Friday, July 13, 2007

Transformers Game Review

Written by Kal-El

As we all know that the Transformers Movies being recently released, with the Great direction by Michael Bay and Produced by Steven Spielberg, The Movie totally rocks after we saw it, but we all at The House of El have been wondering how good the game would turn out to be. We with much anticipation of the game, the game actually came out one day earlier even before the Sneak Peak for the Movies to come out. The Game hits the Brunei Game Stores earlier on the 26th June 2007. This is why Brunei Rocks man.

Activision game company had come up with a gem for this game; however the game manufacturers did not disappoint us all with this amazing game. With Hasbro’s consent, the G1 Skins are totally unlockable for gamers to use this skin during game time. Sorry no Dinobots though, maybe in the next sequel probably.

The game storyline here is still about the Autobot trying to get back the Allspark before Megatron gets his greasy big hands on them, it starts with Bumblebee trying to get to Sam Witwicky before the Decepticons get to him first. Amazingly this game does follow thoroughly the movie, From an Autobot to the Decepticons Story, of course being an Autobot you can’t do a lot of damage in the city, unless there are some few army tanks that keep shooting at you which could get annoying sometime. But when your feeling abit stressed out from work or having just quite the bad day or you feel like you’re a bad boy, you just simply select as a Decepticon and blowup the place and people and yell out “Hail Megatron!!”

Gamers will be able to use the following Autobots characters: Bumblebee, Jazz, Ironhide and Optimus Prime. Sorry Ratchet fans, you won’t be able to use him, somehow the game makers did not make any story or game play time for Ratchet. Like in the movies, there were only a few Autobots and many more Decepticons. As for the Decepticons: Blackout, Scorponok, Barricade, Starscream and Megatron. Also unfortunately, not all characters are not available to play, for the decepticons , Frenzy, Bonecrusher and also Brawl is not available. That’s another thing that we realize that in the movie, Brawl was called Devastator in the movie, but in the game and toyline he’s called Brawl. Maybe a movie mistake there.

As for features in this game is that, Autobots are able to Transform into cars of course, for which is cool, gamers will have the ability to drive around town and speed off like as if he was playing Need For Speed as soon as he punches the nitro button, and Zoom you go! But as for Starscream, you have the cool feature to fly off like you were playing Ace Combat, and for Blackout, well Blackout’s a helicopter, well you get the picture.

As for Graphics effects, since it was such a well done job by Activision, The transformation of the characters is totally awesome, same goes for the whole environments, people and buildings that sounds the whole gameplay. Player is able to demolish the building like as if you stole the banana from King Kong, Like King Kong, characters are able to climb up tall buildings and jump from roof top to roof tops.

Sound effects are amazing as well, I couldn’t feel any more adrenaline pumping in to my blood stream as I go for the chase or in battle scenes fighting off Decepticons, Chasing Barricade, of Chasing Megatron across the street. Absolutely superb!!

In conclusion, I have rated this game as a fair 8.0 out of 10. Why did I give 8.0 is because of all the listed stuff that I’ve mentioned above, and why did they fall 2.0 short, was simply because I think that this game is quite short, lack of characters to play with, little bits of Unlockables (except for the G1 skins, that totally rock the game) and they made the difficulty level so difficult, it took me three nights to clock this game though, but the boss levels are extremely finger cracking. But in all seriousness, I love this game, after you clock the game, you could still go back and do all the levels that you think that your not satisfied with. Enjoy!

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Lex Luthor Returns

Written by Kal-El

Good News Lex Luthor fans, you are gonna like this one, Kevin Spacey will return as Lex Luthor in Superman: Man of Steel. Stating here, that could be the next title of Superman Returns Sequel, "Man of Steel".

Various Report says that "Superman" director Bryan Singer met with Spacey in New York while the latter was appearing on Broadway in Eugene O'Neill's recently wrapped "Moon for the Misbegotten." Singer was about to pitch his "Man of Steel" sequel to Warner Bros.; Superman Returns screenwriter Michael Dougherty is now writing the screenplay.

After Singer completes Valkyrie and The Mayor of Castro Street, he plans to start production on "Man of Steel" next year for a 2009 release.

Spacey hopes to shoot his Luthor role in a six-week block, as he did on Superman Returns, after he completes his run in David Mamet's Speed the Plow in April.

It is a thrill to hear that Kevin will be back to do a Superman Sequel, He's portrayal of Lex Luthor was just so Evil, yet smart. Keep a look out for more updates with The House of El.

Having Heat Visions?

Written by Kal-El

We all know one of Superman's Super Powers is the Heat vision, but what we all dont know is how is that even possible for a superhuman being, Well Heat Vision is a superhuman power for one thing, best known as one of the powers of Superman, in which beams of intense radiation are projected from the eyes. Originally, Superman's X-ray vision was used to heat things as well as see through them, but over time a new term was developed for this application and the abilities became distinct from each other.

Superman's heat vision is usually only visible as parallel energy beams firing from his eyes at near-maximum output levels. He is able to vary the intensity of the beams, ranging from (usually invisible) beams that can warm a person gently to high-powered beams with temperatures similar to those generated in a nuclear explosion. It ranges from thin beams capable of performing minute welding and cutting tasks to a swath of heat energy projecting across a field of approximately 45 degrees.

Superman's heat vision is created by specialized organelles located in Kryptonian ocular tissue, when yellow solar energy is converted into a form which can then be converted to microwave energy (though the fact that the beams are visible to human eyes, at higher power levels, means they must be also composed of wavelengths in the human visual range).

These beams can be used for a variety of effects from cutting objects, to heating and evaporating objects and even as a concussive effect as demonstrated by Superboy Prime in Infinite Crisis #4 when he managed to throw off all of the Teen Titans at the same time with his heat vision by explosively heating the air around him.

Superman's heat vision is often tied into his emotions, seemingly causing his eyes to glow when angered; whether this is a conscious decision on his part to intimidate people or an involuntary coincidence is unknown. As such, it has become a common motif to have Superman silhouetted in shadow with his eyes glowing red in moments when he wishes to appear intimidating. It should be noted that though in comics his heat vision is usually tied into anger, on the television show Smallville it was linked to feelings of sexual arousal, triggering involuntarily during periods of extreme arousal upon the power's first appearance.

It's often referred to as Laser vision, which is inaccurate. Superman has used his heat vision to evaporate large bodies of water and/or ice or to perform emergency welding; lasers cannot do such things.

The exact limitation of Superman's heat vision is undetermined. Heat vision, while one of Superman's most powerful abilities, is usually considered the one which drains him of solar energy fastest. Shortly after his resurrection, he lost control of his newly-regained super-powers and was forced to submerge in the ocean for a time to let his heat-vision drain his stamina and allow him to regain command of his faculties.

His current upper limit has been demonstrated to destroy an army of poorly made Doomsday clones in a single application. (The original Doomsday could resist Superman's heat vision). However, Superman stated (while rubbing his eyes) that he "couldn't do that twice" after unleashing the blast, suggesting that it taxed him heavily.

Gladiator's heat vision. Several other superheroes also have heat vision. This list includes Martian Manhunter, Kid Miracleman, Superboy, Supergirl, Power Girl, Valor, Hyperion, Gladiator,G Girl and Ikaris. In some cases, particularly where the character is not Kryptonian or not published by DC Comics, heat vision may be referred to by other names; for example, the Martian Manhunter's power is called "Martian vision", and most incarnations of Marvel Comics' Hyperion have been said to use "Flash vision' or 'Atomic vision'.

There we have it, sometimes we take pictures of a person and there eyes are glowing, it must mean that the persons must have heat vision. Just kidding, but if your eyes are red, i suggest you go and visit the doctors. Keep on reading true fans and have a nice day.

Dare Purchase The Devil

Written by GL

A good Daredevil statue or action figure is hard to find, and that's the truth. Many of us collectors have been on the search for a solid, well-made portrayal of Daredevil for a while now and we always seem to come up empty handed. Let's hope that trend is slowly changing.

Designer Seth Vandable and company Hard Hero have created a yellow variant of their hand-standing Daredevil issue. Needless to say (by just looking at the photo), it's a brilliant piece. And what's more, it's a total worldwide limited edition.

The yellow variant stands at just below 18' inches and is limited to 375 pieces worldwide. I have no idea how they picked this number - take note: I have checked out the number on Google, especially in reference to a possible comic issue, and nothing.

This baby is going for (rounded up) US$200 or B$300. It seems that man without fear will eventually make you the man (or woman) without cash. Head to Big Bad Toy Store for your superhero collectibles.

Where Are We Going From Here?

Written by GL

Ok, so all the movies that have come out so far have gotten a whole lot of attention; we were thrilled, the Box Office made it's money, everyone's happy. What's next on the line up? The House Of El goes on into the rumour deparment to check it out.

The top-business-suit people at Sony Pictures Entertainment will be sitting down soon to discuss the superhero franchise's future. Sam Raimi will be there. And Raimi might actually tell whether he'll handle the next Spiderman installment or not.

The one thing we have answered definitively is: there will be more Spider-Man movies. That's the good news, but as it stand, no release dates have been mentioned until scripts are written.

Needless to say, Spiderman was good. How good you ask? The franchise had netted upwards of $2 billion in Box Office receipts, as well as home video revenue and other income from things such as merchandise. But that's not unique in Hollywood today.

At Fox, 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand appears to have concluded the franchise. So, the studio is developing two possible spin-offs: Wolverine, starring Hugh Jackman, and Magneto, which would follow the character portrayed by Ian McKellen as a much younger man.

Also at Fox, the future of Fantastic Four is unclear after the second installment. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, opened really well with a following $58.1 million. Instead, Fox is developing a Silver Surfer follow-up and is considering another Fantastic Four sequel, but no script is in development.

The studio has been so eager to get Wolverine out next year that it has committed to go into production the instant Hugh Jackman is free for filming. "The idea is (to) get it out next summer," says one source.

For the time being anyway, it seems that Wolverine is the best hope for continuing the X-Men movie franchise. "There is no script for an X-Men 4, and there is none in the works".

The future of the studio's recent comic book adaptation, 2006's Superman Returns, is somewhat more unknown. The film cost $209 million (even after various tax rebates) and marketing costs sent expenses upward of $300 million, but Bryan Singer's picture made only $201 million in the US.

"If we do a sequel to Superman, we want it to be less expensive," says a movie producer. "I have to see a screenplay before I say yes to anything. But the studio would be willing to spend as much as $175 million if the screenplay and other factors warranted it."

Still, Singer has announced that he plans to direct a second Superman project.

We, at The House Of El, would definitely like to see a second Superman, especially after all the time that was spent finding such a great portraying actor to take over from the great Christopher Reeves (respect to him).

Cast For Watchmen Begins

Written by GL

Fans (like me) of Watchmen will begin to cheer; the movie adaptation is finally coming out. It seems like a good millennium for superheroes doesn't it? And here's the latest news on the cast for the Watchmen movie:

Bill Crudup, an actor that you may remember for films such as Big Fish (where he played the annoyed son of the story-teller) or Sleepers (a long-ago film about a group of friends, growing up in an orphanage), is cast as the above-pictured Dr. Manhattan.

Dr. Manhattan is also known in the graphic novel as Dr. Osterman, a scientist involved in a nuclear physics accident that took him outside the physical realm and brought him back with god-like powers, including superhuman strength, telekinesis, the ability to teleport himself or others over planetary, interplanetary and Intergalactic distances, control over matter at a molecular level, and near total future-prediction ability. In other words, this guy is the man.

While his military and governmental friends market him as a superhero, he grows increasingly disinterested in human affairs and is unable to connect with others, especially his love interest Laurie, whom is also a Watchmen superhero.

Dr. Manhattan was created by Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons but, like many main characters of the series, he is a modified version of a Charlton Comics character, Captain Atom, created by Steve Ditko.

Keep coming back for more updates, friends.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Monday, July 9, 2007