Call of Duty Infinite Review - What is this Crap they Released?

I'm going to exercise my constitutional right of Freedom of Speech and give an appropriate review.  Food for thought...Battlefield 1 put us at the very beginning of large scale warfare in WW1 taking pride in limiting gamers to the weapons of the time period, while Call of Duty Infinite takes us to the future where mechanized soldiers and spacecrafts make the possibilities endless.  I'm wondering if this was planned?

Call of Duty Infinite is a tangled story of blood and ambition filled interplanetary warfare.  Like the Madden series, Call of Duty is soon becoming an annual release with few improvements that most die hard fans are starting to take note.  Well, this time around we are given a new dynamic, space warfare and zero gravity battles. Seems like developers of Call of Duty Infinite were doing some note taking on the No Man's Land game, and they sampled the ability to go from on ground battles to outer space combat.  To be honest aside from a few gadgets, space travel is really the only improvement to me if you been buying each new game of the Call of Duty Black ops games.

Single Player Mode

In the single player mode, the pacing suffers from endless corridors, long loading screens, bullet spongy enemies, and uneven AI. This game has a star studded cast of voice actors.  Racing fans will recognize Formula Racer Lewis Hamilton.  The big draw is Jon Snow from the Game of Thrones as the main villain.  Kit Harrington is a freedom hating Mar's rebel that wants to destroy the Earth.  Developer's aren't paying me for a review so i'll be honest.  The single player story is really weak and hardly will hold your attention to be honest.  Spoiler alert everyone dies on a suicide mission. The real anticipated action is the multi player mode.

Multiplayer Mode

The major reason gamers invest in Call of Duty games is the multi-player mode.  Well here is the thing you might want to know up front developers seem to cut corners on this game. The maps are poorly designed, and the wall running mechanics are glitched and limited.  Sometimes you have limited access to wall climbing and the advantage will go to gamers who have familiarized themselves with the maps.  A positive note  is customization classes are a good addition mixed with all the innovations you play with in the single player mode. With some debugging and patches, Multiplayer mode this time around is estimated to be a challenge for even a veteran Call of Duty player.

Zombie Mode

There is a knock-off version of the zombie game sat in an abandon amusement park that will draw in many gamers.  The amusement park mini-game is a mix of plants vs zombies and Zombieland movie.   It's a fun play through centered around puzzle solving and interesting mini games in the park.  I cannot lie, it will definitely catch your attention, and kept you amused more than the single player mode or multiplayer mode.

Overall, this was a very disappointing Call of Duty game.  I anticipated a lot more from the new system and capabilities.  Seems like I got the same black ops game with new characters and half-way written single player story line.  Developers got a lot of bugs and patches to do before the multiplayer mode is playable to be honest. I would like to revisit this game after it has been fixed, but now I give Call of Duty Infinite a 7.5/10.  It really earned loyalty points b/c that score could be lower.  Developers get on it, and fix the game to the quality standards I have come to expect from the series.

Game of Thrones Season 5 Finale- Mature Content Viewer Discretion Advised

Writers should have titled this episode, "Karma= Everyone gets what's coming to them".
***SPOILERS***

The following post contains spoilers from last night's GoT.  For those of you, who have heard a rumor that a major and beloved character on the show will die...it turned out to be Jon Snow:(

Fans watched in horror last night as the beloved character Jon Snow was killed off in a scene reminiscent of a Greek tragedy. Alluding to Caesar's epic death scene, Jon Snow was stabbed by his closest friends in the Night's Watch.  As a four members of the watch repeatedly stabbed Jon snow to death including his child apprentice, each member quoted "for the watch".  Meaning they killed Jon for the sake of the Night Watch due to Jon's poor decisions.

As a fan, I felt the betrayal was expected since few member's of the Night's Watch approved of Jon's promotion to Commander of the Night's Watch.  Here Jon was thinking he was doing everything to help the group and gain its respect and admiration when in reality the group harbored resentment and hate with every achievement Jon made. I felt a lot of emotional attachment to the Jon Snow's story.  He had it rough growing up, left to start a new life and career.

Jon Snow gained respect from his co-workers through his valor, leadership, and compassion.  Thus, Jon was promoted to Commander of the Night's Watch due to merit.  His biggest mistake was that he forgot who he was working with.  Jon was leader of an army of bandits, rapist, outcasts, and criminals.  His biggest flaws were trust in people that society threw away and his heart.

His decision to bring the Wildings back to the Nights' Watch wall would ultimately cause his downfall. Jon snow was stabbed to death one by one from members of the Nights Watch. Each one uttering 'for the the Watch" as they stabbed him and the final blow was delivered by the littlest member a knife to the heart. Many fans had hope that Jon Snow would survive but GoT director dashed those hopes today in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter(June 15). He stated point blank, "Jon Snow is dead."

The Finale also contained a shocking punishment for Cersei Lannister. After confessing her adultery to the Sparrows, the religious zealots cut Cersei's long blonde locks off, and was sent to stand before a crowd of 1000s of King's Landing citizens. The High Sparrow gave a speech informing the crowd about Cersei's secret sins.  The citizens stood shocked hearing the confession about the personal life of their Queen. To add to the shock value, the High Sparrow stripped Queen Cersei and ordered her to march naked in the streets back to her castle as part of a redemption act known as the "walk of atonement".

Now, the lowly citizens Queen Cersei looked down upon from her high ivory towers were in control of her fate.  As the nude Cersei took a step, a nun rang a bell and chanted "Shame".  Like clock work the crowd took advantage of the posh noble queen being nude and helpless. The crowd spit on Cersei, threw objects, assaulted her and some tried sexual advances on her.

Half way to the castle, Cersei fell tearfully to the ground from shock of the way she was being disrespected and physical hurt from her injuries.  Covered in garbage and blood from being assaulted by the crowd, she looked up her castle and regained her strength.  She said no words, but I felt the emotion that this public shaming will not go unpunished.

For the Sparrows to be unbiased, merciful and followers of God's peace, they were very brutal and judgmental to Cersei and the other nobles.  I feel like the Sparrows were using religion to carry out their hidden agendas and to amass power to carry out their own corruptions.

Reflecting on a moment from a past episode, I recall Cersei saying she remembers and knows the High Sparrows leader.  She said the High Sparrow is not the merciful and humble religious person he pretends to be, but she accepts his role because she had plans to use him and the other ranks from the Faith of the Seven.  In the end, Cersei reached her destination and was carried away by a giant guard to held a vow to protect and take revenge for her and the royal family.

On the other side of the world, Queen Khaleesi was saved by her black dragon, Drogon and flown to safety in a field. Her knights survived the uprising at the Colosseum and regrouped at the castle before going on a search and rescue mission to find their queen.  Khaleesi was starving with her injured black dragon, so she went on a gathering mission to find food. While in the wildness she was surrounded by the Dothraki army who abandoned her earlier.  The army's intentions with Khaleesi were unknown and left to fate.

Other noteable endings: Stannis lost his war and was killed by Breeanne in the woods, the red headed witch Melisander was the sole survivor of the war returning to the Night Watch fort, Sansa escaped when Theon get his manhood back and helped her.

My favorite part was Arya's revenge on Ser Meryn Trant, the man that helped kill her father and teacher.  Turns out the Ser Meryne had a crush on Sansa and he had a fetish for beating her look alikes. Arya took advantage of Ser Meryn Trant pedophilia and pretended to be an underage prostitute to gain access to his company and solitude.   When she Ser Meryn Trant alone, she stabbed him in the eyes and slit his throat.  As he died choking on his own blood, Arya revealed her identity and gloated about her revenge for her family.

Overall, the episode was a cliff hanger filled with high emotional drama that makes you upset there will be another year before we know what happens to the characters of the Game of thrones.

The Walking Dead Mid-Season Finale "Too Far Gone"

All I can say is WOW! I was totally surprised by the events that on-folded last night on The Walking Dead. I don't know where to start with my commentary.

Recap

The show opened up with a peaceful scene of the Governor taking his new family somewhere safe near the river until he returned. The Governor gave his adopted daughter a loving hug, and he took his bound and gagged, Michonne and Hershel as prisoner to the battlefield.

Next, the Governor gives his new militia a speech filled with propaganda and lies stating Rick's group survivors were unmerciful and uncivilized animals that destroyed his camp and killed his family.  Then, the blood-lust militia shows up with a tank to the prison and demands everyone leaves or dies.

Rick realized the toll a war would take on both camps, and he gave the best speech I ever heard from a man with no room to bargain. "We can still come back, we’re not too far gone. I know we all can change."

Watching Rick humble himself and pleaded for the safety of everyone swayed some of the Governor's militia. The Governor realized he was losing his army's influence, so he snapped and chopped Hershel's head off inch by inch as his daughters watched in dismay.

Soon, the most epic battle scene ever filmed on AMC unfolded to the delight of viewers. The Governor's militia camp was pitied against Rick's survivor camp with the understood result of only one camp getting the prison safe-house and being allowed to live.

Two seasons of war came to a conclusion at the Battle at the Prison. In the end, no one was a winner. The Governor was killed by Michonne, Hershel was beheaded, the new militia was annihilated, and all the survivors taking sanctuary at the prison being forced to scatter into the wilderness with no indication of who survived.

In the aftermath of the battle, the prison was inhabitable and filled with holes from tank blast.  The gunshots and explosions drew hordes of zombies that were too numerous to overcome and forced Rick's group to abandon the prison.  All the peace and safety Rick and the survivors worked hard to create was destroyed by the rage of a bitter man and a brainwashed camp of misfits.  Rick told his son "Don't look back, Carl" because nothing is left at the prison anymore.  I wonder if that was a biblical reference to Sodom and Gomorrah?

Criticism

I don't know if any of you are fans of The Time Machine or Game of Thrones, but I saw a lot of sampling going on in this episode. First, The Time Machine reference. The Governor's adopted daughter was attacked by a zombie and eaten in a place he thought was safe.  If you watched The Time Machine, then you remember a scene where Alexander realized no matter how many times he traveled back in time Emma would always get killed. It was her fate to die young.

In the Walking Dead, the Governor's adopted daughter had dozens of near death situations. Fortunately, she had the Governor around to bail her out. When the Governor left his daughter alone, fate took her life. To me it seemed like she was always going to die because she hadn't adapted to this new world. She was just alive because the Governor was a superior survivor that felt pity on her.  The Walking Dead and The Time Machine parallel because both protagonist try to re-write history by starting over in order to protect a someone that always would die due to unawareness of her situation.

Biggest reference, The Game of Thrones: Red Wedding. I'm sure everyone who watches modern television has seen or heard of the cluster fuck that went down at the end of the Red Wedding episode.  I spoiled it for myself by reading ahead in the novel, but the show personified the scene to life with epic realism.


In Red Wedding, Robb Stark lost his family and army by trying to align with someone he betrayed. If Robb was not so naive and desperate,  then he would have seen the clues that wedding was a set-up.  First clue, Robb's mom recognizes one of the Lanister's at the party.  Second Clue, the room was cleared of all the wedding party and all was left was soldiers.  Third clue, Robb's mom saw the Lanister was wearing armor underneath his robes but it was too late.

In the end, trusting those he shouldn't have trusted and believing people still lived by the code of honor and warrior's loyalty cost Robb his life. I love when Arya Stark was asked what was the cause of her father's and brother's death and she replied, "LOYALTY"

How it's connected, well if you watched the Walking Dead, then you would have seen little clues that producers were going to kill Hershel. When Hershel had to kill all his friends in the prison because they got sick, he couldn't read the bible anymore because he lost his faith and morality center which were competencies that his character stood for. The best quote Hershel said “listen, dammit: You step outside, you risk your life. you take a drink of water, you risk your life. And nowadays you breathe and you risk your life, Every moment now, you don’t have a choice. The only thing you can choose is what you’re risking it for."

At that moment, I saw a broken man that lost himself in a world that he no longer understood and he had no purpose.  In the following episodes, Hershel seem like a former shell of himself that just survived meaninglessly.  When the Governor ready his sword to chop Hershel's head off, for one second there was a smile on Hershel's face.  I want to believe Hershel had found acceptance of his fate and felt death was freedom.  Honestly, Hershel was old and only had one leg.  In a world where zombies haunt humans, how long was he going to last on the run?  If it were me, then I rather die honorable in a battle then being ripped apart by mindless and hungry zombies.

I admit, I shed a tear for Hershel's death because I felt like he was the father figure of the group, last symbol of morality and reason that kept the group together. When he passed away I felt the group lost it's faith and leadership that carried them in the direction of ethics and good. Now, all that's left is a few mentally broken survivors that will do anything to live to see another day. I can't wait to see the 2nd half of the season.

Final Scenes: Food for Thought
The best part of the zombie horde overtaking the prison was that crazy lady Rick tried to save in the woods did came back to the prison but as an un-dead walker. Kind of play upon "BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU WISH FOR." Creepy!

Another good part was the strong ending scene and last words of Rick telling Carl, "Just keep walking". That line was a reference to the title of the show "The Walking Dead".  It really made me think who are the walking dead: the zombies or the survivors?  In all fairness, how long will people living in a world with billions of insatiable zombies, no stable food supply, the water being poisonous and the evolution of the virus killed more survivors by the day with no cure in sight.  It seems to me that the survivors are the walking dead.

Game of Thrones Spoiler: Robb Stark Dies Soon

I was flipping through some sites last night because i frustrated with how the story for game of thrones is dragging.  Then i came across a site that detailed every character's future throughout the book series.

Something always seemed like a sad happiness for Robb Stark.  Then i read that he actually dies fairly quick in the novel.  The House of Frey, the family his mother forged a deal with so that they can cross the bridge, sets him up and assassinates Robb and Catelyn at the wedding dinner.

I guess producers took creative license with this storyline because all seemed well until last night when Lord Karstark said "You lost the war, the moment you married her." Jeyne is called Talisa for some reason.

If you watched the show then you saw Robb and Talisa have a sex scene after he learns his home was captured and two younger brothers killed by his best friend Theone, Prince of Iron.  In the book, the writer said Robb took Talisa by force in response to his grief and to protect Talisa's honor, he married her. This setup a domino effect that caused a lot of trouble for the Stark family and pretty much ends all fighting to reclaim anything.  I guess this is why the writers just been beating around the bush with the storyline, but I see they are somewhat getting back to it with that statement last night by Lord Karstark.

Not a spoiler if you read....HA

But wow,reading ahead that writer had a lot of bitterness b/c no one really has a good ending.

Game of Thrones Season 03 Episode 02 Recap

"Dark Wings, Dark Words"

Game of Thrones this week once again disappointed me.  I know emails and comments are coming for saying this, but I watch a supernatural medieval show for sword fights/magic not politics and drama.  If you didn't see it, then here is what you missed.

Jaime vs Brienne
Brienne and Jaime journey to their destination.  As the wonder in the forest and woodsman past them and speaks briefly.  Jaime warns Brienne to kill the woodsman because he knows that type will play innocent and sell you out for a few coins. But her honor makes her stupid and lets the woodsman go without harm.  The pair cross a bridge where Jaime fucks with Brienne mind.  Jaime sees an opportunity and steals Brienne's sword.  The fight.  Brienne holds back because if Jaime dies the mission is over.  Brienne over powers Jaime and captures him, but at the same time soldiers come after being warned about that same woodsman.  He sold them out.  Guess Jaime was right after all.  I wonder if Brienne and Jaime escape again, what will this do to her decision making later.

Sansa and Lady Olenna
Sansa gets invited to join Margaery and her grandmother Lady Olenna.  They eat cake and pick Sansa's brain about knowledge of Joffrey.  Sansa tells them what Joffrey has done and how he is a monster that take pleasure in torturing and bullying her.  Margaery gives Sansa a look like she's rough enough to take his punishment if Joffery will deal it out to her.  For some reason, I feel like people play on Sansa's innocence. They know she is young and naive so they easily send her in the direction needed for what they want from her.  Lady Olenna says Sansa won't have to worry about Joffrey's cruelity anymore b/c she knows Margaery will endure it if she must in order to become queen.  

Tyrion and Shae
Shae ask Tyrion to look after Sansa because little finger is trying to woo her.  Tyrion lets Shae know that Sansa will have more suitors b/c she is young and pretty. Shae is insecure and ask if Tyrion has eyes for Sansa as well.  Tyrion is a man so he says he notice her.  She gets turned on by the fact he's not 100% into her, and has sex with him. Weird but lets us know as long as Joffrey doesn't have Sansa killed then she will have a future to a wealthy man of titles.

Brotherhood without Banners vs Arya
Arya runs into the brotherhood as she journey's aimlessly with her 2 friends from prison.  She believes they are to do her harm, so she is defensive.  They like her boldness and invite her to eat food and leave when she wants. As she exits, soldiers in the Brotherhood bring a captive to their leader.  The captive is the Hound.  As Arya tries to sneak past the Hound, the Hound reveals her identity as Ned Stark's lost daughter.  What a dirty move, but he was never one to be fair.

Joffrey vs Cersei
Cersei is threatened by Margaery.  Margaery is bold beatiful and willing to do whatever is need to be queen. Cersei realizes Margaery is s a younger version of her.  She tells Joffrey Cersei associates with low lives, dresses like a whore, and is a widow.  She tries implant into Joffrey head Cersei is not a perfect princess.  Joffrey tells Cersei that Margaery is a good woman because she does what she is told.  I love this SHIT!  We are starting to see Cersei plans to overlook Sansa fail.  Sansa was meek and cooperative.  Margaery is cunning and bold.  Cersei knows her influence over Joffrey is passing to Margaery who she can't control unlike Sansa.  I wonder if Cersei is going to make a play to get Sansa back in good standing with Joffrey in order to get the potential threat of Margaery out her sons site.

Margaery not knowing what to do with Joffrey
Joffrey mind is torn b/c of Cersei's advice.  He starts a confrontation with Margaery, but Margaery quickly uses her charms as a seductress and older woman of knowledge against the over zealous boy. Margaery was married to a man who preferred boys to women, so she finds it hard to judge the effectiveness of her charms on Joffrey.  She tries to play Sansa by asking her to describe what dark secrets she knows about Joffrey because he shows little interest in Her.  Sansa warns Margaery that Joffrey is into torture and he is "a monster that had her father beheaded".  Margaery later learns that deep down inside Joffrey is just an immature and inexperienced boy that can be manipulated by her knowledge as an older woman that is sexually experienced.  It foresee this being an interesting plot twist.  Weird tho Margaery said she'd kill someone for Joffrey if he like.

Catelyn and Talisa
We learned Catelyn is not this holy woman that does things because she is fair and merciful.  She never loved Jon the bastard.  She had his mother killed, and is the reason behind the social isolation.  She also said she hope Jon die because he reminded him of her husband's mistress. Her streak of misfortune made her remember karma and she is kind bc all she lost.  Learned she's just as much a bitch as Cersei. She tells Talisa "Let the boy live and I’ll love him, I’ll be a mother to him … and he lived, and I couldn’t keep my promise.”

Jon and the wildlings
Jon is shown briefly moving south with the wildling before winter. Learn about something call wargs, that can see with animal eyes.

Bran and Jojen reed
Bran stark meets jojen reed.  Bran learns he has warg skill and can see the future and past too. According to blogs this is a big moment.  I didn't see anything really happen other than he can control animals.

Theone 
He gets tortured, but never know why he is tortured.  I think its his sister torturing him to toughen him up. He seems a bit too horny and worried about glory 

Game of Thrones or Walking Dead Sunday

I'm late but finally caught on to the game of thrones on HBO.  This show really surprised me in terms of acting and writing.

It's a good option now that the Walking Dead season 3 has ended.  I can't believe I never heard of this show.   Shows like Breaking Bad and Mad Men get my attention  because of the emmy awards, but the Game of Thrones is a sleeper hit.

I'm mainly obsessed with the Daenerys Targaryen character played played by Emily Clarke.  She portrays a princess sold to a tribe of salvage warriors in exchange for her brother being crowned king of their lost kingdom.  She starts out powerless but her magnetic personality gains her followers, and when her husband dies she manages to have subjects still loyal to her.

I must admit I am a Lannister fan.  Their family is complex but you understand why they take the actions they do.  My second favorite is Jon Snow the bastard.  He comes into a situation where is an outside that was never accepted by anyone.  When he joins the Watcher's, Game of Thrones version of the army reserves, he gains real friends and a chance to start his life over.  A series of bad choices leads him into the camp of the enemy, the Wildlings, but he has caught the eye of a young female warrior that seems like she is so to be wife.

Prince Joffery is hilarious and the Queen is on a whole other level of acting compared to the rest of the cast. You might remember her from 300 as the Queen of the Spartans.

iolence is worth the watne gets interest with each passing week.  This picture sums up the main characters, but some died in last season war so watch to see who is alive