Other than an NBA championship a couple of years ago, the city of Cleveland has had to go through very tough times since the 60s for its sports. This week, it has been a crumbling path of destruction. With the Browns of the NFL, they fired coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley. In the first season without LeBron James again, the Cavaliers fired coach Tyronn Lue very early in the NBA season, going 0-6 to start the season before last night's win with their new coach.
My take on the Browns is that it is still a very dysfunctional organization. They give up way too easily on coaches and players, but you can't make excuses for Jackson, who only won three games in his two plus years. Since 1999, they have gone through almost, if not, about 30 quarterbacks. No one has a started a full 16-game season other than Tim Couch in 2001. Whatever they try to fix one year, another gets broken. I don't know if its poor management or making the wrong choices, but even with Baker Mayfield it's not making them better. You look at Detroit, who went winless in 2008, and see the amount of progress they have made since, I don't know why the Browns don't look at how they handled that situation. Either way, it's more disappointment that will keep plaguing them.
It's not unusual now in the NBA for a coach to get fired early on. Houston did that with Kevin McHale a few years ago after a poor performance eight games into a season. It makes me wonder what the Cavs were expecting after James left for Los Angeles. It wasn't like they were going to dominate the Eastern Conference. It's surprising that they gave up on Lue very early when he was the reason along with his players that they won the Finals in 2016. Everybody knew things were going to be different, but to fire? I think it's panic and maybe one or two other things, but giving up very quickly makes them look really bad.
Other than the Indians, there isn't much to get excited in Cleveland with their sports teams.
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Monday, October 29, 2018
Thanks A Lot, Hari Kondabolu!
This year, there has been a bit of controversy surrounding The Simpsons. It's not anywhere to the level of what it was in 1990 with Bart, but it is a big deal for people who get offended way too easily. Indian comedian Hari Kondabolu did a film titled "The Problem With Apu", a "documentary" about the issues Indians have with Apu, the Kwik-E-Mart owner. Personally, I have never had any interest in it, but now, it seems like the writers are looking to kill off the character.
The sad thing with Kondabolu is that he doesn't understand how much development Apu has had since the 90s. Out of all the non family members he has been given one of the biggest attentions to by writers. When you consider working to be a legal citizen, dealing with Indian heritage and marriage, having a family. There was a lot of care put into Apu, and it's all thrown away because of a handful of insensitive crybabies.
I probably haven't watched the show in probably seven to eight years, but even I know how much The Simpsons parodies everything of normal life. It's not like Apu is just a Kwik-E-Mart owner. He has been a volunteer fireman. He's been in the military. He's not one dimensional. Personally, I do think there are some huge issues such as being on for so long, their liberal approach to stuff, and the characters never aging. I could go on with the cracks that they have, but the characters, outside of maybe Lisa and a few other characters, have never been a huge problem.
I don't mind some equality as long as it's not forced and shoved down our throats, but Kondabolu did nothing of value. I hope he enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame, because it's a cruel world out there.
The sad thing with Kondabolu is that he doesn't understand how much development Apu has had since the 90s. Out of all the non family members he has been given one of the biggest attentions to by writers. When you consider working to be a legal citizen, dealing with Indian heritage and marriage, having a family. There was a lot of care put into Apu, and it's all thrown away because of a handful of insensitive crybabies.
I probably haven't watched the show in probably seven to eight years, but even I know how much The Simpsons parodies everything of normal life. It's not like Apu is just a Kwik-E-Mart owner. He has been a volunteer fireman. He's been in the military. He's not one dimensional. Personally, I do think there are some huge issues such as being on for so long, their liberal approach to stuff, and the characters never aging. I could go on with the cracks that they have, but the characters, outside of maybe Lisa and a few other characters, have never been a huge problem.
I don't mind some equality as long as it's not forced and shoved down our throats, but Kondabolu did nothing of value. I hope he enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame, because it's a cruel world out there.
Friday, October 26, 2018
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Monday, October 22, 2018
Sears' Turmoil
As brick and mortar stores continue to shut down, one that seemed like a beacon of light was Sears. After all, it's been around over 125 years. That might be coming to an end sometime this year or next year with bankruptcy on them and the potential of all of their stores and K-Mart stores closing. It could be yet another casualty in the realm of retail stores.
I've never really had many Sears stores around me. One was pretty close to where I live, but it was mainly for stuff like appliances and gardening like tractors. There was one 50 miles away that was more of a department store and they had tons of stuff before shutting down I forget when, but it was in the last decade or so.
One of the things I am hearing is hedge funds being a reason for Sears' bankruptcy. There is always something that causes a place to go out of business. Ames comes to mind for me. They bought a store chain with a huge amount of money in 1998 and four years later, all their stores are gone. I would think Sears is not going to give up, much like how Toys R Us last year was trying so hard, but who knows. The future is up for grabs.
We live in a society where unfortunately, Amazon is a dominant superpower in the retail and online world. Combined with a few other franchise names, it becomes impossible for places like Sears to have a footing in the retail world. They do specialize in certain things, so they are doing some people a favor where they don't have an appliance store close to them to get a new refrigerator or a new washing machine. Either way, it's far from over what will happen. It's a wait and see scenario.
I've never really had many Sears stores around me. One was pretty close to where I live, but it was mainly for stuff like appliances and gardening like tractors. There was one 50 miles away that was more of a department store and they had tons of stuff before shutting down I forget when, but it was in the last decade or so.
One of the things I am hearing is hedge funds being a reason for Sears' bankruptcy. There is always something that causes a place to go out of business. Ames comes to mind for me. They bought a store chain with a huge amount of money in 1998 and four years later, all their stores are gone. I would think Sears is not going to give up, much like how Toys R Us last year was trying so hard, but who knows. The future is up for grabs.
We live in a society where unfortunately, Amazon is a dominant superpower in the retail and online world. Combined with a few other franchise names, it becomes impossible for places like Sears to have a footing in the retail world. They do specialize in certain things, so they are doing some people a favor where they don't have an appliance store close to them to get a new refrigerator or a new washing machine. Either way, it's far from over what will happen. It's a wait and see scenario.
Friday, October 19, 2018
Thursday, October 18, 2018
Stupidity in Umpiring
To have Angel Hernandez blow a bunch of calls in this 2018 ALDS is one thing. It's another thing to have Joe West blow a call that has changed the outcomes of the Houston Astros to where they face elimination as we speak. It just shows how out of touch MLB is with these two idiots.
At the start of Game 4 of this ALCS, Jose Altuve hit what he thought was a home run, but West called it fan interference. It's hard to describe what the true definition of it is, as Boston Red Sox player Mookie Betts was ready to jump and rob Altuve of a hit or game tying homer. The call stood and it was an out, and the claim was there was not any evidence to overturn it We are a far cry from how things were in 1996 with the Jeffrey Maier incident at Yankee Stadium. Now these days, with instant replay, it's easy to spot this stuff.
The way I look at it, there shouldn't have been an out. Unfortunately, there aren't too many angles of the play, but with how it looked, it didn't look like interference. It's fans trying to grab a ball and Betts got in the way of them. In no way were they trying to interfere with him. It looked like they were ready to grab it before Betts jumped. If it were like the Maier incident, you could say that, but it looked like it was in the stands. That should mean anything goes for the fans and for Betts. If we are looking at it from another angle, it could be West trying to be involved in controversy and wanting the attention as usual.
What's it going to take for MLB to stop this umpire? This is playoff baseball. Yeah, West has tenure, but he's changed the series for good. Boston wins tonight or one of the other two games if necessary, the hate he'll get from the city of Houston will amplify to very high levels. Something has to change in the rulebook on what is interference and having the worst umpires calling the biggest games of the season and playoffs. We keep letting guys like West and Hernandez create these horrible moments, and for the fans involved, this could be like 2003 with the Chicago Cubs.
Joe West keeps ruining baseball for everyone. MLB needs to step up and find a way to get rid of him for good.
At the start of Game 4 of this ALCS, Jose Altuve hit what he thought was a home run, but West called it fan interference. It's hard to describe what the true definition of it is, as Boston Red Sox player Mookie Betts was ready to jump and rob Altuve of a hit or game tying homer. The call stood and it was an out, and the claim was there was not any evidence to overturn it We are a far cry from how things were in 1996 with the Jeffrey Maier incident at Yankee Stadium. Now these days, with instant replay, it's easy to spot this stuff.
The way I look at it, there shouldn't have been an out. Unfortunately, there aren't too many angles of the play, but with how it looked, it didn't look like interference. It's fans trying to grab a ball and Betts got in the way of them. In no way were they trying to interfere with him. It looked like they were ready to grab it before Betts jumped. If it were like the Maier incident, you could say that, but it looked like it was in the stands. That should mean anything goes for the fans and for Betts. If we are looking at it from another angle, it could be West trying to be involved in controversy and wanting the attention as usual.
What's it going to take for MLB to stop this umpire? This is playoff baseball. Yeah, West has tenure, but he's changed the series for good. Boston wins tonight or one of the other two games if necessary, the hate he'll get from the city of Houston will amplify to very high levels. Something has to change in the rulebook on what is interference and having the worst umpires calling the biggest games of the season and playoffs. We keep letting guys like West and Hernandez create these horrible moments, and for the fans involved, this could be like 2003 with the Chicago Cubs.
Joe West keeps ruining baseball for everyone. MLB needs to step up and find a way to get rid of him for good.
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Saving Seattle Football
Washington state should be considered very lucky to have the fortune of seeing NFL success with the Seattle Seahawks the last 16 years. In that time, they have been to three Super Bowls and winning one for the 2013 season. You wouldn't think they had trouble turning it around, but they did back in 1996/97 and Paul Allen became owner by buying the team. Unfortunately, he had just passed away at the age 65, joining former coach Chuck Knox among the few involved with Seattle football to pass in recent memory.
When they formed in 1976, the Seahawks were a punching bag, much like any expansion team. However, they were quick to improve by the end of the decade. Then, they struggled and when Knox came in 1983, their fortunes came with success and some playoff appearances. When the 90s rolled along, they were okay at first and then struggled. To paint the middle part of that decade, they weren't doing horribly, but not great either. It's stadium, the Kingdome, was starting to crumble a bit. They were a far cry from what they were in the 80s and threats of moving to another place were something that was common as many teams were going from one place to another in many sports.
Like a lot of cities, fans were outraged. There was a lot on the line for losing not just the Seahawks, but also the Mariners, who had a bit success with their 1995 season and getting into the ALCS before losing to the Cleveland Indians. Owner Ken Behring was trying what he could to get a team to California, but was stopped. The hopes of finding another person to buy the team seemed difficult, but they were able to find one in Allen. To keep in mind in 1997, this was one of the founders of Microsoft in the 70s and had only owned the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team for nine years beginning in 1988.
Whatever the case, Allen was willing to keep Seahawk football in Seattle, and he got his wishes. That meant stuff like a new stadium, which would become CenturyLink Field in 2002. Picking up actual talent at coaching, drafting the right players, and having the ideal general manager was needed and he got it. Whether it's Mike Holmgren or Pete Carroll, he knew who could lead them through the thick and thin.
There are many ways to consider Paul Allen as one of the greats. He and Bill Gates were pioneers of the computer and many great ideas for Microsoft. But he was also a guy that understood sports quite well and had the stepping blocks to build on a successful franchise. His contributions to the Seattle Seahawks made him a legend for his native city and the NFL. People will never forget him and the stuff to save professional football.
When they formed in 1976, the Seahawks were a punching bag, much like any expansion team. However, they were quick to improve by the end of the decade. Then, they struggled and when Knox came in 1983, their fortunes came with success and some playoff appearances. When the 90s rolled along, they were okay at first and then struggled. To paint the middle part of that decade, they weren't doing horribly, but not great either. It's stadium, the Kingdome, was starting to crumble a bit. They were a far cry from what they were in the 80s and threats of moving to another place were something that was common as many teams were going from one place to another in many sports.
Like a lot of cities, fans were outraged. There was a lot on the line for losing not just the Seahawks, but also the Mariners, who had a bit success with their 1995 season and getting into the ALCS before losing to the Cleveland Indians. Owner Ken Behring was trying what he could to get a team to California, but was stopped. The hopes of finding another person to buy the team seemed difficult, but they were able to find one in Allen. To keep in mind in 1997, this was one of the founders of Microsoft in the 70s and had only owned the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team for nine years beginning in 1988.
Whatever the case, Allen was willing to keep Seahawk football in Seattle, and he got his wishes. That meant stuff like a new stadium, which would become CenturyLink Field in 2002. Picking up actual talent at coaching, drafting the right players, and having the ideal general manager was needed and he got it. Whether it's Mike Holmgren or Pete Carroll, he knew who could lead them through the thick and thin.
There are many ways to consider Paul Allen as one of the greats. He and Bill Gates were pioneers of the computer and many great ideas for Microsoft. But he was also a guy that understood sports quite well and had the stepping blocks to build on a successful franchise. His contributions to the Seattle Seahawks made him a legend for his native city and the NFL. People will never forget him and the stuff to save professional football.
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Friday the 13th: The Game Review
There are plenty of horror games on a number of game systems that do stuff their own way or in a tribute. Titles like Spltterhouse, Resident Evil, Alone in the Dark, the list goes on. But how about Friday the 13th? The franchise has been around for almost 40 years and the only game it has prior to this May 2017 release is the NES game from 1988. You play this one, and you are hooked.
You can either be the good guys or the bad guy. As camp counselors, you must survive for 20 minutes, but there are ways of escaping Jason Voorhees. You have to find parts for cars and boats. Once you got them and for the cars, the keys, you can get out of harm's way. Be aware, though. Jason is one tough cookie and will stop you in those vehicles. There's always calling the cops... if you can find a phone box fuse. If they are called, you got a five minute waiting time before they show up and you go to them to successfully escape. There's also just going through those 20 minutes.
There's an assortment of counselors, some of which you will unlock over time as you play more of Friday the 13th. Each one has their own strengths and weaknesses. Some might have good stamina and repair skills with horrible composure and stealth and vice versa. It's a matter of who picks who when playing online. You will want to team up and escape, but scattering is not always a bad thing. Be aware of those skills. They will either help or hurt you. You can also set up distractions and use an assortment of weapons to stop the killer. There is health, which can be healed with first aid spray.
People can also play as Jason. There are various versions of him, each with pros and cons. Some versions may have better weapon damage or kills, and other ones might have better physical stats. Either way you must kill all the counselors Both sides will have traps that they can set. Jason has knives. He can use certain moves that are time based and need to fill up every time they are used. Either way, get rid of all seven, maybe eight if a counselor called for Tommy Jarvis. There aren't too many locations. After all, it's about being alone and fearing Jason.
It's not too bad graphically for being a Kickstarter game. There are some goofy looking models of some of the characters, but it captures the horror of being at a camp quite well. It's dark, there's only some lights in the area. The deaths are quite brutal. Add in the soundtrack and the theme of Jason, and this is the kind of game for some that will want you turning the lights off and cranking the sound up. The voice actors are believable enough to be scared and ready to wet their pants. Overall, those two facets cover strongly what should be done for something horror related.
When you play online, you get experience points and CP. The CP is currency. You can choose to upgrade the counselors and Jason. They have various perks, kills, the whole nine yards. Unfortunately, it's only a few slots, but that's perks of a horror game. You can't always carry everything. As far as other goes, there is offline play. You can customize the characters via the upgrades. Options can be tweaked for audio and gamma capabilities. Progress can be checked a little bit.
I don't have a lot of complaints about this game so far. The lack of jumping and even vaulting from fences is a bit annoying. There isn't much to say about the counselors, but with Jason, sometimes, tapping the button very quickly tires out your finger. That being said, you can still play well and get at least few counselors. Anyway, you should check out Friday the 13th. It's on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. You will be having some fun in a game that is campy, cheesy, and knows when to throw the punches.
Score: 8 out of 10
You can either be the good guys or the bad guy. As camp counselors, you must survive for 20 minutes, but there are ways of escaping Jason Voorhees. You have to find parts for cars and boats. Once you got them and for the cars, the keys, you can get out of harm's way. Be aware, though. Jason is one tough cookie and will stop you in those vehicles. There's always calling the cops... if you can find a phone box fuse. If they are called, you got a five minute waiting time before they show up and you go to them to successfully escape. There's also just going through those 20 minutes.
There's an assortment of counselors, some of which you will unlock over time as you play more of Friday the 13th. Each one has their own strengths and weaknesses. Some might have good stamina and repair skills with horrible composure and stealth and vice versa. It's a matter of who picks who when playing online. You will want to team up and escape, but scattering is not always a bad thing. Be aware of those skills. They will either help or hurt you. You can also set up distractions and use an assortment of weapons to stop the killer. There is health, which can be healed with first aid spray.
People can also play as Jason. There are various versions of him, each with pros and cons. Some versions may have better weapon damage or kills, and other ones might have better physical stats. Either way you must kill all the counselors Both sides will have traps that they can set. Jason has knives. He can use certain moves that are time based and need to fill up every time they are used. Either way, get rid of all seven, maybe eight if a counselor called for Tommy Jarvis. There aren't too many locations. After all, it's about being alone and fearing Jason.
It's not too bad graphically for being a Kickstarter game. There are some goofy looking models of some of the characters, but it captures the horror of being at a camp quite well. It's dark, there's only some lights in the area. The deaths are quite brutal. Add in the soundtrack and the theme of Jason, and this is the kind of game for some that will want you turning the lights off and cranking the sound up. The voice actors are believable enough to be scared and ready to wet their pants. Overall, those two facets cover strongly what should be done for something horror related.
When you play online, you get experience points and CP. The CP is currency. You can choose to upgrade the counselors and Jason. They have various perks, kills, the whole nine yards. Unfortunately, it's only a few slots, but that's perks of a horror game. You can't always carry everything. As far as other goes, there is offline play. You can customize the characters via the upgrades. Options can be tweaked for audio and gamma capabilities. Progress can be checked a little bit.
I don't have a lot of complaints about this game so far. The lack of jumping and even vaulting from fences is a bit annoying. There isn't much to say about the counselors, but with Jason, sometimes, tapping the button very quickly tires out your finger. That being said, you can still play well and get at least few counselors. Anyway, you should check out Friday the 13th. It's on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. You will be having some fun in a game that is campy, cheesy, and knows when to throw the punches.
Score: 8 out of 10
Friday, October 12, 2018
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Podcast and Patreon
I haven't really done much with this blog site in the last week or two, but I do have some updates. I am on Patreon and one of the focuses is on this blog. If you want to pledge in support of this and what I do on YouTube, don't be afraid to. The stuff I post will not be locked behind a paywall so no fear of content being patron only.
I also have started a brand new podcast on my own. It's called Geeks and Jocks and the focus is similar to this blog. If you are in support of that, then the same thing can be said what I've said already with Patreon in terms of support and pledging. Episode 1 is up right now on YouTube and I hope to spread more of it to stuff like iTunes or a free site that allows podcasts.
Patreon site: https://www.patreon.com/geeksandjocks
And Episode 1 of Geeks and Jocks
I also have started a brand new podcast on my own. It's called Geeks and Jocks and the focus is similar to this blog. If you are in support of that, then the same thing can be said what I've said already with Patreon in terms of support and pledging. Episode 1 is up right now on YouTube and I hope to spread more of it to stuff like iTunes or a free site that allows podcasts.
Patreon site: https://www.patreon.com/geeksandjocks
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
Night School Review
There's plenty of movies where there are sidekicks or bad guys that are pretty stupid. Then there is something like Night School where the protagonist isn't that smart at all. Depending on the genre, it can be either beneficial or hurt a film. It does it decently and provides good laughs, but it's not that strong of a comedy.
Kevin Hart plays Teddy Walker, a high school dropout who has achieved success as a barbecue salesman. With news that he will own the place one day, he celebrates with proposing to his girlfriend in the store. However, he causes an incident where the place blows up and he has to look for a job. A buddy can hook him up with one, but he needs his GED, so he needs to find a night school. And that's where Teddy's adventure begins.
As far as the schooling stuff goes, they got a decent group of individuals that have their own flaws. Whether it's the girl who got impregnated in high school or a guy serving a prison sentence, they all want to achieve success and do something that matters. That's where the majority of laughs come from and that is with the stuff they do in and after class. For Teddy, it's dealing with a guy he went to high school with who is now the principal, the night teacher, and lying his way to make sure things are normal to his girl.
The film is pretty consistent with laughs and the antics that Hart does throughout it. It's rather long for a comedy, but not overly long. They get their point across rather quickly and develop the main plot. The beginning is a little slow and it does stray a couple times away from the main point, so mileage will vary. I wouldn't fully recommend seeing it in the theater, but if you're looking for something to watch, it's not the worst film in the world.
Score: 6.5 out of 10
Kevin Hart plays Teddy Walker, a high school dropout who has achieved success as a barbecue salesman. With news that he will own the place one day, he celebrates with proposing to his girlfriend in the store. However, he causes an incident where the place blows up and he has to look for a job. A buddy can hook him up with one, but he needs his GED, so he needs to find a night school. And that's where Teddy's adventure begins.
As far as the schooling stuff goes, they got a decent group of individuals that have their own flaws. Whether it's the girl who got impregnated in high school or a guy serving a prison sentence, they all want to achieve success and do something that matters. That's where the majority of laughs come from and that is with the stuff they do in and after class. For Teddy, it's dealing with a guy he went to high school with who is now the principal, the night teacher, and lying his way to make sure things are normal to his girl.
The film is pretty consistent with laughs and the antics that Hart does throughout it. It's rather long for a comedy, but not overly long. They get their point across rather quickly and develop the main plot. The beginning is a little slow and it does stray a couple times away from the main point, so mileage will vary. I wouldn't fully recommend seeing it in the theater, but if you're looking for something to watch, it's not the worst film in the world.
Score: 6.5 out of 10
Friday, October 5, 2018
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Beyond: Two Souls Review
Although they have been around since 1997, Quantic Dream has only made a handful of titles, the latest being this year's Detroit: Become Human. They have been around in Sony's corner the last eight years with the first being Heavy Rain. The second of the group, Beyond: Two Souls, came around in the fall of 2013 as a late release on PlayStation 3 and a few years later on PlayStation 4, which is what I am playing it on. As far as this release was, it stayed in that David Cage style of being a cinematic movie while having it still be a video game.
You are Jodie Holmes and you experience a lot of her life from when she was a kid up to her 20s. She's no ordinary person as she has an entity beside her. This entity, Aiden, causes a lot of stuff for her that sets off a lot of events and a lot of analysis. Without getting too much into explaining the story, it's an interesting sci-fi plot and you make the choice of doing right and wrong. It's up to you how things go and they also pull in some good surprises and twists.
Two Souls has you playing as both Jodie and Aiden. This is a single player game, but can be a two player one, which was not tried at the time of this review. As Jodie, you can perform various actions when prompted. There is some freedom with her, but a lot of what you do comes from pressing certain buttons, quick time events, and a few other knick knacks. Switching to Aiden is simple. This entity can do a few things to people and even Jodie herself. They vary a little bit and they do a good job of not going overboard with what can be done during the game.
Graphically, it's surprisingly excellent. Whatever Quantic Dream did, they did a great job capturing the characters and areas. It seems very real and authentic. One of the selling points was in its audio, mainly voice acting. I'm not huge on Ellen Page and think she's overrated, but she held her own as Jodie. Add in Willem Dafoe as Professor Nathan Dawkins and a few others portraying other characters, and the voicing is not half bad. Given what the developers intentions are, it's a Hollywood type production, but in video game form.
There's not much else really to say. It's a little over 20 chapters. You can replay them any way you want it and there are options to play either chronologically or what they intended through specific parts of Jodie's life first. As I said, you make the choice of doing right and wrong. A lot of the trophies are earned in a specific way and then you can come back for the other option. There are a lot of endings. Overall, it's a decent balance between being a video game and being an interactive film. My only complaint is some of the quick time events. Some of the moments come off a little rushed and almost require you to have your decision half a second before you press what you think should work. It's trial and error, but still.
With that aside, Beyond: Two Souls is pretty good. An interesting story with above average audio and stunning graphics, it plays fine without any huge bugs or glitches. Out of the two at the time, I would play this over Heavy Rain, though that one isn't that bad.
Score: 8 out of 10.
You are Jodie Holmes and you experience a lot of her life from when she was a kid up to her 20s. She's no ordinary person as she has an entity beside her. This entity, Aiden, causes a lot of stuff for her that sets off a lot of events and a lot of analysis. Without getting too much into explaining the story, it's an interesting sci-fi plot and you make the choice of doing right and wrong. It's up to you how things go and they also pull in some good surprises and twists.
Two Souls has you playing as both Jodie and Aiden. This is a single player game, but can be a two player one, which was not tried at the time of this review. As Jodie, you can perform various actions when prompted. There is some freedom with her, but a lot of what you do comes from pressing certain buttons, quick time events, and a few other knick knacks. Switching to Aiden is simple. This entity can do a few things to people and even Jodie herself. They vary a little bit and they do a good job of not going overboard with what can be done during the game.
Graphically, it's surprisingly excellent. Whatever Quantic Dream did, they did a great job capturing the characters and areas. It seems very real and authentic. One of the selling points was in its audio, mainly voice acting. I'm not huge on Ellen Page and think she's overrated, but she held her own as Jodie. Add in Willem Dafoe as Professor Nathan Dawkins and a few others portraying other characters, and the voicing is not half bad. Given what the developers intentions are, it's a Hollywood type production, but in video game form.
There's not much else really to say. It's a little over 20 chapters. You can replay them any way you want it and there are options to play either chronologically or what they intended through specific parts of Jodie's life first. As I said, you make the choice of doing right and wrong. A lot of the trophies are earned in a specific way and then you can come back for the other option. There are a lot of endings. Overall, it's a decent balance between being a video game and being an interactive film. My only complaint is some of the quick time events. Some of the moments come off a little rushed and almost require you to have your decision half a second before you press what you think should work. It's trial and error, but still.
With that aside, Beyond: Two Souls is pretty good. An interesting story with above average audio and stunning graphics, it plays fine without any huge bugs or glitches. Out of the two at the time, I would play this over Heavy Rain, though that one isn't that bad.
Score: 8 out of 10.
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