451 Media: Ex Mortis: Issue 7 Review (Final Issue)

     Ex Mortis, Hitler's secret undead army, has been unleashed and only the chance of stopping them is in the hands of a group of Allied monsters called the Dreadnaughts.

     Comprised of all the essential classic horror creatures.  There's a wolfman, a vampire, Frankenstein's original Promethean man, and even a fishman among others.  The team had been betrayed and was in the hands of Axis forces and being subjected to all manner of torture and experimentation in issue 5.
     Then in issue 6 backup arrived, the Dreadnaughts escaped, and set out to prove that despite all the intolerance and persecution, they can rise above mere humanity and thwart the unstoppable Nazi onslaught.

     And rise above they do.  This finale shows that no matter what the cost they will do whatever they can to stop the evil rising out of Hitler's esoteric fanaticism.  They knew they signed up for a suicide mission, and it's come to test their mettle.
     The Dreadnaughts do not disappoint.  Few other stories can give you a blaze of glory quite like this.  This group of outcasts demonstrates that sacrificing all you are to save others is an honor that is held for people that are more than mere soldiers.  It is an act reserved for true heroes.

     Ex Mortis was created and written by the Williams brothers, and has been adapted by Andi Ewington (also known for SIX and the criminally under-appreciated Overrun).  The idea behind Ex Mortis alone could've been reduced to simple and boring fanfare, attempting to rest on familiarity of their namesakes, but the book is handled with great care.  It isn't brought down by cliched writing that befalls many stories using the stereotypical horror character line-up.  This books has given each one of them lives worth knowing.  Lives worth reading about.  And that makes all the difference.

     All these characters are brought to life on the page by the black and white art of Raymund Bermudez and Ty Dazo.  It holds up well as a modern incarnation of the horror pulp comics of yesteryear.  Each black and white page wreaks of the blood implied by the spatters of ink between each panel.  This is what has grown out of things like the Vault of Horror or Tales from the Crypt and it is wonderful and well worth the time for any fans of horror comics or of World War 2 stories.

     Ex Mortis issue 7 is available today.

     For related posts [ 451 Comics Reviews ]

     451 Media on [ Comixology ]

     Official site [ 4five1 ] [ 451 Youtube ] [ Twitter ]

*Review copy provided by 451 Media, Thank you!

451 Media: Self Storage: Issue 6 Review (The Finale!)

UNIT 83

     Average Joe storage diver Christopher Smith, in attempting to make ends meet, has made a living off what others have left behind locked away in storage sheds.  In gambling on what's been left in these storage lockers to turn a profit, Chris gets far more than he bargained for with Unit 83.

     He has found himself the proud, and very surprised, owner of an alluring zombie named...

JESSICA

     In the last issue Chris discovered the mystery behind Jessica's situation was due to her father.  A currently absent man that had experimented with his own daughter in the name of science.  Now, her mother has come to take her home.

     As the body count rises due to Jessica's insatiable appetite for human flesh, the number of the living dead increases.  Friends, coworkers, and visitors- no one is safe.

     That being said, Self Storage has a brilliant ending.  It's been built up perfectly to this point, and it's somehow both definitive, and yet, leaves a just little room for more if the creator's ever wish to return.  We learn the truth behind Jessica.  Why she was locked in unit 83, why she was a zombie, and even where her father's been at this whole time.
     We see where Chris's greedy coworker Jimmy's get-rich-with-zombies-quick schemes goes.  We see Chris's own choices and how they come to fruition.  And, in the end, we get to see that secrets like these simply can't be contained.

     As the man who sold Chris the contents of unit 83 said, that locker holds...

SOMETHING SPECIAL

     Clay McLeod Chapman has made a wonderful series with Self Storage.  It's a tightly knit tale of the connection between our covetousness and the things we won't let go of.  It combines the Storage Wars culture with a bit of Zombieland's humor, and bind's it with an unexpectedly tragic love story right out of Romeo and Juliet, and it's topped with a cherry that is made of all the bloody horror of The Walking Dead.
     All this is brought to life with the tremendously true-to-its-horror-roots black and white art of Matt Timson.  It's sleek and bold, and every panel carries us seamlessly to the next.  Honestly, the art is done in a very cinematic way, so much so that I really wouldn't be surprised to see this eventually be adapted for film or tv.

     This series has taken the zombie genre and given it new life.  Chapman and Timson have proven that the zombie genre still remains undying.  With the all-consuming hunger of the undead in Self Storage, we are shown what the cost of not letting go is.  That inability leaves a trail of pain in its wake.  For the dead and for our  material possessions, the things we cling to wind up being the things that drag us down.  It shows us that our possessions have the haunting power to effect us in ways we can't imagine long after we've forgotten about them.

     Self Storage is a must read for any zombie or horror comic enthusiasts.  It's dark, it's gritty, and it's made all the sweeter by the brevity and fast pace it moves with.  The flesh devouring monsters in this series has left my hunger for the genre sated for the time being.

     Self Storage 7 hits stands Wed. July 27th.

     Related posts [ 451 Comics Reviews ]

     [ 451 Media official site ] [ 451's Twitter ] [ 451's Youtube ]

*Review copy provided by 451 Media, Thank you!

Morphite: A Pocket-Sized No Man's Sky

     We're Five games, in co-operation with Crescent Moon Games, is developing a wonderful procedurally generated mobile game called Morphite.  It's a 3D first person exploration game in the same vein as No Man's Sky.

The universe is waiting
Set, Ready, 🚀🚀@CM_Games @werefivegames#lowpoly #screenshotsaturday #gamedev #madewithunity pic.twitter.com/i15p7zTlGn

— Polygonal Mind (@polygonalmind) July 2, 2016

    There'll be planets to explore, creatures to collect and sell, and an array of weapons to use against bosses.  The weapons will be upgradable through finding minerals, and there's even traders and stations to swap materials to make things a bit more interesting.

     From our ship, we'll be able to traverse between galaxies and use a drop pod to visit the individual planets.  Each of which will unique properties.  Because they are procedurally generated their atmospheres and environments will shift.  The flora and fauna will change between visits.  It'll never be the same.  In addition there'll also be alien temples with mysteries to unravel on our expeditions.

     Currently, we'll be set to explore 7 planets, but I recall reading that, "We plan on having 8 planets as part of the main storyline, and possibly millions of other planets to explore. You will be able to save enough data for around 500 planets - I think." [ 2 ] While I don't think we'll have nearly that many, at least not at first, it'll be cool to see exactly how much space we are free to roam and explore.

     As it is, Morphite looks to be a game that might expand the way we look at the mobile market.  It's a good way to expand what's being done, and bring more of the PC and console feel to our pocket devices.

     Morphite is still being developed and doesn't yet have a release date.

     Sources [ Crescent Moon Games ] [ Polygonal Mind ]
          via [ PocketGamer ] & [ Touch Arcade 1 & 2 ]

The LEGO Batman Movie: First Full Trailer

     Ever since the LEGO Movie hits theaters, I had considered LEGO Batman to be one of the greatest cinematic interpretations of the Batman character.  Then I heard he was getting his own LEGO spinoff movie, and I was quite overjoyed.

     Here is the first full and glorious trailer:

     My only complaint is there is currently no LEGO Mr. Freeze.  I hope he gets a cameo.

     The LEGO Batman Movie hits theaters Feb. 10th, 2017.

Doctor Strange: Second Trailer

     SDCC has given us a ton of news and trailers, and the second Doctor Strange trailer is truly magnificent.  Visually it's so different from all the previous Marvel films, and I think this will be a great shift to the next wave of films.

     Doctor Strange enters our world's plane on November 4th.

Wonder Woman: SDCC Trailer has Arrived

     The best part of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has received her own film's trailer, including the best part of the soundtrack- Wonder Woman's theme song.

     Wonder Woman's trailer looks quite good.  My only complaint is the fight scene looks a bit odd with the sliding around in slow motion- her movements feel like they're moving her around while she is holding a position instead of a proper flow of body mechanics.  Otherwise, Wonder Woman is looking damned great.

     Wonder Woman hits theaters on June 2nd, 2017.

     For related posts [ Wonder Woman ]

Marvel Future Fight: Gwenpool is Coming!

     Marvel Future Fight has been giving us a lot of great content and expansions over the last year and now fan-favorite character Gwenpool has been officially announced.

     For those who are unfamiliar with who this strange Deadpool-esque lady is:

     "Gwen Poole was a comic book fan who was one day mysteriously transported into the Marvel Universe that she had only read about in her own world. Under the impression that the Marvel Universe is all make-believe, she's taken on her own Super Hero identity to kick butt and have fun -- with zero consequences!"

     No release date has been released yet, but Netmarble has been pretty good about getting the characters out relatively quickly after they've been announced.  I think the only time this hasn't been true is with Doctor Strange, because he's been shown in a few of their videos and he's still not out.  I mean he and Enchantress had been datamined almost a year ago.  He'll probably be held until right before his film hits theaters in November.

     Now, I'm just waiting for a cool new Ghost Rider costume.  Like the amazing flaming horse rider from Trail of Tears, or his 2099 costume.  Since he'll be arriving on Agents of .S.H.I.E.L.D. this fall, maybe we'll even get the Robbie Reyes version.  The car he uses might be a tough addition for this mobile game though.

     Related posts [ Future Fight ]

     Source [ Future Fight's Official Site ]

Justice League: SDCC (Comic Con) Trailer Footage

     With all the great things going on at SDCC 2016, it was a sure bet we'd get the Wonder Woman trailer, but this Justice League one is a bit of a surprise.

     What is a bigger surpriseis how awesome Ezra Miller's Flash is.  He's all set to be the most entertaining character of the film.  Also, that nice jab at Aquaman talking to fish was a very nice touch.

    Although, I do have to question how DC Comics's handling of their film properties are really copying the Marvel precedent.  Wonder Woman's trailer looks an awful lot like Captain America: The First Avenger, and Justice League is really hitting all the Avengers notes.  They are formula's that work, so I'm not really put off by it.  At least DC is learning and these films are looking better than their predecessors.

     Also, where's Green Lantern?  He was cast and removed from the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and there's no sign of him in this trailer- so where's our intergalactic policeman? We need a cosmic powered emerald warrior to help fight Darkseid.

     Justice League is set to arrive in theater November 2017.

Netflix: Marvel: Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Defenders All Get Trailers!

     In addition to the news from Marvel at SDCC today of Ghost Rider coming to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., we also get goodies for the Netflix shows!

First up is for Luke "Power Man" Cage, we get a nice teaser for the season that airs on Sept. 30th.

     Then we get a teaser for the Luke Cage's friend, Danny "Iron Fist" Rand's series listed merely as "coming soon."

     And finally we get the culmination of all the Netflix shows with a very minimal teaser trailer for The Defenders, and is listed as arriving in 2017.

     I'm not going lie, I'm super pumped for Luke Cage.  I was hoping they'd originally would've cast the ultimate badass Erik King from Showtime's Dexter as Luke Cage, but Mike Colter was phenomenal in the role on Jessica Jones and he just leaves me wanting more.  He solidified my appreciation for the character and the show looks wonderful.

     As for Iron Fist and The Defenders, Netflix has proven they can do right by these Marvel properties, so they'll turn out well.  Despite my unfavorable opinion on how Jessica Jones should've ended- she should've ripped out Zebediah Killgrave's (The Purple Man) tongue and left him alive- I'm still exited for whatever they've got coming.  (Seriously, they even mention tearing his tongue out during the show!)  Anyway, with what little we got for teasers has given me a great interest in the shows to come.

     Plus, we are still getting a Punisher spin-off series at some point- and more Frank Castle is always a good thing.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Ghost Rider: Vengeance is Coming

     So after Hellfire appeared on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., it was only a matter of time for the Spirit of Vengeance to make an appearance.  I had been wondering about it myself, and thought it would be leaning more towards the darker and more mature aimed Netflix Marvel audiences, but- yes, Marvel revealed at SDCC today that Ghost Rider will be coming to the show for season 4.

Vengeance comes this fall to Marvel's @AgentsofSHIELD.https://t.co/dh23qUsLpP

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) July 23, 2016

    While I am excited for the character to make his appearance two things bother me.  First, it's not on the darker and more mature themed Netflix roster.  Their shows have handled the grimmer and grittier material- notably the Punisher story through Daredevil season 2.  Whereas the ABC shows Agent Carter and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. have been handled with less trustworthy hands- resulting in less appealing shows overall.  Don't get me wrong, I really liked Agent Carter, but the show devolved quite rapidly from a show about a powerful female character into a romantic drama.  They lost sight of what made her so special in the Captain America films, and thus lost their way in the show.  So hearing that Ghost Rider is coming to the more limited-in-scope Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I'm very hesitant to immediately support it.

      Secondly, it's neither stuntman Johnny Blaze, nor badass biker Danny Ketch- it'll be the more modern Marvel NOW incarnation of Robbie Reyes and his '69 Dodge Charger.  That in itself isn't bad.  Back in 2013 I wrote about this, it's a great idea- it's just after reading the series I wasn't impressed.  I think Marvel could've done a much better story with his character.  And the heavily robotic design wasn't too great either.  I was thinking it would've been more like the highly under-appreciated film The Wraith.  So, for now I'll be crossing my fingers that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. can make the Ghost Rider someone worth liking again.

Just revealed at the #MarvelSDCC booth: Ghost Rider's wheels, coming this fall to #AgentsOfSHIELD! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/O2GkKirq1a

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) July 22, 2016

    On the good side of things, he'll be played by Gabriel Luna.  I've personally seen him in the movie Bernie, and the downright amazing show True Detective.  In both cases he did quite well, so I think he'll pull it off well.  He'll be an older and more mature version of Robbie Reyes, he hopefully won't be playing the part of the Spirit of Teen-Angst, so that's a good start.

    In better news about this, Marvel's Executive Producer and Head of Marvel Television Jeph Loeb has said:

"Season 4 will unquestionably be the series’ biggest, most ambitious story yet, and it all begins with the introduction of one of our greatest legacy characters in Ghost Rider. When the Spirit of Vengeance rides into S.H.I.E.L.D., it’ll change everything."(CBR)

     Loeb has been a consistently good voice in comics for a very long time, so I will take his word for it and return to see how they handle Ghost Rider on the show.  It also makes sense to link the show to the astral planes and supernatural with Doctor Strange hitting theaters November 4th.  It's simply plain, old-fashioned, good marketing.

     While I'm not too thrilled that Ghost Rider's re-emergence is on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., as opposed to the much grittier Netflix shows such as Daredevil or Jessica Jones, but they've officially snagged me again as an "on-and-off" fan.  When the show started I was very unimpressed with how poorly it was handled.  I was urged by people to give it another try, and I returned and Agents did indeed get better, and then it swiftly grew unappealing again.  I hope they can maintain the momentum and keep things interesting with one of my all time favorite characters finally coming to television.

     For now, Marvel has regained my viewership and lured me in for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 4.  Now  if they could only recapture the magic that made Agent Carter so amazing, they'd snag me for good.  Please let this turn out awesome.

     Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns to ABC on Sept. 20 at 10pm.

     Sources [ Marvel Twitter 1 ] [ 2 ] [ ComicBookResources ] 

Red Sonja: Gail Simone is Making a Video Game!

     Today it has been revealed that Red Sonja comic book writer Gail Simone, Dynamite Entertainment, and F84 Games will be teaming up to bring us an actual Red Sonja video game.  The Hyrkanian She-Devil with a Sword herself will be taking the lead in an "action-packed and narrative-driven" game with Simone guiding it all.

     “There are two things I love in this world without question, and those things are video games and Red Sonja.  Gaming is such a huge part of my life, it’s what I do for relaxation, socialization, and inspiration, and my game and console collection is a terrifying sight to behold. 

     Mixing my favorite character, the She-Devil With A Sword, with my life-long love of games is a dream come true. We plan on making this a bloody, sexy, funny good time, full of brutal swordplay, cackling villains, and horrendous monsters, all seen through Sonja’s trademark wit. I cannot wait.” -Gail Simone

     Originally created by Robert E. Howard (of Conan the Barbarian fame) back in 1934 for the short story "The Shadow of the Vulture," Red Sonja has gone through many variations, but it was Gail Simone that gave her new life with the Dynamite comic series.  So this project could be absolutely amazing if handled well.  I really, really, REALLY hope it's a combination of Skyrim, Tomb Raider, and The Witcher.

     I've been a life-long Conan fan, but the upcoming Conan Exiles is looking less like the Skyim-in-the-Hyborean Age I was hoping for, and much more like the survival game Rust- my interest has been waning.  The last really good Conan games have been the Conan for PS3, and the free to play Age of Conan: Unchained on Steam, and now that Red Sonja is getting a game, my hopes for the franchises have been renewed.

     They are shooting for a winter 2016 to early 2017 release window.

     Sources [ Gail Simone Twitter ] [ Bleeding Cool ]

Gravity Rush 2: Release Date & NEW HEIGHTS Trailer

     Fans of the Playstation Vita's most spectacular game Gravity Rush are all getting a dose of gravity altering excitement with this new trailer for its PS4 exclusive sequel.  Kat, Raven, and Syd all return as well as some new faces, including Angel.  A new helpful character with crystallization powers, that appears to aid Kat when she's being overwhelmed by the Nevi.

     The game isn't all about being serious though.  There's things to watch for such as people and animals reactions to being caught in your gravitational fields, silly Sailor Moon-esque finishing poses, and even a quest line where Kat is starring in a movie in the game.  Creative Director Keiichiro Toyama wanted to keep the game fun and upbeat, so the inclusion of these elements were a necessity.

     In addition it's been announced that Studio Khara will be producing an anime titled Gravity Rush the Animation ~Overture~, detailing the events between Gravity Rush and the sequel.

     Gravity Rush 2 lifts off December 2nd.

     Sources [ PSN Blog 1 ] [ 2 ]

451 Media: SIX: Issue 7: Comic Review (S6X)

     Where SIX issue 6 had taken things from a small party to a war zone, issue 7 has mirrored that.  The issue begins with the cliffhanger ending of the Five-One Sand Scorpions being out-manned and nearly overrun by the Cartel.

     Even in the face of imminent defeat the SIX fight tooth and nail to hold their ground.  McQuade, Angel, Blink, Hashtag, Stonewall, and Abe all have a promise to keep and each their own reasons for fighting.  Atonement, guilt, and above all, honor- they are all desperately pushing on to find either sacrifice or redemption for these things.

     The casualty count is high on both sides and the issue ends on a very somber note, going from explosive action to mournful reflection.  But, it also leaves us with the knowledge that things are definitely not finished between the remaining members of McQuade's SIX and the Cartel.  There is something coming, a looming shadow, and I can't wait to find out what it is.
     Personally, I'm really curious to know how the leader of the Cartel, Señor Martinez, knows so much about the SIX in the first place.

     George Pelecanos (Writer/Producer of HBO's The Wire) and writer Andi Ewington have done it again.  Action, drama, and intrigue all woven perfectly into one wonderfully suspenseful issue.  Mack Chater's art feels a bit looser this time around, but it fits perfectly with the chaos of combat and the nature of war depicted in these pages.  They've created an amazing story in the same vein as The Magnificent Seven and there's only one issue left for the finale.

     Since their first published comics just under a year ago, 451 Media (now also known as 451 Entertainment for the comics side of things) has been consistently producing great content.  From the missing persons drama Sunflower, to zombie horror Self Storage, or the twisted tale of a ghost hunting Ebeneezer Scrooge in Humbug, and all the way to the World War 2 monster squads of Ex Mortis, every issue of each series keeps getting better and better.  They're truly creating a new standard for the comic book industry.

     SIX issue 7 will be available this Wed. July 20th.

     [ 451 Media official site ] [ 451's Twitter ] [ 451's Youtube ]

*Review copy provided by 451 Media 

Suicide Squad: Boomerang

     With Suicide Squad nearing it's theatrical release, I anticipate a plethora of hype through marketing.  There's been a ton of trailers and tv spots, action figures, and even a mobile game, which sadly doesn't have Boomerang as a playable character.  

     Since the first trailer, I've actually been most excited to see this incarnation of (Captain) Boomerang.  I was initially worried because Jai Courtney was cast, but he actually doesn't appear to be his usual sack-of-meat "acting" self and seems like he'll be putting forth a real effort, which all of us fans will be grateful for.  Hell, I might even cosplay as him sometime this year.

     This film looks like it'll be a ton of fun.  I can't wait to see how many of the cast don't make it out.  Coming as a fan who really enjoyed the 2001-2002 run of the series, I hope the toll is high.  And if you get a chance to read that series, do it- particularly issue 3 with the island of killer ants.  That issue alone is worth reading the whole dozen issues.  

     Suicide Squad hits theaters August 5th.

     

Google Play: First Indie Game Festival Announced

     As an Android user and fan, this is very heartening to see.  Google Play is having an Indie Game Festival this fall in San Francisco.  It's good to hear, because- honestly- Android is missing out on a lot of potentially amazing games because most stuff winds up over on iOS devices and don't make it to Android.  This festival will shine a light on Android and hopefully lure in a bunch of new and interesting indie developed games.

"Google Play is the largest store for digital content; 65 billion apps and games were downloaded over the past year. 

It's an immense platform that we have, and along with that is an opportunity to better support the indie games community." 

-Jamil Moledina (Strategic lead for Google Play Games) 

      The Google Play Indie Games Festival is looking to showcase roughly 30 games.  The festival is meant to support and help indie developers on Google Play.  There seems to be some serious issues of getting found on the Play store, and even finding specific items is a nightmare at times.  With that taken into consideration, stumbling upon great indies is nearly impossible right now- which will be hopefully remedied along with this festival.  The Play store needs a serious overhaul.

     Google is already taking submissions (and will accept them up until August 14th), but there are some requirements, such as the team must have less than 15 full-time employees and must be located in the US or Canada.
     In addition, they are hoping for some good Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality submissions as well.  Not that this is specifically what they are looking for- so submit anyways.  Festival attendees will get to vote on favorites- narrowing down their top 15, then developers narrow that to 7 (who receive prizes), and then of those 3 will win "top honors" and more prizes.  Some prizes include Tango devices, I/O 2017 tickets, and ad support through Google.

     As an indie game enthusiast I am very excited for this.  It's good to see that some unknown indies might get a huge opportunity to expand their player base.  More interesting games is always a good thing for gamers.

     The Google Play Indie Games Festival will be on Saturday September 24th

     Google Play Indie Game Festival [ Submission Form ]

     Source [ Engadget ] via [ DroidGamers ]

Pokemon Go + Boondock Saints: Where You Going Eevee? NOWHERE!!!

     As many people have already experienced, there's an overabundance of bugs and problems with Pokemon Go.  Servers crashing, loss of game data, among other things.  It's still fun, but alas- I couldn't help making this meme combining Pokemon Go with one of the best moments from The Boondock Saints.  Maybe I'll call it the Pokemon Saints?  I'll keep it in mind if I can think of better memes for this combination.

   This is how I feel the game is going right now.  It comes to a grinding halt consistently, crashing almost exclusively when a rare pokemon appears.  I've grown quite irritated by the inexplicable loss of pokeballs after a crash with the rare pokemons as well.  Sure, Niantic will definitely fix many of the issues, but it just feels like they rushed the game to an early release for the summer months.

     When this game gets back on the right track, it'll crush it for a very long time to come.

     Good lord, I looked back for old Pokemon meme's I made, and it's been nearly 5 years.  FIVE YEARS!  Here's the link if you're curious and want to see them- [ Pokememes ]

Ghostbusters: Slime City: Short Review

WATCHA GONNA PLAY?

     Ghostbusters: Slime City is another uninteresting free-to-play time-sink mobile game filled with little nudges, and occasionally some very blatant shoves, pushing you towards the in game IAPs.  It combines elements of a city-builder, with card collecting, and some of the mobile rail-sliding gallery-shooters.

     In holding with the current cheap Ghostbusters marketing and lazy tie-in merchandise, just as the new film copies the original, and as the new Ghostbusters video game is a reskin of Sanctum of Slime, this game is itself quite literally a reskin of a reskin from EightPixelsSquare's Cartel Kings and All Guns Blazing.

     The gameplay consists of expanding you presence in Manhattan by starting with the Ghostbusters HQ and gathering building along the way to gather and hold more cash in the city building portion of the game.  A main building tower stands as the story mode levels offering swiftly ramped up challenges for experience points and booster cards bonuses.
     You also get more playable levels in the form of contracts adding more opportunity to collect cards that act as boosters for the shooting gallery levels.  After a player reach certain player levels, you can join a Squad and compete in PvP or assist other busters in group levels (although they are still played by yourself- just the scores are combined).  The problem is that the level difficulties become extremely problematic too quick, greatly encouraging the use of IAPs to regain health, equipment upgrades, and booster cards.
     Although far too fast you can find yourself going from full health to no health with no chance to recoup it.  Health can be drained nearly instantaneously if there are a handful of enemies all at once.  Some of which have nearly a one-shot kill if they hit you, and if you can't shoot them because they are behind a bunch of other ghosts and various parts of scenery it becomes an unavoidable instant doom.  To be fair the health can be regained between levels through chips earned by watching commercials for other games at the New York theater on the minimap or waiting for long amounts of time for it to replenish.
     In the end, it feels like an extremely unfair balance very heavily geared, as many free-to-play games are, towards the pay-to-win mentality.  I mean look at the pic at the bottom of this post, one of many, pointing us towards spending- "ALL the top Ghostbusters join the VIP club!"  This game seems like it was designed to be made as cheaply as possible, and funnel players directly towards paying.

     On a good note, I have to give them credit for the art style however.  I really dig it and everything looks great.  If they made this into a small 3rd person action game it could be a tremendously fun game with the stylized look.  Overall, I think the most fun I had in the game is the bonus mini-game that pops up once in a while to feed Slimer.  He appears near a hotdog cart and you have a certain amount of time to repeatedly swipe food into his mouth.

CASHGRABBERS!

     I would think that these companies might put a little more effort into making something new and fun for the Ghostbusters universe, but alas, that is definitely not the case.  The least they could've done is copy a decent Ghostbusters game, like the Nintendo DS or PSP versions of Ghostbusters: The Video Game, or even a newer shrunken down mobile port of the amazing console version of the game (my review here).  That would've been so much better than this.  As it is, the console game is essentially the third film and it is absolutely fun as hell to play- whereas this game is merely a time waster with little in the way of fun or action.

     In fact I think the best Ghostbusters game for current mobile devices is actually Respawnables with the Ghostbusters bundle.  Hopefully they'll run another ghost hunting campaign mode for the game when the film arrives this week.

     So don't bother with Ghostbusters: Slime City unless you are genuinely interested in tedious and repetitive gaming- it's as every bit as shallow as a reskin of a reskin could possibly be.  In the mean time I'd recommend people play Little Ghostbusters instead.

     For older but related posts [ GHOSTBUSTERS ]

                         

Hitman GO & Lara Croft GO Creators Parody POKEMON GO

     Square-Enix Montreal, developers of the awesome Hitman GO, Lara Croft GO, and the soon to be released Deus Ex GO, have made a wonderful little parody video of Pokemon GO in their own style.  I'm actually curious as to how one might get by the Snorlax in the back, which would presumably be an enemy or obstacle in later levels of this fake game...

✅Hitman GO
✅Lara Croft GO
✅Deus Ex GO
🤔Pokemon GO pic.twitter.com/n8AzFUIycH

— Square Enix Montréal (@SquareEnixMtl) July 6, 2016

    It's always fun when developers can put out small jokes at each other's expense with just sheer fun in mind.  This is a great example of it and I hope to actually see more short videos poking fun at other games from more companies.

     Once again, well done Square-Enix Montreal.  Keep up the excellent work!

     Source [ Square-Enix Montreal Twitter ]