Battle Royale: The Last Generation Of An SNES-CD Saga
- Thread starter RySenkari
- Start date
I will say that Acclaim hasn't gone as far as they should in this type of situation. They're doing more than Activision and Ubisoft are currently doing IOTL, but not as much as they should be. As for Activision ITTL, they've actually avoided most of the problems currently plaguing them, due to some reforms made in the late-2000s/early-2010s that led to some abusers getting canned and some slight changes in company culture that ended up snowballing. The fact that they publish the Thrillseekers games did lead to some of these changes (they didn't want a lot of the talented women who'd worked on Thrillseekers 2 to walk, so that led to the 2009/2010 reforms), along with a few other small butterflies.
Ubisoft, unfortunately, didn't make these changes and are already having some similar problems to their OTL woes.
The headlines are all true and I'll be expanding on some of them a bit over the last couple years of the timeline. The Hex Girls series is more serious, on the lines of Lyte and Darke in terms of subject matter, Cartoon Network wanting to try something experimental.
As for the Disney Channel magic school show... you know how ITTL, The Owl House became a game? This situation is sort of the reverse of that. Again, more details later but feel free to guess ^_^
That's definitely an interesting timeline idea and I'd probably try to do it by having more women in those companies in high positions earlier on. Find some of the more influential women in gaming in the 1980s and get them into these companies by the early 1990s and you might be able to do it. Maybe Gail Tilden ends up leaving Nintendo for a high-up position in Activision early on? I don't know if Activision would be big without Bobby Kotick (he's an asshole but he's a brilliant businessman), but maybe he ends up leaving the company for a tech startup in the mid to late 90s, freeing things up for someone less greedy?
It's not as bad as it looks, the country isn't going to fracture but there will be political turmoil, riots, and street fighting for a good long while. Things will get better eventually, but it'll be rough for a while.
Baby steps are good, too. And the fact that Thrillseekers partly led to their reformation really shows how good the franchise really is. I approve of it so far!
Ouch. This does not look good for them.
I can't be happier for this. Like, I am looking forward to each of those headlines and what they entail for the future. All of them!
Is this OTL game from the 2010's? Or will it be an older game? Or is it not a game at all?
Screw it, my first guess is Doki Doki Literature Club as a Disney Channel cartoon.
Acclaimed Champions 2 seems to be the UMvC3 of Acclaimed Champions, with how they put less of an emphasis on characters from fighting games and whatnot.
Why do I have the urge to make a "You're going to Brazil" joke?
The Amazing Race Canada, Season 6
The Amazing Race Canada: Season 6: We can be heroes.
This season marked a first for the franchise as the teams were nominated by family, friends and colleagues for what was billed as a heroes edition. Heroes in this case meaning volunteers, military personnel, RCMP members, mentors etc. It's actually quite good. At this time the Canadian version of the show was doing slightly better in the ratings than the American version but I'll get to what the Americans are doing next time. Anyways, this season was filmed from April to May 2018.
Martina and Phil: Siblings and mentors. These two are a ton of fun, Martina especially.
Todd and Anna: Dating and advocates. Todd had brain cancer as a child, he had an operation that left him permanently disfigured (the right side of his face looks somewhat caved in). They became advocates to show kids that it's ok to look different.
Happy and Chewy: Friends and retired Air Force pilots. Their real names are Mark and Corey respectively. They are good guys.
Courtney and Adam: Engaged First Responders. A paramedic and a firefight respectively they were not as well like in my household. Not for anything in particular, they just came off as annoying to us.
Leanne and Mar: Best friends and mentors. They are intense. Very intense. Though they are kind when they want to be.
Taylor and Courtney: Siblings and RCMP officers. They are a great team.
Joseph and Akash: Friends and volunteers. They seem to have good heads on their shoulders most of the time.
Dylan and Kwame: Friends and football coaches. They have good moments but not many.
Nancy and Mellisa: Team mates and elite athletes. These two were in it to win it. Made all the more amazing by the fact that they hardly knew each other before the race.
Zainab and Monica: Co-workers and naval sailors. They had spirit.
Leg #1: "Just an eager beaver."
Original Air Date: July 3, 2018
At the Starting Line at the Hatley Park National Historic Site, teams have to search the grounds for their first clue (with $350 on their Credit Card) which tells them to travel by ferry to Squamish and find the Sea-to-Sky Gondola and sign up for one of five gondolas. There they find the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to ride a zip-line to a net suspended high above the Mamquam Valley. With a bungee cord, they then had to jump from the net to grab a plush beaver toy and exchange it for their next clue. If they missed, they had to wait at the back of the line to try again.
Teams then go to the Squamish Days Loggers' Sports Festival where they find another Roadblock. In this Roadblock, the team member who didn't perform the first Roadblock had to participate in a loggersports activity by climbing an 80 feet (24 m) pole, with the aid of spurs and a harness, to retrieve their next clue at the top. After that, teams head to Darrell Bay. Here teams put on wetsuits, steer a paddleboard to one of 20 buoys in the bay and pull up a cage with a crab in it. They then have to bring the crab back to shore where they have to have it measured. If the crab is regulation size then they get their next clue. Teams then head to the Pit Stop: Britannia Mine Museum Mine No. 3 in Britannia Beach.
1. Nancy and Mellisa 1:22 P.M. Won a trip for two to Tokyo, Japan.
2. Leanne and Mar 1:24 P.M.
3. Martina and Phil 2:14 P.M.
4. Taylor and Courtney 2:34 P.M.
5. Joseph and Akash 3:45 P.M.
6. Chewy and Happy 3:54 P.M.
7. Todd and Anna 4:07 P.M.
8. Courtney and Adam 4:08 P.M.
9. Dylan and Kwame 4:50 P.M.
10. Zainab and Monica 4:51 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #2: "We're golden now!"
Original Air Date: July 10, 2018.
Getting $400, teams fly to Dawson City, Yukon Territory. On arrival, teams get a truck and load it with camping gear. Then they head to Dredge No. 4 and setup a campsite like a nearby example. The team with the fastest time gets $5,000CAD. Teams then go to the Bank of British North America where they get a GPS receiver and search Dawson City to find a gold coin at five different locations: the SS Keno, the George Mercer Dawson commemorative plaque near the Yukon Hotel, the Robert W. Service Cabin, the Red Feather Saloon, and the Clapp and Jones Steamer at the Dawson City Firefighter Museum. Teams could also find an Express Pass at three different locations: the Former Post Office, the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre, and the Hillside Cemetery. One location, the Commissioner's Residence, had neither a coin nor an Express Pass. After finding five coins, teams had to return to the Bank of British North America to exchange their coins for their next clue.
It's the Detour: Dance or Chance. In Dance, teams travelled to the Palace Grand Theatre. After donning burlesque costumes, team would watch a can-can performance. Teams would then join the performers on stage and would perform the dance. When teams performed the can-can to the satisfaction of the judge, they would receive their next clue. In Chance, teams travelled to Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hall and had to watch a round of blackjack. After observing the round, team members would then assume the role of dealer, and each member had to deal out a hand to casino patrons and properly pay out casino chips. If teams made a mistake, then they would have to go to the back of the line and wait for another attempt. When each team member successfully dealt a round of blackjack, the pit boss would give teams their next clue. Teams then head to the Pit Stop: the Midnight Dome.
1.Todd and Anna 1:00 P.M. Won a trip for two to the South of France
2. Nancy and Mellisa 1:20 P.M.
3. Courtney and Adam 2:10 P.M.
4. Martina and Phil 2:33 P.M.
5. Dylan and Kwame 2:59 P.M.
6. Chewy and Happy 3:14 P.M. Won $5,000
7. Taylor and Courtney 3:49 P.M.
8. Leanne and Mar 4:01 P.M.
9. Joseph and Akash 4:25 P.M. NOT ELIMINATED/SPEEDBUMPED.
Leg #3: "It a berry hard experience."
Original Air Date: July 17, 2018.
Getting $400, teams fly to Vancouver, British Colombia then take a seaplane to Ganges on Salt Spring Island. In the harbor, Joseph and Akash face the Speedbump, which involves correctly identifying eight fleur de sel samples. Then they can join the other teams at the Salt Spring Saturday Market where both team members have to eat a whole blueberry pie each. Teams then go to Mount Erskine Provincial Park where have to open one of ten Fairy Doors for their next clue. They are directed to go to the Ferry Terminal in Vesuvius and take a ferry to Crofton on Vancouver Island.
Teams then go to the Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit where they find the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to complete a full lap in a 2018 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport convertible around the Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit within three minutes, without exceeding 80 kilometers per hour (50 mph) to receive their next clue. After that, teams go to Pacific Northwest Raptors where they find another Roadblock. In this Roadblock, the team member who didn't perform the first Roadblock had to observe a silent demonstration of how to tie a falconer's knot. Then, a live raptor was placed on their arm while wearing a protective glove, and they had to correctly tie the leash of their bird using a falconer's knot to a metal loop attached to their glove within fifteen seconds to receive their next clue. Teams then go to the Pit Stop: Kinsol Trestle at Shawnigan Lake.
1. Taylor and Courtney 3:10 P.M. Won a trip for two to Boston, Massachusetts
2. Martina and Phil 3:40 P.M.
3. Dylan and Kwame 4:01 P.M.
4. Leanne and Mar 4:22 P.M.
5. Courtney and Adam 5:10 P.M.
6. Nancy and Mellisa 5:25 P.M.
7. Joseph and Akash 6:00 P.M.
8.Todd and Anna 6:07 P.M.
9. Chewy and Happy 6:09 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #4: "Just suck my blood please."
Original Air Date: July 24, 2018
Getting $350, teams fly to Jakarta, Indonesia. Once there, they make their way to Fatahillah Square where they sign up for three departure times the next morning. After watch a traditional greeting featuring people in Ondel-ondel costumes, teams go to Pelabuhan Sunda Kelapa. Here teams carry a spiky fruit called durian onto a boat and fill a crate with them. Teams then go to Pasar Burung Barito where they run into the U-Turn (which Courtney and Adam use on Todd and Anna) and the Detour: Ular or Kebaya.
In Ular, teams had to find a snake handler within Langsat Park, choose a container, and completely clean the snake inside. Once approved, they then moved to a medical station where each team member had to attach a leech to their partner's arm and let it suck their blood for five minutes, after which they received their next clue. In Kebaya, teams had to find a marked sewing stall in Mayestik Market. Using a sewing machine, they had to sew two panels of fabric and then, sew each panel to the underside of the lapels on the women's blazer known as a kebaya to receive their next clue. Teams then head to Gedung Teater Bulungan for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to perform the Saman dance. After dressing in costume, they had to learn and correctly perform a series of complex hand and body movements in sync with a group of dancers on stage to receive their next clue. Then it's off to the Pit Stop: Merdeka Square overlooking the National Monument.
1. Nancy and Mellisa 1:11 P.M. Won a trip for two to Ho Chi Mihn City, Vietnam
2. Martina and Phil 1:45 P.M.
3. Todd and Anna 2:00 P.M.
4. Joseph and Akash 2:17 P.M.
5. Leanne and Mar 3:01 P.M.
6. Taylor and Courtney 3:30 P.M.
7. Dylan and Kwame 3:44 P.M.
8. Courtney and Adam 4:15 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #5: "Whip that cream!"
Original Air Date: July 31, 2018.
Getting $350, teams fly to Toronto, Ontario, where they pick up a vehicle and drive to the CAMI Automotive plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. Once there, teams sign up for the next task: assembling the door of a Chevy Equinox. Teams then drive to Stratford's Festival Theatre for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to dress in Elizabethan costume, then learn and act out a sword fighting duel scene, ending with the racer's "death"; if performed convincingly, they would receive their next clue.
Teams then get the Detour: Pedal or Package. In Pedal, teams had to use a paddle boat to navigate part of the Avon River in Stratford to find and collect six illustrated cards. When placed in the correct order, the pieces would form a rebus that encoded the words "Queen of the Square". In Package, teams traveled to Rhéo Thompson Candies, where they had to correctly assemble and package ten boxes of assorted mint chocolates and ten boxes of assorted jelly candies to receive their next clue, which only read "Queen of the Square". The Queen of the Square is Stratford's City Hall. Here Jon is waiting to tell them to keep on racing.
1. Todd and Anna 11:51 A.M. Won a trip for two to London, England.
2. Martina and Phil 12:12 P.M.
3. Taylor and Courtney 12:13 P.M.
4. Dylan and Kwame 1:10 P.M.
5. Joseph and Akash 1:11 P.M.
6. Nancy and Mellisa 2:10 P.M.
7. Leanne and Mar 3:15 P.M.
Leg #6: "Smells like sweat and fun."
Original Air Date: August 7, 2018.
Getting $300, teams drive back to Toronto and go to the City Hall's observation deck. There they have to look for a red and yellow flag on the roof of their next destination: Younge and Dundas Square. It's where the Roadblock is. In this Roadblock, one team member had to choose a 2018 Chevrolet Spark and load it with a variety of provided household items, without putting any in the passenger seat and not obstructing vision through the rear-view mirror. Then, using the backup camera, they had to reverse the vehicle through a slalom course without knocking over any cones to park within a marked space. Once completed, they contacted the OnStar service to be told their next destination. Which is to travel by subway to the Monkey's Paw bookshop and put a token into a book vending machine for their next clue.
The Double U-Turn is here too but no one uses it. Next is the Detour: Walk the Part or Latte Art. In Walk the Part, teams had to dress in colorful costumes, then learn and correctly perform a Vogue routine with a dance troupe in front of an audience to receive their next clue. In Latte Art, teams as baristas had to prepare two cups of latte, then re-create a leaf pattern of latte art in the foam using food coloring and proper pouring technique. Once both were approved, they received their next clue. After that, teams go to the North York Food Bank and pack a specific amount of Dempster's Bakery products into boxes. Then it's off to the Pit Stop: Ireland Park.
1. Leanne and Mar 3:15 P.M. Won a trip for two to Hong Kong and $5,000 from Dempster's to a food bank in their community.
2. Taylor and Courtney 4:00 P.M.
3. Martina and Phil 4:15 P.M.
4. Joseph and Akash 4:16 P.M.
5. Nancy and Mellisa 4:59 P.M.
6. Dylan and Kwame 5:19 P.M.
7. Todd and Anna 6:01 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #7: "Poodle time."
Original Air Date: August 14, 2018.
Getting $310, teams fly to Winnipeg, Manitoba. Once there, they have to go to the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, where they have to match 18 quotes with the people who said them. Afterwards, they get the Detour: Tights or Bites. In Tights, teams made their way to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. After donning ballet attire, teams had to learn and properly perform the Danse des petits cygnes from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake to the judge's satisfaction to receive their next clue. In Bites, teams made their way to Race sponsor SkipTheDishes' Winnipeg logistics headquarters and were given two food orders on the company's mobile app. After picking up the food from the affiliated restaurants, teams had to deliver the food to the correct addresses. If teams received two positive reviews, they would then receive their next clue.
Teams then go to the Canadian Legion for the Faceoff: Playing darts, making sure to hit all 20 segments (hitting the bull's-eye gets two sections removed). Then it's off to The Forks Market for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to learn how to perform the three cups and balls magic trick and how to make a dog balloon animal. When they successfully performed the trick and made a balloon animal in front of a crowd, they would receive their next clue. It's for the Pit Stop: The Leo Mol Sculpture Garden in Assiniboine Park.
1. Joseph and Akash 2:10 P.M. Won a trip for two to New York, New York.
2. Martina and Phil 2:54 P.M.
3. Leanne and Mar 3:15 P.M.
4. Dylan and Kwame 4:01 P.M.
5. Taylor and Courtney 4:22 P.M.
6. Nancy and Mellisa 5:00 P.M. NOT ELIMINATED/SPEEDBUMPED.
Leg #8: "They're heading our way!"
Original Air Date: August 21, 2018.
Receiving $380, teams fly to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. On arrival, teams go to Beaconsfield Historic House, where Nancy and Mellisa have to do their Speedbump: cutting two women's hair for the Canadian Cancer Society, before they join the other teams in search for three of nine mice with parts of their next clue tied around their necks. Teams then have to get to the Table Culinary Studio for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to unscramble the words of four courses on a menu and serve the dishes to a restaurant patron to receive their next clue.
After this, it's the Detour: Suds or Spuds. In Suds, teams had to travel to The Great Canadian Soap Company and milk a goat to a specified amount. Then, teams had to identify ten uniquely-scented soaps by smell only to receive their next clue. In Spuds, teams had to travel to Blue Bay Farms and till a section of a field to create four rows. Teams had to properly cut and then plant potatoes, each containing an eye and spaced a hoe's width (4 to 5 inches, or 10 to 13 cm) apart, in their rows to receive their next clue. Teams then go to Crossfire Adventure Paint, where they have to avoid getting hit with paint balls (they get a one minute penalty for every hit) while searching for their next clue. Then it's off to the Pit Stop: Cavendish Beach.
1. Taylor and Courtney 3:10 P.M. Won a trip for two to Istanbul, Turkey.
2. Nancy and Mellisa 3:11 P.M.
3. Joseph and Akash 4:00 P.M.
4. Martina and Phil 4:17 P.M.
5. Dylan and Kwame 5:07 P.M.
6. Leanne and Mar 5:08 P.M. ELIMINATED/PENALIZED (Took a two hour time penalty for not completing the paintball challenge, due to Leanne suffering a severe case of claustrophobia from wearing the helmet.)
Leg #9: "A good looking dead person."
Original Air Date: August 28, 2018.
Getting $400, teams fly to Mexico City, Mexico. Once there, teams have to get to the Monumento a la Revolución, where they would get a video message from home. Teams then would go to Fronton Mexico for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to serve a ball in jai alai. Using a wicker scoop called a cesta, they had to hurl a ball so that it hit the back wall and landed between the third and fifth lines to receive their next clue. Team members would only have three throws per attempt. Teams then get the Detour: Mercado or Muertos.
In Mercado, teams had to search Central de Abasto, the world's largest market, for four marked stalls and purchase cilantro, green chili peppers, onions, tomatoes, and limes. Then, teams had to combine their ingredients to make pico de gallo to receive their next clue. In Muertos, each team member had to select a Day of the Dead calavera design and had to perfectly paint their design onto their partner's face to receive their next clue. Teams then go to La Condesa Neighborhood where they have to act out a scene, entirely in Mexican Spanish from a telenovela (I don't know which one). Then it's time for the Pit Stop: Alameda Central overlooking Palacio de Belles Artes.
1. Joseph and Akash 1:10 P.M. Won a trip for two to Sydney, Australia.
2. Martina and Phil 1:34 P.M.
3. Taylor and Courtney 2:01 P.M.
4. Dylan and Kwame 2:22 P.M.
5. Nancy and Mellisa 3:17 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #10: "It's simple: we win."
Original Air Date: September 4, 2018.
Receiving $280, teams fly to Fredericton, New Brunswick. Once there, teams go to Officers' Square and watch a changing of the guard ceremony and then go to City Hall and watch a similar ceremony and spot the difference between the two (the one in Officers' Square has the ceremonial guard take and extra step forward). Teams go to CFB Gagetown for the Detour: Fit or Fly (which is limited to two teams per side). In Fit, one team member at a time had to memorize and complete four fitness test exercises including twenty meter rushes, sandbag lifts, intermittent loaded shuttles, and a sandbag drag. If teams could correctly complete the exercises in a combined time of less than eighteen minutes, they would then receive their next clue. In Fly, teams had to operate a Griffon helicopter flight simulator. They had to navigate a simulation of Downtown Montreal and successfully land on the roof of the Bell Centre in under five minutes to receive their next clue.
Teams then head to Lady Beaverbrook Gymnasium for the final Face off: a 15 minute 3-on-3 wheelchair basketball game. Then teams go to the Beaverbrook Art Gallery for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to listen to six questions from a Wolastoqiyik elder in Wolastoqey about six Wolastoqiyik paintings inside the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Team members had to find out which painting corresponded to which question by observing the paintings' English and Wolastoqey descriptions and had to respond to the questions with the correct Wolastoqey painting title to receive their next clue. Teams then go to the Pit Stop: Government House.
1. Martina and Phil 2:01 P.M. Won a trip for two to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2. Taylor and Courtney 3:15 P.M.
3. Dylan and Kwame 3:47 P.M.
4. Joseph and Akash 4:44 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #11: "We are heroes!"
Original Air Date: September 11, 2018.
Getting $450, teams fly to Calgary, Alberta. Once there, teams have to get to the Airport's Traffic Control Tower for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to enter an air traffic control simulation room and had to memorize, without taking notes, a thirty second automatic terminal information service transmission containing meteorological information surrounding the airport. After memorizing the transmission, team members had to make their way to the top of the tower and had to correctly recite the transmission to the Nav Canada senior controller to receive their next clue. After this, teams go to Mount Fable by helicopter, pick up their clue then go to Canmore and go by taxi to Sunshine Village in Banff.
On arrival, teams get another Roadblock. In this Roadblock, the team member who did not perform the first Roadblock had to participate in two winter sports. First, they would be harnessed to two dogs and had to ski two laps around a skijoring track. Then the team member had to complete the Slush Cup by sledding on a marked course down one of the resort's ski runs and across a pool of cold water to receive their next clue. Teams then go the Banff Administration Building and are told to search Banff's main street for several marked stores for two souvenirs that represent all eleven legs and bring them back. After this, teams go to the Bow River and zipline across then raft to Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club and go to the finish line at the fifth hole at the nine hole Tunnel Nine course.
1. Martina and Phil WIN.
2. Taylor and Courtney PLACE.
3. Dylan and Kwame SHOW.
This season is the second best of the Canadian seasons thus far. The contestants were memorable, the locations were spectacular. The only thing that drags it down were the tasks. While a lot of them were good, most were retreads of old ground. Speaking of retreads, next season of the American version brings together three of CBS' reality shows. Let's see how this goes then.
-Globetrotting: An Amazing Race Blog by R.C. Anderson for the website Reality Rewind, September 15, 2018.
This season marked a first for the franchise as the teams were nominated by family, friends and colleagues for what was billed as a heroes edition. Heroes in this case meaning volunteers, military personnel, RCMP members, mentors etc. It's actually quite good. At this time the Canadian version of the show was doing slightly better in the ratings than the American version but I'll get to what the Americans are doing next time. Anyways, this season was filmed from April to May 2018.
The Cast
Martina and Phil: Siblings and mentors. These two are a ton of fun, Martina especially.
Todd and Anna: Dating and advocates. Todd had brain cancer as a child, he had an operation that left him permanently disfigured (the right side of his face looks somewhat caved in). They became advocates to show kids that it's ok to look different.
Happy and Chewy: Friends and retired Air Force pilots. Their real names are Mark and Corey respectively. They are good guys.
Courtney and Adam: Engaged First Responders. A paramedic and a firefight respectively they were not as well like in my household. Not for anything in particular, they just came off as annoying to us.
Leanne and Mar: Best friends and mentors. They are intense. Very intense. Though they are kind when they want to be.
Taylor and Courtney: Siblings and RCMP officers. They are a great team.
Joseph and Akash: Friends and volunteers. They seem to have good heads on their shoulders most of the time.
Dylan and Kwame: Friends and football coaches. They have good moments but not many.
Nancy and Mellisa: Team mates and elite athletes. These two were in it to win it. Made all the more amazing by the fact that they hardly knew each other before the race.
Zainab and Monica: Co-workers and naval sailors. They had spirit.
The Race
Leg #1: "Just an eager beaver."
Original Air Date: July 3, 2018
At the Starting Line at the Hatley Park National Historic Site, teams have to search the grounds for their first clue (with $350 on their Credit Card) which tells them to travel by ferry to Squamish and find the Sea-to-Sky Gondola and sign up for one of five gondolas. There they find the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to ride a zip-line to a net suspended high above the Mamquam Valley. With a bungee cord, they then had to jump from the net to grab a plush beaver toy and exchange it for their next clue. If they missed, they had to wait at the back of the line to try again.
Teams then go to the Squamish Days Loggers' Sports Festival where they find another Roadblock. In this Roadblock, the team member who didn't perform the first Roadblock had to participate in a loggersports activity by climbing an 80 feet (24 m) pole, with the aid of spurs and a harness, to retrieve their next clue at the top. After that, teams head to Darrell Bay. Here teams put on wetsuits, steer a paddleboard to one of 20 buoys in the bay and pull up a cage with a crab in it. They then have to bring the crab back to shore where they have to have it measured. If the crab is regulation size then they get their next clue. Teams then head to the Pit Stop: Britannia Mine Museum Mine No. 3 in Britannia Beach.
1. Nancy and Mellisa 1:22 P.M. Won a trip for two to Tokyo, Japan.
2. Leanne and Mar 1:24 P.M.
3. Martina and Phil 2:14 P.M.
4. Taylor and Courtney 2:34 P.M.
5. Joseph and Akash 3:45 P.M.
6. Chewy and Happy 3:54 P.M.
7. Todd and Anna 4:07 P.M.
8. Courtney and Adam 4:08 P.M.
9. Dylan and Kwame 4:50 P.M.
10. Zainab and Monica 4:51 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #2: "We're golden now!"
Original Air Date: July 10, 2018.
Getting $400, teams fly to Dawson City, Yukon Territory. On arrival, teams get a truck and load it with camping gear. Then they head to Dredge No. 4 and setup a campsite like a nearby example. The team with the fastest time gets $5,000CAD. Teams then go to the Bank of British North America where they get a GPS receiver and search Dawson City to find a gold coin at five different locations: the SS Keno, the George Mercer Dawson commemorative plaque near the Yukon Hotel, the Robert W. Service Cabin, the Red Feather Saloon, and the Clapp and Jones Steamer at the Dawson City Firefighter Museum. Teams could also find an Express Pass at three different locations: the Former Post Office, the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre, and the Hillside Cemetery. One location, the Commissioner's Residence, had neither a coin nor an Express Pass. After finding five coins, teams had to return to the Bank of British North America to exchange their coins for their next clue.
It's the Detour: Dance or Chance. In Dance, teams travelled to the Palace Grand Theatre. After donning burlesque costumes, team would watch a can-can performance. Teams would then join the performers on stage and would perform the dance. When teams performed the can-can to the satisfaction of the judge, they would receive their next clue. In Chance, teams travelled to Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hall and had to watch a round of blackjack. After observing the round, team members would then assume the role of dealer, and each member had to deal out a hand to casino patrons and properly pay out casino chips. If teams made a mistake, then they would have to go to the back of the line and wait for another attempt. When each team member successfully dealt a round of blackjack, the pit boss would give teams their next clue. Teams then head to the Pit Stop: the Midnight Dome.
1.Todd and Anna 1:00 P.M. Won a trip for two to the South of France
2. Nancy and Mellisa 1:20 P.M.
3. Courtney and Adam 2:10 P.M.
4. Martina and Phil 2:33 P.M.
5. Dylan and Kwame 2:59 P.M.
6. Chewy and Happy 3:14 P.M. Won $5,000
7. Taylor and Courtney 3:49 P.M.
8. Leanne and Mar 4:01 P.M.
9. Joseph and Akash 4:25 P.M. NOT ELIMINATED/SPEEDBUMPED.
Leg #3: "It a berry hard experience."
Original Air Date: July 17, 2018.
Getting $400, teams fly to Vancouver, British Colombia then take a seaplane to Ganges on Salt Spring Island. In the harbor, Joseph and Akash face the Speedbump, which involves correctly identifying eight fleur de sel samples. Then they can join the other teams at the Salt Spring Saturday Market where both team members have to eat a whole blueberry pie each. Teams then go to Mount Erskine Provincial Park where have to open one of ten Fairy Doors for their next clue. They are directed to go to the Ferry Terminal in Vesuvius and take a ferry to Crofton on Vancouver Island.
Teams then go to the Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit where they find the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to complete a full lap in a 2018 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport convertible around the Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit within three minutes, without exceeding 80 kilometers per hour (50 mph) to receive their next clue. After that, teams go to Pacific Northwest Raptors where they find another Roadblock. In this Roadblock, the team member who didn't perform the first Roadblock had to observe a silent demonstration of how to tie a falconer's knot. Then, a live raptor was placed on their arm while wearing a protective glove, and they had to correctly tie the leash of their bird using a falconer's knot to a metal loop attached to their glove within fifteen seconds to receive their next clue. Teams then go to the Pit Stop: Kinsol Trestle at Shawnigan Lake.
1. Taylor and Courtney 3:10 P.M. Won a trip for two to Boston, Massachusetts
2. Martina and Phil 3:40 P.M.
3. Dylan and Kwame 4:01 P.M.
4. Leanne and Mar 4:22 P.M.
5. Courtney and Adam 5:10 P.M.
6. Nancy and Mellisa 5:25 P.M.
7. Joseph and Akash 6:00 P.M.
8.Todd and Anna 6:07 P.M.
9. Chewy and Happy 6:09 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #4: "Just suck my blood please."
Original Air Date: July 24, 2018
Getting $350, teams fly to Jakarta, Indonesia. Once there, they make their way to Fatahillah Square where they sign up for three departure times the next morning. After watch a traditional greeting featuring people in Ondel-ondel costumes, teams go to Pelabuhan Sunda Kelapa. Here teams carry a spiky fruit called durian onto a boat and fill a crate with them. Teams then go to Pasar Burung Barito where they run into the U-Turn (which Courtney and Adam use on Todd and Anna) and the Detour: Ular or Kebaya.
In Ular, teams had to find a snake handler within Langsat Park, choose a container, and completely clean the snake inside. Once approved, they then moved to a medical station where each team member had to attach a leech to their partner's arm and let it suck their blood for five minutes, after which they received their next clue. In Kebaya, teams had to find a marked sewing stall in Mayestik Market. Using a sewing machine, they had to sew two panels of fabric and then, sew each panel to the underside of the lapels on the women's blazer known as a kebaya to receive their next clue. Teams then head to Gedung Teater Bulungan for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to perform the Saman dance. After dressing in costume, they had to learn and correctly perform a series of complex hand and body movements in sync with a group of dancers on stage to receive their next clue. Then it's off to the Pit Stop: Merdeka Square overlooking the National Monument.
1. Nancy and Mellisa 1:11 P.M. Won a trip for two to Ho Chi Mihn City, Vietnam
2. Martina and Phil 1:45 P.M.
3. Todd and Anna 2:00 P.M.
4. Joseph and Akash 2:17 P.M.
5. Leanne and Mar 3:01 P.M.
6. Taylor and Courtney 3:30 P.M.
7. Dylan and Kwame 3:44 P.M.
8. Courtney and Adam 4:15 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #5: "Whip that cream!"
Original Air Date: July 31, 2018.
Getting $350, teams fly to Toronto, Ontario, where they pick up a vehicle and drive to the CAMI Automotive plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. Once there, teams sign up for the next task: assembling the door of a Chevy Equinox. Teams then drive to Stratford's Festival Theatre for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to dress in Elizabethan costume, then learn and act out a sword fighting duel scene, ending with the racer's "death"; if performed convincingly, they would receive their next clue.
Teams then get the Detour: Pedal or Package. In Pedal, teams had to use a paddle boat to navigate part of the Avon River in Stratford to find and collect six illustrated cards. When placed in the correct order, the pieces would form a rebus that encoded the words "Queen of the Square". In Package, teams traveled to Rhéo Thompson Candies, where they had to correctly assemble and package ten boxes of assorted mint chocolates and ten boxes of assorted jelly candies to receive their next clue, which only read "Queen of the Square". The Queen of the Square is Stratford's City Hall. Here Jon is waiting to tell them to keep on racing.
1. Todd and Anna 11:51 A.M. Won a trip for two to London, England.
2. Martina and Phil 12:12 P.M.
3. Taylor and Courtney 12:13 P.M.
4. Dylan and Kwame 1:10 P.M.
5. Joseph and Akash 1:11 P.M.
6. Nancy and Mellisa 2:10 P.M.
7. Leanne and Mar 3:15 P.M.
Leg #6: "Smells like sweat and fun."
Original Air Date: August 7, 2018.
Getting $300, teams drive back to Toronto and go to the City Hall's observation deck. There they have to look for a red and yellow flag on the roof of their next destination: Younge and Dundas Square. It's where the Roadblock is. In this Roadblock, one team member had to choose a 2018 Chevrolet Spark and load it with a variety of provided household items, without putting any in the passenger seat and not obstructing vision through the rear-view mirror. Then, using the backup camera, they had to reverse the vehicle through a slalom course without knocking over any cones to park within a marked space. Once completed, they contacted the OnStar service to be told their next destination. Which is to travel by subway to the Monkey's Paw bookshop and put a token into a book vending machine for their next clue.
The Double U-Turn is here too but no one uses it. Next is the Detour: Walk the Part or Latte Art. In Walk the Part, teams had to dress in colorful costumes, then learn and correctly perform a Vogue routine with a dance troupe in front of an audience to receive their next clue. In Latte Art, teams as baristas had to prepare two cups of latte, then re-create a leaf pattern of latte art in the foam using food coloring and proper pouring technique. Once both were approved, they received their next clue. After that, teams go to the North York Food Bank and pack a specific amount of Dempster's Bakery products into boxes. Then it's off to the Pit Stop: Ireland Park.
1. Leanne and Mar 3:15 P.M. Won a trip for two to Hong Kong and $5,000 from Dempster's to a food bank in their community.
2. Taylor and Courtney 4:00 P.M.
3. Martina and Phil 4:15 P.M.
4. Joseph and Akash 4:16 P.M.
5. Nancy and Mellisa 4:59 P.M.
6. Dylan and Kwame 5:19 P.M.
7. Todd and Anna 6:01 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #7: "Poodle time."
Original Air Date: August 14, 2018.
Getting $310, teams fly to Winnipeg, Manitoba. Once there, they have to go to the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, where they have to match 18 quotes with the people who said them. Afterwards, they get the Detour: Tights or Bites. In Tights, teams made their way to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. After donning ballet attire, teams had to learn and properly perform the Danse des petits cygnes from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake to the judge's satisfaction to receive their next clue. In Bites, teams made their way to Race sponsor SkipTheDishes' Winnipeg logistics headquarters and were given two food orders on the company's mobile app. After picking up the food from the affiliated restaurants, teams had to deliver the food to the correct addresses. If teams received two positive reviews, they would then receive their next clue.
Teams then go to the Canadian Legion for the Faceoff: Playing darts, making sure to hit all 20 segments (hitting the bull's-eye gets two sections removed). Then it's off to The Forks Market for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to learn how to perform the three cups and balls magic trick and how to make a dog balloon animal. When they successfully performed the trick and made a balloon animal in front of a crowd, they would receive their next clue. It's for the Pit Stop: The Leo Mol Sculpture Garden in Assiniboine Park.
1. Joseph and Akash 2:10 P.M. Won a trip for two to New York, New York.
2. Martina and Phil 2:54 P.M.
3. Leanne and Mar 3:15 P.M.
4. Dylan and Kwame 4:01 P.M.
5. Taylor and Courtney 4:22 P.M.
6. Nancy and Mellisa 5:00 P.M. NOT ELIMINATED/SPEEDBUMPED.
Leg #8: "They're heading our way!"
Original Air Date: August 21, 2018.
Receiving $380, teams fly to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. On arrival, teams go to Beaconsfield Historic House, where Nancy and Mellisa have to do their Speedbump: cutting two women's hair for the Canadian Cancer Society, before they join the other teams in search for three of nine mice with parts of their next clue tied around their necks. Teams then have to get to the Table Culinary Studio for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to unscramble the words of four courses on a menu and serve the dishes to a restaurant patron to receive their next clue.
After this, it's the Detour: Suds or Spuds. In Suds, teams had to travel to The Great Canadian Soap Company and milk a goat to a specified amount. Then, teams had to identify ten uniquely-scented soaps by smell only to receive their next clue. In Spuds, teams had to travel to Blue Bay Farms and till a section of a field to create four rows. Teams had to properly cut and then plant potatoes, each containing an eye and spaced a hoe's width (4 to 5 inches, or 10 to 13 cm) apart, in their rows to receive their next clue. Teams then go to Crossfire Adventure Paint, where they have to avoid getting hit with paint balls (they get a one minute penalty for every hit) while searching for their next clue. Then it's off to the Pit Stop: Cavendish Beach.
1. Taylor and Courtney 3:10 P.M. Won a trip for two to Istanbul, Turkey.
2. Nancy and Mellisa 3:11 P.M.
3. Joseph and Akash 4:00 P.M.
4. Martina and Phil 4:17 P.M.
5. Dylan and Kwame 5:07 P.M.
6. Leanne and Mar 5:08 P.M. ELIMINATED/PENALIZED (Took a two hour time penalty for not completing the paintball challenge, due to Leanne suffering a severe case of claustrophobia from wearing the helmet.)
Leg #9: "A good looking dead person."
Original Air Date: August 28, 2018.
Getting $400, teams fly to Mexico City, Mexico. Once there, teams have to get to the Monumento a la Revolución, where they would get a video message from home. Teams then would go to Fronton Mexico for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to serve a ball in jai alai. Using a wicker scoop called a cesta, they had to hurl a ball so that it hit the back wall and landed between the third and fifth lines to receive their next clue. Team members would only have three throws per attempt. Teams then get the Detour: Mercado or Muertos.
In Mercado, teams had to search Central de Abasto, the world's largest market, for four marked stalls and purchase cilantro, green chili peppers, onions, tomatoes, and limes. Then, teams had to combine their ingredients to make pico de gallo to receive their next clue. In Muertos, each team member had to select a Day of the Dead calavera design and had to perfectly paint their design onto their partner's face to receive their next clue. Teams then go to La Condesa Neighborhood where they have to act out a scene, entirely in Mexican Spanish from a telenovela (I don't know which one). Then it's time for the Pit Stop: Alameda Central overlooking Palacio de Belles Artes.
1. Joseph and Akash 1:10 P.M. Won a trip for two to Sydney, Australia.
2. Martina and Phil 1:34 P.M.
3. Taylor and Courtney 2:01 P.M.
4. Dylan and Kwame 2:22 P.M.
5. Nancy and Mellisa 3:17 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #10: "It's simple: we win."
Original Air Date: September 4, 2018.
Receiving $280, teams fly to Fredericton, New Brunswick. Once there, teams go to Officers' Square and watch a changing of the guard ceremony and then go to City Hall and watch a similar ceremony and spot the difference between the two (the one in Officers' Square has the ceremonial guard take and extra step forward). Teams go to CFB Gagetown for the Detour: Fit or Fly (which is limited to two teams per side). In Fit, one team member at a time had to memorize and complete four fitness test exercises including twenty meter rushes, sandbag lifts, intermittent loaded shuttles, and a sandbag drag. If teams could correctly complete the exercises in a combined time of less than eighteen minutes, they would then receive their next clue. In Fly, teams had to operate a Griffon helicopter flight simulator. They had to navigate a simulation of Downtown Montreal and successfully land on the roof of the Bell Centre in under five minutes to receive their next clue.
Teams then head to Lady Beaverbrook Gymnasium for the final Face off: a 15 minute 3-on-3 wheelchair basketball game. Then teams go to the Beaverbrook Art Gallery for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to listen to six questions from a Wolastoqiyik elder in Wolastoqey about six Wolastoqiyik paintings inside the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Team members had to find out which painting corresponded to which question by observing the paintings' English and Wolastoqey descriptions and had to respond to the questions with the correct Wolastoqey painting title to receive their next clue. Teams then go to the Pit Stop: Government House.
1. Martina and Phil 2:01 P.M. Won a trip for two to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2. Taylor and Courtney 3:15 P.M.
3. Dylan and Kwame 3:47 P.M.
4. Joseph and Akash 4:44 P.M. ELIMINATED.
Leg #11: "We are heroes!"
Original Air Date: September 11, 2018.
Getting $450, teams fly to Calgary, Alberta. Once there, teams have to get to the Airport's Traffic Control Tower for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member had to enter an air traffic control simulation room and had to memorize, without taking notes, a thirty second automatic terminal information service transmission containing meteorological information surrounding the airport. After memorizing the transmission, team members had to make their way to the top of the tower and had to correctly recite the transmission to the Nav Canada senior controller to receive their next clue. After this, teams go to Mount Fable by helicopter, pick up their clue then go to Canmore and go by taxi to Sunshine Village in Banff.
On arrival, teams get another Roadblock. In this Roadblock, the team member who did not perform the first Roadblock had to participate in two winter sports. First, they would be harnessed to two dogs and had to ski two laps around a skijoring track. Then the team member had to complete the Slush Cup by sledding on a marked course down one of the resort's ski runs and across a pool of cold water to receive their next clue. Teams then go the Banff Administration Building and are told to search Banff's main street for several marked stores for two souvenirs that represent all eleven legs and bring them back. After this, teams go to the Bow River and zipline across then raft to Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club and go to the finish line at the fifth hole at the nine hole Tunnel Nine course.
1. Martina and Phil WIN.
2. Taylor and Courtney PLACE.
3. Dylan and Kwame SHOW.
The Review
This season is the second best of the Canadian seasons thus far. The contestants were memorable, the locations were spectacular. The only thing that drags it down were the tasks. While a lot of them were good, most were retreads of old ground. Speaking of retreads, next season of the American version brings together three of CBS' reality shows. Let's see how this goes then.
-Globetrotting: An Amazing Race Blog by R.C. Anderson for the website Reality Rewind, September 15, 2018.
AeroTheZealousOne
Monthly Donor
I haven't watched much Scooby-Doo a whole lot since I was real little but I'm mildly surprised how little attention this got. Wouldn't be surprised at all if this spinoff was both successful and popular.
Looks fun, no clue how it would pale compared to the Broadway musical of OTL (let alone the classic film), but nonetheless looks fun. The premise definitely fits it being exclusive to a streaming service.
Oh dear.
It'll get better still, as this world is getting in certain aspects, but roadbumps are to be expected and the future is certainly not going to be smooth sailing. What is uncertain is... well, everything else. Not saying it's insignificant at all, far from it. But triumph and tragedy are two sides of the same coin.
October 2018 - All Heck Breaks Loose
"Squaresoft's Lyric Of Mana is a fascinating and rewarding sidestory in the Mana series, even if it takes a few confusing gameplay detours. The idea of utilizing music in place of the traditional eight elements makes for the most unique thematic game in the series to date, and the classic Mana formula of action-RPG combat and exploration remains intact, even if the songs themselves can be a bit on the cheesy side. Hiroki Kikuta has provided perhaps his best work yet, and sometimes you'll just sit and listen to the music in certain areas without wanting to begin another round of exploration. This is definitely a worthy game to tide hardcore fans over until next year's remake, and one of the best Connect RPGs of the year."
-from the 4/5 review of Lyric Of Mana on RPGamer.com, posted on October 11, 2018
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"More Secret Of Mana remake footage has been released alongside Lyric of Mana, and the game continues to look spectacular, with the lovely Ice Palace shimmering in its new graphical look. The ice reflects both friend and foe as they battle within the palace walls, and the music, which was always considered one of the original's best tracks, is as hauntingly beautiful as ever. It's also a lot more fun to fight when you're not worried about being turned into a snowman by everything that brushes past, as the more fluid combat system is expected to avoid most of the original's frustrating slowdown attacks in favor of more subtle debuffs. The replicating slime enemies, however, still appear with some frequency, and this game allows more than a dozen to flood the screen at once, so players potentially risk being overwhelmed if they let the replications go on for too long."
-from an October 16, 2018 article on RPGamer.com
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Final Fantasy XV Unveiled At TGS 2018, Will Be Rock-And-Roll Themed, With Musical Magic At Its Core
A surprise reveal punctuated Squaresoft's 2018 Tokyo Game Show presentation: Final Fantasy XV was finally revealed, and is already about "halfway completed", according to the game's producer, Yoko Taro. Taro is helming a Final Fantasy title for the first time, and he says that he was inspired for the game's theme by Japan's metal scene, which was made very clear by the game's modern setting and extravagant hard rock soundtrack, along with its protagonist, Genji, who stars as the lead guitar player for a rock band at the game's beginning. The game will feature heavy metal remixes of a number of classic Final Fantasy themes, along with an original soundtrack said to feature "dozens" of songs. Nobuo Uematsu is also returning to the series, having been "begged" to do so by Taro, and his band The Black Mages will perform on a number of the game's key songs, while Uematsu himself is busily composing the game's main score. Battles will combine turn-based and action gameplay, with attacks conducted via a mini rhythm game that can amplify the strength of individual strikes and allow for powerful combinations. Squaresoft hasn't yet said what consoles the game will be released for as of yet, but the highly detailed graphics and animation indicate that it could be intended as a next generation title and may not be coming to the current crop of consoles. Reception to the announcement of Final Fantasy XV was mixed on Western social media outlets, but in Japan, the game's announcement was received much more kindly, with loud cheers going up multiple times during the game's reveal. We'll have more information on FInal Fantasy XV as it's revealed, especially if details such as consoles or release dates are given.
-from an October 5, 2018 article on Kotaku
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Mets Sweep Angels To Take Second Straight World Series Title
The New York Mets completed a sweep of the Los Angeles Angels last night to take their second consecutive world series title, winning at Citi Field in Game 4 to the roar of their jubilant fans. The Mets, who completed the season at 95-67, were slight underdogs to take the Series over the 96-66 Dodgers, but thanks to their dominant pitching and some clutch home runs, they were able to win all four games, taking the first two in Los Angeles by close scores before taking Games 3 and 4 by more decisive margins. The Mets won Game 4 7-1, thanks to the pitching performance of their 21-year-old rookie sensation Johnny Valdez, and thanks to a grand slam in the third inning by slugger Joey Gallo that put them ahead to stay. After the game, Valdez thanked his parents back home in Cuba, and also thanked all the Mets fans for their support, getting somewhat emotional in interviews with reporters after the game.
The Mets have been somewhat of an unlikely success story over the past two years. They were major underdogs last year on their way to the World Series title, and while they had the second best record in the National League this year, behind only the Milwaukee Brewers (who the Mets knocked off in a wild card play-in game back in 2017), many fans wrote them off, expecting the Dodgers to take the pennant despite their 93-69 record. The Dodgers have been struggling with injuries, and had most of their stars back in time for the playoffs, but they found themselves beaten by the Brewers in the wild card round, setting up an exciting NLCS matchup that saw the Mets win 4-2 on their way to the World Series for a second straight time. The Mets are the early betting favorites to take a third straight World Series, but the Dodgers are close behind them and are expected to bounce back from their early exit this year.
-from an October 28, 2018 article on Yahoo Sports
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John F. Kennedy Jr. Signs Key Environmental Bill Ahead Of Midterm Election
As campaigns ramp up toward the midterm elections, President John F. Kennedy Jr. signed a major environmental reform bill that will set a new goal for American carbon emissions by 2040, adjusting parameters set forth by a Gore administration climate bill as projected estimates of climate change impacts have been revised by scientists around the world, warning of dire consequences if nations don't bring emissions in line. The bill, which was approved by a fairly strict party-line vote in the House and by a narrow 52-48 margin in the Senate, calls for the United States to get more energy from renewable sources over the next decade, and provides more public funds for the construction of solar, wind, and geothermal energy plants, while adding additional carbon taxes to coal and oil producers. The bill was sharply opposed by Congressional Republicans, while West Virginia senator Joe Manchin also came out strongly against it, saying that the bill would severely cripple coal workers and cost jobs in areas of the country already hard hit by job losses and economic decay. Though Republicans threatened to filibuster the bill, Democrats were able to use the threat of a stronger Senate majority after the midterm to convince them to abandon these efforts, and the bill isn't nearly as comprehensive as one originally proposed by both Kennedy and by House Democrats, which would have given five times as much money to green energy production and would have even more sharply taxed carbon. The bill, which is known as the 21st Century Green Energy Act, is funded partially by these increased taxes on fossil fuel producers, but will also add nearly $100 billion to the deficit, a cost that Kennedy said in a speech promoting the bill "is far less than the one our children will pay if we continue to do nothing about the threat of devastating climate change". It's the first major environmental legislation of the Kennedy administration, and comes in response to criticism from far-left Democrats and from former president Al Gore. Gore praised the bill, though he said that he would have preferred to see the original House version of the bill pass. The bill isn't expected to move the needle very much on the upcoming midterm elections: Democrats are still heavily favored to hold onto the House and Senate, and are expected to gain a small number of seats in each chamber thanks to Kennedy's ongoing popularity and the popularity of last year's landmark health care act. More than 20 million Americans have already signed up for the public option this year alone, and it's projected that as many as 60 million could be on the government's health insurance plan by 2020.
-from an October 22, 2018 article on CNN.com
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(Authors' Note: The idea for Spooky Crew was given to us by the reader HonestAbe1809!)
Indie games are increasingly becoming major selling points for consoles, with Ori And The Will Of The Wisps considered to be one of the upcoming Stadia platform's most highly anticipated launch titles, and Jessica Saves Her Mom (And Maybe The World!) positioned as a significant Virtua exclusive for next year. Meanwhile, WayForward's Shantae And The Worlds Beyond is expected to make a major splash on the Reality next year, adding another hit indie title to next year's already stacked slate.
"It's a real joy to see our little studio getting so much recognition," said Andrea Claremont, lead writer for Jessica Saves Her Mom, her second major project after 2016's Danielle's Declination. "All the hype for this game, it's really gratifying after we've put in so much work away from the spotlight."
Of course, now that the game is in the spotlight, it does put increased pressure on a small studio like Cafeteria for the game to meet fan expectations.
"It's definitely tricky, and we have to balance the health of our staff and team with the desire for the game to be as good as it can be. Since this is a small team, and since we're all really close, we made decisions focused on our health, and we put confidence in the team to get the game where it needs to be without anyone needing to crunch or put in more time than is healthy to do so."
Claremont says that she never expected so many people to be excited for Jessica Saves The World, and that can be a sentiment shared among many indie developers. Maddy Thorson, who has been working on the upcoming game Celeste for several years after its initial creation during a 2016 game jam event, said that he was surprised by the strong response to the delay of his game from early this year to December, saying that he never expected the game's development to be followed by so many people, and that it really put a lot of weight on the development of the game. This month's Spooky Crew, which released just last week to strong reviews from critics, was also the subject of a delay earlier this year that postponed the release of the game's first installment, but that developers were able to compensate by releasing both chapters one and two at the same time. The game, which puts a humorous twist on the classic "mystery teens" archetype and is said to be both an homage to and a parody of Scooby-Doo, was delayed once from its expected June 2018 release date, and fans who'd been expecting the game responded angrily on social media, shocking the game's development team who hadn't expected the game to already have such a large following.
"Developing an indie game is supposed to be the best of both worlds," said one of the game's programmers, speaking anonymously while detailing abusive messages received from people who'd reserved the game. "Getting to work on a video game, but having the control and lesser expectations of a small studio. Instead, we're getting some of the same kinds of abuse people at the big AAA studios are getting, and it's been pretty disheartening."
Claremont says that she hasn't been subjected to any significant abuse from fans just yet, and that she hopes that trend continues regardless of how the game comes out.
"With all the attention focused on indies these days, you really do have to take the good with the bad. I hope the game does well and wins lots of awards and makes my co-workers enough money to relax for at least a little while. I also hope we don't get hit with any hate mail from people upset with how a certain character acts or how the game's story resolves. Hopefully the people who like the game will far, far outnumber the haters."
-from an article posted on Sylph on October 29, 2018
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Game Spotlight: Commander Keen: All Heck Breaks Loose
Commander Keen: All Heck Breaks Loose is an action game exclusive to the Apple Virtua, and is the second major Keen title for the console, after 2014's Adventures In Virtual Reality. Whereas that game had more of a focus on collecting and exploring, All Heck Breaks Loose has more of a focus on weapons and combat, and is sort of an homage to the Wolfenstein and Doom games developed by many of the same people, with Keen and his buddies battling a wicked swarm of demons and evil ghosts after the gates to Heck literally crack open beneath the ground. While the game features a lot of horror and shooter tropes, at its heart it's ultimately a lighthearted game and fairly family friendly (rated T for Teen, but it's a soft T rating and younger kids can definitely play and enjoy it). It sees Keen, Reynard, Becky, and Brianna as the game's four main playable characters, with six other characters having the potential to join them, including George and Nebula from Adventures In Virtual Reality, three all new characters (bully-turned-friend Crush, Japanese exchange student Shinseki, cool girl next door and Keen's new "girlfriend" Lucy, and BJ Blazcowicz in a guest appearance from the Wolfenstein games (though in this game he's obviously toned down quite a bit), who is revealed formally to be Billy and Becky's great-grandpa. The game features much of the same gameplay as Adventures In Virtual Reality, but with vastly improved combat mechanics and unique controls for almost every single weapon, allowing players to mix, match, and pick their favorites, with the ability to combine weapons and even steal them off enemies (Reynard is especially skilled at this). Despite a reduced emphasis on collecting everything, there's still plenty of stuff to collect, including keys, icons, cosmetics, weapon components, and numerous forms of currency, and many of these things will literally fly out of demons when they get killed, encouraging the player to kill as many things as they can. Some of the game's secrets, including BJ Blazcowicz, can only be unlocked via collecting enough keys and icons to do so, so 100 percent completion is still very much encouraged even if it's not quite as necessary. While the game starts in Keen's neighborhood, he ends up having to travel all over town and eventually all over the country to fight off the demons, and even into the bowels of Heck itself! In addition to the various demons and monsters that pour out, various evil people also crawl out of Heck, including Hiller (the Hitler expy from earlier in the series), prompting the return of the "Get Hiller!" minigame, though this time it forms a part of the main quest! There's also various not so evil people who crawl out of Heck and end up becoming valuable allies to Keen as he tries to close Heck's Gates and defeat the Devil himself to save his friends and loved ones. The game sees somewhat of a changing of the guard in terms of voice acting for the series, with numerous long-time voice actors dropping out and being replaced with newer (mostly cheaper) voice actors, with Kath Soucie stepping down from the iconic role of Keen and being replaced by an actual young boy (the voice used for Keen in this game is similar to the voice that the various Lincoln Loud voice actors use for him, and indeed, the TTL child actor who plays Lincoln in TTL's Loud House plays Keen in this game).
The game begins with Billy and Becky's typical argumentative antics. We also get an introduction to Lucy, Billy's new love interest, and also to Crush the bully. After these opening scenes, Billy's about to go to sleep when all of a sudden, there's a huge earthquake, and fires are reported downtown. At first, Billy wants to go to bed (thinking it's just a natural disaster, not something he can blast) until he gets a call from Reynard telling him to get off his butt and hurry downtown, as there are demons and dead people crawling out of the crack generated by the earthquake. Once again, Commander Keen is called into action, though he makes Becky stay behind because he says it's "too dangerous" for her. As Commander Keen and Reynard are off fighting the demons, Lucy shows up and helps Becky get ready for battle (in addition to being a girl Billy likes, Lucy is also somewhat of an "older sister" figure to Becky and puts up with her antics much better than Billy does). At first, only Keen, Reynard, Becky, and Brianna are playable. Lucy gets captured, and in a twist, it's Becky who saves her (and then she scolds Keen to high heaven for being too much of a wimp to save her himself). Crush starts out serving the demons, but realizes that they're a bunch of jerks and eventually teams up with Billy and his friends. Shinseki, George, and Nebula all show up in various roles along the way, eventually becoming playable later in the story, along with Lucy. We learn that Heck's breach was caused by Dave Stomp, a famous actor (and secretly a massive jerk) who died tragically on the set of a recent movie because he stupidly decided to do his own stunts and ended up getting killed in over the top fashion (Stomp's character is best compared to Ernesto de la Cruz from OTL's Coco, basically an egotistical jealous jerk willing to do anything to be rich and famous). Out of sheer jealousy and rage, he concocted a scheme to break out of Heck, not realizing that in doing so, he'd accidentally unleash an apocalyptic takeover of Earth. Though the Devil ends up being the game's final boss (Stomp himself is fairly wimpy and needs bodyguards and machines to do his dirty work), Stomp is the game's primary antagonist right up until the very end, until the Devil finally gets fed up with him and sends him to Super Heck (along with Hiller, forcing the two to be roomates and annoy each other forever). After the breach is closed, Keen and friends return to their peaceful lives, and Billy gets a kiss on the cheek from Lucy (which immediately causes Becky to make fun of him).
Commander Keen: All Heck Breaks Loose is released to strong, but not overwhelmingly strong, critical reviews. The game is considered quite fun and entertaining, but isn't groundbreaking, either as a video game in general or even for the series itself, and reviews average in the low-8s. Sales are also only average for the series, with a very good launch but slightly lower than expected holiday sales, which causes it to finish up #21 overall for the year, barely missing the top 20 (it finishes just below Acclaimed Champions 2 on the year end sales list). Commander Keen remains one of Apple's strongest franchises, but this game proves that it's not quite the mega-AAA franchise it was once considered to be at its absolute height.
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Other Significant Titles For October 2018:
Freedom Wars 2: The sequel to 2014's pioneering VR title, Freedom Wars 2 brings much of the same in terms of gameplay and VR features, which are enhanced somewhat if the player has a Reality Neo and the Super VR headset, providing better sound and more realistic visuals. The game casts the player as a prisoner of the privileged residents of the islands above a desolate Earth, and forces them to battle rebels for about two-thirds of the game before they're finally liberated and able to fight with the rebels to take the ruling cabal down. The game ends on a somewhat optimistic note, though it does leave open the possibility of a third title in the series. Freedom Wars 2, while not as groundbreaking as the original in its use of VR, is still an excellent game with gorgeous graphics, outstanding gameplay, and a very well received storyline. Reviews average in the mid-8s, and sales are robust, especially in Japan.
Railstorm 3: The third game in a trilogy of highly touted handheld FPS titles for the Gemini, Railstorm 3 sees the conclusion of Hotch's storyline battling terrifying space aliens with impressive weaponry, and also brings back Elle and Winona, while introducing a couple of new ally characters as well. Graphically stunning for a handheld, easily pushing the Gemini to its limits, it does get some blowback from critics for its gameplay (which doesn't innovate much over the previous two games) and also for being a bit shorter than the other two. It's still a showcase for what the Gemini is capable of, and sales are on par with the previous two titles in the series.
Far Cry 4: Released for the Reality and Virtua (and later for the Stadia, while skipping the Nexus), Far Cry 4 is a survival-themed shooter from Ubisoft that sees the protagonist (who can be male or female, player's choice) dropped on a remote Pacific island by a mysterious group of shady individuals conducting their own reality show (ala Battle Royale or The Condemned) in which the player must hunt down and kill their fellow competitors, 24 in all. In addition, they are also hunted by various wildlife and also by hired mercs. Fairly simple in its gameplay, but also exceptionally brutal, the game actually takes a Shadow Of The Colossus-style open world approach in which the other contestants can be hunted down in any order. The player also learns about all of them as they play, with each one given a personality and distinct history, making each kill all the more emotional. In the end, the player has to escape and hunt down the evil people who put them in this situation (either by themselves or with the help of another survivor, though the player can only spare one other person). Seen as a cut above other games in the series, both graphically and storyline-wise, Far Cry 4 becomes the series' most successful game to date, with review scores in the high-8s and excellent sales.
-from the 4/5 review of Lyric Of Mana on RPGamer.com, posted on October 11, 2018
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"More Secret Of Mana remake footage has been released alongside Lyric of Mana, and the game continues to look spectacular, with the lovely Ice Palace shimmering in its new graphical look. The ice reflects both friend and foe as they battle within the palace walls, and the music, which was always considered one of the original's best tracks, is as hauntingly beautiful as ever. It's also a lot more fun to fight when you're not worried about being turned into a snowman by everything that brushes past, as the more fluid combat system is expected to avoid most of the original's frustrating slowdown attacks in favor of more subtle debuffs. The replicating slime enemies, however, still appear with some frequency, and this game allows more than a dozen to flood the screen at once, so players potentially risk being overwhelmed if they let the replications go on for too long."
-from an October 16, 2018 article on RPGamer.com
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Final Fantasy XV Unveiled At TGS 2018, Will Be Rock-And-Roll Themed, With Musical Magic At Its Core
A surprise reveal punctuated Squaresoft's 2018 Tokyo Game Show presentation: Final Fantasy XV was finally revealed, and is already about "halfway completed", according to the game's producer, Yoko Taro. Taro is helming a Final Fantasy title for the first time, and he says that he was inspired for the game's theme by Japan's metal scene, which was made very clear by the game's modern setting and extravagant hard rock soundtrack, along with its protagonist, Genji, who stars as the lead guitar player for a rock band at the game's beginning. The game will feature heavy metal remixes of a number of classic Final Fantasy themes, along with an original soundtrack said to feature "dozens" of songs. Nobuo Uematsu is also returning to the series, having been "begged" to do so by Taro, and his band The Black Mages will perform on a number of the game's key songs, while Uematsu himself is busily composing the game's main score. Battles will combine turn-based and action gameplay, with attacks conducted via a mini rhythm game that can amplify the strength of individual strikes and allow for powerful combinations. Squaresoft hasn't yet said what consoles the game will be released for as of yet, but the highly detailed graphics and animation indicate that it could be intended as a next generation title and may not be coming to the current crop of consoles. Reception to the announcement of Final Fantasy XV was mixed on Western social media outlets, but in Japan, the game's announcement was received much more kindly, with loud cheers going up multiple times during the game's reveal. We'll have more information on FInal Fantasy XV as it's revealed, especially if details such as consoles or release dates are given.
-from an October 5, 2018 article on Kotaku
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Mets Sweep Angels To Take Second Straight World Series Title
The New York Mets completed a sweep of the Los Angeles Angels last night to take their second consecutive world series title, winning at Citi Field in Game 4 to the roar of their jubilant fans. The Mets, who completed the season at 95-67, were slight underdogs to take the Series over the 96-66 Dodgers, but thanks to their dominant pitching and some clutch home runs, they were able to win all four games, taking the first two in Los Angeles by close scores before taking Games 3 and 4 by more decisive margins. The Mets won Game 4 7-1, thanks to the pitching performance of their 21-year-old rookie sensation Johnny Valdez, and thanks to a grand slam in the third inning by slugger Joey Gallo that put them ahead to stay. After the game, Valdez thanked his parents back home in Cuba, and also thanked all the Mets fans for their support, getting somewhat emotional in interviews with reporters after the game.
The Mets have been somewhat of an unlikely success story over the past two years. They were major underdogs last year on their way to the World Series title, and while they had the second best record in the National League this year, behind only the Milwaukee Brewers (who the Mets knocked off in a wild card play-in game back in 2017), many fans wrote them off, expecting the Dodgers to take the pennant despite their 93-69 record. The Dodgers have been struggling with injuries, and had most of their stars back in time for the playoffs, but they found themselves beaten by the Brewers in the wild card round, setting up an exciting NLCS matchup that saw the Mets win 4-2 on their way to the World Series for a second straight time. The Mets are the early betting favorites to take a third straight World Series, but the Dodgers are close behind them and are expected to bounce back from their early exit this year.
-from an October 28, 2018 article on Yahoo Sports
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John F. Kennedy Jr. Signs Key Environmental Bill Ahead Of Midterm Election
As campaigns ramp up toward the midterm elections, President John F. Kennedy Jr. signed a major environmental reform bill that will set a new goal for American carbon emissions by 2040, adjusting parameters set forth by a Gore administration climate bill as projected estimates of climate change impacts have been revised by scientists around the world, warning of dire consequences if nations don't bring emissions in line. The bill, which was approved by a fairly strict party-line vote in the House and by a narrow 52-48 margin in the Senate, calls for the United States to get more energy from renewable sources over the next decade, and provides more public funds for the construction of solar, wind, and geothermal energy plants, while adding additional carbon taxes to coal and oil producers. The bill was sharply opposed by Congressional Republicans, while West Virginia senator Joe Manchin also came out strongly against it, saying that the bill would severely cripple coal workers and cost jobs in areas of the country already hard hit by job losses and economic decay. Though Republicans threatened to filibuster the bill, Democrats were able to use the threat of a stronger Senate majority after the midterm to convince them to abandon these efforts, and the bill isn't nearly as comprehensive as one originally proposed by both Kennedy and by House Democrats, which would have given five times as much money to green energy production and would have even more sharply taxed carbon. The bill, which is known as the 21st Century Green Energy Act, is funded partially by these increased taxes on fossil fuel producers, but will also add nearly $100 billion to the deficit, a cost that Kennedy said in a speech promoting the bill "is far less than the one our children will pay if we continue to do nothing about the threat of devastating climate change". It's the first major environmental legislation of the Kennedy administration, and comes in response to criticism from far-left Democrats and from former president Al Gore. Gore praised the bill, though he said that he would have preferred to see the original House version of the bill pass. The bill isn't expected to move the needle very much on the upcoming midterm elections: Democrats are still heavily favored to hold onto the House and Senate, and are expected to gain a small number of seats in each chamber thanks to Kennedy's ongoing popularity and the popularity of last year's landmark health care act. More than 20 million Americans have already signed up for the public option this year alone, and it's projected that as many as 60 million could be on the government's health insurance plan by 2020.
-from an October 22, 2018 article on CNN.com
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(Authors' Note: The idea for Spooky Crew was given to us by the reader HonestAbe1809!)
Indie games are increasingly becoming major selling points for consoles, with Ori And The Will Of The Wisps considered to be one of the upcoming Stadia platform's most highly anticipated launch titles, and Jessica Saves Her Mom (And Maybe The World!) positioned as a significant Virtua exclusive for next year. Meanwhile, WayForward's Shantae And The Worlds Beyond is expected to make a major splash on the Reality next year, adding another hit indie title to next year's already stacked slate.
"It's a real joy to see our little studio getting so much recognition," said Andrea Claremont, lead writer for Jessica Saves Her Mom, her second major project after 2016's Danielle's Declination. "All the hype for this game, it's really gratifying after we've put in so much work away from the spotlight."
Of course, now that the game is in the spotlight, it does put increased pressure on a small studio like Cafeteria for the game to meet fan expectations.
"It's definitely tricky, and we have to balance the health of our staff and team with the desire for the game to be as good as it can be. Since this is a small team, and since we're all really close, we made decisions focused on our health, and we put confidence in the team to get the game where it needs to be without anyone needing to crunch or put in more time than is healthy to do so."
Claremont says that she never expected so many people to be excited for Jessica Saves The World, and that can be a sentiment shared among many indie developers. Maddy Thorson, who has been working on the upcoming game Celeste for several years after its initial creation during a 2016 game jam event, said that he was surprised by the strong response to the delay of his game from early this year to December, saying that he never expected the game's development to be followed by so many people, and that it really put a lot of weight on the development of the game. This month's Spooky Crew, which released just last week to strong reviews from critics, was also the subject of a delay earlier this year that postponed the release of the game's first installment, but that developers were able to compensate by releasing both chapters one and two at the same time. The game, which puts a humorous twist on the classic "mystery teens" archetype and is said to be both an homage to and a parody of Scooby-Doo, was delayed once from its expected June 2018 release date, and fans who'd been expecting the game responded angrily on social media, shocking the game's development team who hadn't expected the game to already have such a large following.
"Developing an indie game is supposed to be the best of both worlds," said one of the game's programmers, speaking anonymously while detailing abusive messages received from people who'd reserved the game. "Getting to work on a video game, but having the control and lesser expectations of a small studio. Instead, we're getting some of the same kinds of abuse people at the big AAA studios are getting, and it's been pretty disheartening."
Claremont says that she hasn't been subjected to any significant abuse from fans just yet, and that she hopes that trend continues regardless of how the game comes out.
"With all the attention focused on indies these days, you really do have to take the good with the bad. I hope the game does well and wins lots of awards and makes my co-workers enough money to relax for at least a little while. I also hope we don't get hit with any hate mail from people upset with how a certain character acts or how the game's story resolves. Hopefully the people who like the game will far, far outnumber the haters."
-from an article posted on Sylph on October 29, 2018
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Game Spotlight: Commander Keen: All Heck Breaks Loose
Commander Keen: All Heck Breaks Loose is an action game exclusive to the Apple Virtua, and is the second major Keen title for the console, after 2014's Adventures In Virtual Reality. Whereas that game had more of a focus on collecting and exploring, All Heck Breaks Loose has more of a focus on weapons and combat, and is sort of an homage to the Wolfenstein and Doom games developed by many of the same people, with Keen and his buddies battling a wicked swarm of demons and evil ghosts after the gates to Heck literally crack open beneath the ground. While the game features a lot of horror and shooter tropes, at its heart it's ultimately a lighthearted game and fairly family friendly (rated T for Teen, but it's a soft T rating and younger kids can definitely play and enjoy it). It sees Keen, Reynard, Becky, and Brianna as the game's four main playable characters, with six other characters having the potential to join them, including George and Nebula from Adventures In Virtual Reality, three all new characters (bully-turned-friend Crush, Japanese exchange student Shinseki, cool girl next door and Keen's new "girlfriend" Lucy, and BJ Blazcowicz in a guest appearance from the Wolfenstein games (though in this game he's obviously toned down quite a bit), who is revealed formally to be Billy and Becky's great-grandpa. The game features much of the same gameplay as Adventures In Virtual Reality, but with vastly improved combat mechanics and unique controls for almost every single weapon, allowing players to mix, match, and pick their favorites, with the ability to combine weapons and even steal them off enemies (Reynard is especially skilled at this). Despite a reduced emphasis on collecting everything, there's still plenty of stuff to collect, including keys, icons, cosmetics, weapon components, and numerous forms of currency, and many of these things will literally fly out of demons when they get killed, encouraging the player to kill as many things as they can. Some of the game's secrets, including BJ Blazcowicz, can only be unlocked via collecting enough keys and icons to do so, so 100 percent completion is still very much encouraged even if it's not quite as necessary. While the game starts in Keen's neighborhood, he ends up having to travel all over town and eventually all over the country to fight off the demons, and even into the bowels of Heck itself! In addition to the various demons and monsters that pour out, various evil people also crawl out of Heck, including Hiller (the Hitler expy from earlier in the series), prompting the return of the "Get Hiller!" minigame, though this time it forms a part of the main quest! There's also various not so evil people who crawl out of Heck and end up becoming valuable allies to Keen as he tries to close Heck's Gates and defeat the Devil himself to save his friends and loved ones. The game sees somewhat of a changing of the guard in terms of voice acting for the series, with numerous long-time voice actors dropping out and being replaced with newer (mostly cheaper) voice actors, with Kath Soucie stepping down from the iconic role of Keen and being replaced by an actual young boy (the voice used for Keen in this game is similar to the voice that the various Lincoln Loud voice actors use for him, and indeed, the TTL child actor who plays Lincoln in TTL's Loud House plays Keen in this game).
The game begins with Billy and Becky's typical argumentative antics. We also get an introduction to Lucy, Billy's new love interest, and also to Crush the bully. After these opening scenes, Billy's about to go to sleep when all of a sudden, there's a huge earthquake, and fires are reported downtown. At first, Billy wants to go to bed (thinking it's just a natural disaster, not something he can blast) until he gets a call from Reynard telling him to get off his butt and hurry downtown, as there are demons and dead people crawling out of the crack generated by the earthquake. Once again, Commander Keen is called into action, though he makes Becky stay behind because he says it's "too dangerous" for her. As Commander Keen and Reynard are off fighting the demons, Lucy shows up and helps Becky get ready for battle (in addition to being a girl Billy likes, Lucy is also somewhat of an "older sister" figure to Becky and puts up with her antics much better than Billy does). At first, only Keen, Reynard, Becky, and Brianna are playable. Lucy gets captured, and in a twist, it's Becky who saves her (and then she scolds Keen to high heaven for being too much of a wimp to save her himself). Crush starts out serving the demons, but realizes that they're a bunch of jerks and eventually teams up with Billy and his friends. Shinseki, George, and Nebula all show up in various roles along the way, eventually becoming playable later in the story, along with Lucy. We learn that Heck's breach was caused by Dave Stomp, a famous actor (and secretly a massive jerk) who died tragically on the set of a recent movie because he stupidly decided to do his own stunts and ended up getting killed in over the top fashion (Stomp's character is best compared to Ernesto de la Cruz from OTL's Coco, basically an egotistical jealous jerk willing to do anything to be rich and famous). Out of sheer jealousy and rage, he concocted a scheme to break out of Heck, not realizing that in doing so, he'd accidentally unleash an apocalyptic takeover of Earth. Though the Devil ends up being the game's final boss (Stomp himself is fairly wimpy and needs bodyguards and machines to do his dirty work), Stomp is the game's primary antagonist right up until the very end, until the Devil finally gets fed up with him and sends him to Super Heck (along with Hiller, forcing the two to be roomates and annoy each other forever). After the breach is closed, Keen and friends return to their peaceful lives, and Billy gets a kiss on the cheek from Lucy (which immediately causes Becky to make fun of him).
Commander Keen: All Heck Breaks Loose is released to strong, but not overwhelmingly strong, critical reviews. The game is considered quite fun and entertaining, but isn't groundbreaking, either as a video game in general or even for the series itself, and reviews average in the low-8s. Sales are also only average for the series, with a very good launch but slightly lower than expected holiday sales, which causes it to finish up #21 overall for the year, barely missing the top 20 (it finishes just below Acclaimed Champions 2 on the year end sales list). Commander Keen remains one of Apple's strongest franchises, but this game proves that it's not quite the mega-AAA franchise it was once considered to be at its absolute height.
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Other Significant Titles For October 2018:
Freedom Wars 2: The sequel to 2014's pioneering VR title, Freedom Wars 2 brings much of the same in terms of gameplay and VR features, which are enhanced somewhat if the player has a Reality Neo and the Super VR headset, providing better sound and more realistic visuals. The game casts the player as a prisoner of the privileged residents of the islands above a desolate Earth, and forces them to battle rebels for about two-thirds of the game before they're finally liberated and able to fight with the rebels to take the ruling cabal down. The game ends on a somewhat optimistic note, though it does leave open the possibility of a third title in the series. Freedom Wars 2, while not as groundbreaking as the original in its use of VR, is still an excellent game with gorgeous graphics, outstanding gameplay, and a very well received storyline. Reviews average in the mid-8s, and sales are robust, especially in Japan.
Railstorm 3: The third game in a trilogy of highly touted handheld FPS titles for the Gemini, Railstorm 3 sees the conclusion of Hotch's storyline battling terrifying space aliens with impressive weaponry, and also brings back Elle and Winona, while introducing a couple of new ally characters as well. Graphically stunning for a handheld, easily pushing the Gemini to its limits, it does get some blowback from critics for its gameplay (which doesn't innovate much over the previous two games) and also for being a bit shorter than the other two. It's still a showcase for what the Gemini is capable of, and sales are on par with the previous two titles in the series.
Far Cry 4: Released for the Reality and Virtua (and later for the Stadia, while skipping the Nexus), Far Cry 4 is a survival-themed shooter from Ubisoft that sees the protagonist (who can be male or female, player's choice) dropped on a remote Pacific island by a mysterious group of shady individuals conducting their own reality show (ala Battle Royale or The Condemned) in which the player must hunt down and kill their fellow competitors, 24 in all. In addition, they are also hunted by various wildlife and also by hired mercs. Fairly simple in its gameplay, but also exceptionally brutal, the game actually takes a Shadow Of The Colossus-style open world approach in which the other contestants can be hunted down in any order. The player also learns about all of them as they play, with each one given a personality and distinct history, making each kill all the more emotional. In the end, the player has to escape and hunt down the evil people who put them in this situation (either by themselves or with the help of another survivor, though the player can only spare one other person). Seen as a cut above other games in the series, both graphically and storyline-wise, Far Cry 4 becomes the series' most successful game to date, with review scores in the high-8s and excellent sales.
TTL's Final Fantasy XV has me thinking; does Jojo's Bizarre Adventure exist ITTL?
Jojo's first chapter came out in 1987, so it still exists.
Well Indie Direct ust finished and now I asked, who leaked the skateboard idea out from TTL's Jet Set Radio to Team Reptile?
The only thing worse than my OTL team constantly embarrassing me throughout the season would be them embarrassing me in the World Series. I wish I could say they should have been given at least one win, but I know the franchise too well to know this is par for the course.
Because if Sega is sitting down on the JSR IP and the team is chained to Yakuza factory. Them is the turn of the fans to make their own JSR
All I care about with Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is they got Naganuma to compose the music. There's a lot they can change or not quite nail gameplay wise while still making it feel like a JSR game. The music, however, has to be perfect for it to work.