Some movie-based video games seek to recreate the plot of the movie itself, which I feel is dangerous ground to tread. Some tell a story completely separate from the movie, which, as long as it doesn’t contradict the movie it’s based on, can be good. Some tell a story that bridges the gap between one movie and another, which can provide a great deal of fill-in, which is always entertaining for a geek like me. Some tell a story that fills in gaps in time within the movie itself, which, when pulled off correctly, can be more entertaining than the rest, because you get a more complete story than just one or the other. Captain America: Super Soldier is a game that takes place during Captain America: The First Avenger, as one of the montage-missions to destroy Hydra bases during WWII. Did SEGA and Next Level Games manage to pull it off, or is it just another in a long line of disappointing comic-movie game adaptations? Read the full story

It’s officially 2011, so it’s time to recap and present to you all our choices for the best and worst video games that came out in 2010. We’ve all been working on this for months, changing some of our choices as new games came out, but what you see below is what we’ve all finally settled on.

Read the full story

If you follow SEGA on Twitter, then you are likely aware of their weekly Free Stuff Friday giveaways.  I’ve been a fan of SEGA since I was a kid.  I have fond memories of my Genesis and my Dreamcast, and, to be fair, not so fond memories of the Saturn and SegaCD.  My Genesis will always have a special place in my heart, however, so no matter what they do to hurt me, I always return to SEGA in the end.  Today was a good SEGA day, and I won a Free Stuff Friday giveaway.

Ooh, I found a quarter!

Luckily I was watching my TweetDeck when I saw a certain tweet appear.  I immediately DM’d “Nick Fury” to @SEGA and, in less than a minute, received notification that I had won!  What did I win, I hear you ask in your minds with a certain level of apathy?  I won an Iron Man 2 prize pack.  What does that mean, I hear you ask in your minds with a certain level of fear in regard to my uncanny ability to hear your thoughts?  It means I won:

• A copy of Iron Man 2 for the Xbox 360
• A poster of the game’s front cover
• A code to download the Brady strategy guide for Iron Man 2
• A code for the Suitcase Suit to use in-game
• A 1GB USB drive with Iron Man 2 game assets (reusable as a regular USB drive as well)
• A special edition commemorative film cell from the movie
• AND some Iron Man 2 game art signed by SAMUEL L. JACKSON.

Iron Man 2 Game Cover Poster

Iron Man 2 Brady Games Strategy Guide

Suitcase Suit Code

Iron Man 2 USB Drive

Iron Man 2 Game and Game Art signed by Samuel L. Mother-Fucking Jackson

Yeah.  That’s awesome.  I’m stoked.

Thanks, SEGA!

-[insert FANBOY SQUEEEEE! here]

Tony Stark is such a badass. When you think about it, he has everything people want. Fame, fortune, intelligence, good looks, a way with the ladies, and he is a fucking superhero.

I loved the original Iron Man movie, and while I was sure I’d love the sequel, I still had some reservations. Chris and I love going to midnight premieres, so it wasn’t even a question if we would be attending the one for Iron Man 2. Armed with our Iron Man and War Machine cups from 7-11, and my purse filled to the brim with bottled water and candy from Target, we waited in line for what felt like an eternity.

We live in Fresno, California and for the most part it’s OK. For some reason, the freaks and assholes always tend to come out at midnight releases, and more often than not, it’s for a comic book movie. I’d bet every single one of my internal organs that over half of the people standing in line had no prior knowledge of Iron Man other than what they remembered from the previous film. A news crew was out there, filming the idiots of course, and I had to be next to this group of annoying teenagers who felt the need to sing loudly at random moments. It was when we got in to the theater where things started to really get juicy.

About 10 rows in front of us there was a very drunk Canadian man. How do I know he was Canadian? He said so, and I will take his word for it. Plus, I doubt America will want to claim that man as one of our own. Anyways, Drunkers was going through each and every row asking people for a high five, and for those who wouldn’t give it to him, he would point at them and loudly call them out as a “Debbie Downer.” Oh joy. So Chris, a huge germaphobe, and I, an introvert who would rather stay inside than have to deal with the morons that dominate our society, sat there dreading the moment when he would come to our row. When he did, he had to pass by this rather large Hispanic man, and that didn’t go over too well. The guy immediately stood up and got in Drunkers face, pressing his chest up to his like some angered cave man, and it ultimately ended with Drunkers getting shoved a little.

Next was us. Chris told him flat out he wasn’t touching his hand, and I didn’t even look at him although I did have it in me to flip him off. Drunkers would quickly find out that he was about to be engaged in a Round 2, but with a group of buff, highly aggressive black males. Every single one of them got in his face, and I don’t think Drunkers realized that he was in a poor location to fight – right on the stairs. Getting shoved for the second time, and it being much more forceful this time around, Drunkers stumbled backwards a few steps, but that was the end of it. **PHEW**

Once the actual movie started, we didn’t have to deal with many disturbances. The movie opened with Tony having to deal with the government telling him that he needs to hand over the “Iron Man weapon,” and if you know anything about Tony Stark, you know he won’t go down easily (That’s what she said! -Sneaky Edit from Chris). Without giving too much of the plot away, I will say that I enjoyed it. Robert Downey Jr. is Tony Stark, and he did another amazing job portraying him. Going into the movie, I was very skeptical about Don Cheadle playing James Rhodes aka War Machine, and I was pleasantly surprised. Not once did I think about Terrence Howard, or how he would’ve done a scene different. I did enjoy him in the original Iron Man, but I didn’t feel like his presence was missed this time around.

I was also worried about Mickey Rourke as Whiplash. Now, when I say that, it’s not because of Rourke and his capability as an actor because he is a very talented man. It’s because of what I had seen in the trailers. I don’t find a man with whips to be scary, but when I had the chance to find out more about him as a person in the film, it clicked. I loved how there were times you could see exactly what was going on in his head, his true motivation, and just how determined he was to take down Tony. Off the top of my head, the only thing I can say I felt was a bit of a let down was Nick Fury. I wanted Sammy L to bust out a line having ‘mother fucker’ peppered in, just once. JUST ONCE! Other than that, I thought he did a good job as Fury, and his performance was one I was looking forward to going in. I could talk about Scarlett Johansen, but all I have to say is this: boobs. BAM… done.

If somebody asked me what a favorite scene would be, I’d have to go with Tony during his birthday party. He has a huge bash at his house, and while going through a bit of a personal crisis, he decides to live it up. Incredibly drunk, and in the Iron Man suit, he does a little fake DJ bit (with the late DJ AM behind the turntables), and starts shaking his thing. I laughed so hard because I know that if it were my birthday, if I drank, and if I had an Iron Man suit, I would totally do the same thing! I bet you all would too! Mentioning that scene also makes me need to bring this up – the soundtrack. Iron Man 2 has such a kick ass soundtrack, and here is why: a couple of tunes by The Clash, Queen, 2pac & Dr Dre’s California Love, and Daft Punk’s Robot Rock. Obviously there are more songs in the movie, but the ones I listed are the only important ones

All in all, the movie was fantastic, and the special effects were top notch. I’d love to go and see it again, I think everybody should go and see it, and I’m so thankful for Jon Favreau because Iron Man is one of the rare comic book movies out there that isn’t shit. Favreau let it out in a recent interview that for the villain in Iron Man 3, he wants to do The Mandarin, and I can’t wait.

(btw… I highly suggest you stay for after the credits, and that’s all I am going to say)