Eyes To The Future - 2023 Video Games Edition

It has come to my attention that I have never done a Year In Preview post for Video Games. So... I need to!

So here is the FIRST Eyes To The Future for Video Games. Keep in mind that all of these dates are subject change. And some have yet to have an announced release date.

Ready?

Persona 3 Portable - Jan 19th: Being re-released for Modern Consoles, Persona 3 was my first Persona game, which means I have special connection to this one.

Persona 4 The Golden - Jan 19th: Just like P3P, this is a re-release for Modern Consoles. I'm excited for both P3P and P4G.

Spongebob Squarepants The Cosmic Shake - Jan 23rd: Spongbob and Bubble-Patrick traversing through portals. Plenty of Bikini Bottom Platforming. And the last SpongeBob game I played was pretty damned good.

Forspoken - Jan 24th: A Magic spell based open world badassery game from a NEW Studio, made from former programmers and designers from Square Enix that worked on Final Fantasy 15. It'll be awesome! Hopefully!

Hogwart's Legacy - Feb 10th: An Almost Free choice single player RPG in the Harry Potter Universe? Yes I want to play it.

Kirby's Return To Dreamland Deluxe - Feb 24th: Yet another Re-Release from the Wii/Wii-U era, but I really love Kirby! And they are adding a new copy ability to it! I can't wait.

Octopath Traveler 2 - Feb 24th: Octopath Traveler was a unique story driven turn based RPG. Pick any one of the 8 Characters as a main, and experience all 8 stories, or as many as you want to. A sequel is deserved.

Skull and Bones - Mar 9th: Pirates... pirating. With pirates.

Star Wars Jedi Survivor - Mar 17th: Sequel to Jedi Fallen Order, which was AMAZING. The Star Wars action oriented games are always top shelf.

Resident Evil 4 Remake - Mar 24th: RE4 is finally getting the Remake treatment. And RE4 was my favorite of the series. Now... make Ashley get OUT OF THE GODDAMNED WAY!!!!

Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection - Apr 14th: The portable Grid Based RPG series is getting the Legacy Collection Treatment! I've only played the first 2 games in the series, but I love Mega Man almost as much as Kirby. So... of course I'm getting it.

The Legend Of Zelda Tears Of The Kingdom - May 12th: Sequel to Breath Of The Wild, my favorite current Switch game. This is my most anticipated game for 2023.

Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League - May 26th: Rocksteady is putting out this Suicide Squad gane in the Arkham Universe. And it is Kevin Conroy's finally voice work as Batman. I'm in.

Street Fighter 6 - Jun 2nd: I love the Street Fighter series. But it took me a bit to get a feel for SF5. This one looks amazing. So we will see how this one works out.

Diablo 4 - Jun 6th: The 4th Installment of one of my favorite franchises. After fixing the Marketplace BS, 3 became my favorite in the series, with the Nephalem Rifts being some of the most fun I've had in Diablo. So... don't let me down.

Final Fantasy 16 - Jun 22nd: The First M Rated Final Fantasy game. Are we getting too realistic? I admit, FF15 was wonky to me. Open world without being open world? But gave me one of my favorite FF boss battles in fighting that GIANT ADAMANTOISE! I'm ready for this one.

TBA Release Dates

AEW Fight Forever: AEW will finally put out their first video game. And to be honest, I'm not a huge fan of their wrestling product so far. But... they are going through Jakks for this game, highlighting bring back some of the simulation that I loved in the N64 titles, like No Mercy. We will see how it works out. Plus... Owen Hart will be in it.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: The Second Part of the FF7 Remake series. I'm excited to see what changes in this installment. And I hope we get Vincent in this one.

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection: Being released for Switch and Playstation, Square Enix is putting out this collection in the Spring. The first 6 Final Fantasy games in one collection. Including my favorite game in the ENTIRE franchise, Final Fantasy V! I'm in.

Spider-Man 2: Sequel to Sony's VERY succesful and AMAZING Spider-Man game. More Miles Morales... and it looks like Venom is playing a huge part. I just hope he is playable!!!

Robocop Rogue City: A 1st Person shooter when you get to play AS Robocop! That sounds so cool to me! So of course I'm going to attempt this one.

WWE 2K23: While this hasn't been 100% announced, we already know it is coming. And 2K22 was a HUGE improvement over 2K20. I wonder what the odds are that we get a Cody Rhodes special edition?

There you go everyone. My first ever preview post for Video Games. Is there one I should add? Any you are looking forward to?

Comment and share this thing!

Until next time...

Renewed Gaming Bottom 10 - Disappointing Video Game Consoles

To go with the best list, I thought there should be a worst list. But... worst is subjective here. Just like best was for the other Console list. I was a Nintendo/Sony loyalist. I played Sega consoles, but it wasn't my first choice. Not to say Sega consoles were bad, they just weren't MY consoles.

In that light, this isn't a "worst" list. This is a list of disappoints. You could have a great console and lack of software... you could have the software but the system just be buggy. Maybe it is a bad controller. And maybe it is all of the above.

So let's get into it...

Bottom 10 Most Disappointing Video Game Consoles

Here we go...

Special Mention: Nintendo Wii U: Now, before anyone gets made at this one, remember... this list isn't just for the worst, it is also for disappointments. And... I liked the Wii U. The problem with the Wii U was it lacked any support. And I understand why. It was probably like programming for two systems at the same time. But I did play some good games on it... though... the Wii U does feel like it was a test for how the Switch would end up working.

Dishonorable Mention 1: Atari 5200: The Atari systems were questionable. Partly because those originals had ZERO quality testing for the games. But the 5200 was a cash grab. Why? Remember what the graphics of the Atari 2600 looked like? Well the 5200 was supposed to be enhanced graphics with the same cartridges. Enhanced over... what?

Dishonorable Mention 2: Sega Dreamcast: The final Sega system. The system was ambitious, but the developers making the games for it took that too seriously. Including the WORST WWE game of all time: WWF Royal Rumble. Why? The Royal Rumble match was awesome... and... the most in ring competitors at the same time in any wrestling game. But... play any other type of match, the location would randomize. I'm not saying the location was chosen at random. I'm saying it WOULD randomize. Meaning... during a match, the screen would fade to black and you would be somewhere else. Not a glitch... by design. And don't forget... Seaman. That was nightmare fuel.

10. Nintendo GameCube: Again, a beloved system for plenty of people. I liked a few games for it. But it raised extra vision questions... also... yes, Nintendo is usually a family friendly company, but the best game on the system(Resident Evil 4) wasn't released until the back portion of the lifespan for the GameCube. Third party support should've been better, but Nintendo should made it more accessible.

9. Sega Nomad: A portable Sega Genesis. I'm not talking a unique system like the Sega Game Gear. I'm talking a handheld that played Genesis games. Big enough to take a Genesis cart. Cool idea. But... those of you that played or had a Game Gear knew it ATE batteries worse than the Game Boy. The Nomad... chain smoked them.

8. Sega 32X: A top loading pop in for the Sega Genesis that was supposed to support enhanced games. But did it? Aside from one or two stand outs... did it?

7. Atari Lynx: Look... it's Atari again. Nintendo saved the gaming industry that Atari almost destroyed... and what did Atari think was a good idea? Making a handheld that would compete against THE handheld, the Game Boy. Who remembers it existed?

6. Atari Jaguar/CD: The final Atari console. Powerful... but buggy as hell. No support. And one of the ugliest, unresponsive controllers in home console history.

5. 3DO: Notice I didn't list a manufacturer. Why? There were THREE of them. No joke... there is the Panasonic 3DO, the Goldstar 3DO(now LG), and the Sanyo 3DO. And... they just couldn't decide who was making what. The FZ-10 Panasonic model is highly underrated, but a largely unknown video game console.

4. Sony Playstation Portable: It is what it sounds like. The PSP was Sony's attempt at fighting the Nintendo handheld domination. And... well... the Vita was iffy sometimes, and it was the better system. The mini disc concept was interested, but so brittle. I broke the clear plastic protector on half of my PSP games. And the battery life was terrible. Trying something new, but they couldn't commit to the concept.

3. NeoGeo/NeoGeo CD: The NeoGeo. SNK created this programming system to be used in their arcade machines. And... it worked. Really well. So they decided to turn it into a home console. And... it also worked. Funny thing... I remember this fad of kid's targeted game shows where the NeoGeo and NeoGeo CD would end up being one of the prizes every episode(especially this one on my local WTTV-4 that I can't remember the name of). I didn't know what the hell NeoGeo was. Once I got into gaming moreso, Funcoland and video game magazines became part of my life. And... that is when I realized why the NeoGeo failed. Early 90s... the console brand new was roughly $100. But... the games, the software... new in box... $200-$350 EACH. That is ridiculous. I'm glad I was able to get into the SNK fighting franchises afterward(Fatal Fury, King of Fighters, and Samurai Showdown are legendary)... but... games that were 2x-3x the price of the system itself? Who had that money then?

2. Philips CD-i: I remember this getting pushed at every major and local electronics store. And...... it is laughable. Buggy. Bastardizing the Zelda franchise. Even back then I knew it was horrid. Looking back on it, it looks even worse.

And the number one most disappointing gaming console...

1. Nintendo Virtual Boy: RED. Lots of Red. Virtual Reality... if you could only see red. Controller... suck. Headset... heavy. Color... Red. Color on headset... Red. Gameplay... terrible. Headaches... every time. Neck problems... who played it long enough to have that problem? It was a bad idea from the start. Innovation is what Nintendo does. But... sometimes... we aren't ready for it(or have the tech for it). And... is probably one of the major reasons that Nintendo has a VR unit patent for the Switch and hasn't used it yet.

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These are some of the most disappointing consoles of all time. Any turds that I missed? Have memories of a console that just... sucked... that didn't make the list? Comment down below. Share this thing. Spread the disappointment.

Until next time...

Renewed Gaming Top 10 - Video Game Consoles

While I'm trying to do some research on some BIGGER Video Game list(s), I thought it would be a good idea to tackle... consoles!

All the gamers have the consoles they love, the consoles they hate or been disappointed by... or... the PC Bastard Race whining about PC being superior, while needing to dump so much more money every year or every other just to keep up when console cycles usually last 6-7 years.(slightly kidding... if you prefer PC, I'm happy for you too... Steam deals ARE pretty awesome).

So I've compiled two lists. One for my favorite consoles I've been able to play. One for my disappointments in consoles. The only real rule for the lists is that I MUST have played the console at least more than once.

So... how about it?

Top 10 Video Game Consoles

Here we go...

Special Mention: Sony Playstation Vita: PS Vita was the second Sony handheld released, and did a MUCH better job that the predecessor. Some great ports, some great original games, and the ability to play PS1 Classics on a handheld. The downfall... not enough 3rd Party Support. It had issues with that Support, but what it had some pretty cool for the time it was on the Market.

Honorable Mention 1: Nintendo DS Family: After the success of the Game Boy, Nintendo wanted to do something different. Thus, the Nintendo Dual Screen was born. And the DS changed portable gaming forever. Touchscreen, stylus, action on both screens, simplified menu systems to separate it from the action screen. Yes, there were a few extra unnecessary models, but it did lead to the first portable 3D gaming console, the 3DS. And... it was pretty damn cool.

Honorable Mention 2: Sony Playstation: The Playstation. Came into existence because it was originally going to be a joint project with Nintendo called the SNES CD... that relationship went south, so Sony turned it into the Playstation. And... changed the business forever. A real contender to the crown, taking existing franchises to the next level

10: Nintendo Game Boy Family: THE Handheld. The Game Boy exploded on the scene... packaged with Tetris. You know I love Tetris, but I got the version with Kirby's Dreamland(where my love of Kirby began). But as the competition changed, Nintendo was slow to react... but when it did, it hit the opposition hard. The Game Boy Advance was an improvement in everyway, with the Advance SP being the Ultimate version. Nintendo won this market. 

9. Sega Saturn: The direct war between the Playstation and the Saturn. And this is why the PS1 was just an Honorable mention... I liked the Saturn more. Side by side, the Saturn has the slightly better graphic, some games were more robust, and I think the controller was better. The reasons why PS won the war... 3rd party support from Squaresoft and the Sony exclusives. Library makes all the difference.

8. Nintendo 64: Nintendo changing the game. Games like Super Mario 64 and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time innovated the 3D action, the camera system. Nintendo looked at the PS1's 3D and went... we can do better. And they did. But the cartridge and funky 3 pronged controller kept BIG 3rd Party away.

7. Nintendo Entertainment System: The console that saved the ENTIRE industry. The NES gave us franchises that are STILL enduring: Mario, Zelda, Metroid. You know the Nintendo franchise. But it also changed how quality control works. It was my first console. And I will never forget playing Super Mario Bros with my mom on a school night(a few times). It is a wonderful memory.

6. Nintendo Wii: Nintendo changing the game again! Motion controls! Made playing games more fun for the whole family. Even Sony tried to copy it with the PS Move... and look how that worked out(though... the Move led to the PS VR, and that is a positive).

5. Playstation 4/Pro: My system of choice until recently. Some of my favorite games are on this system. And with the switch over to the PS4 Pro, it became a beacon of 4K entertainment... and 3D native for any 3D Blu-rays you might have been duped into getting. This was my go to system for YEARS... until...

4. XBOX Series X/One X: Until I got my XBOX One X. Game Pass is revolutionary. And this was the first XBOX I got that I didn't end up hating after a few months. So... when I was able to upgrade it to the Series X, I jumped on it. I don't like that the interface is exactly the same at the One X, but the gameplay and visuals are so damn smooth. You CAN tell the difference. And I'm so happy that I'm on XBOX now. But... I'm still loyal to my other brands...

3. Sony Playstation 2: The Single Best Selling Home Console In History. And for good reason. The library was large, backwards compatible with the PS1. And a DVD/CD Player in the system. It was Sony's game changer. The system that gave Sega it's deathblow... and made Microsoft go "we can do that too" and gave birth to the XBOX. The PS2 also introduced me to the Persona series(with P3 and P4 on it). The PS2 is Legendary.

2. Nintendo Switch: Nintendo has ALWAYS done its own thing. The GameCube didn't have full size CD-ROM... the N64 had the mutant controller... the Wii has motion controls... the Wii U had that tablet you couldn't leave the house with... and domination of the handheld market. So... what was there to do? How about a Wii U Tablet that could leave the house... that could be docked to your TV... that had a mutant hybrid controller... that also has motion controls... along with Augmented Reality from the DS family... AND superb 3rd Party and Indie game support? And potential for on the go VR? Play it how you want. Where you want. The first even Handheld/Home console hybrid. No one else will come close. Ever.

And My Number One Video Game System of ALL time is...

1. Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Just like the March Blockbuster list, the SNES was my childhood. Playing various games with my Dad and my Brother(Turtles In Time, Magical Quest, and that damned Goof Troop game)... but carving my own love for gaming... Link to the Past, Mega Man X1-3, Magical Quest, Street Fighter 2(pick one), Mortal Kombat, Killer Instinct(that epic black cartridge), Super Mario World, Super Mario RPG!. The list could go on forever. This is the console that shaped the gamer I was going to be. And therefore... my FAVORITE gaming console... ever.

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Yes... I know. Extra Nintendo love... not enough Sega love. I was a Nintendo Guy. I guess I still am, but not as much as I was growing up.

What consoles are near and dear to you? Comment and share...

Check out the companion list for the worst or disappointing game consoles.

Until next time...

Renewed Gaming Top 15 - Platformers

The next line in the video games lists... platformers. What makes a game a platformer? Platforms. Ha!

No. What makes a game platformer? Where jumps from platform to platform, or enemy to enemy, or platform to enemy to platform... is the focus of the game. You can have other features that MIGHT put them in a different category, but the platforming aspect is what the player experience revolves around.

And there are MANY types of platformers.

So how about the list...

Top 15 Platforming Video Games/Series

Here we go...

Honorable Mention 1: Dig Dug: A digging platformer. Making your own platforms. One of the Atari/Namco Classics

Honorable Mention 2: Mega Man(series): The core series starring the Blue Bomber. Stealing abilities, defeating bosses with the newly stolen abilities. One of the most difficult, yet rewarding Platformers that is STILL active to this day(side honorable mention to Mighty No 9 for being made my the Mega Man creators, reinventing the Mega Man formula)

15. Ghosts 'n Goblins: One of the most punishing platformers ever made. Think it is hard... wait until the second run hits. Death comes quickly... this... is 2D Dark Souls.

14. Crash Bandicoot(franchise): The Original Unofficial Playstation Mascot! Blend of 2D platforming with 3D platforming... with a witty humor, cartoonish style. And a new installment. It isn't PS exclusive anymore, but it doesn't matter.

13. Shovel Knight: Unique game with 16 bit style. When you talk about Modern Retro games, this is the first you should talk about. A love letter to 8 bit and 16 bit gaming.

12. Ninja Gaiden(series): Another series with precise platforming and PUNISHING gameplay. The NES era was just a more difficult era of gaming. But so satisfying. I separate the 2D and 3D games, due to the 3D Ninja Gaiden games being more of a Action or Beat Em Up style game instead.

11. Cuphead: Talking about retro... mix a platforming Bullet Hell with Max Fleischer era animation. It is a BEAUTIFUL game. And a hell of a good time.

10. Banjo-Kazooie(franchise): Nintendo 64 3D platformer with plenty of smarts and crisp gameplay. Rare truly was Rare back then.

9. X-Men 2 Clone Wars: Sega Genesis platformer with everyone's favorite mutant team. There were a few decent ones before this... but this game was fun. Something missing for Mutant Apocalypse and Arcade's Revenge

8. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night: The first reinvention of the Castevania formula... and the BEST game in the series. Exploration... RPG elements... but platforming hack n slash. Gone is the Whip... but the different swords and abilities just made it cool. The game that changed a term from Metroid Style to Metroidvania.

7. Sonic the Hedgehog(series): The rival to Mario on the Sega systems. It was fast, with multiple paths to get to the end. The beauty was that because of the different paths, its replayability was so damn high. Sonic was a beast in 2D, but his 3D outings have not been the greatest. So be careful. But overall, Sonic deserved to be Mario's rival. If you are want to test out the Blue Blur in 3D, I recommend Sonic Adventure 2. Outside of that, try at your own risk

6. Little Big Planet(franchise): one part level creator, one part unending platformer. Unending? How so? There have been 3 games in the series. The levels from each predecessor were compatible with the current. When LBP2 was released, that was a selling point. There were MILLIONS of unique levels online. New game... millions of levels. I want LBP4.

5. Magical Quest starring Mickey Mouse: Yes, a Mickey game. On the SNES. But hear me out. A crisp platformer made by Capcom with Disney's designs. Exploration that felt rewarding. Great intuitive boss fights. And a difficulty curve. Lower difficulties for newbies and kiddos. And a higher difficulty for those needing a challenge. I beat it on the highest... and the final boss battle against Emporer Pete took nearly an HOUR(and that was AFTER I stopped dying). And it felt good to beat. If you haven't, and you can get it... do it. Worth it.

4. Donkey Kong Country(franchise): Rare is at it again. The DKC franchise has some of the best graphics and gameplay of any games in the 16 Bit era... but the graphics are so good, you forget it was on the SNES. But those damn minecart levels... and yes, I am declaring Donkey Kong 64 as a DKC title.

3. Mega Man X(series): Yes, I'm aware that Mega Man was an honorable mention, but I do not consider them the same series. X was Mega Man and more. Upgrades to abilities... new gameplay improvements, an ACTUAL storyline, and the introduction of Zero. Mega Man X was the first game I bought with my own money for the SNES. And I have vivid memories of beating Mega Man X4 on PC with a Keyboard... and now... I can almost beat it blindfolded on console. Word of caution... avoid X7. That game was horrible. But X8 made up for it... and with the core series still active, I want Capcom to finally give me Mega Man X9.

2. Kirby(franchise): Cute Pink Cremepuff. Eating enemies to copy their powers. Like a ameoba who just looooooves cake. On the Cusp of getting his first even 3D experience. Kirby is a bad ass. And you all know it. He is also the inadvertent antagonist of his series... yeah...

And the Number 1 Platformer game/series is...

1. Super Mario Bros(franchise): Seriously... was there ANY other choice? The OG NES Platformer innovator the genre. SMB3 did it again. Super Mario World did what 3 did, but in 16 bit. Mario 64 is what made 3D Platformers possible(the blueprint). Mario Galaxy innovated how Gravity works in a gaming. The 3D Land/World games took the Retro formula and brought to modern technology. Each Mario game sells MILLIONS OF COPIES! And even though the status quo does feel stale, it doesn't matter. The games are fun. If you are looking at a Mario platformer, wondering if you should buy it, odds are in your favor that you will get your money's worth.

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There you go folks.

What did you think of the list? Did I miss one? Should Mario have gotten the top spot(of course he should've)?

Comment... share...

And stay tuned...

Until next time...

Renewed Bottom 10 - Bottom 20(!) WORST Video Game Movies

Here is Part 3 of the Video Game movie series. And this one is the Bottom 20.

Video Game movies have a reputation being bad. Very bad. So I presented the good lists first. But this needed a bigger list. And since this is such a special list, it won't be an actual list, aside from 3. You'll see...

So here we go...

The Bottom 20 WORST Video Game Movies

Dishonorable Mention: Monster Hunter: I haven't seen this movie. Honestly, I didn't like the game franchise. It wasn't... fun. Looking at the trailers for this movie, it doesn't interest me at all. If you've seen it, please leave a comment. If it's bad enough, I make it part of the official list.

20: Super Mario Bros: Yes, this appeared on my Top 10 list. But purely from the nostalgia. But Super Mario Bros was a shitty movie. Back when it was released... and it has gotten worse over time. I love this movie, because so far, it is the only SMB movie... but this is hot Garbage.

19: Street Fighter: Raul Julia. That's it. This was also on the Top 10. Raul Julia is the only real positive. The animated Series was better. The animated SF2 movie was better. This...... it was a bad movie. But... Raul Julia.

(Numbering ends until the end)

Pixels: Adam Sandler is a living legend. But... even legends can have ruts. And for Adam Sandler, this humans vs Video Games movie was... horrid. What makes it worse, Futurama did this almost exact premise YEARS before this movie was out... and did it better.

DOOM: Starring The Rock and Karl Urban, someone thought it was a great idea to make a horror movie based on the original FPS. But it was missing real horror. There is one shining moment. The protagonist ends up with a full on FPS scene... about 6 mins. And it's the only good 6 mins of the whole movie. See if you can find it as a clip on YouTube.

BloodRayne: So, I'm gonna mention two names. Remember them. Kristanna Loken and Uwe Boll. Hot kickass female vampire... that is what the game series was. How can the movie be worse? Uwe Boll.

In The Name Of The King: A Dungeon Siege Tale: Did amyone else know this was based on a video game? I didn't. But I tried it out. Jason Statham... one of the best modern day action stars... can't act. He can't. But how can we make this one worse? Kristanna Loken... directed by Uwe Boll.

Alone In The Dark: The game series changed the business. The first ever 3D survival horror game filled with non-linear gameplay and puzzles galore. The movie... had Christian Slater!!! What could go wrong? Uwe Boll could. A lifeless movie. And not the zombie kind.

House of the Dead: A horror rail shooting that made a name for itself when rail shooters were cool. How did the movie work? Well... see Alone in the Dark but without a good cast... but yes, still Uwe Boll.

Double Dragon: This was a very cartoony movie, without having animation. More corny than Street Fighter, but without out the standout performance. That includes a very hot Alyssa Milano AND Robert Patrick who you could tell was trying to take his role seriously, but he just... couldn't.

Prince of Persia The Sands Of Time: Disney tried to tackle this one. Spectacular cast, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Sir Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina, and Gemma Arterton. It looked amazing. So what happened? The story...... it make you sleepy. It is boring, fruitless, lifeless. And a plot full of holes. But dammit... Parkour!!!

Need for Speed: Okay... so... on my Top 10 Based list, I mentioned Mortal Kombat(1995), and the issue of a PG13 movie based on R/M material. This... is that amplified. Need for Speed is a series where you are street racing(or the cops). That... that is it. Adding the human element hasn't worked for the game series. Focusing on it ruined the movie. You can't have a Character driven movie based on a series with no memorable characters.

Mortal Kombat Annihilation: Sequel to the original movie... this doubled down on the problem. The first movie was PG13 based on M rated material. This poor excuse for a sequel barely even followed the first movie and magnified the campiness. The great casting for the first movie, even it was gone... Tagawa's character was dead, but no Wilson... no Ashby... no Lambert. All replaced. James Remar... irritated the hell out of me. Only high spot was Shao Kahn, and even his lines were so damn stupid... it made the whole thing worse.

Max Payne: Mark Wahlberg is NOT a serious actor. He is a great comic actor. But... I can't take him seriously. But someone thought to put him in a noir driven psychological action film. That could've been more if it had picked a direction. Multi-faceted movie that shouldn't have been.

Silent Hill Revelation: Don't have much to say about this one. The first one was a pretty decent horror flick. But much like the Silent Hill games, this franchise is already dead... and maybe it should've been beforehand.

Lara Croft Tomb Raider(2 movies): I'm not a fan of these 2 movies. This was not a Tomb Raider series. It was an "Angelina Jolie in Tight Shirts" series. Let's make the shirt tighter. The games had a decent story. What happened?

Assassin's Creed: I'm not a fan of the games. I can't do stealth. But the lore. The stories. They are all pretty damn good. What happened here? This was so broken, no amount of Fassbender could patch it up.

Warcraft: So... a soul sucking franchise with vast lore. Let's turn it into a movie. This is one that proves why most games shouldn't be movies. The most appealing part of Warcraft and WOW is the gameplay. You CAN'T play a movie like a game. No interaction. And... Hollywood doesn't seem to understand this. As for Warcraft, it was half assed... and then someone decided to half ass that. Call it Quarter-Assed.

Street Fighter: Legend of Chun-Li: Kristen Kruek is not a good actress. I loved Smallville. Loooooved Smallville. But she wasn't all that great. So... let's make her one of the most recognizable female fighting game characters. The acting was disingenuous. The fight scenes were TOO choreographed. It just wasn't good.

DOA Dead Or Alive: So... this gaming franchise was campy with jiggly boob physics. They had a beach bikini volleyball spinoff. That explains everything. This movie was absolutely that. Too campy. Too cheesy. But... bonus points for Devon Aoki doing her badassery thing...... minus points for dragging poor Kevin Nash into this.

And the Number One for WORST Video Game Movies......

1. The Resident Evil Franchise: The best selling horror video game franchise. Good characters, solid story. And was able to reinvent itself with the last 2 installments. And the movies tried to reinvent as they went along. But... that is where the similarities end. The entire movie franchise focused on a character that was even in the games. Cool idea... but it introduced most of the game characters anyway. So... that character, Alice... played by Milla Jovovich... made a name for herself as an actress who did her own stunts. Awesome. And the franchise forced the idea. It quickly stopped being a horror movie franchise, and a "hey, look at this" franchise. Including a 3D movie that was pretty much a 3D stunt film. All of that... they aren't the reasons why the Resident Evil franchise is the worst on this list. The reason... is the law of averages. This franchise has 7 or 8 movies... and ZERO good ones. None of these movies are good. With so many, you would think they made one decent one. None... NONE. Not only the worst video game movie franchise... but a candidate for one of the worst movie franchises overall. Avoid... these... movies. And if some reason you like any of these movies, well... good for you. They suck.

There is the "list". Video game movies generally suck. This post could be MUCH MUCH bigger. But I tried to keep it shorter. Have any you think suck and should be on this list? Say so in the comments. Share this. And check out the 2 Top Ten lists that go with it.

Part 3 of 3. Have any suggestions for Top Ten, Bottom Ten, or Partnered lists for movies... please leave a comment. I will churn these out as often as I can.

Renewed Top 10 - Movies Inspired By Video Games

Time for Part 2 of the Video Game Movie Series

Top 10 Movies Inspired By Video Game

The criteria for this list is simple. The movie in question must be directly or indirectly inspired by video games... or be based around a video game element or trope. Example of indirect would be a movie based on a book inspired by video games. Now... the rules are set.

Here we go...

Honorable Mention: Free Guy: Now... this movie has been released to the public due to delays. I have NOT seen it. But, it is going here. Why? Ryan Reynolds in a movie about a video game NPC who discovers he might be a protagonist. The premise alone sounds great. And we know Ryan will make it entertaining. That is enough for me.

10: The Wizard: Growing up, I felt like... what would happen if you could actually put your gaming skillz to the test and make money off of it. That is what this movie is. The precursor to esports. Fred Savage is in this movie. And it's great. But... it starts the list because it was also a blatant ad piece for Nintendo. It featured one of my top 3 games of all time, Super Mario Bros 3, before it was released in the US. That... is advertising.

9: Jumanji The Next Level: So, I can't explain this one with reference another on this list.(See #4). This one is a twist on the formula. Sequel games... players selecting different characters in this one. Better explanation with the predecessor.

8: Ready Player One: Based off the Book of the same name(with a second book out now), this was just pure 80s/90s nostalgia married to modern gaming enhancements. Everyone living as their avatars. Playing a virtual contest. And you can't have 80s/90s nostalgia without the Dawn of Video games.

7: The Lawnmower Man: A 1992 Horror film focusing on a Doctor experimenting on a mentalling disabled man, using meds and computer based training in hopes that it will increase his intelligence. It's a success. Computer... based... training. Virtual Reality. It goes too far. Jobe ends up being about to take control of other through the VR simulation and develops psychic powers to use outside the VR Sim.

6: WarGames: Ever wonder what it would be like to play video games on a computer exponentially more powerful that yours? That is this movie. A guy breaks into a military facility just to play video games on their computers, and inadvertently starts a war.

5: The Last Starfighter: What if you played a game so well, you got recruited to play for real? That is the idea here. A gamer so good at a game... it wasn't really a game. It was training to help fight in an intergalactic war.

4: Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle: A sequel to a classic Robin Williams movie about a board game coming to life. This time, it's an old video game based on the board game. Teenagers chose their characters, and get sucked into the video game. All the way down to Rhys Darby being the intro NPC that has canned dialogue. The details in this were spot on for games of the era. Casting on point(even Nick Jonas). This would've made Robin proud(and had a great reference to him).

3: TRON: Disney had a very different approach to Virtual Reality. While Lawnmower Man is a horror film about bringing VR into the real world, TRON is a film about what if you were physically sucked into the VR world. Amazing visual effects. Top  notch for the time.

2: Wreck It Ralph: Pixar makes really heartwarming stories. This one is about a villain in a video game who doesn't want to be villain. So he explores outside of his game to find his purpose. Brings up the idea of a glitch being a mistake to society. Heavy movie. Entertaining. And... weird observation... Wreck It Ralph is an even more family friendly take on Ready Player One. Look at the styles of games they both tackle.......

And the Number One for Movies Inspired By Video Games......

1: Scott Pilgrim vs The World: Based on a series of graphic novels about a dude who has to navigate fighting his new Girlfriends Evil Exes. This movie is a video game. Announcer yelling "FIGHT!". Scoring points for victories. Getting currency for defeating the enemies. A Subspace area. Power-ups. Boss fights. And Rescuing the princess from the final boss. And the overall presentation screams VIDEO GAME. But... there is one more aspect that pushes it over. I read the books. The movie follows the story pretty well...... except the final fight. The movie was filmed before the author had finished the last book. So the fight with Gideon is VERY different...... and it gives it extra character! It is a BETTER ending than the books......... oh... and Bonus Bill Hader as the fight announcer.

There is the list. Tell me what you think. Have one that you think should or shouldn't be on this list? Say so in the comments. Share this list with others. I wanna know what they think too.

This was Part 2 of the 3 Part series. Check back soon. The last one is the expected one.

Renewed Top 10 - Movies Based On Video Games

One of the new things I'm going to do on my site to make it fresh for me is to start doing categorized Top 10 and Bottom 10 lists. You can agree... you can disagree. I'm not saying these Lists are for the Best... I'm saying these are for my FAVORITES. If you have your own, please comment. And if you are so inclined, share this post. I wanna see your input.

Now... time for the first of many.

Top 10 Movies Based On Video Games

I know. Video game movies usually suck. But even some bad ones can spark joy. Be it nostalgia. Be it childhood memories. Be it share them with your own children. And there are even some diamonds in the genre, if you can believe it.

Well here are some of my favorites. If you've seen them, comment your memories. If there are some you haven't, considering them recommendations.

Let's start... with...

Honorable Mention: Tomb Raider(2018): So... there have been THREE Tomb Raider movies. And 2 of them were... bad. Angelina Jolie is a legend, and not always for good acting jobs. Alicia Vikander took the helm of this one. It had the feel of the reboot games and wasn't just a shameless prop job for its star(*cough* like Jolie). Adventurous and fun. It's a good movie.

10: Rampage: Based on the Arcade Kaiju series from the now defunct Midway, starring Dwayne Johnson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and 3 CGI monsters. Though it put a bit too much focus on the humans(of course... it's The Rock), it was a great mindless... brainless... monster bash fest. And that is what the games were all about.

9: Hitman: Based on the acclaimed stealth game, was it accurate to the game series? Not really. But Timothy Olyphant pulled off a very fun and stylish action based around... a... Hitman... even if his character was devoid of actual character.

8: Silent Hill: The Silent Hill game franchise looks to be dead. And the sequel to this movie was hot garbage. But this one... wasn't bad. A decent horror film. But that is why it is on this list. ALL other horror movies based on horror games are bullshit. And one had to make this list...... so... it is Silent Hill. I'm not saying it is bad. It isn't. If you can do horror, this movie will at least be satisfying. Don't... watch the sequel. You've been warned.

7: Super Mario Bros: This... is... a horrible movie. But it belongs on this list. It was bad when it released... and it hasn't held up over the years. But, I still love it. Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo hamming it up. Samantha Mathis being hot as hell. And Dennis Hopper trying to take it serious. Oh... and a Random Fisher Stevens!!! Most of the movie, the actors act like they don't wanna be in this movie. But the references will make you laugh, the CinemaSins will make you scratch your head, and the song the Goombas dance to will get stuck in your head. A classic. For both the right and wrong reasons.

6: Street Fighter: This is another HORRIBLE movie. But it is fun. It really is. Campy. For the kids. A family movie. But... takes a big old dump on the game franchise. Don't watch this for the game connection. Watch this for Raul Julia. The legend that is Raul Julia. The rest of this movie can piss me off. But... Raul Julia OWNED his role as M. Bison AND OWNED this movie. Watch it for that.

5: Mortal Kombat(1995)/Mortal Kombat(2021): These 2 movies share the spot because I love them both for different reasons. The 1995 is a classic. The casting was spot on, and they did a decent job following the story. But it pains me whenever a PG-13 movie is made on R/M rated content(see Ghost in the Shell). And I believe it ties their hands. The practical effects don't hold up now, but still nostalgia. The 2021 is a reboot. The story doesn't follow the games... might even follow itself. But the presentation was great. A Rated R movie that was promoted(by the cast) with all the blood, guts, and gore from the games. A movie doesn't always need the best story. As advertised craziness works too(see The Expendables).

4: Tekken: For the fighting game movies, this one is the best. Under the radar(I don't even think it was released in theaters), not enough people know it exists. The story is decent, the fights are crisp, the presentation is eye catchingly flashy, and... it actually shows a tournament(MK1995, I'm looking at you)...... and this one even has Cary Tagawa in it!!!(MK1995, still looking at you... thanks)

3: Final Fantasy VII Advent Children: This one is special on this list. It isn't live action... but it isn't a cartoon. It is all CGI. Which to me counts as a version of live action(animated to look life like). What else makes this one special is that it isn't just based off a game, it is an official sequel. What started off as cutscenes for Final Fantasy VII 2, they were so good... Square Enix decided to make a movie instead. Beautiful scenery. Wonderful story. Great voice acting. And... quotable lines! Advent Children has it all for me.

2: Sonic the Hedgehog: Fast paced, family friendly, and the movie that gave us the old Jim Carrey back! So many noteworthy moments in this movie... great references and some wonderful tongue-in-cheek humor. This movie is good enough to be on ANYONE'S shelf, regardless if you liked the games or not. Sonic deserves the #2 spot, not only because it is a great movie, but it is also a testament to what can happen if you listen to your fans. They hated the original design so much... the studio decided to have Sonic completely redone. Made him look like his game and animated counterparts. And... dammit... looks great. Sad that James Marsden had to work with yet another anthropomorphic animated animal. But... Sonic is WAAAAAAY better than HOP.

And the Number One for Movies Based on Video Games!!!!!

1: Detective Pikachu: For the longest time, I didn't realize this was based on an actual game. I forget the games existed. I just thought they made a movie set in the Pokemon Universe. Which... one it's own... this is STILL a nearly perfect movie. But... directly adapted from the game with the same name, this movie just works. It IS the new standard for Video Game Movie. The best, simple story. Brilliant performances for a family movie. Visually Astonishing. And... Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu.

There is the list. Tell me what you think. Have one that you think should or shouldn't be on this list? Say so in the comments. Share this list with others. I wanna know what they think too.

This is Part 1 of a Special 3 Part List series. Look for Part 2 and Part 3 soon!

The New Review - Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle

The New Review

"Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle"
Directed by: Jake Kasdan
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, Jack Black

So Here We Go...