Album Review: John Mayer's 'Battle Studies'

How does one follow up a masterpiece?

Not many artists have to answer that question at some point in their careers. John Mayer gets his chance with his new LP, Battle Studies. It's an enviable position to be in, but an extremely difficult one too.

Make no mistake, Mayer's 2007 offering Continuum was a masterpiece. It perfectly blended his pop-rock roots with the blues chops he established during his time fronting the John Mayer Trio. Every song seemed meticulously crafted and refined, each one a joy to listen to.

Battle Studies is a decidedly different album. It lacks the consistency of Continuum, but its standouts can easily stand up to the best tracks Mayer has ever released.

The album leads off with "Heartbreak Warfare," arguably its best and most memorable track. The song is a rollicking, echoey ballad that establishes the underlying theme of Battle Studies: love as war. It's a beautiful, catchy song that you'll want to listen to again and again.

The rest of the album pulls some sudden switches between 80s-esque electric rock (think Eric Clapton or Tom Petty) and folksy acoustic guitar. "All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye" allows Mayer to exercise his vocal talent, which seems to effectively split audiences. Love it or hate it, the guy can belt it, and there's no denying his unequaled talent on the guitar.

The only collaboration on the album is "Half Of My Heart," which features Taylor Swift (I guess). She's barely there, but hearing her very short solo is a neat addition to the bare, acoustic-and-drumset-laden song.

"Who Says" was a controversial choice for the first single released on the album. There are tracks on Battle Studies with much bigger hit potential, but "Who Says" is a quiet, honest, acoustic musing by Mayer, who lyrically wonders who says he can't do what he wants to do.

"Perfectly Lonely" is a bluesy tune, upbeat with some more signature guitar thrown in for good measure. Aside from the warfare theme, this album definitely fits into another concept: singleness. Both "Who Says" and "Perfectly Lonely" fit this theme. They're frank expressions of Mayer's contentment with the single life.

"Assassin" deserves a special mention. It's one of the strangest and most unique tracks Mayer has ever put out. It constantly fluctuates between quiet and loud, and the sound is something you'll have to hear for yourself. It's tough to describe, but I definitely like it.

Mayer covers Robert Johnson/Eric Clapton/Cream on "Crossroads," which is cool to hear but not all that memorable. That guitar is pretty damn impressive, though.

"Edge of Desire" is my other favorite on the album. It's a slow song, and the chorus is extremely beautiful. It's a perfect showcase of the honest pictures of romance that Mayer is known for.

"Do You Know Me" is definitely the most forgettable track on the album. It clocks in at 2.5 minutes, and it's easy to let it pass by without even noticing its presence on Battle Studies. It's slow and bare, which isn't bad, but it doesn't stand out as much as the other tracks do.

Battle Studies finishes out with "Friends, Lovers Or Nothing," which I appreciate because it's piano-driven. My favorite track on Continuum was unquestionably "Dreaming With A Broken Heart," which is very similar to "Friends, Lovers Or Nothing" in a lot of ways, including the sweet piano. The guitar melds with the piano very well, and Mayer's writing is still topnotch.

Mayer had his work cut out for him when he was tasked with following up Continuum. He doesn't top that album here, but I get the feeling he wasn't exactly trying to. He wanted to make some good music, and that's what he's accomplished here. Even if it doesn't top Continuum, Battle Studies does feature some of the best tracks Mayer has ever played.

Give Battle Studies a preview listen before you buy, and you'll see what I mean. I can almost guarantee that "Heartbreak Warfare" will quickly convince you that Battle Studies is worth your money. Just remember to give the rest of the album a little time to grow on you. You won't regret it.

My Score: 4 stars our of 5

Two campaigns in...

...and Left 4 Dead 2 is flat-out amazing. It improves in almost every way on the original Left 4 Dead, most importantly adding melee weapons to the mix. Whacking zombies with the baseball bat is an absolute joy. Go play it.

Teaser Premiere: Kick-Ass

The media campaign for Matthew Vaughn's Kick-Ass has officially ramped up. The teaser for Vaughn's adaptation of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.'s acclaimed comic series of the same name launched yesterday, and while it's tough to give a true picture of the film's tone with a green band teaser, I'd say this one does a pretty decent job. You can check it out embedded below, courtesy of ComingSoon.net.

I've had a couple issues of Millar and Romita Jr.'s comic sitting in my collection for quite a while now, and I only just got around to reading them a few days ago. Kick-Ass is the story of a comic fanboy (Aaron Johnson) without superpowers who decides to become a superhero. His popularity spawns a plethora of copycat superheros. These copycats include Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage), Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz) and Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). That's the basis for both the film and the comic series, which is currently on its seventh issue.

MySpace premiered a new poster yesterday, pictured above. You can also view the series of character posters that showed up on the film's official site by clicking here. They serve as the site's background.

Suffice to say, I can't wait for this movie. It's a big risk to make a rated-R comic book movie with such a young cast, but Vaughn seems to have the feel and tone of the comic down pat. Can't wait for April 16, 2010.

Random History Lesson: Lincoln's Repeater

I recently finished Bethesda Game Studios' masterpiece Fallout 3, and I've been having trouble putting it down. Today I surfed over to The Vault, a massive gaming Wiki dedicated to the Fallout series. My goal was to learn the locations of some of the game's unique weapons so I could add them to my virtual collection. While on their unique weapons page, I came across the name of my favorite weapon in the game, Lincoln's Repeater, pictured above. It's a powerful rifle with a 15-round magazine that fires .44 magnum caliber bullets, and can be found in the Offices of the post-apocalyptic version of the Museum of History.

Initially, I figured this was just a historical in-joke. There are actually quite a few Abraham Lincoln items in the game, all of which can be sold to Hannibal Hamlin, a man who, according to his page at The Vault, "dreams of creating a safe haven for runaway slaves." When the player completes the "Head of State" quest, Hamlin sets up his safe haven at the Lincoln Memorial. He's a Lincoln buff, and will buy any Lincoln-related items you find on your journey. One of these items is an "Action Abe Action Figure," obviously a joke. I assumed the Repeater was too. Then, I clicked on the Wiki's page for the rifle. Apparently, I don't know my Abe Lincoln history very well.

Lincoln actually owned a .44 magnum caliber repeating rifle (pictured above, courtesy of Smithsonian Images), and the one in Fallout 3 is a pretty faithful representation of the real one, right down to the engraving and octagonal barrel. It, too, is located in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, just like its video game counterpart.

According to the Smithsonian Web site's profile of Lincoln's Henry Rifle, "this gold mounted, engraved Henry rifle was presented to Abraham Lincoln in an effort to obtain his influence in their purchase for the war effort." It features a floral design and a cartouche that reads "Lincoln/President/U.S.A.", pictured below (courtesy of Smithsonian Images).

In Fallout 3, Lincoln's Repeater is a very formidable weapon. When found in the Museum of History, the rifle is in mint condition, and players can repair it with .32 caliber Hunting Rifles, which are plentiful around the Capital Wasteland. The Vault tells us that Hannibal Hamlin will buy Lincoln's Repeater for 150 caps or 300 caps if you can persuade him to pay more, and it must be in mint condition. Seriously though, why would you sell this thing?

The Vault makes a very good point regarding the Repeater's accuracy. Sniper Rifles technically have a higher accuracy rating in Fallout 3, but the game's mechanics actually give Lincoln's Repeater the edge. Shots fired from a Sniper Rifle (and any scoped weapon) outside of V.A.T.S. mode take slightly longer to reach their targets. This means the player must compensate for this slight difference in bullet speed. The Repeater's shots have no spread, and reach their targets instantly.

Procuring one of these in real life is decidedly more difficult than in Fallout 3, unless you possess mad heisting skills. A quick Google search revealed the Henry Repeating Arms Web site, which is packed full of rifles that look exactly like Lincoln's famous one. The site actually has a listing for a special Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Tribute version of what appears to be their flagship rifle, the Golden Boy. Strangely, this rifle doesn't even fire .44 magnum bullets. The best representation of Lincoln's original Henry rifle appears to be the engraved .44 magnum caliber Big Boy Deluxe, pictured below. It's run is limited to 1000, and it costs a hefty $1995.95, so the regular .44 Big Boy (at $899.95) is probably more realistic from a consumer's point of view.

As far as I'm concerned, it's the little things like this that put Fallout 3 a step above other RPGs of this generation. The game is utterly massive, and Bethesda still managed to pepper little easter eggs like this throughout the world. It all simply adds to the sense of immersion, which is of paramount importance concerning any RPG. And there's apparently some real history to be learned here too.

Who says video games can't be educational?

What If Pixar Made 'Where The Wild Things Are'?

”I would say it’s a movie for adults first and for a certain kind of child second."

Spike Jonze spoke those words in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly. The subject of that interview was his new film adaptation of Maurice Sendak's children's book, Where The Wild Things Are. The quote baffled me, because I think of Wild Things as a children's book, first and foremost.

After seeing the movie, I'm still a little baffled at what I saw. The film was beautiful and well-made, with a huge amount of depth and character, but it arguably catered primarily to the adult crowd. The film's opening weekend box office gross demonstrates this: Wild Things made $32.5 million, and 43 percent of the moviegoers who viewed the film were 18 and older, according to an MSNBC report.

On that note, let's take a quick look at the history of Pixar. This is a studio that has never made a bad film. Pixar has also never made a children's movie. They specialize in family films, which are named as such because the good ones are accessible to the entire family, not just children. Toy Story, Finding Nemo, A Bug's Life, WALL-E, Up, especially The Incredibles, these and more Pixar movies prove that somebody out there knows how to make something the entire family can watch and enjoy, too.

Where The Wild Things Are deserved this treatment. I'm not bashing on the film's quality. I think that Jonze more than accomplished his goal, if the aforementioned quote is any indication as to what that goal was. The question here is, was this an acceptable goal for a director adapting a children's classic like Where The Wild Things Are?

I'm going to be bold and say no. Regardless of the overall quality of Wild Things, I believe the kid factor is something to take into consideration. Let me pose a question: would a six-year-old understand that the Wild Things are representative of Max's emotions? Like Jonze said, maybe a special kid would, but I believe this character device would just confuse most kids.

That's not to say I'm not giving kids their credit. Children are surprisingly perceptive sometimes. But Jonze admitted openly that he did not make a movie for kids. My question is, why not? His vision came to fruition, but why didn't that vision include a more kid-friendly film?

For the record, I don't think this movie is too scary for kids. Sendak said in a featurette that he thought Jonze's film "respects kids." He also told worried parents to go to hell. The film doesn't feel dumbed down; it's even visceral at times, but kids grow up seeing much worse on television. I believe the bigger problem here is the confusion factor.

Whether Where The Wild Things Are is a fitting movie to take your kids to remains to be proven one way or another. I've speculated a lot, but I haven't actually talked to a kid who watched the movie. If any of you have talked to any kids who saw it, please post your and their thoughts, I'd be very interested to hear them.

All I'm trying to say is, Pixar seems to have the blueprints for making films with universal appeal, and I wish I could have some crazy psychic powers that would allow me to see what this film would've been like if Pixar had taken the helm. I do not believe Jonze's Where The Wild Things Are is a bad movie, I rather enjoyed it actually. I'm just a little disappointed that young kids probably won't get it.

In conclusion, here's a link to a clip that gives us a glimpse of what could've been. It's a YouTube video that I've posted before showing an early animation test for Where The Wild Things Are. Pixar legend John Lasseter directed the test footage, which was shot in 1983 when Disney had the rights to the movie. It's extremely intriguing, check it out.

Sweet Deal: Stephen King's 'Under The Dome'

You can't argue with a price war like this. According to an Associated Press article, both Amazon.com and Wal-Mart have slashed the price of the hardcover version of Stephen King's new novel, Under The Dome, to be released on November 10. It's available on Amazon.com for $9, and on Wal-Mart.com for $8.99. That's quite the price cut, considering the publisher's list price for the book is $35.

The synopsis tells us that this book revolves around a town in Maine that inexplicably becomes encased in a dome-like forcefield. I hope there are some unintentional parallels to The Simpsons Movie in this book.

Very Short Film Review: Where The Wild Things Are

I started writing this review a few times and never could quite hit the notes I wanted to so for now, conciseness is a virtue.

Spike Jonze's Where The Wild Things Are is very different from anything I've ever seen before. On the one hand, it's one of the most beautiful films I've ever witnessed. Filming in Melbourne, Australia, was an inspired choice by Jonze, as was his decision to use puppet-style suits to portray the Wild Things. I cannot imagine a more fitting portrayal of the Wild Things or their world.

On the other hand, Jonze's adaptation is very complex for a kids' movie, perhaps too much so for some children to understand. The crux of this film is the conflict and angst within Max's mind, as represented by the Wild Things and their seemingly petty conflicts. I feel like that might be tough to grasp for some kids.

This all would've been a non-issue if so much of the film weren't spent creating and trying to resolve these conflicts. The wild rumpus and the dirt clod fight had the kids in my theater laughing, but they were probably scratching their heads through much of the narrative.

I don't have too much else to say about Where The Wild Things Are right now because I'm still trying to grasp what I saw. It's what I call a "singular" film, one that can't be replicated. It's a hugely original retelling of a Maurice Sendak book that's been around since 1963, if that makes sense.

I would fully recommend going and watching this movie. Everybody seems to watch it and comes away with something different, which is one mark of a special film.

Go see it, and tell me what you think.

My Score: 3 stars out of 5

Your Favorite Movie Scenes

Picking a favorite movie is tough, but picking a favorite scene is near impossible. Peter over at /Film recently made a very cool post about his favorite movie scene. He chose the "Tiny Dancer" bus scene in Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous, one of my favorite films of all time. I have posted 10 of my favorites below, in no particular order. Spoilers ahead, if you haven't seen some of the films. Post your favorites in the comments section!

"That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."
A Charlie Brown Christmas, directed by Bill Meléndez
This scene still surprises me to this day. Charlie Brown wonders aloud about the meaning of Christmas throughout this magnificent TV movie's short 32 minute runtime. When Linus steps up and recites Luke 2:8-14, A Charlie Brown Christmas becomes more than just a Peanuts movie. It's a commentary on the commercialization of a religious holiday. Think what you want to about Christmas, it's still remarkable that a television network like ABC still plays this movie every holiday season, despite the fact that it is so obviously religious. I'm not kidding when I say that the day they stop playing A Charlie Brown Christmas in December is the day I quit watching television forever.

The Interrogation
The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan
Much like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in Michael Mann's Heat, Batman (Christian Bale) and the Joker (Heath Ledger) don't have a whole lot of sit-down time together in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. Following the film's epic Tumbler/Batpod chase, Batman interrogates the Joker in an attempt to learn the whereabouts of Harvey Dent. The exchange between Bale and Ledger is perfectly-written, and the Joker manages to make some harrowing points that border uncomfortably on truthfulness. It's a brutal, intense and pitch-perfect scene that went a long way toward earning Ledger his posthumous Oscar.

"It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me."
Batman Begins, directed by Christopher Nolan
The final act of Batman Begins is definitely a little on the strange side, with Ducard (Liam Neeson) arriving in Gotham and revealing a twist that I don't quite understand to this day. Also, Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes), the person to whom Batman (Christian Bale) says the above line, is a character I've never much liked in Christopher Nolan's Batman movies. But after Batman rescues Dawes from Victor Zsasz, he utters the above line, one of the movie's best, simultaneously telling Dawes his true identity and being completely badass before gliding off to finish his job.

"I am your father."
The Empire Strikes Back, directed by Irvin Kershner
This one needs no explanation. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) battles through the Bespin Cloud City to rescue Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), only to fight Darth Vader (David Prowse/James Earl Jones) before Yoda (Frank Oz) tells him he’s ready. One of the most shocking twists in film history comes about as Vader utters the immortal line above, right after cutting Luke’s hand off. Truly epic. Sad note: I didn’t have to look up any of those names while writing this.

"Get away from her you bitch!"
Aliens, directed by James Cameron
The ending of James Cameron's masterful sequel Aliens seems to go on forever, but the payoff is fittingly epic. As the Alien Queen attacks Newt (Carrie Henn), Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) emerges clad in the mech-style loader she used earlier in the film to carry supplies. Ripley utters that immortal line, and proceeds to battle the Queen as Newt and both halves of Bishop look on. She finally opens the airlock door, ejecting the Queen into space and oblivion in one of the most suspenseful and intense endings ever filmed.

The Chase
The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan
The Dark Knight's chase scene is one of the best ever filmed. Christopher Nolan has a tendency for using practical effects, and it pays off in spades here. In this scene, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) plays the bait as the Joker (Heath Ledger) chases the armored car holding Dent, driven by Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) in disguise. Throw Batman (Christian Bale) and his Tumbler into the mix, and you've got one amazing chase scene on your hands. Some of the highlights include the reveal of the Batpod and the semi truck flip at the end of the chase.

Construction Site Parkour
Casino Royale, directed by Martin Campbell
One of the early scenes in Casino Royale is also one of the best. James Bond (Daniel Craig) chases a bomb maker through a construction site. Thing is, the bomb maker is played by Sebastian Foucan, one of the French originators of parkour. Also known as freerunning, parkour is an activity in which the runner gets from point A to point B making it look as cool and acrobatic as possible. Craig and Foucan do so, in styles very different from each other. The scene is fast, well-filmed and an absolute blast to watch.

“Kill the Queen!”
Shaun of the Dead, directed by Edgar Wright
I consider this scene to be the culmination of Edgar Wright’s masterful comedy Shaun of the Dead. The jukebox comes on in the Winchester as Shaun (Simon Pegg) and his friends whack the bartender, a zombie, over the head with pool cues to the beat of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.” It’s really funny, and it pretty much defines the film’s brand of comedy. It’s British, it’s dark, and it’s hilarious.

“Twist and Shout”
Ferris Bueller's Day Off, directed by John Hughes
This scene is so famous that it is recreated in the streets of Chicago every year. In the movie, Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick), one of the coolest high school students ever to grace the silver screen, tries to demonstrate to his friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) just how much fun they’ve had on their day off. Ferris dances and lip-syncs in the middle of a parade, and The Beatles’ “Twist and Shout” eventually comes on. The entire parade joins Ferris in one of the most euphoric scenes ever put to film. I want to get up and dance every time I see it.

“Stuck in the Middle With You”
Reservoir Dogs, directed by Quentin Tarantino
I can’t choose one single scene from Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction for this list, but one certainly stands out from his debut Reservoir Dogs. As the rest of the gang leaves to find where Mr. Pink stashed the heist loot, Mr. Blonde (Michael Masden) decides to stay behind, say some cool lines, and torture the cop they captured during the confusion of the heist. He does just that, eventually cutting the guy’s ear off and drenching him in gasoline, all the while with “Stuck in the Middle With You” by Stealers Wheel playing on the stereo. Just as Blonde is about to torch the cop, a gutted Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) pops up, riddles Blonde with bullets, and reveals himself as the rat within the heist operation. It’s a ridiculously cool reveal, and one of my favorite “aha!” moments in film history.


Obviously there are more great scenes in film history. Pulp Fiction and Goodfellas should be on the list, but I honestly think it'd be a disgrace to try and pick just one or two defining scenes from those movies. Post your favorite scenes below, I'm curious to read them!

Something To Check Out

I received my copy of this week's Entertainment Weekly in the mail a few days ago, and in it I found a very moving, poignant photograph. I haven't exactly kept my anticipation for Spike Jonze's Where The Wild Things Are a secret, but I think this picture is one anybody can appreciate.

Sadly, I can't find the pic online, and I can't scan it due to copyright infringement laws and such, so I thought I'd just describe it. Check it out at the newsstand, and pick up the issue if you can. It's got some great photos of quite a few upcoming films.

The one I'm speaking of is on page 47, and it's not the one at the bottom of this post (I like that one too). It covers the entire page, and shows Jonze leaning over the film's child star, newcomer Max Records. The backdrop is a forest no doubt used somewhere in the film. The photo's caption features a quote from Jonze about the hardships of filming in the wilds of Australia, and one from actress Catherine Keener telling about the relationship between actor and director.

The photograph is beautiful on its own, but it's even more beautiful when one considers what these two have been through together. Filming was tough, but the act of getting this movie off the ground probably seems miraculous to many involved. WTWTA came very close to joining the ranks of Terry Gilliam's The Man Who Killed Don Quixote as a film that could've been great but couldn't be made.

The photo shows the two as weary travelers who probably expected to reach their destination much sooner. They're finally there, and we'll see the finished product on October 16. I just finished listening to Karen O's soundtrack for the movie, and if the finished film stacks up to the album, then we're in for a unique, eclectic and very special cinematic treat less than two short weeks from now.

Merch: Where The Wild Things Are

I saw a TV spot for Spike Jonze's Where The Wild Things Are last night, and I can officially declare that I'm overjoyed that I will finally be able to watch this film on October 16. It's finally October, meaning WTWTA is just a couple of weeks away.

I was surfing Jonze's blog for the film, appropriately titled "We Love You So," and I thought I'd share some stuff I found there. Check out the blog for yourself, it's really a cool piece of Web culture, and its scope definitely extends beyond that of the upcoming movie.

Firstly, this is probably the coolest piece of movie "merchandise" I've ever seen. Sold by Opening Ceremony, a company I perceive to be a bit on the high fashion side of things, the suit is exactly what it looks like: a full adult unisex wolf suit, just like the one worn by Max in the book and movie, made of faux fur. I can't tell you how cool I think it would be to wear this thing to the premiere of the film. One problem: it'll set you back $610.

Opening Ceremony's site has some jewelry as well as other fashion pieces based off different characters from the film, one of which (the parka pictured above) costs a hefty $895. Expensive, but very cool nonetheless.

We don't have an Urban Outfitters up here near Bellingham, but if you're in the market for some WTWTA stuff and don't have the budget of Donald Trump, you may want to check it out. Most of their clothing for the film, like the baseball tee shown above, is in the women's category, but they have their share of graphic tees, apartment decorations and general merchandise too. The baseball tee costs $28, and most of the other items are comparably-priced, relative to their category.

I plan on picking up the soundtrack CD sometime in the near future. People are raving about the film's music, which is probably a relief for Jonze because he took a chance and unconventionally chose Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to head up the music for WTWTA. I can't wait to listen to it.

By the way, if you don't feel like spending a small fortune at Opening Ceremony or trekking to Urban Outfitters, go ahead and do what I did: shop at Hot Topic. If you can wade past the sullen face of Robert Pattinson, check out their graphic tees. You can't really go wrong. Mine is pictured below.

November 17, 2009: The Perfect Storm

November 17, 2009 will be a big day in the world of home entertainment, at least in my mind. To quote Pam Beesly from NBC's The Office, "I call it the Perfect Storm."

The 17th is the day Paramount will release J.J. Abrams' popular Star Trek on DVD. It's also the day Valve Software unleashes Left 4 Dead 2 to the zombie-killing public. It's also the day John Mayer's long-awaited follow-up to 2006's masterful Continuum hits retail.

I can't say much about Trek that hasn't already been said. It's a wonderful science fiction actioner, and I find it amusing how literally Abrams took the term "reboot." This is a Star Trek for a new generation, featuring a delightful cast, jaw-dropping action and a whole lot of lens flare.

The standard single-disc version of the DVD is available for pre-order on Amazon.com for $16.99 includes the film, a commentary featuring Abrams, screenwriters Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman, producer Damon Lindelof and executive producer Bryan Burk. It also includes a documentary on Abrams' vision for this film, and a gag reel.

The 2-Disc Digital Copy Special Edition is available for pre-order on Amazon.com for $22.99 and features the same content as the single-disc edition, along with a slew of extras on disc 2. These extras include a digital copy of the film, a bunch of deleted scenes, DVD-Rom content, four featurettes and a free trial of the Star Trek D-A-C video game.

The 3-Disc Digital Copy Special Edition is available for pre-order on Amazon.com for $25.99, only on Blu-Ray, and features all the aforementioned content plus more featurettes and a Starfleet Vessel Simulator.

Valve Software's Left 4 Dead 2 has actually seen a bit of controversy on its road to release. Valve has a tendency to release expansions rather than sequels, a habit fans have apparently become quite fond of. I'm a huge Half-Life fan myself, and that series hasn't seen a true sequel since 2004. Instead, Valve has released two expansion episodes, a masterful little puzzle game called Portal, and Team Fortress 2.

It was a big surprise, therefore, when Valve announced the sequel to Left 4 Dead just a year after the original hit retail. Some fans even called for a boycott, accusing Valve of trying to milk its followers for as much cash as possible.

Think what you will, but Left 4 Dead 2 looks like a true sequel to me, and seems well worth the $60 price tag. This sequel features new characters, weapons, a new level structure (which includes certain parts of certain levels that change each time you play them), new enemies, better AI, and more.

My favorite new feature is unquestionably the melee weapons. The official Left 4 Dead 2 Web site reports that there will be more than 10 melee weapons. Joystiq.com claims to have all 10 listed, but Valve's site says there are "over 10," so who knows? Joystiq list consists of the following: an axe, chainsaw, frying pan, cricket paddle (Shaun of the Dead, anybody?), katana, machete, police baton, crowbar (Half-Life 2-style), electric guitar and my personal favortie, the baseball bat.

The game starts in Savannah, Georgia, and follows four new characters (Coach, Ellis, Rochelle and Nick) as they battle through the zombie horde toward evacuation and rescue in New Orleans. Instead of four seemingly unconnected campaigns like the original, Left 4 Dead 2 features five that run in order, which should make for a more streamlined and logical story. Valve has said that although the story is a bit more fleshed out this time around, the essential simplicity is still a primary factor. We don't want story taking precedent over zombie killing.

Melee weapons were notably absent from the original, and I'm pretty sure playing Left 4 Dead 2 will make the first game feel all kinds of obsolete. I already have my weapons picked out (shotgun and baseball bat), and I'll be first in line for this game once November 17 finally comes around. Left 4 Dead 2 will be released for the Xbox 360 at retail and on Valve's Steam service for the PC.

John Mayer will give us his fourth studio album on the 17th as well. Titled Battle Studies, it's honestly a little difficult to know what to expect out of this album. That fact is strange, since Mayer's Battle Studies blog has provided us with a unique window into Mayer's creative process. Still, it's tough to predict what we'll hear on the 17th. Mayer has claimed that it'll be something different, and even said early on that people may not like it at first. I'm pretty sure people said that about Continuum before its release, but as far as I'm concerned, that's one of the best albums to come out of the music industry in a very long while. Hopefully Battle Studies lives up to that.

Mayer released the first single from this new album a couple days ago, titled "Who Says." It's a great song, with Mayer's usual lyrical genius at work (argue with me on that one if you want). It reminds me a lot of "3x5" from Room for Squares and "Stop This Train" from Continuum.

Mayer doesn't do a lot of collaborations on his albums, but Battle Studies features a duet with Taylor Swift, which will be interesting, to say the least. I appreciate Swift's music, so hearing her with Mayer will probably be a treat.

The teasers on the BattleStudies YouTube channel make it sound like this album will be a lot more mellow as a whole than some of his previous work. I'm totally okay with that, but it will be a big change for Mayer. We'll find out just what this album means for his career in November.

There you have it. Three big releases, one big day. Yet another reason I hope I have a job before then...

My Wallpaper: Halo: Combat Evolved

This is the current wallpaper I'm using on my Powerbook. It's a very early shot that I remember seeing in the Official Xbox Magazine when they first reviewed Halo: Combat Evolved. If my memory serves me correctly, I believe they gave it a 9.7. The level featured in this screenshot is Assault on the Control Room, my favorite level in any Halo game. I didn't create the wallpaper, but I thought this post would be a fitting look back at the original Halo, especially since ODST just recently hit shelves (see my review below). The original Halo is a game that can never be truly emulated, even by its own sequels. It's a standalone classic with a deep mythology, a loyal fanbase, and, most importantly of all, a lot of fun to be had.

New Game Watch: The Witness

Something amorphous and consummate
existed before Heaven and Earth.
Solitude! Vast!
Standing alone, unaltering.
Going everywhere, yet unthreatened.
It can be considered the Mother of the World.
I don't know its name, so I designate it, 'Tao'.
Compelled to consider it, name it, 'the Great'.

You may remember my review of Jonathan Blow's masterful Braid, a time-manipulating side-scroller that proves the fact that video games can be legitimate art. Plus, it's an absolute blast to play through.

Well, the poem typed above recently appeared on a Web site linked from the Braid blog. The page only contains those words and a white background. Clicking on the poem leads to another sparse page, telling us that Blow's next game, The Witness, will be "an exploration-puzzle game on an uninhabited island." Following that, the site tells us that the new game is "to be released on multiple platforms — whatever makes sense in late 2011, when the game will hopefully be finished. Further information will be posted here as it is ready."

Cryptic, to say the least. A quick Google search reveals (at the Citizendium) that the poem is taken from an early chapter the lost work of Lao Tse, a contemporary of Confucius and an authority on Taoism.

Your guess is as good as mine. All I know is, 2011 is way too long to wait.

Johnny Depp Might Be Rethinking His 'Pirates IV' Involvement

Back on September 11, I reported that Johnny Depp had announced his involvement in the new Pirates of the Caribbean film in a very grandiose way: sailing onstage on a pirate ship at a Disney convention. Now, however, news outlets are throwing around the word "iffy" to describe Depp's current feelings on the film.

This comes in the wake of the departure of (now former) Disney studio chief Dick Cook, the Los Angeles Times reports. Apparently, Cook was instrumental in keeping Depp's vision of Jack Sparrow intact for The Curse of the Black Pearl. According to Depp, the studio wasn't keen on his Keith Richards-inspired interpretation of Sparrow. Cook stuck with him, and as a result he created one of the most beloved modern characters in film, and Depp earned an Oscar nod for his performance.

In the end, maybe it's for the best. I'm always excited when Depp does another project, and this film could easily still go forward, but I can't help but wonder if On Stranger Tides would be another Dead Man's Chest or At World's End. The Curse of the Black Pearl is one of the best products to come out of Disney in years, and I personally wouldn't want them to further cheapen it with another poor film. Depp is the anchor (no pun intended) for this franchise, and if he doesn't want to do it, I'll stand by his decision and watch Black Pearl again.

Video Game Review: Halo 3: ODST

Halo 3: ODST
Developer: Bungie Software
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Systems: Xbox 360
Release Date: September 22, 2009

I'll never forget the first time I saw Halo in action. I had told a good friend of mine that I intended to buy a Nintendo GameCube, and he had mentioned Halo as a good reason to consider Microsoft's Xbox. He booted up a video on his computer showing Bungie's future masterpiece, and I was hooked.

What amazed me the most about this new shooter was admittedly very superficial. In the background of many of the shots, the Halo ring on which the Master Chief fought was visible, splitting the horizon in two and arcing up over the player's head. For some reason, this aesthetic impressed me in a way I can't really describe. It somehow gave a heightened sense for the grandiose nature of the Halo universe, and told the player without words that he or she was part of something larger than just the battle at hand. I imagined the ability to pick any spot on that ring in the horizon and travel to it via Warthog (known then as the "Halo Jeep").

Obviously, this open world aspect never panned out for Halo: Combat Evolved, but the game still managed to be flat-out amazing, and arguably shaped the future of first person shooters in the same manner the original Half-Life did in 1998.

It's 2009 now, and Kirkland-based developer Bungie recently released Halo 3: ODST to retailers. This game features neither the Master Chief nor a Halo ring, but that open world aspect I imagined years ago has finally been realized. Sure, this game has "Halo 3" in the title, but it could easily stand alone as its own title, if not for one glaring flaw.

ODST puts the player in the combat boots of the Rookie, a faceless, mute hero who recently entered the ranks of the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (also known as "Helljumpers"). The game begins during the end of Halo 2's third campaign level, right before the Covenant cruiser and In Amber Clad make the Slipspace jump right over New Mombasa, devastating the city. The Rookie and his fellow ODSTs are preparing to drop into the city, presumably to assault the Covenant cruiser. After the Slipspace rupture causes the ODSTs' jump to go awry, the player takes control of the Rookie six hours later, searching for clues to what exactly happened to his team.

A lot of changes have been made between Halo 3 and ODST. Dual-wielding and equipment are gone, and the health system is a hybrid of Combat Evolved's health pack system and the constantly-recovering stamina system of Halo 2 and 3. Also, the motion tracker is nowhere to be found, and has been replaced by a map visor system to help the player navigate the open world in the dark. These changes make the gameplay feel a bit different from Halo 3, in a good way. Taking cover is more important than ever, since these ODSTs are mere mortals compared to the Master Chief.

You won't be selecting levels from a menu this time around. Following map markers will lead the Rookie to different clues throughout New Mombasa, each one serving as the beginning of a flashback level. In the flashbacks, you'll piece together what happened by taking control of one the Rookie's squadmates.

This new game design is a welcome change from the past Halo games. It feels very fresh, and wandering the destroyed New Mombasa as the Rookie isn't as boring as I initially thought it would be. The meat of the game takes place in the flashbacks, sure, but the exploration aspect is an appreciated addition.

Graphically, ODST is what we've come to expect from the Halo franchise. It's no Gears of War in the looks department, but it is very impressive nonetheless. It's really amazing to see how far the graphics, and specifically character models, have come since Combat Evolved.

As with all its predecessors, the most complete part of ODST's package is the audio department. The music composed by series regular Martin O'Donnell is absolutely perfect, which we've come to expect. The sound effects are very cool as well, especially those of the new Silenced SMG and Pistol.

The voice acting deserves a special mention. The Rookie never speaks, but the other characters' voice acting is phenomenal. The player-controlled characters in the flashback sequences (Buck, Romeo and Mickey) are voiced by Firefly's Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin and Alan Tudyk, respectively. Browncoats will recognize them immediately as Mal, Jayne and Wash from Joss Whedon's masterful TV series and the movie Serenity. Their voice acting is remarkably well-done, and holds up to the series standards, even beating them out in some respects. More than anything, it's really neat for a Firefly fan like myself to hear their voices together again.

All this wraps up nicely to make a wonderful purchase for any Halo fan, but that glaring flaw I mentioned earlier could be the game's undoing in the eyes of more casual gamers. ODST's campaign can be completed in a few hours. I knew the game was short, but I was still surprised when the game ended. Some places are selling ODST for $60, so I would recommend shopping around a little before buying. I found my copy on Amazon.com for $50.99, so that might be a good place to start.

That said, the rest of ODST's offerings do go a long way towards remedying the campaign's length problem. Firefight mode is an absolute blast. It pits one to four players against wave after wave of Covenant at locations from throughout the campaign. The waves increase in difficulty as the skulls, a staple of the series, are activated, each one adding new quirks to the gameplay so that no two rounds are alike. Be warned: Firefights can last a long, long time, so come prepared.

Also packed in with ODST is a much-appreciated second disc titled "The Halo 3 Multiplayer Experience." It includes Halo 3's immensely popular multiplayer mode, along with every update and map every released via Xbox Live, plus three new maps that aren't available anywhere else. I love this disc's inclusion, because I don't have Xbox Live access at home. It's a very welcome inclusion in my book.

One other notable feature included in ODST is the Road to Recon. Hardcore fans of the series will have no doubt heard of the fabled Recon Armor, which Bungie only gives out to people they deem special enough to have it. Now, anybody can get it, as long as they can obtain the seven "Vidmaster" achievements, some of which are only obtainable in ODST.

In the end, Halo 3: ODST is a must-buy for any fan of the series. Even though Halo 3 is part of the title, the gameplay changes really do make this a game of its own. Sadly, the campaign's length make this a tough recommendation to make for casual gamers. The hidden secrets throughout the overworld will add some extra collecting time, and Firefight is a nice addition, especially for fans of Gears of War's Horde mode. Bungie even threw in the Road to Recon and an invitation to the beta of their next game, Halo: Reach. However, it's arguable whether it runs enough of the extra mile to make this package worth 60 bucks.

If you're anything but a hardcore Halo fan, I'd recommend either finding this game for cheaper than $60 or renting it first. Halo fans will love it, and most other gamers will too. ODST is a phenomenal game, but it simply ends far too quickly for its own good.

Score: 8.5 out of 10

All images from Bungie.net.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Announced

Congratulations, Disney, I'm a Pirates fan again.

All it took was Johnny Depp sailing onstage on a pirate ship at Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim to announce the new Pirates of the Caribbean film, subtitled On Stranger Tides and slated for a summer 2011 release. Good thing I'm a sucker for early speculation, because all we know about the film is that it will carry the previously-mentioned subtitle, and that Johnny Depp will return as Captain Jack Sparrow. It has also been reported that Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley will not return for the fourth film.

A fascinating note, however: Slashfilm reports that a 1987 Tim Powers pirate novel already carries the title "On Stranger Tides." I wrote it off as a peculiar coincidence at first glance, but here's the Publishers Weekly review from Amazon.com's page for "On Stranger Tides:"

"World Fantasy Award–winner Powers (Three Days to Never) demonstrates a precise control of complex narratives in this reprint of his rollicking and enchanting 1987 novel. Puppeteer John Chandagnac, bound for Jamaica to recover stolen money from his uncle, becomes Jack Shandy after pirates attack his ship and force him to join their crew. Shandy's struggle to accept his new life grounds the story for readers, even as Blackbeard and vodun magicians whisk everyone away to dreamlike lands where the Fountain of Youth itself awaits. The chaotic sea battles sing, though at times key events happen so quickly that they get lost in the shuffle as Jack tries to comprehend where he's going and what's at stake. This dark fantasy tale will appeal not just to pirate fans but also to anyone who appreciates Powers's talent for blending the most unlikely elements into a brilliantly cohesive whole."

Did any Pirates fans catch the Fountain of Youth reference in there? Those who saw At World's End will remember the not-so-subtle hint at the end that told us Jack Sparrow's next adventure would deal with the Fountain. The synopsis becomes even more interesting when one considers what we've already heard that William and Elizabeth Turner may not return. Will the characters from Powers' novel be woven in with Sparrow and whoever else joins him in this new movie? Will Blackbeard be conveniently replaced with Barbossa? Who knows, but it could be a very interesting plot decision, one that I would fully support. I haven't read any of Powers' work, but the book has very good reviews on Amazon, and a strong story from a well-reviewed book certainly shouldn't hurt the series, which became overly convoluted and, well, just plain bad in its second and third films.

Let's hope Disney can regain some of its former Black Pearl glory with On Stranger Tides. Keep the film focused on Sparrow and give us a good, simple plot to follow. That's the recipe for success, now Disney just needs to follow it.

Read the AP report at NYTimes.com here.

Film Preview: Where The Wild Things Are

If you had spent a day in the preschool classroom I taught this summer, it would've been easy to spot my favorite children's book. Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are is that book, and it will certainly be read to my own kids when I have them. It's that certainty that leaves me with very high hopes for Spike Jonze's upcoming film adaptation of Where The Wild Things Are, finally set for release on October 16.

I say "finally" because it hasn't exactly been a short road to that day. Where The Wild Things Are has been through a lot on its journey to release. John Lasseter actually headed up the project for Disney a long time ago. Check the test footage here. Obviously, that fell through, and Lasseter went on to direct a little movie called Toy Story, among others.

If you jump ahead quite a few years, and if you have an acute memory, you may remember seeing an early teaser trailer attached to Ron Howard's live action version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas, starring Jim Carrey. Yes, that was all the way back in 2000.

A lot has happened since then. Sendak apparently liked Jonze's earlier work, and deemed him the right director for the job. Following a dispute with Universal, however, Jonze decided to take the film to Warner Bros. and demonstrated to audiences that the teaser may have been a bit premature. Jonze co-wrote the screenplay with author Dave Eggers, and the film was on its way to finally becoming a reality.

Sadly, problems plagued the production of Where The Wild Things Are, especially after test footage was leaked, making many very skeptical of Jonze's vision for the film. Rumors abound of test audiences full of frightened children, a sign that maybe Jonze had to tone his film down a little in order to cater to target audiences (primarily kids, I would imagine).

Warner Bros. delayed the film an entire year from its originally-intended 2008 release date, bumping it to October 16, 2009. Where The Wild Things Are stars newcomer Max Records (who you may remember from this summer's indie The Brothers Bloom) as Max, the famous young man with a wolf suit who goes to bed without dinner and creates a world of his own. Catherine Keener plays his mother, and Mark Ruffalo plays his mother's new boyfriend.

The Wild Things are voiced by an ensemble cast that includes Forest Whitaker, Lauren Ambrose, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara, Chris Cooper and Paul Dano. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this new film is Jonze's choice to use practical costumes for the Wild Things' portrayal, with the help of computers to get their faces just right. It's nice to see a director who isn't afraid to use practical effects in place of CG these days.

Sendak has voiced his opinion on Jonze's film in a series of video featurettes created by Jonze. He says he loves Jonze's Where The Wild Things Are, and that the director has stayed true to the original work without being tied down to it.

I won't pass any judgment on the movie until I see it, but watching the Wild Things in the trailer is an absolute joy, and I can only imagine the theatrical experience. I've read that Jonze really tried to capture what it's like to be a nine-year-old kid, which is an interesting endeavor that I hope he succeeds at.

Most of all, however, I hope that the dark side of this story hasn't been compromised. I'm not sure if Jonze is a filmmaker who makes a movie and leaves it be (like Christopher Nolan) or the kind who never seems to be done tweaking his films (like George Lucas), but I'd love to see Jonze's original cut on some DVD special feature someday, just to witness what allegedly scared these children so badly. I'm confident that the dark side ("We'll eat you up!") will stay intact, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Again, Where The Wild Things Are opens on October 16. The teaser and trailer are available at the official site.

The Dress Saga: How to make money from a sarcastic letter

When the chips are down, always remember that it never hurts to write a letter.

Never was this clearer to me than on August 11, when my girlfriend triumphantly called me on the phone and told me that she had gotten a refund on her bridesmaid's dress.

For those of you who don't know, the "Dress Saga," as we call it, began back in May when my girlfriend received her mermaid-colored bridesmaid dress from David's Bridal. To start things off, it was the wrong size. Apparently the floor model was stretched or something like that. So, the shop offered to alter the dress for free. They butchered the alterations, however, replacing the zipper with loops that required a ribbon to lace up the dress. The loops went down far too low, making it a little inappropriate, especially for a wedding. It also had a sash.

In short, David's Bridal decided to make things as complicated as possible. They refused to do any more free alterations on the dress, leaving my girlfriend and her mother to do the necessary alterations themselves. David's Bridal never informed anybody regarding the alterations they were going to do, and the person handling the alterations didn't make things any easier.

That'll teach 'em for wanting stuff done right the first time.

We had the idea of writing a letter shortly thereafter. I put it off for awhile, and we actually tossed around the idea of hacking the dress to shreds with a pirate sword. When I actually did write a letter, my girlfriend decided to hold onto the dress for a little while longer, just in case we caught somebody's attention.

In the letter, we included the above information and more, with a lot more details and quite a bit of sarcasm thrown in. I wrote the early draft, my girlfriend's mother added in some clothing details that my male mind couldn't grasp, and her dad threw in a little extra helping of sarcasm, just for good measure.

My girlfriend addressed the letter to the David's Bridal president and CEO, and waited fro a reply. She later reported that she did receive a reply. Long story short, David's Bridal gave her a full refund (168.98), plus about a dollar because sales tax has gone up since then. It doesn't hurt make a little on the side.

The moral of the story is: write a letter. These companies know better than anyone that word of mouth can be a business killer. Trust me, a full refund isn't going to keep anybody quiet after this experience, but some extra cash isn't bad.

So, write a letter. You might even make some money.

Review Preview: Jet Force Gemini

Almost a decade ago, on October 11, 1999, famed video game developer Rare released an N64 third-person shooter called Jet Force Gemini to the public. Most gamers know Rare for hits like Goldeneye 007, Banjo-Kazooie, Perfect Dark and Donkey Kong 64, but Jet Force Gemini managed to fly under radar for the most part. Players take control of twins Juno and Vela, along with their dog Lupus, and follow them on their quest to rid the galaxy of Mizar, the leader of the bug armies.

I first heard of Jet Force Gemini when a friend showed me the "HotNewz 64" videotape he received with his monthly copy of Nintendo Power magazine back in junior high. The video is cringe-inducing to watch today, mostly because of the tape's host, but the Jet Force Gemini preview that is shown will still make you want to play the game. I managed to dig up the clip after a bit of searching, you can watch it here, courtesy of Gametrailers.com and user chaddie84. Watch the host's face.

I picked up the game as soon as I could, and it most definitely lived up to my expectations. Jet Force serves up a heaping mound of goo and gore, despite a surprising "Teen" rating. It also introduced me to cooperative gaming. A second player could take control of Floyd, a small hovering robot you put together partway through the game. Though player two was limited to hovering next to player one's head, the game was still a blast to play with a buddy. The action was fierce, the cinema scenes epic, the bosses colossal and the content surprisingly funny at times.

Sadly enough, however, I never actually beat Jet Force Gemini.

There comes a point in the game, after you beat Mizar for the first time, when you're ordered to scrounge the galaxy for parts to a ship, which happens to be fast enough to reach Mizar's asteroid base, which happens to be hurtling towards Earth. I found all the parts, save one...

A little background first. Amidst the action of Jet Force Gemini, these little guys are ever-present...

They're called "tribals," and they are the single biggest flaw in this game. Walking through them makes them disappear into a cloud of pretty sparkles, and the game considers them rescued. At first, we don't quite get the impact they'll have on the game's outcome. In fact, they're pretty fun to shoot, or better yet, explode into a cloud of crimson liquid.

However, the player quickly learns that, in order to retrieve the final ship part and access the final boss, he or she must save every single tribal in the entire game. That's 120 stages of being careful not to shoot the white teddy bears in the corner. Not an easy task, and not one that I ever saw the need to complete. I basically saw it as a cheap attempt to increase the game's longevity. It works in that regard, but in the most annoying way possible.

Flash forward 10 years, and here we are. I know what happens when you finally save all the tribals, and I also know the Mizar is widely considered to be the most difficult boss in the history of video games. I decided that, with the help of my brother, I'd like to finally go back and complete Jet Force Gemini. I'll finally have a review, 10 years overdue, whenever we complete our task.

It could be awhile.


Box shot courtesy of GameFAQS.
Tribal render image courtesy of Jet Force Gemini APEX.

Video Game Review: Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Developer: Rocksteady Studios
Publisher: Eidos Interactive Ltd.
Systems: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC
Release Date: August 25, 2009

Astute movie and video game fans may remember hearing Gary Oldman (Jim Gordon in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight) "confirm" a Dark Knight video game to G4 last year about three days after the movie's release. I was very skeptical, since most movie video games are released around the date of the movie upon which they are based, simply for publicity's sake.

Needless to say, the game never saw a release date, and details later surfaced regarding the reasons. Chalk it up to development problems on the part of Pandemic Brisbane, the studio hired to create the game.

Jump ahead to August 25, 2009. Rocksteady Studios releases Batman: Arkham Asylum to retailers. The result is most assuredly better than anything we could've hoped for in a game based on a movie. Actually, the result is quite jaw-dropping for a video game in general.

Conceptually (and very loosely) based on the graphic novel "Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth" by Grant Morrison and Dave McKean, Arkham Asylum the video game begins with Batman driving the Joker to Arkham in the Batmobile. Predictably enough, the Joker eventually takes over the asylum, and Batman jumps to the task at hand: liberating Arkham from the Joker and his thugs.

This game is a Batman fan's dream, through and through. The attention to detail exhibited by Rocksteady Studios is utterly astounding. Setting the game in Arkham allows them to veritably run wild with references and throwbacks to a wide range of villains from Batman's entire Rogues Gallery. I discovered several new villains I never even knew existed in the Bat-universe while playing through Arkham.

As far as gameplay is concerned, Arkham is appropriately varied throughout, with good helpings of brawling, stealth and puzzles. The fighting does get a little repetitive, but taking down bad guys never loses its appeal. This repetition does become a hindrance in boss battles, however. Throughout the game, the same mini-boss battle is repeated multiple times without much variation. Batman waits for the baddie to charge, tosses a Batarang, dodges, and goes to town on the disoriented thug. This isn't a huge problem, but a little more creativity would've been appreciated.

Beyond this flaw, the game shines throughout. The Joker's henchmen aren't too intelligent, but I will argue that this makes the game more fun to play. They have enough intelligent moments to make the game semi-believable, but they're also dumb enough to allow for some remarkably cool sneaking moves and takedowns. The stealth feels too easy sometimes, but it's always satisfying. Think of it like Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, only Batman has a much easier time beating the baddies if he's caught. There are usually many vantage points, and many ways to approach each room as well.

Batman's gadgets are a very welcome feature as well. The remote control Batarang never gets old, and the gadgets Batman acquires later in the game will make you want to explore the island even more before completion, just to put them to use. If only I could have Batman's zipline in real life.

Graphically, Arkham is a powerhouse, with beautifully detailed character models, impressive water effects and no noticeable dips in framerate. Arkham is a very gothic place, and Rocksteady has captured this motif brilliantly without overdoing it. The environments are impressively detailed, even though you'll be too busy battling through them to take much notice. There are a few graphical glitches here and there, but they are by no means game-breaking and certainly not always noticeable in the midst of the action.

At the end of the day, it's the production values that make Arkham Asylum a must-buy. This is a complete video game package if I've ever seen one. The voice actors all give solid performances, including Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy, reprising their iconic Animated Series roles as the Joker and Batman, respectively. Once the main quest is done and over with, the Riddler challenges and trophies should be next on any gamer's list. Finding all the collectibles and playing through the welcome Challenge Mode only further lengthen the time you'll be spending at Arkham.

We may not have gotten a Dark Knight game, but maybe that was for the better, because Batman: Arkham Asylum surpasses anything a movie-game could've achieved. Rocksteady had the entire Batman library at its fingertips, and chose not to skimp on any facet, making it a complete masterpiece of a game that shouldn't be missed.

If you somehow aren't a Batman fan after The Dark Knight, maybe Arkham Asylum will make one out of you. Give it a try.

My Score: 9.4 out of 10

All images from the Batman: Arkham Asylum official site.