Abepanda's Top 5 Games of 2013

5. Outlast (PC, PS4 (2014) )

Pros: For a game that only goes for $20 (If you’re lucky enough, Steam sales sometimes drop Outlast to $10 or lower). The eerie and morbid atmosphere of the game will make your skin crawl, forcing you to peek around corners in preparation of getting attacked by psychopathic monsters. The gameplay is somewhat reminiscent of the Condemned series where you find yourself using the camera and a light source just to venture around one of the creepiest places ever. Oh and did I mention how gorgeous the graphics are, especially the camcorder effects when you have it equipped?

Cons: Although I wouldn't really consider it a con, Outlast does lack a fighting system. The gameplay is really focused solely on the stealth with survival a crucial aspect of the game. Even just a push button or some way to fight back would be helpful, but then again it shouldn't really affect the game much.

4. Sonic All-Stars Transformed (Wii-U, PC, PS3, Xbox 360, 3DS, PSVita, iOS, Android)

Pros: It’s like Mario Kart but for PC (with a hint of Diddy Kong Racing in terms of using planes and boats). Using a gaming controller makes this game even better than it already is since the drifting mechanics in this game are fun and very easy to use. Along with the colorful and bright stages, the remixed versions of the original games’ songs will catch your attention (E.G.: The Jet Set Radio maps have the songs from the actual Dreamcast game but remixed into a faster paced version to incorporate it with the atmosphere of the race). The character selection is great, especially with all of Sega’s lovable mascots and with even Steam/Valve characters like Team Fortress 2 and etc. Sonic All Stars Racing Transformed boasts a variety of game modes, so you and your friends won't be stuck playing races over and over.  Also, Sonic All Stars supports up to 10 players online.

Cons: It feels tedious having to choose a next level after winning or beating one (especially in Multiplayer). They should just have a continuous cycle of maps like the tournaments in Mario Kart. Water races, in my opinion, ruin the momentum of the race because of its awkward handling, GTA 4 style (where turning a vehicle is a hassle especially if you put too much pressure suddenly causing your vehicle to turn too hard and spin out of control). Buying characters sometimes takes a long time because you have to earn stars, the in-game currency, and stats you can unlock sometimes give your characters less of an upgrade and more of a handicap.

3. Grand Theft Auto V (PS3, Xbox 360, PC (??) )

Pros: It’s GTA! The amount of activities, missions and interactivity in this game is massive. The story is pretty well thought out and the implementation of 3 protagonists each with a background story of their own just keeps the player immersed and entertained without the gameplay becoming too boring and repetitive. Although the radio stations have a variety of shitty artists; the Motown and Funk radio station make up for it. The driving mechanics are improved and the shooting system is just top-notch. The map is incredibly huge and the graphics are gorgeous as it tries to simulate a recreated version of Southern California.

Cons: Online can be quite annoying especially with the glitches (e.g.: randomly spawning trucks in the middle of the freeway and things clipping into each other). You cannot avoid playing with assholes who just try to murder you randomly online just to steal your money or for fun (although it can be solved by making your own private online game). San Fierro and Las Venturas are yet to be seen or heard from any DLC news or in-game. No actual modern rock music and instead they give us Brittney Spears, Rihanna and Future…

2. NBA 2K14 (PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, iOS, Android)

Pros: The game may be a bit similar to last year with the exception of the new blocking system, which gives characters a better chance of decreasing the opponents FG %. New shoes! Lebron’s story mode is pretty nifty, especially seeing what it would be like if he joined any other teams other than the Heat or Cavaliers. Equippable stats like Dimer (better chance of getting assists and improving a teammates shot %) and Deadeye (shot accuracy increased) actually affect the style of gameplay now whereas the previous one did nothing.

Cons: I’d say that Lebron’s taste in music is definitely crappy and commercialized. Blurred Lines is overplayed during the menus and Drake’s “Started From The Bottom” song annoyingly starts off once you load the game. Pick and roll mechanics still suffer with players sliding into positions instead of having their feet planted. Clipping is still an issue and sometimes the shorts textures glitch so much they get sucked inside the player’s body. In regards to the visuals, they kept the current gen and PC versions the same and basically the rosters and face textures are just recycled from last years. Missing dunk packages, modes and the “new” crossover system are a pain too.

1. State Of Decay (Xbox 360 XBLA, PC)

Pros: It’s an open-world, zombie survival game! What more can you expect? Traveling around the massive city in this game is a joy, especially with teammates around you helping you out. The loot system is pretty simple and useful especially if you have a large backpack equipped for more storage space. Having a stamina bar in this game is such a good element because once your character feels fatigued, you get that sense of urgency to get away from a horde. The variety of zombies in this game makes the experience less monotonous and repetitive. The weapon collection reminds me a little bit of Borderlands, and how there are a number of them and how each has its own perk or stats. This game also includes multiple protagonists for your choosing just in case you don’t like the character you start off with, and each character, like the weapons, has his/her own perks and skill set.

Cons: Driving in this game is a little bit clunky and sometimes I find myself crashing into things a lot. Sometimes playing the game reminds me a little bit of Saints Row 2 and 3 and how most animations are a little over the top and unrealistic. Saving in this game is automatic but can be a pain in the ass sometimes because it’s very selective on when it wants to save. The one thing that disappointed me the most in the PC version was the removal of multiplayer co-op. Somehow the developers just dropped their keyboards and planners and said “ F-it”. Nice one, Undead Labs.

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It's a Holly Jolly Steam Sale

From today until January 3rd, nerds, players and gamers can enjoy Steam's annual Holiday Sale.

Steam's main sales change every single day, ranging from 33% all the way up to 80%, while flash sales and community sales rotate every eight hours.

Some of today's specials include the excellent top-down, four-player heist game, Monaco, Batman: Arkham Origins, Dishonored and for only $9.99, one of 2013's biggest games, Bioshock Infinite.

Check back often as more and more games go on sale!

Act fast, as of the time this article goes live, Guns of Icarus Online is available for $3.74 for a few more hours. Guns, as we cool kids call it, is a steampunk-themed airship battle game. Teams of four, consisting of a captain, engineers, and gunners, take to the skies and fight, maneuver, and blast their way to the top in modes of team deathmatch and capture the flag. Guns of Icarus Online is epic, frantic, and a perfect game  to emphasize coordination, cohesion and cooperation!

Check out our mini Subculture session!

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Nintendo's Plan for 2014, Nintendo Direct: 12-18-13

Today's Nintendo Direct certainly brought some expected news as well as unexpected for Nintendo's first-quarter plan for 2014. It's always an exciting time when Nintendo brings us a new direct as they always give updates on their latest titles, but also a look at new games for their consoles. So, what news did Mr. Iwata bring with this Nintendo Direct?

To start, Nintendo unveiled a brand new game Legend of Zelda game titled Hyrule Warriors (which is not the final product name). Developers Tecmo- Koei are bringing the Dynasty Warriors style of gameplay over to the Zelda universe. Little info was given in regards to the title, but this definitely came out of left field as this is the first time in years the Zelda franchise is in the hands of a third party developer. The Dynasty Warriors games have been known for their hack and slash gameplay against enormous waves of enemies and bosses to fight across the battlefield and dishing out combo after combo, but to see Link in this style of gameplay is much different from what we've played and will be interesting to see where it goes. Check out the trailer and tell us what you think of the game so far.
                                                 

Nintendo gave us an update on four new 3DS games, three which have been previously announced, and an entirely brand new IP called Chibi-Robo: Photo Finder, in which you play as an adorable chibi- robo and are tasked to use the 3DS camera to complete tasks  for a wide amount of colorful characters. It will launch in January next year as a downloadable title.                                               New Yoshi Island has a new trailer showing us some new levels. Players take control that green dinosaur, Yoshi, and carry Baby Mario from stage to stage across colorful and bright landscapes. Also, the original director for Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island for the Super Nintendo will be overlooking the development of the game. New Yoshi Island 3DS is set to release in 2014.

There was also a new trailer for Kirby Triple Deluxe. The theme for this game revolves around that pink ball Kirby interacting with the background and foreground of a stage, sucking up new power and familiar ones as you progress. Two new modes where also unveiled. In one mode, players duke it out similar to Super Smash Bros. and fight using the Kiryby abilities we've seen throughout the series. The second mode has players take control of King Dedede, Kirby's rival, through a rhythm based mini game to bounce along the various music of the Kirby universe. Like, New Yoshi Island, Kirby Triple Deluxe is also set for release in 2014.

Reggie Fils-Amie told players some new info on Square Enix's newest 3DS game, Bravely Default. The game is now going to include micro-transactions, in which players have an option to buy Sp points from the Nintendo E Shop to help them along their journey. Bravely Default will be released in February 2014.


Nintendo is also including a free Pokemon to users who download the Pokemon Bank software. Players can receive their free Celebi  starting December 27 until September of 2014. 

Next up, Nintendo gave some a few updates for certain Wii U titles launching next year. At this years Spike tv video game awards, Nintendo announced a new playable character for Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze; and that was Cranky Kong. They showed us a bit more gameplay with him in the  new trailer during the Nintendo Direct. The game will be released February 2014.

There will also be upcoming dlc for the Wii U exclusive Sonic Lost World. One dlc will include a Yoshi Island-themed stage in which Sonic helps Yoshi rescue baby Yoshi eggs, while fighting  familiar enemies like shy guys and piranha plants. This dlc package is available today. A second dlc was announced but is still in development. No info was given and will be revealed at another date.

Wii Sports Club is also receiving new sports that were on the original Wii Sports. The additions include tennis, bowling and golf. These new sports are available today to download from the E-shop.

The year of Luigi continues with the launch of a spin off of Dr. Mario with Dr. Luigi for the Wii U. Dr. Luigi will be released on December 31st.

Mario Kart 8 got a brand new trailer that showcased new locations and new playable characters, like Baby Mario and Rosalina. Mario Kart 8 will released in Spring 2014. Speaking of Rosalina, a new fancy trailer for Super Smash Bros. announced Rosalina and Luma as new a brawler. From the looks of them, the controls seem to parallel the Ice Climbers (who haven't been announced). And let's be honest, when the trailer started who didn't think it was gonna be a sequel to Kirby Air Ride or Kirby as a playable character in Mario Kart 8

The last reveal was the NES Remix which seems to be much like the WarioWare inc. series but based around classic NES games. NES Remix will mash up 16 NES games like mixing Donky Kong with The Legend of Zelda, changing what everyone games were all familiar with.

Something doesn't seem right here.

Today's Nintendo Direct wasn't really as exciting as it could have been. We've recieved no word about Shin Megami Tensei X,  Fire Emblem, Project X or the Yoshi Wii U game, which have been stated for release next year. But maybe that's just it, we wont hear anything more about them until later. The Nintendo Direct was just mostly updates about games that are close to their release dates.

Hopefully next years Nintendo Direct will hold more to what we want (Still waiting on my next Metroid or Star Fox). The one big that that we will be talked about today is the Hyrule Warriors, a spin off of Dynasty Warriors with Zelda skin thrown over. It's too early to say if this will bomb or be a stand alone title worth while, but regardless, Nintendo is gonna have to bring their A game next year if they want to help get more Wii U consoles into peoples home.

Stay tuned for more Subculture!

                                                                                       

Fighting for Everlasting Peace, 26 Years of Mega Man

With the first game released over two decades ago, it's hard to imagine Mega Man turns 26 years old today. The sheer amount of games released to this day is staggering. From the Classic series to the Star Force series, Mega Man has certainly left his mark on the industry. The franchise has been praised for its colorful and creative characters, unique gameplay and unforgettable musical compositions. There's a reason the Blue Bomber put Capcom on the map and has become a force to be reckoned with in the game industry.

Keiji Inafune, not long after he graduated college, was hired by Capcom in 1987. Inafune worked on the very first Street Fighter and eventually found himself on the Rockman project. Already in production, he helped create the enemies and the initial character design for the game Rockman, which was inspired by the popular manga, Astro Boy. Music played an integral role in games development; the designers wanted to go for a rock and roll motif in naming the main character. They came up with names like the "Mighty Kid" and "Rainbow Man" (the name Rainbow Man revolved around the fact that each boss the player defeated dropped a weapon; and when the player switched to to the new power up, Rainbow Man would change his color accordingly).

But ultimately, the developers stuck with Rockman, who was accompanied by his sister, Roll. The game was finally released on December 17, 1987 on Nintendo's Famicom video game console. It was praised for its unique weapon-based gameplay, platforming, music, and graphics. Rockman would eventually find his way over seas, but under the new name of Mega Man. Coming to America, this wasn't the only change made to the game. Mega Man needed marketing. The American box art for the game has been deemed as the worst box art to a game ever. Keiji Inafune stated that the box art was the reason the game did not sell well in the states (Story goes that the box art was made just as the game was ready to release and they quickly came up with this and stuck with it just to release the game in  time).

Mega Man, for those unfamiliar, tells the story of a robot named Rock created by two scientists, Dr. Light and Dr. Wily.  Rock, alongside 6 other robots, were built to help workers with construction and other tasks. Dr Wily, who begins to distrust Dr. Light, steals the other 6 robots and reprograms them to work under his control, soon helping him take over the world. Rock asks Dr. Light to make him combat efficient to stop Dr. Wily's plans and to save the world. After defeating all the robot masters, Rock confronts Dr. Wily and defeats him at his fortress and thus ending the game. It's a very short, but simple story to get into.

The story wasn't anything to write home about. However, Mega Man's game design was at the peak of innovation. The game didn't just force players through a linear set of levels. Mega Man allowed players to choose where and which stages they would like to play first, creating a personal experience for every player. This allowed the game to be fresh and as difficult as a player wanted it to be. As long players used their new-found weapons accordingly, they could progress from one robot master to the next. Along with player choice and freedom, role-playing elements were also thrown into Mega Man's design. This freedom was unheard of at the time and inspired not just platformers, but many other games.

Think of choosing your weapons like playing rock, paper, scissors. No matter which one you pick, each power-up has its strengths and weaknesses. While one weapon may deal  heavy damage to one robot master, it may do nothing to others.

As we know, this wasn't the end for Mega Man's career. Capcom would continue to release sequel after sequel with improved visuals and imaginative characters for years to come. Spin-offs from the classic series were even created, like the darker themed Mega Man X to the open 3D world of the Mega Man Legends series.

Recently, the franchise has slowed down with nearly 4 years of no new Mega Man games having been announced or in development. But, all is not lost as Mega Man is still given plenty of love and support from the community, including musicians who cover the franchise's original scores. Because of Archie Comics, Mega Man stars in his own comic book and graphic novel, crossing over with Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog. And the Blue Bomber is even a guest fighter in the upcoming 3DS and WiiU Super Smash Bros.

Keiji Inafune's newest game Mighty No. 9 draws inspiration from his previous creation and is a reboot to the genre that could possibly catch the attention of Capcom for a new game. Until that day comes, celebrate and be thankful for the creation of Mega Man and his impact on  the video game industry.

Continue to fight for ever lasting peace, Mega Man.
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Welcome to Luisculture!

From adventures, editing, writing and discussing new ideas to bring into SCT, the Subculture crew does like to take it easy once in a while and have some fun. Here's a little look into that SCT slice of life. 

Welcome to the Rockband Sessions! 

All hail Pluisculture!

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SCT Vlog: Long Beach Comic-Con Volunteer + Michele Boyd Interview

For this special edition, Mak and Raphael hit the Long Beach Comic and Horror Con, not only as guests, but as volunteers. Check out their Sunday vlog for their experience and an exclusive interview with none other than the lovely Michele Boyd. You may have seen her on The Guild as Riley or as a Superhero on Team Unicorn. 

Thanks for watching. Stay tuned for Subculture!

More Cowbell...er, uh Dario!

We know the people want more Dario! 

Subculture Times vs. Nuke the Fridge Con

For this adventure, the Subculture crew hits Frank and Sons for this years Nuke the Fridge Con! Check out our adventures in all kinds of Nerdom! 

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Subculture Times vs. Comikaze 2013

Join the some of the Subculture Crew at Comikaze 2013! 

The Awesomes Awesome Review

The Awesomes is a superhero-themed cartoon mixed with humor and drama. Though passed by Syfy and MTV back in 2007 and 2009, the official first season premiered in August as a Hulu exclusive with 10 episodes.
The Awesomes are a new group of superheroes created by Jeremy "Prock" Awesome, the son of Mr. Awesome and leader of the original Awesomes (that's a lot of awesome). Prock, though the son of a legend, is a typical skinny kid. He is considered a disappointment and, save for his ability to pause time, which he keeps secret, has no special attributes. The newer members, like Prock, fall short of anything you may expect from a group of superheroes ironically called "Awesome." It's an interesting angle on the prominence of the power held by the underdog. Each member has their strengths, but also their weaknesses. This dynamic of almost "powerless" superheroes keeps the narrative and its characters interesting.

The animation reminds me of Drawn Together, though the comparison in regards to the comedy is far from one another. The humor isn't over-the-top, relying on racist or toilet jokes. Rather, the humor is subtle, somewhat witty and often dropping only small cues of inappropriate comedy. Then again, there were some moments during the season involving interspecies relations.

Half of The Awesome's first season was used to build the characters through the course of its ten episode stretch. In doing so, this first season lacked a certain amount of action that can be associated with superheroes and their adventures.The plot is straight forward and a bit predictable. It isn't too difficult to figure out, however the finale's cliffhanger will make you crave more.

The Awesome's cast boasts many familiar names, including Saturday Night Live veterans Seth Meyers and Kenan Thompson, as Prock and Impresario respectively, Parks and Rec's star, and my favorite, Rashida Jones as Hotwire, and Ike Barinholtz as Muscleman, a lifelong best friend of Prock and also a 2nd generation hero. Not to mention, Bill Hader voices arch-villain Dr. Giuseppe Malocchio, who bears a slight resemblance to Dr. Strange (Marvel and DC references are littered throughout the show).Overall The Awesomes is a simple show, driven with positive attitude. In doing so, it's geared toward younger audiences, but is still relevant for wider audiences and fun for fans of comics and superheroes. The Awesomes have come a long way since it was passed back in 2007 and 2009, but Hulu gave it a chance. I enjoyed it and think it's a good idea the series has been renewed for a second season.

Stay tuned for Subculture and check out the The Awesomes here!