Zombie Gunship, A Shoot-em Up VR Game!

Image result for zombie gunshipBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Fans of Zombie shooters in the virtual reality front will find Zombie Gunship by Limbic Software very satisfying. It’s ported into a 3D battle royale for the Oculus Go and Gear VR. It became available June 1st in the Oculus Store and I have been enjoying it far too much in the past several weeks. I had to see how far I could get in about a month before writing this review.

I toyed with pretending to be Cyclops from the X-men by using the buttons on the side of the Gear VR (which I played in). With a proper controller, the experience is much better. In the vehicle, you are safe from these undead hordes, and blasting away with gleeful abandon! Precision aiming is required than to let the bullets spray all over. In the later stages, players might have to be careful about where they are aiming, lest they destroy the wrong thing!

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Returning to the Fold: MtG’s Global Planeswalker Series

Global Series: Jiang Yanggu & Mu Yanling - MTG WikiIn concept, Wizards of the Coast announced a terrific idea: to get “a team of Chinese artists, writers, and folklorists to explore a new branch of Magic lore rooted in Chinese aesthetics and mythology.”

They released two new Planeswalker decks a few days ago—Global Series: Jiang Yanggu & Mu Yanling—to appease a new (re)generation of players, like myself who is part of that demographic and heritage they want to appease. I love works inspired by ancient worlds. My return to playing this game is because of Amonkhet. When that phases out, I do not know if I will continue. I hear Modern tournaments are brutal, and I am not sure if I want to play in that arena.

This release is not meant for serious competition or Friday Night Magic tournament play. Not everyone will know this detail. It’s not written on the accompanying story card. From WotC’s own mouth: “After much discussion, we settled on something unusual: these cards would be legal for Standard play in mainland China events. They will also be legal in Vintage and Legacy everywhere. They will never be Modern legal, because once they rotate out of Standard, the reason they were Standard legal no longer applies…”

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It’s Not Too Late to Undergo a Metamorphosis on Climate Change! An Interview

Metamorphosis

Remaining Theatrical Dates

EDMONTON – June 22nd – Metro Cinema
VICTORIA – June 24th – Cinecenta
VANCOUVER – June 26th – Vancity Theatre

The art of film is not a lecture series, but rather, a term coined by film buffs to describe a cinematic experience. Velcrow Ripper is a well-respected filmmaker and activist whose past work speaks for itself. His most notable documentary is Scared Sacred, the first of a trilogy of films which examines hope against the backdrop of devastation.

Whether that’s manmade with the bombing of Hiroshima or conspiracy in New York (9-11), his message of hope defines these works. Nova Ami was host, director, and writer of The Leading Edge on The Knowledge Network, a program which looked at technology and innovation. She also previously directed social issue documentaries that have aired on various broadcast networks including CBC’s Passionate Eye.

These two are life partners and believe humanity has a future. Some folks think it’s too late to fix all that is wrong with this planet. But for these two, they believe there is another direction people can take to clean up the mess man made for itself. The works they have created can be considered spiritual activism, where one tenet is to use nonviolent means to get a message across. “It’s a kind of activism that involves also thinking about how you create change in the world,” explained Ripper.

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Breaking Down Satellite Girl and Milk Cow

Satellite Girl and Milk Cow
Available to order on AmazonSatellite Girl and Milk Cow

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers could not have expressed “Breakdown” any better and South Korean animator/director/storyteller Chang Hyung-yun illustrated it when he created Satellite Girl and Milk Cow. This work debuted in 2014, and its home video release by Shout! Factory / GKIDS for international audiences this month is long overdue. Not a lot of bonus material is included, and both the original and English dub was viewed. The latter presentation is decent, and it captures some nuances from the original work to make this work accessible for younger audiences to follow.

For animation aficionados, the technical quality is on par with many a cinematic product. It ranks right up there with many a Disney movie. For folklore enthusiasts, this work is puzzling at times and is not too hard to figure out. It draws on ancient shamanism to explain why witches and warlocks are prevalent in Korea. Less is said about those mortals who suddenly get transformed into anthropomorphic creatures. When they suffer heartache, a black fog descends upon them and they become shape-shifters. When Kyeong-cheon sees Eun-jin (his girlfriend) take an interest in another boy, he’s ready to call it quits than to ask her about it. As a result, whenever he is stressed and wallows in self-pity, he transforms into a milk cow. Alternative forms include zebras and donkeys.

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The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia Preview (North American Edition)

Satellite Girl and Milk Cow
Available on Amazon (regular edition)Satellite Girl and Milk Cow and as a Deluxe EditionSatellite Girl and Milk Cow

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

  • Spoiler Alert
  • Publication Date: June 19, 2018

The best part of owning a physical copy of The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia is in reading how all the lore from the video games ties together by being able to flip back and forth to the references to other sections. This work sadly does not include Breath of the Wild because it was originally published in Japan last year, at the same time the game made its release. It’s safe to assume an addendum will happen. In the meantime, for fans of the games prior, there are 332 pages of goodness to digest. It completes the Goddess Collection—Hyrule Historia Satellite Girl and Milk Cowand Art & ArtifactsSatellite Girl and Milk Cow. If the Tri-Force symbol needs its centre to be filled, a fourth volume is inevitable.

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How Can The Incredibles 2 Be Topped?

Satellite Girl and Milk CowBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

  • Spoiler Alert!

Brad Bird‘s The Incredibles is a perfect send-up to many a past superhero comic. Not only does it explore familial issues (the core of what this franchise is about) but also it continues to examine the public perception of what kind of purpose do these Supers serve. The subplots introduced in the first film get further analysis, and the resolutions are far from being complete.

This second chapter does not get too deep with the whole “Gods and Monsters” aspect which defines many a DC film. To stay light-hearted needed this filmmaker’s magic touch. PIXAR’s mantra focuses on matters of the heart and togetherness instead of the difficult choices heroes have to make: Is it possible to save everyone from harm?

In the first movie, Mr. Incredible aka Bob Parr (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) yearned for those bygone days of simply saving the day. He has an ego the size of his heart. To do good is tough, and he’s not out to showboat. He wants to protect the little guy, but not everyone agrees to his method. The public despises superheroes because they can potentially cause more harm than good (somebody has to clean up the mess they leave behind), and only a handful of folks support them. He gets recruited to do good deeds but little did he know the peoples involved have their own agenda. The sequel flips the situation around by having Elastigirl / Helen (Holly Hunter) getting the adventure and seeing Bob at home, dealing with raising a nuclear family. The plot is a retread and it works well enough to highlight reversed gender roles. Bob gets to clean the dishes at home and Molly gets to be Mrs. Fantastic.

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