I have to admit, what we've seen of Mario 3D has kind of killed my enthusiasm for it. The game seems to be based entirely on nostalgia, and if the hoards of people shouting "SWEET CHRIST ON A STICK HE HAS A FUCKING TANUKI SUIT" are any indication, it's working.
The Big Picture: Junk Drawer Revisited
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Glad to see I'm not the only one here who liked Duke Nukem Forever. I myself didn't expect it to be a be-all, end-all great game. But my expectations for it weren't exactly sky-high either. You want some perspective? I'll give you some perspective:
Not to pull age on you, Bob, but I've got at least a good 10-year lead on you lifewise, so I think that allows for a little more life experience. Anyway, when Duke Nukem 3D came out, I was 25; old enough to know better, but still immature enough where that game's crude sense of humor still appealed to me. It was also around that time in the 90's that was really the golden age of FPS games (the 90's didn't totally suck). Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Heretic, Hexen, Dark Forces, Rise of the Triad, all of them came out at this time. All of them were fun and none of them were hampered by realism or the dark and gritty attitude that the genre has become since. And DN3D was the perfect example of that. Is it a relic? Yes. But I wouldn't have it any other way.
Considering how you ripped on modern FPS games on your "Worst Person" GameOverthinker segment, I would have expected you to have been a little more kinder to DNF. In my opinion, both DNF and Bulletstorm have been like breaths of fresh air. I tend to regard DNF the same way that a zoologist would marvel at the sight of a living Dodo bird or American Passenger Pigeon in this modern age: something long thought extinct that you would never have thought you'd ever see again. I had a feeling that when it finally came out, that the younger whippersnappers who've been raised on Halo and Call of Duty and Medal of Honor would probably shrug their shoulders and wonder what all the fuss was about. And as it turned out, I was right. But for me and others in my age bracket, this was pretty much the game we had been expecting since 1997. And I don't consider that to be a bad thing. The game is what 3D Realms promised us initially 14 years ago before they fell into the trap of one-upping themselves with the latest graphics engine. If today's gamers find fault with its now-antiquated game design, that's their problem, not the game's.
As for its humor? Well, I found myself laughing out loud at points in the game. While I'm very educated and well-spoken, I'm not so self-righteous as to think I'm above adolescent humor. There's still a part of me that's very much a quintessential guy: I like going to strip clubs and listening to Howard Stern every now and then, and it's that part that DNF appealed to.
As for Nathan Fillion, I wholeheartedly agree with you. The guy's a good actor, but just because he starred in what turned out to be the original Star Trek of the 00's (a genre series that struggled in the ratings, was unfairly cancelled and achieved cult status because of it) doesn't mean he has to be in EVERYTHING. He's doing fine like you said. And if he does get a role in anything else, more than likely it'll be for the exact reasons you gave.
As for Green Lantern, haven't seen it yet. I've talked to a few people I know though who said they really liked it and who are at least familiar with the mythos. So I can't believe that it's totally wretched. Still, I think you're right that it probably won't get a sequel, and you're spot-on with how these things tend to go (although I hope that won't be the case for any sequels for TRON: Legacy).
Not to pull age on you, Bob, but I've got at least a good 10-year lead on you lifewise, so I think that allows for a little more life experience. Anyway, when Duke Nukem 3D came out, I was 25; old enough to know better, but still immature enough where that game's crude sense of humor still appealed to me. It was also around that time in the 90's that was really the golden age of FPS games (the 90's didn't totally suck). Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Heretic, Hexen, Dark Forces, Rise of the Triad, all of them came out at this time. All of them were fun and none of them were hampered by realism or the dark and gritty attitude that the genre has become since. And DN3D was the perfect example of that. Is it a relic? Yes. But I wouldn't have it any other way.
Considering how you ripped on modern FPS games on your "Worst Person" GameOverthinker segment, I would have expected you to have been a little more kinder to DNF. In my opinion, both DNF and Bulletstorm have been like breaths of fresh air. I tend to regard DNF the same way that a zoologist would marvel at the sight of a living Dodo bird or American Passenger Pigeon in this modern age: something long thought extinct that you would never have thought you'd ever see again. I had a feeling that when it finally came out, that the younger whippersnappers who've been raised on Halo and Call of Duty and Medal of Honor would probably shrug their shoulders and wonder what all the fuss was about. And as it turned out, I was right. But for me and others in my age bracket, this was pretty much the game we had been expecting since 1997. And I don't consider that to be a bad thing. The game is what 3D Realms promised us initially 14 years ago before they fell into the trap of one-upping themselves with the latest graphics engine. If today's gamers find fault with its now-antiquated game design, that's their problem, not the game's.
As for its humor? Well, I found myself laughing out loud at points in the game. While I'm very educated and well-spoken, I'm not so self-righteous as to think I'm above adolescent humor. There's still a part of me that's very much a quintessential guy: I like going to strip clubs and listening to Howard Stern every now and then, and it's that part that DNF appealed to.
As for Nathan Fillion, I wholeheartedly agree with you. The guy's a good actor, but just because he starred in what turned out to be the original Star Trek of the 00's (a genre series that struggled in the ratings, was unfairly cancelled and achieved cult status because of it) doesn't mean he has to be in EVERYTHING. He's doing fine like you said. And if he does get a role in anything else, more than likely it'll be for the exact reasons you gave.
As for Green Lantern, haven't seen it yet. I've talked to a few people I know though who said they really liked it and who are at least familiar with the mythos. So I can't believe that it's totally wretched. Still, I think you're right that it probably won't get a sequel, and you're spot-on with how these things tend to go (although I hope that won't be the case for any sequels for TRON: Legacy).
I heard that Duke Nukem Forever was great and that only pretentious critics with unreasonable expectations and a desperate need to chill out and have a little fun, were unable to overlook it's flaws.
It wouldn't be the first time the critics were totally wrong. For the record, Battlefield Earth is one of my favorite movies and has nothing to do with Scientology, Uncharted is a pile of steaming blah, I liked both of the Transformers movies, and Arkham Asylum is good, but not nearly as great as everyone thinks because their expectations were so low.
That being said, I agree with almost everything else Movie Bob says. It just goes to show, it really does take all sorts.
Also, the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has awful graphics, boring, tedious gameplay, a magic system replete with scads of useless, slow moving direct-damage spells, a ridiculous, labyrinthine plot and some of the worst artificial intelligence I've seen since the advent of 3D graphics.
It wouldn't be the first time the critics were totally wrong. For the record, Battlefield Earth is one of my favorite movies and has nothing to do with Scientology, Uncharted is a pile of steaming blah, I liked both of the Transformers movies, and Arkham Asylum is good, but not nearly as great as everyone thinks because their expectations were so low.
That being said, I agree with almost everything else Movie Bob says. It just goes to show, it really does take all sorts.
Also, the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has awful graphics, boring, tedious gameplay, a magic system replete with scads of useless, slow moving direct-damage spells, a ridiculous, labyrinthine plot and some of the worst artificial intelligence I've seen since the advent of 3D graphics.
About Duke Nukem Forever:
Believe me, FPS multiplayers got better, when they started requiring players to play with actual skill and teamwork, rather than just memorizing where all the weapon spawns were.
Believe me, FPS multiplayers got better, when they started requiring players to play with actual skill and teamwork, rather than just memorizing where all the weapon spawns were.
You're last junk drawer was awesome and one of my favorites.
This one I felt you were being kinda generally preachy and scolding everyone.
That's what random musings sometimes are I guess.
I hate deadpool. I feel like he's a holdover from Youngblood and all that crap. For someone who worked in a comic shop in the late 90's... it... it just was an awful time all around.
Also, Youngblood is not like duke, because Bloodblood the bloodinator and all hits compatriots are not being ironic or anything of the sort.
Which makes it sadder.
This one I felt you were being kinda generally preachy and scolding everyone.
That's what random musings sometimes are I guess.
I hate deadpool. I feel like he's a holdover from Youngblood and all that crap. For someone who worked in a comic shop in the late 90's... it... it just was an awful time all around.
Also, Youngblood is not like duke, because Bloodblood the bloodinator and all hits compatriots are not being ironic or anything of the sort.
Which makes it sadder.
Perspective here means not being disappointed by a cult game 12 years in the making, but being utterly enraptured when another crusty old franchise reintroduces a fucking racoon outfit. I wouldn't mind, but functionally Duke and Mario are both from a bigone age in which female characters (or "chicks") are just something to be rescued from weird monsters, so to be praising one whilst railing against the other is a bit short sighted. Mario is in many ways more primitive than Duke, which at least is somewhat self aware and developed in character (the health bar, being referred to as an "ego bar" etc.)
I can't discount the possibility that it was a publicity stunt but there is this announcement on richardcastle.net:bojac6 said:
http://www.richardcastle.net/news/production-begins-heat-wave
Which followed on from this trailer that showed at the previous Comic-Con:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmkkEuNMde0
Now it's entirely possible that the IRL stuff was just to promote a Laura Prepon guest spot on the show, but that seems a little TOO meta after publishing the books mentioned on the show and then showing this trailer.
That 'stern' face matched Bob's 'Just stop it.' extremely well. It's like he hired an alternate reality British Moviebob just to do that line.
I was legitimately excited for a new Duke Nukem and continue to be so, as my thought has always been that even if DNF sucked, it would mean someone could start an actually good gime now that it's no longer clogging the franchise pipe. Maybe one that actually gets satire. But more importantly one who gets frantic multiple weapon FPS gameplay. And if that doesn't come to light, Serious Sam 3 isn't going to suck (It... it isn't, right?)
I was legitimately excited for a new Duke Nukem and continue to be so, as my thought has always been that even if DNF sucked, it would mean someone could start an actually good gime now that it's no longer clogging the franchise pipe. Maybe one that actually gets satire. But more importantly one who gets frantic multiple weapon FPS gameplay. And if that doesn't come to light, Serious Sam 3 isn't going to suck (It... it isn't, right?)
Big Trouble in Little China = my favorite movie of all time (hence my handle).
A little strange you just threw that in there. Not that I'm bitching, just was odd.
A little strange you just threw that in there. Not that I'm bitching, just was odd.
Are you familiar with a reviewer named linkara? He reviews comics and one of his main targets are the usual rob liefeld type comics. Stuff like youngblood was a failed attempt at grittiness that was initially acheived by frank miller and alan moore and for most people the art style was considered heavily laced with cheesecake and extremely out of synch with human physiology. As a kid who grew up in the 90s I can see how if you liked comics it was a pretty rough decade but if you were into stuff like cartoons there's no better decade and i'd stand by that forever!Primus1985 said:
This is the Internet: it never fails to surprise you with the opinions of others. I can see no redeeming qualities in Youngblood. The art is bad, the writing is actually worse. Most comic fans see Liefeld and Image tripe like Youngblood as a symbol of everything that was wrong with 90s comics.Primus1985 said:
But well, to each his or her own, I guess.
Thank you Bob. THANK YOU for finally putting it plainly about Nathan Fillion. The rate things were going, I was certain we'd see a Nathan Fillion should be cast as Duke Nukem in "My Little Pony Friendship Saves The World From The Covenant with Duke's Help: The Movie" petition any day now.
I LOVE Nathan Fillion in the roles he's been in. Honestly, Castle is one of the best shows on tv. Firefly was great. But it is like you said... the dude is 40 years old. It's a little late for him to be jumping on the video game character/action film bandwagon. He would not make a good Superman. He would not make a good Nathan Drake. He would not make a good Enzio in an Assassin's Creed movie. Well, maybe he might, but it isn't going to happen. He's past that point in his career I think, and I'm pretty confident that the dude is just glad to be getting steady work and fan-love.
I too went through the "Bruce Campbell is the most awesomest actor ever" phase, and in a way I still am. I still devotedly watch the straight to dvd garbage he puts out (or on Sci Fi channel) but the reality is, Bruce will never be an A-list actor, and frankly I've come to terms with that.
We as a community of nerds need to get past this sort of thing.
I LOVE Nathan Fillion in the roles he's been in. Honestly, Castle is one of the best shows on tv. Firefly was great. But it is like you said... the dude is 40 years old. It's a little late for him to be jumping on the video game character/action film bandwagon. He would not make a good Superman. He would not make a good Nathan Drake. He would not make a good Enzio in an Assassin's Creed movie. Well, maybe he might, but it isn't going to happen. He's past that point in his career I think, and I'm pretty confident that the dude is just glad to be getting steady work and fan-love.
I too went through the "Bruce Campbell is the most awesomest actor ever" phase, and in a way I still am. I still devotedly watch the straight to dvd garbage he puts out (or on Sci Fi channel) but the reality is, Bruce will never be an A-list actor, and frankly I've come to terms with that.
We as a community of nerds need to get past this sort of thing.
Uh bob... technically Heath Ledger's last will and testament would be "imaginarium of dr. Parnassus" Since he sort of died during filming and all.
Also Screw the Dark Knight. I liked it but Batman Begins is my favorite Super Hero movie so really I am excited for the Dark Knight Rises because I don't hold the Dark Knight on a pedistel. My dad doesn't either. Course his favorite super hero movie is the original Superman...
Also Hell YES I've seen Big Trouble in Little China, :3 It's Spoony's favorite movie and because I like seeing people's favorite movies to assess what it shows about their personality... I saw it TWICE :3
Also Screw the Dark Knight. I liked it but Batman Begins is my favorite Super Hero movie so really I am excited for the Dark Knight Rises because I don't hold the Dark Knight on a pedistel. My dad doesn't either. Course his favorite super hero movie is the original Superman...
Also Hell YES I've seen Big Trouble in Little China, :3 It's Spoony's favorite movie and because I like seeing people's favorite movies to assess what it shows about their personality... I saw it TWICE :3
Yeah, The Dark Knight was lightning in a bottle. I don't expect The Dark Knight Rises to be better than it, I just expect it to be better than Batman Begins (which was also an awesome movie).
Edit:
I think that when 1 of the actors dies, people have a hard time criticising anything they do. It makes it nearly impossible to judge their movies on the movie's merit alone without getting fan backlash for criticising the work of the dead. This principle tends to make people ignore anything they do badly and just behave as if their last film was a gift from a god.Littaly said:
Edit:
The Dark Knight was the last film he completed. So people often say it was his last film, even though he did work on another movie after it.lokiduck said:
Jack Burton is a far better macho man parody than Duke ever was. It is funnier if the big strong hero is obviously a bufoon and everyone knows but him.
Just remember what ol' Jack Burton does when the earth quakes, and the poison arrows fall from the sky, and the pillars of Heaven shake. Yeah, Jack Burton just looks that big ol' storm right square in the eye and he says, "Give me your best shot, pal. I can take it."
EDIT: Sonovabitch must pay.
Just remember what ol' Jack Burton does when the earth quakes, and the poison arrows fall from the sky, and the pillars of Heaven shake. Yeah, Jack Burton just looks that big ol' storm right square in the eye and he says, "Give me your best shot, pal. I can take it."
EDIT: Sonovabitch must pay.
Are you agreeing with me by giving the Sonic example?penguindude42 said:
What the fudge is AT4W?