Does Homefront keep you at home playing?

You wake up one morning. It’s a day just like any other. You look out your window and view a humvee as it rumbles down your street. You see the overgrown vegetation that took over you local sports store. Suddenly a knock at your door draws your attention. You reach for the knob then….

BAM! It dawns on you: “Home is where the war is”.

Homefront grabs the player and thrusts them into a world most would rather leave unexplored. From the opening scene the message is sent that this is a battle worth fighting. The game exposes the atrocities of a totalitarian occupation as well as the adaptation of a nation changed for the worse. Nothing is more emotionally engaging than fighting on your own soil, and that’s Homefront’s greatest strength.

The game play is playable but uninspired. Seldom were there any innovations. Most of the time you moved at a snail’s pace because your allies got their feelings hurt if you tried going on alone. It often felt that any innovations in the game were just something the developer thought was cool at the time. For example towards the end of the game the player is given control of a C-130 gunship. This lasts less than a minute… Another example is around the halfway mark you are given control of a “Little Bird” helicopter. However, for being the climax of the game it is uninspired and is annoying to play.

Homefront’s multiplayer is fun, but gets old. Yes it’s fun to defend a position until you’re out of ammo. However the game is plagued by snipers. It suffers from sudden death almost immediately after spawn and causes major problems for the player.

Homefront’s story is amazing. The settings, and the sound, all prove themselves. Homefront’s focus was misplaced and that’s its greatest weakness.

Crysis 2 is so pretty, but can it stand up?

Crysis 2 is a revolutionary title in the sense of graphical prowess.  Outside of that it is a fairly well done shooter. Though shooting is the only controllable aspect to the game. This doesn’t mean the game is boring by any means, what it does mean is that you won’t be doing much else than that.

Crysis 2 takes place in a post apocalyptic New York where an alien threat has the means to wipe out humanity. You take on the role of Alcatraz, a Marine, turned super hero when he is given the coveted Nano Suit.

There are a few things to spice up the action such as the ability to turn invisible and some acrobatics.  The acrobatics, however, aren’t that practical. Yes, you feel like a superhero jumping from one building to another, silently taking out a sniper, and then using his weapon against his friends. However moments like this are few and far between. The action just doesn’t seem as fluid as it should be.

Another gripe is with some balancing issues. When using the “Stealth” ability, you can’t move faster than a crawl. It would have been much more enjoyable to be able to smash into an enemy alien that never saw you coming rather than silently creeping up on him to get a “stealth kill”. The armor ability just outclasses the stealth one.  For example, when using the armor ability you are immune to damage for a short period of time. Surviving explosions and high caliber fire is much more enjoyable than avoiding them.

Another issue is with a few glitches, mainly with the melee system. A glitch would often occur where the player could not melee at all. It often led to situation that would’ve been much easier if the character would have just hit the alien in the head. It is an unneeded challenge that ruins much of the flow of the game.

This is not to say the game is bad. It simply means that its expectations were too high. The game’s predecessor revolutionized gaming. It made the player believe that their character could destroy any threat. It often gives you that same feeling in the sequel, just not enough to warrant a perfect score. It’s still one of the most enjoyable games of the year, though the year is still young. Still, you won’t find a more beautiful game anywhere on the market.

Will You Survive?: Dead Space 2

It’s happening again…. Those are the only instructions given to a player upon entering the world of Dead Space 2.

The main character of Dead Space, Isaac Clark, has been rescued from deep space after destroying the ship the first game took place on, the Ishimura. Three years later he finds himself in the midst of another necromorph (mutations of humans outbreak). The player must struggle to find his way to anyone they can trust, and to figure out the source of the madnes

The story of Dead Space 2 is phenomenal. The player feels for the protagonist, and wants him to survive the deadly ordeal. As the story progresses you come across a small but very diverse cast of characters.  From Eli, an engineer whom survived the initial outbreak, to Nicole, Isaac’s “dead” girlfriend.

The game play of Dead Space 2 is refined from the first but more of the same. You still have to cut the limbs off of enemies. However the addition of new types of enemies spices gameplay up.  Nothing is more satisfying then using the contact beams giant beam to one shot enemies that once were too strong to destroy.

On the multiplayer front, Dead Space it is a game of teamwork and communication. Every player to survive in order to win. Each also only has access to different weapons. So teams need to strategically decide what weapons will be most potent.

 Dead Space 2 is a fantastic ride through a world unlike our own. If a story and scares are what you want look no further.

True Grit is as gritty as it gets

True Grit is a remake of the 1969 movie of the same name. Directed by the Coen Brothers, the directors behind films such as Burn After Reading and Raising Arizona.

 Opening with the narration of the main character Mattie Ross, narrated by Elizabeth Marvel and played by Hailie Steinfeld, who informs the audience the murder of her father. She arrives in the town where her father was murderd and from there tries to recruit the work of Rooster Cogburn, played by Jeff Bridges, to hunt down her father’s killer Tom Chaney, played by Josh Brolin. As they travel into the Choctaw territory, where Chaney was said to have run away to, they meet many colorful characters and soon become Mattie Ross realizes how dangerous the journey really was.

The acting in this film is phenomenal. Mattie Ross is a smart and surprisingly vengeful character for being so young. Meanwhile, Bridge’s performance as Rooster Cogburn was as gruff and fearless as possible. Both characters are extremely deep; however both have a comedic side to both of them. These scenes are amazing relief from the depressing world they live in.

This is as a fantastic western. A movie that truly does reemphasize the phrase “film is art”. The characters deep, the setting perfect, and the interaction amazing. This is a movie that has gone above and beyond.

Homecoming Review: RB really does go Gaga

On Saturday, September 18^th students funneled into the gymnasium to attend the “RBHS GOES GA GA!” homecoming dance. Couples, lone dancers, wall flowers, and groups of friends all came out to and enjoy the night for all it was worth.

The theme for the dance was voted on last year by the 2010 seniors. The theme largely came out of an episode from the popular T.V. series Glee. “We got the name from an episode from the show” said Student Association Sponsor, Mrs. Ziola, “We even got the Ga Ga part from it. We also got wanted to have the theme “RB Goes Ga Ga” because Lady Ga Ga is such a popular artist.

The decorations were very colorful. In typical RB fashion, lights of all colors flew around the room, and strobe lights constantly flickered.  The posters either visually represented or named two songs of the pop artist for whom the dance was named–Alejandro and Paparazzi.

The music selection consisted mainly of pop music (Lady Ga Ga songs included) and blended together. There were no exceptionally memorable songs, but they served their purpose for the night.

One thing that sure is to be remembered is the false fire alarm that happened around 9:00 o’ clock. Set off by the smoke machines, students were forced to stand out in the rain as firemen inspected the school for any signs of real danger.

Ultimately the night went off without any night ruining problems, and ended being a fairly successful night.

If you have ideas for future dances, or just want to vote on a theme, go to the Student Association Meetings that are held on Wednesdays.  

Party crashers face federal charges

On Tuesday, November 24 two attention-seeking adults (Michaele and Tareq Salahi) crashed an invitation only dinner at the Whitehouse. Before being able to enter, the couple’s SUV was rejected at a secret service checkpoint.

The audacity of these two individuals is amazing, as they left their SUV and went to a non-vehicle checkpoint where they reportedly pressured the secret service agent at the gate into allowing them to enter. The agent was reportedly trying to keep the line moving because of the rainy weather. Once inside the Salahis roamed the Whitehouse party eventually getting close enough to touch the President and Vice President.

They ensured that they took many photos.  The secret service became aware of the incident only after the couple posted several photos on their Facebook page.

Currently two senators are pursuing criminal and federal charges against the couple.

Personally, I agree with these charges. The couple entered an event that had a very influential person who some people would like to see dead. They broke the law (a federal one no less) in order to reap self-benefits, all the while making a mockery of the United States secret service and military. These people showed disrespect for their President and their country.

I personally hope that these people get punished for what they have done. They committed a selfish and illegal act that not only affected Obama’s administration, but also harmed the country’s opinion of him. People before were just questioning his policies now however they question everything from his life to his security procedures.

People should pay less attention to Tiger Wood’s car crash (I do hope he will be okay), and concentrate on the Federal Law the Sahali’s so blatantly ignored.

Veteran’s day appreciation

Once a year the people of the United States honor the 24,900,000 veterans who have lived and died for America.

Many people take this day to Bar-Be-Que and spend time with their family. Most veterans however take this day to reflect on their fallen comrades and what they have done for their country.

Contrary to popular belief, Veteran’s Day is a solemn day especially for those who have fought for this great country. We as Americans owe our lives to veterans, but rarely do we show it.

What many people do not realize is that veterans fought for every right they have. When someone speaks out against the war and how soldiers should stop fighting, the person might not realize that if he/she lived anywhere else in the world the right to speak freely may not exist. I feel that we often take advantage of the rights we are given and that most of us don’t appreciate the sacrifices made by those who serve.

Veterans never say why they have done what they have done because the answer is universally known among them: they did it for their country.

The point is when Veteran’s Day rolls around, be sure to thank a veteran for the sacrifices they have made. Whether they are your sister, brother, mom, dad, grandpa, cousin, uncle, or aunt, be sure to let them know that their sacrifices were not made in vain. Veterans don’t need a party on V-Day—they just need to know that what they have done is not taken for granted.

Dragon Rising doesn’t rise to the top

Few PC shooters truly capture the brutality of war. Many have tried but have fallen flat thanks to graphical limitations and complicated controls. Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising (a multiplatform shooter released on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3) however does not. Operation Flashpoint is set in fictional 2010 where China has invaded the Russian province of Skira (in reality an island off the coast of Alaska named Kiska) in order to obtain the islands coveted oil fields. Russia, which fears all out war on its eastern border, asks the United States to recapture the island on its behalf.

The game gives you that quick back story, along with a history of Skira and then leaves you and your squad to fend for yourselves. This is something that adds subtly to the realism, because real life soldiers do not know why they do what they do only that their objective must be accomplished.

Your only weapons on hand are an assault rifle and a sidearm. These weapons are useless at ranges longer than 40 meters, so a planned assault from a mile away is almost impossible. You do get a pair of binoculars, which are a life saver, enabling you to observe the enemy from greater distances.

Something else you will discover right away is that the map is overwhelmingly large. The island spans 32 kilometers and you don’t have any form of transportation. Your closest objective is two kilometers away; a distance that traveled on foot takes close to forty-five minutes in real time to traverse. The game does do a great job of making these treks extremely intense!

For example, after I destroyed a Surface-to-Air missile launcher I began a 950 meter walk to disable a radar generator. I sprinted gleefully, and confidently, over my triumph thinking that I was unstoppable. The sad reality was that I led my squad to their deaths. As I neared my objective an enemy sniper wounded me. As I bled out screaming “Medic” I was forced to watch as my squad scrambled to try and protect themselves.

As I watched the loading screen, I changed my tactics and eliminated the enemy far more effectively. However some things were very disappointing.

The game concentrates on realism, and the truth is, it’s not executed very well. The rate at which you switch weapons is extremely sluggish; it makes you wonder if your character tethered his weapons to his feet. Another main gripe is the abysmal vehicle controls. Your vehicles perform pathetically and you will indeed crash periodically which will give your position away to the incredibly smart AI). Finally the game ramps up the difficulty at the most inappropriate times. You will periodically see your enemy with more soldiers, weapons and air support. This also takes away from the “realism” when you’re on a “stealthy” recon mission and you are automatically eradicated by a helicopter. This makes the game almost impossible even on easy difficulty. Operation Dragon Rising is an ambitious title with a lot of good things about. Sadly it cannot compare with the more fun titles out there. If you want a military shooter that sticks to real life you should get this.

Overall the concept is amazing; dive into the boots of a marine and fight for your life in a realistic fashion. Trust me; you get a lot of bang for your buck. However, throughout the game you can’t help but feel the developers could’ve worked a little bit harder on the controls, and game play instead of the graphics.

6/10

Will Modern Warfare deliver?

How did you feel when you rappelled from a Black Hawk helicopter onto a freighter and stormed through the crew quarters? How about when you saved a downed “Cobra” gunship pilot and a nuclear bomb blew you right out of the sky? Or when you desperately tried to evade and destroy a “Hind” helicopter gunship as you sped down a Russian freeway? Well if you’re looking for that adrenaline pumped action once more, where else to look than the true successor to Call of Duty 4, Modern Warfare Two.

Anyone who has ever played a Call of Duty game knows that the popular series is mainly about World War 2. Four out of the soon to be six installments of the series are based around the brave endeavors of the men who fought the heroic battles of Normandy, and more recently Okinawa and Pelileu. Anyone who enjoyed Call of Duty 4 knows that the long awaited sequel to the 2007 game of the year will be released on Nov. 11, 2009.

A lot of speculation has been going around the Internet as to what exactly the storyline is. What exactly happened to Soap MacTavish after eliminating Zakhaev? Did Captain Price pull through after your jeep crashes? Who were the mysterious SAS unit that skulked though that 747 airliner to save a hostage? All these questions and more will hopefully be answered in the next installment.

However new questions do arise by simply watching a teaser trailer. Recently fans of the series discovered that you will have to defend Washington D.C. from being destroyed, most likely toward the end of the game. Also gamers now know that civilians will be thrown into the mix, meaning now you will have to pick your targets wisely. Fans also know that Soap MacTavish does make a return as your Commanding Officer. Something rather unclear though is to what exactly the story has in store for us. Will we experience the same level of danger that we felt diving into Sgt. Paul Jackson’s boots for the first time? Will it be more emotional? Will you be the cause of this war?

The multiplayer has been under wraps, but it is clear that the perk system will be back. One notable new perk will be the ability to pilot an AC-130 Gunship and rain down on our foes. New weapons will also be available.

Modern Warfare Two is bound to meet criticism because of high expectations. However we will just have to wait until November 11 to see if it outdoes its predecessor or falls flat.

National options

From the first days a student steps within the halls of high school they ponder what life will be like post graduation. Will I go to college? Will I get a job? Will I get my own apartment? Will I provide for myself?

These are only a few of the many questions that are likely to pop into your head as you transition into the life ahead of you.

However one lesser known option lies with joining the military, notably the National Guard. Even though I myself am only a freshman, I am fully aware of the advantages the Guard can provide for you and what they do.

Even in our own community, their influence is evident. From the post in North Riverside to the farthest reaches of the United States, they help preserve peace and order in our communities.

The National Guard is also a provider of several opportunities for high school graduates. Whether they are from RB, LT, Morton West, Morton East, these opportunities are abundant and can give anyone a jump start in life.

One opportunity the National Guard provides to its guards is a chance to go to college. They pay up to seventy-five percent of a college education, whether it is Medical School, Forensic Science, Engineering, Teaching, and even Journalism.

The Guard also offers the opportunity to travel. This profession allows guard members to see and become familiar with the entire country.

The best part about the Guard however is that when you join you don’t have to stay in for life. You can serve for two, four, or six year terms of service. This option is typically for those who want to pursue dreams other than serving in the Guard.

The National Guard is a great choice for someone who may not have the same assets as everybody else (i.e. a scholarship of some sort), and can instill discipline, respect, and honor in anyone who decides to take that path.

For more information go to the National Guard web site.