'Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number' - hard like Contra, falls flat
“Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number” is not an easy game — nor was its predecessor.
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“Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number” is not an easy game — nor was its predecessor.
It’s always interesting to see how far the reach of ASU can go in Arizona. The school owns the beautiful SkySong complex in Scottsdale, home to alumni and others looking to start their own businesses.
The gray skies hanging over downtown Scottsdale this past weekend framed the town with a slight sense of gloom as clouds threatened (and minutely delivered) rain.
Upon the first few scenes of “Everly,” it’d be easy to think you were watching a script pulled out of an old, long-lost notebook Quentin Tarantino had stored in an attic somewhere. There’s blood, guts, gunplay and a sizeable amount of camp.
I’ve been sincerely leery about picking up the new Zelda game for the 3DS, "Majora’s Mask 3D."
When one thinks of the big band, a word springs to mind: loud. Loud, but with purpose, flair and an ability to make the crowd dance. However, in the case of the packed Katzin Concert Hall on Thursday, dancing replaced tapping toes and heads bobbing to the rhythms of jazz — equally appreciative of the fun and stylish works present for the evening. The "Big Band Night!" filled the hall with classic and modern day jazz performances that were sprinkled with some original pieces as well. The two-part concert featured ASU’s Jazz Repertory, led by jazz professor Jeff Libman and the concert jazz band, helmed by instructor and jazz guitarist Michael Kocour. The repertory, conducted by Libman, opened the show with Duke Ellington’s classic piece “Cotton Tail,” which instantly brought to mind the jazz clubs of the 1940s. The song featured a pair of saxophone solos, and was a great start to the evening. Guest trombonist and faculty associate Ryan Haines took to the stage after to share a new composition titled “Desert Nights: My Sunset Regiment.” Before playing, Haines said that the title came from relaxing desert walks at night with his girlfriend, and when he formerly played the German bugle with regiment. The song carried a peaceful vibe that was easy to get lost in as you listened, and featured a great solo by Haines with support from a bassist, pianist and drummer. The repertory continued throughout the evening without Haines, playing renditions of “Kayak” by trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, and Thad Jones’ “Quietude.” The band here was led by graduate student and assistant conductor Zack Wiggins, and featured a calm yet strong play from the saxophone and brass sections. It also included a great solo from Charlie Smith on piano. The band ended its performance by playing a Maria Schneider composition. After a brief intermission, the Kocour-led concert jazz band took the stage to perform a set focused on the music of Gil Evans and Miles Davis. They went to work right away, playing Davis’ “Springsville,” an airy, open and fun piece that could easily make a few faces smile. Trumpet soloist John Michael Schern handled Davis’ parts with ease, and it was easy to see him having a good time onstage. The set continued with a two-in-one song bit where “There’s a Boat That’s Leavin’ Soon for New York” transitioned into “Gone.” The urban feel of the trumpets and, according to Kocour, “large brass section,” reminded me of the city instantly. Additionally, the songs showed off the range of the band, as the saxophonists went from flute to bass clarinets and back with nary a hiccup. “Gone” showed off what drummer Shawn Bush could do, with solos peppered through the performance. Ryan Haines made his return with another original piece, “Look for the Silver Lining,” that eased the crowd into the raucous performance with a mellow introduction. Haines’ staccato trombone solos carried the song throughout. He continued to play with the band throughout the evening, with “These Uncertain Times,” and “Goodnight Story,” a beautiful lullaby-esque tune inspired by him reading bedtimes stories to his daughter. The show closed with the funny performance of Haines’ “The High and Low Road,” which featured bass trumpeter and Professor of Trombone, Douglas Yeo. The setup was a wild-west gunslinger theme, as the two playfully dueled each other with different sounds and songs in quick bursts, each eying the other's attempts at showing off. Haines carried a pair of long notes with ease as Yeo waited with respect but comedic impatience. Their excellent solos carried the song to the end. The "Big Band Night!" was a treat for jazz enthusiasts, and carried a lighthearted tone throughout the evening. It was disheartening to see a swath of viewers leave during the middle of the concert band’s set, but Haines took it in stride. “We all going in the same car?” he asked with a smile. Speaking of which, you’d be hard pressed to find no smiles on stage with the performers, and it was quite evident that the students and professors had a goal in mind: to have fun and make a fun evening. It worked. Loudly.Reach the reporter at Damion.Julien-Rohman@asu.edu or follow @legendpenguin on Twitter. Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
In six days, a major vote will take place that could decide the future of the Internet as we know it.
James "J Dilla" Dewitt Yancey was known by a lot of names. Jay Dee. J Deezy. Dilla Dawg or just Jay. Some even call him “Your Favorite Producer’s Favorite Producer.”
When we think of Greece or Rome in video games, we tend to immediately think of the more action-based hack and slash affairs like "God of War," or even more recently, "Ryse: Son of Rome." That of course says nothing about the various strategy games that these countries have popped up in as well, but action games are the more concurrent thought.
The Step Gallery in downtown Phoenix is still relatively new, even if the industrial building that encases it is not. It’s always interesting to see where ASU’s love for the arts will go, and seeing the school’s logo spray painted and weathered onto a wall of metal bars. The locale brings a bit of modern hip flair to that love. Inside, a small exhibit is housed within those massive walls, with striking black and white images taken by an ASU alumni.
Back at a Windows 10 event on Jan. 21, Microsoft announced a new piece of technology that brings us even closer to science fiction (finally). While it’s nothing like Iron Man’s physical holograms (which Elon Musk is hopefully still working on), the possibilities that the tech could generate are fascinating to think about.
As I grabbed lunch on the way out of the mall, a sudden realization hit me: I had nearly forgotten about the movie I had seen an hour earlier.
If you’re a millennial in this technology-forward world, it's probably easy to forget that a classic show such as "Gumby" even existed. The lovable, malleable boy may not have introduced stop-motion, but he and his creator certainly gave it a mass appeal through his lighthearted adventures and positive outlook.
It’s exceedingly rare for a game to be rated “adults only” by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. To qualify, the game would need graphic content in the vein of pornography and violence. The majority of games rated adults only have made the list due to pornographic content, with only "Manhunt 2" and "Thrill Kill" joining the list for violence.
Early impressions are fickle to go by. When the first commercials for "Backstrom" hit, I initially believed that viewers were going to see something along the lines of Dr. House trading his cane for a cigar, detective’s badge and orange raincoat, all while maintaining the same self-centered, belittling ego.
Let’s face it: Binge-watching has become one of the main ways to watch shows. A 2013 study by Netflix said that 61 percent of its users binge regularly. With more shows popping up on the service and Amazon as well, those numbers are definitely increasing. Both sites have caught up to the trend, dropping full seasons of original shows without a second thought.
Damion Julien-Rohman: PC Player
The big Consumer Electronics Show came and went in Las Vegas last week and highlighted some unique gadgets for entertainment heads, auto fans and even stuff for the home. As it was an industry-only event, few commoners were likely able to sneak in to gawp at the latest 8K TV screens. Sad days for the hardcore tech geeks of the general public.
To be dead honest, my winter break consisted mostly of meeting up with friends and family over steaming bowls of gumbo and trying my hardest not to fall asleep on the drive from Phoenix to California as I passed through yet another endless desert plain. That said, I didn’t play too many games when I was back home – my 3DS even stayed inside of its case during the trip, which is rare considering how much I love the thing. However, when I came back to Arizona, the usual shoot, hack and slash affairs came back in full. Here’s what I played over the break.
No matter your preference of console, handheld or PC; no matter if you went AAA or indie — there was a lot to choose from in this year of gaming. We're now a year into the new systems (two for the Wii U), and the next generation is showing what it's capable of, for better or for worse. Although I personally couldn't dabble in the new wave of gaming systems, there were still a number of games this year that stood out — some amazing, some disappointing and some that I'm excited to get my hands on in the future. These are my top 10 games of the year.
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