Psycho Pass:The Movie (Review)

Four years (2116AD) after the death of Shogo Makishima and the disappearance of Shinya Kōgami, the Japanese government has begun to export the Sibyl System technology to other countries, with plans to ultimately spread it throughout the world.

Psycho Pass: The Movie proves that there is a reason this franchise has been so popular these past five years. It's has great cases, storytelling and cyberpunk atmosphere can be compared to the legendary Ghost in The Shell. As stated in the synopsis above the Sibyl System has begun to reach other countries. This system is charged with keeping the peace. It uses extensive surveillance and biological monitoring to gauge the likelihood that individuals will commit a crime. The police use weapons called "Dominators" that is able to eliminate potential criminals before they act. However when Japan begins to spread the Sibyl System a group of terrorist called Seaun attack. This brings Inspector Akane Tsunemori on the job. Akane travels to Shambhala Float where the terrorists are seem to be hiding. Here she encounters an old ally Shinya Kogami but who side is he on.

Psycho Pass: The Movie is a fun, action packed ride with great set pieces. It also has a few heart warming scenes to make you feel for the people outside of Japan. One of my favorite scenes in the film is when Akane arrives at Shambhala Float. As she is being taken to where she will stay, she sees poverty, military martial law and collars attach to people who are labeled criminals. The Sibyl System has arrived but not fully yet, so the Shambhala Float government uses their own means to deal with people. This naturally raises suspicion for Akane as she begins her investigation on not just the terrorist group but the government itself. Akane is a great protagonist to watch on screen. She is strong, stubborn but at the same time vulnerable in her moments alone. One thing I wish was explored more was that alone feeling she shows a little bit when her friend announces her marriage. She then goes home and you see taken a shower and then just sitting on the couch thinking about life. She thinks about maybe what could've been if she took another path. It's these quiet but brief moments that made me connect with her character. She also has a great chemistry with her former ally Shinya Kogami.

Fans will enjoy the different ideals that go back and forth between the two characters. One character is about order and doing what needs to be done. The other doesn't agree with the system and with the amount screentime both characters get its great to see that element. Overall the story is great but if you never seen the show you might be confused. The movie doesn't spend time to explain much of the already established world. Side characters that have development on the show don't really get much screentime. If you haven't watched the show be prepared to ask who is that person or what is that weapon.

The voice acting is great in both English and Japanese dub. Kate Oxley is wonderful as Akane and Robert McCollum plays a very driven but complex Shinya Kogami. As far as action goes the best scene are with a group of mercenaries. The scenes with then on screen is brutal and had me saying okay he's dead already stop stabbing him. If you want a good cyberpunk time check out Psycho Pass : The Movie which hits theaters for 2 days only on March 14th and 15th.

Final Grade 8.0/10: B-

HITMAN Begins Today

Io-Interactive is delighted to announce that HITMAN™, the first digital AAA episodic game launched today.

“We are doing something bold and new which has the potential to shape how we experience AAA games in the future, ,” said Hannes Seifert, Studio Head at Io-Interactive. “Hitman is back and it’s clearly the game many fans have been waiting for, so that feels pretty special. And this is just the start, now our live content begins and then in April we head to Sapienza. We have a game that will evolve, grow and improve over time and deliver the best ever Hitman experience.”

HITMAN starts with the Prologue and a Paris location on March 11, followed by the next location, set in Italy releasing in April and then Morocco releasing in May. From there HITMAN will deliver regular monthly content updates, including three additional locations; Thailand, the United States and the season conclusion in Japan later in 2016.

In addition live content begins today.

The first Escalation Contract is in the game today, with the next one scheduled for Tuesday 16 March. These are in-game contracts created by Io-Interactive which gradually increase in difficulty the more you play them.

And the first Elusive Target will appear in the game at some point in the next ten days. These are targets who appear for a limited time only, the first one will be live for 48 hours in the game. And players get only one chance to take them out, there are no second chances. This is a new character with bespoke dialogue and behavior in the game. Players will only receive their Elusive Target briefing once the new character has entered their location.  

The Intro Pack is available today priced at $15 (or local equivalent). Each subsequent location will be priced at $10 as an add-on item to the Intro Pack*. Alternatively, players can buy the Full Experience up front for $60, also available today. This includes all of this year’s content as it’s released, and guarantees not to miss any live or bonus content.

The disc version of HITMAN will ship in January 2017.

HITMAN is available on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC.

First look: Spider Women, Silk, and Spider Gwen

Image Credit: Marvel

Press Release

The Spider-Event of 2016 is here! This April, Silk, Spider-Woman and Spider-Gwen unite for a story too big for any one of their titles to contain! Today, Marvel is pleased to present your first look at SPIDER-WOMEN ALPHA #1 – kicking off the epic 8-part universe hopping crossover!

Blockbuster writers Jason Latour, Dennis Hopeless and Robbie Thompson are joined by a dazzling array of artists, including Vanesa Del Rey, Bengal, Javier Rodriguez, Tana Ford and more to bring you a story you won’t want to miss!

A routine trip to Earth-65 to visit Spider-Gwen turns into a nightmare as Silk and Spider-Woman find themselves trapped on Gwen’s alternate Earth! And they’re not alone! The villainous organization S.I.L.K. is on their tails, and they’re dead set on using these interdimensional interlopers for their own gains. Now, it’s a race against time to get home in one piece! But while these Spider-Women struggle to find their way back, who’s keeping an eye on their universe? Plus – Cindy Moon comes face-to-face with her Earth-65 counterpart!

Don’t miss one minute of the excitement as these three wallcrawling warrior women swing into action in SPIDER-WOMEN ALPHA #1 this April!

First Look: Uncanny X-men #6

Image Credit: Marvel

Press Release

This April, the secrets of Archangel will be revealed as Magneto and his team prepare for war. Today, Marvel is pleased to present your first look inside UNCANNY X-MEN #6 - the start of the Uncanny X-Men’s foray into Apocalypse Wars! Writer Cullen Bunn and artist Ken Lashley take you on a mission to save the life of one of the founding X-Men!

Years ago when Archangel first met Apocalypse, he was transformed into the homicidal Horseman of Death. Now, years later, it appears he may be again returning to that form. Psylocke has discovered a vacant, drone-like Archangel in the guise of Death once more. Fearing the worst, that her once lover is under the control of Apocalypse – she and the rest of the Uncanny X-Men embark on a mission to save Archangel’s life. But what they are about to uncover is far more horrifying than they could have imagined…

The quest for Archangel begins this April as Apocalypse Wars comes to UNCANNY X-MEN #6!

Tokyo ESP Review

Story- Rinka is a normal Tokyo high-schooler with big dreams and a small income. She works a part-time job to support her and her single dad, but she yearns for the day she’ll get to loosen the strings on her pocketbook. Her ordinary life takes a turn for the extraordinary when she witnesses a penguin and a school of fish flying through the air. After one of the fish seems to pass through her, she wakes up in her apartment building with no clothes on and no memory of the strange phenomenon save for a mysterious ability to pass through solid objects. With her newfound powers, Rinka is about to learn just how transparent the world can be.

If anime had it's very own X-Men style type of show Tokyo ESP will probably be close to it.  Right from the opening sequence Tokyo ESP established a city in chaos. A city where people with unique abilities the Espers are terrorizing the humans. The Espers believe they are evolution and the new race of man and that they should rule over the humans. They are lead by a powerful Esper who simply known as The Professor. He has the power of illusion and he's very driven to see the end of humanity. However not all Espers feel this way. There are a small group of people who believe in peace, balance and harmony. This group is lead by Rinka a student who biggest worry was how she was going to support her family. It's not until Rinka discover she has been chosen as an Esper that her life and perspective changes. Rinka was an enjoyable protagonist to watch. Although I found her less compelling compare to other characters. If you compare her to the other characters Rinka is kind of the one note hero. The hero who is going to do what's right no matter what. She's stubborn and once her mind is made up that's it. While I did enjoy her arc of learning to be a hero I found the supporting cast and the antagonists more enjoyable. The reasons for this feeling is the supporting cast and antagonists have more deeper arcs that I think the audience will connect with more.

Tokyo ESP is a smart action anime. While there are plenty of battles to be seen in the show. The real battles come from within. As stated above the supporting cast and antagonists all have deeper arcs compare to our protagonist. Each character has some inner demon that they need to conquer before the shows conclusion. Characters like Ayumu who has a mother who is a politician that wages war against Espers. She hates Espers and thinks they should be eradicated. The problem with Ayumu situation is that he is an Esper and his mother doesn't know. Our big bad The Professor has a reason for his hatred for humanity. I won't spoil it but I love this overall theme of the importance of family, the effects of broken families and how one moment, one day can change everything. The show doesn't beat you over the head with its message of family and the importance of keeping your humanity. However it does get its point across through various characters and their personal demons. One of the most compelling narrative on the show is between Minami and Kyotaro. Minami is a big focal point because she is conflicted. She wants to support The Professor but she still has love for Kyotaro who has sided with Rinka. It's a conflicted narrative that pays off well in the end. Overall I was surprised by the narrative. I expected a funny, action anime instead I got a smart, compelling narrative with great characters.

Voice Acting: The English dub cast was well put together. Sarah Wiendheft as Rinka was great. She brought this strength to the character that connected with me. When Rinka is angry you feel it, when she's depressed, feeling defeated Sarah definitely let you hear it. Adam Dahlberg plays Kyotaro. Loved his performance in this. Kyotaro is really laid back, optimistic type of guy and I felt Adam really captured this smooth, suave character that also has conflicting values. Mallorie Rodak as Minami was a home run. Mallorie plays confliction very well. Every time she's on screen with Kyotaro you hear this strong stance but just a little crack of vulnerability in her voice which is Minami. My favorite character to watch was definitely The Professor played Jefferey Schmidt. You hear his voice as The Professor and you immediately say okay there's our bad guy. However he plays The Professor so well that I was actually cheering for him. The Professor is very persuasive, cunning and Jeffery voice capture that. It's hard to side with Rinka when you have this guy voice trying to convince you to join him. It's hard to say no to a guy like that. Finally one of my standout performance is Ayumu played by Morgan Berry. It's not easy to play a teenage boy and I thought capture Ayumu well. Deep enough to know it's a guy character and high enough to know he still going through puberty. My favorite scene is with Ayumu and his mother confrontation with the Espers. It's one of the character highlights and a moving scene. Japanese dub purists have no fear the English dub does the show justice and worthy of your watch.

Music & Animation: The soundtrack was good but not memorable. The background themes hit all the proper notes. I just wish there was more sad composition to capture more of the eternal struggle of the characters. Animation was great and enjoy the combination of CG with 2d which is the norm of anime these days. The action sequences were well placed, while other shows gave better action this one has hold his own. Just know that Minami steals the show.

Final Grade 8.5/10/B+: Tokyo ESP is an anime show to check out. Great compelling characters, strong performances. The ending leaves you wanting more and hopefully there will be more. The universe is now created and the team is assembled.

Bonus Note: The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack has some great commentaries on the episode. If you want a more in depth look on the show check that out.

The Lily Drone (Revisited)

Hey O&G Fans, today we are going to revisit a drone that was first reported by our tech guy Young last year. The Lily, Self-driving drone acts as a robot videographer, automatically following you anywhere. It starts recording videos as soon as you toss it into the air and is even waterproof, should you want to take it to the pool. A small tracking device lures Lily along as it uses technological wizardry to find the perfect shot.

The Lily isn't out for retail yet, but has had a big success in sales. The startup pulled in a whopping $34 million in pre-orders by the end of 2015, with 60,000 units already sold.

Here are some of the Specs for the Lily:

Battery and Power:

• Built-in Lithium-Ion Battery
• 20 min of flight time
• Charging via 10A charger
• 2-hour charge time

Waterproofing: Waterproof rating IP67

Flight:   Max. Altitude above head 50 feet (15 m)

               Min. Altitude above head 5 feet(1.75 m)

               Max. Speed 25mph (40 km/h)

               Max. Distance from user 100 feet (30 m)

               Min.  Distance from user 5 feet (1.75 m)

Camera: 

• Video Resolution: 1080p 60 fps / 720p 120 fps
• Video FOV: 94º
• Video Format: H.264 codec, .mp4 file format
• Photo Resolution: 12 MP
• Digital gimballing
• Image stabilization
• Fixed focus

Sensors: 

• Accelerometer
• Three-axis Gyro
• Magnetometer
• Barometer
• GPS
• Front-facing camera
• Bottom-facing camera

Memory: 

• 4GB micro SD provided
• External memory card slot

The Lily has a cool tracking sensor watch that you can wear on your wrist or put in your pocket.

The potential uses for this drone are great! I myself am wondering what cool things I can use it to record like my Convention coverage and Cosplay videos. I'm sure using it inside any convention area will require permission and legal paper work, but the video view would be worth it. The Lily costs $699 on pre-order, but will be $999 (around £650) when it goes on sale in May 2016.

by Sean Tucker

JBL Pulse 2 Review

Hey O&G fans, Today's tech review is on the JBL Pulse 2 wireless speaker. About five months ago I did a review on the fugoo wireless speaker and loved it, but I mostly use that speaker for my beach days and outdoor activities. Now I need something that is just for home with great sound and looks cool. After I attended Get Geeked NYC and spoke to the guys at the JBL booth, I decided to get the Pulse 2.

The JBL Pulse looks good and has a cool multi-LED light show added to it. The Pulse has a similar design to JBL's highly rated Flip and Charge Bluetooth speakers, but it's covered with a metal mesh grill. Here are some of the features and Specs on the speaker:

Bluetooth Connectivity allows you to wirelessly stream music through any Bluetooth enabled device.

Built-in Microphonethe built-in microphone allows you to answer calls.

LED Lights features a Multi-LED light show giving you a new ways to enjoy your music.

Passive Radiators Passive Radiators field enough bass for you to actually see them move.

JBL Connectbuild your own ecosystem by connecting multiple JBL connect enabled speakers to amplify the sound.

6000mAH Rechargeable Battery built-in Li ion battery for up to 10 hours of music and light show.

JBL Connect App Customize your light show experience and configure your JBL Connect settings, all at the tip of your fingers with the JBL Connect app.

SPECS

Support

A2DP V1.3, AVRCP V1.5, HFP V1.6, HSP V1.2

Battery type

Lithium-ion polymer (3.7V, 6000mAh)

Output power

2 x 8W

Battery charge time

≤5 hour @ 5V, 2.3A

Music playing time

up to 10 hours (varies by volume level and audio content)

Transducer size (mm)

2 x 45

REVIEW

I really do like this speaker, so much so I think I'm going to get another so I can use the JBL Connect feature and see what sound I get. I delivers good sound, but if you play something with heavy bass, the sound gets a bit distorted. The JBL Pulse 2 speaker features a very attractive design. Cylindrical in shape, the speaker stands like a larger soda can. The speaker was easy to set up and use. Pairing to a Bluetooth connected streaming device and the accompanying JBL Connect app with no issues.

The light show is pretty awesome! There are a few different preprogrammed modes to choose from and you can go with a custom light theme and control the brightness -- or just turn off the LEDs altogether. The only issue I have is that with the lights playing, it kind of shortens the Battery life. The Reception on the Speaker when it's connected to a smartphone is pretty good. the closer you are to the speaker, the clearer you can be heard on the other end.

Overall the speaker is a good purchase if you are in the market for a portable speaker. It's well built, splash proof, great sounding and the Pulse matches up pretty well against competing speakers in its price class.

by Sean Tucker

Lenni Reviews: Beauty and the Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen

(Image Source)

In this book, we meet the intelligent and strong-willed Lucy Pickett and the brooding, enigmatic Lord Blackwell. As this story is set within the classic framework of Beauty and the Beast, our two main characters fulfill their intended roles. Where the creativity lies in this book is the steampunk and fantasy elements Allen has woven into the narrative; introducing classic steampunk tropes as goggles and airships as well as werewolves and vampires. 

Lucy and Blackwell meet because Lucy's cousin has fallen ill and Lucy refuses to leave her side until she discovers the truth. As she is a researcher and familiar with plant-based remedies, Lucy stays with her cousin at Blackwell's manor. Meanwhile, Lord Blackwell is hiding a secret from the world and someone is  attempting to blackmail him; and rumors surrounding the mysterious deaths of his wife and sister put him in a dangerous position. As the mystery unfolds, the pair predictably fall in love, but as predictable as it is - this is a romance novel, after all - Lucy is an interesting character to read about and Lord Blackwell's reasons for being curt and brash are grounded in reality. He's not angsty for angst's sake and his transformation from 'beast' into a man Lucy can love is believable. 

The steampunk and fantasy elements are a good portion of the story, so while the elements of a historical romance are there if you're not into the paranormal or steampunk, those parts of the story may put you off. They do fit seamlessly into the world building and make a generic romance that much more exciting. Of course, it really helps that none of the women are simpering debutantes and the men aren't empty, emo sacks of angst in frock coats. They are all well rounded with solid motivations despite the fantastical setting. If you like your romances sweet, non-smutty, and with some interesting tech, Allen's book is a treat! Alas, you shall have to wait until August 2nd, 2016 to get your little hands on it.

Three Men Who Have Carried The Mantle Of Capt. America Unite In Captain America: Sam Wilson #7

image credit: Marvel

Hey O&G Fans, Capt. America: Sam Wilson #7 will be a variant cover featuring all 3 Captain America's. "Avengers: Standoff," All-New All-Different Avengers artist Mahmud Asrar is illustrating Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes in their classic Captain America garb. Captain America: Sam Wilson #7. Both a full color & greyscale version of the illustration will be included in ComicConBox's May release.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: SAM WILSON #7
NICK SPENCER (W) • DANIEL ACUñA (A)
Cover by ALEX ROSS • VARIANT COVER BY ALEX ROSS
VARIANT COVER BY JOHN CASSADAY • VARIANT COVER BY JIM STERANKO
WOMEN OF POWER VARIANT COVER BY TBA
CAPTAIN AMERICA OF ALL ERAS VARIANT COVER BY Chris Sprouse

• Since World War II, Steve Rogers has wielded his red, white and blue shield against unspeakable odds. When he fell, his brother in arms, Bucky Barnes, picked it up. When it was time to rest, he handed it to his good friend, Sam Wilson. But now Steve will be asked to wield it one last time, against a foe so deadly he knows it could very well be his final stand.
• Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Marvel’s Sentinel of Liberty with a story of Captain Americas present and former -- with this explosive, world-changing chapter in the blockbuster spring Avengers event, STANDOFF.
• Plus, stories celebrating the legacy and legend of Captain America throughout history, by Greg Rucka & Mike Perkins; Tim Sale; & John Cassaday
56 PGS./Rated T …$5.99NORMOUS 75th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE! • A STANDOFF tie-in!