Metacritic pls

 And here it is, birds. The game that the Internet loves to hate, at the moment. And believe me, there's plenty of game to be had here. It'll take a while to get through it, but rest assured that ol' Pigeon will give his side of the story. No snark. No cynicism. Just humble honesty. That's the Pigeon Promise.

Ric Flair Fridays: Affairs of the Heart

Whether you like it, or you don't, learn to love it! Because it's the best thing going every Friday at the Coop. All the ability! All the looks! Sixteen times the World Champion! It's Ric Flair Fridays! WOOOOOOO!

T.G.I.F. my avian amigos! The weekend is officially upon us, and that means our great friend Richard Fleihr is stopping by for another visit. And boy howdy, he's got a real heart stopper to share with us today. Literally.

In December of 1998, the feud between Naitch and WCW/NWO president Eric Bischoff was reaching a boiling point. Bischoff had taken to the ring to deliver yet another biting piece of commentary towards the Nature Boy, and you know damn well he was going to have none of that. Like a rocket, Naitch came charging out from behind the curtain and led Bischoff on a merry chase that would make any member of the Looney Tunes troupe beam with pride. Eventually, Ric's tenacity frightens away this self-proclaimed "trained killer" , and the crowd is now his to command. Ric wastes no time in addressing the frenzied mob of fans in a way that only he can.

 But then, suddenly, things take a turn for the worse.

 Was it real? Was it worked? Only you can decide.

(thanks to wcwwrestling49 for the clip)

Coop Conundrums

Hello, birds! Nothing special tonight, really. I'm just thinking out loud. Back patting, that sort of thing.

I'm actually enjoying blogging quite a bit. Granted, I'm nowhere near the level of quality of a lot of stuff that's out there, but at least I'm doing it. And who knows? Maybe with enough time and effort, I can really make something out of it.

Anyway, I'm still working on ideas for content, as well as ideas for a general layout 'theme'. Everyone loves reviews, and I'd certainly like to do more of them. However, I'm a bit concerned that I won't be concise or accurate enough to give a respectable opinion. Also, I'd certainly like to shine the spotlight on some of the more obscure games that many folks have never really heard about. Like the Kenji Eno thing, for example.

That's it, for now. Sorry for all the rambling. If you've been reading along so far, allow me to thank you for stopping by. If you have anything you'd like to suggest, any criticisms, ideas, or whatever, please don't hesitate to drop a line and let me know. Dialog between the blogger and his/her audience is always important!

Till next time, my feather friends!

B.P.

Coop Scoops: Dead or Alive 5

 

 

 

Released: 2012

Developer: Team Ninja

Publisher: Tecmo

Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3

 

Coop Scoops are the silly term I'll be using for reviews of the latest and greatest (or not so greatest) vidja games that I get the chance to play. My intent is to keep them relatively brief, but informative. Hopefully, I'll succeed in this endeavor. But if not, feel free to let me know!

 

Ever since it's inception in 1996, Tecmo's Dead or Alive series has garnered equal amounts of fame and infamy. While many folks equate the name with bikini babes and ridiculous bouncing breasts, those that look beyond all the Xtreme Beach Volleyball nonsense remember it for it's beautiful interactive backdrops,  and it's simple fighting system that made it feel less like a game, and more like a Jet Li film. Now, seven years after it's appearance as an Xbox 360 launch title, and coming off a stint on the Nintendo 3DS, Tecmo's troupe of ninjas, assassins, and brawlers take to the arena once more in Dead or Alive 5. And while it's admittedly not the best fighting game you'll play, it's certainly the best DOA experience to come out of Team Ninja's dojo in quite some time.

 

If you've ever played a DOA game, then you are familiar with it's rock/paper/scissors approach to fighting via it's counter system. A couple of quick button presses are all it takes to turn the tide of a match in your favor. That is, until your opponent presses the same buttons and puts you back on the defensive. It's those hectic back-and-forth mind games that have helped DOA endure over the years, and it's back with a vengeance in DOA5. This time around, and to the game's benefit, Team Ninja have implemented new features and tweaks to the engine to help make it a bit more competitive. For starters, the damage output of counters have been reduced across the board, and the recovery times for whiffed counters have been increased. Also, Team Ninja have implemented true sidestepping (ala Tekken), and a new status effect known as the Critical Burst. While stunned fighters in a DOA game could simply counter their way out of trouble, the Critical Burst leaves them vulnerable to a punishing combo, or the massively damaging Power Blow technique.

 

The Power Blow technique in action. Yes, the arenas
are as vibrant and wild as ever (image via push.start.co.uk)

 Power Blows are DOA's new way to interact with the environment. Activated in a way similar to SNK games such as Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting, these powerful attacks are capable of sending your opponent flying into moving trains, electrical boxes, and other hazards, and can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Together, these tweaks and additions result in matches that put more emphasis on player ability, instead of simply getting lucky with button mashing and counter guesses.

 

DOA cover girl Kasumi shows off her before and after
pics. The improved character models are readily apparent.
(image via justpushstart.com)

And speaking of the environment, DOA5's visuals are a real sight to behold. The arenas are quite detailed, and feature lots of little touches that really make them come to life. Even more impressive are the brand new character models. Team Ninja have finally decided to do away with the glassy eyed Barbie dolls they've been using since DOA2. In their place are characters that are much more expressive and...well, human that what you're used to seeing.

 

While not as feature filled as other fighting games, DOA5 still offers up a good chunk of content. Taking a cue from the recent Mortal Kombat reboot, the Story Mode serves as a tutorial, in which players learn the basics of the game while witnessing the events of the fifth Dead or Alive tournament unfold. Set two years after the destruction of DOATEC's Tri Tower headquarters, Helena Douglas has called together the world's best and brightest martial artists to trade blows and barbs inside the squared circle. Fan favorites such as Kasumi, Ayane, Ninja Gaiden's Ryu Hayabusa, and Jann Lee make their triumphant return, and are joined by newcomers Rig (a taekwondo expert) and Mila (an MMA ground 'n pounder). Team Ninja has also jumped on the guest character bandwagon, as Akira, Sarah, and Pai from Sega's Virtua Fighter series join in on all the fun.

 

Hitomi and Ryu Hayabusa duke it out, and get dirty
in the process. (image via grimmgames.com)

 Rounding out the feature set are standard Versus, Time Attack, Tag Battle, and Survival modes. A more robust Training mode. A Spectator mode, in which players can snap photos of the action (or load up on panty shots.) And, of course, local and online multiplayer, which benefits from improved netcode. Tecmo have even thrown in Facebook integration, so you can let all your friends know how much ass you've been kicking.

 

 You're probably thinking "Man, this sounds pretty good...but there's gotta be something wrong with it! C'mon, Pigeon, what's the deal?" Well, the only 'major' fault I can find with the product is that it's a bit lacking in terms of features or customization when compared to some of the more recent fighting games out there. Sure, there's a fair bit of costumes and swimsuits for you to unlock, but the inability to customize your character is a bit of a letdown. And while I think Tecmo have made tremendous strides in making DOA5 a more competition worthy title, there's bound to be some folks that will still find it to be too simplistic for their tastes. The Fighting Game Community can be understandably picky in that regard.

 

 However, if you are willing to look beyond the limited feature set, the casual friendly mechanics, and it's sketchy past, you'll find plenty to enjoy here. Dead or Alive 5 is easily Tecmo's best brawler to date, and will offer up many hours of over the top fighting fun for gamers of any skill level.

 

 

Pigeon Says:





A PLAY IT! rating indicates a game that, while certainly playable and enjoyable for some, may contain a couple of glaring flaws or gameplay features that could dissuade you from shelling out full price for a copy. As such, I recommend you 'try before you buy'.



Pigeon's Eye in the Sky: NEPA BlogCon

Look at that squirrel, man. Such a proud, majestic creature. We of the avian community have always held our Sciuridaen brothers and sisters in high regard. As such, we can understand why the folks behind the inaugural North Eastern Pennsylvania Blogger's Convention would want them to act as the official mascot. Much like the squirrel, the organizers and presenters that were present for the big day were gifted with an excellent sense of vision. And today, I'd like to share a tiny bit of that vision with all of you.

The NEPA Blogcon was the brain child of these lovely ladies right here. Leslie Stewart, Karla Porter, Mandy Boyle, and Michelle Davies are talented, successful women in their own right. But one day, the four of them decided to form like Voltron and create an event that would serve to educate, celebrate, and inspire all of us little creatures that make up the local blogosphere. Oh, and what an event it was, birds. Glorious, like the rays of the sun that glisten off the dew covered fields outside the Coop. How I basked in it's warmth....

<clears throat> Uh...excuse me. Had a bit of a moment there.

 Anyway, BlogCon. It was a real good time, guys. Very entertaining and informative. Internet sensation Gala Darling kicked things off with a motivating keynote that encouraged us to 'be ourselves' when we're out there blogging our little hearts out. After that, it was one knockout panel after another, with prominent speakers both local and national offering up sage wisdom for all of us to partake. From Kris Jones' inspiring tips on how to squeeze big bucks out of your blog, to Lauren O'Nizzle's entertaining look into building a better blog community, to Kuhcoon's insight in to making social media work for your business...the list goes on. Blogcon offered something for everyone, regardless of skill or tenure. And they also offered up tasty viddles throughout the day! Mmm-MMM! Those turkey sammiches and delicious desserts from Whiskey Bacon really did BP's tummy good. And speaking of tummies, we were also treated to some fabulously geeky belly dancing, courtesy of the gals from Antipode. And to top it all off, an after party with lots of free pizza and socializing. That's a day well spent in my books, birds!

 I'd like to extend a warm Pigeon Coop thanks to all the folks that made BlogCon the experience it was. As for the rest o' ya's, I humbly suggest that you search out similar events in your neck of the woods if you have even a passing interest in creating an Internet presence for yourself. Or, perhaps you can take inspiration from the Fearsome Foursome and create your own blogging event! And for all you critters in these neck of the woods, please make an effort to come out to the next NEPA BlogCon. I promise you won't regret it!