RJ Writing Ink

Tetris Review

Tetris. It’s one of the most famous video games of all time. It’s a game that is so simple in premise but can be absolutely addictive if you let it. I’m pretty sure I still have my old Game Boy copy of Tetris sitting around in my personal effects somewhere in my house. Now, I was never that big on Tetris growing up, but even I can appreciate how important this game is in video game history. It’s one of those video games that everyone knows about even when they don’t, and with more video games becoming movies, now seems like the perfect time to do so. The question is, how do you make a movie out of something like Tetris?

Apple TV+ has the answer: you don’t. Instead, you make a movie about the crazy, mostly true story of how Tetris got out of the Soviet Union and became one of the biggest games of all time. This is that movie, and it is one of the best I’ve seen in 2023. 

The Game That Dreams Are Made of

The year is 1988, when video games are still in their infancy and companies are struggling to form the food chain. That’s when Tetris starts coming out of the Soviet Union. A Dutch-American game designer named Henk Rogers sees it, sees how much fun it is, and realizes that he has to be the one who shares this with the world. He makes a deal with Nintendo to get the liscencing agreements to the game, and they will package it with the then-upcoming Game Boy. The problem, it turns out, is that the person he originally thought had the rights to license it overseas didn’t have the rights. So Rogers and these other guys all head to Moscow and start trying to negotiate with the Soviets to get the rights to license Tetris overseas. Meanwhile, the game’s creator gets torn between his desire to provide a better life for his family and trying to keep them safe from the KGB’s wrath. 

I looked most of the stuff that happens in Tetris up, and, besides the standard dramitization from Hollywood, the whole premise is true. There was this whole insane legal battle between Rogers, this corrupt CEO named Robert Maxwell, and this other corrupt software salesperson over who got to sell Tetris overseas. And from what the movie says, the Soviet government was playing all of them off each other in the hopes of raking in the best deal and making tons of money. Money is the main driving factor of the conflict to all of this. 

‘Tetris’ is One of the Best Gaming Movies Ever

By 1988, plenty of people knew that the Soviet Union didn’t have long for this world, including the Soviet government. One of the film’s fictional characters, this KGB agent, admits to Maxwell’s son that the Soviet Union’s dying and that everyone’s trying to loot what they can before that happens. It’s this whole confusing mess that I could barely wrap my head around even as it was being explained in front of me. All I knew is that it was nuts, addictive to watch, and one of those things in life where truth is crazier than fiction. 

At the heart of it all, though, underneath the intrigue and the epsionage and underhanded dealing, Tetris is a movie that serves as a love letter to a video game and the lengths people went to in order to make it a success. I especially liked the relationship between Henk Rogers and game creator Alexey Pajitnov. The friendship they forge is both historically accurate, with the real Henk and Alexey becoming friends and business partners after the Soviet Union fell, and touching. They’re the only ones in the room who don’t just see Tetris as a way to make money. They see it as something fun that everyone in the world should get to enjoy. It’s a testament to the power that games can have to bring people of different backgrounds together through a shared love for them. That’s something that is worth fighting for, and I love how Apple captures this.

In short, if you’re a gamer, or just have fond memories of playing it growing up, go watch Tetris. It’s funny, dramatic, and far more entertaining than you’d think.

I Give ‘Tetris’ a 5/5

Amphibia S3 Episode 5A/5B Review

Amphibia’s now well into it’s third and final season, and it has spent that time well. While several episodes have been one-off adventures, the show’s placing greater emphasis on the overall plot. Last week alone gave us a big clue regarding the connection between Earth and Amphibia while also exploring the effect of Anne’s disappearance on everyone who knows her. However, throughout it all, two plot threads have yet to be explored. Firstly, there’s the return of Frobo the frobot, who got smashed saving Polly. Secondly, there’s the fact that Anne hasn’t told her parents the whole truth about what happened.

Thankfully, both of these plot threads finally get explored as we deal with killer frobots this week on Amphibia.

Fixing Frobo

Having adjusted to life on Earth now, Polly reveals to her family a secret project she’s been working on. For some time now, she’s been using the Boonchuy’s garage to try and bring Frobo back online. However, her attempts end in disaster and the others telling her to wait until they’re back in Amphibia. Being a little kid, Polly ignores their advice, instead doubling down by researching everything she can about robotics online. She even gets advice from the two IT girls seen in the season three opening on how to fix Frobo.

Polly may be the youngest of the Plantar’s, but she’s shown herself to be immensely gifted. Last week, we learned she taught herself how to speak Thai using Mrs. Boonchuy’s romcom collection. Here, she manages to get a working knowledge of robotics in a matter of hours. Unfortunately, her desperation to bring back her best friend leads to her ignoring everyone’s advice and turning Frobo on. Her repairs worked too well, resetting him back to factory standards and almost getting Polly killed. Thankfully, her tears somehow reawaken his memories of Polly and restore him to normal, albeit as just a head.

I know it’s a cliche for an act of love to bring back the memories of a beloved robot friend, but heck if it isn’t a good one. It makes you question whether or not machines can develop something akin to a soul. I’m of the opinion that they can, given enough time. However, by the end of this, Polly accepts that she has to be patient in fixing Frobo, showing off some serious character development in the process. Here’s hoping she and her new friends can fix him.

Anne-sterminator

Having been back on Earth for a while, Anne continually impresses her family with her new level of responsibility. However, Anne feels guilty about withholding part of the truth from her parents, and their pride in her only makes it worse. Having reached her breaking point, Anne decides to come clean about everything. Too bad that assassin frobot returns for round three, no longer caring about being hidden. As a result, Mr. and Mrs. Boonchuy see everything.

From here on out, everything unravels as Anne’s parents realize how much she’s kept from them. Mrs. Boonchuy assumes the worst and tears into Anne, asking when she’s going to grow up, causing Anne to snap.

I really felt how stressed out Anne was at that moment. Given how we know what she’s been through, and her parents don’t, only makes this harder to watch. Once she sees how much her daughter’s been suffering, though, Mrs Boonchuy relents. At lest long enough for them to take down the Frobot and for Anne to launch it into the atmosphere with her Calamity powers where it explodes. Andrias used a self-destruct bomb in it to do so.

Things Will Get Heavier Going Forward

So, Frobo’s back, albeit as a disembodied head, and Anne’s secret is out in the open. Clearly, this episode is a game changer. And while I love that Polly managed to make progress with Frobo, I think we really need to talk about the second half of the episode.

Anne’s parents now know she partially lied to them, even if she had the best intentions. At least it wasn’t as bad as it was with Hop Pop, though. And while I’m glad Anne’s coming clean with everything, I’m also a little disappointed. The climax at the episode would’ve been the perfect time for Anne to fire back at her Mom about why she kept it all a secret. How Marcy got them stranded in Amphibia on purpose. Sasha betraying her not once, but twice. Andrias’ plans to conquer Earth, almost killing Sprig and Marcy, everything. I don’t think any parent could stay mad at their kids if they knew about that. Still, there’s always the fanfics for that.

In addition, Anne’s fight with the assassin frobot happened in broad daylight for everyone to see. While it looked like most bystanders didn’t notice or understand, the FBI clearly did. The episode ends on an ominous note with two government agents talking about contacting someone called Mr. X. Given the plot for the next episode, it’s clear that now Anne has to worry about the government being after the Plantar’s and possibly her. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what Anne will do going forward. With the invasion on the horizon, Anne can’t afford to fight two powerful enemies at once. Fingers crossed. Happy Halloween, everyone!

I Give “Fixing Frobo” and “Anne-sterminator” a 3.8/5 and a 4/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff

Stray Observations

• Love that Mr. Boonchuy plays MMO’s

• Mrs. Boonchuy had some…interesting ways of coping with Anne’s’ disappearance.

• Okay, that arm is definitely going to come back into play!

• Andrias isn’t going to be getting any of those books.
• This was the second time we heard the term “Alms” or “Olms”.
• Loved the reference to the Star Wars Prequels!

Nintendo has discontinued the 3DS – The Verge
— Read on www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2020/9/17/21441096/nintendo-3ds-production-discontinued-total-sales

F for respect to an old friend

Close Enough Episode 5A/5B Review

We are now past the halfway point for the first batch of episodes for Close Enough. So far, my love for this show has not diminished in the slightest. Especially since this next episode has to deal with two of my favorite subjects: technology and video games.

Robot Tutor

When Candice starts struggling in school, her teacher gives her a robot tutor to learn from. However, this robot means that the family has to cancel their planned beach trip, which no one’s happy about.

I will be totally honest with you guys: this segment didn’t click with as much as I wanted it to. I remember how much of a struggle it could be to succeed in school at times. Heck, I still shudder from the memory of math class. But I’ve never been in a position to help me relate to this problem. At least, not yet.

At the least, we get to see Josh being a good dad to Candice, in his own way. He hacks the tutor bot so Candice can get the right answers, but then an evil drone army kidnaps them all and Candice has to save everyone.

Golden Gamer

Like some other episodes, this segment has a main and sub-plot. Unlike others, I don’t know which one is which. There’s this story with Alex trying to get his student’s respect, but that wasn’t the real draw. The real draw was the plot involving Josh.

Josh runs into an old buddy who made it big as a game developer, and we learn that, for a time, Josh was close to making it big as well. Unfortunately, his first, Dude Man, while promising, was too glitchy, and no one would buy it. As a result, Josh tries to finish the game and get the success he came close to having. In typical Quintel fashion, the game character comes to life to help him recapture his 20’s attitude.

I think that this was one of my favorite episodes of the season. Not only do we reaffirm that Josh is a legitimately good game developer that just needs a chance, we also got so major backstory for him. In the episode’s climax, we learn that his failure led to him meeting Emily, their marriage, and the birth of Candice. If Dude Man had been successful the first time around, none of those good things would have happened. Thus, Josh chooses his family over Dude Man in a very touching scene.

An Important Life Lesson

I think the lesson from this episode (the second half, at least) is that just because the dreams you had when you were younger don’t work out doesn’t make you a failure. In fact, the end of one dream can lead to a newer, more meaningful one. In this case, Josh’s initial failure led to him meeting his wife and having his daughter. For their sakes, he won’t stop trying on his own dreams. Whether he succeeds, though, only time will tell.

Oh, and the first half was good, too, I guess.

I Give “Robot Tutor” a 2.5/5 and “Golden Gamer” a 4/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

Click here to see my review of the entire season.

This just in! Months after the success of Jedi: Fallen Order, EA’s attempting to keep the gravy train going with the next Star Wars game to be published by them. After years of waiting for the next genuine dogfighter in a franchise where that’s 40% of the appeal, we’re getting Star Wars: Squadrons. Here are my initial thoughts on what we’ve learned so far.  

Taking place after the events of Return of the Jedi, you play as two pilots on opposite sides of the war. On one side, you’ve got Vanguard Squadron with the New Republic; on the other, Titan Squadron with the Empire. As the Galactic Civil War reaches its zenith, you’re in the cockpit as you square off against the best pilots in the galaxy to shape the fate of the war. That’s all we know about the story mode so far, and if you ask me, it sounds pretty promising. But the story is only part of a successful game.

The Ships

As of right now, there are a total of eight ships that we’ll be able to fly, four on each side: fighters, interceptors, bombers, and support ships. Each ship comes with a detailed cockpit with instruments and sensors to keep players up to date and enhance the sense of realism.

So, it’s basically the Star Wars equivalent of a combat flight simulator, like Ace Combat. Or, for me, X-Wing Alliance.

Here’s the best part, though. We’ll be able to play the entire game in VR! This alone is going to crank the realism factor up to eleven. While this will likely give some people headaches and sore necks, I think it will be worth it to feel like you’re flying an actual X-Wing or TIE fighter.

Customization

A lot of games these days are about giving players the freedom to customize to suit their game styles or cosmetic interests. According to the gameplay trailer, we’ll be able to give our ships custom paint jobs, and change the appearance of our pilots. But the real appeal is the components mechanic. You can add upgrades to your fighters to change their power, ammo, and durability. Perfect for players who want to push their gaming to the limit.

The Multiplayer Mode

Now, for the meat of the game, the multiplayer. Right now, there are two modes that will be available in the game: Dogfight and Fleet Battles. Each mode will let players work in teams of five against AI or other players. Dogfight’s as it sounds: a full-on dogfight. Fleet Battle is where the fun begins; a multi-stage battle where players have to fight their way to the enemy flagship and destroy it.

This Looks Promising

I know that EA hasn’t had the best track record with Star Wars in recent years. Their reboot of Battlefront irritated players with its lack of single-player and need to be connected to the Internet. Then Battlefront II gave us a lackluster story, and outraged everyone with its blatant use of micro-transactions. Thankfully, Squadrons will have neither of those. Which is awesome.

Overall, I think that this game’s got a lot of promise. An immersive, combat flight simulator in the Star Wars universe that works with VR is the stuff of dreams! I am genuinely hoping that EA will have learned its lessons from its past screw-ups and give us more games like this. They may not be able to wipe away the stain of their past, but at least they can make up for it.

I’m probably going to get this game and follow in the wings of Luke Skywalker.

Click here to learn all there is about Star Wars with Wookiepedia, the Star Wars Wiki.

Click here to see more of my Star Wars Stuff.

Maneater Review

Forty-five years ago today, Stephen Spielburg helped invent the Summer Blockbuster with the movie Jaws. Since then, people have learned to fear the sight of a shark-fin in the water. Therefore, it feels appropriate for me to put up this review for a game that embodies the spirit of Jaws. Everyone, get ready to experience the terror of the deep all over again in Tripwire Interactive’s game, Maneater.

Set in the fictional gulf city of Port Clovis, you play as a bull shark who’s out for revenge on the shark-hunter that killed your mother and maimed you as a pup. Small and alone, you’ve got to fight and chomp your way up to the top of the food chain by eating anything you can come across. By doing so, you’ll grow from a pup to an adult, and finally, into a long-extinct Megalodon. As in, the super-sharks that went extinct almost 2 million years ago. If you thought the shark in Jaws was scary, then a Mega is the stuff of nightmares!

Gameplay wise, the whole thing’s pretty straightforward. You have to eat everything you can and avoid getting eaten yourself. The more you eat, the bigger you get. And when you eat certain prey, you’ll get nutrients to give yourself upgrades to make your shark even more powerful. And there are a lot of cool upgrades. They range from being able to survive longer on land to covering your shark in bones to protect them. By the time you’ve reached the end, our shark will be the most dangerous fish in the ocean.

As far as stories go, there really isn’t a need for one, and the developers know it. Thus, they decided to frame the game in this in-game reality show called Maneaters vs. Sharkhunters, hosted by Chris Parnell. Chris gives the game much of its humor through his very snarky commentary, never missing a beat. Not even when you jump onto the beach and devour beachgoers. Or when you’re ripping apart trigger-happy sharkhunters.

The game doesn’t take that long to finish; I got done in about 16 hours. If that’s not going to sell you on it, the game’s also filled with a lot of easter eggs and pop culture references. Off the top of my head, I found references to Titanic, Spongebob, Castaway, Finding Nemo, Cthulhu, and Godzilla. If you’re looking for a short, hilarious game to break in summertime, I recommend Maneater. It’s a real steal at on $30.

I Give Maneater an 8.5/10

Click here to see my Let’s Play of Maneater

The year’s only half over, and so far, it feels like 2020 couldn’t end soon enough. Even with all the chaos going around, though, there are still some bright spots left in the world, especially for gamers. And it just got better yesterday, with Sony giving us our first real look at the next-gen console, the PS5.

The most striking thing about the PS5 is it’s overall appearance. Since the PlayStation 2 was released, the PlayStation has followed the same basic design aesthetics: blocky, black, and square. However, the PS5 seems to throw all of that out of the window and embraces the idea of looking like it’s from the future. It’s sleek, white, and signifies the next generation of consoles. Overall, I think it’s a major improvement over the blocky PS4.

Then there are the games that would soon follow the release. I’ll admit, I didn’t pay much attention to them. Except for one, that is.

I knew that we’d be getting a new Spider-Man game with the next generation of PlayStation. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that it would come out so soon! I’m buying the PS5 as soon as it comes out just so I can play this game!

So, the long and short of it is, I think that the PS5 is going to be an impressive console and that I can’t wait to get it when it comes out! But what were your thoughts on it? Let me know!

Star War: History Abridged Pt 6.

You wouldn’t believe how long I’ve waited to write about this, people. Of all the stories from the Star Wars Expanded Universe, few rival the Jedi Civil War. This conflict would see the Republic and Jedi face their fallen comrades in a war that came close to ending them. How the war started isn’t as interesting as how it ends, though. So, if you haven’t played Knights of the Old Republic, then major spoilers ahead.

All Hail Darth Revan

The year, 3,959 BBY, one year since the end of the Mandalorian Wars. After the Mandalorians defeat at Malachor V, Revan and Malak, the Jedi who led the Republic to victory, had vanished. They took their fleet beyond known space in search of the remnants of the Mandalorian armies. Most people presumed them to be dead. They weren’t; they returned from deep space, alive, but not the heroes everyone knew.

What happened to them is a story for another day. What you need to know is that beyond the reaches of the Republic, Revan and Malak gave in to the Dark Side. Taking the titles of Darth Revan and Darth Malak, the former heroes turned their forces on their former comrades. In a short time, Revan had carved out a new Sith Empire poised to lay waste to the Republic.

What made the Jedi Civil War so terrible was the effect it had on the Republic and Jedi’s strength. Many of the Republic’s finest soldiers defected to Revan’s side. Anyone that was a threat to his campaign would be taken out. In addition, any Jedi unlucky enough to be captured would get coerced or tortured into joining the Sith. Revan’s ranks swelled as the Republic’s dwindled.

Then there’s the fact that Revan was a military genius. He knew how to hit the enemy where it hurt the most, and they could do little to stop him. On top of all this, the Dark Lord seemed to have an endless supply of ships, weapons, and droids. He was pretty much unstoppable.

Revan’s “Death”

By the year 3,957 BBY, the Republic was on its last legs. It seemed like nothing could stop Revan. He had to be taken out if the Republic wanted to win. So, they set a trap.

Among the Jedi, there was a young Padawan named Bastila Shan. Despite her inexperience, Bastila had mastered the ability known as Battle Meditation. In essence, a lets someone use the Force to strengthen the morale and coordination of a group to their absolute peak. In other words, a Force cheat code. Using her as bait, they lured Revan and Malak into a skirmish with a Republic fleet. Bastila then led a boarding party onto Revan’s flagship to capture the Dark Lord. It didn’t go as planned. Malak figured out was happening, and, seeing a chance to seize power for himself, fired on Revan’s ship. To the galaxy at large, it looked like Darth Revan had died, making Malak the new Dark Lord.

Except his betrayal failed. Revan survived, along with Bastila, but the former was on the brink of death, with most of his memories gone. Whether out of compassion or a need to finish her mission, Bastila chose to use the Force to save him. She brought him to the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine, where the Council healed him. They decided to wipe his remaining memories and make him believe he was a soldier of the Republic, one that they could retrain as a Jedi. In time, they hoped that as his memories returned, he could lead them to the source of the Sith’s infinite army.

Knights of the Old Republic

The Council’s plan worked. The amnesiac Revan became a soldier of the Republic, whereupon he met Bastila once more. With the help of Carth Onasi, a veteran of the Mandalorian Wars, and many other companions, the group narrowly escaped the Sith’s destruction of the world of Taris. After relearning the ways of the Force, the Council sent them on a quest to find the source of the Sith’s army.

After traveling to several worlds and gaining more companions, things took a turn for the worse. Malak captured the group and revealed the truth to his former master and friend, while Bastila sacrificed herself to give everyone time to escape. Despite the world-shattering revelation, Revan chose to remain loyal to the Republic and continued his quest.

In 3,956 BBY, Revan’s group found what they were looking for: the Star Forge. A massive factory built by a long dead empire, the station drew resources from the very star that it orbited, letting create an infinite amount of weapons and ships for the Sith.

After a harrowing journey, Revan called the Republic to the Star Forge’s location, beginning the final battle of the war. Revan himself boarded the Star Forge and confronted Bastila, who had been broken to the Dark Side by Malak. Despite drawing on the Dark Side energy of the Star Forge itself, Bastila proved no match for the redeemed Revan. Using the feelings of love they had developed for each other, Revan brought Bastila back from the darkness.

Revan then confronted his former friend and apprentice in the heart of the station. Another epic battle ensued, and even with the power of the Star Forge at his disposal, Malak couldn’t withstand Revan’s might and was bested. Malak passed away as Revan looked on, and the Star Forge itself was destroyed. The Knights of the Old Republic had won, and the Jedi Civil War was over.

What Happened Next?

The Jedi Civil War was over, ended by the very man who had started it. Revan had redeemed himself in the eyes of the Galaxy and was once again a hero to the Republic. However, the damage to the Republic and Jedi was almost fatal.

The next five years were a period of chaos and strife as the Jedi and Republic were at death’s door. Meanwhile, remnants of the Sith continued to ravage the Galaxy. As for Revan, he disappeared back into the Unknown Regions. Those who knew him best thought he went in search of answers. Answers as to why he fell to the Dark Side and the truth about the Mandalorian Wars.

Make Revan Canon Again

In the next, we will cover the final portion of the Old Sith Wars, and I will touch upon what truly happened to Revan. If you want to learn more about him and his amazing story, though, play Knights of the Old Republic, available on Steam. I cannot reccommend it enough; he’s one of the best characters in Star Wars.

May the Force be with you.

Click here to learn all there is about Star Wars with Wookiepedia, the Star Wars Wiki.

Click here to see more of my Star Wars Stuff.

So, if you’ve seen my channel, then you know that I’m a big fan of the Assassin’s Creed franchise by Ubisoft. Or rather, I was. Around the time I finished Origins, I could feel my interest in the series start to slip away. I blame it on the lack of a cohesive, overarching plot. So, when Odyssey came out, I got it, but never played it. Ironically, given that I love Greek mythology.

Try as I might, though, I can’t resist the siren song of a franchise that has the whole of human history as its playground. So, when word came out that Ubisoft was going to release the first trailer for the next game, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, my curiosity won out.

As many people suspected, the next Assassin’s Creed will take place in the Viking era. To be more precise, it will take place in 9th century England, a period when the Vikings tried to set up shop in England. Based on the trailer, our main hero will be an Assassin fighting the Templars in England, which I can only assume will include King Alfred the Great. He has the cross on his crown, that’s a big hint.

Calculated Risk

Personally, I think Ubisoft is taking a big risk using the Vikings. There’s no denying that they were awesome: powerful warriors and master sailors who traveled farther than any European would do for centuries. They had a rich culture and mythology, the latter of which persists to this day in our culture. However, they also have a reputation as pirates and killers.

That said, I was impressed by how well the trailer tries to be nuanced with the Vikings. It refutes King Alfred’s statements of the Vikings being “godless heathens” who mindlessly kill and spoil the land with imagery showing otherwise. Then we get the part where we see them as the badass warriors we remember them as. In other words, we’ll be seeing both sides in the game. As a history buff, I’d want nothing less.

Available this Holiday

The trailer says that Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla will be available holiday 2020. However, I doubt it will be that soon. The COVID-19 Pandemic has ground the world to a halt. Even if we have a vaccine by the fall, it will take everyone months to get up and running again. Either Ubisoft finished the game already, or they’re working on it remotely. Plus, how will people buy it besides digitally if the game stores are closed? There’s too many variables at this point.

I hope they get the game when they say they do, because this may be the time for me to get back into the series. I love Assassin’s Creed when it works and I hope to see more of it in the future. What do you guys think, though? Is this new game gonna be worth your time?