Interview with Grand Theft Auto and Homefront Actress: Hannah Cabell

I caught up with one of my favorite actresses, Hannah Cabell.  Those of you who recently played the game 'Homefront' will recognize her as the empowering voice of Rianna.  Here is what Hannah had to say about being a voice over actress in the video game industry.

How did you get your first SAG/AFTRA voice acting job for video games?

Hannah: I have actually only worked under AFTRA contracts for video games - I don't know if it's a recent change, but in my experience AFTRA handles more of the interactive media side of the business. My first job was for 'Grand Theft Auto - The Ballad of Gay Tony'. I got that from an audition; Rock Star had me in for both vo and motion capture, but ended up hiring me just for the vo part of it.

Saints Row 4 Review

I know you guys were like, "why aren't you reviewing games?" To be honest...nothing was out to review.  This week, i'm reviewing Saints Row IV by Volition Inc.  I have to admit, I never played any of the previous games, so this is my first time getting involved with the franchise.  I overlooked the previous 3 games because Saints Row is known for copying whatever is trending at the moment.

This time around Saints Row developers sampled from every science fiction movie, and they did a good job at copying.  I believe the Matrix is the bulk of Saints Row IV copyright infringement.  Mix in a little creative writing, well designed combat in an open world environment and you have a perfect game to tide you over until GTA 5 comes out later the quarter.

In the fourth installment of Saints Row, you return to the city of Steelport where you play as the leader of the Third Street Saints, but this time you are the President of the United States. Following a comedic opening, the world gets invaded by aliens lead by their leader Zinyak. Zinyak & his army of aliens capture the elite humans and place their bodies in sleeping pods while their minds are trapped in a matrix like alternate reality.

As in most Saint Row games you can explore an open world map scattered with campaign quests, secondary objectives, and various collectibles. The player can steal, drive, and customize vehicles, and purchase weapons and clothing. Saints Row IV borrows alot from the Matrix with its abilities and gameplay.  In this game, you can purchase upgrades such as the ability to fly, fire projectiles, and leap over tall buildings in a single jump. 

Bottom line is Saints Row IV worth a buy? I would say...'why the hell not'.  It's one of the last titles that will come out for this generation of consoles ,and if you own a Xbox 360 that's the only way you can play it because Xbox One does allow old games to play on its new system.  The acting is on par with what you'd expected from a video game.  There isn't much depth compared to open-world games like GTA or Batman, but Saints Row IV holds its own ground among the greats. The game play is fun, and the action is paced well. Graphics are cartoonish not releastic .  It's really a good marketing release by Volition to put Saints IV out when no games are out and right before major titles like GTA 5 and Watchdogs release.

Overall, I give Saints Row IV at 7.5 out of 10.  It's not bad, but not good either.  It's above average and worth a playthrough if you are a fan of the franchise or just looking to pass the time until GTA 5 or Call of Duty are released.

Summer Slam 2013 Results

The notable match was CM PUNK vs Brock Lesner

Y'know, they really ought to stop leaving tables and ladders under the ring for no reason. They have become a real occupational safety hazard.

This match was really the story of a betrayed friend trying to get revenge.  The action was incredibly intense and the story that was told with Punk trying oh so hard to get his hands on Paul Heyman was excellently executed. Heyman hyped the Lesner up to pick a fight with Punk b/c Punk claimed to be the best in the business but never faced Lesner in a 1 on 1.  We all know how that goes when you run your mouth and a sociopath like Brock Lesner is waiting for the chance to prove how violent he can be with a hateful manager, Paul Heyman, pulling the strings and stroking egos.

Although Heyman comes from the failed ECW franchise, he still carries influence in the WWE. Heyman was a former boss that never got over CM Punk leaving him behind for a better situation.  When Heyman came to the WWE, he pretended to rekindle old bonds and befriend Punk but stabbed him in the back every chance he got.  I understood Punk and it is hard not to be upset once you realize all the clues fit together.  In the end, a good lesson was learned:  it was CM Punk's obsession with getting revenge on his former friend that ultimately cost him in the end. Had CM Punk focused on Lesner, then he could have had the victory and prove he was the best in the business uncontested.  

Other Results:

United States Championship: Rob Van Dam d. Dean Ambrose (Disqualification — Title retained)

Ring of Fire Match: Bray Wyatt d. Kane (Pinfall)

Cody Rhodes d. Damien Sandow (Pinfall)

World Heavyweight Championship: Alberto Del Rio d. Christian (Submission — Title reatined)

Natalya d. Brie Bella (Submission)

Brock Lesnar d. CM Punk (Pinfall)

Mixed Tag Team Match: Dolph Ziggler & Kaitlyn d. Big E Langston & AJ Lee (Pinfall)

WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan d. John Cena (Pinfall -- New Champion)

WWE Championship: Randy Orton d. Daniel Bryan (Pinfall -- New Champion)

Minecraft Reaches 8 Million Units Sold

Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition by developer 4J Studios has sold over 8 million units resulting in $160 million in revenue.

I just can't believe how addictive this game really is.  Goes to show that you don't need million dollar graphics and award winning writers to have a good game.  Just make the mechanics enjoyable and leave the rest to the gamer.

Metal Gear Solid the Legacy Collection Perfect 10 Review

If you own a PS3 and missed out on one of the legendary Metal Gear Solid games, then here is your perfect opportunity to get more for your buck.

Whether you a Raiden or Solid Snake fan, you get the best of both worlds as you explore over 6 games. Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection celebrates the 25th anniversary of the franchise by releasing Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: HD Edition, Metal Gear Solid 3: HD Edition, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker HD Edition, Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions, and Metal Gear Solid 4: Trophy Edition all into one PlayStation 3-exclusive package.

All MGS games on this release were a trip down memory when I first began to understand war, death and what it takes to maintain peace.  To me the best games on the release are Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 3. I remember being in high school playing MGS3 and discovering that Big Boss was a woman that kicked ass. One of the top 10 toughest boss fights of all time in gaming.  

  

To anyone who recognizes the name, there is nothing better than stealthing your way through a level and enjoying the storyline.  Before the release of the Metal Gear Solid Series, espinoage is a tactic that few knew about because if someone knew the missions a spy completed, then that meant the spy failed. You have to get the job done operating behind the lines with no support and nothing but your wits and willingness to survive as your guide.

As a bonus to my readers...'did you know the solid snake character comes from Kurt Russell's, Snake Plissken, character of Escape from New York? Hideo Kojima isn't a former spy, so most of his directoring and writing comes from movies and books he has read. I have noticed several ideas from current events that made their way into his games.  That's why I have always been a fan of the series. Kojima games always sets a pace and standard for gaming that year, and usually that's why his titles translate to success.

It's a recap of 25 years of greatness in gaming. 3 games alone like MGS, MGS3 and MGS4 are perfect alone, so getting the other 3 games as a bonus is the reason why I give Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection a perfect 10 out of 10.

ESRB Issues New Rating System

Is a sign of the times? It appears that even the ESRB changes the display standards for games sold in the United States.

ESRB president Patricia Vance said "The goal is really to ensure that our symbols are displaying as clearly and legibly as possible in the increasing variety of environments that they're being displayed [in], including online and [on] mobile devices,"