First Impressions - Beyond: Two Souls (Demo)

So I got my hands on the early demo for the PS3-exclusive game Beyond: Two Souls, from developers Quantic Dream. The demo contained two levels and a trailer.

The first level was essentially a tutorial to get me used to the controls for Jodie and Aiden. Young Jodie’s controls were basic movement and interactivity, like walking around and picking up objects. The triangle button is used to swap between her and Aiden, the entity that has attached itself to her. His controls were a bit more complex, involving the use of the analog sticks in tandem while holding down the L1 button to interact with people and objects in more interesting ways, making things fly across the room, and cracking windows. 

After that, it moved forward in time to where I was controlling an older Jodie in self-defense training. Here, the controls got a bit more interesting, as I was using the right analog stick in correspondence to how her body moved. If she was punching or kicking to the right, I moved the stick right. If she was ducking an on-coming blow, I would pull the stick down to complete the implied movement. Time would momentarily slow down to give me time to react to these actions. I welcomed this system of interaction to normal quick-time events which showed you exactly what you needed to do. It was only a couple of brief sections, but it was enough to get accustomed to the situation and how the game works.

Next up was an extended chases sequence on a train, through the woods, on a motorcycle escaping the spotlight of a police helicopter, and finally a showdown in front of a small town theater. Here, the gameplay was much more immediate, and the game made it clear that there would be consequences if you missed a prompt. It was actually pretty strenuous trying to combat the multiple officers on top of a moving train, and I was constantly kept on my toes as I dodged and fought my way through them. That training really came in handy, both for Jodie and myself. 

Navigating through the woods was a bit hectic, because I wasn’t given any clue of where to go other than a general sense of direction. I have a suspicion, though, that the invisible walls are just really well hidden, and the game only gives an illusion of agency during these tightly controlled chase sequences. Still, it gave the impression of urgency and suspense, so it pulled it off well.

The motorcycle section was extremely linear, and felt like it was largely on rails with a large margin for error. It would be hard to fail that section if you kept you finger on the R2 button for throttle and able to follow the road.

With the showdown in front of the theater, I was given control over Aiden and flew around the street outside, possessing SWAT officers and using them to take the other ones out. I could also use my powers to flip over cars, bust open fire hydrants, and cause all kinds of mayhem. It was fun, in a limited way. I couldn’t stray too far from Jodie or else my screen would become distorted and blurry, and I had a limited amount of time to interact with specific objects. It took me a moment to realize that I had to bring the helicopter down in order to advance the scene. Although interactivity is tightly controlled, I still enjoyed the experience.

That’s to say nothing of the graphics, though, which are damn impressive. I would go so far as to say that it is the best-looking game on the PlayStation 3, along with The Last of Us. The textures and environments are all crisp and clean, giving it a very detailed and polished look. However, I was most impressed by the character faces and their ability to express emotions through the performance capture. We are nearing the other side of the uncanny valley, that is for sure (It is a vast improvement over the stiff and lifeless characters of Quantic Dream’s last game, Heavy Rain). The game really shows this off in the demo’s main menu, with a high-resolution close-up of Jodie Holmes’ (Ellen Page’s) face. It is extremely lifelike and believable.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with the demo, and I look forward to experiencing the full game next month. The levels demonstrated were almost entirely context-free, with little implication of story, so I look forward to seeing more of that. What was there held my attention. I will admit that the limited interactivity of the controls began to get repetitive by the end of the demo, which lasted for maybe 30 minutes or so. Hopefully they can keep enough variety in the story and gameplay to keep it fresh and interesting for the full duration.

Film Review - Prisoners

Uncertainty. This is a prevalent theme in the film. The cinematography intentionally leaves things out of focus, and yet, only to the point where you make note of them. Rain, fog, snow, smeared water on the windshield, blood in your eyes. It’s all there to make you question things, to make you doubt. To question your faith in what you believe is true or not. That is the real theme of the film, and it works to brilliant effect.

This really comes into play in the case of Detective Loki, who is trying to piece the whole thing together. The film is constructed in such a way that it intentionally eludes the viewer’s perceptions, leading them along with the protagonists on an exhausting search for the two missing little girls.

The two male leads, Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, play their parts with riveting efficiency. Jackman is sympathetic, yet becomes more imposing and terrifying as the film procedes. He is a commanding presence, and dominates his scenes. Some might be familiar with the term, “chewing on scenery.” Jackman takes this idea to “smashing” new heights. He does a great job with emotional range, from subtle to violent, but the character seems to lack a certain depth that made him less interesting than I expected. I suppose that may be an intentional subversion on the part of the director, which is surprising, if nothing else.

Gyllenhaal is the most interesting case of the bunch though, in my opinion, because although he is playing a familiar role to what we have seen him in previously, the subtlety with which he communicates Loki’s development over the course of the film is downright impressive. There is a subtle tick that he gives his character, and although it was glaringly obvious to start with, it grew to become a defining characteristic that added a great deal of depth. It’s amazing what these little flourishes can do over time. Detective Loki is a man who has always been so certain of the truth, and solved every case he has worked, until now. To see him out of his depth and coming to terms with his doubt and uncertainty regarding the case of the missing girls is fascinating to watch.

The supporting roles do their job admirably, but, in the essence of being a supporting role, they aren’t given that much time to shine. It would always be good to see more of Terrence Howard, Viola Davis, and Mario Bello, but once the plot starts moving, it doesn’t stop, and it can be easy to forget about what’s going on at home while the men are out in search of their daughters.

A good alternate title for this film would have been, “War Against God,” though to explain why would give too much away. I tend to despise one-word titles, and “Prisoners” is ridiculously generic and forgettable. However, it is also mysterious. I entered the theater wondering, “Why is it called that?” It gives no idea of what to expect, given the context of the film. Afterwards, I still have little notion of what the title is supposed to mean. Yes, there are people imprisoned in the movie, but it is not the theme or focus. Perhaps, to tie it in to the theme of doubt and uncertainty, the main characters are “prisoners” of this.

Prisoners is also a quiet film. An already minimal score is used sparingly, but to great effect. It is eerie and lends a mysterious and sinister ambiance to the proceedings that can’t help but make the viewer a little uneasy.

As for the setting, it startled me to see that shooting on location in a real suburban neighborhood would lend so much realism to the story. Everything is believable, and I feel that the film’s willingness to embrace the mundane elements of the situation make it all the more unsettling. It’s all a little too real at points. The acting is subdued, and when the emotions come out, it is brief, violent, and feels genuine and affecting.

The only reservations I have about this film that hold it back from a perfect score are the  convoluted elements that are never expanded on. Of course, these mysterious elements are not central to the story being told. They are peripheral to the kidnapping and search, but it would have been nice to get some closure on what it all means. That, and the casting of the creepy characters played by Paul Dano and David Dastmalchian is a little too on the nose. They immediately come across as shady characters not to be trusted, and they never subvert that notion at any point. Just because they look creepy in real life doesn’t necessarily mean that they are. They seem a bit typecast in this sense.

It is difficult to go much further in depth with this review without going into spoiler territory, so I intend on revisiting the film later on when more people have seen it and discussion has simmered down a bit. But for now, just know that the film is absolutely worth seeing.

Dino-Score: 4/5

Review Scores - How Do They Work?

I will be posting my first film review shortly, but before I do, I wanted to lay out my reasoning behind the scoring system, better known as the "Dino-Score."

I will be utilizing the 1-5 scale, no half-measures. This applies to both film and video games. I feel that this system is easier to understand in regards to what I'm trying to communicate, which is the property's value to the consumer. Let's go through each of them and lay out what they mean.

1/5 - Poor Execution All Around. Not recommended for anyone.

2/5 - Below Average. Only worth recommending if you really like what is on offer here, be it a specific style or talent involved. You'd have to be a hardcore fan to appreciate what's on offer here.

3/5 - Average. Has some strong points, but also some weak ones. Recommended for people with a general interest in whatever is on offer.

4/5 - Above average. Strong execution in important areas, with few reservations holding it back from greatness. Enjoyable, and well worth checking out.

5/5 - Excellent. Damn near perfect. Recommended for everyone who enjoys media consumption, regardless of taste or background. Must-have experiences.

Obviously, my opinions are not the gospel. My reviews are entirely subjective and not for everyone. I have biases, that much is unavoidable. Take me at my word and make up your own mind.

Robot Devil Dinosaur: Origins (and Lies)

Since the launch of the blog last night, I have continued to research the fascinating scenario that brought about the absurdity of the "Robotic Devil Dinosaur". As previously mentioned, the original Devil Dinosaur was created by Jack Kirby (presented by Stan Lee) and enjoyed a short-lived nine-issue run with Marvel Comics in 1978. Since then, he has made cameo appearances in various other series, such as The Thing (1983-1986) and The Amazing Spider-Man.

I took the liberty of downloading some scans of these old, hard-to-find comic book rarities. Here is the cover of The Thing #31, in which the mechanized dinosaur makes his first and only appearance:

The Thing #31

Upon reading through this special issue, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the robosaurus as he got the living crap beat out of him by an overzealous Thing, apparently unaware that it is merely an elaborate movie prop. If only Jurassic Park had come out a decade earlier...

Control yourself, man! Can't you see this is just movie?! Think of the children!

According to Wikizilla, the site through which I initially discovered our blog-tastic hero, Godzilla appears out of ocean near the movie set, terrorizing the actors and crew. The mecha-Devil Dino puts up a fight against the real creature, but is no match for it and is destroyed. I was looking forward to the cameo of the iconic monster, but was disappointed when I saw this:

IMPOSTER!!

As it turns out, this isn't Godzilla at all, but some giant generic lizard. They don't even address him as Godzilla, or any name for that matter. I suppose that would cause a lot of licensing issues with appearance and all that, so it makes sense that they would opt for a plain-looking, forgettable creature.

Needless to say, I feel that I have been lied to by Wikizilla, but I'm not one to hold a grudge for this sort of thing. However, I'm not about to accept just any big lizard as the classic monster. I am curious as to why the wiki claims as such. It's clearly homage, but not the big guy himself.

If anything, this only adds to the spirit of this blog, searching deep into the murkiness and obscurity of forgotten popular culture. The origin of the "Robotic Devil Dinosaur" was skewed by an overzealous fan-site willing to label any giant lizard as Godzilla. The internet is a terribly wondrous place, and it feels good to have some concrete evidence about the origin of this blog. Here we have finally exposed the truth in all its hideous glory.

Bask in it, fellow readers, for tomorrow is another day, and a new dawn awaits.

Introductions and Inspirations

Hello, and welcome to Robot Devil Dinosaur! Here you will find independent and deeply focused analysis of video games, film, and general pop culture. It is my goal to make this an entertaining and insightful blog regarding these topics, and I hope that readers will find some value in the perspective of a soon-to-be college graduate making his way out into the world and exercising his media analysis skills.

First, a little bit of backstory regarding the name of this blog. I’m a huge Godzilla fan. I grew up with the old movies, I’m one of the few who actually liked Roland Emmerich’s 1998 interpretation of the big guy, and I’m a huge kaiju fan in general. So what better way to pass the time than to browse a Godzilla wiki site like Wikizilla? While perusing the site, looking for unusual and obscure monsters, I stumbled across the ridiculous “Robotic Devil Dinosaur,” pictured below. The monster’s description reads as follows:

Robotic Devil Dinosaur, in all his glory.

“Created by special effects guru Trimble, this animatronic device was the lead prop on the Devil Dinosaur movie. Unfortunately, Ben Grimm, the Thing, mistook the device for an actual dinosaur upon first sight, and attacked the beast in an effort to protect Sharon Ventur and her friends. With a single blow, Ben managed to decimate the jaw of the robot, leaving its creator furious over the damage. Eventually, the machine was repaired and set back into action on the set, while the Thing decided to stay put in his trailer to avoid further hold ups to production. Unfortunately, just as filming started, the mutated Godzilla emerged from the sea to bare witness to this dinosaur-like creature that he had once met before. However, Trimble, controlling his creation, ordered the robot to bite Godzilla in the leg. This caused for retaliation on the part of the King of the Monsters, who quickly ripped apart the smaller machine with his powerful jaws. With the prop dismantled, Godzilla returned to the sea, never to be seen again.”

So, the only known appearance of this guy is in a brief Marvel Comics crossover featuring Godzilla in The Thing #31. He is the mechanized version of character created by none other than Jack Kirby, named Devil Dinosaur, who starred in his own comic book series (along with his sidekick, Moon-Boy) which enjoyed a short nine-issue run in 1978.

Devil Dinosaur #1

He has since made appearances in many other Marvel properties, including The Amazing Spider-Man.

I was struck by the existence of such an outlandish character. Not just the original Devil Dinosaur, but the existence of a robot version which was so quickly dispatched after his hilariously brief comic book appearance. It is so quintessentially comics, so pure and unapologetic in its pop-culture irreverence, that I found it incredibly inspiring. Thus, here we have a newly dedicated pop-culture blog, galvanized by the existence of a lowly one-off comic book joke.

I hope to do him some justice.