Any anime that allows itself to be dubbed Bodacious Space Pirates in English would easily be scrutinized; after all, no one has used the word "bodacious" since Bill & Ted went on their last rockin' adventure in the 90s. The title will be forgiven, though, as this new anime series based on Yuuichi Sasamoto's light novel series has plenty to like.

Taking place in the not-so-distant future Bodacious Space Pirates follows young Marika Kato, who recently discovers that her mother and recently-deceased father were legal space pirates. Upon the father's death it has been revealed that his next of kin is to take his place as captain of the ship Bentenmaru. Worried that she might not be for the part Marika finds herself surrounded by those who knew her father well, as well as those who wish to either protect or harm her. One of those who wishes to keep her safe is Chiaki, a mysterious transfer student who has a sweet tooth for chocolate parfaits and explosives.

The Bentenmaru's Helmsman Kane McDougal finds himself in the position of being both Marika's homeroom teacher and advisor for her yacht club. It is in her club where she finds her natural knack for battling off cyber attacks on their ship the Odette II, and after a test run of the ship with her club members she discovers that within her is the urge to sail amongst the many stars. One question still remains: will Marika have what it takes to be captain of the Bentenmaru, or will she soon find herself walking the plank?

Surprisingly, for a show with a plethora of female characters, there is practically no fan-service to be found; a nice change of pace considering all the moé series that have suffocated the anime industry these past few years. What we are treated with is a nice coming-of-age tale about a young lady destined for a life of adventure. All the characters are likable, as the only guy who seems to be around Kane isn't a pervert and the tsundere character Chiaki easily shows her sweet side when given something tasty. The cel-shaded animation is run-of-the-mill, but it's quite colorful when it needs to be; the CGI ships are beautiful, looking like something from the latest Mass Effect game.

The strongest component in Bodacious Space Pirates has to be its score, created by production brand Elements Garden. It sounds as if the company did its homework, using classic Celtic music for the calmer areas of the series and strong orchestrations for the more intense scenes. Its opening theme, humorously titled "Bodacious Space Symphony's Movement VII: Infinite Love," has the voice actresses singing the stereotypical stuff about love and wishes that you find in just about every anime about girls, only this time it has Marty Friedman to do the guitar part in it. (Yes, that Marty Friedman!) The voice acting's pretty good, though it's what you'd expect for a series about anime space pirate girls.

All in all, after watching the first three episodes, Bodacious Space Pirates is turning out to be more fun to watch than I imagined it would be. The characters are believable, the animation's pretty good, and the music fits well with what's going on onscreen. It probably won't bump One Piece off the top of your Favorite Pirate Anime list, but there is smooth sailing for those looking for some good space pirate adventure time. Now to wait for someone to turn I Was Kidnapped By Lesbian Pirates From Outer Space into a cartoon...

Story: 8.5/10
Animation: 8.5/10
Seiyuu (voice actors/actresses): 7.5/10
Script: 8/10
Final Grade: 8/10

Bodacious Space Pirates can be viewed on Crunchyroll.

The B3 crew was able to chill out and watch some awesome MMA action brought to you by Cage Titans. We want to say thanks to Michael Polvere and the rest of the crew from Cage Titans for another great event held down in Plymouth Memorial Hall. They sold out the venue, and rocked out the house with some live music and -- of course -- some pretty sweet fights.

We bumped into Northeast MMA with Old School, which is always good to see them. We also got to see Nick Newell, and congratulate him on getting our Fighter of the Year award!

Preliminary Fights:

Brian Squadrille Vs. George Nassar: Squadrille defeats Nassar at 1:03 of the third round after a stoppage from the referee.

Tony Direnzo Vs. Nick Muto: Muto defeats Direnzo due to judges' unanimous decision. The crowd went nuts after this fight.

David Espino Vs. Matt Cardarelli: Cardarelli defeats Espino due to judges' unanimous decision. Most of the match was fought on the ground. It was certainly a power struggle on the ground.

Brian Sparrow Vs. Philip Martins: Sparrow defeats Martins via tap out submission two minutes into the first round. Sparrow's height played to his advantage in this match.

Mike Rodriguez Vs. Stephan Kimball: Rodriguez defeats Kimball with a knockout fifteen seconds into the match. Rodriguez would win Knockout of the Night for his match.

Dan Lopez Vs. Jamie Courtney: Fight did not happen, sad to say.

Jessie Pires Vs Remo Cardarelli: Cardarelli defeats Pires due to judges' unanimous decision. This was a great stand up fight, ending up on the ground for some close call submission attempts. Remo's family celebrated loudly to see the father and son win both of their fights on the card.

Jeff Hsu Vs. Ethan Wagner: Hsu defeats Wagner due to judges' unanimous decision. The match seemed to be a two-second stand up fight then ended up on the ground. Not too much happened, as it seemed to be just a struggle to get the top position.

Brandon Flemming Vs. Shannon Soares: Flemming defeats Soares due to judges' unanimous decision. Flemming dominated the whole match.

Main Card:

Bobby Flynn Vs. Peter Barrett (155 lbs Amateur Title): Flynn defeats Barrett for the title with a arm bar submission within 22 seconds of the first round. The crowd was stunned by the match's results.

Kurt Chase-Patrick Vs. Rico Disciullo (135 lbs Amateur Title): Chase-Patrick defeats Disciullo for the title via ankle lock submission at 1:47 into the second round. Matt Doherty from Team Pradal Serey challenges Chase-Patrick for the title right after.

Lucas Cruz Vs. Jared Roy: Cruz defeats Roy via rear naked choke submission 30 seconds into the second round. His family was celebrating a bit too loud to really enjoy this match.

Johnny Kim Vs. Dat Tran: Tran defeats Kim via referee stopping the match at 2:30 due to multiple knee hits to body and head. Tran walked away from the fight with bloody knees.

"Sloppy" Joe Lamourex Vs. Shawn Baker: "Sloppy" Joe defeats Baker via submission 1:27 in the first round.

Barrington Douse Vs. Jimmy Davidson: Davidson defeats Douse via tapout submission at the 4:53 mark in the first round.

After a break, the Bastards regroup for an all-new episode.

This week the B3 crew look at the demos for UFC Undisputed 3, The Darkness 2, and Quarrel, and Blueonic shares his reasons why Call of Juarez: The Cartel is such an awful game! Anvil gives his weekly sports report, the Bastards give their Super Bowl picks, and reveal a special bet they have made with Toronto rockers Hunter Valentine on what happens if their Patriots win or lose. An Oh For Fuck's Sake about annoying people in the movie theater is thrown on the table, and Contraband and Haywire are both reviewed.

Don't tap out just yet! It's Episode 126: Thank You, Gina, May I Have Another?

It's hard not to be hypnotized by a game like Trine 2. A title filled with much beauty and wonderment, this sequel to the moderately successful 2009 game from Atlus and Frozenbyte knows how to dazzle any gamer by its sheer looks alone. Once you get past the gorgeousness of Trine 2 you'll find yourself head-on with one of the most clever puzzle games released in years.

Trine 2 has you re-teaming your old friends from the first game: Zoya the thief, Pontius the knight, and Amadeus the wizard. They are called upon once again by the Trine, and are sent out on a quest to search for clues regarding the mysteries behind the black magic in the forest. Throughout the game players will have to solve puzzles in order to reach the next section of the game, while at the same time defeat any goblins and other mystical creatures that want to keep you from finding out too much about what's really happening in the forests.

Players can switch between characters at any time during gameplay, as each character has its own uses. Pontius is good with combat, along with breaking through rock walls. Zoya can reach bigger heights with her grapple rope, and can use her bow for long-ranged attacks. Amadeus -- the weakest of the three -- can use his magic to pick up heavy objects, as well as conjure up boxes and planks for helping get across long ranges. As the game progresses you will be able to unlock new abilities and weapon upgrades for each of your character such as hammer throw and fire arrows.

All these abilities come in handy when it comes to the puzzle aspect of the game, where the only way to solve them is to really think outside the box. Sometimes you will have to use just about every character's abilities in order to solve one of these puzzles. You'll find yourself turned upside-down when sometimes the answer to the hardest puzzle in the game can be right in front of your eyes. If you ever worry that a solution to a puzzle might need an upgrade you haven't unlocked yet, your fears will be put to rest; you can reset any upgrades and reorganize them however you want them to be.

Combating against goblin foes can be fun, not to mention open-ended. You can either take the easy route and have Pontius slay them all with his sword and hammer, or you can use Amadeus and fling the goblins into natural hazards with the grab option (once you unlock it). Having said that there isn't much variety when it comes to combat. However the boss battles can put you at the edge of your seat, especially when you come face-to-face with the final boss in Trine 2.

So much can be said about the graphics. It's one of those rare moments where you wish you can see a game like this on a giant movie screen and in 3D, as the beauty in Trine 2 is truly unmatched by any other downloadable title out there. Its worlds, characters, and plants are a real treat for the eyes, and look almost as good as the Navi planet in Avatar. Matching the world with its beauty is Ari Pulkkinen's score, which sounds like something you'd hear in any recent Peter Jackson movie. The voice acting could've used a bit of work, though, especially Zoya's. Its script, however, can be hilarious at times.

Trine 2 will probably take you about eleven hours to complete on your own, although it might be quicker if you play online co-op mode. The downside to beating the game is that there isn't any extra gaming modes to play in; a shame considering there could've been so much more you could do with a great title like this. (Maybe if a third one is made, they can try something like Create-A-Puzzle mode.)

PROS:

• Fantastic puzzles and gameplay elements
• Outstanding visuals and soundtrack
• Online co-op mode is tons of fun

CONS:

• Battling goblins lacks variety
• No extra game modes
• Voice acting is kinda on the meh side

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Trine 2 is one of the most fun puzzle adventure titles I've played in recent memory. A true thinking man's game, Trine 2 will have your brain work out every possible solution to each puzzle you come across. Trine 2 will leave gamers with a smile thanks to its strong gameplay elements, beautiful visuals, and a great story that will leave you wanting to come back for more.

FINAL GRADE: 9.2 (out of ten)

While the press event for Cage Titans: Invasion was happening, Blueonic and Anvil decided to do some practice drills in the (former) Tapout Training Center's cage. But what happens when Cage Titans owner Michael Polvere wants in on the action?

Yasmina Reza has made it a career of writing plays that focus on friends and/or couples at a breaking point of their lives, whether it is caused by a white-on-white painting (Art) or a dinner gone downhill (Life X 3). In God of Carnage, currently being performed at Boston's BU Theater by the Huntington Theatre Company, Reza takes two couples who meet for the first time and pushes them to the brink of destruction. You can just cut the hilarious tension with a steak knife.

Alan and Annette Raleigh (Brooks Ashmanskas and Christy Pusz) meet with Veronica and Michael Novak (Johanna Day and Stephen Bogardus), regarding the Raleigh child knocking the teeth out of the Novak kid with a stick. What was supposed to be a quick visit turns into a downward spiral filled with screaming matches, booze, the plight of a scared hamster, and even a bit of vomit. Discussions of gang violence pride and Neanderthal ways from the men give way to the state of mind the two couples really have considering the matter. It's when Annette gets sick all over Veronica's books where the real side of the couples are shown, and opening the liquor cabinet doesn't glaze over any details.

From that point the couples are at each other's throats, and at times the husbands go against the wives. Once it's clear who each person sides with on the subject at hand the true nature of the two couples breaks out of its straight jacket and pounces without hesitation. After the men label their kids "little bastards" the women leave a sort of emotional wreckage that can be compared to watching two apes battling over a ripe banana. Alan, meanwhile, cannot focus on what really matters at the moment, as he is constantly on the phone with a pharmaceutical company his law firm represents. Once the phone is taken away by Annette (and what she does with it right afterwards) he falls apart in a way that is both comical and sympathetic.

In a way God of Carnage showcases the everyday problems we face as human beings. Sometimes you'll find yourself squirming in your seat, as a moment or story in one of these character's lives might remind you of a similar life experience. It's when Reza pushes these human emotions to the extreme where the real laughs come in. The expression on Veronica's face when Michael goes deep into detail about how he left his daughter's hamster out of his cage and into this frightening world is nothing short of a riot, and when she takes away his Spartacus-inspired manhood it hits the proverbial nail on the head as to who the real coward of the family is.

The anger from the cast throughout the play is strong, but it is thankfully coated over with Reza's trademark wit and humor. You'll find yourself cringing and laughing at the same time, sometimes for different reasons than the counterparts sitting around you. Special mention should be given to set designer Dane Laffrey, who brought out a post-modern look to the Novak household with a rich but simplistic style. The staircases the actors walk up and down are reminiscent of Escher's classic painting, and the stacks of art books that cover the stage just show a tiny characteristic of Veronica's truly whacked-out mindset.

If there's one thing Reza is good at, it's making her characters tense and miserable for the sheer enjoyment of the theatergoers. God of Carnage is no exception to her special craft. Two couples come together to settle the differences between their two children, only to find out their behavior is less grown up than their kids'. It's the type of dark humor that opens your eyes to your own actions, but also tickles your funny bone when you realize these couples' lives are far worse than anything you will possibly experience in your lifetime.

**** (out of five)

"God of Carnage" is playing through February 5 at the BU Theater, located at 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA. Click here for tickets.

Photos taken from the official Huntington Theatre Company website

If one was to compare the Uncharted series to anything, it would certainly be the Indiana Jones of video games. From its jaw-dropping gameplay and visuals to the various twists and turns players discover in the series, the adventures of Nathan Drake always manages to leave people wide-eyed and clamoring for more. At the end of last year his latest journey Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception was brought to PS3 owners across the world, continuing on with its trend of extreme treasure hunting that would make any Discovery Channel host envious.

The game starts off with Nathan and his mentor Sully trading Nate's ring to Talbot for cash. After accusations of counterfeit bills Nathan and Sully discover the real buyer of the ring: Katherine Marlowe, who twenty years before had tried to steal the same ring, only fourteen year-old Nathan got to it before her. The ring, as it turns out, holds the key to the secret treasure of Sir Francis Drake. Along with Charlie Cutter and their old friend Chloe Frazer, the four of them set out to find the truth behind Sir Drake's secret quest for Queen Elizabeth. When Marlowe and Talbot use their powers to thwart our heroes' journey, it takes every bullet, any form of transportation, and all the breath in their lungs to reach the peak of their adventure, but what happens when the treasure they seek out isn't the one they imagined?

Throughout Uncharted 3 you will find yourself solving puzzles that will lead you closer to Drake's hidden treasure, with each puzzle harder than the last. From cranking contraptions to piecing puzzles together each puzzle you will come across will take much time and effort to complete, with the reward at the end sometimes involving Marlowe's henchmen trying to take you down. For that you can use guns, grenades, missile launchers, and your own bare hands to take down any enemy that you face. At times you'll have to think quickly and run away from dangerous waters, crumbling building, and creepy spiders that only wish to kill you if they get close enough.

There are times when the control scheme of the game can be a little bit confusing. Hiding behind walls and reloading your weapons may take a bit of time to figure out, but in the long run moving around Nathan and taking down Marlowe's henchmen is quite easy. If you've played the first two Uncharted games, then you probably won't have any issue with the controlling aspect of it. Those who are new to the franchise, however, will be in need of a bit of practice.

The one thing you can always count on for the Uncharted series is that it will keep its gamers drawn in with its story and dialogue, and Drake's Deception is no exception. Here we see a story told with many great plot-twists, heart-stopping moments, and some of the best action sequences of the year. You feel for Nathan Drake the same way you would feel for, say, Robert Downey, Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes or -- the more obvious one -- Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones, and you also learn about his past in a way that makes him more human. Hearing the banter between Nolan North (Drake) and Richard McGonagle (Sully) is at times a riot, with a sort of Gibson/Glover Lethal Weapon vibe in the way they deliver their lines. Like Arkham City, Drake's Deception easily draws in the attention of gamers and movie buffs alike. The epic John Williams-like score from composers Greg Edmonson, Azam Ali, and Clint Bajakian alone will pull you into Nathan Drake's realm.

The Achille's Heel in Uncharted 3, however, is the graphics. These worlds you visit -- from Yemen to Colombia -- are gorgeous, no doubt, and the vehicles and characters you meet and play look great. Using motion capture, Naughty Dog was able to use true reactions to events that happen around Nathan Drake. At times I thought the characters moved in a more true-to-life fashion than the recent Robert Zemeckis films, but not without issues. Case in point, in Chapter 17 (where Nathan battles through many henchmen on the plane he snuck on) I found Nathan stuck in one of the plane's crates, a sheer feat considering that there was no way for your character to get into the wooden boxes. I had to start from the previous checkpoint many times because of my character's glitchy ability to get stuck in impossible places, and while there should be an update fixing that issue coming soon it still irked me that these glitches were there to begin with.

The single-player game will take you around ten hours to complete on Easy Mode, but there is plenty to go back to after you beat it. Throughout almost each level there are more hidden treasures to discover, and with the Level Select section of Single Player mode you will be able to revisit them and relive your favorite moments from the game. Whether it's the opening barroom brawl scene or escaping the sinking cruise ship there are plenty of instances of the game that you will want to try again. There is, as well, the multiplayer aspects of the game.

Uncharted 3 has your usual Team Deathmatch/Free For All modes that you see in many first-person shooters, not to mention a Capture-The-Flag-styled treasure match called Plunder, but it's the co-op areas that keep the game shining. Co-op Adventure Hunter Arena will not only have you facing off against endless amounts of enemy AIs, but also real players found on the web. Then there is Co-op Adventure, which will have you and up to two others online or friends in the same room as you take on a five-chapter story mode that features areas from both Among Thieves and Drake's Deception. There is plenty to go back to when you've reached the Uncharted 3's end credits.

PROS:

• Breathtaking story, visuals, soundtrack
• Great amount of puzzles and gun battles
• Multiplayer modes come in the bucketload

CONS:

• Character animations can sometimes be unnatural
• Learning some of the survival tactics will take some time for Uncharted newbies

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Uncharted 3 is another reason why video games should be looked at the same way as motion pictures. The story, characters, and worlds you will visit in the game are awe-inspiring, and it helps that the gameplay elements and puzzles add onto the wonderment of this title. Its multiplayer aspects almost guarantee that you'll be revisiting this game many times. If you own a PS3, then there is no reason why Drake's Deception shouldn't be in your library, even if you haven't played the first two Uncharted games.

FINAL GRADE: 9.7 (out of 10)

The three Bastards and Bastette-In-Training rev one up filled with tangents and topics galore!

This week the B3 crew review Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Green Lantern, and Colombiana, and King Baby Duck gives a rundown of the demos Final Fantasy XIII-2, EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis 2, Asura's Wrath, Amy, and Choplifter HD. Anvil gives his weekly sports report, and a quick look at one of 2011's best albums from The Knux.

Buckle up your seatbelt! It's Episode 125: I'll Show You A Ghost Protocol!

Just when you thought Dead Island couldn't get any bigger, its publisher has announced a new storyline for your zombie goodness.

On January 31st on the PS3 (February 1st on Xbox 360) a new mission-based DLC pack will be released for Dead Island. The Ryder White DLC campaign will have players see the game through the main antagonist's eyes, experiencing the biggest events on the island of Banoi.  This single player campaign will feature several hours of gameplay, as well as a few brand new weapon blueprints.

“I always like to think of antagonist characters not as evil, but simply….misunderstood,” Deep Silver's evil Marketing & PR Tarantula Aubrey Norris argued while sharpening her talons and drinking the blood of the innocent from a jewel encrusted chalice.  “Ryder White was obviously suffering from a massive case of beast mood in Dead Island, and I think it’s only fair we got to learn his side of the story.”

Dead Island’s Ryder White DLC will be available on January 31, for $9.99 on PS3 and on February 1, 2012, for 800 MSP/$9.99 on Xbox LIVE and Steam.

If there's one thing anime tends to never run out of, it's cat girls. From Moonphase and Soul Eater to Outlaw Star and even the old Sonic The Hedgehog movie there is always at least one cat girl character to bring about the fan service. In 2010 an anime series premiered by the name of Asobi ni Ikuyo: Bombshells from the Sky, which will be released by FUNimation this year under the title Cat Planet Cuties. Does it bring anything new to the "nekomimi" world, or is it just another shameful attempt to cash in on another harem boobfest?

Cat Planet Cuties follows a young man named Kakazu, who one day runs into a girl named Elis wearing cat ears and a tail. At first Kakazu thinks she's cosplaying, but soon he finds out that Elis is an alien from the planet Catian, and is on a mission to learn the ways of Earth for her planet. Meanwhile Kakazu's two close friends Aoi and Manabi have kept a secret from him: they both work for different areas of the government (Aoi with the Immigration Bureau of Japan, Manabi the CIA), and at first are ordered to capture Elis. However after careful consideration (and the fact that both Aoi and Manabi have crushes on Kakazu) the two decide to go against their factions and help Elis out with her ordeals.

Like most alien-based anime series, it is a give-in that the alien protagonist that has the spotlight shown on them will more or less be oblivious to the goings-on of their new areas, and will just about every time misinterpret just about everything imaginable. Elis is no exception to this rule, who takes clothing advice from the porn magazines Kakazu hides underneath his bed and has no understanding of common sense laws throughout Japan. Sometimes the humor works, but other times it seems to be fan-service for the sake of fan-service. One example of a hit-or-miss sequence comes from Aoi and Manabi trying to rescue one of Elis's robots (known as Assist-A-Roids) literally as soon as they get out of the shower, ending with Kakazu being beaten up for pointing out their lack of clothing outside. Perhaps you have to be in the right mood to watch it, but I found their expressions hilarious.

One big issue I have with the show is that all signs point to it being yet another harem anime. It's not that I don't like harem series (they're the reason why I got into anime comedy), but there's just so many uninspired ones that don't take the proper steps to be original. I'm not sure where Bombshells From The Sky will be taking its love square, but from what I've seen so far I can only expect a bit of blandness in the romance department. (So long as it doesn't end the same way Motto To-Love-Ru did, I'll be okay with just about any storyline twist.) I also noticed a drop in the visual quality of the series starting in Episode Six, though what I saw lasted just a couple seconds. The show's action sequences are pretty-well drawn, though, so you won't be disappointed when the guns come blazing and swords start clashing.

When I was told about Cat Planet Cuties, they had said to expect humor in the same vein as Excel Saga. Unfortunately that's not what I discovered here. Sure, the series has its funny moments, but it doesn't reach the insane levels that Nabeshin was able to climb up to. Nevertheless I will be curious to see how FUNimation dubs this series, and if they plan to make any changes in the dialogue area to make it funnier. For what it's worth, Bombshells From The Sky is pretty entertaining, but only to a point. It's nowhere near a letdown like most of the recent harem anime comedies, but I'm hoping that they up the ante a bit in the originality factors in later episodes (especially in the running gag department).

** ½ (out of five)

You can watch Cat Planet Cuties on Crunchyroll before it's released by FUNimation this year.

A brand-new year, a brand-new episode!

This week King Baby Duck and Anvil share what they did over the break, jump right into the week of sports, and discuss their thoughts on Brock Lesner’s retirement announcement and Cris Cyborg’s steroid scandal. The new NFL Blitz game is put on the table, and the Kinect demos for Kung Fu: High Impact and Motionsports: Adrenaline are analyzed. Another chapter of the MBTA Oh For Fuck’s Sake! is put into the book, and Anvil does an actual anime review this time around for the classic Baki The Grappler.

Fresh out of the oven, it’s Episode 124: Once A Bitch, Always A Canuck!

Still not convinced about our top 20 albums list? Then this episode is for you!

King Baby Duck spins a song from each of the top album picks of this year. What morsels of musical treats will be oozing out of your speakers in today's program?

1. Asobi Seksu - Trails (from the album Fluorescence)
2. Flogging Molly - The Power's Out (from the album Speed Of Darkness)
3. VERBAL - CHANGE CHANGE [feat. Nicki Minaj] (from the album Visionair)
4. Cheeseburger - Party Song (from the album Another Big Night Down the Drain)
5. American Water - Old Best Friend (from the album This Is Where It Ends)
6. Evanescence - Made of Stone (from the album Evanescence)
7. The Go! Team - Secretary Song (from the album Rolling Blackouts)
8. R.E.M. - It Happened Today (from the album Collapse into Now)
9. Flash Bang Grenada - I Can Teleport (from the album 10 Haters)
10. the pillows - Movement (from the album Horn Again)
11. Foster The People - Don't Stop (Color On The Walls) (from the album Torches)
12. The Knux - Run [feat. Kid Cudi] (from the album Eraser)
13. TsuShiMaMiRe - French Toast Rendezvous (from the album Giving Blood)
14. Dropkick Murphys - Hang 'Em High (from the album Going Out in Style)
15. Beastie Boys - Lee Majors Come Again (from the album Hot Sauce Committee Part Two)
16. The Decemberists - Don't Carry It All (from the album The King Is Dead)
17. The Black Keys - Gold On The Ceiling (from the album El Camino)
18. Foo Fighters - White Limo (from the album Wasting Light)
19. Tom Waits - Hell Broke Luce (from the album Bad As Me)
20. Fucked Up - Life In Paper (from the album David Comes To Life)

The Boston Bastard Brigade kindly encourages you to support these artists, and buy their songs/album. You can find the majority of these releases on JapanFiles, CDJapan.co.jp, Amazon.com, iTunes, the bands' official websites and (in some cases) at your local record stores.

10. Foster The People - Torches

Months before their debut album dropped, Foster The People already made their mark this year with the dark and catchy “Pumped Up Kicks.” Fortunately the rest of Torches is also solid gold, from the head-bopping “Don’t Stop (Color On The Walls)” and the psychedelic “Miss You” to the boogie-inducing “Houdini.” Here’s hoping they can keep up this dance-crazed trend for their next album.

9. The Knux - Eraser

True rockstars in the rap world, The Knux made their return without suffering from the sophomore slump. You’ll be head-banging and break-dancing at the same time with the help of such tracks as “She’s So Up” and the eighties-inspired “Maniac,” while “Razorblade” perfectly meshes together the styles of classic rap with The Stooges. Collaborations with Kid Cudi (“Run”) and Natalia Kills (“1974”) act as the icing on this hip hop cake. They may not want to be famous (as mentioned in “Fame-Us”), but releasing an album like Eraser shows that they might not have a choice in that matter.

8. TsuShiMaMiRe - Giving Blood

How does this Japanese punk trio manage to keep getting better and better? Released on their own label TsuShiMaMiRe pushes themselves to the edge and back with such tracks as “Sonate de Alarm” and “Sky High,” and sings the most punk rock song about food (“French Toast Rendevous”) since Shonen Knife sang about banana chips. Their redo of “Na-mellow” is one for the books, with Yayoi’s bass sounding meaner than it ever has before. My advice: be sure you have an extra pair of pants in arm’s reach before listening to Giving Blood, for you might just explode from the album’s sheer insanity.

7. Dropkick Murphys - Going Out In Style

When the Boston bad boys kick the bucket, they want their funeral to be the biggest celebration the hub has ever seen. From its opening march into battle “Hang Em High” to the mandolin-strumming “Take ‘Em Down” the Murphys know how to get a true Irish party started. Ken Casey and company also managed to grab an unknown singer by the name of Bruce Springsteen for their rendition of “Peg O’ My Heart” that will have you singing from the top of your lungs. Going Out In Style celebrates the life and death of a fictional character named Cornelius Larkin, but after listening to this album you’ll swear he was a friend of your family.

6. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two

Do they ever cease to amaze? After 30 years the Beastie Boys continue to change the rules of the rap game, thanks in part to their outside-the-box sampling and original rhymes. Tracks like “Nonstop Disco Powerpack” and “Funky Donkey” will put a smile on your face for their names alone, but fortunately the beats and lyrics are as fresh as ever.  Even their turn at Bollywood style in “Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win” with Santigold brings forth another winning formula. With all the punk, jazz, and rock fusions that appear in Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, it’s a sure sign that the Beastie Boys can do no wrong. Let’s hope that Part One will appear in some form in the near-future.

5. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead

After doing two back-to-back concept albums (The Crane’s Wife and The Hazards of Love) the Portland natives decided to do a more straight-forward album this year. The outcome: their best album to date. From the harmonica-heavy “Don’t Carry It All” and the soft-spoken “January Hymn” to the heart-stopping sounds of “Calamity Song” and “Down By The Water” Colin Meloy and friends show that their hearts and souls are in a warm, unique place. The King Is Dead, long live The Decemberists.

4. The Black Keys - El Camino

Teaming up with Danger Mouse again the Black Keys let their hair down and made a record that sounded fun to make as it is to listen. Your feet will start tapping during “Lonely Boy,” your hips will shake while “Gold On The Ceiling” plays, and by the time “Hell of a Season” hits your entire body will have succumbed to the groove of El Camino. The White Stripes may have officially broken up, but Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have showed us that The Black Keys were the garage blues rock rulers all along.

3. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

Dave Grohl and company toured the world, took truck stop showers to a whole ‘nother level, and faced off against Westboro Baptist Church in the best way possible. They also released the best album of their careers, produced by Butch “Yes, he also produced Nevermind” Vig. The end result: heavy rock (“White Limo,” “Bridge Burning”), great ballads (“I Should Have Known,” “Walk”) and one hell of a single in the form of “Rope.” (The deadmau5 remix is worth a listen, bringing the track to fun, sadomasochistic levels.) Wasting Light has shown that rock was never dead to begin with; it was just planning an epic sneak attack on the music world.

2. Tom Waits - Bad As Me

On the day Bad As Me was announced America had the weirdest earthquake happen on the East Coast, a sure sign that our planet was nervous about not being cool enough for Tom Waits anymore. Worry not, as the king crooner still thinks it is. From its train-riding opener “Chicago” and the hip-swinging “Get Lost” to the grooving “Satisfied” Mr. Waits proved yet again at no mere mortal can compete with the likes of him. The war-cry known as “Hell Broke Luce” just may be the best track of 2011, a decree that neither God or the Devil can argue against. Welcome back, Tom. We missed you dearly.

1. Fucked Up - David Comes To Life

The most complex, catchy, and all-around jaw-dropping album of the year. The Toronto sextet is known to go against the grains of punk rock, but they upped the ante this time around with a rock opera focused on a light bulb factory worker who loses his beloved in a tragic explosion. Filled with betrayal, tragedy, and hope David Comes To Life is the breath of fresh air the music industry has needed these past couple years, and it helps that the album is chock full of great sing-along tracks like “Queen of Hearts,” “The Other Shoe,” and “Ship of Fools.” Even more impressive were the character singles and David’s Town compilation released to build up the existence of the faux town known as Byrdesdale Spa, UK. With so many layers and chapters to cover within the LP and its companion pieces, the world of David Comes To Life was, indeed, brought to life in this year’s best album. Sorry Green Day, but your reign as punk opera kings is over!

What are your thoughts on the year of music? Any albums I missed that you thought deserved to be on here? Speak your mind, and post below!

Pro Fighter of the Year:

Nick Newell (6-0)

Amateur Fighter of the Year:

Kody Nordby (4-0)

Fight Of The Year:

Matt Doherty (4-4) vs Rico DiSciullo (5-1): Matt Doherty wins via submission (rear naked choke)

Coach Of The Year:

Saroeum Phoung (TPS)

Manager Of The Year:

Michael Strazzere (TPS)

Promotion Of The Year:

Cage Titans FC

Ring Girls Of The Year:

Cage Titans FC Ring Girls (Kellyann, Karissa and Katryna)

Clothing Brand Of The Year:

Get Punched

Photographer Of The Year:

Rich O's Photography

This was a great year for New England MMA. I want to say congrats to all the winners this year, including Michael Polvere from Cage Titans FC, Get Punched owner Matt Beauchemin for putting out such great products, and Rich O'Sullivan of RichO's Photography. We are all looking forward to a great 2012 for local MMA.

MY FINGERS ARE ON FIRE!!!!!

After watching this video I have to say that's pretty damn true about learning how to play guitar. (Sadly you can't kick down the walls to other people playing, but that is damn cool!) It might take me a bit to get used to Rocksmith due to the fact that the fingertips on my left hand are burning from playing the game. It's been awhile since I've gotten to sit down and pluck away like this on a guitar.

This is the setup that I have been waiting for. When the first Guitar Hero game came out, I thought it was the worse invention ever. The time that kids spent playing that game could have actually been put towards learning how to play real guitar. Back in 2010 I saw a glimmer of hope at PAX East where a company was selling a electronic device you could hook up to your guitar, but you could only play those chords in order to get it to work with the Guitar Hero or Rock Band games. Power Gig also featured an awesome idea with the actual guitar as a controller. However I did not get the game due to the lack of money at the time and I heard there were a bit of issues with the game.

Now the idea I had back in 2010 was to get something to go from the quarter-inch to USB, but no one had made it and I was going to go to my electronics route to see if I could do it. Again, time restraints and money held me back. I've learned, thought, if you're patient and wait for things to come to you, they will eventually show up. Ubisoft did just that with their quarter-inch plug to USB. You can take any and all guitars with the electric capabilities and your freakin' golden!

I was lucky that I had my father's Gibson Epiphone lying around collecting dust. All I had to do was plug in the guitar, and they helped me tune it through their special tuner screen. Then BAM! I started with finding out how to pluck some strings and hitting the notes when they are on the screen. Right off the bat they started me with the Rolling Stones classic "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." I played that for a little while, then it was off to play The Black Keys' track "Next Girl," which is an awesome song. It's really interesting how to get your self situated in the game, like when you feel like you're going to mess up each time. Once you get the flow going, and you start playing the songs more and more, Rocksmith actually registers. If you get better it tosses in a couple more notes than your previous playthrough, or if it see you doing bad it backs down on some of the notes.

I did want to record how I was playing, but I don't have the proper recording capabilities; next to that probably the things that would be coming out of my mouth would've been absolutely hilarious. It's probably not a good thing to show how crappy I was doing. I'm not going to lie: I have been playing with the single cord setup. In the game you can select what you want to play, whether it's single chord or multiple chords. I was able to get this game to my nephew, who is a maniac on the guitar. He was playing damn good, and I'm happy that he's got this game because this will improve his guitar skills.

If you don't have your own guitar, you can buy the Gibson Epiphone Junior Edition

The real problem I was having with Rocksmith was when I was researching other reviews before I bought the game, I found  a lot of the reviews were leaning toward the negative side. The big thing that got me was that the person had bought the game thinking his younger kids were going to pick it up and love the game. However, kids are kids: they are going to pick up the game, play it for all of five minutes, and toss it aside. Be warned: you have to watch out for reviews sometimes because people will go all out to say a game sucks because their kids don't like it, or because they suck at the game themselves. (Next to that, if you get any rental setup of games -- or even the game demos on the system you play -- give it a try until you buy. You'll be much happier and you won't have a pile of games you don't want.)

Tuner set up for the guitar

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Rocksmith is definitely a leap in the right direction for interactive gaming. It's a challenge to play, which is awesome because it teaches you how to actually play a guitar. Your hand-eye coordination starts taking into effect, but I'm not sure into the memory aspect of playing the song. I feel that when you play a song you have to be interested in the music in order to care about it. I'm not saying that all the songs they have on the playlist and download aspect, but it's fun to learn different songs. When you get to that point, you'll be able to add your own style when you start to play on your own. This game is based on rehearsing, then going out onto a stage and playing in front of an audience. It's definitely an interesting twist and different from Rock Band, where they just kind of toss you out on stage so you get humiliated and don't want to play the game anymore. This one helps you learn the song before you go on the stage. Next to that it gives you the capabilities of going over the tougher parts of the music via slow succession. A game like Rocksmith has been something I've been waiting for a long-ass time. It's the most realistic piece of musical gaming you can buy today.

The playlist selection is awesome!

I hope that Ubisoft will be coming out with even more music-based titles, or at least have an add-on with the bass aspect. I have to add a special request, due to the fact that I have a specific instrument: I want them to do some of the songs from Mumford & Sons so I can learn how to play the banjo parts of their tracks. Yes, I own a freakin' banjo, as well as an auto harp. (Don't judge me!) I think with what they have done with Rocksmith has brought a totally different aspect of the music games. So Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and Power Gig: Eat your hearts out!

PROS:

• You can use any electric guitar you please!
• It shows you the words to the song to sing along
• Great surround sound
• Awesome playlist and downloads
• Multiple pedals to change the sound
• AMP section play on your own
• Good rehearsal modes

CONS:

• My fingers hurt!!!
• Getting used to where the number frets and strings are
• Menu is a bit tough to navigate
• Doesn't have Slash album, but does have Velvet Revolver
• No, you can't use a banjo or 12-stringed guitars!

FINAL GRADE: 9.7 (out of 10)

Game: Rocksmith
Company: Ubisoft
System: PC, PS3, Xbox 360

PS: Here is the playlist for the most part (Provided by Rocksmith):

Here are more videos on Rocksmith to check it out:

When it comes to influential mangaka, Go Nagai ranks near the top with the likes of Monkey Punch and Osamu Tezuka. Many of his series that include Devilman, Cutie Honey, Getter Robot, and Violence Jack have been dubbed classics by the Japanese comic industry. His most popular of his works -- at least in Japan -- is a horror comedy called Dororon Enma-Kun, which found itself being remade into a brand-new anime series called Dororon Enma-kun MeeraMera. The real question, however, is whether or not this ecchi comedy is still relevant in the anime world.

Dororon follows the adventures of Enma-kun, the leader of the Demon Patrol, and his cohorts Yukiko the Ice Princess and Kapperu the not-very-helpful water nymph. Discovered by the human Harumi (who replaces Tsutomu, the original human protagonist) the trio decide to unofficially let their new friend join their quest to battle all the escaped demons throughout the world; when I say the rest of the world I mean just Japan. Together the Demon Patrol face off against evil, bad puns, and the inevitable fan-service moments that get the perverted Enma-kun in more trouble than he can ever ask for.

Produced by Brain's Base (who also animated such instant classics as Durarara!! and Spice & Wolf II) the animation style stays true to the original manga, only crisper and much more heavily detailed. The show shines brightly, especially during the action sequences. While there is the usual stock footage reusing technique found during Enma-kun's final maneuver, it's still cool to watch each time. It brings to mind how they revamped Yatterman a couple years ago, where the only thing they had to worry about was modernizing everything from its 1970s counterpart. (Dororon's remake took a more cautious approach, having it being set in its original timeframe.) The voice acting is standout, too, and it's funny to hear Kappei Yamaguchi bring to life such a perverted character, considering he's better known in America as L from the Death Note anime.

When it comes to the show's overall plotline there isn't much to discuss. A monster-of-the-week series each episode features a similar guideline: a demon appears, wrecks havoc throughout Japan, followed by the Demon Patrol intervening and defeating the demon, only to discover that each of these monsters that appear are connected somehow by an unknown assailant. Also you cannot forget about some fan-service here and there throughout. While some of the more ecchi humor seems to be there for the sake of ecchi humor and nothing else, Dororon has enough good, classic humor to both balance it off and be forgiven for its perverted ways. (In one instance there is a ghost that transforms everyone he touches into round fatties, which lead into some silly sight gags that even include an abrupt halt to the Vietnam War.) After all, this is Go Nagai we're talking about, the mangaka who perfected the ecchi comedy series.

Sadly we live in a much different time than when Dororon Enma-kun was first brought to the world. Back in the 1970s this sort of perverted humor was so far and few between that it was considered a breath of fresh air to those wanting a good, unique laugh. Unfortunately here in the 21st century every mangaka and their grandmother has created an ecchi comedy, forcing Nagai's original work to be cast into an ocean of really bad imitators. A real shame, considering that many of these perverted comedies lack the key ingredient that both Go Nagai and Dororon have kept intact after all these years: the ability to be clever in its comedic delivery. It's this trait that luckily keeps this series above those tired waters, and while nowhere near unique this anime winds up being both funny and entertaining.

There is some good news, however: Americans will be able to see the new Dororon Enma-Kun series sometime next year, as it has been licensed for release by NIS America. While it may not win any awards anytime soon -- nor will it be a standout hit when it's unleashed to these United States -- you can bet that this redo of a classic series will keep you laughing throughout its thirteen episode run. Just don't expect it to be a thinking man's kind of show; leave the brain at home, and enjoy its madness. Also, be prepared to have the theme song stuck in your head for days on end.

*** ½ (out of five)

The other half of our Best-Of 2011 show is here! And it's about video games, video games, and MORE VIDEO GAMES!!!

The Bastards King Baby Duck, Blueonic & Anvil, Pandalicious & Hamsterman2049 from ESH, and The Issues Program's Issues Guy & JC Sergeant meet up in another super deluxe episode where they discuss the best, the brightest, the most overlooked and the worst in video gaming for 2011. SKYRIM! BATMAN! ZELDA! BATTLEFIELD! JIMMY JOHNSON! Plus be shocked when you hear which game Pandalicious declared the worst of the year.

It's ribbed for your pleasure, but don't stick your penis in it. It's Episode 123: Blasting Bards Ablaze!

EDITOR'S NOTE: We were also going to cover music more in-depth, but we ran out of energy. Marathoning two episodes in a row drains you, so be sure to only pull stunts like that once a year.

Atlus has just released not one, but two new trailers for the upcoming video game adaptation of Game of Thrones. Check out both "The Wall" and "Winter" trailers below.

The Wall Teaser:

Winter Trailer:

The worlds are looking good, but I'm hoping that the human characters are given a bit of a makeover. After seeing what's been accomplished in Skyrim, Game of Thrones will have to up the ante if they wish to please both fans of RPG titles and those that are into the books & movies. With George R.R. Martin collaborating on the game's story, though, we could be in for a title that pleases both sides.

Game of Thrones is due in early 2012 on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Our friends The Vagabonds present a special version of the Clement Moore classic. Enjoy!

It's been a wild ride in the first season of the Golden Globe-nominated Homeland. (WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!)

If you watched the video above it gives you an idea of the series. A Marine (played by Damian Lewis) is captured while over in Iraq, then sold to the Al Qaeda and held for eight long years. This reminded me of an actual incident that happened with an American Muslim that went and fought along side Al Qaeda, but with a twist. Somehow the Marine, named Sgt. Nicholas Brody, was not killed in the interrogation, but holds the scars from it. Because of this he was brought under the wing of the head terrorist Abu Nazir (Navid Negaban). He doesn't torture Brody, but rather has him teach his son how to speak English and learn other American-based things. However something goes really wrong when an American UAV drone drops a missile right on the compound, killing the son of Abu Nazir.

Sgt. Brody after being found in a compound. I know how it feels to wake up looking like that.

We then get introduced to the second main character Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes), a C.I.A. operative that was in the field who was talking with an Al Qaeda member on death row. The prisoner finally broke down at the last moment, and told her that an American soldier had been turned, and would be a part of another big attack on America. When the show starts off Carrie seems to be a plain girl that works as a great spy, but as you go along you start finding that there is something wrong. It's not really until the last three episodes of the season when viewers find out what is really wrong with her.

The next character that has a major part in the story is Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin), who is above Carrie in the C.I.A. She is usually the go-thru guy to the head member of the C.I.A. David Estes (David Harewood), while the director of the C.I.A. deals with the Vice-President William Walden (Jamey Sheridan). As you can see this is the chain of command, but it also is a crucial part that deals with America trying to fend off another attack. Saul is a great character, as his personality in the matter went from the person you want to work next to, then to the big giant asshole, and finally the guy who cares about you. Finding out that his wife is of Indian descent deals with the worst aspect of being part of the C.I.A. He can't always be with her, and you can see the frustration that he has to deal with both that aspect and the concept of saving the world. Believe me: with this character you will have a love/hate feeling towards him, with your feelings veering more towards love.

From left to right: Saul, David, and VP Walden

As the story unravels you'll find that some of the main characters hide one of the main reasons behind threat in the first place. It always seems when something serious happens someone has their finger on the big read button from the other side of the world. If you can't read between the lines, then your going to have to watch the show to figure out what the big deal is.

Homeland has done a great job catching my attention, and I hope it wins some of those Golden Globe nominations they have obtained. I also have to give it to Showtime for creating another great series, especially seeing they made Sleeper Cell, another favorite of mine that should've been brought back for another season. I can see this show going for at least three seasons if it's written right. They will need to keep the twists and turns coming, but at a not-so-predictable pace. Within the first 4 episodes I saw where they were going with the series, but they did lead me to believe that they were just going to end the show with one season (which would've been a big downfall). All in all Homeland is a damn good show, so if you got access to Showtime and its onDemand service you'll be able to watch the whole series. For those who don't have access to Showtime I suggest to waiting for it on DVD, and just watch it captivate you little by little.

Rating: 9.6 out of 10
Show: Homeland
Production: Showtime
Official Website

If you've ever played the classic shooter Gradius, and thought that it could use cute anime girls, then Otomedius Excellent would still not be for you!

Developed by Konami Excellent is the second in the Otomedius series (the first released in America), with Mine Yoshizaki (Sgt. Frog creator) designing the characters. The premise of the game has you piloting one of eleven female pilots as they battle against a new threat known as Dark Force, which terrorizes Earth with its massive armies and strange minions. Otomedius is set up in a classic side-scroller style that has you battling ships, bots, and various bosses throughout the levels. Sounds simple, right? Not by a long shot.

One of the game's bigger flaws is that throughout each level too much is going on at the same time. In many instances you'll find yourself battling it out against over thirty enemy ships and bots, only to be shot down after being hit three times. You can collect extra health, but in almost no time at all you'll be back down to one final lifeline, which is symbolized by how much your character's eyes are open in their icon. It gets even worse when all your lives are lost and wish to continue, as Otomedius Excellent will wipe out all but one point of your entire score.

Controls can be wonky at times, too, as you'll find yourself confused about which button does what to no end. One button was supposed to do single shots, whereas another allegedly fires doubles, yet throughout my entire gameplay experience I could not differentiate between the two. Another big flaw with the game is that you could not spin your character around, and while it sounds like that wouldn't make sense there will be areas where enemies will be firing behind you and you cannot evade. It became quite frustrating after being killed seven times in a row by enemies that I literally could not shoot.

Graphically Otomedius Excellent disappoints, looking like a bare bones Xbox Live Arcade title. Nothing about it screams revolutionary, even by downloadable game standards. It made me wonder why it was made into a physical release in the first place, as it looked like something that would barely take up a single Xbox disc. The game also has some translation errors that are more facepalm-inducing than hysterical, leading me to believe that whomever was in charge of bringing this game to America did a half-ass job making sure all the grammatical kinks were out of the system. Its anime sequences look great, although I would worry if a game like this was to be translated into a full-fledged TV series or OVA.

The music, though, is another story. Composed by Motoi Sakurba and Michiru Yamane the techno/trance music that fills the worlds of Otomedius is worthy enough for any club or rave. There is no English dub for the characters, however, and the only way you can understand what they are saying is on the tiny scroll on the bottom left-hand side of your screen. You'll find yourself more confused than intrigued by what's going on throughout the game.

Now comes the worst thing about the game: the Story Mode is only one hour long! You get blasted by the enemies -- and sometimes not have to defeat the bosses at the end to complete each level -- and your total gaming time will be less than even the dreadful Ugly Americans game. You'll be able to earn power-ups that can be used for the next time you play, but you'll find yourself so frustrated with this game that you won't want to bother. There's an online multiplayer mode, as well, but every time I went on there was not a single gamer to be found. (Apparently they got the "Avoid this game!" memo before I did.) As for extras there is this to be found with your right analog stick:

Can you say "Jailbait Simulator"?

PROS:

• Nice opening anime sequence
• Techno soundtrack worthy of any party

CONS:

• Graphics look worse than your average XBLA title
• Too much enemy AI attacking during gameplay
• Story Mode lasts only one hour!
• Disturbing fan-service

FINAL THOUGHTS:

You would think that a game that teamed up the Gradius developers with Mine Yoshizaki would be a winner. Alas it was not to be, as Otomedius Excellent will go down in history as one of the worst scrolling shooter titles ever to be created. This is one game that should've stayed put in Japan; on second thought it should've been scrapped for something that would've even turned out to be below mediocre. Simply put: avoid Otomedius Excellent at all costs, even when it's released on the PlayStation Vita later next year.

FINAL GRADE: 1.1 (out of ten)

I can't believe it! I'm able to watch live streaming TV right on my Xbox 360!

With Microsoft putting in their new upgrades for the main menu, they have turned the Xbox setup into something that resembles our Droid phones or Apple iPads. I didn't think it would be possible to put apps on the Xbox, but they have accomplished this. The new setup is pretty great, as you don't have to keep flipping through everything like you did previously. They have definitely made this a bit more user friendly, especially for Kinect users. I believe that this is what Microsoft originally wanted for Kinect, where you literally walk in, tell your Xbox "Turn on, bitch!" and give me my movies and cable TV; but when I'm bored with that it gives me my damn games. Now the true potential of the FiOS is that besides watching TV shows they will probably be able to do the set up of watching the onDemand programming.

TV Channels for FiOS:

• CNN HD and CNN Headline News
• DIY TV
• MTV HD, MTV2 and VH1 HD
• Turner Classic Movies
• The Hallmark Channel
• Nick HD, TV Land  and Nick Jr.
• Cartoon Network and Boomerang
• TNT HD and TBS HD
• SPIKE HD
• ESPN HD
• Food Network HD
• Home & Garden TV HD,
• Travel Channel HD
• TruTV HD
• Comedy Central HD
• BET HD
• HBO HD, HBO2 HD and MAX HD.

Next to the FiOS app they have many more coming in such as UFC, MLB TV, and much more. I'm not sure when they're supposed to be going up, but I'm looking forward to it. Just make sure that you don't have a lower-end Xbox with the low memory built in; otherwise they will probably stop you from downloading a lot of these apps. So for all those with an Xbox and FiOS: Enjoy!

PROS:

• Synchs with FiOS without entering some special code
• Good selection of channels, some in HD

CONS:

• Not a cable box substitution
• Doesn't get all the basic channels or all the movie channels you pay for
• Noticed skipping, unintentional reversing of shows
• Lacks pause/rewind/forward controls

By the way: If you're wondering about the Comcast app, King Baby Duck will be able to follow up with that. (He has that for his cable provider.) Also I don't trust Comcast much.

P.S.: A scary thought is if they ever think of making a Chat Roulette app with the Kinect. Let's just say that would not be a good thing.

It's that time of year again: our two-part Best-Of 2011 show! WITH SPECIAL GUESTS!

In the first gigantic part of our 2011 wrap-up show members of B3, ElectricSistaHood, and The Issues Program meet up and pick out the best & worst movies of 2011. Plus Anvil and Issues Guy share their favorite highlights in the year of sports.

Here comes a super-sized line drive right out of left field! It's Episode 122: We Never Speak Of Zookeeper!

When she isn't voicing a diabetic frog or an apple-loving wolf deity, Brina Palencia works with her friend Haley Esposito on their newest production company Heal By Rain. Recently the company announced its first project: a web series called The Troubadoors, which follows seven students that form their own door-to-door chorus after being rejected by their college's top choir. Via the magic of the interwebs I had the chance to ask Palencia about The Troubadoors, as well as the origins of Heal By Rain.

What inspired you and Haley Esposito to start your own production company?

Haley had this genius idea for a web series that involved a lot of music, and I immediately jumped on board. After a few meetings we decided to produce it ourselves and start our own production company.

Where does the name “Heal By Rain” originate from?

It's actually an anagram of Brina and Haley. We also both love rain, so it worked out quite well.

You just announced your first web series called The Troubadoors. What was it about this idea that made you choose it to be Heal By Rain’s first production?

Like I said, it was Haley's idea originally. I was drawn to it because I thought the concept of people singing door to door, not on Christmas, was hilarious. I also loved that it would give me an outlet to write music. As we continued fleshing out the story and characters, I just fell in love with it all over again. It's a comedy with a lot of heart.

How will The Troubadoors stand out from other shows that focus on choirs and choruses like The Sing-Off and Glee?

While I think both of those shows are great, what sets us apart is our music will be much more folk based. All of The Troubadoors' instruments will have to be portable, too, which gives it a very un-produced and honest sound. The rival choir, The Harmonics, will be just the opposite of that. Their songs will be much more dance based and auto-tuned.

Is your character of Kagura based on anyone you know?

Not really. I suppose she's an amalgam of every con horror story I've heard in the past, mixed in with myself. As crazy as she is, I still find her to be a very relatable character. She is misunderstood and trying desperately to find herself. Who can't relate to that? And, yes, she's also a bit obsessive...

How many original songs were written for The Troubadoors?

When it's all said and done, there will be a minimum of 15 original songs for the first season. They have not all been finished just yet.

Where did the idea of doing video diaries for each character come from?

It was our way of not only introducing the characters to our audience, but to the actors as well. We want our characters to have a lot of layers and depth, even though it is a comedy. Getting to improvise as your character is a great way to explore and find those different levels. We thought it would be a good way to build buzz about the show, as well.

Be honest: on average how many takes did you have to do for these video diaries? I can’t help but imagine that you all couldn’t go straight-faced for these just in one take.

It was extremely hard for Haley and I to not bust out laughing on every one of those video diaries! All of our actors are pretty pro, though. They rarely busted a take.

How many episodes can we expect from the first season?

The first season will have 14 episodes.

After launching The Troubadoors, what else can we look forward to from Heal By Rain?

We have a lot of ideas, but for right now we're completely focused on making the best web series we can!

For more information on The Troubadoors, check out its official Facebook page and YouTube Channel.

Can your Gunstringer go up against the legendary Mad Dog McDog? Twisted Pixel wants to put you to the test with its latest DLC: Real Big Shootin!

Costing 240 MSP this DLC will have you go up against McDog, who has been running his mouth about your "lack of precision" in the firearm arts. The add-on will have arcade-style shooting similar to what was seen in the original Gunstringer title. According to the official press release:

Play through four acts of “shoot-em-up” gameplay with several challenges per act, facing everything from jet-pack minions, dynamite bombardment, metal dudes, and flying cows. With a host of weaponry at your disposal, train your good eye on all incoming obstacles for a chance to face off against McDog himself. You can also team up with a buddy for turn-based co-op to assist in shooting down that mangy no good dog.

Check out the official trailer below, and be prepared for another serving of gaming madness from the funniest gaming developers in the world! The DLC will be released this week.

The Christmas season is upon us, which means another peppermint-tasting mix of great songs to put you into the holiday spirit!

Join King Baby Duck as he spins some Christmas cheer from America, Japan, and England. Which stocking stuffers have made it onto the playlist this year? Take a look below and see:

1. Trans-Siberian Orchestra - First Snow (from Christmas Eve and Other Stories)
2. the pillows - I Can Hear Jingle Bells (from 90's My Life Returns)
3. Brian Setzer Orchestra - Santa Drives A Hot Rod (from Dig That Crazy Christmas)
4. Petty Booka - Mele Kalikimaka (from Christmas Everywhere)
5. Sting - Christmas At Sea (from If On A Winter's Night...)
6. Swinging Popsicle - At Christmastime (JapanFiles single)
7. The Nervous Wreckords - All I Want for Chri$tmas (special single)
8. YUKI - Message (from Cosmic Box single)
9. The White Stripes - Candy Cane Children (From Merry Christmas From The White Stripes 7" vinyl)
10. Ketchup mania - Jingleberry (from Greetings From Tokyo)
11. Shonen Knife - Sweet Christmas (CD single)
12. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - This Time Of Year (from Medium Rare)
13. Amy Lee - Sally's Song (from Nightmare Revisited)
14. GACKT - December Love Song (out-of-print single)
15. Weezer - Merry-Chri (from The Red Album (Japanese Edition))

The Boston Bastard Brigade kindly encourages you to support these artists, and buy their songs/album. You can find the majority of these releases on JapanFiles, CDJapan.co.jp, Amazon.com, iTunes, the bands' official websites and (in some cases) at your local record stores.

King Baby Duck's Recipe: Peanut Blossoms

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup of shortening
1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
48 Hershey kisses

Preheat oven to 375°F

Directions:

1. Stir all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt in large mixer bowl
2. Add the rest of the ingredients except the kisses
3. Mix ingredients on the medium setting of your electric mixer until well combined
4. Place the dough into the refrigerator for 30 minutes
5. Take out of fridge, then roll small amounts of dough into one-inch balls
6. Place on un-greased cookie sheet, and bake for 12 minutes, or until they’re lightly brown
7. Remove from oven, and immediately place a chocolate kiss in each of the cookies
8. Repeat with remaining dough.

Makes 48 cookies!

Anvil's Recipe: Poor Man's Cheesecake

Ingredients:

2 sticks soften cream cheese
1 1/2 tub Cool Whip whipped cream
1 graham cracker crust
(Editor's note: Add any fruit/fillings if desired)

Directions:

1. Mix cream cheese and Cool Whip until smooth
2. Pour mixture into graham cracker crust
3. Place in fridge, wait until chilled to serve

Saignement's Recipe: Pumpkin Cookie Dip

Ingredients:

1 can pumpkin pie filling
1 tub Cool Whip whipped cream
1 box French Vanilla pudding mix
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
Dash of nutmeg
Dash of cloves

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients except Cool Whip together
2. Fold mixture into Cool Whip
3. Refrigerate for two hours or until cold

It's tough calling a winner in this battle between Battlefield 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, but keep reading and you'll see why...

First let's talk about the story aspect of Battlefield 3:

With Battlefield's backing of the awesome Frostbite 2 Engine (Video Below), the game was able to produce graphics and audio that really blew me away. They have done a phenomenal job on bringing one of the realest game to the audience. I find that when I'm getting these games it needs to have a well-written story in order to get to the point of playing online. With playing Battlefield 3 I was hooked right away into the storyline. It starts you right off in what seems to be a parkour scene where you hop onto a moving train and take down a series of terrorists. This is also where you meet the big bad wolf character of the game: Solomon!

After completing the first part of the mission your character Sgt. Henry Blackburn is being interrogated by a couple of CIA-type agents. They are trying to find out what happened in the situation, getting them to the point where they think that a Sergeant of the Marines is trying to save his own ass. What you will mostly be dealing with in this game is more of a representation of living the story through flashbacks -- coming back to the present where you are at being interrogated -- until the past catches up with the present and becomes the future! Half the time I was playing the game I thought I was living out a movie, which is a beautiful thing. I would like to the leave the story at that, as I feel that if I keep going I may unveil to much.

Multiplayer:

After beating the game I knew what I was in for when hoping to the multiplayer: a whole lot of ass kicking! The online play gives you a great amount of maps, along with different methods of play such as: Conquest, Rush, Team Death Match, Squad Death Match, and Squad Rush. Maps include Grand Bazaar, Damavand Peak, Operation FireStorm, Caspian Border, Seine Crossing, Kharg Island, Tehran Highway, Noshahr Canals, and Operation Metro.

Best maps:

Rush: Damavand Peak (Side note: be an attacker on this map in order to get through the first M-Coms, and a pleasant surprise of base jumping is in your future!)
Any Game Mode: Operation Metro
Conquest: Noshahr Canals

PROS:

• Great story and graphics!
• Able to blow up and level buildings
• Sick online!
• Nice weapons selection and attachments
• Infinite run, great parkour
• Knife kills!
• Love the concept of using tanks, Jeeps, helicopters, and planes

CONS:

• Assholes online, as usual
• Upgrades automatically get put onto your guns after you die (Not always the best options when you get used to your weapon)
• Flashlights and lasers can sometimes be a pain in the ass
• Infinite run sucks if you're a sniper
• Planes are harder to obtain in the multiplayer
• Main storyline is kinda short

FINAL GRADE (FOR BATTLEFIELD 3): 10 (out of ten)

Last, but not least:

After that trailer I really do think they should make a Call of Duty movie!

Story:

If you are the noob, and you just bought an Xbox 360 or PS3 to get into the game now, you'll be missing something from not playing the other games. I would really suggest that you go and buy Modern Warfare 1 and 2 before playing this. (Don't worry: they aren't ridiculous in price.) For all of you that are the vets mainlining all of the Call of Duty games into your system when ever you can, you probably already know everything about the game. (However I find a lot of people don't play the main campaign of the games and just go right to the multiplayer.)

The game starts where it had left off in MW2, where you have Soap McTavish (played by Kevin McKidd) injured, and Captain Price (Billy Murray) bringing him to a doctor to get him fixed. Then it breaks off to another section of the story, where the Russian terrorist group has breached New York and is looking to take over America. As the story goes on from there, it just gets more and more intense. I feel that this game has brought the whole story full circle. I don't believe they will be able to squeeze another one out of the series for this.

Multiplayer:

It's chock full of goodness on the spectrum of varieties. It has for the normal play Team Deathmatch, TDM Kill Confirmed (where you must collect the tags of the ones you kill), Mercenary, Free for All, Domination, Ground War (for 12-18 players), Team Defender, Sabotage, Headquarters Pro, Search & Destroy, and Capture the Flag. For all you hardcore maniacs we have Team Tactical, Mosh Pit, Hardcore TDM, Hardcore Kill Confirmed, Hardcore Seach & Destroy, Hardcore Domination, Hardcore Team Tactical, and everyone favorite BARE BONES!!!

PROS:

• Damn good, long storyline
• Double scope usage for close and long ranges
• Can always call in air strikes on the kill streaks
• Brought back Special Ops

CONS:

• Teammate AI annoyingly likes to run in front of you while taking the shot
• No infinite run, lacks parkour set up like Battlefield 3
• No planes!
• Environments are still not interactive!

FINAL GRADE (FOR MODERN WARFARE 3): 10 (out of ten)

FINAL THOUGHTS:

While it's hard to pick a winner between both of these games, I know Modern Warfare 3 has definitely won on the sales aspect. Gameplay-wise it's just hard to say who really won. With me I like to bounce back and fourth between these two games since I have friends that are too stubborn to buy both titles. For the most part I feel that whatever your appetite is for FPS gaming, you will be satisfied with either game.

I know I gave both titles perfect scores, but these games are very dear to my heart. When I need to get some frustration out I pop in some of my music and go kick ass in online battles. These are really the only games that I can turn to. (Sorry Halo, but you're not that attractive to me anymore. We had our good times, but I'm breaking up with you.)

I can see Battlefield 3 coming out with another map pack somewhere in the near-future, but for right now they will most likely work on creating Bad Company 3 and get that out probably by Fall 2012, giving us another great game to play until they bring us maybe Battlefield 4. It seems that the concept of Battlefield always has more things to offer with their titles. (Personally I would like to see them bring Battlefield 2142 to the console.)

In regards to Call of Duty they might bring us into another Modern Warfare game, but I'm just not sure who the bad guy will be in that one. With the first couple Call of Duty games it was all about World War II, but then they brought in the first Modern Warfare, skipped back to World At War, bringing it forward to Modern Warfare 2, rewinding to the Korean/Vietnam/Cold War era in Black Ops, finally returning to Modern Warfare 3. I can probably suggest that they try to find a way to do a war with the Chinese/Russians or North Koreans, since the world's energy is coming to a shortage. (Think a mixture of Frontlines: Fuel of War and Homefront.)

However maybe this might be a way for the Call of Duty series to jump to another part of our history (i.e.: World War 1), even though people would probably get annoyed by that overdone concepts. What they could do is reach out and create a game to see what war would be like in the future. Next to that, with all the loose ends they tied off in Modern Warfare 3, it's going to be very hard to see what they will be able to create. (You lived through World War 3 in this game! How can they top that?!) We also have Tom Clancy working on yet another game where the people of America start a revolution after they get sick and tired of how the government is being run.

Sadly I'm not sure where Call of Duty will go next, but it looks like the Battlefield series will be able to provide a richer story the next time around. The one game that I wish could've been so much more was Medal of Honor. It was neck-and-neck with Call of Duty for a long time, then the latter was able to keep up and kick ass. Thankfully Battlefield came up in the flanks to give Call of Duty the sort of competition that Medal of Honor failed to bring.

Game: Battlefield 3
Company: EA, Dice
Engine: Frostbite 2
System: PC, PS3, Xbox 360, IOS
Official Website

Game: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Company: Activision, Infiinity Ward, Sledghammer Games
Engine: MW3 Engine
System: PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii
Official Website

PS: Here's another reason why these stories could get turned into live-action films:

Get your jollies on for a brand-new holiday-filled episode.

This week the Bastards share their favorite (and least-favorite) Christmas films, recipes, classic specials, songs, and gift ideas for all your loved ones. And yes, Anvil does another sports segment.

It's the happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby danced with Danny Fucking Kaye! Here's Episode 121: Boston Bastard Brigade's Christmas Vacation!

After months of clamoring from fans wanting to see it in America, Nintendo has announced that the critically-acclaimed Xenoblade Chronicles is finally arriving on our shores on April 3rd.

The game follows a Shulk, a young man who wields an energy blade called the Monado against the Mechon in order to ultimately save the world. First released in Japan in 2010 Xenoblade Chronicles has received universal acclaim from almost every part of the world. Earlier this year a campaign known as "Operation Rainfall" was created in order to gain Nintendo's attention to the localization of Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and Pandora's Tower. No word on whether the other two titles will receive a stateside release.

Xenoblade Chronicles will be released exclusively at Gamestop and on the official Nintendo website.

To be truly innovative in the video game world one must think outside the box. Playbrains, on the other hand, decided to think outside the portrait with its latest side-scroller Sideway: New York.

In this platformer players control Nox as he battles his way through the street art-covered cityscape of New York City. His friend is kidnapped by a villain named Spray, and it is up to you (and, if you play co-op mode, a friend) to stop him and his minions. As you play through the level you will earn new power-ups and abilities that can be used to defeat your enemies, which range from the average slide kick and gliding technique to a floor stomp that can kill your opponent in one smash.

It's all these different moves that makes it a tad difficult to remember which button does what. While there is a control map to show you exactly which one performs each maneuver it doesn't help you out during split-second decisions (which happen more often than not). While each of these power-ups are impressive to watch they would be far more enjoyable to accomplish if it didn't involve having to play finger Twister with the PlayStation controller. Despite the difficult control scheme the overall gaming experience is quite unique.

Sideway: New York is presented in a 2D side-scrolling style within a 3D landscape. What that entails is that while the gameplay aspect is in 2D the worlds and buildings that are presented within the third dimension. In some scenarios you'll be running on one side of a building, jumping up, then suddenly find yourself fighting off the enemies on the top of the roof. This may sound like the average platformer, but what makes it stand out is that because you and the other characters are presented as paint on the Big Apple's walls they will always be seen as flat personas. (It's very hard to describe, so the video below should give you a better understanding.)

The characters are very vibrant, combining the styles of Shepard Fairey and Ed Hardy in some cases. One-eyed globs that shoot slime, minions that draw other creatures that wish to kill you, and scuba gorillas (yes, you read that right!) are just some of the characters that you will come across in this title. The crazier characters show up during the boss battle, many of whom are quite inventive. In one case you will come across a psychotic bunny that pukes up smaller bunnies that will attack you in droves. The only character that I found to be disappointing was the Knuckler, whom you will find near the end of the game. His 3D presentation contrasts every other character found in Sideway: New York, and its overall appearance looks more like something you'd see in a shovelware PS2 title.

In spite of that character the look of Sideway: New York is quite stunning. Its style stays true to the spray painting characteristics found throughout the game, and will certainly make many fans of street art happy, whether they're just into crazy letterings spray-painted onto billboards or the politically-charged pieces of art by Banksy. Its soundtrack by Mr. Lif is catchy, bringing to mind the classic hip hop styles of Grandmaster Flash and Naughty By Nature. Unfortunately there is a limited amount of music in the game, so expect a lot of heavy repetition. (It's a shame that PlayStation owners can't switch to their own personal playlists that they upload onto the PS3.)

Players can expect to beat Sideway: New York within seven hours, which is a decent amount of time for a $10 game. You'll also be encouraged to go back to older levels and use the powers you earned later on in the game to reach items and collectibles you couldn't the first time around. Online features are only limited to a leaderboard, where you can compare your score with others from around the world. (SPOILER ALERT!!!) Be warned: like in the brilliant game Rochard the game ends on a cliffhanger, hinting on a sequel that will probably take place in Tokyo.

PROS:

• Visual presentation out of the ordinary
• Innovative characters, boss battles
• Memorable hip hop soundtrack...

CONS:

• ...but songs get repetitive fast
• Control scheme is a bit complicated
• Knuckler boss battle is kind of ugly

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Sideway: New York has its flaws, but its overall presentation makes it a game that any PS3 owner should try. Download the demo first, and if you really like what you've seen I suggest buying the full game. It takes a gameplay style that's been done similarly for over 25 years, and gives it a unique spin. Let's just hope we won't have to wait too long for the next chapter in Nox's story.

FINAL GRADE: 7.0 (out of 10)

After almost OD'ing on tryptophan the Bastards drag themselves onwards for a brand-new episode.

This week the B3 crew share on their experiences with the Thanksgiving holiday, Anvil does a weekly sports report that involves a sport knowledge fail by King Baby Duck, and the demos for Rage and Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012 are discussed. Plus Anvil and Saignement go hands-on with Saints Row: The Third, and the bitch of Black Friday is put in her place. Also another beta key for Defenders of Ardania is given away!

It's all short and sweet on Episode 120: Your Shape Gets Me In A Rage.

At E3 this year it was Saints Row: The Third that brought the most insane of artillery to the table. From its crazy antics to its style of humor the latest in the Saints Row series had but only one mission in mind: bring gamers the most fun experience anyone can fathom in an open-world title.

Saints Row: The Third continues where the second one left off. The Saints are now in control of Stilwater, and have become celebrities around the world. Unbeknownst to them, however, a rival group known as the Syndicate takes over the city, forcing the Saints off their throne of luxury. From there it's up to you to build back your reputation and reclaim your kingdom. But there are many obstacles that will keep you from reaching your goal.

The Syndicate is split into three groups: Morningstar (classic mafia-looking), Luchadores (wrestling-inspired) and Deckers (Tron-like hooligans), with the three of them owning a fair share of Stilwater. In order to win back your beloved city you must slowly regain control of it by buying property or -- the more fun way -- taking it back using the most anarchic ways possible. It doesn't come easy, especially when the police and the Special Tactics Anti-Gang Unit (or S.T.A.G., for short) are on your trail every time you fire a weapon or run someone over with your vehicle. Before you do any of that, however, your character must look the part.

The folks at Volition, Inc. went all out on the Create-A-Character aspect alone, with nearly millions of ways you can have your anti-hero look. From the wideness of your eyes to the size of your, erm, package the heavy detail placed into how you can make your Saint look like you is finely-tuned; and with a crazy amount of wardrobe you can choose from you can dress him or her in just about any way possible. You can even have them run the streets completely naked if you wanted them to! (It's pixelated, though, pervs.)

After you've created your character the real madness begins. To win back respect you must tackle on multiple missions that will have you in a shootout 20,000 feet in the air, saving lovely prostitutes from underground clubs and ships, committing a chariot getaway chase with gimps instead of horses, and (CAREFULLY!) chauffeuring a tiger in your front passenger seat; and that's a mere fraction of what you can do. There are also side missions that include Insurance Fraud (getting run over by cars for cash), Professor Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax (a Japanese-styled game show), Tank Mayhem (blow as much shit up as possible with your tank in a given time limit), and Assassinations. It is amazing how much gameplay has been placed into Saints Row: The Third, and it can be more fun when you are in co-op mode with a friend. If you need to take a break from the main game you can easily jump into Whored More, in which you (and a friend, if you'd like) can tackle on endless waves of enemies with different weapons at your disposal.

The weapons you are given in this game range from the average to the WTF, with a heavy emphasis on the F. You could easily just use a pistol to take down your enemies, but if you want to be a kinky badass then you can arm yourself with the Penetrator (the infamous dildo bat) and smash their skulls in with sexual hilarity. There are also grenades, octopus guns, and air strikes that can be called in to take care of those pesky rival gangs and S.T.A.G. soldiers. Vehicles also come in different shapes and sizes, ranging from the simple scooters and classic cars to the tanks and Professor Genki's Manapult, the latter of which can suck up any pedestrian and shoot them out of the air to meet their maker.

While on the road you can switch on the radio, listen to news clips and even rock out to some of the best songs to be heard on any game. From the hip hop styles of Kanye West and the rocking riffs of Wavves to the electronica beats of deadmau5 and the classical sounds of Bach there is a radio station for every person out there. (My personal favorite is the Adult Swim-based one, where the DJ is Jon Glasser's character in Delocated.) Add on a great cast that includes Daniel Dae Kim, Hulk Hogan, and Sasha Grey just to name a few, and you've got yourself one hell of a soundtrack that is filled with hilarious jabs, one-liners and all-around dialogue that will make you do a double-take.

While there is much to love in Saints Row: The Third there are a couple flaws that keep it from reaching open-world perfection. The first is the flying missions, which can sometimes be a major pain to control. Because of some of the camera angles in those levels it made it almost impossible to properly aim your gun or missile-launcher at the gang members. Trust me: you will find yourself spending an hour on these types of missions alone, but not for enjoyable reasons.

The other misstep in Saints Row: The Third is its graphics. While good, they are not on-par with the majority of the games that can be found on current-gen consoles. Granted it does fit with the cartoonish elements of the game, but they could've tinkered just a bit on the characters before the game's release. I also found some rendering issues within the game, especially while flying high in one of the planes you get later on in the game. And while it sounds like the oldest complaint in the world my character got stuck in a wall a few times, so I'm crossing my fingers that an update will be released sooner or later to fix that aspect. The vehicles look gorgeous, though.

Completing the main storyline will probably take you between 12-14 hours, with the side missions tacking on another 10. One of the downsides is once a main story mission is completed you cannot go back and replay it unless you start a whole new game. Still with many classic moments to be found in this game Saints Row: The Third is the type of open-world game that merits much replay value. (If you want to collect every trophy/achievement you'll need to play through it a couple times.)

PROS:

• Hilarious story, inventive missions
• Imaginative weapons
• Great voice-acting, soundtrack one of year's best

CONS:

• Graphics aren't up to current standards
• Flying missions are a bitch to handle
• Can't replay main missions once completed

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Saints Row: The Third is a barrel of laughs and fun for anyone who thought the worlds of Grand Theft Auto were too serious for them. With a massive foray of weapons and vehicles at your disposal, not to mention tons of missions to complete, the latest adventure in Stilwater will be worth multiple visits. Lovers of hilarious games are encouraged to strap this title on and enjoy Saints Row: The Third in all of its intensity.

FINAL GRADE: 9.2 (out of ten)

With Blueonic gone the Bastards decide to give this week's show a bit of a feminine touch.

Bastette-In-Training Saignement joins the crew, as she and Anvil give their take on Batman: Arkham City, but not before going on a crazy tangent over which actors should play the people of Gotham. King Baby Duck gives his reasons why Saints Row: The Third is the most fun game out there of 2011, Saignement goes into detail on how the anniversary edition of Halo: Combat Evolve redoes a classic and Anvil goes into the good (Bruins and Pats) and bad (Penn State and NBA) of the week in sports. Plus Saignement gives a review of the new movie In Time, and an Oh For Fuck's Sake! on why those Occupy Wall Street people need to just go away. (Didn't expect that from us, did ya?) And did we mention another beta code for Defenders of Ardania?

It's all pack in neatly in Episode 119: Catwoman's Training Sessions.

Follow King Baby Duck and Anvil as they take our viewers backstage to the recent Victory Promotions event held at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, MA.

Last night the folks at Deep Silver and Piranha Bytes released the first part of the behind-the-scenes look at Risen 2: Dark Waters, due in 2012 on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3. Here game designers Michael Hoge and Björn Pankratz and storywriter Jennifer Pankratz explain why they chose pirates as the topic for their latest game, Pankratz covers how the world map will help gamers on the first steps of their adventure and much more! Check out the video after the jump...

While at this past Saturday's Victory Promotions event at the Tsongas Center, the Bastards got a surprise visit from former UFC fighter John "Doomsday" Howard.

Recorded during the main event battle between Ronnie Rogers and Rich Clementi, Anvil and King Baby Duck chat with Howard about his favorite fight of the night, who he wants to step into the ring with again the most and why he wants face off again Josh Koscheck. Plus find out his true thoughts on being let go by the UFC, his recent battle with Dennis Olsen and why the perspective of MMA has changed for the better.

It all happens right in the octagon on One-On-One: John "Doomsday" Howard.

Join the Bastards tonight for a very special live event!

Coming to you live from the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, MA, we present a special edition of the Boston Bastard Brigade, where the B3 crew will discuss their thoughts on tonight's fights happening at Victory Promotions: Clementi Vs. Rogers, as well as some very special interviews. To find out the actual time be sure to follow King Baby Duck on his Twitter account.

Since PAX East this year no racing title has left more excited than Jimmie Johnson's Anything With An Engine, made by the folks at Isopod Labs (a company founded by the dudes who created a little game called Vigilante 8) and Autumn Games. With each taste I had of it at both PAX and E3 the same sentence kept coming out of my mouth: This could be a Mario Kart killer. However as a follower of smaller game developers my optimism was cautious, as I've had full meals of disappointment served to me on many occasions by these lesser-known companies. After playing the final version of it, those doubts have since been trashed into scrap metal.

Players can choose from twelve racers (seven right away, five unlockable), each one of them special in every way. You can choose to race in a bathtub, a coffin, shopping cart or even a rocket, and each vehicle comes with its own crazy character to drive it for you. You can ride on thirteen different tracks, which all have their own hidden goodies and secret ways to reach victory. Throughout a regular race you can earn points by lighting up specific switches, and the more you light you the sooner you'll be able to use such tactics as boosts, ramming, missiles and mines. Here's the cool part: each missile and mine is made custom to the vehicle you're racing. For example if you choose Couch Potato (a man trapped in a mascot uniform riding a recliner) the missiles will be pizzas and the mines will consist of exploding TVs.

Anything With An Engine features a Career Mode that has eight different Cups to win (five main, three bonus). Each Cup features a mixture of every type of race in the game, ending with a duel between you and Mr. Johnson himself. Once you beat Jimmie you are given a token to unlock one of the other four racers you can hit the tracks with. Once you unlock those and win the Diamond Cup you will have the ability to play as Jimmie and his barstool from Hell.

Besides the regular races there are other modes to compete in. In Survival players will have a set time limit to escape from being in last place, which will lead to their elimination. Endurance has you facing your opponents in a long race that is determined in the end via a point system; the higher you are in the ranking at the end of each lap, the more points you will earn. No other mode will keep you on the edge of your seat than Matador, where eight racers are spilt into two groups, placed on opposite ends of the track and forced to literally go head-to-head to win. Trying to evade racers that speed towards you, not to mention trying to reach the front of the pack further than the racer at the other end, make it the sort of nail-biting racing experience that gamers have been clamoring for.

As you race your vehicle will get beaten up, which is where the Pit Stop comes in handy. By pushing the Repair button fast enough not only will your vehicle be good as new, but your weapons will be replenished. Be careful, for if you don't reach a Pit Stop in time your vehicle will explode, possibly pushing you back to last place. It makes me wonder why many kart racers -- or racing games period -- don't have a feature like this, as it adds on to the strategic experience of racing.

Strategy plays a major role in how to win a race. You're given boosts, missiles and mines, but it's about how and when you properly use them that will either help or hinder your chances at a victory. You can have one of your mines sticking out in the back of your vehicle to keep people from ramming behind you, but at the same time it takes away a bit of your speed. Using your Boost will come in handy, but if you use it too soon another racer might come up from behind and pass you. Then there is the red buttons on the track, which will spring Gotcha! traps on you or your opponents if triggered at the right moment. You can even find secret pathways on the track that will lead you past your opponents and into first place. Don't think that victory will come easy, as these races are just about neck-and-neck at every corner of the track. (Don't be surprised if one of your opponents passes you at the very last second of the race and steals your victory away.)

While the control aspect of the game is standout, there is but one minor gripe I had with racing in Anything With An Engine. In order to use Boost you need to double-tap the Gas button to activate it, which can sometimes lead to a quick slowing down of your vehicle if not done properly. I'm surprised that one of the other buttons that's not used wasn't chosen to be just the Boost button, as it would've made it a bit easier to operate it. However this tiny problem does not take away anything from the experience of this title, as it is much harder to not use Boost the right way.

While there isn't many racers to choose from the variety you get from each character will keep you entertained for as long as you want to race. There will also be some DLC content later on in the year that will feature more racers to choose from, the first of which will be talk show host Jimmy Fallon. (Proceeds from that specific DLC will go to the American Red Cross, so not only will you be downloading another fun vehicle but you'll also be helping out a good cause.) Players can also race online with one another from across the globe (except for the Wii version, sadly), as well as do split-screen mode in the same room, guaranteeing much craziness for all to enjoy.

Anything With An Engine is one unique title, as Jimmie Johnson himself was involved with creating much of the style of the game. Having an actual NASCAR racer, not to mention one of the world's best, on-hand to help design a kart racer had many advantages. Yes, it has much cartoonish elements thanks in part to its racers and usage of weapons, but its handling, steering and Pit Stop usage help add a sort of realism to the insanity on the tracks. It's that sort of combination that makes Anything With An Engine one amazing thrill ride around the track.

PROS:

• Edge-of-your-seat racing modes
• Fun characters, tracks and weaponry
• Solid control scheme, vehicle mechanics

CONS:

• Last-second losses will probably leave you frustrated
• Boost could've had its own button

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Jimmie Johnson's Anything With An Engine might not be this year's prettiest racer out there, but it is certainly the most fun and exciting. Isopod Labs, Autumn Games and Jimmie Johnson have developed something that both Sony and Microsoft have failed to accomplish on their own: a game that not only rivals Mario Kart, but also makes a fool out of it. If that statement doesn't make you run out and give Anything With An Engine a spin, maybe this will: it's only $30. Your move, Nintendo!

FINAL GRADE: 9.6 (out of ten)

Review copy provided by the folks at Isopod Labs

One of most popular book series (which has also been adapted into a popular HBO program) is now coming to a console near you...

In press release today Atlus has announced that it is planning to release a video game adaptation of Game of Thrones, which will be developed by Cyanide Studios. Launching in 2012 on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC the role-playing game will be an original story developed under the supervision of series creator George R. R. Martin, and will feature the likenesses of the worlds and actors portraying the characters. No word on if the actors themselves will be voicing the characters, though more will be revealed before the release date.

Here is more info regarding Game of Thrones from the press release:

In this 30-plus hour action RPG, players will enter the gritty and medieval fantasy world of Westeros. As one of two original characters with disparate motivations, both former soldiers of Robert's Rebellion, players will forge alliances and wage battles as they play a pivotal role in the ongoing war for power of the Seven Kingdoms. Their journey will span numerous quests, during which they will interact with many characters and make key decisions that impact the realm.

Standing before the majesty and bitter isolation of the Wall or walking through the streets and alleys of King's Landing, players will not simply pass by locations and characters integral to the series; they will explore and interact with them, meeting and learning about the people and history that defines them and their importance. Key decisions and major events will have meaningful impact on Westeros, allowing the player to witness how the game world evolves over time based on their actions or inactions. Moreover, "Game of Thrones" introduces an innovative "active slowdown tactical combat engine" in which combat mirrors the series' thoughtful approach to war and politics: fighting slows but never stops entirely, forcing the player to make quick, pressured choices before their enemy strikes again.

For more information visit the game's official site.

Joe Frazier, the former heavyweight champion whose furious and intensely personal fights with a taunting Muhammad Ali endure as an epic rivalry in boxing history, died Monday night. He was 67.

Billy Joe Frazier was born on Jan. 12, 1944, in Laurel Bay, S.C., the youngest of 12 children. His father, Rubin, and his mother, Dolly, worked in the fields, and the youngster known as Billy Boy dropped out of school at 13. He dreamed of becoming a boxing champion, throwing his first punches at burlap sacks he stuffed with moss and leaves, pretending to be Joe Louis or Ezzard Charles or Archie Moore.

At 15, Frazier went to New York to live with a brother. A year later he moved to Philadelphia, taking a job in a slaughterhouse. Durham discovered Frazier boxing to lose weight at a Police Athletic League gym in Philadelphia. Under Durham’s guidance, Frazier captured a Golden Gloves championship and won the heavyweight gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He turned pro in August 1965, with financial backing from businessmen calling themselves the Cloverlay Group (from cloverleaf, for good luck, and overlay, a betting term signifying good odds). He won his first 11 bouts by knockouts. By winter 1968 his record was 21-0.

Known as Smokin’ Joe, Frazier stalked his opponents around the ring with a crouching, relentless attack — his head low and bobbing, his broad, powerful shoulders hunched — as he bore down on them with an onslaught of withering jabs and crushing body blows, setting them up for his devastating left hook. It was an overpowering modus operandi that led to versions of the heavyweight crown from 1968 to 1973. Frazier won 32 fights in all, 27 by knockouts, losing four times — twice to Ali in furious bouts and twice to George Foreman. He also recorded one draw.

Frazier won the undisputed heavyweight title with a 15-round decision over Ali at Madison Square Garden in March 1971, in an extravaganza known as the Fight of the Century. Ali scored a 12-round decision at the Garden in a non-title bout in January 1974. Then came the Thrilla in Manila championship bout, in October 1975, regarded as one of the greatest fights in boxing history. It ended when a battered Frazier, one eye swollen shut, did not come out for the 15th round.

Smokin' Joe had a long and storied career that will always be remembered. In late September 2011 he was diagnosed with liver cancer and never seemed to get any better. On November 7th 2011 A true legend of boxing lost the greatest fight of him career the one for his life.He will always be remembered as one of the greatest and will be greatly missed. Our deepest condolences go out to Joe's family and friends.

With Halloween over the Bastards use up the rest of their sugar rush energy on a brand-new episode.

This week the B3 crew look at the demos for Saints Row The Third, Deepak Chopra's Leela, Rabbids: Alive & Kicking and LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7. Plus Blueonic and King Baby Duck share their reasons why Jimmie Johnson's Anything With An Engine just might be the best racer of 2011, the trailer for Grand Theft Auto V is dissected and another beta key for Defenders of Ardania is given away. Anvil gives his weekly sports report, and another Oh For Fuck's Sake! regarding the MBTA is put up for grabs.

It all happens right here on Episode 118: I've Got 99 Cookies 'Cause A Bitch Ate One!

On Saturday November 12 the state of Massachusetts will be revving up for a night of MMA goodness.

Mixed Martial Arts action returns to the Tsonga Center in the fighting city of Lowell, Massachusetts in less than two weeks and the heat is quickly rising around the stacked fight card. The main event at VFN features Rich “No Love” Clementi and Ronnie “Bam Bam” Rogers. A contestant on The Ultimate Fighter reality show and longtime UFC veteran, Clementi has notable wins over Melvin Guillard and Sam Stout, and is coming off of a May loss at Dream in Japan to Shinya Aoki, currently ranked 4th in the world. With over 60 professional fights on his resume more than half of his wins have come by way of submission. Ronnie Rogers enters with a record of 9-5 (5-1 in his last 6) with his last two wins coming over UFC vet Diego Saraiva and Bellator vet Bryan Goldsby. Half of Rogers’ victories have also come via submission, setting this bout up for a ground war.

Also on the card is the tough veteran journeyman clash between Matt Sung Lee and Tiawan Howard. Howard is coming off a split-decision win over UFC/TUF veteran Alex Karalexis in June, while Lee lost a rough battle in his last fight to UFC vet and now Bellator tournament finalist Ben “Killa B” Saunders. Lee has a notable war on his resume in a Bodog title fight with (now) Bellator champion Eddie Alverez that went the distance.

The local featured fight is the professional debuts of Carlos Neto and Ricardo Georges. Georges, at just 20 years old, is considered one of the hottest 170 pounders in New England with a 7-1 amateur record that includes 2 title wins. Neto is making his first appearance in the ring but is a longtime veteran trainer of a Who's Who list of top-level pro's fighting within the UFC, Strikeforce and Bellator. A BJJ black belt, Neto is a former member of famed Brazilian Top Team in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil and a winner of countless grappling/BJJ tournaments. He is currently one of the head trainers at Wai Kru in Boston.

There are two featured Amateur fights scheduled; Colton Blanchette vs Ernesto Ornelas and Nick Logan vs Hiago Fontoura. Blanchette heads in to his 7th fight (4-2) at just 19 years old, training out if Cage Strikers. His opponent, 22 year-old Maine native Ornelas is looking to remain undefeated and improve to 3-0. Undefeated Nick Logan enters his third bout in 4 months and has finished his previous fights in less than two minutes each. Fontoura, training with the Fenix Fight Club, is 1-0 and finished his debut in June, also under two minutes.

The Rematch of the Night will take place when Kaline Medeiros and Katie Merrill step in to the ring. The two fought previously in the amateurs, with Merrill getting a first round submission win. This is the pro debut for the undefeated Merrill. Medeiros lost her debut in May.

EVENT INFORMATION:

Saturday, November 12th at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Mass

Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first fight starting at 7 p.m.

Special guests confirmed:

“Butterbean” Eric Esch - multi-combat sport professional and TV star

John “The Quietman” Ruiz – Former Heavyweight Boxing Champion

Chuck “Cold Steel” O’Neil – UFC-TUF Alum

Rick Hawn – Bellator Fighter and Former Olympian

John Howard – UFC Fighter

Jorge Rivera – UFC Fighter

FIGHT CARD (subject to change):

MAIN EVENT
*155lb Pro Bout*
Rich “No Love” Clementi (40-20-1) Team Voodoo
vs
Ronnie “Bam Bam” Rogers (9-5, 5-1 in last 6 ) Finney’s HIT Squad

*170lb Pro Bout*
Matt Sung Lee, The Factory
vs
Tiawan Howard, Rising Dragon MMA

*170lb Pro Double Pro-Debut Bout*
Carlos Neto (Pro Debut) Wai Kru
vs
Ricardo Georges (Pro Debut) TPS

*125lb Pro Rematch Bout*
Kaline Medeiros (0-1)
vs
Katie Merrill (Pro Debut)

*180LB Featured Amateur Bout*
Nick Logan. (2-0) Doughboy
vs.
Hiago Fontoura (1-0) Fenix

*135LB Featured Amateur Bout*
Coltan Blanchette (4-2) Cage Strikers
vs.
Ernesto Ornelas (2-0) MMA Athletix**

*155LB Amateur Bout*
Peter Barrett (1-1) Maxx
vs.
Casey Lamotte (1-1) SSSF

*150LB Amateur Bout*
Shannon Soares (2-0) Gillette
vs.
Mike Materkowski (2-2) Cage Strikers

*155LB Amateur Bout*
Marcus Brown (1-1) Simmler
vs.
Mike Shannon (1-0) Maxx

* *

*185LB Amateur Bout*
Chris Dube
vs
Dan Burke**

*170LB Amateur Bout*
Cody Anderson (0-0) Gracie Barra NH
vs
Ryan DiBartolomeo (0-0) The Factory

*155LB Amateur Bout*
Brian Rossi (0-1) Rivera MMA
vs.
Ben Peck (1-0) Simmler BJJ

*170LB Amateur Bout*
Dan Wilson (0-0) Cage Strikers
vs.
Gabe Pearlman (0-0) Burrill BJJ

Info for the event provided by the official press release from Victory Promotions

Goichi Suda is one of, if not, the craziest game creator out there, so when word got out that he was teaming up with Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami gamers across the globe waited with high anticipation for the monster they were to unleash unto the consoles. What they came up with was a massive homage to the classic grindhouse films of past and present called Shadows of the Damned, not to mention a memorable anti-protagonist by the name of Garcia Fucking Hotspur.

Hotspur is a demon hunter, and after he comes home to find his girlfriend Paula being kidnapped by demon lord Fleming he and his trusty skull buddy Johnson travel down to Hell to rescue her. From there players take on demons, zombies, and other creatures of the underworld, slaughtering them all with Hotspur's massive guns and tactics. In order to get through each level Hotspur must feed these strange baby-faced doors eyeballs, brains or strawberries (which you might not want to eat anymore when it's revealed what the fruit really is); you also sometimes will have to travel through the darkness, which drains him of his health. Fortunately, unlike most games (and possibly real-life), alcohol can help Hotspur get back onto his feet. You will also learn about the backstories of the bosses you will have to face, such as George the scary harmonica player and Elliot Beast the bird man. There are also more dick jokes than a Judd Apatow film.

Throughout the game players will have to earn upgrades for Hotspur's weapons and stamina, some of which will be obtained after the big boss battles. These boss battle upgrades also transform your weapons to even-bigger destruction makers, some of which have such unique names as Hot Boner (contains a sticky explosive), The Dentist (can be used to fire multiple teeth at enemies) and the Skullblaster (fires four skulls and grenades). There will be no bigger smile-enducing moment, however, than when it comes time to use your Big Boner. Using a phone sex hotline Johnson becomes a long, massive cannon that Hotspur fires between his legs at larger demons. Isn't subtlety great?

While the weapons do pack a punch it doesn't help that the aiming system is overly sensitive. There were times where I was aiming for a demon that was inches from my face, and I still managed to miss him. It's moments like this that will cost Hotspur his life, and it happens more often than not. While you can carry loads of alcohol on you it's best to save them for the big boss battles, especially during any of the frustrating grim sister fights. These boss battles can sometimes cause much frustration, as you'll need to use split-second precision to fire on their weak spot. Sometimes it will be revealed using the light shot, while other times you'll be forced to go down the trial-and-error route. Believe me: it can get annoying when you have to waste almost every drop of your precious liquor on one boss battle.

While beating demons and bosses you are given gems that can be used to buy more ammo, liquor sometimes red gems for upgrades. Once in a while you will run into Christopher, a half-demon redneck with a heart of gold that wants to help Hotspur by any means necessary. These items can be pricey, though, so it's best to save up those white gems in case you need them for something else later on. The vending machines lie around in different areas of each level, so you won't feel regretful if you walk past one without using it.

Shadows of the Damned is quite gruesome-looking, but in the best way possible. Both the characters and the worlds just jump out at you while playing, filling your TV with a nice batch of dark essence at every corner. Granted it's no graphical breakthrough, but the usage of the Unreal Engine was used to its fullest potential. However there were times when the worlds took some time to properly render, and I did find myself caught in a glitch that had me stuck in a graveyard area, forcing me to restart from a previous checkpoint. (I'm actually surprised that, after all this time, they haven't released an update to fix this issue.)

The real stars of the game, however, are its storyline and soundtrack. The teamwork of Suda51 and Mikami helped to bring together a story that not only pays great tribute to past flicks like Evil Dead and Ghostbusters, but also manages to keep the true spirit of a memorable grindhouse movie all together. Both creators' styles are in full force, from Mikami's creepy undertones to Suda51's over-the-topness, the latter of which pulls a No More Heroes with its hilarious side-scroller levels later in the game. The voice acting from Steve Blum (Hotspur) and Greg Ellis (Johnson) showcases the best "buddy cop" style of dialogue and bantering since House of the Dead: Overkill hit the Wii two years ago. Lastly there's Akira Yamaoka's musical score, which is rich with Spanish guitars, cabaret blues and burlesque jazz. You will probably want to load up your iPod with these melodies, so long as you can find the proper places that sells it.

Shadows of the Damned will take you roughly eight hours to beat, and while there's an extra hard mode to unlock by beating it in the medium/hard difficulty there are no other real extras to be found. It would've been great to have a New Game+ mode so you can play with all the upgrades you've earned, but no such thing can be found. You can't even revisit previous levels, rewatch the great FMVs that appear throughout the game or reread the hilarious stories behind the boss characters. Don't even ask if there's multiplayer, as you probably already know the answer to that one.

PROS:

• Memorable storyline
• Fantastic voice acting and musical score
• Hilarious dick jokes

It's been three years since people roamed the streets of Liberty City in Grand Theft Auto IV. Today the folks at Rockstar Games unleashed the next chapter in the book of GTA: Grand Theft Auto V.

No word on a release date, and Ray Liotta's representatives are already shooting down rumors that the voice heard in the trailer is Vice City anti-hero Tommy Vercetti. More info on the game will be revealed as the months progress.

When Pandalicious visits, you know tangents will be flying!!!

This week the Bastards give their thoughts on the World Series, the recent letting-go of Patriots player Lee Bodden and the recent happenings with their friends at Team Pradal Seray. The demos for Need For Speed: The Run, Kinect Sports: Season 2, Real Steel and Sonic Generations are on the table, and Pandalicious & King Baby Duck share their thoughts on the musical Spring Awakening. An Oh For Fuck's Sake! about a controversial (but recently taken down) Men's Fitness Article gets a wag of the finger, and Anvil reviews Never Back Down 2 and Paranormal Activity 3. Plus listen in on how you can get the first of many free beta codes for the PC game Defenders of Ardania.

It's all packed in here on Episode 117: It's The Bitch Of Gaming.

One-On-One gets its rocks on when Evanescence drummer Will Hunt calls in before his band's sold-out show at the Worcester Palladium.

In a special interview Will Hunt chats with King Baby Duck about the recording process behind the band's third album, and what it was like to work with legendary rock producer Nick Raskulinecz. Plus find out what happened the first time he filled in for Tommy Lee in Motley Crue, and which band member he tells an embarrassing story about.

You can catch it all right here in One-On-One: Will Hunt of Evanescence.

Special thanks to Greg Cortez for setting up the interview, and to Saignement for helping out with some of the questions.

In 2009 Rocksteady Studios rewrote the book on how to do a proper comic book-based video game with Batman: Arkham Asylum. It was dark, demented and represented everything we could have wanted in a Caped Crusader video game. As soon as it became a hit Rocksteady Studios set out to expand the Dark Knight's world, and in the end Batman: Arkham City was what was decided. Who would've guessed that this sequel would make its predecessor look like a Joel Schumacher film (post-Falling Down, of course).

Picking up a few months after the events in Arkham Asylum we find that half of Gotham has been transformed into Arkham City, a closed-off area where the baddest of criminals are held under heavy supervision by Dr. Hugo Strange. Fed up with the treatment of his beloved home Bruce Wayne takes a turn at politics and holds a press conference to attack what is happening behind the doors of Arkham City. Suddenly Tiger Security appears and apprehends Mr. Wayne, who takes him to Dr. Strange, where it is revealed that he knows of Wayne's biggest secret. Quickly Wayne escapes from Strange's clutches, and after a run-in with the Penguin suits up as Batman and begins searching for clues behind what's really going on.

From there Batman runs into many of his old foes, including Two-Face, Joker, the Riddler, Mr. Freeze, Harley Quinn and just about every memorable villain in the Batman universe. He also winds up rescuing Catwoman, who has her own selfish reasons for being inside Arkham. With the assistance of Alfred, Oracle and (on occasion) Robin the Detective searches for clues to figure out what the mysterious Protocol 10 is all about, while at the same time find a cure for a poison that is running in his and the Clown Prince of Crime's veins.

In Arkham City elements from the previous game continue to take center stage, one of which is detective mode. Using this visual aide will help you to find clues to solve puzzles, find out how many henchmen are in the room & which ones are holding weapons and discover hidden objects that will either assist Batman in the long run or give him some extra points that will be added to your personal trophies collection. Taking down henchmen is also fun once again in Stealth mode, where you can sneak up from behind or above and take them down silently or with a loud smack. The puzzles found in the game feature many tests and trials, some of which can be completed easily with the detective mode; other times it will take you a fair amount of effort to discover the answer to them (especially in the case of the Riddler's challenges).

Controlling Batman around Arkham City is a cinch, even with the dozen or so weapons at your disposal. Moving and attacking using melee maneuvers can be a button-masher at times, but with enough practice and timing you can take out a massive group of henchmen in just a couple minutes. Flying around Arkham and using your Batclaw to swing around buildings also has their perks, but when it comes to using the Dive Bomb technique it might take a few tries in order to perfect it. Switching your weapons with the D-pad also proved to be quite useful, as it came in handy when I needed to change what I was carrying during mid-fight.

The graphics in Batman: Arkham City are dark, grimy and exactly how we would picture Mr. Wayne's world. Each rundown building (as is the case with the majority of them) just sparks character, and the snow-drenched environments are hauntingly beautiful. The characters in the game also look phenomenal, as there is no other superhero game that has been able to capture the overall appearance of its heroes in villains. Batman looks intimidating, Joker and Two-Face appear gruesome and Catwoman & (surprisingly) Harley Quinn have never looked this sexy. (Let's just say I will worship any female gamer that can pull off one of these outfits for future cosplay.)

You cannot talk about Arkham City without discussing the sound, which truly makes what this world is. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill have always been the perfect Batman/Joker pairing, even better than any movie adaptation of the Dark Knight's adventures. You don't just hear Conroy's Batman brood, you feel it; Joker, on the other hand, always manages to put a giant smile on my face, even when he's putting a gun to my hero's head. It's a real shame that Hamill will no longer be voicing the Clown Prince after this video game, but if there was ever a moment to go out on top then this is the right way to do it. Tara Strong does a fine job with the voice of Harley (replacing Arleen Sorkin), and Grey DeLisle brings the sexiest, most flirtatious Catwoman since Michelle Pfeiffer brought life to the character in Batman Returns. The soundtrack by Nick Arundel and Ron Fish compliments every scenario seen in this game, acting like a great companion during Batman's journey to find the truth.

The biggest props for this game have to go to scriptwriter Paul Dini. Arkham City had more twists and turns than I could've ever wanted in a Batman game, and it delivered each with awe-inspiring results. Joker's dialogue is some of the funniest in a long time (the Lost reference had me in stitches), and Bruce's monologues and delivery manages to hit you both in your heart and brain. Not since Batman: The Animated Series have I seen a Caped Crusader story told as well as this, rivaling even the recent Christopher Nolan Batman films.

The main storyline will take you roughly twelve hours to complete, but there is plenty to come back to as soon as you've beaten it. With many side-story missions, the ability to play as Catwoman, Robin & Nightwing, tons of hidden goodies to discover and plenty of villains to battle it out with you will be spending many days and nights within the walled-off world of Arkham City. Then you have New Game+ mode, which amplifies the difficulty and gives you no hints to fend of henchmen. There is also the small Easter Eggs that are found throughout the game, one of which could be hinting at a third game. (I won't say what it is, but it involves Ms. Quinn.)

PROS:

• Looks, feels and plays like a Batman game should
• Fantastic voice-acting, foreboding soundtrack
• One of the most enduring Batman stories ever conceived

CON:

• This is the last time Mark Hamill sends in the clown

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Batman: Arkham City not only exceeded my expectations for the Dark Knight's gaming return, but it also made my jaw smack down to the ground at just about every corner. There are words to describe this title, such as "flawless" and "breathtaking," but if I had to choose just a mere word to describe Batman: Arkham City it would be this: perfect.

FINAL GRADE: 10 (out of ten)

WRITER'S NOTE: I would strongly recommend getting the Collector's Edition of Batman: Arkham City, as what is enclosed is a bargain compared to buying everything separate. The soundtrack (featuring music from Serj Tankian, The Duke Spirit, Raveonettes and many other indie rock bands), DLC, the anime film Batman: Gotham Knight, the beta code for Gotham City Impostors and a greatly-detailed statue of the Caped Crusader are all worth the $100, something I rarely see when companies release special editions for popular games.

Just when you thought that there cannot possibly be another tower defense game…

For anyone who has no idea what a tower defense game is, the following is the standard for one: You have a base/building/item that you need to protect from enemies, who will come out to attack said place. The enemy troops will follow a set path on the map that can possible be changed in some games by placing walls/items/towers. You will need to build different types of towers and traps along the paths to protect your base. These can range from small turret and artillery to anti-air towers. These towers can be upgraded and sometimes have special effects added on to them to alter your defenses. The main point is to work between placement on the paths, amount of towers, types of towers, and upgrading towers.

This is one of those games that is not hard for small developers to make, as there usually is no overwhelming AI, physics, and other systems. (I made one as a project in school with a group of students myself.) The trick with most of these is to make the game stand out from the rest with some special features or modes. The real question is not what this game is like, but what it does differently to stand out from the massive pile of other tower defense games.

The main answer that I can see is that Defenders of Ardania makes it possible for competitive gameplay. Yes, if you have been telling your friend that you are better at tower defense games than him, this game allows you to place the attacker and defender at the same time. If you manage to play the two sides better than your opponent, then you will win. It is a better system then just making a high score system. So how does the game play? Well you have your normal base with your normal tower types (short range arrow, long ranger artillery, etc.) and you can place them on the map to alter the path of units. There is an upgrade system and a magic system that both seem to use money, so if you want to use your big abilities then you will need to sacrifice spending money on tower as a tradeoff. There are global upgrades also that allow you to invest in items you normally use, like making towers cheaper. All this was nice until I was told that I could build my own troops to attack the opponent.