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I’m just going to come out and say it: I love The Last of Us Part II. Sure, it made some controversial choices that didn’t sit well with everyone—Joel’s death primarily. Yes, it also made you play as the woman that killed him—who I found to be a compelling character. And yes, it was a pretty depressing game all around.
By Arianna Sergio Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, a.k.a Logic, is back. It hasn’t even been a year later before the rapper traded his mundane retirement in Montana for his classic bars and studio sessions. Back in July 2020, Logic released what was seemingly his final studio album, No Pressure. He took to Twitter and Instagram to announce his departure from the music industry, leaving fans from across the globe rattled by his decision but, at the end of the day, respected his choice. It was a wistful and heartbreaking moment for Logic and his fans alike, but as he said in an interview with Complex News, he just wanted to, “focus on his son [Little Bobby] and his family, because that’s what makes me [Logic] the most happy.” Bobby Tarantino III is the third installment of the Bobby Tarantino mixtape series. The mixtape that started this journey was Bobby Tarantino, and it was released in July 2016. He announced on Twitter that, “This mixtape is for my fans. I wanted to give u something for the Summer. Thank you for always supporting me. Enjoy.” And enjoy fans did. This mixtape had singles such as “Flexicution” and “Wrist,” with “Flexicution” generating a whopping 176 million streams and instantly becoming the most well-known track from the mixtape. Then, in March 2018, he released Bobby Tarantino II. This mixtape had singles such as, “44 More,” “Overnight,” and “Everyday,” which features American DJ Marshmello. This mixtape is arguably one of Logic’s most popular pieces of work to date charting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Chart, following the success of his third studio album, Everybody. With this track record, Bobby Tarantino III was destined to be a smash hit. How does the third installment compare to the others? Bobby Tarantino III kicks off with “introll.” This song shows Logic’s humorous side and he’s doing what it says in the title: trolling the listener. Logic starts by rapping, “Hey, I didn’t see you there, I’m back,” and then he proceeds to warm up his voice like he’s going to start spitting some bars, but ends the song before he can even start. Logic only has one feature on the mixtape and it’s from award-winning actress Cynthia Erivo on the song “Inside.” Before listening to this song I had never heard music from Erivo, but now that my ears have been blessed by her effortlessly alluring voice, I crave more from her. She enhances the quality of this song and takes it to a whole new level with her voice evoking such emotion and passion. Logic tells the listener about his problems that caused him pain and ate at him, yet they remained inside, because on the outside he continued to make music for the fans and put on a happy face. “Flawless” is a homage to his wife. I admire Logic for showcasing not only the physical love for his wife, but also his emotional love for her. He raps, “I only want a good girl who give a f*** less 'bout all this / So I wrote this song for you, 'cause you're so f******—Flawless (Flawless, yeah)...” In the middle of the song, the song begins to fade out with Logic rapping “Oh you thought I was done?” I appreciated the cheekiness of this line, because it shows that he could rap so many more bars about her, which is a nod to not only his immense love for her, but his talent. I’m usually not one for interludes in albums/mixtapes unless they add more context to the storyline that the artist is trying to convey, but “Stupid Skit” is an exception. This song authentically displays how much carefree, fun Logic had while making this mixtape. Whereas, with most of his past projects, he felt so much pressure from everyone around him. (Hence, why his retirement album was titled No Pressure.) “Theme For The People” carries an extremely similar sound to “Indica Badu.” Both songs have a relaxing and soft beat that is easy to listen to. They each make you want to unwind, with Logic’s lyrics flowing smoothly and freely. “God Might Judge” is hands down the best song off the mixtape. It has excellent beats! Hats off to 6ix, with the first beat being reminiscent of Drake’s “Nice For What.” This song has the smoothest beat transitions I’ve ever heard on any Logic song. Having the beat switch from the second beat back to the first in the last 40 seconds is the cherry on top of an already masterful sundae. The lyrics are superior in this song and are some of Logic’s most catchy. Logic ends the mixtape with “untitled.” This song is the reason why Logic made Bobby Tarantino III: to have a blast and cater songs to his fans. Weekly singles Leading up to the release of Bobby Tarantino III Logic teased the mixtape by releasing 4 songs weekly—on every Friday. The first single he released was on July 1st titled, “Vaccine,” with his second being “Get Up,” then “My Way,” and lastly “Call Me.” In comparison to all four singles, “Vaccine” is the strongest one. “Vaccine” packs the biggest punch for the listener. “Get Up” and “My Way” fall flat. They weren’t memorable whatsoever. Now, listening to the mixtape countless times, they’ve grown on me a bit, but on the first listen they were nothing special; the beat along with the lyrics were just bland. “Call Me” is a sweet and endearing song. It’s about how people can always count on him when they need him and how he’s just one call away. Similar to what I said earlier, “Call Me” is like “Theme For The People,” with a sound that is similar to “Indica Badu.” So why did Logic come back? “See You Soon Space Cowboy” starts off as a fast-paced song showing off how fast he can rap and how cunning and clever his lyricism is. At 1 minute and 17 seconds, gunshots go off and the beat switches to a more slow-downed, honest, stream of consciousness. In the last minute and a half of “See You Soon Space Cowboy...” he explains his return to the rap industry by saying, “Alright, well I guess I just—I woke up one day and I was like ‘You know what? I kinda feel like rapping again.’ You know what I'm saying? So I did. And I been chillin' with Little Bobby and his fine a** momma and we out here in the country. Shooting guns, riding dirt bikes and s*** and I was just like ‘Man, I want to do this.’ So I invited all the homies in the middle of nowhere. And uhh we just decided to do this Bobby Tarantino EP, three-peat, off the cuff just for fun, just for the summer, just for all the homies.” If this is Logic impromptu, just having fun, I am extremely eager and excited to listen to his next piece of work. With that, he also reveals that he’s working on his last album with his current record label, Def Jam. Logic ends the song by saying that he’s doing all of this for his fans, because they wanted him to come back to rapping so badly, so he finally decided that it was time. Top Tracks: God Might Judge Flawless See You Soon Space Cowboy... Recommended if you like: Kanye West Drake Mac Miller Sources: Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Spotify, Billboard, IMDB, Spotify, Genius, Spotify Featured Image: Genius
Words cannot express my love for Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series. I first played the initial three games—Drake’s Fortune, Among Thieves, and Drake’s Deception—back in high school, and wow, what a ride. The adventures of Nathan Drake and his friends captured both my imagination and my attention for months on end; I couldn’t stop playing them (resulting in play sessions that I labeled “Uncharted Days”).
by Anthony HerringI’m just going to come out and say it: I love The Last of Us Part II. Sure, it made some controversial choices that didn’t sit well with everyone—Joel’s death primarily. Yes, it also made you play as the woman that killed him—who I found to be a compelling character. And yes, it was a pretty depressing game all around.Despite all of that, I still loved it.
by Anthony HerringWords cannot express my love for Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series. I first played the initial three games—Drake’s Fortune, Among Thieves, and Drake’s Deception—back in high school, and wow, what a ride. The adventures of Nathan Drake and his friends captured both my imagination and my attention for months on end; I couldn’t stop playing them (resulting in play sessions that I labeled “Uncharted Days”).It was around this time that the next Uncharted game, titled A Thief’s End, was announced. The first teaser released for the project held a dark tone, with Drake waking up wounded in a jungle. While doing so, a voice over of his mentor, Victor “Sully” Sullivan, was playing; he asked Drake if he was willing to continue on the dangerous quest that he’s currently on. The trailer then ended with the title card.As the release date drew closer, Naughty Dog announced more about the game: Drake had an older brother named Sam, who was never mentioned before. Along with that, this was to be the final entry in Drake’s story, and the series creator, Amy Hennig, was no longer helming the project. Taking her place was Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley, the two directors behind the critically acclaimed, survival horror masterpiece The Last of Us. Needless to say, this game was shaping up to be familiar, yet different from its more light-hearted predecessors, and I couldn’t have been more excited.With A Thief’s End having celebrated its fifth birthday this past May, I wanted to discuss why I feel that this is the best installment in the series.
By Mason Kupiainen Tom Clancy’s work has become a staple across multiple mediums. We were first introduced to Clancy’s characters in novels, but they have since expanded to films, television, and video games. Arguably his most popular character, Jack Ryan, has been portrayed by five different actors with John Krasinski currently portraying the character in the Amazon series. Once again, Amazon brings another popular Clancy character, John Clark, to the screen. Without Remorse follows Clark after the murder of his pregnant wife. Seeking out those responsible, Clark discovers a dangerous plot involving America and Russia. Throwback action film Not every action film can be the next The Raid 2, Mad Max: Fury Road, John Wick, or Predator, breaking down the barriers and being inventive within the genre. However, at the very least, action films must provide exciting and thrilling action sequences that leave you at the edge of your seat. Although not a perfect movie, Without Remorse is able to avoid this disease that plagues most action films. It feels like a throwback to classic 80s and 90s action films, with the film taking plenty of inspiration from Slyvester Stallone or Steven Seagal movies. It can feel a little too similar to other films at times and doesn’t provide anything new for the genre, but it can still be an entertaining ride. The fight choreography is thrilling to watch and looks realistic, which is, unfortunately, saying a lot when discussing modern action films. The best part about the action is that everything is filmed with wide, focused shots, allowing you to see everything being put on screen. Shaky-cam doesn’t plague the film as it does with countless others, most recently Mortal Kombat. Although the action never feels fresh or original—since it sticks with the traditional hand-to-hand combat and gun violence—it’s still able to keep all these scenes feeling exhilarating and entertaining. Subpar storytelling Aside from the action, everything else is bland and sometimes poor. The story is predictable and feels like any other political, espionage action film. With a script written by Taylor Sheridan and Will Staples—the first being the same writer behind incredible films like Sicario, Hell or High Water, and Wind River—it was upsetting to see the story be this weak. The film does move quickly and never lets you catch your breath, so by constantly keeping the action moving, you can almost forget about the subpar story. Every great action movie has a great action hero, but sadly Without Remorse lacks that as well. Clark is not well written or developed, but is still a character you can latch on to. Michael B. Jordan gives an acceptable performance, but it feels a bit bland at times. Clark doesn’t develop much throughout the film and stays the same rage-filled character he is from the beginning. His motivation is understandable and allows audiences to care for him, but beyond having his pregnant wife killed, the film doesn’t give you much else to grasp onto. Perhaps if they carry on with the sequels (which an end credit scene suggests that they are setting up a franchise), they can develop his character more. Thrilling filmmaking As mentioned before, the action sequences are handled well. A major issue in action films is the over-saturation of shaky-cam and quick-cut editing. The action is filmed with wonderful wide shots that allow you to see everything. Jordan also appeared to have done much, if not all, of the stunt work himself, which helps make the action more believable. There are no action sequences that stand out as some of the greatest put to film, but there are many memorable well-shot scenes. For example, in one scene, Clark fights off guards in a jail cell, which was well-choreographed and executed. The punches and kicks looked real and messy, as if it wasn’t practiced and was occurring naturally. There are also many long takes with few cuts. In a time when many action films are filled with countless quick cuts and poor editing, it was refreshing to see a film provide well-made action sequences. A downfall for the film was the lack of creativity. The film repeated certain styles of sequences to the point of feeling like the filmmakers didn’t have any other ideas. For example, there are multiple car accident scenes. One, in particular, follows Clark lighting a car on fire and interrogating a person inside while it burns. Another shows Clark interrogating someone in a vehicle while underwater, and yet another scene revolves around a sinking vehicle. The action also never changes and sticks with the traditional physical and gun action. If you go into the film aware that it’s a standard action film with some well-choreographed and directed action, you’ll most likely have a fun time. Sources: Novel Suspects, USA Today, IMDB, IMDB Images: Polygon, The Patriot Ledger, Collider Featured Image: Collider
As part of Spring Homecoming, groups from across Ball State competed against each other in Bed Races at Briner Sports Track on April 30. Bed Races is the last event of Ball State's first spring Homecoming, moved to the spring semester due to the coronavirus outbreak. This event was streamed virtually with no guests allowed in the stands, a break from tradition due to COVID-19 concerns. [ngg src="galleries" ids="47" display="basic_slideshow"]
Blake and OK break down a lawsuit over Reddit's explicit content policies.Checkpoint is Byte's video news series, reporting on recent events in the world of entertainment, tech, and pop culture. Whether its video games, film, television, or music, we've got you covered! Anchors: OK Schlatter, Blake ChapmanExecutive Producer: Aaron DwyerVideo Editing: Blake ChapmanAudio Editing: Shwetha SundarrajanGraphics: Taylor SheridanMusic: Jack McGinnis
By Anthony Herring The Marvel Cinematic Universe has officially entered a new era of storytelling. Having utilized feature-length films for 11 years straight, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige announced that the MCU would venture into the world of television. At Comic-Con in 2019, he revealed that these shows would be released on Disney+, starting with five: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision, Loki, What If…?, and Hawkeye. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was scheduled as the first show to be released, with a tentative date of Fall 2020. Everything changed when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Every MCU show was delayed, resulting in the schedule being shuffled around to accommodate production changes. As a result, the first show to be released on Disney+ was WandaVision (back in January 2021), with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier following suit on March 19th. The show—part of the MCU’s Phase Four slate—manages to tell a compelling and timely story, despite a few stumbles here and there. Two peas in a pod Set six months after Avengers: Endgame, Sam Wilson (played by Anthony Mackie) struggles with the fact that Steve Rogers chose him to be the next Captain America. Rather than take up the mantle, he decides to give it away to the U.S. government—a decision that backfires. What ultimately makes Wilson’s arc gripping is not only due to Mackie’s insanely likable performance, or that Wilson proves himself worthy of being Captain America time and time again—but because the show chooses to discuss how he is a Black man in America. He gives up Cap’s shield for this reason, as he believes that there’s no way that the country will accept him as this symbol of Americanism. The inner conflict presented here is portrayed well, and ultimately has a satisfying conclusion. The second half of this duo is none other than Bucky Barnes, played by Sebastian Stan. Before this show, it can be argued that Barnes didn’t really have any discernible character traits. The best I could give you regarding that is that he was both Steve Rogers’ best friend and the Winter Soldier. (Infinity War and Endgame did him no favors, as Barnes had barely any screen time in those films.) Thankfully, the show actually takes the character’s past and uses it in impactful ways, demonstrating how he seeks redemption for his crimes as the Winter Soldier. Not only that, but he feels like a real character, as there are multiple facets of his personality on display, such as his remorse and personal growth. The chemistry that Stan shares with Mackie is wonderful too (which is great, or else the show’s premise would’ve fallen flat). The Star-Spangled Man without a plan One of the show’s newest characters is John Walker, who is played by Wyatt Russell (the son of Kurt Russell, who was also in the MCU as Ego the Living Planet). The U.S. government chooses Walker—which goes against what Wilson wanted when he gave the shield away. To make matters worse, Walker is shown to be the perfect soldier: brave, in peak physical condition, and highly decorated—but not a wholly good man, which is in stark contrast to Wilson and Rogers. As a result, he is revealed to be emotionally unstable and slightly insecure, making dangerous and reckless decisions at the worst possible times. Russell does an incredible job showing these aspects of Walker’s character, so much to the point that many have thrown hate towards him. (Frankly, that hate should be thrown at Walker, not Russell, he’s just doing his job as an actor.) Despite all that, there are moments where the character expresses his humanity, which ultimately makes him a rather compelling anti-hero instead of a full-on villain. Chillin’ with a villain(s) Speaking of villains, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has a group of them in the name of the Flag-Smashers. They are led by Karli Morgenthau (portrayed by Erin Kellyman), and their goal is to make the world how it was during the Blip (the five-year period between Infinity War and Endgame). While their goals were clearly illustrated, Morgenthau and her accomplices as characters themselves were pretty uninteresting and unmemorable. Thankfully, the same cannot be said for Daniel Brühl’s Baron Helmut Zemo (who returns from Civil War). While it can be argued that Zemo didn’t have to be in the film—the Sokovia Accords provided enough for the Avengers—he definitely was one of the highlights of it. Zemo is one of the better MCU villains we’ve gotten, and it was delightful to see him return. The show reveals more about his backstory, gives a deeper insight into his hatred towards superpowered individuals, and manages to do the impossible: turn him into a meme. (That last part is a sight to behold.) Lastly, Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Carter returns as well (with her last appearance being in Civil War). Unlike the more benevolent portrayals of the character in the past, she is instead cast in a more suspicious light. She lives in the city of Madripoor (a staple from Marvel’s X-Men comics) and partakes in very mysterious dealings. Without getting into major spoilers, it is an interesting route to take Carter—considering that she’s the niece of the heroic Agent Peggy Carter. Sources: The Verge, Entertainment Weekly, CBR, IMDB Images: The Mary Sue, USA Today, Deadline Featured Image: MediaScrolls
By Brandon Carson Classic indie-rock band, Dinosaur Jr., has been on a roll since their reunion album, 2007’s Beyond. Before this incredible run of albums, their guitarist/bass player, Lou Barlow, had left the band in ‘89 after the release of their third album, Bug, and drummer, Patrick Murphy after ‘93’s Where You Been. Guitarist and lead vocalist, J Mascis, kept going with the band for two more records. Beyond is a record that sets the tone for the next four to come. It’s a return to form, while still feeling fresh and unique to their discography. Farm continued this momentum and even pushed their own boundaries on melodies and production with songs like, “Plans” and “I Don’t Wanna Go There.” These two records helped move Dinosaur Jr. forward and show growth as a band. Later, the band saw the release of “I Bet On Sky,” which benefitted the punk side of their sound. It’s another solid addition to their discography, while not being the best. Give A Glimpse of What Yer Not, released in 2016, kept the streak of strong albums alive. It had plenty of catchy hooks in songs like “Tiny,” and even experimented their sound a bit with “Knocked Around.” Sweep It Into Space carries the same torch as all the post-reunion albums. Co-produced by Kurt Vile, each song has emotional, gripping instrumentals, and their sound has adapted all while staying true to them. A few forgettable tracks don’t spoil the bunch, but still affect the album’s quality overall. More great songs, same old Dinosaur Jr. “I Ain’t” starts the record off with a driving riff and drum beat and introspective lyrics from Mascis. It’s followed by “I Met The Stones,” a fairly straightforward track that constantly gets better as time goes by. The first stand-out on the album is “To Be Waiting.” The production feels like a mix between the 80s and modern Dinosaur Jr., as well as the structure, pushing together all the great Dinosaur Jr. clichés into one song: a moody chorus where Mascis sings one line, an emotional solo that helps the listener feel the mood of the song, and reverbed drums that fill the space perfectly. The solos on this track are transcendent and all over the album (and their discography), Mascis pushes and experiments with his guitar playing style. The solos seem to always come in at just the right time for each song. “I Ran Away,” sounds like a happy, carefree song, but the lyrics say otherwise. The multiple layers of guitars take the song to great heights, and once again, Mascis’ emotional guitar solos will always improve the quality of these songs. Barlow’s first song for the record is “Garden,” a slow, Pixies-eqsue jam with a big wall of sound for a chorus. It changes the pace of the album for the better. One of the constants for the reunion albums is Barlow singing and writing a couple of songs, and it always adds more dynamics to each one. “Hide Another Round,” threw me for a loop. The beginning seemed to foreshadow a forgettable track, with nothing interesting, maybe even filler. But after the first chorus, everything comes together, and deserves a spot on Sweep It Into Space. “And Me,” is another prominent track, that takes Dinosaur Jr.’s 90s era sound (Green Mind, Where You Been) and mixes it into a cleaner production, changing the album’s flow. Expanding their sound, while keeping it the same One thing that AC/DC seems to have lost, is the ability to keep their sound while trying new things with it. Dinosaur Jr. is a similar band, in that, if one heard a couple of their songs, they’d soon understand what the band sounds like. But what Dinosaur Jr. does that AC/DC doesn’t, can be found in the back half of the album, with songs like, “Take It Back,” and “You Wonder.” “Take It Back” brings a piano into the mix and plays with song structure. The bridge for the track is surprising and grand, with big soundscapes. It really helps the back half of the album and makes the flow of the record more interesting as a whole. Another unique song comes from “You Wonder,” the closer of the record and another Barlow track. The melodies change constantly but still work together, Mascis plays one of his most different-sounding solos on the whole album, and the lyrics feel dense with multiple meanings to be deciphered. “Go, mystery, go/Let me shine a light/The dark corner of our yesterday/Let mе get it right/Before wе met I thought I'd lose my mind hiding/All the time you wonder how I feel” A few forgettable cuts The only problem that ensues across this record is a few bland songs. This isn’t to say that they don’t sound like Dinosaur Jr., or that they are terrible. But when a record is full of great songs that push their discography forward, it is easy to hear when a song doesn’t reach that level. “I Expect It Always” meanders about and feels boringly familiar. “N Say” has a good guitar solo, but the song itself is disinteresting and doesn’t go anywhere new. “Walking to You” has stand-out lyrics, but the mix overall is off-putting and too muddy, surprisingly. The album overall isn’t better than say, the all killer, no filler, You’re Living All Over Me, or even the catchy and instrumentally strong, Farm, not that it needs to be. But when compared to those classic Dinosaur Jr. albums where every song on it is great, “I Expect It Always,” and “N Say” drag down that chance of the record being on that level. Top tracks: And Me You Wonder Take It Back Recommended if you like: Pixies Pavement Built to Spill Sources: The Toronto Star, All Music, Genius, Genius, Genius Featured Image: Genius
By Elissa Maudlin
OK and Blake break down the 2021 Oscar awards and controversy over Chadwick Boseman's posthumous loss.
Welcome back to another episode of Byte's news podcast, "Wrapped Up"! In this episode, Kellyn Harrison reports on this year's Academy Awards, updates on Discord's deal with Microsoft, future Mortal Kombat movies, and Spiderman swinging onto Disney+.
Welcome back to another episode of Byte's news podcast, "Wrapped Up"! In this episode, Kellyn Harrison reports on this year's Academy Awards, updates on Discord's deal with Microsoft, future Mortal Kombat movies, and Spiderman swinging onto Disney+.
Welcome back to another episode of Input 2! In this episode, join us as we discuss the good, bad and ugly Mortal Kombat movies. What was good about them, what could've been better? What are some things to hope for from the newest iteration of the Mortal Kombat film? Tune in for all this and more on this week's episode of Input 2!
Ball State Daily · Input 2: The OG Mortal Combat movie is a flawed victory Welcome back to another episode of Input 2! In this episode, join us as we discuss the good, bad and ugly Mortal Kombat movies. What was good about them, what could've been better? What are some things to hope for from the newest iteration of the Mortal Kombat film? Tune in for all this and more on this week's episode of Input 2! Hosts: Dylan Walter & Blake Chapman Edited by: Dylan Walter Graphic by: Taylor Sheridan
by Conner Tighe Perhaps one of the most interesting gaming franchises out there, the Crash Bandicoot Saga, originally starting in 1996, has made its way to its fourth release last month. The saga is one of the first jump, run, slide, and boss battle riddled games I experienced back when I stumbled across an original PlayStation copy. As fun and memorable as it is, it’s also one of the most frustrating games I’ve played—no matter the title. Yet, I keep coming back to die repeatedly at the hands of misplaced stepping and nitro explosions. Bandicoot is a wild animal living on the N. Sanity island with his sister, Coco. When he’s captured and experimented on by evil Dr. Neo Cortex and Dr. Nitrus Brio, he develops more human-like characteristics, like higher intelligence and the ability to comprehend and think for himself. Despite Brio’s warnings of the subject-Bandicoot-failing, Cortex didn’t listen, and Bandicoot broke out of the lab. Now waking up back on N. Sanity island, Bandicoot must work with spirit Aku Aku to save his girlfriend, Tawna, from being experimented on as well. Despite the fascinating plot, you’re going to experience challenge after challenge even with the re released PS4 copy. I’ve highlighted some tips and tricks to make your adventure just a little easier. Use the ropes There are many levels on Crash Bandicoot where Bandicoot must maneuver a bridge missing most of its pieces, forcing players to think creatively. "The Road to Nowhere" level is the first to do so. The regular brown colored pieces of wood are safe to land on, whereas the red pieces, both whole and broken, are not. Whole pieces give the players seconds to land on before collapsing, while the broken pieces collapse instantly, causing you to lose a life and start over from the last checkpoint. Here’s where I can help. Yes, the level offers alternatives to crossing these travesties, like turtles and a bridge piece or two to hopefully land on to jump to the other side. But this is too risky, and unless you’re a highly-skilled jumper, you won’t make it. All these levels feature ropes on the sides. By carefully, and I mean carefully landing on one or the other, you can walk/run to the next piece of rope and so on. Jump off now and then to break boxes and get checkpoints, but don’t get too comfortable; one misstep, and you’ll fall to your death. Replay levels for more lives Take advantage of every opportunity offered in all three titles. The original Crash Bandicoot is obviously tougher than Cortex Strikes Back and Warped, but you still may find yourself having to walk away after dying one too many times. Depending on the title you’re playing, you’ll be tasked with collecting different jewels. Each is equipped by completing different objectives, like destroying every box in a level or completing a level without dying. Something right under our noses is the wumpa fruit that comes from destroying certain boxes. Getting 100 wumpa fruits gets you a life. If you find yourself low on lives, play through past levels to get more lives and collect more jewels along the way. Analog vs. directional pad controls The revamped saga allows players to play with analog controls and directional pad controls, which were the only option on the original releases. So, which is the easiest to use? Well, it depends. The game developers were clever in creating a 3D world using two different viewpoints throughout the saga. On the one hand, you’ll find the side view where Bandicoot maneuvers levels from left to right. On the other hand, Bandicoot will maneuver levels from back to front or vice versa. Both experiences are 3D, but the catch is depth perception; which is the main cause of my demise. Analog controls for front to back/back to front; directional controls for the left to right levels. Bandicoot is touchy and will jump with the slightest touch of the X button and could land you in a spot of trouble. The “slide-jump” This tip applies to Cortex Strikes Back and Warped as players cannot slide in the original Crash Bandicoot. I have yet to achieve this expertly, but it’s possible to get the best jump possible with a carefully timed jump following a slide. By pressing the slide button, Bandicoot will go into a slide, but after immediately pressing the jump button, he will go for a higher jump which will make maneuvering obstacles that much easier. It’s a tricky maneuver, but worth it in the end. Watch your shadow Ninety percent of the trilogy involves maneuvering, rounding, and perusing dangerous obstacles to get to the end. Jumping over enemies is the easy part, but landing on small platforms, turtle shells, or a single suspended box in the air, that’s difficult. Here’s where I can help. Ever notice the faint shadow of Crash/Coco seconds before you land? Use this to your advantage; it’s no coincidence that game developers created a shadow helping players land safer on platforms. Patience is everything Patience is the most important tip if you take nothing else away from this article. The trilogy will test your patience to the point of “N. Sanity,” where even the most patient of people will find themselves punching a hole through the TV screen. (We hope not) But pay close attention to patterns and how objects and enemies walk, fly, and float before attempting to platform across. One mistimed jump could mean you start from the beginning of the level—depending on how many checkpoints the level offers. Approach the very edge of platforms and recognize the pattern of whatever it is you’re crossing before making your way. Sources: Crash Bandicoot Fandom, PCGamesN Featured Image: Link-Cable
By Mason Kupiainen Netflix has been one of the best distributors when it comes to television. Many of the most talked-about series usually are originals from the streaming giant. However, Netflix does not have the same track record of quality when it comes to their original films. They release a few gems now and then, including films like The Trial of the Chicago 7, Hillbilly Elegy, The Old Guard, and The Devil All the Time. Like Project Power or Thunder Force, many of their high-profile films usually turn out to be some of the worst films of the year. However, Stowaway walks the line by being a mixture of excellent and poor filmmaking. Stowaway follows a three-person crew on a two-year mission to Mars. On the ship, they discover an accidental stowaway and cannot turn back around to Earth. After his discovery, the ship’s commander learns that their supplies and resources are only suited for three people, their morals begin to be tested. Lackluster characters Anna Kendrick and Toni Collette, the two leads for the film, are typically excellent other roles. Whether or not it was the writing or their performances, probably a mixture of the two, their characters were uninteresting. Rounding this short cast, Shamier Anderson and Daniel Dae Kim seem like great performers, but their characters lack substance. They are the only two characters given a backstory, but they still were unable to be compelling. The four were unable to elevate the material they were given and make the characters enjoyable through their performances. Their characters were not terrible, but it was difficult to find a reason to latch on to any of them. Since only two of the characters were given the bare minimum for their backstories, it was difficult to truly fear for them during the tense moments. Part of the reason why these characters were flat was the dialogue. Even though the movie is almost two hours, there are not many moments where they’re allowed to talk about themselves. The few moments they were given were dull and developed the characters poorly. Whenever the characters are discussing the situation at hand, the dialogue here is boring as well. It fails to add suspense or reflect the character's development. Beautiful filmmaking The film shines with the work done behind the camera. Since most of the film takes place within close confinements, it was great to see the filmmakers get creative with what they had to work with. The camera work felt very smooth, with many memorable moments filmed in one continuous shot. The framing of the shots also helped to give the feeling of living in close confinements and add to the intensity of the situation. Once the characters have to start handling things outside the ship, the visuals were stunning. They were able to get multiple shots that would make for beautiful still images. There is a scene that revolves around radiation that was visually stunning with its use of color. The final shot of the film is also stunning and ended the film on a friendly note. It was able to convene the sorrow of the scene while adding beauty to the moment. Beyond the technical aspects, the story is a mixed bag. Like mentioned before, the characters could have been crafted better. If they were, it probably would have elevated the film considerably. However, the story can provide intense, powerful moments, but also drag in many areas. The beginning of the film is slow with its set-up and character development. Although the beginning tries to introduce the characters and story, it felt clunky and dull with the route it takes. Once the tension of the situation begins to build, the film switches into an edge of your seat thriller, but only for a short while. Some scenes provide plenty of suspense, while others go back to the dull moments that plagued the beginning. Although the story questions the characters’ morality, it is still confusing to see where they stand. The film also never truly presses them with this issue or allows the audience to see them struggle with it. The conclusion also continues to be a mixed bag. It provides a heartfelt moment, but also feels lackluster. It is almost like the film was building to nothing and simply unravels in the end. It became unclear what the film’s true message is, if there even is supposed to be one. Although it is a touching ending, it seemed as if the filmmakers did not want to compromise any character development but still wanted a bitter-sweet ending, so they took a strange way to achieve this. Perhaps if they had tacked on an extra 20 minutes to the film to expand upon numerous areas, they could have achieved a superior conclusion. As it stands, it works at the moment, but lessens in value as you reflect on it. Sources: IMDB (The Trial of the Chicago 7), IMDB (Hillbilly Elegy), IMDB (The Old Guard), IMDB (The Devil All the Time), IMDB (Project Power), IMDB (Thunder Force) Images: Los Angeles Times, Netflix Featured Image: IMDB
I recently started my teen drama watchlist in June when I finished Gilmore Girls for the first time. Gilmore Girls was the first teen drama I had watched and I loved the sense of real-life that revolved around the characters’ lives, as well as the time and effort the writers put into scripts to make the audience feel what the characters are feeling in a certain moment.
