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Comic Review: Mirror’s Edge: Exordium #2

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Mirror's Edge: Exordium #2One thing I really enjoyed from the first issue of Mirror’s Edge: Exordium was how it did not assume that the reader knew a flying flip about the world of Mirror’s Edge or its characters. The second issue has built upon this lack of assumption and continues to draw in the reader with intrigue and a desire to know more about both Faith and the City of Glass. With Issue #2, the plot surrounding Faith heats up, but for whatever reason, the art has fallen rather flat.

Faith’s choices are spiraling around her as she’s letting her pride get in her own way, but a least she knows how to carry that chip on her shoulder without being a bitch about it. She’s strong, she’s opinionated, but she gets things done without making a scene in front of the people she’s furious with. Does she talk to them maturely? Oh hell no, which creates the drama. But at least she’s not throwing her toys around the room, claiming to be a victim, or blaming others for her problems.

It’s hard to really analyze or dissect the storyline without delving into spoiler territory, so I won’t even try. Just know that the tale really winds up, Faith and Noah both are unraveling a bit due to their choices, and we learn just how awful a person Dogen really is. From the very last panel, I have a theory of what he’s really doing to Faith, but I’m keeping it to myself for now.

The art, however, is a big disappointment. None of the characters appear to be three-dimensional, so they all come across as very flat in a 1970s/1980s comic book style. Even the colors are drab, so nothing pops off the page and strikes me as stunning. On several panels, Faith’s face takes on a different shape, even on the same page. The best example of Faith is on page 4, and the rest of the pages look like someone else handed in the pencils for the heroine. The next and last time her face remains consistent and like the Faith we’re used to seeing is page 15. When comparing the artists between the issues, the names are different, which could 100% explain why.

I like my comic books to have amazing art; without the art, I might as well just have a short story or a novel. I sincerely hope we go back to the Mattias Haggstrom/Robert Sammelin duo that we had in the first issue, because the art and colors exhibited there are light years ahead of what we have in Issue #2.

Art aside (I’ll shove it aside for now), Mirror’s Edge: Exordium continues on a dark, deep path that they set out from the first issue. I am still excited to see where this comic series goes, not to mention, what decisions Faith decides to make that lands her in the position she is in at the start of Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst.

Mirror’s Edge: Exordium #2 is out today, October 14, 2015.

Digital review copy received via publisher.

Comic Review: Assassin’s Creed #1

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Assassin's Creed #1I’m an unapologetic fan of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. It’s true I haven’t loved everything about it, but I think that only proves that I can see the series’ flaws as much as the good points. The franchise is moving into the comics realm for their extended lore, and this first issue has as many flaws as it has strengths.

With the AC series, there has always been this struggle between getting the present day as interesting as the Assassins of the past. I think most can agreed Desmond Miles was a very flat, uninspiring character. As such he was unlikable, and not many cared what happened to him at the end of Assassin’s Creed III. People liked Connor more than Desmond, and Connor was an incredibly poorly written character. In this comic, Ubisoft is trying once more to create a more interesting present day character than the past Assassin with Charlotte de la Cruz.

This first issue was all about Charlotte, who she is, what she’s trying to do, and how she gets involved with the Assassins and Abstergo. The comic doesn’t even reveal her ancestral Assassin’s name in this first issue, that’s how much they want the readers to focus on the present times over the past. However, they need to soften up Charlotte a bit, because right now, the writers appear to have confused “strong woman” with “bitchy,” which is always a huge complaint of mine when writing women.

Charlotte starts the comic off playing a virtual reality video game that is obviously an Animus made for consumers so Abstergo can find out who has blood ties to Templars and Assassins. As she bounces back into the real world, Charlotte is hardly a likable person. She’s your stereotypical angry woman with a giant chip on her shoulder who is ready to blame everyone for her problems but herself. She didn’t get the job because she’s not the interviewee’s daughter. She’s not rich. She’s not part of the 1%. Her life sucks. Oh wait, but she’s awesome because she steals money from a slumlord while at her banking job to help a woman take care of her daughter. It’s okay to commit a crime when it’s against a despicable person, right? Yeah, no.

I’m not a fan of Charlotte at this point.

Thankfully, Charlotte gets roped in by the Assassins and plunges head first into the Animus and we “meet” her ancestor during the witch trials at Salem. And for once, Charlotte has to learn to really play the game instead of bitch about how the game is played. No, she can’t change what her ancestor would have done. No, she can’t scream about how unfair life is, because life isn’t always fair. Maybe this experience will make her more likable. At least, I really hope so.

It’s an interesting start to the comic, and I’m curious to see where it will go from here. I also hope that the art continues to be as beautiful as it is here, as the art is this comic’s best asset thus far.

Assassin’s Creed #1 releases on October 14, 2015.

Digital review copy received from publisher.

Monday Gaming Diary: Caved and Bought More LEGO Dimensions Toys

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One of my biggest gripes with LEGO Dimensions is how expensive this particular toys-to-life game is, especially with how much they remind you of what you need to constantly buy. You’d think I wouldn’t jump in and buy anything outside of what I’ve already purchased, the Portal 2 and Back to the Future Level Packs, but no, I couldn’t help myself. There are some Fun Packs and Team Packs I do want, and  there are future Level Packs and Fun Packs I know I will get. All because I am part of the problem.

In fact, over the weekend, I bought one Team Pack and two Fun Packs. Because I’m part of the problem.

Have I played with these packs yet? Oh hell no. I haven’t had the time for it. But look at how cute Benny’s Spaceship is!

SPACESHIP! #legodimensions #thelegomovie

A photo posted by Keri Honea (@crunchychocobo) on

I also purchased Bad Cop and the Jurassic World Team Pack. I cannot wait to put together the raptor for Owen to ride. Blue has got to be at least half as cute as the Turret from the Portal 2 Level Pack.

And then of course I want Wonder Woman with her Invisible Jet and most likely any other DC Comics character thrown my way, Doc Brown, and the Ghostbusters Level Pack. I’ll probably spend more on these toys than I have on Skylanders, and I own more Trap Team characters than I thought I would. I’m just going to keep my fingers crossed that TT Games and WB does what they said they would, and that’s to create more level packs to use with the original game, not make a LEGO Dimensions 2 and fall into the Disney Infinity and Skylanders hole. I know it’s wishful thinking, but they really could make far more money by selling toys with more content than trying to sell another game. Skylanders is discovering that now.

At least now when I wonder why I’m so broke, I can physically see why on my desk with the toy portal and now dozen of LEGO toys.

I need help. Send help. But only after the Ghostbusters Level Pack releases.

Comic Review: Lara Croft and the Frozen Omen #1

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Lara Croft and the Frozen Omen #1So here we go again; another Tomb Raider comic from Crystal Dynamics and Dark Horse. I almost didn’t read it. I was so close to being that person who refused to give this series another chance. How does that saying go? Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. I wasn’t going to be fooled twice. But then I remembered I’m not a complete jerk, this is a new series, it has a new team behind it, and everyone and everything deserves a second chance. I’m so glad I got over myself and read this issue, because this, Crystal Dynamics, is how a Tomb Raider comic should be. Lara Croft and the Frozen Omen has blown all of my expectations out of the water.

Okay, I admit my expectations were super low, but I still came away wanting to cheer with excitement.

First of all, the colors are bright, vivid, and completely jaw-dropping. Michael Atiyeh has always done amazing color with the Tomb Raider comics, and maybe it’s the different artist for the pencils that makes Lara just pop on the page. I wish I didn’t have an NDA with these comics so I could show exactly what I’m talking about between the colors and art of LCFO and TR. As I scroll through my digital review copy, I can’t help but stare at Lara’s eyes, even on the small panels, because the art and colors make them simply come alive.

Story-wise, this Lara Croft is in Crystal Dynamics’ Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light and Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, their top-down four-character puzzle titles. Lara is a beloved employee of a prominent museum in London, she’s known for being badass, and she’s essentially the British female Indiana Jones that Lara has been known for. The tale starts off with Lara scaling a cliff while looking for one of Carter’s falcons (Carter was her partner in the previously mentioned games), and then quickly moves to Lara chasing down a possessed museum curator who has stolen a priceless artifact.

See? This is how you make a Tomb Raider comic.

Lara is being adventurous, there’s no one to tell her that she’s scaring them, she’s proud of who she is, she’s bold, she’s smart, there’s a bit of supernatural at play, and best of all, there is no Yamatai or the blasted Sun Queen. There’s no dead companion rising from the ground and telling her to go save his sister. There’s also no defined plot just yet, as this is the first issue. We know the curator stole the artifact and the villain behind it is rather demonic, but we don’t know who he is, what he wants with the artifact, or how what happens to Lara at the end happens. But hey, that’s more than enough to keep me intrigued to find out.

I admit it; I’m more stoked about a story that isn’t about the Yamatai and doesn’t have people questioning how Lara is able to save them from horrific things. It really didn’t take much to be pleased about this new comic, and yes, everything could get messed up down the line. The Yamatai could weasel their way back in. But for now, I am incredibly hopeful that it doesn’t go down a wrong path, and we keep with this Crystal Dynamics version of Lara Croft.

The first issue of Lara Croft and the Frozen Omen is available today at retail and digital via Dark Horse. Pick it up for a really fun Lara Croft story and the art. Just…just enjoy that amazing art.

Monday Gaming Diary: LEGO Dimensions Fun and Sadness

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I’ve been hard at work all week (when it wasn’t Halo night, of course) playing LEGO Dimensions for review. I was super pumped about LEGO Dimensions after E3, and I looked forward to getting my hands on the full game at launch. That day has come and gone, and I have to say that overall I’m pleased with the game, but it makes me sad at the same time.

It’s as fun as I would have expected the game to be, despite the fact I have NO FUCKING CLUE what went on in the Dr. Who level. I’m still convinced I needed to be high to understand it. I had a friend who has watched Dr. Who try to explain what I saw to me, and I’m still confused. I’m guessing Dr. Who is one of those series that you either adore or don’t care about; no middle ground. All I know is, what I saw was batshit crazy and none of connected for me. I’m told that what was referenced were two core manifests for the show, and then I fell asleep during the explanation.

Aside from Dr. Who and the Legends of Chima, I really enjoyed the levels, the dialogue, and the hilarious cut scenes that TT Games is known for with their LEGO Games. I mean, how can you not laugh at genius like this:

Or this?

The only real problem I had with the game was its paywall. I’ve played a few toys-to-life games before, so I’m aware there’s always a paywall, because they want you to buy more toys. That’s just the way the world works. However, how they did it was take the tried-and-true formula TT Games has always had with LEGO games and give it a paywall.

LEGO games always have areas or collectibles that are inaccessible until free play mode and specific characters are unlocked. Now, instead of a free play mode, the way to unlock these areas is to buy new characters. There are plenty of packs I want, of course, but I don’t want all of the franchises, and buying at least one pack from each franchise is the only way to unlock everything. I’ve always made it a goal to complete a LEGO game to 100%, and this time, I can’t do it. Even if I wanted all of the franchises, it’s too expensive to buy them all. The toy packs are more expensive than other toys-to-life games, and the fact that the level packs add in more content only eases the price pain a wee bit.

It honestly lowers my motivation to play much of the game at all. I’m not sure I can even get a platinum trophy without buying everything, which really sucks if so.

I really did have fun with the game, and I don’t regret picking up the Portal expansion pack at launch at all, as the Portal levels were by far my favorite. I just wasn’t a fan of constantly seeing everything I’m missing out on at every turn of the game. It’s not going to stop me from unlocking as much as I can throughout the game, though!

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