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wonderfulworldofmichaelford · 4 years

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Psycho Analysis: Skull Face

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

The Metal Gear franchise is well known for its complex, deep philosophies, and the antagonist of Metal Gear Solid V is absolutely no exception to this. Skull Face, while definitely on the more shallow end of the villain pool in terms of the series, is still one of the most intriguing and even pivotal villains the series introduces. Why is that?

In short, he is responsible for much of the bleakness that plagues Solid Snake’s adventures. But you’re not here for the short version, you’re here for the long one. So how exactly does the mysterious Skull Face fit into the incredibly dense and convoluted mythology of Kojima’s masterpiece of a franchise?

Motivation/Goals: Skull Face has a pretty surface-level motivation at first glance: he wants revenge against both Zero and Big Boss, as Skull Face previously worked for the covert project XOF created by Zero that cleaned up messes left behind by Big Boss during Virtuous Mission and Operation Snake Eater, XOF being the shadow of the FOX program, so to speak. After FOX disbanded in the 70s, XOF became the strike force for Zero’s Cipher. Of course, during all this time, Skull Face became resentful of both Zero and Big Boss alike, weary of being left in the shadows cleaning up the messes of men who would gain more honor than he did. This is the guy who assassinated Stalin in the Metal Gear universe, so it is understandable he’d be a bit miffed.

Of course, as any Metal Gear villain is wont to do, he takes his anger too far, and decides to play Cipher and MSF against each other, and sets into motion the events of The Phantom Pain by kidnapping, torturing, and possibly even raping Paz before having those bombs implanted in her as well as kidnapping and torturing Chico (and perhaps even forcing him to rape Paz). He then destroys Mother Base, which leads into Big Boss going into a coma when his helicopter explodes due to Paz’s bomb.

His ultimate goal from all of this chaos is this: he’ll create nukes only he can stop from detonating and distribute them around the world along with the Metal Gears needed to fire them, upsetting the global power balance in the process while also keeping Skull Face in control. Then, he would unleash the English parasite that kills its host whenever they speak English; when the world is liberated from English, the new world language will be one of nukes and Metal Gears, and the world will be at peace through mass nuclear deterrence, a sentiment similar to that of Hot Coldman of Peace Walker. And if that doesn’t work? Just kill everyone. The plan is ludicrously complicated and seems like it could easily be thrown out of wack by even the slightest of variables, which makes Skull Face a perfect Metal Gear villain.

Really though, everything boils down to his desire for revenge against the sleights he feels Zero and Big Boss dealt against him, be they real or imagined, which fits very nicely into the game’s deconstruction of the idea of vengeance and how ultimately seeking revenge can utterly consume a person and cause far more harm than good. This makes Skull Face thematically gel with the story while also being someone to root against and to, in the end, help Kaz and Venom realize how utterly futile their thirst for vengeance against Skull Face was and how destroying him does not bring back the years of suffering they suffered or all that they lost.

There’s also an element of the fear of being forgotten to his motivations, erased from history by his enemies in an attempt to eradicate any and all legacy he may have; however, in this regard he is far more successful than in his main evil plain, as he managed to pass on his vengeful, nihilistic philosophies to his enemies. Even though his body is burnt away due to housing parasites and even though the Patriots eradicate his existence, and even though the true Big Boss never acknowledged Skull Face or his existence, Venom, Psycho Mantis, Skull Face, Diamond Dogs, and even Cipher are forever warped by his philosophies and in part plays in to how Outer Heaven was created. Even worse, he actually does get his revenge on Zero, causing him to fall into the state he is seen in right before his death at the end of Guns of the Patriots. As special tapes show, Zero truly was remorseful for how things between he and Big Boss had turned out and truly wanted to communicate and reconcile… but because of Skull Face’s desire for revenge, he ended up preventing such a reunion from ever occurring.

“Poor communication kills” is another strong theme in the game, and Skull Face weaponizes such a thing, inadvertently ensuring all the tragedies that would follow in the Metal Gear timeline, all because of his thirst for revenge against two men who never intentionally wished to screw him over… perhaps if he had communicated, things would have turned out a bit better for all parties. Instead, he turned one man into an immobile, barely functioning shell and warped another into someone just like him: a monster who lives only to lash out in anger and vengeance at those he has perceived as wronging him. Even though Skull Face died, he still ultimately was victorious in the sense that Big Boss and Zero were both twisted and destroyed by his actions.

Performance: James Horan does a wonderful job voicing Skull Face, making him sinister, creepy, and hammy whenever the scene calls for it. In fact, his scenery chewing skills are nearly unmatched; Skull Face goes whole hog when it comes to hamminess. He’s certainly not Armstrong levels, but Horan knows what kind of series he’s in and is definitely having a lot of fun.

Final Fate: When Mantis hijacks Sahelanthropus, Skull Face ends up caught in the crossfire and crushed, so Kaz and Venom come up and blast his limbs off as payback for the limbs they lost. But then they realize that killing him is a pointless, hollow victory that won’t bring back their dead comrades or give back all they took from him, so they toss him his gun as he begs them to kill him and tell him to do it himself as they walk away. A powerful moment in the series…

...That Huey immediately ruins by going over, killing him, and then shouting “REVENGE!” in the stupidest manner possible, despite the fact that any grivance Huey could possibly have against Skull Face is petty at best. For such an important villain in the grand scheme of the franchise, he deserved better than being shot by Huey of all people.

Best Scene: It’s pretty hard to pick, as almost any of his disturbing tapes from Ground Zeroes could qualify due to their fantastic voice acting and horrifying content that cements Skull Face as one of the franchise’s most twisted villains. But if we’re talking in-game onscreen appearances, the scene in “Hellbound” where Sahelanthropus is revealed in all its terrifying glory while he poses and gestures in its hand, hamming it up for Huey and Snake, is just a truly golden moment.

Best Quote: “Who is doing this? Such a lust for revenge… WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!??!!?”

Final Thoughts & Score: Skull Face is a really cool villain, even with that dopey face mask. It may be because he continues the proud tradition of ridiculous, over-the-top bad guys that the series is known for, but gives one suited to the Big Boss era of the franchise; Volgin and Hot Coldman are not nearly as hammy or enjoyable as Skull Face is. And much like any great Metal Gear villain, Skull Face has some awkward moments, such as that uncomfortably long car ride and the fact he’s wearing a mask that makes him look like an edgy reimagining of the Hamburglar, but frankly these things just endear him more to me. The whole fun of Metal Gear is that these games have so many poetic, beautiful, poignant, and philosophical scenes juxtaposed against over-the-top absurdity and ridiculous levels of narm; Skull Face fits right in.

Truly this man earns his 9/10. Ultimately I keep him from the perfect score due to being killed by Huey, which is insanely embarrassing for any villain, as well as the fact that he’s a little underutilized and never really beaten in a meaningful way because, again, Huey is incapable of not ruining something. But none of that changes how thematically strong the guy is. He’s a lot of fun, and while it’s a shame he’s killed only about halfway through the game, the shadow he and his actions cast on not only the entire game but the franchise as a whole more than make up for his shortcomings.

#Psycho Analysis #Skull Face #Metal Gear Solid V #The Phantom Pain

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dyadsaber · 4 years

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A New Reylo Shipper Reads the TFA Novelization Part 3: In which I Have Squishy Feelings About Rey Being Taken Care Of, and The Dyad Meeting Each Other Makes Me Capslock a Lot

One of the fun things about reading this novel was discovering all of the little differences that hadn’t been all over tumblr. Not that I minded being spoiled. All of those “I should be afraid of YOU” snarky Kylo Ren gifsets brought me great joy. But you know what I didn’t know going in? That Unkar Plutt was supposed to catch up with Rey at Maz’s place, and when he’s about to turn her over to the first order, Chewie shows up and RIPS HIS ARMS OFF.

I get that they likely cut it for time, but it was just really a gratifying scene to read, and I am 100% here for Rey being witness to the fact that there are people in her corner who will rip the arms off of those who would use her and hurt her.

And then we get to the scene where Rey finds the legacy lightsaber and OH BOY.

So Finn just decided to leave for “as far away from the First Order as one can get,” and here’s Rey’s PoV:

“Under the weight of her loneliness Han’s voice seemed to fade, and Maz Kanata’s as well, until there was nothing surrounding her but a silence as deep and profound as the distant reaches of space itself. Then something came, stealthy and unidentifiable, to fill it.”

Part of this is her own individual connection to the Force , but reading backwards, part of this could definitely be her connection to Ben through their dyad bond, because she isn’t alone, neither of them are, even if they don’t know it yet. They always had each other, and no, I didn’t cry a lot at those panels of young Rey from The Rise of Kylo Ren, WHY ARE YOU ASKING???

And then, in the MIDDLE of the flurry of things she sees/hears, THIS HAPPENS…

“Someone, somewhere, somewhen, spoke her name. “Hello? Wreathed in the irrationality of the moment, she called hopefully, but received no answer. A boy appeared at the end of the hallway.”

It was in this moment that I screamed at my kindle, in my best Kylo voice, “WHAT BOY???” No really did she see a much younger version of Ben here? My personal answer from now on is YES SHE DID.

I remember a whole lot of talk a couple of months ago about the following two “I’ll come back for you” lines, and about JJ Abrams confirming who said them, but all I can find now is speculation from before TRoS came out, and that is NOT HELPING ME REMEMBER. If you have a link to the article/interview where Abrams or anyone else clarifies this, please @ me.

She’s seeing Starkiller from the future, here, and I think that’s telling. Because after describing all of the noise of battle, we get…

“Then behind her, another voice. That voice. “Stay here. I’ll come back for you.”

“That” is actually italicized in the text, which means that it’s a voice Rey hears enough to recognize and give importance to it, but WHOSE VOICE? I mean I know that it was left vague intentionally here because ADF didn’t know whose voice it was supposed to be, and neither did anyone else, but the vagueness makes it COMPLETELY possible that this was Ben, and that she’s been hearing little fragments from him for years. This line, though, raises questions that I don’t think anyone at DLF thought about as hard as we are now, but the idea of this being WBW Ben telling her to wait for him because he’s trying to get back to her GIVES ME A LOT OF FEELINGS EVEN IF IT IS NEVER GOING TO BE CANON. (I’m from the school of “canon can go jump in a lava pit if it doesn’t respect the fans or the characters” so I’m an old hand at reimagining things shitty creators screwed up.)

In between this scene and the one where dyad finally sees each other for the first time, we get:

An incredibly frustrating tease of a line from Maz about how she acquired the lightsaber. I want a whole comic about how that thing fell into her hands. TAKE MY MONEY, DLF.

Leia feeling the Hosnian system being destroyed, thinking about Alderaan, and making me very very upset in ways that aren’t fun to read or write about, so…

On to the first meeting! Mostly, I got really sarcastic in my kindle notes at this point.

Rey sees Kylo Ren from a distance for the first time.

“She had seen this man before, in a daydream. In a nightmare.”

...in the weird Force-induced version she just experienced not fifteen minutes ago…

Also, what happened to Rey back at Maz’s place is NOT something I would describe as a daydream, which can only lead me to wonder about but having random “Wtf where did that come from” daydreams about Ben “I am in FULL KYLO COSTUME” Solo in the middle of scavenging a Star Destroyer, shrugging it off as her mind playing tricks on her, and going about her day. Someone PLEASE draw this. (I know this is a reach and I’m nitpicking at less than awesome writing, but it’s day I don’t even know what of quarantine, and this is how I’m making my own fun.)

And the first time he becomes aware of her…

“Sir, we’re still searching for Solo, but the droid that’s wanted was spotted heading west, with a girl.” At this Ren said nothing, but instead looked sharply in the indicated direction.

“WhAT gIrL” - Kylo Ren at this point definitely

“Each shot from her blaster he deflected with the lightsaber’s beam. Almost as if it were a game, she thought in terror as she continued to fire. He was playing with her.”

“Let's see what you can do, Scavenger”. - Kylo Ren playing with the dyad partner he doesn't know he has yet IN THE MIDDLE OF A BATTLE. Typical.

“When he finally spoke, he sounded at once impressed and surprised.”

Ben Solo begins as he means to go on... She is constantly impressing and surprising him.

“So afraid,” he murmured. “Yet I should be the one who should be scared. You shot first. You speak of the Order as if it were barbaric. And yet, it is I who was forced to defend myself against you.”

“Wow you’re SCARED?” he says, looming in black, waving his red lightsaber around, and using the Force to control her…

“Something.” He sounded mystified. “There is something…Who are you?”

She’s a Force user, what you’re feeling is your Force bond, and she's your other half, Kylo my guylo. Get it together, jeez…

“Is it true, then? You’re nothing special after all? You’re just a—Jakku scavenger?”

Keep telling yourself that, KR - Love, Your Future Self

And then there’s this Rey PoV that breaks me a little…

“She’d tried to keep her mind blank, her memory locked, and still he had wormed his way in. He touched her anew. This time the pain of trying to stave him off brought tears streaming down her face.”

I think Daisy gets this across in her performance her really well, but being reminded so starkly of the fact that what he’s doing when he roots around in her memories HURTS HER drew me up short when I read this. I headcanon that this is one of the things Ben spends a lot of time apologizing for later because he feels so guilty about it.

But before I can get too wrapped up in Ben Solo’s occasionally crushing guilt, we have THIS delicious dose of irony: (He’s talking about her affection for Finn, here…)

He drew back slightly, bemused. “You’ve even begun to care for him. A weakness, such distractions.”

YOU HAVE NO IDEA, DO YOU, SIR… COME TALK TO ME WHEN YOU’RE CUTTING YOUR MENTOR IN HALF INSTEAD OF HURTING HER, OK?

And finally… just because the visual of this cracks me up… the novel implies that Kylo Ren let Rey DROP TO THE GROUND when he force-whammied her, instead of catching her like he does on screen. My proof (this is PoV of some random First Order officer):

At a gesture from Ren the young woman standing before him collapsed. [...] He had no wish to join the woman on the ground in a state of oblivion.

WHAT A CAD! Not CATCHING the woman you just made PASS OUT with the Force? Bad form, KR. (Movie Kylo is a gentleman and keeps her from hitting the floor. A++ “not as much of jerk as you could have been” moment.)

And that seems like a good stopping place for Part 3. Next time: I scream about Han and Leia’s characterization as parents and try to defend one of my oldest ships from the outright character assassination this novelization engages in. Also, there’s some scene with Rey in an interrogation chair thingy and Kylo taking his mask off. I had some thoughts.

#reylo #tfa novelization #the force awakens novelization #dyadsaber text posts

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Every Nintendo Console Ranked From Worst to Best

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There are some who believe that the best Nintendo console ever is the first one you owned. It’s an idea that speaks to the mark Nintendo has left on the industry and how you feel the first time you experience the latest entries in one of their classic franchises. Your first Nintendo console truly is something special.

With that out of the way, let’s talk about which Nintendo console is actually the best. No, there’s no way to convince everyone that one Nintendo console is actually better than the rest, but we’re looking back at Nintendo’s history of both home and handheld console releases (minus some peripherals like the Game & Watch) to give a little love to your first Nintendo console (whatever it may have been) and also talk about the Virtual Boy.

While this ranking was heavily based on the quality of each console’s games (which is arguably a device’s most important factor in terms of its legacy), any potential ties were broken by hardware quality, longevity, and intangible features that elevated one console over another.

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13. Nintendo Virtual Boy

Well, let’s get this out the way, shall we?

You have to give Nintendo credit for trying to make virtual reality happen in the ‘90s, but even if you accept that this console’s VR capabilities were always going to be limited (even for the time, much less compared to modern VR headsets), everything else about this device was a disaster. Its few “okay” games barely utilized its VR technology, and those games ambitious enough to explore that possibility were quite literally painful to play. It was also expensive enough to ensure that few people actually owned one, which was really for the best.

More importantly, the Virtual Boy is the one Nintendo console that doesn’t seem to generate any nostalgia beyond being a relic of a specific time. Much like the Ark of the Covenant, though, this relic could burn a hole through your eyes if you looked at it for too long.

12. Nintendo Wii U

If it wasn’t for the Virtual Boy, it would be incredibly easy to name the Wii U the worst Nintendo console of all-time.

Right down to its name, the Wii U always felt like Nintendo’s half-hearted attempt to answer the question “What comes after the historically successful Nintendo Wii?” The idea of making a home console slightly more portable was a good one (just look at the Switch), but the actual Wii U tablet was a terribly designed peripheral that was often tough to enjoy even when you found a non-Nintendo developer that bothered to properly use it in the first place.

Yes, the Wii U had some truly incredible exclusives, but the fact that Nintendo couldn’t wait to port most of them to the Switch really tells you all you need to know about this console’s fundamental design failures.

11. Game Boy Color

Despite its place on this list, I’d actually say this is the point when we’ll start talking about Nintendo devices that were at least worth owning. Actually, you probably either owned a Game Boy Color or you probably wished you could convince your parents to buy one.

So why is it so low? Much like the Wii U, the biggest problem here is that Nintendo and its development partners failed to really properly utilize the device’s core feature often enough. The list of true Game Boy Color exclusives is relatively small, meaning that many of us ended up using the Game Boy color to slightly enhance Game Boy games.

While that’s not necessarily a bad thing given the quality of the Game Boy library, the Game Boy Color still feels like a missed opportunity that ultimately bridged two more notable handheld releases.

10. Game Boy Advance

It’s hard to fault anyone who thinks about really bad lighting whenever they try to remember their time with the Game Boy Advance. Nintendo eventually corrected that issue with the Game Boy Advance SP, but you have to wonder what could have been had the GBA hardware been ready for primetime (or, more accurately, bright daylight) when it was released.

Of course, a big part of the reason why people wanted to be able to see the GBA screen a bit better was that the GBA had so many great games. The GBA could have justified its existence if it was just a portable SNES (which it sometimes was), but here was a device that strangely inspired some of the industry’s best developers to really push the limits of handheld game design and start to explore what was possible.

Honestly, you could probably swap the Game Boy Advance and the next entry on this list depending on what mood you’re in, but the Game Boy Advance’s surprisingly short lifespan ends up being the fact that earns it a slightly lower spot.

9. Nintendo 3DS

Ranking the Nintendo 3DS is difficult if for no other reason that than the fact it took a while for Nintendo to get the hardware right. Even then, the Nintendo 2DS is still one of the oddest pieces of strangely bitter “budget” device design this side of Apple. There’s also the matter of the handheld’s 3D technology which proved to be such a mixed bag that it’s honestly hard to blame anyone who never bothered to use it.

However, the 3DS’ game library is simply one of the best in Nintendo handheld history. The 3DS boasts some of the best Pokemon, Zelda, Metroid, and Animal Crossing games ever, as well as a surprisingly strong lineup of third-party titles.

It’s always been a little annoying that it’s so easy to recommend 3DS games but it’s been historically difficult to recommend the 3DS hardware itself. Still, Nintendo did eventually right this ship somewhat, which is more than you can say about some of their other devices.

8. Nintendo Wii

There are times when it feels like the Nintendo Wii was a fever dream. Remember when we were playing motion controlled bowling with our grandmas as we both marveled at the realization that we were indeed in the future? What a wonderfully weird few years that was.

That’s the thing about the Nintendo Wii. No, it’s motion controls weren’t always the best in retrospect, and yes, many of its games were sometimes too dependent on those controls, but the fact of the matter is that it’s hard to replace the memories that the Nintendo Wii gave us.

You don’t need to put your rose tinted glasses on too tightly to look back fondly on the Nintendo Wii, but the console does start to fall apart just a bit the more critically you look at it.

7. Nintendo GameCube

You know, we can actually save a little time talking about the GameCube’s failures as we previously took an extensive look at the console’s shortcomings in an article focused on how the GameCube made Nintendo a little cynical. Check it out if you want to be reminded of the many ways this was not a perfect console.

Then there’s the other side of the GameCube argument, which largely focuses on the fact that the GameCube’s library features one of the best collections of exclusive titles in gaming history. I mean, this is the console that gave us both Resident Evil 4 and Animal Crossing. This is the console that brilliantly reimagined the Metroid franchise and proved that Super Smash Bros. was so much more than a gimmick.

The GameCube’s shortcomings have always been easy to focus on simply because it’s hard not to imagine what this console could have been if just a couple of the more obvious flaws had been addressed.

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6. Nintendo 64

If you put the PlayStation’s best 100 games next to the N64’s best 100 games, the PlayStation would probably look like the better console. If you stack the PlayStation’s top 10 games against the N64’s top 10 games, though, then the conversation becomes much more complicated.

That’s the thing about the N64. While it reminds us of a generation when Nintendo started to lose some of their third-party support, that’s hard to focus on for too long when you realize that the N64’s best games were essential parts of their era. Can you imagine a world without Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time or going through the ‘90s without experiencing a proper GoldenEye 007 all-nighter?

Actually, in retrospect, the thing that puts the N64 over-the-top from a historical perspective is its status as arguably the best local multiplayer console ever. The industry changed shortly thereafter, and it’s always been a shame that more modern developers don’t recognize what makes the local multiplayer experience so much more than the predecessor to online play. If it weren’t for the console’s controller and a few missing/weird features, this one could rank even higher.

5. Nintendo Switch

It’s tempting to just leave the Nintendo Switch off this list for the simple fact that the console’s story is far from done. Yet, it’s a testament to the Switch’s run so far that it could pretty much fall flat on its face from here on out and still arguably rank relatively high on this list.

The thing about the Nintendo Switch’s gimmick is that it’s not really a gimmick. Instead, Nintendo simply recognized that the time had finally come to merge handheld and console gaming in a way that we used to only dream about. While the Switch’s portability is obviously one of its best features, what makes the console work is the fact that you could leave it plugged into your TV until the end of time and never feel like you’re somehow missing out on the way you “should be” using the device.

It’s honestly hard to imagine how Nintendo ever releases another console that doesn’t at least somewhat emulate the Switch’s design. Oh, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that the Switch’s library has been largely stellar so far.

4. Nintendo Game Boy

It’s easy enough to forget just how bad most handheld gaming consoles released before the Game Boy were and, for that matter, how bad many of the handheld gaming consoles that followed the Game Boy ended up being. We’ve often been willing to settle for less to play games on the go, but the Game Boy truly spoiled us.

Years later, it’s clear that the “secret” to the Game Boy’s success was the way Nintendo set a clear precedent that portable games would no longer just be lesser console games. The Game Boy occasionally dove into those waters, but many of the device’s best games felt like the kind of titles that wouldn’t have found a home on any other platform despite clearly being worthwhile (often great) experiences.

At a time when so many people still play games on mobile devices that too often boil titles down to their simplest forms, the ambitious Game Boy is more impressive than ever.

3. Nintendo DS

The Nintendo DS is another one of those Nintendo devices that can justify its high ranking on the basis of its library alone, but the thing that I don’t think gets talked about enough when we’re discussing the legacy of the DS are its touch screen features.

At a time when the idea of touch screen gaming felt closer to a novelty, the DS treated the concept with a sense of joy that perfectly captured the thrill many of us felt when we realized that were able to control games in such a futuristic way. We said something similar about the Wii, but years later, there are DS games that make better use of touch controls than even modern smartphone titles.

The DS could have “just” been another Game Boy, and it would likely still be fondly remembered. What elevates it are the ways that it so perfectly showcases the benefits of Nintendo’s outside the box thinking.

2. Nintendo Entertainment System

You know, I’m pretty sure that everyone I knew who owned an NES eventually saw the console “fail” at some point. From broken loading trays to dusty cartridges, the NES may have been one of Nintendo’s least reliable consoles from a hardware perspective.

Like the old sports car that breaks down so often that you learn to love fixing it, though, the memories the NES gave a generation of gamers were certainly worth the trouble. Yes, the NES’ library is impressive, but what’s really impressive is how so many NES games are still playable to this day. Some of them are still seen as the gold standard in their particular genres.

You can debate which console was the best in any given generation, but it’s hard to imagine being a young gamer of a certain era and not having an NES in the house.

1. Super Nintendo Entertainment System

Incredibly, there was a time when parents everywhere were convinced that the Super Nintendo was some kind of scam. After all, we already owned a Nintendo. Why would they ever spend a couple hundred dollars on another one?

Kids everywhere quickly figured out the answer to that question. Unlike other console follow-ups from previous generations that offered diminishing returns in order to score quick bucks, Nintendo built the SNES to prove to all the doubters that this really was the future of gaming and that the SNES was going open doors that many of us never even knew were there.

As you’ve probably already guessed, though, the SNES spot at the top of this list was secured by the quality of the console’s games. With help from some of the greatest studios ever working at the top of their games (as well as more than a few notable contributions of their own design), Nintendo assembled a library of SNES classics that may never be topped in terms of quality, innovations, and diversity. This is truly the best Nintendo console ever.

The post Every Nintendo Console Ranked From Worst to Best appeared first on Den of Geek.

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theultimatefan · 4 years

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Intellivision Celebrates 40 Years

Intellivision Entertainment is celebrating 40 years of Intellivision by releasing a multitude of news, information, and assets that will give followers a closer glimpse as to what’s to come when the all-new Intellivision Amico console is released on 10/10 2020

It was 40 years ago today that the very first Intellivision video game console hit store shelves. By the early 80's Intellivision owned 20% of the home console market generating over $500 million in yearly revenue with over 1,800 employees worldwide. Intellivision created and pioneered many "firsts" in the game industry that have now become de facto standards including... the first directional pad on a controller (d-pad), the first console to be able to pause a game from the controller, the first spoken voice in a game (Major League Baseball®), the first to license professional sports leagues (NFL®, NBA®, MLB®, PGA®, NHL®, PBA®, etc.), the first digital and subscription based system (PlayCable™ add-on), the first console to also be used as a home computer (Keyboard Component™) and physical music learning device (Intellivision Music Synthesizer™) as well as creating new genres of gaming such as the first "god/city building” and Real Time Strategy with the game Utopia™. Intellivision intends on keeping their legacy of innovation alive with the release of the brand new Intellivision Amico™ family gaming system launching 10/10 2020.

Intellivision CEO Tommy Tallarico stated, "We want to bring the industry back to the core root of gaming. We believe that it is the unique games that are the most important part of any system as well as the talented developers who create them. It's not how fast something can be processed or streamed, it’s not about the complexity of the controls or how realistic the graphics are... but instead, the FUN FACTOR of the games. I feel that sometimes this sentiment and approach has been lost in modern gaming. This is what our brand and the upcoming Intellivision Amico console is focused on. What makes Amico unique is that ALL games will be able to be played with friends and family no matter what the skill level of the player. Each game will have a single player mode, but the most fun will be experienced when playing with others in the same room, which is reflected in our slogan... ‘Together Again’. We're creating something unique, simple and affordable that offers everyone a chance to enjoy gaming entertainment the way it was always and originally meant to be. It’s been said that ‘no news is good news’, we have a different perspective and believe that ‘more news is great news!’

In celebration of the 40th Anniversary, Intellivision has put together a plethora of new information for the upcoming Amico system:

• Updated images and video of the Amico console and controller. After extensive focus group testing, the original Intellivision side buttons have been split apart to function more like shoulder buttons when being played horizontally. This information and much more about the controller can be found in the newest edition of the MEET AMICO video series on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/G2Ij5qFMWuE

• Interactive Augmented Reality app. Allows the user to point the app at any new Amico logo (image below) to see the logo come to life in AR followed by letting the user play a short full screen game demo of Moon Patrol: The Milky Way Chronicles, a new and exclusive reimagining of the Moon Patrol game originally released in 1982 by Irem. Download the AMICO AR app in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

• The first of five pack-in games for Amico is being announced along with screen shots comparing the original. Skiing is one of the sports and recreational activities that families love to enjoy together. The original Intellivision Skiing was no exception and was a very popular game among family and friends of all ages. A completely new and reimagined version will be available on board every console. It features up to 8 players, 10 courses and includes 4 player Ski Cross competitive racing.

• Over 75 unique and exclusive products from developers all over the world are currently in development. Intellivision is pleased to announce the first group of 25 world class developers working with Intellivision on Amico products:

Other Ocean

Digital Eclipse

Concrete Games

Choice Provisions

Playchemy

React Games

Stainless Games

WastedStudios

Bonus Level Entertainment

NeoBird

Aesir Interactive

Thera Bytes

Way Digital Studios

BBG Entertainment

PHL Collective

Rogue Rocket Games

Pixel Pug

Quicksilver Software

Tozai Games

Human Soft Inc,

Flashman Studios

Spaceflower UG

Exozet Berlin GmbH

Independent Arts Software

Pool Legends

• An original 11 ½ minute never-before-seen Intellivision promotional video from 1978 has been unearthed and uploaded to the Intellivision YouTube channel - https://youtu.be/6_LhJNdDk9w

• New legacy merchandise is now available at IntellivisionAmico.com/shop which includes t-shirts, hats, mugs, beanies and a special limited art canvas featuring the patent for the original Intellivision controller. A special storewide 25% off promo code has been extended to December 31, 2019. Enter AMICO25 at checkout.

UPDATED CONSOLE DESIGN AmicoConsole.png UPDATED CONTROLLER DESIGN (FRONT 1) ControllerFront.png UPDATED CONTROLLER DESIGN (FRONT 2) ControllerIsometric.png UPDATED CONTROLLER DESIGN (BACK) ControllerRear.png NEW AMICO LOGO (for use with AMICO AR app) AmicoLogo.jpg INTELLIVISION SKIING (THEN & NOW) IntellivisionAmicoSkiing.jpg DECEMBER 3, 2019

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hollywoodglees · 4 years

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

Festival Announces Audience and Jury Award Winners

AFI FEST 2020 Will Take Place October 15-22

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Los Angeles, CA, November 22, 2019 — AFI FEST 2019 presented by Audi announced today the films that received this year’s Jury and Audience awards. The Grand Jury Award winners for Live Action and Animated Short will be eligible for the 2020 Best Live Action Short and Best Animated Short Academy Awards®. The Shorts jury was comprised of filmmakers Katrelle Kindred, Hannah Peterson and Davy Rothbart.

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Highlights of the festival include Conversations with Peter Morgan and Martin Scorsese; the Indie Contenders and Doc Roundtables; a conversation with Eva Longoria and Dr. Stacy Smith on the Erasure of Latinx in Film; and a conversation with Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, and Susan Ruskin, Dean of the AFI Conservatory and EVP of the AFI Institute.

AFI FEST 2020 will open on October 15 and close on October 22. World premieres, galas and special screenings reflecting the best in global cinema will take place at iconic theaters in Los Angeles.

Audience Award – Feature I AM NOT ALONE (DIR Garin Hovannisian)

Capturing the fury, emotion, and spontaneous expressions of freedom that overtook the streets of Armenia in 2018, Garin Hovannisian’s fascinating eye-witness documentary affords a unique glimpse into a revolution-in-the-making by offering unprecedented access to the grassroots movement that dared to challenge an entrenched regime, as well as the regime’s leaders themselves.

Audience Award – Short

LOST & FOUND (DIR Orlando Von Einsiedel)

A determined man, armed only with a megaphone, his determination, and an unshakeable smile, sets out to reunite lost children with their families in the Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh, which now houses over 600,000 Rohingya Muslims.

Grand Jury Award – Live-Action Short

EXAM (DIR Sonia K. Hadad)

Jury Statement: “We are so excited to award the Grand Jury Prize to Sonia K. Hadad’s EXAM. EXAM stood out from the other films for its bold directorial style, anchored by a stunning lead performance. The result is a tense portrait that reaches past its specificity into the universal.”

A teenage girl delivers a package of cocaine to a client and gets caught in a weird cycle of events.

Special Jury Prize—Live Action

MTHUNZI (DIR Tebogo Malebogo)

Jury Statement: “Centered on a chance encounter, MTHUNZI gives an intimate and powerful glance into the intricacies of unconscious bias. Beautifully captured, grounded performances and daring choices on behalf of the filmmaker left the jury stirred by this gentle narrative.”

Mthunzi becomes caught up in a world he does not belong to while walking home from the shops.

Special Jury Prize—Live Action

LIBERTY (DIR Faren Humes)

Jury Statement: “First-time actors deliver breakthrough performances under the steady guidance of director Faren Humes in this absorbing and exquisite short. The jury was impressed by its kinetic energy, its economic storytelling, and its probing yet compassionate tone.”

Alex and Milagros deal with great life upheaval as they prepare to dance at their community’s redevelopment groundbreaking ceremony.

Grand Jury Prize—Animation

SOMETHING TO REMEMBER (DIR Niki Lindroth von Bahr)

Jury Statement: “We’re pleased to give the Grand Jury Prize in Animation to SOMETHING TO REMEMBER for its tender yet critical response to the world around us, and its perfect execution. This irresistible short transforms bittersweet anxieties into a modern lullaby — we couldn’t take our eyes off of it.”

A lullaby before the great disaster.

Grand Jury Prize—Documentary (tie)

A LOVE SONG FOR LATASHA (DIR Sophia Nahli Allison)

Jury Statement: “We are honored to award the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary filmmaking to A LOVE SONG FOR LATASHA. It’s haunting and poetic exploration of a young woman’s life cut tragically short allows its audience to experience an injustice long hidden by time and politics. This film is a portrait framed by beautiful imagery, loving recollection and astonishing storytelling that will linger with the audience long after the credit roll.”

A dreamlike archive in conversation with the past and the present reimagines a more nuanced narrative of Latasha Harlins by excavating intimate and poetic memories shared by her cousin and best friend.

Grand Jury Prize—Documentary (tie)

THE CLINIC (DIR Elivia Shaw)

Jury Statement: “A gripping, harrowing peek into one corner of a vast epidemic, Elivia Shaw’s THE CLINIC is striking for the sensitivity and nuance with which it treats its subjects — both the people who come to Dr. Marc Lashner’s mobile needle exchange looking for help, and the scrappy team of volunteers who do what they can to offer it.”

Amidst a devastating opioid epidemic, a needle exchange and free clinic operate in the shadows of Fresno, California.

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS This year’s festival showcased the best in global cinema due to the visionary support of Audi — now in its 16th consecutive year as Presenting Sponsor of the festival.

The complete AFI FEST program included 143 titles (81 features, 1 episodic, 40 shorts, 21 AFI Conservatory Showcase Shorts) of which 51% were directed by women. This year’s program represented 52 countries and included 8 official International Feature Film Oscar® submissions as well as 3 World Premieres. The total film breakdown by section was: Galas (6), Tributes (5), Special Screenings (9), New Auteurs (24), World Cinema (16), Midnight (2), Cinema’s Legacy (5), Documentary Films & Encore Screenings (15), Short Films (40) and AFI Conservatory Showcase (21).

The many highlights of the festival include Conversations with Peter Morgan and Martin Scorsese; the Indie Contenders Roundtable with Awkwafina (THE FAREWELL), Sterling K. Brown (WAVES), Cynthia Erivo (HARRIET), Jimmie Fails (THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO), Jon Hamm (THE REPORT), Florence Pugh (FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY and MIDSOMMAR), Kerry Washington (AMERICAN SON) and Alfre Woodard (CLEMENCY); the Doc Roundtable with filmmakers Alex Gibney (CITIZEN K), Eva Orner (BIKRAM: YOGI, GURU, PREDATOR), Steven Bognar (AMERICAN FACTORY), Roger Ross Williams (THE APOLLO), Feras Fayyad (THE CAVE), Waad Al-Kateab (FOR SAMA), Lauren Greenfield (THE KINGMAKER) and Nanfu Wang (ONE CHILD NATION); a conversation with Eva Longoria and Dr. Stacy Smith on the Erasure of Latinx in Film and a conversation with Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, and Suan Ruskin, Dean of the AFI Conservatory and EVP of the AFI Institute, exclusively for the AFI Fellows.

Additional guests and artists who attended the festival included Mahershala Ali, Gillian Anderson, Kathy Bates, Noah Baumbach, Beyoncé, Helena Bonham Carter, Simone Boyce, James. L. Brooks, Chinonye Chukwu, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Olivia Colman, Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Laura Dern, Mati Diop, Snoop Dogg, Erin Doherty, Clint Eastwood, Flea, Harrison Ford, François Girard, Tom Harper, Paul Walter Hauser, Aldis Hodge, Joshua Jackson, Daniel Kaluuya, Jack Kilmer, John Lithgow, Melina Matsoukas (AFI Class of 2005), Fernando Meirelles, Tobias Menzies, Josh O’Connor, Edward James Olmos, Clive Owen, Dev Patel, Natalie Portman, Rob Reiner, Rihanna, Sam Rockwell, Evan Ross, Tracey Ellis Ross, Kelly Rowland, Howard Shore, Molly Sims, Jada Pinkett Smith, Bryan Stevenson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Chuck Todd, Maryam Touzani, Jodie Turner-Ross, Lena Waithe, Tallulah Belle Willis, and Zendaya.

Audi was the exclusive presenting sponsor of AFI FEST 2019. Additional top sponsors included Apple, AT&T and American Airlines, the official airline of AFI.

About the American Film Institute (AFI)

Established in 1967, the American Film Institute is the nation’s non-profit organization dedicated to educating and inspiring artists and audiences through initiatives that champion the past, present, and future of the moving image. AFI’s pioneering programs include filmmaker training at the AFI Conservatory; year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center and at AFI Festivals across the nation; workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community; honoring today’s masters through the AFI Life Achievement Award and AFI AWARDS; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films that uphold film history for future generations. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, youtube.com/AFI, twitter.com/American Film and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.

About AFI FEST presented by Audi

Now in its 33rd year, AFI FEST presented by Audi is a world-class event, showcasing the best films from across the globe to captivated audiences in Los Angeles. With a diverse and innovative slate of programming, the eight-day festival presents screenings, panels and conversations, featuring both master filmmakers and new voices. World premieres, Galas and other special events take place at iconic LA locations, such as the historic TCL Chinese Theatre and the glamorous Hollywood Roosevelt. This year’s edition takes place November 14-21, 2019. Additional information about AFI FEST is available at AFI.com/AFIFEST. Connect with AFI FEST at facebook.com/AFIFEST, twitter.com/AFIFEST and youtube.com/AFI.

About Audi

Audi of America, Inc. and its U.S. dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. AUDI AG is among the most successful luxury automotive brands, delivering about 1.812 million vehicles globally in 2018. In the U.S., Audi of America sold nearly 224,000 vehicles in 2018. 2019 marks 50 years for the brand in the U.S. Visit audiusa.com or media.audiusa.com for more information regarding Audi vehicles and business topics.

(Source: AFI FEST press release)

That's a wrap!!! @AFIFEST 2019 presented by @Audi announces jury and audience awards and new dates for 2020. See pictures and the lists of winners here! #AFIFEST2019 Posted by Larry Gleeson Festival Announces Audience and Jury Award Winners AFI FEST 2020 Will Take Place October 15-22…

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