Godzilla: King Of Monsters – the latest in the long line of Godzilla movies that got it wrong.
I fidget in my recliner. It takes discipline to stop glancing at my watch. With every fiber in my being, I hope that all the human characters die.
With any long-running franchise, there will be some hits and misses stuffed into the catalog. Godzilla King of The Monsters, from Warner Brothers, is a low point in the hallowed Japanese monster movie franchise. Here is a top ten list below highlights some of the reasons why.
Two of the more recent Godzilla films gave me high hopes for KOTM. Godzilla (2014) and Shin Godzilla (2016) were high points in the storied monster lizard’s catalog. Each had different treatments of the King of Monsters but were equally enjoyable. Japan’s Shin Godzilla proved that it was possible to make a Godzilla movie with heaps of dialogue and keep the movie interesting.
In all fairness, Godzilla KOM has some decent battle between monsters.
9. Bad parenting. Seriously, half of the plot-triggering events are set in motion by one whiny, spoiled kid. If the screen writers had simply left the angst riddled teen out, of maybe just let Mothra kill her in the opening sequence, the movie would have been infinitely better.
8. Planes that defy laws of physics. Maybe it was all the time I lived in San Diego and watched the Osprey pilots training at USMC School. Godzilla KOM treats the convertible hover plane more like magic that an actual hybrid jet/helicopter. I get it- Osprey’s are super cool, but when you animate them to fly around like toys it brings me out of the movie. (More about planes – See #5)
7. Ken Watanabe is owed an apology. Without even getting the chance to utter his signature line from the from the 2014 Godzilla “Let them fight“, Wantanbe’s screen time is cut seriously short. Drowning in terrible one-liners from a crowded cast of lesser-actors, Wantanbe is a mere stick figure compared to his perforce in the 2014 monster movie.
6. Gareth Edwards left the project in May 2016. Edwards, the talented director who delivered the 2014 Godzilla, was replaced by Dougherty and the movie went through a series of rewrites. That was the red flag that signaled the movie was going to be in development hell. The expected output
5. An Osprey crash landing inside another plane. EVEN with giant monsters, aka Titans, waging war on each other, I couldn’t get over how ridiculous this scene was. Seriously!? Crash landing an Osprey – on an ascending path nonetheless – inside the hanger of a flying steath bomber?! Who fucking green lit this idea?!
4.
3. PC Army cringy-ness. In the true spirit of the absolute worst of Battleship, the military in this movie is comprised of every stereotype in the book. It was like they sat down with a list of every oppressed minority group in the world and gave them each a character in the infantry, or air force.
2. Way too long. This movie drug on, and on, and on… Was there a summer blockbuster running length quota to fill? If the creators of Godzilla King of Monsters had simply cut the items from this top ten list, the movie’s run time would have been a much more tasty 90 mins.
1. Stupid. Fucking. Humans. I hate to beat a dead horse, but every review that – every review that wasn’t paid off by marketing that is – drones on about the same point: The humans ruin this movie. A force fed story about family problems takes center stage over two beloved monsters smashing up Tokyo. You lost me by the time the mother and daughter had their second on-screen spat.
From Madison Square Garden, New York, NY – with a surprising change of headliner – Bellator 222 is aiming to bring the heat. On Fri. Jun 14, 2019 the Prelims start at 7:30pm and the Main card begins at 10:00 pm ET.
From Favela to Fame
In the run-up to the highly anticipated match on June 14th Slickster Magazine was granted an exclusive interview with former Bellator Bantamweight champion Eduardo Dantas (21-6), who is set to enter to ring against Juan Archuleta (22-1) as a featherweight.
Dantas speaks with children in his home country of Brazil about the power of sport and education to transform lives.
Speaking through a translator, Dantas told Slickster about his rough-and-tumble upbringing in Santo Amaro, a poverty-stricken favela outside of Rio de Janiero. Dantas’ father died when Eduardo was still just a young boy, but his mother made it her mission to keep Eduardo and his sister away from the drugs and the violence that plagued the streets outside their home. “It wasn’t easy,” Dantas said, “but she did the best she could.” To this day, Dantas says that he looks to his mother as a source of inspiration both inside and outside the ring, and draws a certain strength from the struggles she endured.
Seeking to channel his energy somewhere positive, Dantas picked up the martial art of ju-jitsu at the age of 13, following the advice of a friend. He soon began training at a gym run by BJJ legend Andre Pederneiras, but watching other men utilizing other forms of martial arts pushed Eduardo to want more. Following up on this drive, Dantas entered into his first MMA competition at the age of 17. By 2008, at the age of 19, Dantas entered into the Shooto Competition and bested the Japanese champion Masakatsu Ueda to take home the Shooto 132-pound world title, which he would hold for the next two years. Finally, in 2011, Dantas received an invitation from Bellator to compete in the Season Five Bantamweight Tournament.
Bellator Breakout
That tournament allowed Dantas to show off his skills on the world stage as he defeated Wilson Reis, Ed West, and Alexis Villa to become the tournament champion. Building upon this success, Dantas went on to challenge champion Zach Makovsky at Bellator 65 in 2012 for the Bellator Bantamweight title, a fight which he would win via technical submission in the second round. That belt, however, was lost to Joe Warren 2014 at Bellator 128 but reclaimed by Dantas once again at Bellator 156, when Dantas bested friend and former teammate Marcos Galvão via unanimous decision.
Dantas would successfully defend that belt in a rematch against Joe Warren at Bellator 166 and again against Leandro Higo at Bellator 177 before losing it once more – this time to former NCAA national wrestling champion Darrion Caldwell at Bellator 184.
Following his loss to Caldwell Dantas was defeated at Bellator 202 by former UFC fighter Michael McDonald via knockout in the first round, but he rebounded to take down Toby Misech at Bellator 215 this February. Looking back at the match against Misech, Dantas tells Slickster that it was one of his most memorable bouts. “He was coming off a serious foot injury and heavy surgery” Dantas’ translator explained. “In his head, he was worried…It was a personal challenge and he was very happy to see he could overcome that challenge.”
The move up to the featherweight division represents yet another challenge for Dantas, but it seems to be one he believes he can overcome like all the rest.
Dantas vs. Archuleta
Coming into Bellator 222, Dantas says he’s looking to mix up his style and focus on several different martial arts in order to maximize his abilities and capitalize upon his arsenal of skills. That said, however, his translator did say that there has been an especially strong focus on striking in recent weeks as Dantas moves to shore up some of the weaknesses he perceives in his technique.
“He’s trying to mix everything and not focus on just one,” his translator explained. “But, because he comes from a jiu-jitsu background he is focusing right now on boxing and striking.” He also added that Dantas has been spending a significant amount of time studying Archuleta’s style, and is adjusting techniques based upon what he sees.
The step into the featherweight arena is a big move for Dantas, but he says that the bump in weight isn’t all bad. “He has to eat a lot more which makes him very happy” his translator laughed.
Archuleta is coming into this fight on a 17-fight win streak, but that success streak doesn’t seem to bother Dantas at all. “Juan is a very tough athlete and plays with the rules under his arm. I have everything in my favor, reach, height, I’m faster. Where the fight is, I will be dominating,” the Brazilian brawler told reporters. “I’m (even) faster at Featherweight — the fans (should) get excited…I’m going to win this fight.”
Should he take Archuleta down, Dantas says that he is looking forward to a rematch against Darrion Caldwell and another shot at the belt in the future.
To see if Dantas has what it takes to stop the seemingly unstoppable win-streak out of Archuleta, tune in this Friday, June 14th, to watch Bellator 222 live!
Mixed martial arts promotion Bellator MMA is bringing some top-notch fighting talent to New York on June 14 for Bellator 222, and fight fans around the world are eager to watch some of MMA’s biggest names go toe-to-toe in the World’s Most Famous Arena – Madison Square Garden. Neiman Gracie (age 30) will be headlining that bout with a matchup against the Bellator Welterweight World Champion Rory MacDonald, sharing the main card with former UFC champs Lyoto Machida and Chael Sonnen. In an exclusive interview with Slickster Magazine, the Jiu-Jitsu specialist talked about the upcoming event and explained that he’s following in his family’s footsteps as he climbs the ranks of the MMA world.
Neiman Gracie has no plans of retreat or surrender at Bellator 222.
Born to Jiu-jitsu royalty
Jiu-jitsu, according to Neiman, is in the Gracie blood and was an activity that seemed to come naturally at every family gathering. “We were always grappling whenever we got together,” Neiman explained. “It was great to grow up as a Gracie, I learned a lot.”
Receiving his education from legendary kinsmen like Royce and Helio Gracie, Neiman says that he honed his skills in jiu-jitsu as a young man, adapting the art to best suit his body type and putting his own flair on the techniques he learned growing up. It was watching his uncle Royce compete in the UFC, however, that convinced Neiman to move out of the world of jiu-jitsu and expand into the wider realm of mixed martial arts. He entered into the MMA world with a debut fight at the World Series of Fighting promotion WSOF 5 in Atlantic City, NJ, back in 2013, in a night that was especially important not just to Neiman but to the whole Gracie clan.
“Two of my cousins were also on the cards,” Neiman said. “Gregor and Rolles also had their first fight the same night as me.” Neiman, however, was the only Gracie to score a victory at that event – Rolles was defeated in the second round via KO from Derrick Mehmen, while Gregor lost via unanimous decision to Richard Patishnock. Neiman, however, managed to submit Darren Costa 3:57 into the first round via armbar, beginning a steadily rising career in the MMA world.
The following year, Neiman moved into Bellator MMA. Since then, several other big names have made their way to Bellator and other fighting leagues, something which Neiman sees as a sign of good things to come. “I think it’s great for the sport because there won’t be one group controlling everything,” Neiman told Bellator when asked about the exodus of big-name fighters from the UFC. “Hopefully we’ll start to get bigger contracts because of it, and we can get paid like boxers.”
Bellator 222
A New Yorker for the past several years, Neiman says that he might have some hometown advantage over his opponent Rory MacDonald during their upcoming MSG matchup on June 14. “I get to sleep in my own bed,” Neiman joked before reminding us that once those gates are locked anything can happen and any advantages can fly out the window.
To help ensure that he keeps his edge in the fight Neiman says that he’s preparing for this fight more than ever before, ramping up his training and expanding his skills into boxing, wrestling, and Muay Thai to complement his well-honed jiu-jitsu talent. “Muay Thai really mixes well with jiu-jitsu,” Neiman explained, saying that his last performance against Ed Ruth at Bellator 213 serves to highlight how he has worked to blend the two arts to his advantage.
When asked about the upcoming match, Gracie spoke well of his opponent’s abilities in the octagon. “Rory, he’s pretty good everywhere” he said before mentioning that MacDonald was primarily a striker. Despite this, Neiman also said that MacDonald was skillful on the ground and his jiu-jitsu skills were something to be recognized. When it comes to those jiu-jitsu abilities, however, Neiman didn’t seem too phased. “I think I’m the best in the world at that” Neiman told Slickster, explaining that MacDonald’s real danger would come from his potent standup game.
The Future
If Gracie manages to take MacDonald down at 222, he says that his next step is to face two-time Welterweight World Champion Douglas Lima. Lima is fresh off a stunning knockout victory against Michael “Venom” Paige at Bellator 221, but Gracie says that he isn’t too worried.
“His fighting style is very similar to Rory’s” Gracie said. “It will be a grappler vs. a striker.”
Before he can step into the ring with Lima, however, we still need to see what Gracie does on June 14. So don’t forget to tune in at 10pm and watch all the action go down live at Madison Square Garden!
Bioware Releases Anthem Update 1.2.0 and Cataclysm News
Written by Jonathan Lee, May 31, 2019. Tweet to: @Writerscube
Bioware Hard at Work on Anthem
Even with Bioware’s attempts at transparent communication and multiple updates for Anthem, it has been struggling with a fan base that’s slowly but surely leaking away. However, after EA made it clear that they were not going to give up on Anthem, loyal players expected to see more updates, and of course, the long-awaited Cataclysm Event that was slated for May on the Development Roadmap. Unfortunately, the Cataclysm has since been delayed. This makes sense though when one takes into account how Bioware has been working hard to combat both the preexisting bugs and bugs that arise from solutions made. It takes a lot of time, and they’ve likely been prioritizing fixing things before churning out new content that may or may not have issues.
For almost a whole month, Bioware went virtually silent on any updates or developmental progress for Anthem. Understandably, players were concerned. But after breaking their silence on May 29, Bioware has presented us with not only an update to further patch things up, but they’ve since also given us a look at what we can expect for the still-upcoming Cataclysm Event. (For PC players, there’s a little special something for you regarding the upcoming Cataclysm.)
Meet Update 1.2.0
As far as the update is concerned, some much needed improvements have been implemented. Some of my favorites were for Freeplay. The compass now will indicate when you are near a collectible item, making it easier for achievement hunters and item collectors alike. Fast Travel has also been added, allowing Freelancers to hop from strider to strider in the Freeplay map. And my top fave involves one of the biggest issues that Anthem has faced: Loot. In Freeplay, players will now see a “purple target icon to show an area where an enemy that is guaranteed to drop loot will appear.” That’s not all—you will also see a “white target icon” for the enemy that’s carrying the loot. Sounds like Bioware has been listening to the ongoing loot complaints and is trying to get the loot flowing a little better. We’ll see how well this works out.
There’s also been a large number of updates for the javelins, Strongholds, Fort Tarsis, and more. For the complete list, I would recommend checking it out right here on EA’s own Anthem page.
The Cataclysm is Still Coming
Along with the update, Bioware released a new Developer Livestream showcasing what they had going so far for the Cataclysm Event. In the video, Ben Irving and Jesse Anderson discuss about what’s going to be in the Cataclysm for players. According to the video presentation, we can look forward to an eight-week long event. The first two of the eight weeks will consist of “pre-events”, followed by six weeks of the actual Cataclysm event.
Judging from what’s shown in the video, it looks like players will be finding themselves in areas that have been engulfed in some sort of storm, probably Shaper-related. It would seem that the Cataclysm instances will provide players with scoring, leaderboards, and most important, new loot. That’s right, folks. New loot, including Masterwork and Legendary Support Gear! There are various ways that players will be able to come out victorious, and it sounds like Bioware’s aiming to make this event accessible for all player levels. How much of this comes to fruition depends on the next part: testing and player feedback. It’s made clear that what was shown was still a work-in-progress, so there’s no telling what the full public version of the Cataclysm Event is going to be like. However, it looks like the prospects of a real nice event are looking up.
Be Heard on the Anthem Public Test Server
It was also announced that PC gamers would be first to try the Cataclysm out in Anthem’s own Public Test Server. With that, players will get to give Bioware feedback on what they like or don’t like about the Cataclysm. And with luck, Bioware will have it all in tip-top shape when it becomes available for all. This is an excellent move by Bioware. It provides another avenue for Bioware to communicate with players and to better improve the game.
Final Thoughts
Bioware’s moving in the right direction. What’s going to matter is how effective and how quick they move. The player base has certainly taken a hit. Some players have complained that even with the supposed matchmaking optimization that’s been implemented, it is still taking too long. Personally, most of my matches take roughly one to three minutes. I did have two occasions where matchmaking took me almost five to eight minutes, however.
In light of Bioware’s efforts to improve the game and make sure that they deliver as good of a Cataclysm Event as possible, I’m maintaining my optimism. I sincerely enjoy this game very much and would like to see it make a big comeback. With luck, when the Cataclysm Event kicks off for the public, the player base will find that second wave and there will be a revitalization of both faith and enthusiasm for Anthem.
Let it not be said that Legendary drops never happen… I just need to get better rolls for my gear now.
Southern California brunette, Shannon Smith, is the girl of the week. She recent is recent graduate from SDSU and takes advantage of all the sunshine and good weather has to offer. Riding bikes and flirting with guys on Pacific Beach, hiking the rolling hills to the north, and going out at night keep entertained when she’s not studying.
Travel is also a top priority for Smith. A short list of the premier destinations that she has visited is Tulum, Santorini, France, Spain, and London. International locations – mostly around warm weather and water – draw her attention. Who knows? Maybe a trip to Singapore would be in Smith’s future.
Girl of the Week - Shannon Smith
Slickster Magazine features one stunning model per week.
Live at METATRON V “DarkSynth Edition”; Buenos Aires, Argentina.
05/10/2019
Buenos Aires, Argentina is a cosmopolitan city.Rife with diversity and strong South American culture, it’s no wonder that a retro post-apocalyptic synth resistance musical act could originate there.
FLASH-BACK 2029 is a dedicated team of two Argentinian synthwave musicians.Synthwave, in its current iteration, is a blossoming international genre of music that relies on the 80’s culture to fuel modern electronic music.
UPRISING! is the newest release by Flash-Back 2029, having arrived at digital marketplaces, such as Bandcamp, on May 18, 2019.Currently on the record label Hammerblaze, UPRISING! contains nine primary tracks, and one bonus track – a reimagining of Motörhead’s famous Ace of Spades.
Synthwave is often defined by its incorporation of movie themes and artwork from the 1980’s. James Cameron’s The Terminator and Arnold Schwarzenegger are frequently cited as huge influences on this genre.Why this particular film has such an impact on a musical genre can only be left to speculation.Some practical examples of this are found here in our Synthwave interview archive, such as Kyle Reese Revenge.
However, FLASH-BACK 2029, takes this (Terminator) lore one step further and bases their entire project around it and creates new storylines within The Terminator universe.UPRISING! is set in the year 2029 where, in the years after the war against machines, two tribes of surviving humans battle each other for control.
In their own words,” After the rebellion of the machines and the Dark Years of constant war, the human Resistance was finally able to defeat its own creation, Skynet; but also eliminating with it the entire technological progress achieved so far.
Slickster:Hey guys. Briefly, can you tell us who is who in FB2029 and who plays the guitars and who handles the DJ equipment.
FB2029: Our machinery is divided on the following components: Franco (main songwriter / producer / live guitars) and Valgorth (artist / producer / live DJ interface). The stories of our albums are created by both of us, and we do a lot of different tasks to complement each other.
Slickster: Let’s get the most obvious question out of the way right now… Terminator: Dark Fate will be in the movie theaters soon.With the return of James Cameron (Producer), Linda Hamilton and Arnie, it is a direct sequel to T2: Judgement Day (1991). However, there is already controversy with the movie based on the premise that it dominated by female cast – a Hollywood trend that has some people rolling their eyes. What are your thoughts on Terminator 6, aka Dark Fate?
FB2029: We are curious to see what this new chapter brings to the Terminator universe. It’s great to see Linda Hamilton back to her mighty role though. We don’t care about trends, in general. We make our own minds and fate.
Slickster:UPRISING! is your second album together, but there was a four year hiatus between albums.What were you guys up to during this time?
FB2029: It seems like a big gap between albums, but for us are only micro-seconds. We take our time to make things right. We don’t compromise with art. We simultaneously work on several artistic projects that we don’t truly have a “normal” time-perception. What matters is the final product. We run a metal band, work on music production and a design firm, an artistic solo career, art exhibitions and so on. We are workaholics.
Slickster:Track six on the album, Vicious Marauders, is one of my favorite on UPRISING!. It seems to really encompass all of the elements of your music and delivers a heavy punch.Combining electric guitars with sampled soundbites and retro-sounding drums, Vicious Marauders is a highlight for me.VERY cool harmony in the big guitar chords at 2:40!Can you take us through how you wrote this track and what it means to you?
FB2029: Thanks a lot! We are glad you mention it because it’s one of the most important tracks of the album:
The “Vicious Marauders” represents the other side of the coin in the Wastelands. They are the scavengers of the world in search for Skynet’s lost technology. They are rivals of the “Hammerblaze Riders”. Whether they are good or not, that’s for people to decide. There are no rules in the new world. Life is cruel and one must learn to survive.
Franco: The main melody was used as a Leitmotiv in reference to the “Vicious Marauders” gang and if you pay attention, the melody reappears on the grand finale “The Last Convoy”. Guitars are a little tricky to use on this genre if you ask me. I always find myself trying not to overuse them, but this song was screaming out for Metal guitars!
Finally, the addition of a couple sound clips from Mad Max 2 were the missing bolts and nuts that really convey the tune’s wasteland atmosphere. It’s definitely one of our favs as well.
Slickster: We’ve interviewed synthwave musicians from all of the world, but FB2029 is the first group we’ve talk to from Argentina.Why, in your opinion, has synthwave become such an internationally appealing from of music?
FB2029: Perhaps for the unconventional aura that is transmitted. We know this type of genre evokes certain levels of nostalgic hype; but we see our music beyond that parameter. We think this electronic magic communicate a universal wave of energy and drama that activate certain brain-force emotional elements within ourselves. Like different Metal styles can trigger powerful endorphins, thus happens with Synthwave in other levels. It’s all Art – aural or visual; to be consumed, perceived and amplified by our senses.
Slickster:Continuing on that, how is the synthwave scene in Buenos Aires?Are there lots of people making this kind of music, or is FB2029 the only one?
FB2029: There are many acts producing a great work here in Argentina. We recently share the stage with some of them. It would be unfair and unprofessional to name just a few. The scene is growing stronger though thanks to serious events like Buenos Aires Outrun & Metatron.
Slickster:Do either of you guys have formal training or background in music, or were you mostly self-taught musicians?
FB2029: We are self-taught artists and we don’t have any formal training or background education on music or art. We learnt from our own mistakes. We still do!
Guitarist Franco of Flash-Back 2029 plays on stage in 2019.
Slickster:In The Terminator, Kyle Reese is sent back in time to save Sarah Conner from the T-800.If you could go back in time tell yourself one thing, what would it be?
FB2029: Never surrender. You make your own fate.
Slickster:Will you be doing anymore live shows, like METATRON V, in support of UPRISING!?
FB2029: Absolutely, it’s one of our goals to do more live appearances. For Metatron V, we also count with the presence of a professional cosplayer/actor, Sebastian Sewrjugin (Horror Party), representing “The Terminator”. We want to surprise the audience with something special every time and that always takes some extra work for preparing a new live set. That would result in doing just a few shows per year but really giving our best at each one.
Slickster:Thanks again for sharing your thoughts with Slickster Magazine.Is there anything else you’d like to mention or say that we didn’t get a chance to talk about during the interview?
FB2029: We would like to thank everyone who supports us in any way and for their great feedback after the new album’s release. This is just the beginning…
Olivia Min is from South Korea but has Brazilian heritage in her family. This blend of genetics creates a stunning look of asian demure and South American figure. Olivia is a busty asian with huge boobs, and she knows it. That’s why she likes dressing up in sexy cosplay outfits and taking photographs of herself.
Min is gradually building a loyal following on her Instagram page. When she isn’t smiling for the lens, she often creates her own art – some of which can also be seen on her social media profiles. Her body of work is one that pleases her fans and makes less busty girl jealous of her stacked figure.
Shattering the stereotype that all asian girls have small boobs, Olivia shows that humans can come in all shapes and sizes. Adding to her impressive cleavage is a cute smile and long brown hair. Overall, a tremendous addition to the Slickster Girl of the Week archive. Enjoy, like and share!
Girl of the Week -
Slickster Magazine features one stunning model per week.
In exactly three weeks the Slickster Team will be heading back to Indy PopCon. Every year we go, it seems to get better and better. (And better.) So as we continue to build our tremendous amounts of hype for the event, we figured we’d shed some light for all of you on why conventions are the best. ‘Cuz you know, we’re nerdy.
Cosplay @ Indy PopCon
Whether it’s one of a million Deadpools, an animatronic, full-sized Wookie, or “ahem” full-sized cosplay of Tracer, everybody gets to flex their creative muscles for the weekend, while repping their favorite fandoms. The yearly cosplay contest is always a ton of fun to watch, and this year is sure to excite.
The Indy PopCon Panels
Hands down my favorite panel in my life was at Indy PopCon. Getting to see Kevin Nash and Lisa Marie Varon (A.K.A Victoria in WWE) was amazing and hearing their stories was a hilarious adventure through the debauchery of pro wrestling in the 90s and 2000s. This year promises to be as amazing as ever, and I can’t wait to be the first person to NOT get a question answered when they run out of time as they did at the Overwatch panel. (NO I’M NOT BITTER.)
The Games
Okay, I fucking NERD OUT whenever I get to the games section of Indy PopCon. It’s just got SO MANY AWESOME GAMES. And the best part is that it’s not a bunch of cookie-cutter FPS games with racist 12-year-olds shouting obscenities at me and implications of my mother. No these are games that have, some got damn heart, soul, and love put into them. Games where you can tell people are PROUD of what they’ve done there and want the whole world to play the game.
The Indy PopCon Awards
Alright, gotta brag here. This is my favorite thing to do because it’s something that we do. For the past few years, we’ve awarded games that push the mold.
Games that really have that extra bit of polish on them. Games that are exemplary of the talent and effort that goes into these projects. These past few years we’ve gotten to see games evolve from contenders to champions. And that’s pretty damn cool. (Shoutout to last year’s overall winner: Wraith Games with Collapsus) And what is also pretty damn cool is how there is a podcast award this year. You should totally vote for The Name Doesn’t Matter to win btw. #TNDM)
Meeting People
Whether it’s at a panel, an after-party, or just walking to the event: there’s always someone to talk to at PopCon. The best part about this is how everybody is here for the same reason, but also for different reasons. You can have a conversation with an Overwatch Cosplayer, and they’ll also be really into D&D. And then you’ll mention that the Potterhead who is also a Bard. And next thing you know, everybody is at the panel on podcasting talking about your favorites! (It’s The Name Doesn’t Matter right?)
French electronic music partners, Kyle Reese Revenge, have released their second album. This Night Or Never expands on their previous works and builds upon their humble beginnings playing in rock bands around Paris, France. TNON has ten original tracks of 80’s inspired electronic music and was self-released in December 2018.
Kyle Reese is a fictional character from the Terminator movie franchise. The iconic shotgun-wielding, time traveling human who was sent back to 1984 to do battle with The Terminator (Arnold Schwzenegger), Reese has earned a loyal following of fans through out the years. His namesake is the inspiration for the French musicians.
TNON is blended together of all the ingredients which compose the synthwave genre. Pulsing bass lines are layered among intentionally cheap sounding drum samples, and hung with a drapery of sinewy drones. Other timbres fill out the sonic pallette, including the live guitars and lead synth melodies. The album is entirely instrumental.
Overall the album has a subdued feel to it, like a meandering brook flowing through a neon-filled night scape in a not-too-distant cyber punk future. Shorter song lengths keep the album moving along, and variety of tempos with clever arrangements help to keep the album fresh.
While TNON may be lost among some of the stronger entries into the synthwave genre, Kyle Reese Revenge still shows a lot of promise. The two man musical team continues to hone their craft and strives to further their own take on the genre.
Revenge was kind enough to chat with Slickster Magazine and add their thoughts to our ever-growing catalog of interviews.
Jean Michel Jarre: (Randy) My first contact with electronic synth music when I was a child, my father was listening to his music a lot in the 80’s. And also my first live show was his concert where he used his “famous” laser effects and projections onto the “La Défense” skyline in Paris… Great memories that drove me into synth passion.
– Brad Fiedel (Terminator 1984 soundtrack): Obviously our most important influence Fiedel’s music affected us a lot both when we were children.
– Yuzo Koshiro: Streets Of Rage. Even today, for us it is the best video-game soundtrack ever made.
– Music from Sega Megadrive games like Golden Axe I and II, Altered Beast, Dragon’s Fury, Super Hang On…
Jon McCallum: Brilliant synth master, composer and producer, maybe the most original and creative for us in 80’s synth soundtracks. (Axel) I remember when I watched “Surf Nazis Must Die” on TV, I was like “that music is so awesome”. Lots of 80’s/late 70’s horror movies have great soundtracks (Maniac, Lucio Fulci movies…).
– John Carpenter: The synth master, so many iconic movie themes and classic synth sounds.
– Ennio Morricone: The legend, the start of everything in soundtrack music before the synth era.
– Basil Poledouris: Conan The Barbarian, the best movie soundtrack ever made, epic, intense, tough and timeless.
– 80’s music in general, Synthpop, Post-Punk, Darkwave, Dark Romantic Italo, 80’s Metal, AOR stuff… There were a huge amount of great artists, projects and bands in a wide variety of styles in the 80’s, it’s really inspirational.
Slickster: How long have you been making music – not limited to synthwave – but your entire careers?
KRR: About twenty years ago we began playing in a melodic punk rock band (vocals, bass and guitar) and we’ve kept doing that for many years… Randy also played bass in a Post-Punk/Darkwave band.
In 2008, we began to envision making an electronic synth project influenced by the movies, video games and synth music from the 80’s that we enjoy. Instrumental songs based on 80’s synths, like a soundtrack with drums. But the music needed to be something with more variations; More dynamic and more percussive than just an 80’s movie score. At that time we did not know that there were other people doing this kind of music or even if there would be people who would listen to and enjoy it. At that moment we were mainly focused on our band and it was difficult to lead two projects at the same time. So, it’s only in 2012 – when we disbanded – that we seriously started this electronic synth project that we called Kyle Reese Revenge.
KRR: One big reason for our electronic music industry is that France is not a “Rock country”. It permits a lot of room for other styles of music to grow, and indeed electronic music has become a big part of the French music scene. It’s a really active scene so there is always a desire to create something new, with a proper identity and style, maybe more so than other countries with different music culture.
Slickster: You are based out of Paris.The Yellow Vest Riots, good or bad, have garnered a lot of international media attention.Have you personally witnessed any of these, and if so, have they effected you in any way?
KRR:Yes, the “Gilets Jaunes” movement is part of the current French social atmosphere. It’s a reaction to the society that we are living in, rising against injustice, wrong and unfair politics, economic and social facts.
Unfortunately, we live in a time of changes, most not for the better and this movement is like a signal that shows this “malaise” we feel today. A lot of people are realizing that things are going to get worse for them in the future and that lack of perspective, opportunity for a brighter future creates that anger and despair. When you look at the society these days, it is looking more and more like these dark, tough, hopeless societies depicted in some 80’s movies like Robocop. Fortunately, we’re not there yet, but we are likely going in that direction.
Our music can have a dark feeling and vision of the society, imagining bad things that could come in the future of our modern society. Like we have been thinking at the end of the 80’s, like a storm is coming in…
Slickster:Kyle Reese Revenge is an obvious homage to The Terminator film series.Reese, being the main protagonist in the 1984 movie, is tasked with safeguarding Sara Conner and the future of the human species from genocide at the hands of machines.Of course, it’s one ofArnold Schezenegger’s most famous roles, and James Cameroon’s early directorial successes.
How did you choose this name, and what does KKR mean to you?
Kyle Reese as played by Michael Biehn in The Terminator (1984).
KRR: We like the sensibility of this character, Kyle Reese has true emotions. He is not a machine, he’s just a human like us. Reese is a real hero, not just the guy with only muscles. His story doesn’t have an happy ending, like saving the world and having the good life. No, Reese died for a cause, and he goes out fighting till the bitter end.
In our minds we dream that his spirit can come back today for revenge…
Slickster: You list a lot of video games and game OST as influences on your music.Can you discuss a few of your favorite game soundtracks?
KRR: Streets Of Rage I and II, Golden Axe I and II, Altered Beast, Super Hang On, Dragon’s Fury and Donkey Kong Country I and II. What we love about these games/soundtracks is that they took inspirations from music/pop culture and also underground culture of that time and put them on the console world with their own twist. Streets of Rage soundtrack is the first soundtrack that we’ve heard that sounded like “real” music, the sound quality, the melodies, the arrangement…. They are also so evocative and quintessential of that era, on top of being great music pieces.
Slickster: Name your top five favorite retro games, in no particular order.
KRR: Streets Of Rage (I and II) / Mega Drive, Golden Axe (I and II) / Mega Drive, Sonic (I and II) / Mega Drive, Donkey Kong Country (I and II) / Super Nintendo and Super Mario Bros / NES. These are the video-games that we played the most. Even today, we are never tired of playing them. Like when a classic movie is broadcasted on TV, you cannot change the channel and you will see it till the end with the same pleasure, even if you have already seen it multiple times.
Slickster:Will you be doing any live performances in support of the new album?
KRR: It’s complicated. We are not DJs.
In the past, we played live in our band with instruments like guitar, bass and drums so now it’s difficult for us to stand on stage with just a laptop and some buttons. Ideally, we would like to play live with synths, it would be awesome and a great experience but it’s hard to realize.
Slickster: What advice would you offer to young musicians or other creative feilds, as they are getting started?What is something you know now, than you wished you would have known at the beginning of your career.
KRR: Our best advice would be to create your own style and project, inspirations are good but don’t try to copy, to mimic projects/bands that you like. But instead try to create music that speaks to you, that reflects what you feel. There are a lot of great projects/bands that we like but we wouldn’t be able to do the same kind of music, just because it’s not really us, it doesn’t come out naturally. Sometimes you are playing and composing something that’s OK, but it feels kinda weird, it doesn’t feel right for you. Conversely, when you create something that you really like, you know it right away, it speaks to you.
Again, try not to force yourself to sound like other projects because you love them or because they are popular, take these inspirations and aim to create something more personal.
We don’t want to be pretentious but we always wanted to follow this idea since the beginning.
Slickster: Is there anything else you’d like to mention or say that we didn’t get a chance to talk about?
KRR: For us, the 80’s Synth music will forever be the best era of electronic music. Deeply emotional, evocative, timeless, full of intense feelings and inspirations for the future. And we would like to thank all the persons who support our music. It sincerely matters to us.
Suki Yuki is a Japanese girl from the Hawaiian islands. She is 5’4″ and her measurements are 32-26-34.
She likes watching Rick & Morty, Adventure Time and listening to techno music. If you take her on a date your best bet is to grab a bite of sushi and mint chocolate ice cream.
Suki is down to earth and likes playing video games. Sometimes she prefers RPGs over other games. She often likes going to import car shows and modeling in front of the hot rods.
Girl of the Week - Suki Yuki
Slickster Magazine features one stunning model per week.
Retro Games from the 1980s: How Many Have You Played?
May 6, 2019, 1:00 PM.
Video games have been the talk of the town since the early 1980’s. Gaming development back then was limited, though it still attracted an audience. Some consider playing retro 1980’s video games as plain and simple. The sound effects and background music of those games were not exactly the greatest or most realistic; gaming consoles could only do so much at the time; gaming animation and visual effects were rather primitive. Yet, those qualities did nothing to hinder people from playing classic games. Retro games like The Oregon Trail and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? are some of the very first classic computer games that were played by the consumer market.
Movies inspired by video games have been trending in these modern times. Tomb Raider and Resident Evil, for example, are not just famous retro games, but are also considered high grossing films viewed by, if not all, a large number of audiences from different age groups. For those that didn’t play these games, they were still able to experience those worlds through their movie adaptations.
The Future of Gaming
Technology continually achieves new heights, and gaming has been keeping up, evolving as well. Games are now getting more complex and strategic for gamers. Advanced gaming devices and dynamic custom-build PCs are paving the way in the market for the purpose of improving and providing the best gaming experiences to all gaming enthusiasts out there.They are also a lot more engaging and competitive than games from before. Now you can play in a professional team and compete, and the best part? You can also profit from playing them! Awesome, right? Well, welcome to the 21st century of gaming.
As such, there are tons of eye-catching content from the classic retro games of 1984 to the games of Present Day. From the simple nostalgia of The Oregon Trail arcade era to the increasingly famous, intensive e-sports scenes of Dota 2 and Overwatch. And speaking of e-sports, thanks to the growing popularity of video games as a professional sport, the gaming audience has grown exponentially. Even ESPN has invested in the e-sports scene, going so far as to even create a Collegiate Esports Championship. The future of gaming is bright, and the next generation of gamers are bound to shake the sports world.
Wanna Know Some Cool Things about Esports and the Future of Gaming?
Spotted an unforgettable game from your early days? Share it with us in the comments section below.
Venture Kid, from FDG Entertainment, and Nintendo Switch represents good quality on the Nintendo eShop. It is a fact that some games will channel past inspiration. Venture Kid is part of this same lineage.
Look at games like Devolver Digital and Sobtage’s The Messenger. It reminds you of Tecmo’s Ninja Gaiden. The Messenger is wholly different. The expectations of the player seem higher.
It presents itself in a classic skin but is a new massive undertaking. Playrise Digital and Playrise Edge Ltd’s Table Top Racing World Tour: Nitro Edition pays homage to Codemaster’s Micro Machines. Venture Kid hovers around Capcom’s Mega Man. How close? Is it a first-day purchase for your digital eShop collection?
On the Playground
VK_04 by FDG Entertainment
Doctor Teklov plans to assemble a dangerous secret weapon in his space fortress. You play as Andy. He battles enemies on over nine, distinctly different, levels. Destroy Doctor Teklov, his minions, and his weapon.
Andy starts and uses a basic laser weapon throughout the game. At the end of each level, Andy receives weapon and utility upgrades to assist him in future levels.
FDG Entertainment has already given Nintendo Switch owners Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas and Monster Boy and The Cursed Kingdom. Oceanhorn channels Zelda, but has limits.
The game literally has invisible walls you hit. Monster Boy is a dynamic creation that reignites the Wonder Boy in Monster World series on today’s gaming platforms. The game operates like a daily cartoon show.
Venture Kid recreates the 8-bit graphic style seen in games like Mega Man and earlier Nintendo Entertainment System titles. The game itself has strong platform elements with dynamic action, but it has a predecessor, Mega Man, that is in a class of its own.
Venture Control
VK_05 by FDG Entertainment
Venture Kid uses the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, individual Nintendo Switch Joy Cons, and the Nintendo Switch Dog bone controller to play the game on television. You can also use the Nintendo Switch portable mode for play.
Control Andy with the cross pad, or analog sticks. Players use the X or Y buttons to shoot. Use the B or A buttons to jump in this game. When Andy receives his upgrades, you can cycle through them with the L, ZL, R, and ZR buttons.
Andy responds to your every movement. The game allows you to attack, defend, or evade as you choose.
Venture Problem
VK_02 by FDG Entertainment
Venture Kid steps into the shoes of the first Mega Man. Capcom’s Mega Man, however, is a beast. The game starts with a pick your poison, level select screen, insane level designs and enemies, and ends with a crazy final battle.
Venture Kid is smaller. It has a similar level select screen. The level design is there. Doctor Teklov is nasty in the final battle. It just does not have the same grind as Mega Man. For example, the choices you make on Mega Man’s level selection screen can dictate a path to take to the end of the game.
For example, you might have to defeat Gutman before you can approach Cutman’s level. Venture Kid’s levels can play out in any number of ways. You can take a linear path, or tackle each level as you see fit. The game is more accessible than Mega Man.
Mega Man’s enemies and levels all beat you down to an absolute pulp. Venture Kid’s enemies and levels offer leniency. Mega Man makes you earn every extra life, power up, health, and weapon upgrade. Venture Kid offers a shop for players to use throughout the game.
You can purchase, as you gather currency, extra lives, weapon refills, extra health, a special health carrier, and other game bonuses. This is available in the Adventure and Classic modes of this game.
This is a double edge sword. Players who want an oppressive challenge will not find it in those modes. The game offers a Survival Mode. This mode shuffles the elements of the whole game and makes players work through a mishmash of level elements to complete specific goals.
Conclusion
VK_01 by FDG Entertainment
The base of Venture Kid, the Classic and Adventure modes, forgive much more than Mega Man. This is good for players who want to remember Mega Man’s style, but not the challenge. The harsh challenge has to come with a game like Mega Man Collection 1&2 on Nintendo Switch, or Venture Kid’s Survival Mode
Venture Kid is good. It feels good to play it. The game is a classic and mimics Mega Man’s style. The problem is all of Venture Kid compares to all of Mega Man.
Mega Man is a massive game to follow. Venture Kid can be in the same room. The challenge of the game will vary for each player. Mega Man has a challenge level that every player respects and despises but understands.
Destiny 2’s Verdant Forest is the Perfect Foundation for a Guardian’s Endless Dungeon
Written by Jonathan Lee, April 28, 2019, 9:00pm. Tweet to: @Writerscube
Bungie has continued to do its best in keeping Destiny fresh in the minds of its player base, even in the face of new live-service games such as Ubisoft’s The Division 2 and Bioware’s Anthem. With the Division 2 boasting around 2k-3k viewers on Twitch and Anthem having dramatically dropped due to recent news of both negative survey results and a delay in Bioware’s developmental roadmap, Destiny 2 has persevered, with over 6k views on Twitch when last checked during the writing of this article.
There is a variety of reasons as to how Destiny 2 has remained so strong in the gaming and the streaming communities, aside from establishing its brand with Destiny 1, but a lot of it has to do with how Bungie has worked hard to craft new game modes (such as Gambit, which now sports Gambit Prime and the Reckoning, both of which are immensely fun). These new game modes have worked wonders in keeping the players engaged and coming back for more. Then there’s the implementation of Seasons. With each Season, like the current Season of the Drifter, we’re given another morsel of story progression along with new gameplay, and of course, new sweet, sweet loot.
And still, Bungie keeps giving us more to come back.
Enter Destiny 2’s Spring Revelry
Recently, we had an event known as Revelry, celebrating the start of Spring and bringing us back the endless Forest of the Vex. It started on April 16 and will be ending on May 7 along with the weekly reset, according to Bungie’s own blog. Along with the event came a familiar face, Eva Levante. Some of you probably remember her from the wintry events that came before. The way to get the best loot out of this event is to grab bounties from Eva and take the fight to either the Verdant Forest, Crucible, or Strikes. Meanwhile, you can acquire Revelric Light and use them to give yourself some boosts while participating in game modes, or you can use them to take your chances at random engrams and save up for an exotic weapon that only becomes available for purchase when you complete a certain Triumph.
Bungie’s Step into Randomized Dungeons for Destiny 2?
All in all, Revelry has been a blast so far! And I’m sad that there’s only a week left of it. This has a lot to do with what Revelry brought to us in the form of the Verdant Forest. When you go to the Forest, you have to complete various, randomized stages of the Forest while under a timer. But every kill you make adds to your time, as well as the timer for the final stage. So, as long as you can keep killing before the timer runs out, you could just keep building up time. This is important because the final stage involves fighting multiple bosses. And you’ll need that final stage timer to be as built-up as possible.
This is a fun way to keep a randomized stage activity engaging for players. It gives them incentive to give it their all. And what’s more, the more bosses you beat, the more loot chests you get at the end (which means more Revelric Light and possible loot). You start getting the picture, there’s a well-designed system here of player participation and player reward. If I had to draw a comparison, it would be like Grim Dawn’s Crucible DLC or Diablo 3’s Nephalim Rift, you get rewarded more for the deeper you get (and survive) into the game mode.
My hope is that Bungie will take Revelry and turn it into something of a permanent fixture in the Destiny 2 world. The randomized dungeon generator has been an effective way of prolonging a game for many titles, and with this being an online game, it’s especially important to provide players with more engaging ways to dive in. We can only take on the same Strikes and Crucible maps over and over, for so many times.
How Could Bungie Pull It Off… and Better?
Bungie may have to do more though than making the Vex Forest a permanent location for players to visit. Currently, the Verdant Forest of Revelry provides a randomized arrangement of preset terrain. These stages phase in with the activation of each new gate upon killing everything. To make it truly endless for players to challenge themselves and enjoy, there would need to be a true system of randomization that will craft new terrain arrangements each time. Over the weeks of playing, I felt like I had memorized all the terrain sets by my second week. But wouldn’t it be neat if you could never guess what was going to phase in past that next gate?
Next, will be the loot. Right now, getting more loot chests at the end per boss beaten is working great. And building up that Final Stage time is a great way to add some challenge. But with an endless mode, there comes ways to amp up the loot game, to push players to go further. One could add greater challenges for players to explore if they manage to get through that first set of bosses at the end. Or there could be an increase in better loot chances or stats for loot drops as you fight your way through tougher and tougher iterations. There’s all kinds of possibilities and players would gobble it up because the endless dungeon concept can always promise more.
Final Thoughts
I think this is a sweet, sweet opportunity for Bungie to add to Destiny 2’s quality-of-life as well as longevity. Making it a temporary event does encourage players to scrabble for the loot and goodies while there’s still time. But making a truly randomized dungeon mode could provide a lasting sense of player motivation. While I’m splitting my attention between Destiny 2, Warframe, and Anthem, I certainly find myself returning to Destiny 2 still more than the rest. And that’s because Bungie has really hit its stride. I’d love to see them continue that with giving players another major addition to game modes, much like they’ve done with the wonderful Gambit, Gambit Prime, and Reckoning.
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Miranda is the featured girl of the week. This blonde bombshell has stunning eyes and figure that will make any man weak in the knees and strong on the bed.
Her muses are snakes and Japanese anime. You can check out her IG profile, and witness her handling serpents. If herpetology isn’t your bag, just admire Miranda’s love of posing her full figure in a small bikini.
Everyone knows Instagram followers can be bought. She has earned everyone her followers the hard way…. not that ‘hard way’.
Girl of the Week - Miranda Jacklyn
Slickster Magazine features one stunning model per week.
