Indiana Jones zombie game has been confirmed

Slickster

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February 29, 2016

Indiana Jones zombie game has been confirmed

2/29/2016, 11:15 p.m.
Tweet to: @Slickster_Mag

Never mind Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Forget The Walking Dead. Fuck Fallout 4. This blows them all away. Stephen Spielberg has finally given in to his fans demands to make another great Indiana Jones game. Indiana Jones Nazi Zombie Hunters is currently under development and slated for release in July of 2016. The game will be released on all major consoles (Xbox, PS4, Wii) as well as a PC version. There is an online multiplayer version that will be released after the initial game’s beta trials.

The game play will feature many playable characters from the Indiana Jones lore. According to sources close to the project, Indy himself will not be a playable character right off the bat.

“…If we let everyone start off as Indy, there wouldn’t be much room to grow. Everyone loved Short Round from Temple of Doom, and it just seemed like a logical place to start. Why show your ace from the very beginning? Players will lose interest. We’ve kicked around the idea of having Indiana be a choice from the start and incorporating a leveling up system for the weapons. The problem was, starting off with only a whip to kill stupid zombies just didn’t…. well, it sucked! (laughs) It was great for Castlevania, but not for the modern FPS genre….”

*Mola Ram will be a playable character in the highly anticipated Indiana Jones Zombie game.*

Aside from Short Round, the other choices that have been announced are Henry Jones Sr. (played by Sean Connery in The Last Crusade), Marion Ravenwood, and for all you who like the dark side of the force, Mola Ram will also be an option.

“...Let’s face it, ripping out hearts is just a cool visual! All the developers loved that scene in T.O.D., so we added it in as easter egg for ourselves. It was never meant to be anything serious….like, you would run into some obscure corner of the map and there would be Mola Ram conjuring up the Nazi Zombies or something. But we kept adding and adding to it, and it started to take on a life of it’s own. Finally, like after 15 Red Bulls or something, someone said, ‘Why don’t we just make Mola Ram one of the Zombie hunters?’ That was basically how it got started…“

There have been many games attached to the franchise, and like so many titles, video game adaptations of popular movie titles never seem to live up to the movie that inspired them. Often, they are rushed hack jobs that get spewed on to the shelf with the only intention of squeezing a few more bucks out consumers. Indiana Jones wasn’t spared from this fate. However, Lucas Arts did manage a good stream of early interactive adventure games, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis being the most well known of the lot.

But what about the zombies? Great source material doesn’t mean anything if the game isn’t fun and has a high replay value. Game developers, LJN, claim there will be a main linear mission that will give about 16-22 hours of gameplay time. Completing Indiana Jones Zombies on various difficulty settings will also unlock bonus stages and side missions that will increase the gameplay time.

“…The zombies are fast! Gamers are too good today and after Left 4 Dead, Dead Island…. whatever, gamers expect to be challenged. While some of the special types of of the undead haven’t been released yet, I can tell you we are trying to push the boundaries of what fans of other Nazi Zombies expect. There will new zombies that you haven’t seen before and they will use challenging AI to make the players think in new ways. Our initial tests have been really eye opening. We provided the players with puzzles and expected them to have to recreate the solutions that we had developed. What we found was that came up with their entirely own and unique ways to accomplish the missions. The hordes of zombies could be defeated, or at the very least marginalized in ways we had not anticipated. It was a very exciting discovery for us. Oh, and one more thing… it’s gory!”

Indiana Jones Nazi Zombie Hunters will have a suggested retail price of around $39.99 and has yet to be rated.

Warcraft movie trailer summons great expectations

Will Chandler

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February 29, 2016

5

Warcraft movie trailer summons great expectations

By William G Chandler Jr.
2/29/2016 5:00 p.m.
Tweet to: W1totalk

World of Warcraft Cataclysm Worgen by SobControllers — *World of Warcraft Cataclysm Worgen* by SobControllers

Years ago, I played The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. What does that have to do with Warcraft, the film? The game, on the Microsoft Xbox, required you to create a real purpose in the world of Morrowind. You did not just move through linear stages. Bethesda Softworks made you move through a massive three-dimensional world, with differing adventures, various connections, and unlimited options for food, weapons, and supplies. In my opinion, it was overwhelming. November 22, 2004, as indicated by Wikipedia, was the day World of Warcraft carved a place in the real world. I knew to fear that day.

The game by Blizzard Entertainment made you draw a line in the sand. You picked between Alliance and Horde. Create your character, as part of your class, have a part to play in a massive world, and build endless online communities, and connections. I know my addictive side. I played Morrowind and found myself satisfied, but unsettled with the finished result. I had not played every option. If you tried, you would be beyond an older man, or woman.

My Warcraft experience went as far as picking the Alliance. I wanted to be part of the Warrior class. It was fun, but what I remember most was the amount of depth, and purpose, for this melee character. Then someone suggested I might be getting bored. They suggested I look into creating other character classes in the game. This would give me a good idea of the different game experiences World of Warcraft carried.

I walked away at that point. World of Warcraft is the ultimate, communal, online experience. However, I had found I wanted to make my gaming more basic.

In June 2016, Universal, and Legendary Pictures, brings Warcraft to movie theaters. As implied by the Internet Movie Database, Warcraft will deal with the initial encounters of Orcs and Humans, or Horde and Alliance. As Anne Stickney suggested, at Blizzard Watch, the film may revolve around the events leading to the First War. This is good and bad.

The trailer’s visuals are breathtaking. Computer-generated characters and actors weave a tale so many players will have experienced. World of Warcraft will have a bolder, yet distinct presentation. This will connect with some viewers. Others may reject their film experience. World of Warcraft is huge, and diverse, as a game. This is a film, with film’s rules.

That is not why you watch it.

Anduin Lothar will come as Duncan Jones, Charles Leavitt, and Chris Metzen, the film’s writers, present him. Travis Fimmel, of History Channel’s Vikings, will bring his youthful side to life. Paula Patton will energize the Horde character Garona. The vivid world of Azeroth will have an exclusive tale for the cinema. This creates many possibilities. It will happen on a 40-60 foot screen. It allows players to remember why they are playing, and to keep going. Duncan Jones also directs Warcraft.

http://www.warcraftmovie.com/

Please visit Legendary Picture’s website for the film’s information.

New survival horror game Near Death goes to the deep Antarctic

Snake

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February 29, 2016

0

New survival horror game Near Death goes to the deep Antarctic

Developed by Orthogonal Games, creators of The Novelist, Near Death is a first person survival video game that takes places on an abandoned research facility in Antarctica. During an emergency winter flight your plane crashes near the facility in the midst of a deadly blizzard. Cut off from civilization, with no hope of rescue, you must explore Sutro Station and scavenge for the means of escape while enduring blinding whiteouts and temperatures 100 degrees below zero. You’ll discover why a research station in the coldest place on Earth stands empty, yet somehow alive.

NearDeath04 — What’s around the next corner?

For the making of the game, the developers actually interviewed real Antarctic scientists and travelers to understand the intrinsic instincts of survival in one of the coldest places on Earth. It was here that after realizing how survival games didn’t capture the full grip and awe of how fast the environment can change in this deadly cold place, the developers chose to abandon the survival genre and create something that is a simple fact of fighting for your life to survive.

Near Death looks to be a fascinating experience; one that is filled with gripping horror as you walk outside blinded by a blizzard, attempting to maneuver the deadly terrain. I’ve always been a fan of games such as this, and have come to enjoy them immensely. Near Death looks to be no different. The trailer shows a lot of incredible world design as your character moves throughout the facility, attempting to find the remainder of the crew, who have for some reason disappeared. Watch the trailer and see for yourself!

Near Death is set to be released in 2016. Find out more about the game on their website.

Are video games’ expectations too high?

Snake

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February 29, 2016

0

Are video games’ expectations too high?

By Gage Allen
2/29/2016, 2:30 a.m.
Tweet to: @lotims

It’s a common thing we see in today’s day and age. Someone we know or someone we see on the web complains how [Enter Video Game Title Here] doesn’t have good graphics, gameplay, writing, etc. In other words, people complain the game isn’t perfect. It’s shocking how people are actually complaining that something isn’t perfect. I’ve been in the game industry for several years, and I am still amazed at the simplest things games can pull off. Yet I don’t quite see why gamers decide to hold games to such impossible expectations.

Fallout 4 is the most recent example of this trend. The one thing everyone complained about was the graphical element of the game not being up to par with the industry itself. Since when are games with enormous worlds, hundreds of hours of gameplay, heart-wrenching stories, and unbelievably addictive crafting systems, considered non-essential to the fact the game doesn’t have 10K textures while running at 750 frames-per-second?

Now, maybe I’m just a bit biased because I have been involved in the making of games with the writing, cinematic, and level design aspect of the process, but it’s frankly ridiculous how many gamers today chose to shoot down years of work from passionate developers because the game didn’t come with a holographic simulation of the world. Nothing is perfect. You aren’t perfect, I’m not perfect, and you can bet your ass no game is perfect. So why the unfair standard?

In reality, it all comes down to the incredibly large paradigm shift that occurred between the Playstation 2 and Xbox consoles to the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. It was during this time “high definition” was taking strides in the entertainment world. Games had been stuck in standard definition of 4:3. The release of the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3 completely changed the detail and quality level of video games forever.

You not only had a change from standard definition to high definition, but you had incredibly powerful hardware released at the same time. It wowed everyone who laid eyes on the new games that were released on these once-powerful consoles. Hype and anticipation over the years made everyone assume the next console generation would have the same jump in graphical and visual fidelity. The problem is, that in-your-face graphical change never happened since we haven’t moved up to 4K gaming as a wide standard. Sure, things looked amazing, but it was more subtle than many people realized.

What this generation of video games is offering is not graphics, but detail. Small details that seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things. These details are actually imperative at painting the realism of a world. For those of us who played through the NES generation of games, details weren’t all that important since we just filled them in with our imagination. Now? Everything has detail, and to an unbelievable degree.

Sure, you may not be able to count the individual atoms of a grass stem, but you can see the beads of sweat on an NPC working on their crops, or you notice the world around you changing based on your decisions, down to the expressions others have as you walk by them. It is the leap that we have been waiting for, and is as substantial as the previous generation of change, it’s just not as noticeable.

Why would you be happy about something that isn’t very noticeable? Because, in the end, all the small details add up to a more believable experience that can submerge you into the story, characters, and world of the video game. That’s why the games that are coming out today are incredible, because they can add so much more detail in many of the areas that had been ignored throughout the years.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not telling you how you should judge a game. Entertainment is subjective. No one is factually right or wrong. It’s all up to your opinion. My point is you shouldn’t hold games to impossible standards just because you want photo realistic graphics. Video games today are not at that point, and they won’t be for some time because developers are too busy trying to add the details that matter in the worlds they build. Why? To immerse you. To make you care about their universe, their characters, and their story. Because in the end, one of the most powerful things we can do as human beings is captivate another person through storytelling.

If we could change every UFC or MMA rule for the better

MMA
SPORTS

Staff Report

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February 28, 2016

0

If we could change every UFC or MMA rule for the better

Written by: Scott Beers
Feb 28, 2016, 7:00 p.m.
Tweet to: @SkottBeers

Eye pokes? Fix the fucking gloves, already

Pride FC used blue gloves that had a bit of an arch in the knuckles to prevent the fingers from stiffening. They weren’t ideal, but far superior compared to what the UFC uses today. A step up from that would be the prototype “Cloven” gloves, or something similar. Say good bye to eye pokes. What disadvantages do these gloves have? I don’t know, but they should at least be tested at an amatuer level.

change every UFC or MMA rule — *New concept mma gloves, made by Cloven, protect fighters from accidental eye pokes.*

THE CAGE!

No wonder John McCain thought this was human cock-fighting years ago. You’re putting people in a cage to battle. It doesn’t have to be that way. It provides a rather poor view for the audience; which is why a ring was used for so long. The ropes of a ring, on the other hand, made it even worse.

The possible solution? Even thicker Pro Hockey level plexiglass. It can be circular or an octagon to preserve the UFC ring name. Optimal view, no more cage grabs, and no more broken toes getting stuck in the cage. Sweat or blood stains? No problem, use the same clean up crew to clean and dry it off between rounds. My main concern would be, would it break eventually? Depending on that glass it might, but it would be extremely rare. Like hockey, there is always an immediate crew on hand in case such an event occurs.

Rounds and time limits?

Legally, boxing allows up to 36 minutes of combat in one night excluding the breaks. So why is MMA limited at 25? Throw that out the window. If we’re going to use rounds at all, a championship fight should be three 10-minute rounds plus one five-minute overtime in case of a draw or split decision (presuming we’re using the same judging criteria). Non-title bouts would be one 10-minute round followed by one five-minute round.

Judging? This isn’t boxing, Grandpa.

If I said throwing the football from the 30 yard line through the field goal was three points, would people be okay with that? No, because football isn’t basketball. And boxing isn’t the same as MMA. The 10 point must system is older than my dead grandfather. MMA is supposed to be about destroying, not out-pointing and defending. Rather score the fight as a whole or change the criteria to: damage (effective striking, they now call it) > threatening submissions > dominant positions > and ultimately, who should win if this fight if it was to last forever. Scoring defense is currently not part of the criteria, so I don’t know why it is sometimes observed that way in MMA. Score the fight as a whole and give more incentive to finish the fight aside from a random 50k bonus.

Illegal strikes?

Groin shots, head butts, and possibly even strikes to the spinal cord, I can understand, should be against the rules. Aside from that, anything should go. 12-6 elbows are fine. Knees or kicks to the head of a downed opponent are part of the battle, and should be. How many times have you seen a guy purposefully put one hand on the mat just to avoid getting kneed in the head? It’s ridiculous and people are using the rules to make the fights less exciting. Lest we forget Joe Son vs. Keith Hackney UFC 4…

Girl of the Week Sabrina Tzilos

GIRL OF THE WEEK

Slickster

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February 28, 2016

0

Girl of the Week Sabrina Tzilos

2/28/2016, 6:00 p.m.

Favorite band or musical act: Thirty Seconds to Mars

Movie that scared you the most: Movies don’t scare me 😉

Truth or dare? Dare!

Tell us about your hobbies or the worst date you ever went on: I love to dance, go out, read, workout, and mostly have fun!

Twitter: @SabrinaTzilos

Would you go this far to live longer?

Snake

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February 28, 2016

0

2/28/2016, 5:00 p.m. – Eating healthy and exercising regularly should give us a better chance to live up to 80 years, but there are some who don’t mind going a little further (and a little stranger) to have a couple of years more. Would you try any of these practices?

Starve Yourself

You might have heard of calorie restriction as a means to lose weight, but apparently this is also proven to work is you want to live longer. In 1934, a study where rats where nearly starved to death exceeded their life expectancy in comparison to the rats that ate more. Since then, the study has been replicated with other species and shown similar results. The most recent is the 2009 study of the Rhesus Monkeys, Canto and Owen.

This practice is not as uncommon as you would think; in Okinawa, a Japanese island with the highest number of seniors in the world, there is the tradition of Hara Hachi Bu, or eating until you are 80 percent full. If you are willing to give up food, you can also join the CR Society, the official calorie restriction practitioner’s club.

Eat Raw Meat

The reasoning behind eating raw meat is this: When we cook, we get rid of some of the nutrients in our food. In the case of meat, we destroy vitamins B12 and B6, which help repair DNA from radiation and converts food into energy, respectively. While not proven to give us a higher life expectancy, eating raw meat does have some health benefits.

Some cultures such as Eskimos and Native Americans include raw meat in their diet as part of a tradition, and in some rare cases it is used as alternative medicine. One notable example is Derek Nance. After having an unidentified illness that made him throw up everything, Derek has been eating nothing but raw meat and organs for the last seven years. He even brushes his teeth with animal fat!

Or… Be a Vegetarian

It is true that vegetarians live 10 years longer on average than meat eaters, but the reason behind this is still unclear. On one hand, vegetarians eat fewer calories and fats that could cause cardiovascular problems later in life. On the other hand, vegetarians tend to exercise more, smoke less, and drink less alcohol. The diet itself has many benefits, but there are still too many factors to determine if the reason vegetarians live longer is because of the diet alone or their habits.

Embrace Stress!

Apparently, a little stress might be good for us. In an 80-year study called the Longevity Project, researchers found that when you have a meaningful job that you enjoy, the stress you experience is not hurtful. However, having a happy childhood might lower your chances of reaching old age: “The most cheerful, optimistic kids grew up to take more risks… By virtue of expecting good things to happen and feeling like nothing bad ever would, they predisposed themselves to be heavier drinkers, they tended to be smokers, and their hobbies were riskier.”

Bee Pollen… and Rattlesnakes?!

Ok, rattlesnake meat is mostly a superstition (and if you were wondering, so are caterpillar fungus and mushroom extract) and is really not much more nutritious than beef. The only added benefit of eating rattlesnakes is that they are very low in fat. So if you are interested in trying an exotic food, go for it, but it’s not going to make you live longer.

Bee pollen however, might not be a complete myth. Bee pollen has more amino acids than beef, eggs, or cheese. It also contains enzymes that help with digestion, antioxidants that strengthen blood vessels, and is shown to have antibiotic type properties that boost the immune system. It might not be the key to eternal life, but it certainly makes for a good supplement.

Shower Less

Many dermatologists agree that frequent showers can be less healthy than you think. If you shower with hot water, you have higher risk of irritation and you can get rid of good bacteria and have more infections, thus making us live shorter lives. If you want to be healthier, you should be showering every two or three days. Personally, I can’t do it.

No Sex! That includes the fappity-fap, fellas.

Kidding.

Back in October 2015, the media claimed that Dr. Alex Zhavoronkov of the Biogerontology Research Foundation in the UK said that without sex as a distraction, a person could easily live up to 150 years old, but this was a misquote. What he really said is that “delaying marriage and reproduction is a by-product of shifting your life expectancy horizons.” In other words, the fact that people are choosing to have families later in life is an indicator that people will live longer and are therefore making plans later in life. (Scientists predict that living up to a 100 will be normal soon.)

However, Zhavoronkov does think he can easily live 150 years. In an effort to live longer, he is using himself as a test subject and takes up to 100 different drugs and supplements, monitors his blood biochemistry and cell count, and follows the calorie restriction diet. We’ll keep an eye on him to see if all this really works.

Other cool articles you’ll enjoy!

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Top Ten Hottest Sororities

Why Las Vegas Sucks

Top Ten Hottest Weather Girls

Top Ten Greatest Wanderlei Silva Fights

Fallout 4. Likely the fallout of the franchise

VIDEO GAMES

Staff Report

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February 28, 2016

8

Fallout 4. Likely the fallout of the franchise

Written by: Scott Beers
Feb 28, 2016, 9:00 a.m.
Tweet to: @SkottBeers

How did this game get rated a 9+ on every media site? *cough* Paid off?

I was a huge fan of Oblivion (2006), Fallout 3 (2008), and even Skyrim (2011). However, Fallout 4 (2015) is still using the same game engine that was groundbreaking a decade ago. The graphics have improved marginally and they’re outdated for sure. Let’s say the graphics look good for 2010, if you’re running maximum settings.

Regardless, the AI is no different than any of the games mentioned above. The FPS controls are garbage compared to today’s standards such as Destiny. I’m not just talking about the AI, but also the way the guns handle. The loot system hasn’t changed, and the horribly clunky user interface that forces you to pause mid-combat to navigate your 2008-Pipboy inventory to find a piece of rat meat to eat in order to keep your health up remains.

Who the fuck wants to play a game when you’re spending 60 percent of the time in your inventory, 20 percent of the time sneaking around hoping not to spook any high levels, and the rest of the time trying to run past enemies in order to get to the next quest quick point? Sure you can slowly grind your level up by fighting random bandits, but the combat is so mundane that you’re better off throwing rocks into an outhouse shit hole. A better title for this game would be RPG Inventory Manager 2015.

If you played Fallout 3, which was great for its time, Fallout 4 is basically a waste of your time. They had seven years to produce this heavily marketed “game of the year” which is far from it. Metal Gear Solid V or The Witcher 3 clearly take the cake for 2015. You could even make the argument that Halo 5 was better, and that game was a bigger dud than Late Night with Larry Wilmore and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah combined. Fallout 4 is essentially a slightly graphically improved version of a game created nearly a decade ago.

*SPOILER ALERT*

The story starts off interesting, but takes a strange turn less than an hour in when you’re frozen for X amount of years. In the midst of that freeze you see your wife and your baby escape their freeze pod. You then get frozen again for an unknown period of time. Somehow he wakes up thinking he’s going to track down his infant son, yet he doesn’t know when his son was unfrozen. You go on this ridiculous journey across a very inaccurate portrayal of Boston (I went to college there, so I know the layout of the city, and it’s way way off).

Your character’s quest is to track down his son, but he seems to have no haste in regard to doing so. He’d rather being fighting bandits to save some random farmer’s locket or go digging through the sewers for a giant crab claw instead of going about his primary objective in reuniting with his son. He seems to believe his son is an infant for some reason. I wasn’t sure either. In my mind, his son was rather too old to still be alive or possibly the same age as the main character. I don’t know the answer to that question, and don’t care to continue playing to find out.

Fallout 4 is a huge disgrace to anyone who has played the previous three Bethesda RPGs. If you haven’t played the others, have fun! Otherwise, be prepared to give up between two to 10 hours due to unsatisfying repetitiveness.

If you want to, try some enticing action RPGs from the past decade. Your best choices in my opinion would be Oblivion, Dark Souls (super hard), Dark Souls II (not as hard), Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, Diablo III (with 2-4 friends), Borderlands 2 (with 2-4 friends), and Dark Souls III (in April, 2016).

Joanna Jedrzejczyk in a league of her own

MMA
SPORTS

Snake

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February 26, 2016

0

Joanna Jedrzejczyk in a league of her own

Written by: Derek Moody
2/25/2016, 11:30 a.m.
Tweet to: @DerekMoody619

When Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Women’s Strawweight Champion, enters the Octagon, her fights look way too easy for her; she’s certainly in a league of her own. The champ is easily turning into the Demetrious Johnson of her division, running over the competition. Her only true challenge was for the title eliminator against Claudia Gadelha, who just about everyone assumed would be the next Women’s Strawweight Champion, knowing Carla Esparza wasn’t on her level.

Jedrzejczyk won a highly controversial split-decision in her fight with Gadelha. Then, the rumblings began due to Gadelha effectively landing seven takedowns, leading to an overwhelming amount of ground control. The most surprising aspect of the fight was Gadelha finishing with more total strikes but less significant strikes.

Gadelha has said many times that Jedrzejczyk lost to her and she knows it. The fight stats certainly support her claim, as did one of the judges. Two other judges disagreed, most likely giving Jedrzejczyk rounds one and two because of the knockdown and significant strikes. Whoever were to be the victor, were sure to come away with ex-champion Carla Esparza’s title.

After that fight took place, Jedrzejczyk went on to embarrass the inaugural Women’s Strawweight Champ Carla Esparza, defeating her very convincingly, stuffing 12 out of 13 takedowns while destroying her on the feet. Jedrzejczyk has progressed enormously since fighting Gadelha. The next time they meet, a split decision won’t be the outcome.

For a while, I wondered what’s next for Jedrzejczyk. The only scenario that makes sense is a rematch with #1 contender Claudia Gadelha. In five UFC fights, only two women have actually stood a chance against the champ and one of them just had a title shot not making it immediately rematch worthy. The other, obviously Gadelha, who has only had one fight since losing the title eliminator.

When it was announced that the champ and #1 contender will be the next set of athletes to coach The Ultimate Fighter, Gadelha’s camp wasn’t too happy to take part. They prefer just having the fight and not the reality TV aspect that bears all the drama. TUF 23 Finale is scheduled for July 8th. This rematch is long overdue, pending any injuries this fight will be the best in women’s strawweight history.

I’m still looking forward to seeing Maryna “Iron Woman” Moroz, the submission specialist, challenge Jedrzejczyk for the title in the near future. They built up some bad blood after Moroz called out the champ in her post-fight interview. That fight would have taken place last November, but Moroz was upset by Valerie Letourneau, who ended up getting the title shot. There’s plenty of talent in this weight class, the problem is the champ is just clearly on another level. The top 10 is stacked, virtually any of these women look as though they could be the future champion of the strawweight division, but only after Joanna Jedrzejczyk has moved on from the division.

Many of them were champions in other companies but this is the big leagues and competition in the UFC is unparalleled. The only women in this division I can see giving Jedrzejczyk problems would be Claudia Gadelha, Maryna Moroz, and Michelle Waterson. I think there’s a power difference that may affect Waterson, seeing how she had to gain weight to enter this division coming over from Invicta FC. Moroz may have been exposed when it comes to speed and power by Letourneau. Letourneau’s striking is a level below Jedrzejczyk, so Moroz would need this to end up on the ground. Gadelha already lost a very controversial decision to Jedrzejczyk, which is fueling the fire for the rematch. Being near each other for six weeks, one of them may break before fight day.

Is being on top of the strawweight division enough for Jedrzejczyk to be content? Not at all. She plans on being the best female mixed martial artist on the planet, and we’re seeing glimpse of it every fight she has. The only way to accomplish that feat would be to move up to bantamweight and dominate there as well, unless a flyweight division is created. Jedrzejczyk has already stated that if her strawweight reign goes well, and it has, she’ll eventually move up. Assuming that happens, we’ll get an opportunity to see potential super fights. As of now, Joanna Jedrzejczyk is sitting atop her throne adding to her legacy.

The Stockton Slap versus The Left Hand Shot

MMA
SPORTS

Snake

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February 26, 2016

0

The Stockton Slap versus The Left Hand Shot

By: Derek Moody
2/28/2016, 8:30 a.m.
Tweet to: @DerekMoody619

Conor McGregor versus Nate Diaz is sure to answer one question; who’s the baddest man on the planet? Both are notorious at verbal warfare and often back up their mouths with their performances, unwilling to fall back from the verbal onslaughts and stances. Two openly opinionated fighters, if given a platform, are always guaranteed to satisfy and entertain the onlookers. One is made for the lights camera and action, molded to his boss’s perfection, the other is everything the boss despises uncontrollably, meant to be kept in the shadows somehow stealing the spotlight.

Finally, a fight where both competitors equally run their mouths and consistently back it up, Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor vs #5 Lightweight Nate Diaz. Fight fans have wanted this to happen for over a year, knowing it’ll be a stand-up bloodbath with many profane hand gestures and verbal assaults. Mystic Mac strikes again with his prediction regarding Nate Diaz, that with “his soft body and his lack of preparation, he will not be able to handle the ferocity. End of the first, I feel he will be put away.” Yet to make an inaccurate prediction during his UFC campaign, it’s hard to foresee any other outcome.

Some of the top MMA analysts have stated several times that Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz has been the fight and should be the fight. Nate is fortunate big brother Nick is on suspension or he’d once again miss out on the big money fight he’s always asked for. Also, see predictions on tonight’s big event!

https://youtu.be/PnL7G-DgF_g

Stockton Slap vs Left Hand Shot

The Stockton Slap isn’t known for finishing fighters but is well known for effectively pestering foes, mentally destroying opponents, and causing sheer embarrassment. Made famous by his older brother, Nick Diaz, but more often used by Nate Diaz, the slap almost always triggers an emotional response thwarting a fighter’s game plan due to frustration. A heavy volume of punches some delivered with 50 percent power, combined with a few slaps and profanity, will almost always break a fighters will. Most recently Michael Johnson, who is also a great striker, was picked apart and embarrassed, welcoming Nate Diaz back to relevancy.

The extremely accurate Left Hand Shot delivered by Conor McGregor ended the six-year championship reign of Jose Aldo, dating back to WEC, with just one shot. If connected just right, the fighter on the receiving end will be placed on the shelf for the next 90 days going thru concussion protocol. Six of his seven UFC opponents have fallen victim to it. The moment the left hand shot is the most accurate and precise finisher in MMA. A close second would be Rousimar Palhares’ inverted heel hook (minus being held too long) or Ronda Rousey’s deadly armbar .

Advantages for McGregor & Diaz

Footwork and movement are the factors that’ll help McGregor easily pick his shots at will. Diaz is very flat footed, slow and predictable, though effective with his striking his striking will be a non factor if he can’t catch McGregor. With arguably the best footwork in the MMA, his elusiveness gives him an astronomical edge that every opponent he’s faced has struggled with. Working with Ido Portal is beyond enhancing to anyone’s movement; with McGregor already having amazing footwork and movement, he’s entering the realm of untouchable.

Mentally, Diaz can’t and won’t be broken like Poirier, Brandao, Siver, and Aldo. The mental aspect is where Diaz normally gains some leverage. Mendes took the fight on such short notice there wasn’t time for McGregor to work his magic or he may have been added to that list as well. Diaz also took the fight on short notice, but the verbal warfare has been going on since December, so it’s impossible for McGregor to aggravate Diaz, seeing that this is a game Diaz also excels in.

Even Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos was broken, which would have hurt dos Anjos more than his broken foot. His belt would have changed hands on March 5th. Nate Diaz is second all time in UFC bonuses with six Fight of the Nights, one Knockout of the Night, and five Submissions of the Night, only behind Joe Lauzon.

For Diaz to win, he’ll need McGregor to make a mistake, possibly a slip throwing a head kick or a spinning back kick. If a scrum on the floor were to happen, Diaz would need to capitalize, seeing that the submission game is his only advantage and way to victory. McGregor hasn’t lost in six years or come remotely close to losing since joining the UFC. However, his two recorded losses both came via submission.

https://youtu.be/7w3ejgfCewA

Three Possible Outcomes

Diaz Submission, McGregor TKO, or McGregor KO are the only viable outcomes at UFC 196. It’d be very interesting to see Nate Diaz lock on a triangle for the victory, which I’m sure would ruin McGregor’s shot at history in the near future capturing multiple belts. The most realistic outcome is McGregor by TKO, even though Diaz has an outstanding chin. With a McGregor win, he’ll still be on pace to fight at UFC 200 to stake his claim at history potentially winning another belt.

Kick Ass Kickstarters: HuniePop

VIDEO GAMES

Slickster

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February 26, 2016

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Kick Ass Kickstarters: HuniePop

Written by Jessyca Yoppolo, February 26, 2016, at 8:00 a.m. Tweet to: @Jess_why_ca

The thing that attracted me to HuniePop was a screenshot of dialogue options, one of which said, “Fuck these birds. Am I right?” Another option in the same shot said, “Isn’t it funny how life is pointless and nothing matters?” The only thing that matters in this world is Beli. Best girl.

Beli doesn't feel you're being very mindful of her needs. — What a mature and elegant way to express your feelings, Beli.

With me being a girl, you might not expect me to like a pseudo-dating sim like HuniePop. I have actually gotten all of the achievements on Steam for this game, not to toot my own horn. There’s a reason the achievement for getting 100 percent is called “Zero Life.” There are some things that make this game attractive to any gamer.

First off, let me just say that I love puzzles. I also like trying to woo cute girls in video games. So this game was a win-win for me, along with the silly dialogue options. I don’t need to go into an in-depth description of the gameplay because you get a mandatory tutorial when you play. It’s basically better Bejeweled, with a score limit instead of a time limit, so it’s a little more high-stakes. You can also assign yourself a gender in this game. You don’t have an appearance, so it only changes how the girls refer to you and their canon sexualities, but it’s very cool.

The characters are three-dimensional, which is not something I expected. The girls have relationships with each other as friends, frenemies, or enemies. They have likes and dislikes that you have to remember (the game helps you out with that). The girls aren’t all cute, either; they can be mature, sexual, and foul-mouthed. The more you discover about the girls and their lives through the dialogue portion, the more interesting they become, and eventually you will develop a favorite. Like real girls, the HuniePop cast is diverse and complex.

Kyanna and Audrey fight over a bad hair dye job in HuniePop introductions. — Kyanna and Audrey fight over a bad hair dye job in *HuniePop* introductions.

If you liked Deadpool, you will appreciate the fourth-wall-breaking awareness this game has about the fact that it is a video game. It actually helps make the story more believable. If it wasn’t about a magic fairy helping you get laid, how would puzzles help you during a date?

Beli in HunieCam Studio — Beli in *HunieCam Studio*.

The other thing this game has in common with Deadpool is the surprisingly low budget. With $53,536 pledged of $20,000 goal, this Kickstarter game was an amazing hit pulled together by a fabulous small team. Ryan Koons is the single, lead programmer and Brad Brown is the single, voluntary lead writer. The rest of the team members are artists and voice actresses. The team created a great game that they wanted to make, which is something that’s hard to find nowadays.

The only problem I have with this game is the art. With the new HunieCam Studio, by the same developer, there has been a lot of controversy about the new art style. They took a strawpoll regarding the art on Steam. When they got the results, they basically said, “Screw you, I do what I want,” and the art is staying. The art in the original HuniePop varies in quality, and that’s my only complaint, but I am definitely on the side of the poll-takers for HunieCam Studio. They made my waifu look like Baby Grinch…

This is definitely a solid game for the budget, with good writing and game design. I recommend it to all gamers.

Pokkén Tournament’s vivid introduction

Will Chandler

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February 25, 2016

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Pokkén Tournament’s vivid introduction

By William G Chandler Jr.
12/25/2016, 2:00 a.m.
Tweet to: W1totalk

They made it so Pokémon have Tekken-like fighting skills. Nintendo and Bandai Namco Entertainment, Inc. present Pokkén Tournament. The arcade game in a YouTube video, by XCageGame, blows the mind. The video really introduces scope, a strong fighter’s element, and a fantastic presentation. Pokémon has been around since 1995, as explained by Goku Fievel, at Goku Fievel. I have always been witness to the “catch ‘em all” concept as a strategy-only title. This way looks different. You are in the three-dimensional arena and at the core of the battle.

The game uses special Pokémon techniques, and mixes them with a fighting system in unique arenas. Characters like Pikachu, Charizard, Squirtle, and Shadow Mewtwo bring the video game fighting to life. When you think about Bandai Namco Entertainment, Inc., you think of Tekken.

You get the feeling this is different. As Damian Seeto explains, from Attack of the Fanboy, Tekken creator Katsuhiro Harada directs the game. However, this title allows players to focus on the “strategic appearance of the game.” It carries depth, as it relates to Pokémon, but is accessible to many players. It differs from Tekken, which uses more “skill and knowledge.”

Pokémon has a great concept. You train monsters. They battle in arenas. They win, or lose, but always get stronger. My issue with the series has always been the perspective. I have always wanted to see the fights, in the game, occur in three-dimensional depth.

It is here. As Aaron Mimitt explains, of Tech Times, at a distance, players’ Pokémon use three-dimensional space, strategy, and projectiles to attack their opponents. As the Pokémon get closer, the game becomes a two-dimensional fighter. The game will have single player, local battle, and online modes. This sounds like a fun combination.

These creatures from a special land deserve this treatment. The desire to be the best Pokémon Master should not be exclusive to a certain kind of strategy. This is a way to get your hands dirty. The idea that you can take Pikachu and Squirtle, unlike other games, and engage in a more active fight speaks volumes. This game makes you earn the title of the best, in a radical way.

The announcement of this game seems organic. However, it reminds me of a game Nintendo wanted to try, Super Mario Spikers. The game, as described by Unseen 64, combines volleyball, with wrestling and a game show element.

In 2006, this was a bad experiment. That is the major point. Nintendo experiments with game content. Pokkén Tournament is an experiment. It is no Pokemon Snap, from Nintendo’s Wii. It is not Pokémon Rumble U, from Nintendo’s Wii U. It is another way to immerse the player, pay homage to the battle aspects of many Pokémon, and use the power of the arcade, and in March, Nintendo’s Wii U.

The game is set to release globally on the Nintendo Wii U March 18, 2016.

What do you do after a workout?

FITNESS
Sex

Snake

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February 24, 2016

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It has recently come to my attention that I’m one of those people who, after a workout, I will do a quick stretch – if anything – and then storm out of the gym as fast as I can. I’m not the only one, right?

If you’re like me, you are missing out on a lot of things that are out there that could help you get results faster. A lot of hardcore gym goers use their post-workout time proactively to make the most out of their workout; they use their recovery time to do low intensity exercises and practices that can benefit your body just as much as the workout itself. If you want to do the same, here are some things you could try out:

Active Recovery

Active recovery refers to exercises that are of less intensity and volume. Recent studies have shown that it is more effective to move around after a workout, as it promotes lactic acid removal and helps speed up recovery. If you are a beginner, you should do a light exercise during your cool-down phase, like walking. This should only take you a couple of minutes, just enough to unwind. If you already have a good fitness level, this may mean lifting lighter weights or a light jog, depending on your routine. If you are very enthusiastic, and can’t stand rest days, this is exactly what you should be doing!

Another active recovery exercise that everyone can do no matter their fitness level and has garnered attention because of its overwhelming results is Foam Rolling. This is a form of self-massage that helps with tight muscles knots and soreness. Also called Self-myofascial release, it works by applying pressure on your body with a foam cylinder. You can find examples of foam rolling exercises here.

Yoga

Although not many associate yoga with bodybuilding, yoga can help with posing endurance and it is also one of the best ways to have your body switch from work intensity to rest and recover mode. Among its many benefits, yoga has been shown to aid with muscle tightness, reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

Swimming

Because of the resistance water creates, swimming is one of the best cardio exercises that help maintain muscle mass in both your upper and lower body. Different strokes engage different muscle groups; here is a quick guide to get you started.

Massages

This is the fifth most widely used form of complementary and alternative medicine, and for good reason! Recent studies have shown that massages decrease inflammation on a cellular level, as well as stimulate mitochondria production in the muscles, which are the units that produce energy in the cells. This might be perfect for the next time you have leg day or are left a little too sore after a workout.

Sensory Deprivation Therapy

With some guys here in Slickster Magazine trying it out and praising it, I couldn’t help but turn the attention to this revolutionary practice. Floating has been shown to help with insomnia, stress, chronic headaches, muscle soreness relief after workouts, among many other benefits. If you are concerned about the closed off environment there’s no need; people with claustrophobia have reported not to have any problems so far. The water is kept at skin temperature (93 degrees) with Epsom salt. The pitch-black atmosphere has been described as ‘being in your mother’s womb’ or ‘floating in space’. If you live in a city and want to get some peaceful and relaxing time, this might be perfect for you.

Cryotherapy

Commonly known as “ice baths”, the people that swear by it argue that the cold causes your blood vessels to tighten, draining lactic acid from your muscles, reducing swelling and inflammation. However, others think that ice baths may hinder muscle growth and repair. This might be one of those ‘eating vs. fasting before working out’ types of debate, where in the end it’s about personal preference. What do you guys think?

Sauna

As I’m into hot yoga and the occasional Bikram session, I can’t help but say that heat works wonders. Besides clearer skin and relaxation, with hyperthermic conditioning you’ll experience many benefits as you adapt to the higher temperature: lower heart rate, lower core body temperature during workouts, higher sweat sensitivity, increased blood flow, higher red blood cell count, more efficient transportation of oxygen to the muscles, and endurance enhancement. If you are not used to the heat, drink a lot of water before you go in the sauna and start with small sessions and work your way up.

Water Contrast Therapy

This practice combines cryotherapy and hyperthermic conditioning, claiming that it strengthens your vascular system, and heals non-serious injuries in joints and limbs. If you want to give it a try, alternate between the sauna and a cold shower at the gym for a few minutes at a time.

Compression clothing

Compression clothing or gear is basically wearing purposefully tight clothing as a way to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and reduce swelling. Although I’ve never tried it, it seems there is a large number of people that say it works.

Power Nap

I left the best for last! If you have some time, a quick nap is shown to be just as effective as a full night’s sleep. On top of that, napping increases growth hormone production, improves memory, reduces cravings and stress, etc. Just keep it short and sweet; a good power nap shouldn’t last more that 20 minutes. If you stretch it to an hour you’ll feeling groggy when you wake up.

Let us know what you do for recovery!

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UFC Fight Night 84 Preview and Predictions

MMA
SPORTS

Snake

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February 23, 2016

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UFC Fight Night 84 Preview and Predictions

By Kaiana Miller
2/22/2016, 3:41 p.m.
Tweet to: @Slickster_Mag

UFC Fight Night 84 takes place in London, England this Saturday. The main card kicks off at 3pm EST here in the United States. Here’s some things to watch as well as predictions for this weekend.

Anderson Silva (-305 favorite) vs Michael Bisping (+250 underdog)

In the main event, all-time great Anderson Silva will face off against England’s own Michael Bisping. Silva is coming off a no-contest after his win against Nick Diaz was overturned when a pre-fight drug test came back positive. Silva has maintained his innocence claiming that the result of the test was due to a pill he took for ‘sexual enhancement’. In the lead up to this fight Bisping has repeatedly brought up Silva’s failed drug test and has accused the legend of cheating throughout his entire career. Silva has not said much regarding this matter other than claiming he has never cheated. Bisping has long asked for this fight and he will get it on Saturday.

Silva had his last win overturned after testing positive for banned substances

Stylistically, this fight greatly favors Anderson Silva. ‘The Spider’ is an elite counter striker, preferring opponents who engage first. When this happens, Silva utilizes great head movement to avoid the strikes and immediately fires back with lightning quick punches and kicks. The clinch is also a strong position for Silva as was showcased in his two fights with Rich Franklin. When Silva gets the muay-thai plum clinch against opponents he can unleash lethal fight-ending knees. Silva’s ground game includes a black belt in Brazilian-jiujitsu, although that is a side we rarely get to see. The one thing that Silva has shown weakness to is strong wrestling, losing twice to former All-American wrestler Chris Weidman and being thoroughly dominated by Chael Sonnen for 4 rounds before securing a miracle triangle choke in the final frame.

CS72292172 — Bisping looks to win his third straight fight on Saturday

Michael Bisping is not an elite wrestler. Although he has won 15 times by KO or TKO in his career, Bisping has never been known for his power. ‘The Count’ prefers to overwhelm his competition with punches until they eventually break. Bisping has often done better when he is the person throwing punches first. His technical boxing is fantastic and he has added a decent kicking game in recent fights. Bisping has never been a wrestler, but can shoot a solid reactionary double leg when his opponents get over-aggressive. When on top, Bisping does not look to improve position, looking instead to land some ground and pound until the fight gets back to the feet.

Prediction:

Both men prefer a standing fight, and that is exactly what to expect. Silva will do what he has always done and sit back and look to counter. Expect Bisping to land a couple of early punches until Silva finds his rhythm. Bisping’s lack of knockout power could prove to be a problem in this fight. This one is scheduled to go five rounds which could favor the high-volume striker in Michael Bisping. However, without any real threat of a takedown Silva should be able to wait for Bisping to get over aggressive before he rocks him with counter punches. Silva wins by TKO in the third round as Bisping struggles to land anything of significance.

Gegard Mousasi (-325 favorite) vs Thales Leites (+250 underdog)

Gegard Mousasi is 2-1 in his last three fights

In the co-main event of the evening, 43 fight veteran Gegard Mousasi draws Brazilian submission specialist Thales Leites. Both men are coming off of losses, Mousasi to Uriah Hall last September and Leites to Bisping in July.

Mousasi is a huge favorite here and for good reasons. He is good everywhere; striking, grappling, and in the clinch. He is 9-3-1 in is last 13 fights. What Mousasi lacks in aggression he more than makes up for in technical expertise. On the feet Mousasi has excellent kickboxing, throwing kicks from range and short punches and elbows when the spacing narrows.

On the ground Mousasi is smothering, giving his opponent very little room to operate. He likes to soften up the competition with ground and pound before fishing for submissions. His defense both on the ground an

d on the feet is much like his offense, technical. Mousasi is a low-risk, high IQ fighter. One thing that Mousasi has had trouble with in the past is unpredictable opponents. Lyoto Machida and Uriah Hall were both able to remain unpredictable in route to wins over Mousasi.

Leites is much more of a one-sided fighter. He throws long, powerful, and often wild punches in an effort to set up shots. His shots are quick and he often finishes them by turning the corner once he has a hold of his opponent. He is also capable of tripping his opponent to the ground from the clinch. Once on the ground, Leites is very dangerous whether he is on top or on bottom. He often risks losing position to go for the submission. 14 of his 25 wins have come by way of submission and this is definitely where he is most comfortable. Leites has shown to be very hittable on the feet but he has never lost by KO or TKO in a 30 fight career thus far.

Prediction:

If he can get the fight to the ground, Leites has a chance against anybody including Mousasi. However, Mousasi’s technical prowess will be too much for Leites to overcome in this one. Barring the off chance that Leites lands a wild punch that floors Mousasi, ‘The Dream Catcher’ should be able to keep this one standing and pick his opponent apart from range. Mousasi by decision is the pick.

Rustam Khabilov (-270 favorite) vs Norman Parke (+210 underdog)

Russia’s Khabilov meets Ireland’s Norman Parke in a battle of grapplers. Khabilov is a former Sambo world champion and thus far his abilities have transferred quite nicely to MMA as he has won 17 of his 20 career fights. Norman Parke won 12 of his first 16 fights via submission, but has no submission wins in his last 5 triumphs.

Rustam Khabilov knocks out Vinc Pichel in his UFC debut

Prediction:

Khabilov’s top control is outstanding. Although not fan friendly style, Khabilov risks little when the fight goes to the ground. Expect him to take Parke down early and often. Once there, Khabilov will land enough ground and pound over 15 minutes to win a judges’ decision.

Tom Breese (-950 favorite) vs Keita Nakamura (+575 underdog)

Undefeated welterweight prospect Tom Breese meets Japanese veteran Keita Nakamura in a litmus test of sorts. All 9 of Breese’s MMA bouts have ended by stoppage, including two first round stoppages in his first two UFC fights. His aggressive kickboxing puts pressure on his opponents early on. When Breese hurts his opponent, he recognizes it and hunts for the finish. Nakamura has seen a career revival as of late, losing only 1 of his last 12 bouts. The veteran last competed in September winning by submission against Jingliang Li.

Prediction:

Nakamura’s feel good story will end here. Breese will catch the Japanese fighter early in the first round and will finish him in front of his home crowd. Breese by TKO in the first round.

Expect Tom Breese to finish Keita Nakamura, UFC Fight Night 84 — Expect Tom Breese to finish Keita Nakamura

The Visit

Movies

Slickster

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February 22, 2016

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The Visit

By Evan Purcell
2/22/2016, 8:00 p.m.
Tweet to: @Slickster_Mag

Most of the world wrote off M. Night Shyamalan after the epic flameout that was The Happening, a suspense thriller full of so many bad decisions, it almost seemed like a prank against the audience. Its premise was ridiculous, its climax laughable, and its tone jarringly somber. It was a bad, bad movie, and it made all his previous movies – which all had similar elements – look bad in comparison.

For his next few films, it seemed like Shyamalan learned his lesson from The Happening, but not in a good way. After Earth and The Last Airbender were both generic wannabe blockbusters that could’ve been directed by anyone. Unlike all his previous films, they weren’t recognizably his. And that was disappointing.

With the release of The Visit, Shyamalan is back to his old tricks again, and while it’s no Sixth Sense, it is at least as good as Signs or The Village.

The Visit follows two modern kids – a precocious rapper and an aspiring filmmaker, both slightly overwritten – as they meet their estranged grandparents for the very first time. Right away, the grandparents seem a little off. They hide things in the shed, they take hide and seek a little too far, and they say things that don’t quite jibe with reality. At first it seems like they’re senile, but then things get darker.

To say anything else would spoil the slowly building weirdness of this found footage horror comedy creepshow. But I will say that you should not expect a big twist ending in the final minutes. Instead, Shyamalan wisely reveals the reality of the situation much earlier, which gives him the freedom to make The Visit‘s final 30 minutes some of the tensest, weirdest stuff in any of his films.

As a movie fan, it’s always disheartening when a skilled filmmaker loses his way, either repeating his own quirks into self-parody or losing all sense of personality. Shyamalan went through both of those phases, and with the welcome arrival of The Visit, let’s hope that the old Shyamalan is here to stay.