Bound in Paper #7: Aquaman 3

 Even better!

 (Includes New 52 Aquaman 9 to 12)
 Writer: Geoff Johns
 Artist: Ivan Reis
 What's new? Black Manta is trying to get the old Atlantean relics from "The others", a team of which Aquaman used to be a member. These four issues pack a whole lot of action, while still leaving some room for character developement, as Aquaman's past and his relationship with Black Manta is explored. The members of The Others don't really get much exposition, sadly, but they do have their own moments, heck, even Mera gets to do badass stuff.
 The art? Ivan Reis continues to grow on me. His art is fantastic, seriously, there's really not much else to say, since I've not a single complaint about it! And if you are into it, there are loads of fights in these four issues, and they look fantastic, Black Manta and Aquaman still the show, but even the others get their, smaller, chances to shine.
 I really have no complaints about these four issues. The pacing is fine, there's a lot of action, there's backstory... It has anything you could want... Except Nightwing, there's no Nightwing in here.
 Easily 10 Aqualads out of 10.

Bound in Paper #6: Aquaman 1

 Fantastic.

 (Includes New 52 Aquaman 1 to 4)
 Writer: Geoff Johns
 Artist: Ivan Reis
 Everyone should know that I love Aquaman. People who dislike him probably never read anything about him and just follow the popular misconception about him being lame. This reboot deals with that, Aquaman having to deal with people, both cops and criminals, considering him useless, and him proving otherwise. These four issues deal with the appearance of creatures from the deep, and Aquaman, alongside his wife Mera, dealing with them. While the plot isn't the most interesting, the characters are, from the secondary characters like Shin and Officer Wilson, to even tertiary characters that Aquaman meets at the bar.
 The art is... frankly, it's the best thing about these issues. While I'm still a fan of Bearded Aquaman, Reis manages to give short-hair Aquaman a regal, tough look. Every panel is a joy to look at, and the art is consistently amazing throughout all the issues, with nothing looking odd, while employing many perspectives.
 I give it 9 Aquababies out of 10.

Archview #50 aproaches!

 So, Archview 50 approaches and I wanna make it special. Kinda. Maybe. Hopefully. I've thought of two different... approaches: Either a game that meant something to me or a game that I was or am really hyped for. Going into specifics, I'd rather play a JRPG game of sorts, since I already played many of them this year and I hunger for more. Two games that I considered were Final Fantasy VII, which I player on the latter months of the past year and Persona 4, but I've already talked loads about VII and both games would score 10, no doubt about it, so I want something different.
 As for games I'm hyped about, there are two different games I'd like to make the Archview number 50, either Tales of Xillia or Dynasty Warriors 8. As for Tales of Xillia, I love the Tales series, and after not knowing if it would make it overseas, it would make it a nice conmemoration. But then there's Dynasty Warriors 8, which is considered by series veterans to be fantastic, and unlike most people outside Asia, I really love the series. I've covered DW 1, 6, 7 and SW 3, and do plan to cover the whole series(Which will take longer than expected, since the import laws changed, I hate Uruguay), so DW 8 means at least a tiny something to my blog. I think.
 Other games I considered, a bit less so, were: Pandora's Tower, Quest 64, Castlevania LoS MoF, Shin Megami Tensei IV, Phoenix Wright 5, SMT: Digital Devil Saga 1, Castlevania PoR, Bleach BoF and Zone of the Enders HD Collection.

 Pandora's Tower: I played and enjoyed both Last Story and Xenoblade. I actually sent E-Mails to Nintendo, as part of Operation Rainfall since I really wanted these games to come over. This would have some semblance of meaning, at least to me, so I wouldn't mind tackling it.

 Quest 64: I don't care that people hate it, this, along Final Fantasy VII, were my first RPGs and I still hold Quest 64 close to my heart, and wouldn't mind replaying it. The problem is that I have no Nintendo 64(Selling both the game and the system... Regret undying), and the N64 emulator isn't too reliable.

  Castlevania LoS MoF, Shin Megami Tensei IV and Phoenix Wright 5: These are the three reasons that convinced me to get a 3DS. And I already own 2 out of 3(Capcom, release PW in physical format. You must) so any of them is fair game.... although CV got mixed reviews, and I'm not a fan of SMT IV's microtransactions...

 Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 1: This game has one of my favorite endings ever, even if it's a cliffhanger. I really wouldn't mind replaying this game, maybe even playing it with part 2 and reviewing the whole product? But on the other hand, I really would prefer playing something I haven't played before. Or that I own and have not replayed since buying it.

 Castlevania Portrait of Ruin, Bleach the Blade of Fate: The very first DS games I bought, I still adore them so, but I will leave Bleach: BoF for a certain piece I want to write about it and it's sequel.

 Zone of the Enders HD Collection: Zone of the Enders 2 is epic, and one of my favorite PS2 games of all time. And I could never really play beyond the... initial 30 min or so of ZoE 1(Long story)... So this would actually make this both a game I haven't played and one that meant something for me. This one is highly likely to be my Archview number 50.

 So yeah, loads of decisions. Archview 48 will be Call of Juarez: Gunsling and 49: Way of the Samurai, so number 50 is waaay closer than it seems. That will be my second personal milestone! The first one was a 100 blog entries. Oh well, onwards!

Archview #47: Evoland

 'sgood. 'sgood.

 (There was a better cover, but it kinda wet itself with pink pomegrenade, so.... yeah, had to whip up something quickly).
 Anyways, Evoland is an indie game that prides itself on being a homage to games of olde. As such, it's hard to specify it's genre, it's equal parts turn-based RPG, adventure game(A la Zelda) with a stage inspired on Dungeon crawlers like Diablo. On paper, it shouldn't work, but I think that the end result is worth at least one playthrough.
 The game's main gimmick, and the reason of it's name, is the evolution of gaming. At the start of the game, it looks like a Monochrome gameboy game and you can only move to the right, as you open chests, you get to go from 2D to 3D polygons, then textures, etc. It's a gimmick, yes, but each evolution is presented with an achievement and a short, occasionaly funny, description.

 As for the game itself, there's a very light story element(Which you must retrieve from a chest, by the by) about saving a certain town from a dangerous threat. The usual. There's two main gameplay styles, first there's the Zelda-adventure like. When inside dungeons(Which includes forests) the game plays like Zelda, you have 3 heart containers(You lose quarters per hit), and must solve light puzzle elements by using your sword, bow, bombs and sometimes, time crystals. Puzzles are very easy to solve, yet they are engaging, most of the time.
 The other style is a turn-based RPG. This mode is used on the overworld, and it's extremely simple, Clink, and Kaeris(With a name like that, and the clothes she wears, you just know what her fate is) when you get her, have 4 actions: Attack, Magic, Item and Run. Fights are very easy, and you don't even have to deal with MP, although I did find the encounter rate to be a bit too high.

 I found the presentation to be as charming as it was endearing. Characters have a super deformed look, both in 2D and 3D, and it's a very bright world. It's also nice to see how the same character and world goes through the various graphic evolutions. The music is fitting for the game, although hardly memorable.
 As someone once said, a reference is not a joke, so while the descriptions try to be funny, they rarely work. The game is also more of a tribute to games of old than a parody. Names, weapons, characters, places... all resemble stuff from other games, including Final Fantasy, The Legend of Zelda, Mana series, Dungeon Quest and others, there's even a level inspired by Diablo(Full of useless loot!). Frankly? I think it's a fantastic homage, even if sometimes it tries to be funny(On the achievement descriptions) but it falls flat on it's face.

 As a whole, it might be a bit too simple. There's not much to the game, sure, there's a subquest to get a heart container, a hidden dungeon, 30 hidden collectible Stars and 23 hidden cards(To play Double Twins, a minigame), but the gameplay itself is very shallow. As for the lenght, I found it appropiate. It ends just a little bit before it starts growing old.
 7 out of 10. Way better than any of the Xenosaga RPGS, just saying.

Bound in Paper Quickie #5: Avengers VS X-Men vol. 3

 Quite interesting.

 (Includes A vs X 6, 7 and 8)
 Writer(AvX 6): Jonathan Hickman
 Writer(AvX 7): Matt Fraction
 Writer(AvX 8): Brian Michael Bendis
 Artist(AvX 6,7): Olivier Coipel
 Artist(AvX 8): Adam Kubert
 So, when we last left off, Iron Man on behalf of the Avengers, tried to do away with the Phoenix Force, but instead dividied it into five parts which went into Namor, Emma Frost, Illyria, Colossus and Scott Summer, the Phoenix Five. Now they use their powers to bring peace to the earth, although the Avengers don't agree with their ways.
 First off, the story in all three numbers is very interesting, as a matter of fact, I found the whole Phoenix Five story pretty fun, but these issues are focus a bit on the most interesting fights. Namor VS The Avengers is pretty cool and easily the standout moment of this issue.
 The art is very consistent, both artists have a very similar style, so it's there's no jarring change when you get to issue 8. Both artists are very detailed, the fights are pretty well drawn too, there's really no complaints in this area.
 All in all, it was a fun issue, easily deserving of...
 8 Onslaughts out of 10.

Hey, I'm Listening #1: The Connection- Papa Roach

 More Papa Roach is always a good thing. Always.

 Papa Roach is my favorite band, everyone knows it. Am I biased? Maybe. I'm a fan, I love them, and that is why I can be critical of them. I won't ever like their very first songs, I can clearly see that "lovehatetragedy" was a very experimental album, and it didn't pay out very well(even though it has a couple of songs I really like). My point is, am I biased? Possibly, yes, but that doesn't mean that I am a blind idiot that likes anything that carries their name.
 Papa Roach is a Band that keeps changing their style from album to album, most of the time, and this album is no exception. Gone are the harsher, louder sounds from their previous outing, going for a more... electronic sound. It's not bad, it's just different. Also, at least personally, I didn't find some of the lyrics as inspired as previous songs, there are good lyrics, just not as great as some of Papa Roach's finest.
 It seems like the major focus of the album resides in break ups and failing relationships, at least 4-5 songs deal with said issues in various manners. Not that I mind, but it's quite noticeable.
 Funnily enough, seems the lead singer, Jacoby Shaddix, said that this album meant to "connect" the dots from all their previous works, but truth be told, this hardly sounds like anything they've done before, the sound is different, the styles are different... it feels very different.
 Regardless, I enjoyed the album. While Paramour Sessions still hold the number 1 spot for me, this disc is not bad, Before I die and Leader of the Broken Hearts are actually really good, however, they lack a heavy hitter like Scars or To be Loved.

Bound in Paper Quickie #4: The new X-Men

 Uncanny.

 (Includes: All-New X-Men #6, Uncanny X-Men 2, Uncanny X-Men 3)
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist(All New X-Men): David Marquez
Artist(Uncanny X-Men): Chris Bachalo
 The issue opens up with All-New X-men, with Beast having brought the original X-Men from the past, in order to have 12-year old Cyclops talk with present-day Cyclops. The issue is interesting, showcasing Kitty Pryde trying to train the younglings and Wolverine having to keep track of young Cyclops. The next two issues are Uncanny X-Men, these two follow Cyclops and his rag-tag group, consisting of Magneto, Emma Frost and Illyana trying to add more mutants to their cause. Truth be told, All-New X-men is a tad more interesting.
 As for the art, David Marquez pencils are beautiful, but there are some really odd choices as far as panels go. Sometimes you are to read across both pages, then jump back to the right page and continue on the lower left page. It's a bit jarring and more often than not I found myself reading in the wrong order. Bachalo's art on the other hand, is a bit more cartoony, but it's not bad, and it certainly won't give you reading troubles!
 I give it 7 Cyclops' visors out of 10.