Who hasn’t thought about a strategy for if/when zombies start infecting the world? It seems like a pretty normal conversation, no? MT was cool enough to come by our studio to talk about how they would fair in The Hunger Games and their emergency plan for if there’s a zombie apocalypse.
Justin Bieber is performing at the Billboard Music Awards this Sunday and decided to throw us one by releasing a viddy of him rehearsing “Boyfriend.” We also talk about Will Smith slapping a Ukrainian reporter in the face and a party trick that involves a beer can and a chainsaw.
I think we’ve all had a few crappy incidents involving an airline. That’s why we were happy to discover that even recording artists are susceptible to airline incompetence. T-Mills tells us all about his scare at the airport and his genius plot to get it back. Subscribe to andPOP for new episodes of Making Waves every week!
Today is filled with lessons. Kids learn all about Skrillex, Mac Lethal teaches us about the difference between your and you’re and Brittany learns how to properly pronounce dougie (she says it with an Australian accent).
Sometimes an artist is so popular it’s hard to get them to do an interview in a major market like Toronto. Luckily, here at andPOP we don’t take NO for an answer. So we decided to take a road trip and ask him about going to the club and who pays the bills when he goes out. He also talks about how he signed his new artist Tyler Medieros. GO CANADA!
If you’re looking for something to do tonight, why not try Skillex: The Boardgame. It tests both your music knowledge and ability to withstand physical pain. Then we talk about the lazy eye epidemic that’s plaguing teens with emo hair. Finally, we wrap up by watching the best/worst trailer in the world, Jersey Shore Shark Attack.
Every kid has a way to make a few dollars when they’re young. The difference is not many kids are hustlers at the age of nine. Jeezy was one of those unique kids that knew he was destine for big things at a very young age. Ironically, even before he became a famous rapper he always had money. Lots of money. The only thing we’re wondering is how do you gauge success when you’re already rich?
We really like Dragonette, they’re a fantastic combination of all kinds of good stuff. They seamlessly combine their own brand of pop with dance music. It’s a fantastic pick-me-up if fever you find yourself in an emergency ‘need to dance’ situation. We asked Martina Sorbara about how she and the rest of the band found their sonic DNA.
Justin Bieber basically wins best son in the world for dedicating a number one track to his mom for Mother’s Day. How do we top that? We also ogle at other celebs with their moms and watch an adorbz video of a young toddler in love, but he just can’t catch a break.
In the second instalment of our new series “Making Waves” Caity talks to Classified about how smoking weed helps him creatively. Class also recalls the olympics and introduces us to a new artist he’s working with.
Nina Dobrev stopped by Conan and made him her human yoga wall — this resulted in the host doing a victory lap around the studio. We also talk about Nicki Minaj and her two biggest fans and finally watch a video about what else? Cute puppies.
The title of Diggy Simmons’ new album raises a few questions. Luckily, he reassured us it has nothing to do with accidental pregnancies. Diggy talked about how the name has more to do with his hip-hop pedigree than a good old game of “just the tip” backfiring. Was that too much?
One Direction told andPOP if they had to choose a sixth member of the band they’d choose Ed Sheeran! Find out what Ed Sheeran had to say about that here. We also watch a video of Jon Hamm giving advice to 16-year-old girls (it’s not creepy we promise) and sympathize with a very unlucky couple.
Class is now in session. The man who we’re now calling “Professor Jeezy” is well versed in making money, counting money and what to do once you have lots of money. In one of our most inspiring and hilarious interviews to date we go to the school of hard knocks and talk about cash. Just after we finished with Jeezy he invited @Jordans_life to play with $100,000 but they wouldn’t let us take the video cameras! Needless to say, we’re all big fans of Young Jeezy here at andPOP.
Ed Sheeran and One Direction in THE SAME INTERVIEW. If you’re a fan of these two particular acts you might want to sit down. We asked One Direction about who they would want to be their 6th member and they seemed to think Ed would be a good fit. So when we got the chance to talk to him we thought it was only fitting to ask about whether or not it’s a possibility!
It seems a lot of people are trying to get their hands on Ed Sheeran these days. His album + is doing incredible things internationally and his fans like the music so much they’re screaming the words to his songs. Not that it’s a bad thing but it must hurt the ears a little. We share this enthusiasm for Ed and his music. In fact, he also likes us. Did you know @andPOP is his favourite website? True story!
If there was actually a way to harvest and bottle happiness, Martina Sorbara would be a good place to start. Not only is she an incredibly wonderful person to interview, Dragonette’s music could be used as an anti-depressant. In this interview @jordans_life and Martina talk about their newest music video and getting “her mojo” back.
Remember that time Hot Chelle Rae convinced @Jordans_life to get a tattoo? Well since it happened, he’s been having troubles adjusting to the monkey holding a bottle of vodka on his leg (remember tattoos are permanent). Truthfully, the tattoo isn’t that bad but he’s still upset none of the guys in HCR opted to join him. So to make things right, @DCaseyJones decided to get revenge for Jordan with some temporary Disney tattoos. It’s the thought that counts right?
In the latest instalment of our interview with Dev we try to figure out how she and The Cataracs keep banging out hit records. Including one particular single that happens to feature one of the prettiest men of our generation. Dev and @jordans_life discuss the recording process and what it was like shooting a video with Enrique “man-pretty” Iglaseas.
After meeting Ed Sheeran we realized that outside of music he’s actually quite funny. Inside that beautiful red cranium is a wonderland of kittens, jokes, Lego and most importantly music. Like any true artist he’s also a little weird but in the best kind of way. We discovered this part of his personality when he answered a question about his dreams that a fan submitted through our twitter (@andPOP). It turns out when he’s sleeping, all those kittens and lego can turn into some really crazy stuff! Do you have a recurring dream? Tweet it at us!
With 2011 – 2012 the NBA season looking more and more unlikely every day, I felt I needed to get my basketball fix somehow. If I can’t watch the best players in the world play, why not take control of them in a video game? The NBA 2K series has recently set the standard for National Basketball Association (NBA) video games. While EA dominates the hockey video game market, 2K is the absolute leader for basketball simulation. Last year’s NBA 2k11 was absolutely phenomenal. It brought Michael Jordan back into the equation, allowing players to use him in the game to bring back those dominant Bulls teams. The graphics, controls, and overall experience were heads above the competition. It was so good in fact, that EA didn’t even bother releasing their NBA Elite game. 2K keeps upping the ante with NBA 2K12. It takes everything that made 11 so good, and improves upon it.
The graphics in this game are beautiful. Each player clearly resembles their real life counterpart. The arenas are all gorgeous, from the glean off the buffed floors, to the logos on the court floors, it all looks and feels real. It looks so good, my dad walked in while I was playing the game and thought I was watching a real life basketball game. He obviously wasn’t aware of the looming lockout.
The sound and music are equally incredible. The announcing is some of the best I’ve heard in a video game. In some cities, depending on who they have on the microphones, it may actually be an improvement over their real life announcers. I liked the soundtrack a lot too, which is usually good in 2K games.
After the successful introduction of Michael Jordan last year, 2K has added a ton of other greats to the game this year. You can use vintage Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen, and more. There are 15 total “Legends” whose terrific careers can be recreated within the game in great detail. Relive the Larry Bird – Magic Johnson rivalries and much more.
One of the most popular features in the 2K series is the ability to create your own player to see how they stack up in the big leagues. 2K sports has built upon this and made the “My Player” functionality that much better. You can now hear Commissioner David Stern call your name on draft night for your favorite team. Enter yourself into the rookie skills competition, earn huge endorsement deals, pad your stats, and ultimately get your name on a huge franchise player contract.
Most of the modes are back, my favorite being Association mode. Take your team from worst to first and watch the fans pack your arena to cheer you on. You can now even take your association mode online to play against your buddies and see how you stack up in the online community. The Playstation Network integration is seamless and a lot of fun.
Overall, this game is fantastic. It takes what made the old NBA 2K games and builds upon it in every way. The graphics, sound, presentation and game play are all the best around for basketball video games, and set the bar extremely high. If EA wants to reclaim the top spot in the basketball video game market, they certainly have their work cut out for them.
For more game reviews check out ubethecritic.com.
Who knew that a laptop stand could be so cool!
Promoted as the ‘World’s thinnest portable laptop Stand’ that is designed to extend the life of your laptop as well as your wrists, the AViiQ Portable Laptop Stand is ‘ready to go when you are’ – literally. The AviiQ portable laptop stand is the laptop stand that is designed for people on the go. While other laptop stands are big, bulky and stationary, the AViiQ is a laptop stand that is designed for convenience and portability – and it works like this.
Jersey Shore is invading everything, including gaming culture. Xbox Avatar users can now outfit themselves like characters from the MTV reality series, reports Shacknews.
For $2 you can have abs just like The Situation, or hair just like Snooki. Why you would want to look like this is another story.
The video game industry hit a four-year low in May, reports The Hollywood Reporter.
Video game sales apparently hit its lowest monthly U.S. profit since October 2006, totalling $743.1 million. That number may seem high, but it’s nothing compared to the $866.8 million of last year.
“A light slate of new releases is at the heart of this month’s performance,” said NPD analyst Anita Frazier. “As a result of a lighter release slate, promotional activity at retail and in circulars was reduced as well, which undoubtedly affected not only planned but impulse purchases.”
Frazier says it is unfair to base all results on figures, though, as an increasing amount of video game sales derive from online or downloadable exclusive content purchases.
This year’s top selling game was ‘L.A. Noire,’ a murder-mystery action game set in old L.A.
I agree with the analyst. Much of today’s market comes from the online world, so we have to factor in the sales from that. I don’t think video games are going anywhere anytime soon.
Sarah Michelle Gellar is going to be in a video game, and it’s going to be awesome.
Gellar will star alongside Robert Englund, Michael Rooker and Danny Trejo in ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops,’ fighting off zombies, of course.
Noted horror film director George Romero will lend his likeness to the game, inspired by his zombie film works. The new level, called “Call of the Dead,” will be included in the upcoming Escalation downloadable content pack.
“This is Treyarch’s tribute to the legendary George Romero, who truly defined the zombie genre and whose incredible work has been such an inspiration to our team,” said Black Ops director Dave Anthony. “It was an absolute honor to work with such an amazing and talented cast whose passion and energy brought their characters instantly to life. Fans are going to love this.”
Watch the video below to hear Gellar speak about the process. I’m so excited for her to come back into the spotlight, but I never anticipated this. It’s beyond my wildest dreams! (Yes, I’m fan-boying here, a little bit.)
The trailer for the game can be viewed here.
It’s that time of year again, the start of the new hockey season and the launch of the newest version of the EA NHL Franchise. NHL 11 is the best one yet, and we can say this honestly as we had a chance to play it. To celebrate the debut, the good people at EA had a NHL 11 Tournament with top rookie prospects, including Taylor Hall, Tyler Sequin and Nazem Kadri.
Hot chick on the cover? Check. Kind of resembles the Baroness from GI Joe? Double Check. Guns? Check – check her feet too, cause those high heels are packing heat too. Wait, what? From the get-go, you know this isn’t going to be a normal shooter. But just how far down the rabbit-hole does it go? Come with me for an interesting journey.
To be totally honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this game. On the surface, it looks like Devil May Cry and God of War thrown together, mixed in with a few of the more “respectable” character models from the Dead or Alive series for good measure. In other words, it had the potential for being something very entertaining, or something that felt like it’s been done to death a hundred times before, and that within minutes I would be turning off my Xbox and tossing the game and case back into the Give to Friends I Don’t Really Care About pile of games.
But along comes one of the most over-the-top, guns-blazing, unforgettable prologues I have every experienced in my 20 plus years of gaming. Without warning, you are thrown into what in most other games would be the lead-up battle to a boss fight, with seemingly endless wave after wave of enemies, just asking to be executed in the most over-the-top style you can imagine. Of course, at this point, you have had no proper introduction to the control system or special move-list, so you are basically pulling off random combos and incredibly well animated visceral executions without knowing how or why you are doing so. Did I mention that this was all happening on the face of a giant clock tower – as it is careening end over end down the face of mountain? Bayonetta is a game that reaches through the 4th wall, grabs you by your face and screams “can you hear me now?” as loud as possible, while punching you repeatedly about the head and neck.
The art style for the game is very unique as well, which fits the over-the-top in-your-face atmosphere, from having still photo spreads for cutscenes (which are actually still images from a roll of film, interestingly enough) with the dialogue played over the images, to full out game-engine animated scenes mixed up to keep you on your toes. Bayonetta herself is apparently the last Witch on the planet, and has just woken up from a 500 year nap at the bottom of a lake, and is on a mission to find her memory and cause general havoc and chaos for the good guys – or bad guys, in this case. Every singles enemy in the game is an “angel”, replete with glowing halo’s over their heads, and your job is to eradicate them in the most awful and punishing ways possible. You even have the option of executing Punishment and Torture attacks, such as summoning an Iron Maiden to crush and destroy your enemies, or at later stages when you have improved your magic abilites, calling larger than life demons to eradicate all the enemies around you. (more…)
It seems that the Moon Walk is the new black as more and more Michael Jackson merchandise is in the works.
According to TMZ, the King of Pop is set to star in a new video game that will essentially be a “dance karaoke.” Unlike many other ventures surrounding the deceased Jackson, apparently the pop singer’s estate is totally on board for this plan. Basically, gamers will see Jackson dancing on screen and then will be challenged to imitate his movements.
The game, currently untitled, will be available on multiple gaming platforms including Wii and Xbox 360. The Xbox version will include Microsoft’s new Kinect motion capture technology which will allow players to participate in the game without holding a controller.
Also in the Xbox version, the player will be judged based on full body moves; the game will process the player’s movements and display them on screen, dancing alongside Jackson.
If that wasn’t spectacular enough for aspiring Princes of Pop everywhere, the game also includes a karaoke feature which will allow players to sing along to Jackson songs and even funk up their voices with an autotune feature.
The game is being developed by Ubisoft (the same company behind Assassin’s Creed and Ghost Recon) and they have apparently secured permission from Jackson’s estate, so this is sure to go ahead. The game is scheduled to be released sometime before Christmas.
I’m going to get something off my chest right out of the gate: I haven’t been a fan of baseball nor baseball videogames for the last decade or so. Watching the game can be downright boring, and playing a virtual representation seems to result in little more than timing mini-games and a few button presses.
Then along comes Visual Concepts’ MLB 2K10. For the first time since I last held aloft a piece of lumber, here’s a video game that actually made me feel like I was playing the game again. Everything feels crisp, clean, and connected – as if you are actually on the mound dueling with the batter, desperately trying to keep the sweat out of your eyes as you look down another full count with the bases loaded.
The presentation of the 2K10 is spot on, from the commercial bumpers during the telecast, to the voiceovers calling the shots during the games themselves. Having spent enough time running bases and trying to make double plays, I have yet to hear a repeat canned soundbite, which was a great surprise and welcome change from previous years’ entries. You get the best of both worlds from Visual Concepts’ setup – all of the stats and random personal facts that hardcore hardball fans crave, but enough of the “seen on TV” presentation that it flows wonderfully into you actually stepping into the batter’s box to see just how far you can crank that sliding fastball.
Your options for gameplay seems to have improved significantly as well. You can play any MLB game currently being played, or set up to be played on a specific day through MLB Today. It’s always fun to see if you can do a better job than the big boys at there own game (or feel as humbled as they do when things don’t exactly work out the way you wanted them to). Home Run Derby is included, and is pretty much exactly what it claims to be: hit homers, anything else is an out, get the most points. My Player is the heart of the game, and you’ll definitely find yourself spending the majority of time grinding away through this mode. You create a rookie phenom, pick your favourite franchise to be drafted into, and then set off to try to become an MLB legend. (more…)
To celebrate the launch of Xbox LIVE Block Party, Xbox Canada hosted the ultimate 80s throw back event featuring 80s celebrities and old school arcade games, even with the mullets. Check out the celebrity guests who made an appearance!
God of War 3 is one of the most highly anticipated games ever. The game follows Kratos on his quest to avenge his family and take down the Gods of Olympus. It completes the God of War trilogy and provides a satisfying and bloody end to Kratos’ quest for revenge. The first two games set the standard for action adventure games and are both Playstation 2 classics. Needless to say, this game had very high standards to meet. God of War 3 lives up to expectations and sets THE standard for action adventure games.
Gameplay
The developers, Sony Computer Entertainment Santa Monica, took what was an already impressive gaming engine and refined it in every which way. The game play and controls from the first two games were already incredible and there was not much to be improved. As they say, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Sony polished all of the elements that made the first two games exceptional, and provided new weapons, abilities, and a gripping story to keep players glued to the screen.
While I have played the first two and am familiar with Kratos’ move set, the controls and combo system are simple enough that even a newcomer to the series can begin this game and within minutes be unleashing devastating combos with Kratos’ blades. Tight controls were a staple in the first two games and that remains intact here. Whether you are leaping over chasms, ripping medusa’s head off in a killing sequence, or swinging off a Titan’s back you always feel in complete control of Kratos.
Well lets face it none of these two items are of any particular use to me.
There has not been a good monster movie in some time as well, and the wolfman or cloverfield really were not my cup of tea.
Well that is my comic for the week- next week expect much better art since the Olympic coverage has taken its stranglehold off my mind.
Meet Kratos!
Before I begin my first impressions from the God of War III Preview Event, I will inform you I have never actually played a God of War game.
The only vague recollection I have is when I watched my friend playing God Of War II on the Playstation2 one night for 10 minutes.
Also sadly, I don’t own a Playstation 3, but this is the type of game to make me seriously consider buying one.
From the moment I started playing the game there was blood everywhere- as a gamer that reminisces with the first time I played Mortal Kombat and how shocked I was at the violence – this is a definite plus for me. The controls for a first time GOWIII player were simple enough- I mashed the buttons and Kratos delivered a Baryshnikov style performance of dismemberment and mayhem. By button mashing and using my magic alone I was able to almost beat the giant crab horse thingy that I kept killing and just wouldn’t leave me alone but eventually my n00b luck ran out and I was treated to a screen that bluntly stated “You Are Dead” multiple times. (more…)
I know it is not entirely original, but I do like how it turned out.
I’m sure we’ve all been there!
For the most part, sequels of any medium, be they film, novel or video game, have a few important items to address on a checklist: better developed characters, a more enticing story, new locations, and most importantly, a sense of polish and completeness that the original, while perhaps something new and unique, was unable to be fully realized for any number of reasons.
Assassin’s Creed II manages to not only address all of these issues, but manages to throw out the entire list and make you wonder just how far the inevitable sequel will be able to go from this point.
Anyone familiar with the first Assassin’s Creed is aware of the ongoing war between the Assassins and the Templars. The story picks up immediately where the first game left off, with you starting out in the shoes of Desmond Miles. Luckily, this is quickly rectified, and you are whisked away to the Renaissance, landing in the middle of 15th century Italy. Immediately, the sense of history, structure and life that flows through the city streets is instantly believable, immersing you in the reality of the game world. Merchants sweep the walkways in front of their stores, businessmen walk the streets with an entourage in tow, all the while engaged in private conversations. Doctors and artists hawk their wares to the passing crowds, some of who even stop in for a quick peek before returning to their chore of the moment. The cities feel alive in a way that the first game lacked, and each character walking the streets is unique – very rarely will you see a repeat costume or face in the same block of cobblestone walkways.
What helps to bring these vistas to life is the fantastic musical score. From haunting melodies to angelic choirs, the music fits the scenery as well as the action throughout the entire world. Attempting to scale to the top of a church tower results in both an uplifting and equally haunting rise in the score, making the sequence feel scripted, even though you are in complete control of when and where you choose to start climbing, or even if you decided halfway up to perform a swan dive into a conveniently-placed ox-cart; and even then, the sound design doesn’t fail. Dive off a high enough ledge, and you hear the wind whistle past your ears, and your clothes begin to flutter faster and harder the longer you fall. It is this attention to detail that helps fully realize the world in which Ezio lives, and immerses you in a way that few other games have been able to do. (more…)
Another big-budget Hollywood blockbuster. Another tie-in video game. But this one has James Cameron’s name on the box, so it can’t be that bad, right?
To be fair, I had very low expectations for James Cameron’s Avatar – The Video Game. It immediately brought back horrific memories of playing through another movie tie-in videogame with a title as long as my forearm (Peter Jackson’s King Kong The Movie The Game). It has always amazed me that a videogame form of a film seems to need the suffix “The Game” tagged on to the end of the title, as if the general public wouldn’t be able to figure out that the product they are currently holding, which may say Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo on it, isn’t actually the film that’s currently in theatres, but a game based on said film. But I digress….
If you’re expecting any kind of spoilers about the movie from this game, you won’t find them. The game is set two years prior to the events of the film, and you play a forgettable character that really doesn’t matter. You have a wide range of choices at the start of the game as to your gender and race, but this has no affect on the rest of the game, as you soon become a nameless grunt stuck on both sides of the ensuing conflict on the planet of Pandora. The basic story is similar to that of the film in that the humans are on Pandora and the Na’vi don’t really appreciate them, but since this is a few years prior, things are a little less established, and the invading human force hasn’t set up such a large presence – at least, not yet.
Through the main arc of the game, you progress to fighting with the humans and then with the Na’vi, eventually allowing you to make moral choices as to which side of the conflict you feel more at home with. The problem with this is that the game makes it very hard to side with the technologically-inferior Na’vi, especially when you can pilot mech suits, use rocket launchers and flamethrowers when you’re human, and on the flipside use bows and arrows and command bees. Bees? Really? I think I know which side I’m going to be sticking with, thanks.
YAY! 25th comic!
Well this one was way overdue since it deals with the now canceled Tonight Show with Conan O Brien.
I wanted to do several Conan comics but instead chose to stick with this one. It’s sad but at the same time rather funny drawing comparisons from the finally of Metal Gear 3.
So Conan bows out respectfully and stays loyal to his fans and saves the Tonight Show brand.
I salute you Conan- can’t wait to see what you do next.
So I was watching a well known T.V show and they were doing a list of some of the most anticipated games for 2010.
As it turns out Batman Arkham Asylum 2 was on their list. If you have played the first title you would know the amount of hell Batman goes through and if I were Batman I would be just as surprised.
Oh how I loved the holidays! Yes! I am back!
Long overdue I suppose but better late than never.
So what has been happening? Well the gaming department at andpop is now a bit lonely since our Editor in Chief of Games Josh Salem embarked on his dream career. Josh now works for the Video Games Industry and we couldn’t be more proud and happy for him. We wish him all the best at his new exciting career! All the Best to you Josh!
So gaming wise expect our usual blogs and reviews to start up again. Also we have yet to announce a game of the year(seems like every game publication is doing just that) so I suppose myself and my fellow writers can blog about what we loved dearly this year.
Besides that I had a chance to sit back and finally play some long overdue titles. What kept me busy this holiday were Dragon Age: Origins, Tekken 6, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and I got a long overdue chance to finally play a bit of Rune Factory Frontier. Nothing beats the deep freeze better than chilling at home with a good game or two.
So then I will go ahead and reveal the comic for the week.
I watch a lot of late night T.V and I love watching both Jay and Conan.
Recently however NBC is creating quite a buzz by canceling Leno and trying to mess with the time slots.
They keep talking about ratings and to be honest it doesn’t make much sense.
Heavy metal bands Killswitch Engage, Trivium, Opeth, Dream Theater and Taking Dawn will appear on an EP that will be released to promote the upcoming God Of War III video game, according to CHARTattack.com.
The EP, God Of War: Blood & Metal, will be released on March 2, 2010 through Roadrunner, and features five previously unreleased songs that were recorded exclusively for the album. The CD will be part of the God Of War III Ultimate Edition.
“I have played God Of War on PS3 and PSP,” said Killswitch Engage vocalist Howard Jones. “To be part of this game in any fashion is amazing.”
“Let the rivers flow red with blood there is vengeance to bestow,” he continued. “Bring me more new finishing blows to my enemies!”
