EA to the Rescue Part 1

By UnderBreex

Good day, Lord Whaley lovers! In this journey, we are going to tear into some notorious game developers and their respective companies. Why? Asides the fact that they showed only a few games intended to make a huge comeback,, these higher ups need our satisfaction in order for them to make a profit. Also, I'm a huge fan of these amazing companies and have sold my soul to them on countless occasions. Lately, though, they've had a lack of new content and titles, and I’m finally  hyped.

Let's begin with Electronic Arts. Yes, the devil that charges us for breathing, thanks to micro transactions, and yet still manages to give us amazing and addicting games. They have a solid list of games that are heavy contenders for the coming months and years. Their games are by far the most convincing and for sure best sellers.

First, they’ve teamed up with British studio Criterion to innovate racing games with Burnout. Not only can you drive cars but also ATVs, helicopters, planes, jet-skis and more. It also allows players to explore an open world, instead of just formal racing like we’re used to. They also claim to have been inspired by professional drivers who shared their experiences via YouTube to create a new head-cam view mode.

The much anticipated Star Wars: Battlefront has made an appearance, showing locations based on the first trilogy of films and speeder bikes, though no precious lightsabers or At-Ats. It seems crazy, but it’s still early and there’s always hope. Hopefully, its collaboration from DICE Stockholm and LucasFilm will spearhead the franchise and company back into the glorious empire they once had. 

Deep in the bowels of the EA and BioWare teams, there’s a bit of mystery surrounding Mass Effect 4 and a new sci-fi blockbuster title. It’s too soon to knowthe games’ progress, but it’s a necessary move to make up for bad decisions. For their new mystery title, they showed some vivid hills and fields, and as for Mass Effect 4, they teased something that will include new places and characters that will be to die for.

One of my favorite titles of all times is The Sims. I could give up gaming for life, but if you ever put a Sims title or expansion in front of me, I’d be a very happy hermit. The Sims 4 is better than ever, giving you emotions, traits and customizations to personalize your Sims into the ultimate YOU!The new house building mechanisms are easier, providing pre-created and furnished rooms. Sounds too good to be true, but for now, this new game sadly won't have pools or toddlers available at release.

Next time, I’ll give you the next two games that made a huge impact of gaming goodness and made our wallets cry from the ultimate contender: Ubisoft. Until then, Hail the Whale!

Anime Review: Ao no Exorcist / Blue Exorcist

Produced by: A-1 Pictures

Manga and Art by: Kazue Kato

Anime available in: Netflix and Crunchyroll

By Aliraluna

Review:

Ao no Exorcist also known as Blue Exorcist, is the story of Rin Okumura a teenage boy with super strength, who doesn’t like school and studying, and has a knack at picking fights. Along with Rin is his twin brother Yukio. Both were raised by Father Shiro Fujimoto, who reads and studies devotedly, and was accepted at the prestigious True Cross Academy. One day Rin got a job at a supermarket, afterwards he saw a little girl running and trying to catch something. He noticed she was after a small demon and his life changed forever from that day on. A while after the occurrence, he found out that Satan is his father and if he drew out the demonic sword he possessed he’ll gain the demonic powers. Just when he discovered this, Satan appeared and attacked a church. Rin drew out the sword freeing his demonic powers, new appearance, and a blue flame– a symbol of Satan. He decided to become an exorcist afterward. Then, Mephisto Pheles, a friend of Father Shiro Fujimoto, who’s the director at True Cross Academy, made Rin’s wish come true by enrolling him in the academy to become an exorcist, he would need to take normal classes. 

While he waited for his first class to begin, he never imagined who would be his teacher and not just any teacher but a veteran in exorcism… Along the way of becoming an exorcist Rin would face many challenges such as being accepted by other students, having to hide his true self and personal story, and something even worse, the Vatican. Will he be able to defeat Satan and know more about his past?

Thoughts:

This was such a great anime. I searched and read about the manga’s storyline and it hasn’t been finished yet because of its popularity in Japan, and – no wonder – it really is a fantastic anime. I really like the religious themes used in here and how the author kept all the different opinions from our daily lives in balance, while demonstrating the horrible issues with the Vatican and religious beliefs. Even Rin, as Satan’s son, is not at fault for being his child; just like in our lives there are good children with horrible parents.  The artwork is exquisite and the story as well. I cannot wait to get my hands on the manga and set out on this wonderfully-painful journey with them once again.

Importance of Having Non-White European Characters in Comics

By Snow Drift

I’ve noticed that DC Comics is introducing or re-introducing European, old post-Crisis universe non-white characters. That is, readers have begun to see European women with darker skin tones appear in the mainstream DC Comics universe. Some of these characters are Helena Bertinelli and Julia Pennyworth.

Many non-European people, when asked, will most likely imagine a European to be a white man or woman. It’s not for lack of knowledge that there are certainly non-white inhabitants in Europe, but some individuals don’t see them as part of the essential demographic of the continent. They are either immigrants or tourists or anything in between. What about European citizens with families that go back generations? Not many will go down that trail of thought, at least not immediately. Thus, the portrayal of such characters in comics is essential in demonstrating and representing those individuals who are barely mentioned or acknowledged as existing or being historically present in Europe.

When I noticed this pattern, I attempted to find other non-white European characters in the Marvel and DC comic books. I did not find many non-white European characters, some of them being Blade, Philippus, and Tracy 13, among others. Even within this small group, some of these characters either were essentially extras or ones that have not made significant appearances as of late. Of course, when I speak of non-white Europeans, I specifically mean, in this particular case, Europeans with physically visible non-white characteristics by the common American racial standards. 

It is thus fascinating that DC Comics, among its various problems within the New 52, has done something right. Characters like Helena Bertinelli, who was known as the Huntress in the old universe, has made an appearance as a black Italian and Julia Pennyworth, Alfred Pennyworth’s daughter, as a dark-skinned English woman that, at the time that this article was written, has not had her maternal ethnicity specified. It is not much, but the presence of these characters should be acknowledged, especially when they seem to have important roles in their respective story lines. 

This is recognition of not only the presence of non-white European characters in the world, but also their significance. Their existence and contribution to life can have an image now, especially when the characters are heroes. The characters I mentioned are spies instead of outright super-powered heroes, but the fact that they are shown with a special set of skills, intelligence and –hopefully- impact on the comic book universe will be important to non-white European readers and beyond. It gives a more realistic view of the European population, not leaving the readers in the fantasy of an entirely white Europe. Representation in any form of media helps people have and confirm a sense of self and identity, for real-life non-white Europeans will get a sense existence in the world. Within this kind of medium, children will have a model to look up and relate to. It proves to boys and girls that these characters’ are important, their abilities are essential and useful, and are not secondary in others’ stories. Representation, at the end of the day, does matter.