Phil Villarreal's Blog, page 21

Early Game Review: 'Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League'

The rowdy band of mercenary convicts known as the Suicide Squad is used to facing impossible missions that just about guarantee death. The latest attempt: To turn the tide of early griping from gamers about their new game.

Although some players complained of a buggy launch, my time with the game was silk-smooth and thoroughly enjoyable. I reveled at the opportunity to take control of King Shark, Captain Boomerang, Harley Quinn and Deadshot in their madcap caper to take down the world's superheroes.

The effort comes from Rocksteady Studios, which developed the Batman-centered Arkham trilogy, that redefined superhero gaming. The new effort leans hard -- probably too much so -- into the live-service aspect of multiplayer, dreaming of topping the mindshare of the Fortnights and Call of Duty games of the world.

The game entered early access Jan. 30 and officially releases Friday, looks to capitalize off the momentum of James Gunn's 2021 reboot film and follow-up "Peacemaker" series.

Whip-smart writing that's filled with gallows humor permeates the game, which offers a sardonic, sacred cow-roasting take on the DC mythos. The visuals also delight, blending into the lightning-fast traversal that gleefully overpowers its characters in an effort to replicate the free-swinging fun of the PlayStation Spider-Man games.

As a result, Harley Quinn is a drone-toting grappler who can traverse buildings at rates that would make Superman dizzy. Deadshot ditches his stealth reputation as a speedster who occasionally stops and pops heads with his sniper rifle. And the lumbering King Shark can rocket across canyon through the force of sheer will.

All players have diverse abilities, but also can pull out firearms to lay waste to faceless enemies en masse to rack up kill counts. As a result, there's a sameness to the ways each character controls, but that's likely for the better. The name of the game is high-caliber, team-focused action rather than diverse gameplay experiences with each character.

While I would have liked to have seen some more cohesive storytelling and interaction with the Justice League heroes, I admire the game's gusto and moxie, and will be returning to button-mash my way through the adventures time and again when I'm in need of something light and breezy. 

"Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League" may not win over the haters who are determined to knock it off its pedestal, but it's carved out its share of my PS5 hard drive for months to come.

Publisher provided review code.

Game Review: 'Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown'

Returning to seize its crown after a 14-year absence, "Prince of Persia" wall-jumps back into excellent form with a retro-flavored, Metroidvania twist dubbed "The Lost Crown."

Filled with satisfying combat tinted with "For Honor"-style parrying, "God of War"-influenced boss battles and a fast-paced level design that had me thrilled from the opening, "The Lost Crown" is a pizzazz-filled revitalization that refills the series health as though it were a powerful red potion from the game itself.

Lavish visuals, humorous writing and a freewheeling spirit course through the game's DNA. The 2D take on the escapades recall the early days of "Ninja Gaiden," and make for an excellent reset point for the franchise. Here's hoping Ubisoft sticks with this format rather than forcing it back awkwardly into the 3D realm.

I played the game on Switch, which seemed to me the ideal platform to experience the game, echoing its earliest days, in the late 1980s and early 90s. The earliest entries were somewhat blocky and clumsy affairs, while the new game is as slick and polished as a stalwart fan would dare hope.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with "The Lost Crown," relishing the intensity, numerous flourishes, Easter eggs and gorgeous scenery. A refreshing take on well-worn material, the game manages to revitalize the legend for a new generation. For the first time in decades, the future of the series looks brighter than the past.

Published provided review code.

Hot on Home Video: 'Journey to Bethlehem'

A surprisingly poignant and impactful take on the Nativity story, "Journey to Bethlehem" brings musical life to the age-old tale. Director Adam Anders weaves a delightful whimsy along with solemn notes in the story, which stars Fiona Palomo as Mary and Milo Manheim as Joseph. Spirited, nuanced performances lead the way, making the family-friendly film a worthy go-to Christmas season pastime for families. The film manages to stay heartfelt without stumbling into cheesiness.

Extras include three deleted scenes, as well as spotlights on characters including Mary and Joseph, Mary's sisters, Antipater and a making-of featurette titled "The Heart of 'The Journey to Bethlehem.'"

Studio provided review screener.

Review: Galaxy Z Fold 5 sizzles on T-Mobile network

As the ever-expanding smartphone arms race rolls on, it becomes increasingly tough to trigger the "wow" factor that was common 10 or 15 years ago when new devices debuted.

Enter the Galaxy Z Fold 5, which reclaims that wow factor with a vengeance. 

Released in August, the wondrous device seems as though it comes from the future. At a family Christmas gathering, the device sent "oohs" and "aahs" throughout the living room. 

A multitasker's delight, the phone can juggle four screens running different apps simultatenously. You can easily keep an eye on the football game while tapping out texts, googling facts about players and checking out your fantasy stats, all at the same time.

It helps that the device was running on T-Mobile's stunning 5G Magenta MAX network, which pumps the gigabytes of data necessary to keep this top-tier smartphone swimming in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset-flowing waters for which it was born.

When it came time to take the customary group photo, we placed the device as an L frame, then signaled it to take the shot with a hand gesture. No one dared try to display bunny ears behind anyone else, because we could all see the image it was capturing.

At home, my 2-year-old daughter's eyes bugged out when she could watch "Yo Gabba Gabba" in vivid, larger-than-life aspect ratio when the phone opened up. Many phones have strived to be a tablet you could keep in your pocket, but the Z Fold 5 actually delivers on that lofty promise.

The camera suite is impressive, led by a 50mp stabilized main camera that sports 12mp ultrawide capabilities, as well as a 10mp 3x telephoto lens. Video records in mind-bending 8K, which you can downscale to capture 4K shots instead. There's also a nifty 4mp under-display camera that checks in for on-the-go video calling.

No gaming or streaming task I hurled at it could come close to slowing it down. Its capable battery also lived up to the task of insanely heavy use without batting an eye or heating up. One drawback is that the Z Fold 5 takes a while to charge up, but that is a small price to pay for its extended, worry-free utility.

A true pioneer among the latest and greatest of smartphone elites, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 makes you feel truly proud to possess. To use one is to also become its walkings spokesperson, giddily fielding questions from all who spot it. And when you see someone else with the Z Fold 5, you nod in a knowing, shared assurance that you have tapped into the futuristit present that Samsung has made to offer. 

What a feeling, and what a phone.

T-Mobile provided unit for review.

Game Review: 'Pinball M'

The "Pinball FX" team manages to crank out a consistent flow of themed tables that appear to all niches of the geekosphere, and the horror-minded "Pinball M" continues that tradition in bloody fashion.

The five included tables span the likes of "Child's Play," "Dead by Daylight" and Lovecraftian horror in the form of "Wrath of the Elder Gods Director's Cut."

Each table bursts with fan service, appealing bonuses and funny/creepy audio-visual flourishes. As with just about all tables in the series, they make you yearn for the genuine arcade article. But there's much to be said for getting to plug away at your pinball obsession without having to run your credit card down while constantly refilling your play card.

While "Pinball M" doesn't have anything to offer those who aren't into the virtual Pinball scene, the cadre of retro delights should please most horror fans whose interests intersect with flippers and ricocheting balls.

Publisher provided review code.

Game Review: 'Fearmonium'

A challenging, "Cuphead"-inspired Metroidvania effort from publisher and developer Redblack Spade, "Fearmonium" sets you loose in a bizarre house of horrors with only your wits and twitch reflexes protecting you from inevitable deaths.

A dark, gothic feel pulses throughout the level and character design. Just as with "Cuphead," the visuals take cues from 1930s-style Fleischer Bros. animation. The expressionist art style juxtaposes seemingly innocent creatures with gritty touches, making nearly every entity you encounter a harbinger of impending death.

This is one of those games that ran away with my imagination with a well-crafted trailer, yet failed to fully deliver on its promise. Floaty controls and inconsistent hit detection had me scrambling to progress. My success seemed to depend as much on happenstance as it did the gradual sharpening of my skills. 

Still, the game managed to capture my interest with its intricate, Easter egg-filled levels and bizarre meta-story. The artistic choice to go with comic book panels and text dialogue harkened back to the NES and SNES, giving the game a haunting retro feel that also no doubt happened to save the shoestring budget a few bucks.

While often more trouble than it's worth, "Fearmonium" is worth a look for those who were obsessed with "Cuphead" and are looking for something of its ilk. Only those with steely nerves and a capacity to handle frustration should dare enter, though.

Publisher provided review code.

Saguaro City Musical Theatre Review: 'Roadl Dahl's Matilda the Musical'

 

Saguaro City Musical Theatre's spirited production plasters smiles on the audience.
Led by a boisterous title role performance from Miriam Howell, the cast breathes a vivacious punch to the 1988 Roald Dahl book, which was adapted for Broadway in 2010. 
Mandy Modic's direction and choreography casts a spell worthy of the sprightly character. An improbably talented and synchronized group of students performs meticulous choreography and pitch-perfect song-and-dance numbers. The dedication in rehearsal to reach this point of precision seems incalculable. Credit goes not only to Modic, but to the performers' parents, who rose to the occasion to help deliver Modic's vision.
The adult cast is also superb. Zach Wetzel and Nickole Custodio play Matilda's villainously self-centered and shallow parents, Tyler Wright chews scenery as the imposing Miss Agatha Trunchbull and Lydia Schmidt provides the emotional core as Matilda's sweet teacher, Miss Honey. Their chemistry with their younger counterparts is key to the show's success. As Dahl envisioned, most of the adults treat the children with casual cruelty.
The stagecraft, while workmanlike, has moments of elevated mysticism, including haunting silhouette projections that help illustrate the tragic episodic love story that Matilda recites. I was also floored by a climactic psychokinetic chalkboard inscription, which captured the spirit of Matilda's magic to dramatic effect.
While some of the song-and-dance numbers could have been cut to help maintain momentum, most of them nail their targets with aplomb. In particular, Schmidt's solemn "Pathetic" is a tender cry for help, "When I Grow Up" is a watershed sequence of self-reflection and "The Smell of Rebellion" is a rousing call to action for self-respect.
An adorable and endearing treasure, Saguaro City Musical Theatre's production o f"Matilda the Musical" deserves to be savored and appreciated. Perhaps its most amazing feat of magic was the way it kept my wild 2-year-old girl silent in appreciation throughout its 2-hour runtime. 
"Matilda the Musical" plays through Jan. 7 at Berger Performing Arts Center. Buy tickets here. 

Early Game Review: 'Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora'

A dazzling visual achievement, "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora" is a canonical entry into James Cameron's ever-expanding Panbdora-based universe. Ubisoft's Massive Entertainment crafted the game in close concert with Disney and Lightstorm Entertainment, and the game both lives and dies by that firm link.

Just like the films and surrounding fiction, the rich cultural and vibrant visuals carry the narrative past its heavy-handed tendencies. And just like the films, the game is somewhat hollow, unintentionally cynical and exhausting.

There are hints of "Far Cry" and Ubisoft's Tom Clancy games throughout. The Ubisoft connection gives the game a certain heft and grounding that it would have lacked had Disney gone it alone or shirked it off to a bargain-basement dev.

You play as a Na'vi who sets off on a voyage across a rpreviously unseen portion of Pandora, known as the Western Frontier. You meet new tribes and battle and hunt new creatures, pick up an array of weapons and upgrades and explore what amounts to be a story of little consequence on the "Avatar" realm as a whole.

At the very least, I can say "Frontiers of Pandora" is far and away better than most film-to-game adaptations. This is a gamer's game, and bursts with artistic revelations and a sense of discovery. 

On the downside, there is a sameness to quests and a general sense of mucky writing and cut scenes that slows down the sense of momentum. At least with the game, unlike the film in theaters, you can stop for bathroom breaks whenever you like and not miss anything.

Overall, "Frontiers of Pandora" will thrill and satisfy major "Avatar" fans and even those who are dabblers. Obviously, anyone turned off by the entire scene should avoid this one. But I'm grateful for the opportunity to take another dip into Cameron's wild vision.

Publisher provided review code.

Game Review: 'Uno'

A classic travel and family card game, "Uno" is just as much fun in digital form, and negates the hassles of shuffling and gathering. On the other hand, some of the strategy is removed, because it's all too easy for competitors to see what cards others are holding on screen.

Even with the drawback, I prefer the game on PS5 rather than card form, at least while I'm at home. The convenience makes up for the competitive compromise, and there isn't a heck of a lot of skill involved in "Uno" anyway.

Available for free on PS5 for those who have the original PS4 version, the game also comes gratis for those who have a PlayStation Plus Extra membership. The Ultimate Edition includes DLC packs including "Fenyx's Quest," "Call of Yara" and "Valhalla."

You can play any version of the game with modifiable rulesets and win conditions, and players can jump into games. You can also play against other PS5 players online. It's a perfect way for siblings and old pals -- who now live too far apart to swap cards -- to reignite ancient "Uno" rivalries from days of yore.

Publisher provided review code.

Game Review: 'KarmaZoo'

A sunny, joyous indie effort, "KarmaZoo" is a teamwork-oriented puzzle game in which as many as 10 random players gather to pull together to complete common tasks or, more likely, bungle the objectives and aggressively grief one another.

As with nearly every multiplayer-focused game, you'll fare better if you take it on with friends and keep your lines of communication active throughout. But there's a certain charm in being stuck with a group of unknowns, which forces you to go through the motions to get a sense of which players are trustworthy and which you should ignore or actively freeze out.

An overall uneven effort, "KarmaZoo" is a light, rather flimsy affair that packs a punch in quick sessions but wears out its charm quickly. The fun you'll have largely depends upon the group you get thrown in with. It's like getting assigned to groupwork in high school. You may be stuck with goofballs who skate by as you shoulder the load, or, if you're lucky, a squad of likeminded, good-natured players who want to give each other a hand.

"KarmaZoo" may be silly and ludicrous, but its charms tend to outweigh its drawbacks. It will make you smile one minute, wince the next and shake your head in confoundment all the while. That's just the way karma has it.

Publisher provided review code.