix of combat and platforming is an enjoyable diversion that feels very different than multiplayer, with unique obstacles and challenges in addition to five bosses that fit nicely within Nintendo's repertoire of quirky baddies. The campaign at large is also a great way to familiarize yourself with the unusual GamePad controls. Though you can disable the GamePad's motion detection and stick to moving your character and the camera with analog sticks alone, using motion detection to adjust the camera ends up being really helpful, and it only takes a few matches before doing so becomes second nature.

The unique touches in the campaign are fun, but the pacing and variety of challenges leaves you hungry for more. Sure, you're still playing with and discovering new ways to move and shoot, which is rewarding in and of itself, but the chances are that you'll move on once you've fixed Inkopolis. If you pick up some of Nintendo's Splatoon amiibos, you can use them to unlock special challenges that will net you new gear, but you're essentially playing the same levels over again with unique constraints. These stages are fun, but being asked to pick up real world toys and to replay levels is a big ask, and it's too bad, because the gear locked away behind amiibo challenges is the most interesting looking gear in the game.

Splatoon is ultimately about multiplayer, where you are required to begin your playtime in Turf Wars. The goal is to paint as much of the map in your team's ink before a three minute timer runs out. Inking new ground, stealing coverage from your enemies, and knocking out opponents makes these matches fun, and because there are so many ways to make a difference, rather than by being a sharpshooter alone, Splatoon rewards you with a constant flow of small wins.

As long as I'm playing in Splatoon's world, I'm a happy camper.

Once you hit level 10 you can dive into ranked matches, which currently feature one new match type: Splat Zones. Two teams fight for control over a small area within the middle of a map, and whichever team controls the area by covering it in ink for 100 seconds is declared the winner. Unlike Turf War matches, where everyone earns points to level up and purchase gear, in ranked battles, to the winners only go the spoils. Ranking is determined by your individual performance, represented by a grade like A or C-, for example. These grades are used to populate teams during ranked matches, which create a much more balanced affair when compared to the anything goes arrangement of levels and skill in Turf Wars.

Given that Splatoon's multiplayer is exclusively team-based, it's frustrating that it's impossible to strategize as a team. Voice chat is non-existent, likely as a measure to defend against casual harassment from other players. Unfortunately, this is an excuse that harms people who don't share Nintendo's concerns. A quick glance at the GamePad gives you a bird's eye view of the map, including the distribution of ink and the location of your teammates, but you can't easily discern where your enemies are and what they're doing. There's an item you can place that will highlight their location for a time, but there's no way of guaranteeing that someone on your team will come equipped with it when they head into battle because teams in Turf Wars are randomly assigned, and you never have a chance to see who's packing what items. Because entire loadouts (primary weapons, secondary weapons, and a special weapon) are determined by the primary weapon you choose before heading into a lobby, and teams are assigned randomly, you may end up on a team where every player has the same loadout. In a situation where your team is homogenous, your fate is practically sealed from the get go.

You earn points during matches that you can spend on new headgear, guns, footwear, and shirts. These points also determine how fast you level up, which unlocks new gear that you can purchase in the Inkopolis's shops. Gear comes with bonuses that boost things such as speed, power, and defense, so while you may want to look as fresh as possible, it's important to keep your eye on what that new shirt actually does besides looking cool. The outfits in Splatoon are evidence of Nintendo's attempt to capture the essence of streetwear, with beanies and Chuck Taylor hightops available to accentuate Inklings, but it feels heavy-handed at times, especially with characters that spout nautical puns woven into lines that could have come from the script of a teen Disney show.

Between Turf Wars, Splat Zones, and unlocking gear, not to mention the single player content, there's a lot to chew on in Splatoon, yet it still feels a tad light. Don't get me wrong: Splatoon is so fun to play that you rarely care. I want more single player content to explore and control over multiplayer so that I can craft specific types of multiplayer matches, rather than taking whatever comes my way. I want more Splatoon because I like it, but also because there's not enough variety in the things you can do over a long period of time.

The same could be said of the selection of maps. There are only five, and to compound the issue, Splatoon only lets you play one of three maps for the better part of a day before a new lot are selected, and you don't even get to choose which map to play on. This seems to be in the name of stress free matchmaking, where constraints would otherwise make it more challenging to find a compatible match. When only a couple of the five maps in Splatoon truly stand out, a little control over which you get to play on would go a long to way ensure that you can play in an environment that you actually like.

Nintendo's foray into shooter territory stumbles on occasion, but when I'm swimming through ink, covering environments in neon, and drinking in the quirky city of Inkopolis, I'm far more aware of how unique its mechanics are, and how enjoyable it is to play one match after another. In these moments--which is pretty much anytime I'm playing Splatoon--I forget about the lacking multiplayer features. Online matches are the core of the game, so it may seem weird that it's so easy to overlook things like missing voice chat, but I would be a fool to let missing features get in the way of the readily available joy I feel from simply swimming and shooting.

I've always had a love/hate relationship with shooters, not because I can't handle gritty, war torn worlds and battle cries, but because I grow tired of them after the tenth game in a row. Splatoon is the antithesis to the modern shooter, but it primarily deserves recognition for what it is, not what it isn't. It's a wonderful game with charm and inventive ideas that work and pave the way for new experiences in an otherwise stale category of games.

Clint Eastwood to Direct Captain Sully Movie

Oscar-winning filmmaker Clint Eastwood has lined up his follow-up to his 2014 blockbuster American Sniper. Warner Bros. announced today that he will direct a movie about Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger.

"Sully" is the acclaimed pilot of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 who was forced to ditch his damaged aircraft in the Hudson River in January 2009, saving all 155 people on board. The media labeled his expert water landing the "Miracle on the Hudson."


Eastwood will also produce the film with Malpaso's Tim Moore alongside Flashlight Films' Allyn Stewart and Frank Marshall.

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Wrestling Wrap Up: Austin vs. Lesnar at WrestleMania 32?

Gotta say. That was one crazy-ass week of pro-wrestling, son. Not only did WWE air a second May PPV, not only did Destination American announce that they'll be airing Ring of Honor, not only did Kevin Owens beat John Cena clean in the middle of the ring... Hang on, that one got me emotional...

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...but Stone Cold returned to the WWE Network last night for one of his live podcasts. This time with Paul Heyman, a man he shares a ton of formative history with. I was wondering how the conversation would go considering that Heyman's been on Austin's regular podcast a few times and already has sat for very lengthy chats. Would there be anything left to talk about that a regular listener of the Steve Austin Show hadn't heard before? For the most part, a lot of it was rehash. Again, only for those who listen to Steve's regular gig.

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3 New Games Added to Nintendo Humble Bundle

Three more games have been added to the Nintendo Humble Bundle for those who pay more than the average price, which currently sits at $9.18 USD.

In addition to The Fall, OlliOlli, and Moon Chronicles, paying more than the average will now get you couch co-op game Sportsball for Wii U, western-themed side-scrolling platformer Gunman Clive for 3DS, and music platformer Bit.Trip Presents: Runner 2 Future Legend of Rhythm Alien for Wii U.

The first Humble Bundle to feature home console and handheld games also includes Guacamelee! on Wii U, Woah Dave! on 3DS, and Mighty Switch Force on 3DS for just $1 USD. Additionally, paying $10 USD or more will get you digital copies of Stealth Inc. 2: A Game of Clones on Wii U and SteamWorld Dig on 3DS and Wii U.

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New Info on 24 Spinoff With New Lead Character

24 executive producer Howard Gordon has shed some light on the upcoming 24 spinoff currently in development at FOX.

The spinoff will feature a "new twentysomething male terrorist hunter," Gordon told TVLine. The series will have the new lead character working alongside a veteran female agent.

Given the gender of that character description, that agent won't be Yvonne Strahovski’s Kate Morgan -- introduced in 24: Live Another Day -- but Gordon says Morgan, as well as Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer, may appear throughout the series. 24: Live Another Day's Manny Coto and Evan Katz are attached to the spinoff as executive producers and writers.

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Another Diablo Character Coming to Heroes of the Storm

As Heroes of the Storm launches, Blizzard is bringing another character from Diablo III's Sanctuary: Johanna the Crusader.

In a recent trailer from Blizzard, Johanna uses the Light-based attacks and large flail the medium-ranged Diablo III class excels with. Another short glimpse of her abilities shows her throwing her Crusader shield a la Captain America, shortly before it returns to her like a boomerang.

Blizzard's new MOBA-style brawler launches today, and can be downloaded for free via Blizzard's website.

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Spidey Director and Actor Finalists Narrowed Down

Sony Pictures and Marvel have reportedly trimmed down their lists for the director and lead actor of the next Spider-Man movie.

According to Deadline, Ender's Game star Asa Butterfield and The Impossible's Tom Holland are the frontrunners to portray Peter Parker. That said, Matt Lintz of the upcoming Pixels and Red Band Society actor Charlie Rowe are still in the running, after the young thespians purportedly screen-tested for the highly sought-after role over the weekend.

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