The good folk at Comedy Central were kind enough to set us up with a copy of South Parks latest Xbox Live Arcade title . For 800 live points ($10.00) you can chase down the evil Scott Tenorman to reclaim Cartmans stolen Xbox hard drive. Chasing Tenorman through time and space created in a style that can only mean South Park was a reasonably fun jaunt. The story isn’t anything that will win a Pullitzer but it gives you a reason to guide Kyle, Kenny, Stan, or Cartman through the levels. The boys are all equipped with different abilities to navigate the multitude of levels provided. Certain unlockables can only be reached when using the powers of a certain character. This lends two types of thinking if you aren’t playing online multiplayer. The first is awesome I get to play through this level four times to unlock every item I need to continue on! The second is where I fell, it was wait a minute, I have to go through these levels again?

Not wanting to repeat the levels I jumped into the Xbox Live arena. The matchmaking loaded flawlessly and I was in a game in minutes. This was the only easy part of the multiplayer. The controls which were already a bit sluggish became laggy. I found myself making sure that I pressed the button about half a second before I wanted the action to be completed by my character. That aside once I adjusted to the button delay the three others and I began flying through levels. It was definitely built with the intent to grab some buddies and blast through the story. I’m certain that with a crew of your usual gaming cronies you could blow through the game in an hour and have an absolute blast while giggling at the usual South Park humor, dodging atheists as they blast their wands at the ginger bots, and navigating the various platforming elements.

Everything about the game is geared to five you the most fun possible while keeping everything we love about South Park completely intact. For the most part that goal is achieved, and the zany game keeps you excited to continue. I wish the controls were a bit tighter especially online, and the sound track supported the game well enough but wasn’t insanely memorable.

This game doesn’t redefine anything in the world of multiplayer or platforming but it gets a few items right. If you have 3 other friends to play with you, the price is right. If you’re playing alone I’m afraid you’ll find yourself forgetting the game very quickly.

Score

• Story: 8
• Sound Track: 6
• Controls: 6
• Multi-player: 8
• Replay: 5

• Total: 6.75

So the word of the day is Wordament. And oh my god is it addicting. The concept is simple enough, it’s a timed word search game similar to Boggle where you swipe the tiles and make words. There 16 letters to swipe away at, you’re also given a rotate button so if you are having trouble making out words it’ll rotate a quarter turn to give you a slightly new view. Words can be found forwards, backwards and diagonally as long as the two tiles are next to one another. It’s two minutes per round trying to accumulate as many points as you can. Interestingly enough I’ve found the best part of the game is when it shows you what you’ve found, what you’ve missed and the obscure words you wouldn’t have imagined. Then it’ll show where you ranked that round against the entire world. It gives you a percentage rank for the round too, just in case you might be bad at quick math. While looking at the rank list you can see where people on your Xbox Live friends list rank, or highlight names for your frenemies. For the more competetive player you can also compare your current rounds to selected members of your friends list. All this just compels you to keep playing, and trying to out do you frenemies and your previous score. On a side note Microsoft has included a Spanish way to play as well. (I tried it in Spanish, I’m terrible at it.)

Microsoft Games Studio has out done themselves with this one because not only are they giving us an incredibly addicting game, they are giving it to everyone for the low low price of, FREE! Not only that, but it has a full 200 gamer score attached to it as well. So if you’ve got a WP7 what are you waiting for? Start downloading it now, what have you got to lose?

Score: 5/5 (mainly because it’s so addictive and also a little because it’s free)

For fans of: word games, 1 vs 100, Boggle and fun

Rounding out this week’s Star Wars comics is the first issue of Blood Ties – Boba Fett Is Dead, and GONK has saved the best for last…
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This month features the release of Matty Collector’s The Rookie figure from Ghostbusters the Video Game, originally an incentive to join Club Ecto-1. After the subscription plan was cancelled, Matty announced he would be sold separately on the site.

The Rookie is the character you play in Ghostbusters the Video Game. He wasn’t given a name, nor any speaking parts to help you immerse yourself into the game. Peter Venkman even cracks some jokes about getting too attached and not using your real name because of what happened to the last new hire. The model for The Rookie was based off of Ryan French, the associate producer for the game.

There are a lot of awesome things I love about this figure. And some nit picky things that keep it from being the coolest figure on my shelf. Let’s start with the good stuff. The head sculpt for this guy is surprisingly strong. Especially for a character that is ultimately supposed to be forgettable. The Rookie also comes with some great accessories, a PKE Meter and Ghost Trap attached to his belt. As well as removable Ecto Goggles. The Ghost Trap is a really nice touch.

Now for some of the things that I feel missed the boat. The PKE Meter from the game differs from the version attached to his belt. The meter on this figure matches the version in the movies. Where as the game’s meter was more like an iPhone – PKE hybrid. Next up is the Proton Pack. Through the video game, Egon upgrades your pack with some pretty gnarly stuff. Including a slime blower attachment. Unfortunately, the Proton Pack on this figure is the exact same as every other pack from the Ghostbusters’ toy line. The equipment in the game was a big part of the experience, so this felt like a huge misstep for me.

Packed in with this figure is the same Ghost Trap that came with Winston, only with orange electricity instead of blue. The traps in the video game are basically wireless, so even this isn’t in line with the video game. Instead of this trap, one of the ghosts exclusive to Ghostbusters the Video Game would have been great. The first one that comes to mind are Stay Puft’s marshmallow mini minions.

Ultimately there are a lot of things I like about this, but it still falls short. As an incentive figure, I suppose I would have been more forgiving of the cons I listed above. But as a stand alone figure, I wish Matty would have taken more time with the equipment and the packed in accessory.

It’s hard to explain to a civilian (thank you Kerry for finally coining a term to those outside of the geek community) the feeling you get when you finally get your hands on something you have spent hours and gas money looking for. It’s a feeling of accomplishment. It’s a right to brag to your friends. It’s physical proof that you are better than most people at finding things no one gives a shit about. That’s why I am excited to bring to you, Additions to the Nerdorium!

I have collected toys and action figures for the better part of my adult life. Lucky for me my job allows REQUIRES me to spend 30+ hours a week in America’s number one chain store. Being a vendor for a large sales and auditing company is a blessing is disguise. I have been able to snag many figures straight out of the box before they even hit the shelves. Is this awesome? Yes. Is it costly? I will allow all of the bills I get with LAST NOTICE plastered across the front to serve as proof. Finding a figure that is one of a set in a chain or comic store is awesome, but no longer the thrill it once was. Now a days you can check the availability of specific figures on the websites of all major stores. If your local store is worth a dick, they can probably order it for you. This is like shooting Aqua Men in a barrel.

The feeling you get when you open a box containing something you ordered isn’t the same as stumbling upon something you didn’t even know existed. How excited were you the last time you were going through discount bin and found your favorite toy from your childhood? Or the one you never had that would have completed the set? These are the finds that make collecting fun. Of course I will occasionally post photos and updates about toys that are more common because wheres the fun in just talking about things only I have? I want to be able to share my collection and finds with anyone who loves figures and toys as much as me.

Marvel Select Deadpool and Nightcrawler

Deadpool – This Marvel Select figure stands 7 inches tall and is part of the new series of Marvel Select figures. There is an older version of this figure from an earlier series that goes for a lot more than I paid for the new one. The figure came with a sturdy and awesomely detailed display stand. Of course he comes with some awesome weapons. I’ve got him rocking the sais. Because in my heaven Raphael and Deadpool are best friends. He also comes with a rad machine gun and two pistols. The two pistols fit comfortably into the holsters on either side of his utility belt. This figure is pretty easy to obtain. Ebay has a ton of them. I suggest hitting up Amazon if you can find him in stores. I think the average one goes for about $25 after shipping. I paid $20 for him at The Great Escape Cards and Comics store here in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Nightcrawler – This is also a Marvel Select figure but unlike Deadpool, it is from the older Marvel Select Series. I wish I hadn’t opened this one. I’m pretty sure lost the piece needed to complete the Galactus figure that buying all the characters from this series would have built! I think he came with the leg or the mid section. Somewhere in my bins of toys there just may be a large purple crotch floating around. This guy didn’t come with any accessories because Nightcrawler doesn’t need any. Try to dispute me on this. TRY ME! I wasn’t able to find any of these figures on Amazon. There are a few on Ebay. Unfortunately, none of the ones I found were still in their cases. I contribute this to people’s need to build a giant Galactus. I can’t say I blame them. An old roommate of mine had a complete Galactus figure and it was glorious.

Why are these figures awesome? My girlfriend Emily actually found the Nightcrawler for me years ago when we were doing one of our routine late nite Wal-Mart trips. I of course was dragging her through the toy aisles to take a gander at the new Star Wars figures when she exclaimed, “Hey it’s that one you like!” At first I was sure she was talking about Wolverine. He’s the easy go to for girls looking to find common geek ground with their up until them virgin boyfriends. Her enthusiasm may have been fake but her attention to a small detail of something I may have said in passing was spot on. It was in fact “that one I liked.” Nightcrawler has always been my favorite Marvel character hands down! His appearance in X2 is what makes that movie the best of the franchise as far as I’m concerned. I guess in my ramblings about how awesome the movie was she picked up on my enthusiasm for the purple smoke popping mutant with the most.

Emily has since contributed a lot to my collection and never really given me shit for a habit I hid from her for a long time. OK, I didn’t hide it. I just didn’t lead off a lot of our first conversations with my whining about how our KB Toys never had shit. We’ve been dating since KB Toys were a thing. For those of you bad at math, we will have been together 10 years in December. So I figured (no pun intended) that it would be nice to make my first post about the first figure my lady helped me find.

I know there are fellow nerds out there who attach moments and memories to some, if not all, of their collectibles. I look forward to hearing about them. Please leave comments!!

Also out this week: the fifth and final issue of Dark Times – Out of the Wilderness. Dass Jennir tries to outwit his assassin, but will Bomo Greenbark and the Uhumele crew arrive in time for a rescue?
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(I’ll do my best not to give any spoilers in this review, so you can get the same enjoyment I got out of it.)

The Walking Dead Video game is finally upon us, well sort of, the game is going to be released in 5 separate episodes so you can take it in like you would the comics or the TV series.  There are two options for purchasing the series, you can buy them individually for $4.99 each or purchase the entire season for $19.99.  Telltale Games are the ones behind this amazing game.  I know some people will disagree with me on this, but I am incredibly pleased by Kirkman and the company chosen for making the game.  The reason for the great fit is that Telltale focused on story and not just zombie violence, just like the focus of the series. It’s not about the zombies, it’s about emotion and those living through it.  You are Lee Everett, a protagonist with a not so great past, but given a chance to start over after the outbreak happens.

The game play itself is like a point-and-click style mixed with correct button pushing or twitch thumb stick movement similar to Heavy Rain.  You also choose your statements in conversations, you only have a limited time to do so though.  Unlike most games your choices make a difference, it helps strengthen relationships and build trust or can pull others apart.  Not all of the effects of choices can be seen quite yet by the end of the first episode.  A very nice touch Telltale added is that after the episode is over they give you a percentage breakdown of the way you chose compared to the rest of the world on key decisions, very much like Catherine did after you answered the questions in the confessional.

She's looking for more than action.

The graphics of the game are done in a cell shaded style, making it feel like a living comic book, and don’t think for one instant that takes anything away from the visuals or the overall presentation.  This is an adult title, it’s also a thinking title as you have to solve problems and over come situations.  If you don’t do it correctly you will die, and there are a bunch of different ways to die.  I had my throat ripped out, I was also disemboweled, and other such ways for zombies to show their love.

The story and voice acting are top notch, only adding to the experience.  You can genuinely feel for the characters, which makes some of your decisions almost hard to make.  But make them fast or something else could happen all together.  The branching story paths encourages you to go back and play through it again to see what could have happened.  Also in the character department for those who are all over the other Walking Dead medias and want a connection to them, you meet and interact with Herschel Greene, Lilly, and Glenn.  Don’t worry I’m not saying how, when, or what you’re doing with them.  I will however ruin the Easter egg at the very end of the episode you can hear just how into Robert Kirkman, Telltale is as one of the characters is talking about his newer book Super Dinosaur. (It was funny to hear, then it made me realize how nerdy I am for knowing the reference.)

Overall I highly recommend checking this out, if you’re looking for a good story with a bit of suspense thrown in too.  If you are looking for all out action like Left 4 Dead or the adventure of Resident Evil I would tell you to probably look else where as this is done entirely differently. So far I can say this is a very promising start to the series, and I cannot wait for episode 2 to come out. Especially from the way “A New Day” ends and the preview for the next episode “Starved For Help” to come.

Score: 9/10

For fans of: The Walking Dead, anything Telltale Games has done before, point-and-click games, Heavy Rain

Crimson Empire III wraps up this week. Will Kir Kanos come out on top or go down fighting?
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GONK reviews last week’s only Star Wars comic: Issue #3 of Dawn of the Jedi: Force Storm
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Swirls of golden light fall from the sky outside a Moscow nightclub, appearing like beautiful fireflies but capable of disintegrating anyone in their path.

So begins The Darkest Hour, now available on DVD and Blu-Ray.

The scenery is incredible, with ominous gray skies appearing behind beautiful Russian buildings, including the impressive Kremlin.  And with the recent “firefly” massacre, the once-bustling city is an ash-covered barren wasteland.  The five main characters are able to avoid the initial carnage, but with nearly everyone else gone and no idea what these creatures are or what they want, they struggle to figure out what to do next.  To add to the direness of the situation, the mysterious invaders are capable of becoming invisible.

The very beginning of the film focuses on who these characters are and why they are in Moscow, but this is ultimately unimportant.  They are one-dimensional with names like Sean (Emile Hirsch), Ben (Max Minghella), and Natalie (Olivia Thirlby).  This doesn’t really detract from the very real danger of the enemy, though, since this is ultimately a story about the world on the brink of destruction and not interpersonal relationships.

With a running time of only 89 minutes, this is a short horror/sci-fi film, and it was much better than I expected.  Mostly I was intrigued by what the creatures really were and their motives for destroying Earth, as well as the empty Russian landscape.  Once the useless character introductions were over, the movie kept up a pretty rapid pace.  It’s not epic cinema, but I think it’s a decent popcorn film and certainly worth a look.

Special features on the DVD and Blu-Ray include “The Darkest Hour: Survivors” – Follow the rebel resistance in an all-new short film, Deleted & Extended Scenes, “The Darkest Hour: Visualizing an Invasion”, and Audio Commentary with the Director Chris Gorak.