Middle-Earth: Shadow of War Trailer

I'm so proud of myself, I'm pounding these reviews out like they're nothing. Here's the next one y'all.

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                  How bout this trailer? I am pretty sure that this game is going to be twice as good as the last, which I can't even comprehend right now.
                  So basically, it picks up right where it left off in the previous game. I would know because I just replayed Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor. Talion, at the end of that game, says "It is time for a new ring to be made." Then the screen goes black and that epic music starts playing.
                  It looks like maybe a few days have gone by and Talion and Celebrimbor are just finishing

up their ring. There's a flash of energy that signifies that it is complete and it blows Talion back, also knocking Celebrimbor, his conduit for life, out of his body. But the new ring bonds to Talion and revives him. So my first question is, where's Celebrimbor?
                  Does this mean wraith abilities will be temporarily disabled? Or are we simply left to the devices of a man for the rest of the game? Now, I'd think that the first question would be the most likely answer. Why you ask? Well, I've seen the first 16 minute gameplay walkthrough of Middle-Earth: Shadow of War, and you can still zip on over to animals. In that walkthrough, Talion mounts a dragon, and that looked so cool.
                  I know that this trailer for Shadow of War is not really revealing too much of a story, but it seems to me that Talion is actually going to go toe-to-toe with the Dark Lord himself. And Sauron is pissed that a Ranger from the North is all that stands in his way of taking over the free world. Now keep in mind that this storyline takes place before The Fellowship of the Ring, and maybe ten to twenty years following the events of The Hobbit. If you played the first game, you met Gollum, who is searching for his "precious". That means it was only recently stolen, and he hasn't been captured by Mordor yet. So he's just kinda floating about.
                  Now what should we be psyched for? First of all, the Nemesis System. Oh my god, if you played Shadow of Mordor you know what I'm talking about. Apparently, it's supposed to be so much better than the previous one. And this time, Orcs whom you've helped will remember your aide and will actually follow you into battle. Watch the 16 minute gameplay walkthrough and you'll see what I mean. The video will be down below and the link will be in my bibliography.
                  Next, armies. This is Star Wars: Battlefront II (Playstation 2 and XBOX original version, not 2017 version) but for the Lord of the Rings mythology/universe. You are in an open world where there are outposts both inside and outside of Mordor that you can conquer with an orc army that you lead. This is another reason why I believe Celebrimbor isn't fully gone. In Shadow of Mordor, the only way you could command orcs was through Celebrimbor's influence. Who knows? Maybe it's the ring and it acts as a sort of Wraith-like entity.
                  And finally, the Balrog. Don't say its name out loud or Gandalf will scold you quick like, but tell me that it does not look sick and you are a straight liar. I really hope you can command one, or at least fight one. Hey, why not both? If you could have a Balrog as a part of your army, you would literally be unstoppable. Just bring in that sucker on your front lines and you have got yourself a conquered outpost of Sauron.
                  All-in-all, I think this is going to be one of the best games of the year. Best believe I'm pre-ordering this.

Bibliography:
"Middle-Earth: Shadow of War Trailer" <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__N7mt5Clwg>
"Middle-Earth: Shadow of War 16 Minute Gameplay Walkthrough" <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl4bkIGgiyc>
"Middle-Earth: Shadow of War Balrog" <https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjtlVrRsrk0lH2ReYqPHVMEPAP_ATS8t6YLz779_Bd4vLcmm5wdHNIc2PGEe2gVr3ElmP0CRtFSUhG4lmz5XdfaX1p9BUjSgfakSDHE4xtsXC2tfCPKp9_CTEt9cBR6h5C_Lpy-1aKAjaBC1eKm9zZpuI0Emf6DoR8sqVgtrAGPt7EI7RfpBA=>
"Middle-Earth: Shadow of War Ring of Power" <https://www.keengamer.com/Image/Image/49185?size=FULL>

Star Wars: Battlefront II Trailer

Yoo, there's so many good video games coming out this year. I really wanna pre-order this one, "Middle-Earth: Shadow of War", and "Call of Duty: World War II". Just shut up and take my money.

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                  I really enjoyed the first game, I'm not sure about you guys. The only thing I didn't really like was the overheating system with all of the weapons, and how I couldn't go prone. Maybe that's just the Battlefield player in me.
                  But seeing this new trailer just had me like "whoa." I didn't even freak or anything, I just sat on my bed in absolute awe because... it was like a remastered version of the Playstation 2 or Xbox 360 Battlefront II, and man. The only thing I could think was, "I need this." You best believe I'm about to be pre-ordering this game as soon as I pre-order Middle-Earth: Shadow of War.
                  Alright, first thing's first. The engine footage was phenomenal. And gee, it really hit me that you can literally play across all eras with the most iconic characters of the entire freaking Star Wars universe!
                  And I also like that they're taking the perspective of the Empire's soldiers after the Death Star is destroyed. It doesn't exactly follow the original Battlefront II story, which was also cool, but it's still the view from those who are loyal to the bad guys and just want to follow their orders.
                  I think you're really going to be able to feel the impact of the Death Star's destruction and the devastation that everyone under the Empire felt. It'll be a really interesting take, and I'm sure gonna be routing for the bad guys this time around. I mean, who won't be?
                  Then... THE MILLENNIUM FALCON!!! Then space! Then Luke! Don't tell me you're not hyped because if you say so you are lying. Just stop lying to yourself, because this is going to be one sick game. But please developers, let us have actual rounds and let us go prone!
                  I'm so excited to play across all the eras. I really want to play in The Force Awakens era as like Rey or Finn or something. It's gonna be sick.



Bibliography:
"Star Wars: Battlefront II Trailer" <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDzmjP6-1Zo>
"Star Wars: Battlefront II Millennium Falcon" <http://assets1.ignimgs.com/2017/04/15/swbfii-reveal-screenshot-2-1492279586547_1280w.png>
"Star Wars: Battlefront II Wallpaper" <https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/23/SWBF2_box.jpeg/250px-SWBF2_box.jpeg>

Batman: Arkham Knight

Hey everyone! I wanted to do another game review, and I thought that this was the perfect choice. I absolutely love the Arkham Video Game series and I am so happy with how Rocksteady finished it off. I hope that I can convince you to buy the game if you haven't already and enjoy it as much as I did!

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                  The game begins with the Joker being cremated at Christmas time. When the flames burst

and spit, the Bat symbol shows up, and Jim Gordon says, "This is how it happened. This is how the Batman died."
                   So you now know that the game is a flashback, a story told to someone listening. And that someone is you as the player. You begin as a cop in a coffee shop that grabs some coffee and a bite to eat. A civilian approaches you and says that there is a man smoking in the corner of the restaurant. You confront him and are blasted with fear toxin by none other than Scarecrow himself. 
                    Scarecrow makes a city-wide broadcast warning that Gotham would be covered in a cloud of his new and more lethal fear toxin. The city evacuates within several hours and Jim shines Batman's light in the sky. You assume control of Batman and fly over to him. 
                    You guys talk, and if you look closely, you can see the raindrops rolling down Jim's jacket, and the mist in his glasses. You can also see Batman's breath as he talks in the cold, and there is an occasional riffle to his cape as the wind blows here and there. In short, the graphics and visuals are stunning, Playstation 4 or XBOX ONE. 
                    You then begin the hunt for Jonathan Crane (the Scarecrow if you didn't already know

that) and are aided by Oracle, our trusty and dearly loved tech operative. Here you are introduced to the all-new, all-purpose, and totally sick Batmobile, the vehicle every Arkham fan has wanted to drive since it was first introduced in Arkham Asylum. 
                     Learn how to use it properly in driving and blowing things up with a Vulcan Gun and a 60 mm Canon that rips apart anything standing in your way to shreds. It is AMAZING!!! Free-flow combat is back and better than ever, with all new challenges, enemies, and some old friends that you can team up with to take down your opposition. 
                    Predator system is as beautiful as ever, and your foes have new technology that can detect your Detective Vision, so you better learn how to make due without it, as they can also pinpoint your location if you use it for too long. Sentry drones are now a new challenge on top of the Arkham City-introduced land mines. 
                    But don't worry! The vents are still here and are your best friends... that is until your enemy soldiers send bombs down them and try to smoke you out. But to escape those, vents can now

be traveled to and from each other using vent chutes. If you're on a perch point and you spot a wall vent, grapple to that sucker and you'll travel down to below your enemies' feet. There we see the brand new takedown system that will make you pee your pants. 
                   That new system ladies and gentleman is called the "Fear" System. When you're below two or three enemies, you can shoot out of the grates and take three armed men down in quick succession before they ever have time to aim down the sights and pull the trigger at you. 
                   However, as O.P. as this new feature is, it's a one-time use until you silently takedown a single individual without getting caught. So make sure you don't abandon your old-time Arkham Asylum and City tactics. After taking down one guy silently, the "Fear Multi-Takedown" ability is recharged.
                  Loved the Wayne Tech upgrades? Well, they're back and now, they're harder to get. You'll still get upgrade points, but now if you want to buy new abilities further down the tree, you've gotta be patient and save those suckers for later. Cuz if you spend em all in one place, you'll have a tough time advancing in the game. Seems like Rocksteady went Grandma on us saying "Don't spend it all in  one place now, dear!" 
                   And don't get me started on the new travel system! You can still grapple up to places and fly off of em hella fast, but now, with your new suit, there is a Grapnel Mark III that makes you shoot up faster than ever before. Remember how you had to double tap "A" or "X" to make yourself go faster in Arkham City? Well, try triple tapping it and you'll go CRAZY fast! 
                   Diving system is amazing like before and now that you can jump from crazy high buildings like Wayne Tower, Angel Diving has never been more fun. You'll want to find Wayne Tower and just Angel Dive over and over again when you're bored. Bored of that? Blow stuff up with your Batmobile. 
                  And I haven't even gotten to the story, bro. But lemme tell you, it is a solid campaign, full of twists and turns and on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments. I'll drop a little egg for you guys: The Joker is back. And Mark Hamill has returned to play his iconic role, funnier and darker still. He's there for some nice comical relief when a situation's gone really bad, and a lot of those show up lemme tell you. But ol' Uncle J is there for ya, don't worry.


Ratings: 
Story-line: 9/10 Batarangs- I loved the story. Well, the main campaign that is. I'm at the end and am trying to 100% it right now, so I can't tell you what happens when you do. But I'm sure it'll be great. The story really engages you and once or twice I was on the verge of tears. Yes I'm afraid we lose some dear friend(s). [You'll see why I did that () once you've gotten to the part ;)]
Graphics: 9/10 Batmobiles- Stunning, lifelike, and breathtaking. Get on top of Wayne Tower and look at Gotham. It is truly a beautiful city, and you'll have plenty of time to soak it in. Just make sure that when you're going on a chase that you explore as much as you can and appreciate all the columns you're about to demolish. And don't worry, it's only you, cops, and bad guys. So nobody minds a couple of buildings and highways missing pillars and windows.
Fighting Mechanics: 10/10 Buildings- There is no such thing as perfect, but this Free Flow System is about as close as you'll get to stunning perfection when fighting a hoard of grunts. As soon as you get the hang of it, you'll just want to pick fights everywhere you go. And don't worry about singing, they already know who you are, and you don't need to tell them that you're the mighty mighty Batman. ("Everywhere we go, people wanna know, who we are. So we tell them, we are the __, mighty mighty __" but Batman version. Don't get it? Sorry, can't help you there.)
Replay Probability: Very High (9/10 Batsuits)- Don't put down that controller, don't you dare. There is so much to this game that you can play with, explore, upgrade, and destroy that it is impossible to get bored. Oh! And once you beat the primary campaign, New Story+ is back. Just make sure you're prepared, cuz it's gonna feel like hell.
Overall:  9/10 Stars- What are you waiting for?!?! 

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"Evening the Odds"

"Father to Son"

Bibliography: "Batman: Arkham Knight" <http://siliconangle.com/files/2015/02/54e51560da563.jpg>

"Batman: Arkham Knight Batmobile" <https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7AykgIIWdPM/maxresdefault.jpg>

"Batman: Arkham Knight Trailer: Evening the Odds" <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxa34RatmSc>

"Batman: Arkham Knight Joker" <http://img14.deviantart.net/2f71/i/2015/194/6/2/batman__arkham_knight___wallpaper___joker_by_minionmask-d913ud1.jpg>

"Batman: Arkham Knight Trailer: Father to Son" <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsf78BS9VE0>

"Batman: Arkham Knight Poison Ivy" <http://cdn.wccftech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Batman-Arkham-Knight-Poison-Ivy.jpg>

TOMB RAIDER: PoC Official Video Game Review

                  Well, it has been quite a bit since I posted anything, and I appreciate all of the patience you guys have. But you're not hear to read my apologies, so here we go with Piece of Cake's FIRST video game review of 2016!

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                   Video game reviews are blue, so don't worry about the sudden color change. 

                   Lara Croft is a 21 year old archaeologist who is looking for the lost island of Yamatai, an ancient kingdom off the coast of Japan in an ocean liner, the Endurance. The crew includes: 

     Captain of the ship: Conrad Roth

     His first mate:Angus Grimaldi, aka called Grim

     Head Archaeologist: Dr. James Whitman

     Lara's Best Friend: Samantha Nishimura

     Joslin Reyes

     Jonah Maiava

                   Everything's going dandy until the crew gets into a dispute about which way to go to get to Yamatai. Whitman wants to go in the typical way that past archaeologists have gone, but Lara begs

to differ. She has studied ancient texts and is suggesting a different route, the way into the Dragon's Triangle, more dangerous than the Bermuda Triangle.

                   She wants to go that way because no ship has ever returned, and there's legends of Himiko being able to control the storms of Yamatai. Roth agrees. He was a good friend of Lara's father, and loves Lara like a daughter. Plus, Lara has a point, even though it is a far stretch.

                    They head into the storm and are shipwrecked. Here, Lara is separated from the rest of the crew. And this is where the adventure begins. I'll get straight to it, you have to destroy the body that is holding the soul of Himiko in order to stop the storms so you can escape the island.

                     Play through a hostile environment filled with wolves, the Solarii (Himiko's bodygaurds), and the other survivors on the island trying to revive Himiko. Upgrade your weapons! Your bow and arrows, pistol, World War 2 Assault Rifle with a Grenade Launcher attached, and Pump Action Shotgun are all ideal tools for your survival, and you'll need every last one of them.
                     Make sure you wisely upgrade your Brawler Skills, Hunting Skills, and your Survival Skills, as they will come in handy when coming into contact with the other survivors of the island. I'd

say that you HEAVILY upgrade your Brawler and Survival Skills. The Hunting Skills will come in handy when you need a better stability when aiming your bow and other weapons. 
                      But definitely make sure that you are strong Melee wise, as you'll get into a lot of Melee brawls, and if you're underprepared, you're going to have a lot of frustrating episodes where you can't get past those one or two levels that shouldn't be that difficult.
                      This is truly a great game, and I'd recommend it for anyone who's looking for a good adventure that nicely balances puzzles, battles, and discovery to make a vast open world that is worth exploring after the primary story is done. 

Ratings:
Story-line: 9/10 Arrows- The story is engaging and interesting. I definitely had a blast walking through it with Lara. And the fact that Himiko and Yamatai are real places is really satisfying, because it feels like you're actually solving an archaeological mystery! The only thing is that you try to get rescued twice, and both attempts fail. It's really aggravating especially when you had to climb up so many hillsides and rocks to get to that one blasted tower just to have it destroyed, and then you get ambushed by a bunch of bozos with arrows and rifles! But other than that, it's an awesome story. It has a real satisfying ending, too, which is always a plus. 
 Graphics: 8.5/10 Shotgun Casings- I know there's a lotta folks out there that are in for the graphics. Personally, I just want a quality game. But for you graphics fanatics, this game has stunning visuals. The people look almost real, and the different environments can be haunting if you stay in them too long without a torch. When you come out looking out across the island at the different mountains and valleys, it truly is breathtaking. Soak it all in, because in a few moments, you'll be getting shot at again.
Overall: 9/10- Do the average of the previous two ratings and round up because 5 and up, bump it up! I keep saying this, but I really enjoyed this game. Everything about it was so satisfying and welcoming. I can't wait to play RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER. Apparently, it was better than this one. So definitely looking forward to another adventure with our beloved and beautiful Lara Croft.

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Bibliography: "Tomb Raider video game logo" <http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/tomb-raider-video-game.jpg>

"Tomb Raider video game Lara Croft" <http://leakynews.s3.amazonaws.com/pub/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/tomb-raider-definitive-edition.jpg>

"Tomb Raider video game Roth" <https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/4c/a5/7a/4ca57a2b847990beb3cd19862ba487ed.jpg>

"Tomb Raider video game Yamatai" <http://40.media.tumblr.com/dd4e1c2fbbc897fad637fd369b1c6535/tumblr_mr4tq7qfqL1rkgf5no2_500.jpg>