The Walking Dead Telltale Season Two Review (PS4)

You have a hit, you should expect a sequel. The Walking Dead got its second season throughout 2013 and 14 and continued to do what the first one did. A continuation of the story is here. Some better graphics. Audio and gameplay that continued to provide what was needed. It finds its own ways to stand out without trying to repeat itself.

This time, it's not an adult you play as. You are Clementine, the seven year old from the first season. A few years older now in this one, she wants to find a place that she would call home in Wellington. However, it's not how things go plan in this apocalyptic world. With a group of survivors, she has to make those decisions that affect how the group does and if any of them live. They don't mess around with the plot and the writers don't care it's a little girl. That's what makes it intense and you want to hope for a good outcome, but with twists all around.

While there are some puzzle elements, Season Two is more linear. You get more a cinematic flavor to it. The decision making is back as is the dreaded time limit that was used for those decisions. There is some exploration, but not as much. Clem controls just like Lee Everett. Running, interacting, performing her share of tasks. There is a lot of quick time events and the style it is executed in is what would later be used in future Telltale games moving forward at the time.

It's not a huge leap in graphics, but you can see some of the improvements. Better use of the comic book style and still having that gritty style in it. Improved character modeling, but not too much. Some parts might make you a little queasy. The audio direction still creates those moments when things are cool or prepping for action. Add in another strong effort in the voice acting and it will feel like a full fledged production.

Load times are better. Maybe because it's on a newer system, I'm not sure. The difficulty is a little more easier. The only negative parts I have are the decision time limit and a couple spots where the quick time events weren't responsive. Season Two of The Walking Dead is another must buy. It doesn't stray from its ideals, but keeps it unique enough.

Score: 9 out of 10

Revamped PS Store?

Whether this story is true or not, I don't know. Sites such as The Verge talked about it with their source being a French Vita site. Sony is supposedly revamping their PlayStation Store on both the website itself and its mobile app. Come the 19th this month of October for the web and the 28th for the mobile app, things will look different. The big thing being the inability to buy PSP, PS3, and PS Vita games (their libraries and other ones like PS1 classics) from the web and mobile. You have to go through their stores on the actual systems to buy them.

If true, this was coming. I'm not enthused about it, but look at the Wii. That came out the same time as the PS3, and Nintendo shut down the Wii Shop in January last year. I can see Microsoft doing something like this in a year or two with the 360 and shut it down. Online, there is somewhat of a panic on forums. Some thinking it's all shut down. No, not yet. My biggest gripe with the PS3 store is that it is a bitch to scroll. Not so much the searching, but the bad frame rate. I'm not kidding. It can be slow as molasses.

The inability to buy PSP games is a bummer, but not a shock. It was discontinued about six years ago and the store was shut down in early 2016. There are still a lot of games physically for it, though. Only a matter of what digital games were exclusive and which ones made it to PS3. I don't know when PS3 will shut down entirely, but probably another year or two. It's hard to guess with these types of systems because some still game on it and the 360. Some say you can't find the titles on the scrolling menu. Not true. I was told about using the search feature and those ones not on the list came up when manually typing the title names.

I can't comment on the Vita since I've never played one. Never wanted one when it was brand new in 2012. More interested in playing Xbox 360 at that time and my family got a PS3 that Christmas. I'm assuming it has a similar situation to the PS3. Now, welcome to the future. In ten years time, we could see it not be able to download and purchase Vita games, PS1, and PSP games. It's inevitable. Same with the Wii U, 3DS, Switch, Xbox One, and any future consoles.

I can see homebrew coming in at some point. There will be a way. Also, gaming emulation still has its rough patches to deal with despite plenty of work being done for the last 15 years of gaming. PS3 has shown various progress. The Wii U and 3DS have their own emulators. PSP does. It's a matter of getting the thousands upon thousands of games to function and to preserve any of the digital only releases. Where will gaming take us in this decade? I don't know. But the preservation and attempt to keep interests in these systems alive will keep providing a legacy in what they offered. Get what you can from PS stores if you think this story is true, mainly PSP owners.

YouTube Videos: Oct 2-8

 

Drifting Suit

Sites such as Wired and Nintendo Life have reported on this. Since the launch of the Switch three and a half years ago, people have experienced what is called drifting. Analog sticks that are not centered anymore. While use causes that kind of wear for anything since the Nintendo 64, it's popped up more often. There have been lawsuits. The most recent coming from a ten year old and their mother. I will not reveal their names, but here's the skinny.

According to the sites, the ten year old has had a Switch for a couple of years, Their Joy-Con controllers experienced drifting. They got another set of controllers and not even a year went by and they drifted. While that may not be everyone's exact story, it's something that has been too common. Like anything with analog controls, it varies. But the stories that pile on all around, something's not correct at whatever manufacturing plant Nintendo has. They have been fixing them for free lately, but it may not be enough.

Nintendo's lawyers don't think it's a big deal. It kind of is. The Switch will probably be gone in roughly four to five years. Maybe three. Even if you do it yourself, people will want to be sure they are getting a system that has been properly taken cared of. These drifts will be a concern for the next ten years. Some people hold on to systems after they die out. Though it will not kill them severely (a light slap, really), the Switch is the only system they have now. It is still doing well, but they have to do much better. They can't keep being ignorant on problems that cause them to still be the love or hate company in gaming.

Geeks and Jocks: Episode 45

 New episode

https://anchor.fm/ryan-sullivan1gaj/episodes/Episode-45-Sketch-Me-a-Fiery-Attack-ekmqvu

The Walking Dead Telltale Season One Review (PS3)

Let me preface this by saying I don't care for the television show of the same name. Anyway, The Walking Dead games is something only in the last couple of years I've enjoyed. My first experience was back in 2016 on the Xbox 360 with a demo and have since played it on PlayStation 3 version. It's a fantastic game that showcased what Telltale was great at, but also caused them to die.

The focus is on criminal Lee Everett. On his way to jail, it's the day of the zombie outbreak. Things spiral out of control. He manages to free himself and looking for help, meets seven year old Clementine in an empty neighborhood. With the two, they find themselves in situations where they have to survive on their own and with other survivors who have their own dilemmas. The bond between them brings a lot of emotion to it and you feel for specific characters.

A lot of the gameplay is based on choices. Older games from Telltale were more in tone with classic point and click games. There is some of the element in it, but the focus is more on a story and cinematic experience. It's choices include minor and major changes depending on the characters and situations. The choices are through a time limit, which is something I've never been huge on from the developer. A lot of their titles after that used this method.

The graphics are more of a comic book look, which is fitting. A little gritty with good animation. A step above some of the older games that Telltale made. Nothing that screams next generation, but its fine. The audio direction was well done. Music that creates tension and the action that occurs against the zombies and humans. Calm times before things get bad. Strong voice acting rounds out that facet of the game.

The controls work well with Lee. He interacts with objects and the conversations with other people. When needed, there is some quick time events, but they are not too common. There are a few puzzles here and there. It's designed to be linear with point A to point B moments. Not much exploration. But there is a mix of retaining some of the old elements and interjecting it with the new approaches. It is a bit easy and what you experience is up to you. Load times will be the main concern on a system like the PS3 and Xbox 360. 

The first season of The Walking Dead game is a must have for any system. Getting it right the first game is a necessary step to build a set of games.

Score: 9 out of 10

Temp Theater Closure

If you're in the Northeast of the United States like me, you won't have many, if not, any options to go see new movies if there are any. Drive-ins are shutting down and will return in the spring time. One of the more premium theater chains, Regal Cinemas, is looking to shut down all their theaters for a temporary amount of time. Speculation will be until 2021. Could be right around April or May if I had to guess. No way you're having theaters all around open during the late part of fall and the winter.

This is coming after the new James Bond film got delayed a second time. Some places have tried to get people into the theater and it hasn't worked altogether. That Tenet film is a big example. Studios have tried both On Demand and theaters on the same day. I see it as temporary as well. It's much easier for me to justify going to a theater for a very affordable price. Local theaters can sustain themselves in terms of pricing. That's the advantage versus spending 20 dollars on the On Demand feature, which some question the validity of specific numbers to films like Mulan. To be fair, On Demand is a case by case basis. Some people are alone. You got families, get togethers. There's a lot that can go into justifying staying at home.

Best case scenario, I think the world overall is expecting vaccines very soon. Things calm down, sickness goes down. That's at least what most businesses are hoping for. Not just movies. I'm not sure how much longer places like Regal and AMC can survive without customers, though. Can't expect to have premium prices or premium food be high in price when or if they return to normal. Multiple other things that I probably couldn't think of.

Get hunkered down and get used to On Demand for now. That is if you think it is justifiable pending your living circumstances.

Death of Baseball Central

East and West. New York, Tampa, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Oakland,  San Diego, and Los Angeles. No Central team. I look at the choking, past experiences, and no experience from the teams that exited from the playoffs.

Life hasn't been good for the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs. Since the 2016 World Series in which the Cubs won for the first time since 1908, both have struggled since. A run by the Indians after a 2-0 lead in the 2017 ALDS was ended by the New York Yankees coming back and eliminating them. They got swept in 2018 by the Houston Astros and swept this week by the Yankees. Maybe not playing them hurt, but when you have a Cy Young caliber of a pitcher in Shane Bieber, this should be a no doubter you hope to win against a shaky Yankee team. And from what I listened to, one of the great bullpens. Some of the batters struggled overall against an otherwise good Yankee bullpen despite their struggles in Game 2. Should not have gotten rid of Gio Urshela.

The Cubs did not lose in blow outs. They had a chance in Game 1. Pitching did its best, but those bats went cold. Not facing Miami probably was a factor. David Ross' approach to managing will be questioned I would think. Some of the players they have. I don't know. There's a lot at stake for the players, the staff. Even the front office. Looking at the Minnesota Twins, they didn't lose in blow outs either. Bats went cold and the pitching did its best but blew it late in the games. I think there's a mental issue and psychological issue considering they have lost 18 postseason games in a row. Thirteen of them to the Yankees, two to Houston, and three to Oakland. It must toy with them as time goes on. They had a chance in 2017 and pitching let them down. I don't know how much more the fanbase can stomach getting in and losing. Minnesota sports in general, too. The closest was the Vikings a few years ago and getting blown out in the NFC Championship game.

Whatever momentum the St. Louis Cardinals had, they blew it. Blowing a huge lead to San Diego when you're on the cusp of advancing. It's going to be huge disappointment. They still got a few more years left though with this group of players. However, considering how good the Padres have been this year, they faced adversity throughout the year. And nothing seemed to click for Milwaukee. You're facing the Dodgers, who may be the best team in baseball this year. Not good enough with the bats. As with other teams eliminated, the pitching tried its best.

You can't complain too much with the Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds. The best I could say for those teams is to learn from your inexperience. Let the postseason soak in and hope to fix any problems to get back in next year. Cincinnati fought hard against Atlanta and the pitching in Game 1 was through the roof. There's some positives despite the elimination. 

It's shaping up to be quite a playoff series when things begin this week.

YouTube Videos: Sep 25-Oct 1

 

Too Much Bron?

You could look at this in many ways. Ratings for the NBA Finals first game was not good. Step up above the Conference Finals, but still nothing the league should be proud of. Less than eight million viewers. You could point out multiple things. Obviously, September into October, there's other sports going on regularly. The political aspect doesn't help. But I have a theory of my own. The oversaturation of LeBron James and the LA Lakers probably sweeping.

With James, I think most people are tired of seeing him in the Finals. I don't know what it was like in the 60s with Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics, but they weren't as big a problem compared to James. James is also a very divisive person. Like any mega star, has his fans and haters. But he also doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut. Any other year, it would be a win for the NBA because people want to see him win or lose. Haters will want to see another failed championship attempt. Losing six Finals in your career is not something to be proud of compared to Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. I'm sure criticism could be said for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but his Laker teams were able to rebound and get Finals wins.

I think that's the other part of my theory. If it were Lakers vs. Celtics, or Toronto, I think there'd be a more competitive Finals. Miami has a great team, but with the performance in game 1, it leaves a lot of questions. Heading into the season, Los Angeles was said to be one of the favorites to win a championship this year. You see more of these type of games, it will be a turn off for the NBA. Some of the MLB favorites will be more of a ratings grab as the baseball playoffs go on. There's a time to watch LA sports, but this may be like it was back in 2010.

Whatever the case, this is going to be something the NBA will look at when they negotiate deals with networks. They were struggling earlier in the year, but the complications make it even more harder. Adam Silver should anticipate some lost revenue and start looking to fix things that will help his bottom line. And I believe it will start with not giving players and teams all this freedom. Ratings do dictate a lot of things for a sport.