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The Twilight Highlight Zone - Episode 7

Ben Hanson — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

We've reached the first milestone in a long journey. Jeff Cork and I have been recording our thoughts on every episode of the classic Twilight Zone series, and today's episode marks the end of the first season. Be sure to tune in next week for our recap/awards show of the first season we're calling "The Franklins", leave your ideas for categories in the comments below.

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This podcast covers the following episodes...

31. The Chaser

32. A Passage for Trumpet

33. Mr. Bevis

34. The After Hours

35. The Mighty Casey

36. A World of His Own

Listen to our earlier episodes through the links below.

Air Force Gator 2 Is Longer, Dumber, And Available Now

Dan Ryckert — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:53:00 GMT

Last November, I released my first book. It was a ton of fun to write, so much so that I began work on its sequel immediately. I’m proud to say that six months after the original went on sale, Air Force Gator 2: Scales of Justice is now available for purchase.

Almost all of the feedback I received from the original was positive, but I wanted to make sure I addressed any criticism when writing its follow-up. The most common critique I received was that the original was too short. Considering the only books I really read growing up were in the Goosebumps series, that’s roughly the word count I originally shot for. At 24,000 words, the first book could be finished in a few hours. I decided to make Scales of Justice a longer read, and it wound up at 34,000 words.

Outside of the length, I had a couple of people say that they were surprised that the original wasn’t as ridiculous as they expected. I wrote it fairly straight-faced, hoping that the inherent ridiculousness of an alligator jet pilot would supply a good chunk of the humor. Reading it again, I realized that there was so much more room for stupid nonsense considering the subject matter. When writing Scales of Justice, I constantly reminded myself to sneak in super dumb stuff whenever I could. I don’t want to spoil any specific plot points here, but rest assured that this sequel is a significantly stupider affair.

As for the plot itself, here’s the description on the back of the book:

Eight years have passed since the Crocodile Rock incident that almost irrevocably damaged the United States. Since saving the country on that day, Air Force Gator’s legendary status has grown to unseen heights. His strength is magnified after being exposed to the chemical GatorAid. He’s dating a super hot stripper. Once a desperate and alcoholic whoremonger, the alligator pilot has finally found peace.

When President Obama organizes a rally on the National Mall to honor the inaugural Air Force Gator Day, the heroic reptile plans on announcing his retirement from military duty. His dreams of a quiet retirement come crashing down around him when a fringe group of radical reptiles led by an evil pig farmer interrupts the festivities and carries out a massive terrorist attack. Devastated by the increasingly personal attacks of the Sons of Gustav, it’s time for Gator to lace up his boots again and bring the pain.

Click below to see the full front and back cover image:

As you can see, former Major League Baseball player and complete moron Jose Canseco provided the foreword to the book. If you're a fan of stupid action movies or general dumb crap, it should be right up your alley. You can find it right here in paperback and on Kindle if you're interested.

My Favorite Games Of The Year

Andrew Reiner — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:52:00 GMT

Yes, I know it’s only May. Back off. This list only represents the games I played in the first four months of 2013. It is by no means complete, and likely won’t be until the end of December.

Why am I bringing it to you so early? Why not? Over the course of the year, I chronicle my game experiences in a notebook. Old school, I know. The first six pages of this notebook are dedicated to the games I feel I need to play. I jot down a game's title and cross it off after I complete it or feel I've seen enough of it. By the end of the year, my goal is to have played all of the these titles.

The games that stand out as the year’s best are jotted down on the last page of the notebook. Yes, I only need one page for this. The pages in-between these two sections are dedicated to individual games. Each game gets at least one page that I fill with notes, opinions, crudely drawn images, and occasionally quotes. A massive game like Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim consumed six pages. Resident Evil 6 consumed four pages; the last dedicated to one word: an angrily written "DISASTER!"

What you’re about to read is essentially the last page of the notebook. The only differences are the addition of opinion and screenshots. Oh yeah, you also don't have to decipher my awful handwriting.

These games are not numbered and won’t be until the Game Informer staff is tasked to compile end-of-the-year lists. You won’t know what my top game is until that issue hits newsstands. I know the suspense must be killing you. This blog will be updated whenever I add a new game to my list. Bookmark it, start your own blog with your own list of games, and link it in the comments section below. I'd love to read them!

Without further delay, here are my last-page picks for the year:

Metro: Last Light

I enjoyed Metro 2033 to an extent, but walked away from the game thinking I'd seen enough of this subterranean world created by 4A Games. After reading Jeff Marchiafava's rave review, I decided to give the sequel, Last Light, a chance. I'm glad I did. Once I started playing, I didn't want to put it down. The game handles both run-and-gun and stealth particularly well, letting players decide how they are going to work their way through densely populated environments. I leaned more on stealth. Most of the environments are designed to allow the player to sneak through the shadows or in the tunnels below enemy troopers. I wasn't enjoying the story until around the halfway point, when a "companion" was added to the mix. From there, I was hooked, and the game didn't disappoint in its delivery of gorgeous story sequences and towering set-piece moments. In retrospect, Last Light made me appreciate the time I put into Metro 2033. The importance of that "companion" just wouldn't hold the same weight had I not played the first game in the series.
My rating: 4 Spooky Spider Tunnels out of 5 Candle-Lit Subways

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Charming. Fascinating. Beautiful. Challenging. Wonderful. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch blends the cinematic storytelling of Studio Ghibli with the JRPG expertise of Level-5 to create a journey filled with heart and depth. Whether I was helping villagers put their lives back together or spending far too much time capturing monsters, Ni no Kuni won me over and made me want more. Although I’ve never played another JPRG quite like it, it reminded me of the JRPG heyday of the PlayStation 1 and 2 eras. 
My rating: 4 weird nose lanterns out of 5 ghost girls

BioShock: Infinite

My favorite moments in BioShock: Infinite occurred in the first 20 minutes and the last 20 minutes. The eight to nine hours in-between these mind-blowing sequences offered great run-and-gun gameplay, but didn’t hold a candle to Irrational Games’ spellbinding storytelling. Even months after completion, this is one of those games that I still discuss with friends, as I often find everyone interprets parts of it differently.
My rating: 4 garbage can hotdogs out of 5 terrifying songbirds

Injustice: Gods Among Us

I’ll let my review do the talking: “NetherRealm clearly had a blast creating Injustice. The team’s appreciation of the DC universe blends nicely with their well-worn Mortal Kombat formula to create an experience that is a success on both fighting and comic book levels. Whether Doomsday is knocking Superman into the core of the planet or Bane is breaking Batman's back, a stratospheric level of violence accompanies almost every fight. The carnage towers over the combat seen in the team's previous venture in spandex, 2009's Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.”
My Game Informer Review Rating: 9 out of 10
 
Tomb Raider

When I first heard about the new “survival” direction Crystal Dynamics was taking Lara Croft in, I thought the game would play out like Lost, with Croft hunting for food and fending off crazed villagers as she searched for a way off of a mysterious island. It turns out that “survival” mostly means watching Lara fall 30 stories, kick wolves in the face, and get impaled a few times for good measure. Crystal Dynamics basically gave her the mutant healing powers of Wolverine. Both brutal and fun, Crystal Dynamics assembled a hell of a shooter. The Zelda-like “return to this area with new powers” design is implemented nicely, and the story kept me hooked. I miss the tombs of old, but also dig the direction this series is going in.
My rating: 3.5 broken bones out of 5 improbable plummets

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

One of my top moments of the year occurs in the final hour of Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon. The cinematic leads to the acquisition of one of the craziest weapons I’ve ever wielded in a video game. And that’s the point of said weapon – to obliterate foes with ease. I loved Blood Dragon when it was being absurd – usually in any cutscene or story-based mission. I didn’t like that most of my time was spent securing outposts and completing brief side missions. More story missions would have been nice.
My rating: 3.5 middle fingers out of 5 hand lasers

Devil May Cry

The transforming worlds and ridiculous story are worth the price of admission alone. Throw in a deep and satisfying combat system and Devil May Cry delivers big thrills that live up to the series’ namesake. Outside of an anticlimactic last boss, I enjoyed all of the fights. Bring me more, Capcom. Lots more.
My rating: 3.5 emo haircuts out of 5 people complaining about hair color

Fire Emblem: Awakening

Kimberley Wallace’s review of Fire Emblem: Awakening nails the experience. “My heart raced as I watched enemies close in on an injured character, and I found myself devastated if I executed an action that cost me the match,” she said. “Awakening made me scratch and claw for victory, and I savored every moment.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. I always cringed when my characters would take damage early in battle. Ensuring victory without sustaining casualties was paramount. I thought long and hard about most of my moves. Carelessness often led to battle restarts. Turn-based strategy doesn’t get much better than this.
My rating: 4 strange feet out of 5 awkward battlefield relationships

Defiance

Sure, I complain about Defiance at an alarming frequency on Twitter, and yes, I realize the game has more bugs in its code than its missions do Hellbugs. But, the flawed experience can be incredibly rewarding when friends are battling at your side. I like the game Trion Worlds is trying to sell. I just wish the execution matched the vision.
My rating: 3 hellbugs out of 5 game-crippling bugs

Games on my “must-play” list:
Badland
BattleBlock Theater
Crysis 3
Dead Island: Riptide
Guacamelee
Luigi’s Mansion 2: Dark Moon
Monaco
Resident Evil: Revleations
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner – Soul Hackers
Year Walk

Friday Links: Co-op Support Group Activate

Margaret — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:29:00 GMT

QOTD:

Alright alright fine, after I wreck the final Borderlands 2 DLC with my brother we'll put the game down for something else. What fantastic co-op game should be at the top of our list? I need some solid recommendations cuz like, I have Halo 4 and it sounds sorta fun I guess, but I'm just not soooooold that it's the best one out there. Ya'know?

A little help would be much appreciated. Links and awkward high-fives for good responses!

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Facebook...in your house.

The most complicated board game ever. A lot funnier than I thought it was gonna be.

Do a google image search for: atari breakout.

Slothy art has stolen my heart.

Well, isn't this awkward.

Downton Diddy.

These 11 year olds are metal as f*ck.

This janitor has quite the after-hours gig.

The spankin' new Pacific Rim trailer. Homg yes.

The first trailer for "Riddick"! Vin giving me eyes + Starbuck? GIMME.

Everything wrong with Jurassic Park in 3 minutes or less. Jurassic Park I still love you.

The first trailer for "Gravity" hit and I already know I'll be digging my nails into something while watching it in the theater.

Here's what you didn't know about the Men of Game of Thrones.

Sad cat diary. My cat is sad he couldn't be a part of this video.

Classic Gatsby set to the modern soundtrack.

This cartoon amuses me so much.

If you're like me and think the new Daft Punk album is more like a Daft Snooze album, then you'll probably find this video mildly amusing too.

Saul Bass style Game of Thrones posters.

My neighbor peanut. Any Miyazaki fans here?

This is the shirt I wore to Star Trek last night. Humina humina.

The rumors are true: you really can buy anything on the internet.

Better names for things. Earth fur!

Marioshock Infinite.

Avengers cats! Caption Ameowica, heh.

The crumbling remains of Tattooine as documented by one photog.

There's a huge sales on video games at Amazon today. Go!

Stormtrooper aprons for the grillmaster in your life.

Desktop Of The Week.

A Lego Star Wars Set Unlike Any Other

Andrew Reiner — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:18:00 GMT

I arrived at work today to find a mysterious Lego Star Wars box sitting on my desk. The message "secrets to reveal there are" is written on one of the sides. The rest of the box is covered in what would appear to be Lego lights, some of them flashing.

A document inside the box shows that this surprise is tied to the May 29 launch of Lego Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles show on Cartoon Network. But that's not all...

Lego is also unveiling the "world's largest Lego model" on May 23 in New York's Times Square at 11 AM.

The box also includes a new Lego set consisting of 408 pieces.

The instruction manual shows Yoda holding some sort of Holocron-like device, which would appear to be one of the lights.

The final model looks like a meditation chamber of some sort. The lights on the box are also on this set's walls. If those lights are Holocrons, this could also be a vault or library. The set includes figures of Yoda, a female character with long brown hair, and a droid.

I've reached out to Lego to see if this set will be sold at retail, and was told that, "This set will not be sold in stores, and is an exclusive teaser for the event in New York next week." We'll find out then what piece of the Star Wars universe becomes the world's largest Lego model next week. My money is on the Death Star.

Giving The Second Screen Experience A Chance

Dan Ryckert — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT

Last year at E3, we heard quite a bit from Microsoft about their mobile and tablet app SmartGlass. Representatives from the company told us it would be utilized in numerous ways, from displaying Halo stats and Madden plays to interacting with our favorite television programming. While I was initially intrigued by the possibilities of the “second screen experience,” I hadn’t really given it a shot until recently. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve started to realize what it can offer.

It’s not like I’ve been using it in a wide variety of games and apps. Rather, my experience has been relegated to watching Game of Thrones on HBO Go. As I loaded up a recent episode, I didn’t even realize it had SmartGlass compatibility until I saw the logo on the app’s screen. My iPad was sitting right in front of me, so I figured I’d give it a shot.

Within a few minutes of the episode, I realized that I’d be utilizing SmartGlass whenever I watched the fantasy series in the future. If you’ve seen Game of Thrones or read the books by George R.R. Martin, you know that the series features dozens of important characters and numerous concurrent plotlines. I can immediately recognize big characters like the Starks, the Lannisters, and Daenerys Targaryen, but side characters quickly become “that other tough guy with the beard” in my head.

Watching with SmartGlass doesn’t distract from the viewing experience. Instead, it offers plenty of context about what you’re watching. Numerous times per episode, I glance at my iPad screen and am immediately reminded of a side character’s importance to the story. If I want additional context, it even allows me to pull up relevant scenes from the past or interviews with the actors and creators with the push of a button. Westeros is a large and complex world, and SmartGlass even allows me to pull up a map that lets me know where certain events are taking place.

With its implementation in one show, Microsoft and HBO have shown me the value of the second screen experience. It wouldn’t be ideal for every show, but it’s a perfect companion to a series as dense as Game of Thrones. If you have a SmartGlass-compatible device, I’d highly recommend checking it out.

The Twilight Highlight Zone - Episode 6

Jeff Cork — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:23:52 GMT

It's Monday, which can mean only one thing: It's time for a new episode of the Twilight Highlight Zone. Ben Hanson and I are watching every episode of the classic sci-fi show and sharing our important thoughts. Join us!

We're in the home stretch, with only one more episode to go before the end of season one. I feel like I've learned a lot so far. People used to be far more attractive. Hanson likes to use fancy film-school terms. And slot machines used to have little tiny legs.

As always, we invite you to watch the show on Netflix (or wherever finer shows from the late '50s / early '60s are streamed) and join in the discussion.

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This week's podcast covers the following episodes:

26. Execution

27. The Big Tall Wish

28. A Nice Place to Visit

29. Nightmare as a Child

30. A Stop at Willoughby

And if you've somehow managed to miss out on a previous episode (GASP!), you can catch up by clicking the appropriate links below.

Friday Links On A Thursday, Saywhaaaat?

Margaret — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:47:00 GMT

Hey guess what...I have tomorrow off so surprise! Friday links a full day early. I am a giver, what can I say.

It was spring in Minnesota this week so I did almost zero gaming (except for Borderlands 2 clearly). I know the burning question on your mind is all, "KRIEG?!" Gotta say I'm 101% happy with my siren and have absolutey none zero zilch desire to play through the game a 5th time. Saving myself for Tiny Tina's DLC.

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Defaced textbooks. Neandertallica!

Stress vs. time while playing Snake. Truth.

Spock vs. Spock.

Steampunk weapons are useless against __________.

The Last Ship. Blah blah Michael Bay blah omg virus plague I HAVE TO SEE THIS.

Jimmy Fallon and John Krasinski had a lip-sync-off this week and Teenage Dream does it for me? Who knew?!

Booker has quite the appetite. Yeah that was weird right? I knew I didn't need the hot dog from some crispy corpse's pocket but I couldn't stop! I ate them every time!

Ryan Gosling won't eat his cereal. Diva.

Supercell thunderstorm cloud over Montana.

CORRECTION: Commander Riker sits down like a BOSS.

3D latte art. I feel like my life is never going to be the same after seeing this.

Princes Peachring.

Horror icons in lighthearted movies.

The trailer for Simon Pegg's newest movie "The World's End."

Warner Bros. is gonna make a Dungeons & Dragons film?! GODYESPLEASE.

Fartscroll. I desperately want to embed this on every hub page on the GI site.

The honest trailer for Star Trek ... Winona Ryder is still working?

Soviet-propaganda inspired Star Wars posters.

Early Atari designs. #16 you are my #1.

Batman, 1966.

The first trailer for "Ender's Game." First.

Nathan Fillion stealing Zelda away from Link? He would!

How historical figures might look today. Shakespeare as a hipster, totally.

Game of Game of Thrones. Jamie Lannister aka Mah Future Husband swoon.

SNL tackles Google Glass. Nailed it.

The Twilight Highlight Zone - Episode 5

Ben Hanson — Mon, 06 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

If you haven't noticed the flood of similar titles in the blog feed by now, Jeff Cork and myself are producing a podcast experiment where (on a weekly basis) we are discussing and reviewing every episode of The Twilight Zone. Why? Because we are weird and it is a good show. Listen to the audio below to hear us cover the next five episodes and please weigh in on our big debate in this episode by using the comments section below. I hope you enjoy!

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This episode covers the following episodes of the show...

21. Mirror Image

22. The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street

23. A World Of Difference

24. Long Live Walter Jameson

25. People Are Alike All Over

Listen to our earlier episodes through the links below.

Dig Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon's Music? Now Listen To This

Tim Turi — Fri, 03 May 2013 20:45:00 GMT

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is out and it's pretty great. The game oozes an '80s action movie aesthetic, complete with neon lights, ridiculous one-liners, and campy robot adversaries. One of the most important elements of selling that '80s feel comes from the talented Australian synth group Power Glove (not to be confused with the video game metal band, Powerglove). I've been listening to Power Glove for weeks now and developed an infatuation for heavily synthesized electronic music that apes classic '80s horror and action films. If you liked Blood Dragon's soundtrack and want more, I've got you covered.

Here's a quick link to an abridged Spotify playlist if you're short on time. It's missing some great stuff, but it's better than nothing. Otherwise, read/listen on!

First off there's the Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon OST itself. Go ahead and check that out on iTunes. It's a treat. Or better yet, if you haven't played the game check it out and fall in love that way. Buy it after that. Power Glove also has a handful of other tracks available on iTunes which are equally fun. I especially enjoy "Maximum Potential," which has a retro workout video feel complete with motivating Dolph Lundgren voice samples.

Next up is Carpenter Brut, which focuses on a John Carpenter-inspired, 80s horror synth vibe. "Le Perv" kicks off with a driving beat and haunting drone, then implements creepy strings and frantic melodies. The entire woefully brief EP is available on the cheap.

Judge b*tch (a band our profanity filter disapproves of) has a couple of albums available, Priors and Viper. Both are solid, but I'm a bigger fan of Viper. The intro track "Pacer" is evocative of Carpenter Brut. Fans of "Hobo with a Shotgun" may recognize the track from a video in the film's special features. In fact, following Jason Eisener, director of "Hobo with a Shotgun" (and a personal friend of Blood Dragon creative director Dean Evans), on twitter is where I've picked up on a lot of these musicians. His tumblr page is also a good time.

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Power Glove's "Hunters", previously heard in Hobo with a Shotgun

If you've begun to doubt the link between Blood Dragon and any of the bands I'm recommending, let Perturbator silence you. I Am The Night includes a song called "Technoir", which is the name of the trendy dance club Sarah Conner hides from Arnold in during The Terminator. James Cameron's legendary flick is a core inspiration for Blood Dragon. "Technoir" even begins by playing an answering machine message from the film. The rest of the tune is a tense, moody piece of electronic fun. Perturbator's other albums, Terror 404 and Night Driving Avenger are also worth a listen. It's worth noting Perturbator also has a couple tracks on the '80s-centric downloadable, Hotline Miami: "Vengeance" and "Miami Disco". While you're at it, check out the whole Hotline Miami soundtrack.

If you'd rather listen to a collection of retro synth music, Nightdriving Vol. 6 might be your best bet. This collection includes tracks by the previously mentioned Perturbator and Power Glove, along with some poppy songs with vocals that would be right at home in The Breakfast Club. Electric Youth's "The Best Thing" sounds like it could be from the soundtrack to Drive, which is no coincidence because the group teamed up with College for that film's song "A Real Hero". I'm also a big fan of Kavinsky's "Protovision" with its steady beat, moody guitar string bends, and warbling ambient notes. Kavinsky also wrote "Nightcall" for Drive. So yeah, go ahead and listen to the soundtrack for Drive while you're at it.

So check out all this good stuff, and be sure to dive down the rabbit holes of SoundCloud and Bandcamp to find more. I recommend searching tags like "retro electro", "80s", "vintage synth", and the like. If you find something awesome please give me a heads up on Twitter, I'm @timturi. Now download some tunes, slide on the Blue Blockers, and hop in the car for a night drive.

P.S. Nearing the end of writing this blog post I stumbled upon Danger, which so far sounds like lost tracks from Streets of Rage. That's a compliment.

Friday Links: Feeling Punchy

Margaret — Fri, 03 May 2013 19:41:00 GMT

We've been hard at work at getting the next issue ready, and between that and catching up on Game of Thrones and Mad Men I've only had time for ... Borderlands 2.

Bryan is so bold as to think I've leveled my toon higher than anyone else in the office. The mere possibility that I could be anything better in a video game than anyone else in this office is a trophy I never knew I wanted until this moment.

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This is a photo of 3 Corgis LARP'ing at the beach. Nbd.

If NES games were made today. This might be my favorite link of the week.

Hipster Mario made me laugh out loud. Make sure to check out hipster Bowser, Luigi, and Toad.

This image is the reason you'll never look at the CBS logo the same way again.

Video games and their long history of you know.

The Polish poster for The Big Lebowski is perfection.

Game of Thrones parodies roundup.

The art of an indie band photo.

Daft Punk doing everyday things.

Lego Tower of Orthanc set. My cat could live in that.

A treasure trove of Empire Strikes Back photos you've never seen.

Your classic link of the week: Milk, as reviewed on Amazon.

This comic strip based on someone's tweet.

House sigils from The Game of Pokemon.

The Matrix, as retold by your mom.

Super Mario Kart course IRL.

You ever mornings like...well, this?

The Game of Thrones opening done in Minecraft.

What musicians eat backstage. Marilyn Manson, let's be friends.

Tornado done with 2 million straws. Mmm, I could fall asleep there.

Middle class problems. Maybe I was just punchy, but #3 almost made me snort water all over my keyboard.

What if James Bond was, like, mediocre?

This hurricane on Saturn is 1,250 miles wide.

The Hood Internet's mixtapes are a classic at Chez Sopheava. Download their latest.

Animated drunk wife joke. If you don't smile you don't win a prize.

Here's Why Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen Doesn't Have New Achievements & Trophies

Andrew Reiner — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:28:00 GMT

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen is one of the games I was looking forward to playing the most this year. Given my somewhat psychotic desire to reach 200,000 gamerscore as quickly as possible (I currently sit at 199,454), my interest in this expansion nosedived a few days ago. I discovered Capcom didn’t create any new achievements for it, and I had to know why.

Like From Software's Dark Souls before it, Dark Arisen has earned a reputation for delivering punishing battles. The difference is that the thrill of overcoming great odds in Capcom's latest won’t be heralded by a satisfying “boop-boop.” My sigh of relief brought by victory won't be treated with the familiar oblong sigil or an increase in my gamerscore.

Capcom isn’t to blame for the lack of achievements, though. "Trophies and achievements gained in Dragon's Dogma will carry over to Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen so adding any new ones would exceed the standard amount of awards that can be received per game,” a Capcom representative told me. “Removing existing trophies and achievements to replace with new ones was not an option given the incompatibility issues with any trophies and achievements carried across in a player's save data from Dragon’s Dogma to Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen."

Retail Xbox 360 games are limited to 50 achievements worth 1,000 gamerscore. Developers and publishers can add to these totals through downloadable content. Bethesda upped The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim’s totals to 75 achievements and 1,550 gamerscore through numerous DLC packs. On PlayStation 3, it offers 76 trophies (one extra for platinum).

Since Dark Arisen isn’t technically DLC, Microsoft would not allow new achievements to be implemented into the game. Had Capcom released Dark Arisen as a download-only expansion that didn’t include all of Dragon’s Dogma’s content, new achievements could have been added. At that point, Capcom could have released the Dragon’s Dogma/Dark Arisen collection to retail with more than 50 achievements and 1,000 gamerscore. Numerous developers have told me that they are frustrated and mystified by these arbitrary restrictions. Sony follows a similar system for trophies.

This is one instance where Microsoft and Sony should have altered restrictions for Capcom.

I know that achievements and trophies do not make a game, but they sure are fun to unlock – especially for someone like me who is striving for that next big milestone.

The Twilight Highlight Zone - Episode 4

Jeff Cork — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:26:00 GMT

As you may or may not have discovered, Ben Hanson and I are watching every episode of The Twilight Zone and podcasting our thoughts in five-episode blocks. We've got an all-new installment for you this week, which covers one of the dumbest/best episodes of the pioneering show yet.

This week's offerings are a little hit and miss, but they're great discussion fodder. One sample topic? Is "The Fever" the greatest thing ever, or is it just completely great? Like before, we'll be following the same five-episode block schedule weekly, with new episodes coming Mondays. The Twilight Zone is available on Netflix streaming and other services, so you really don't have any excuses not to play along. Unless you don't have Netflix or something.

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This week's podcast covers the following episodes:

16. The Hitch-Hiker

17. The Fever

18. The Last Flight

19. The Purple Testament

20. Elegy

If you missed out on last week's episode, it's available over here.

Friday Links: We Made You A Spring Mixtape

Margaret — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:51:00 GMT

This week a couple us at Game Informer HQ made you a Spring 2013 mixtape (is this not already the best link roundup ever?!). Bryan Vore and Matt Helgesen had a lot to do with this list, and I suspect that before the week is out Bertz will have some additions as well.

Have a listen to the Game Informer :: Spring 2013 Mixtape over at Spotify

(Note that the web playlist only shows you the first 30 songs. There's plenty more at the full Spotify playlist.)

Before I unleash the rest of this week's links, I need to know if anyone else is as excited about the newly announced LOTRO expansion as I am. I'm not playing this game even a tenth as much as I used to, but I seriously cannot wait to get my paws on this.

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Kickstarter of the Week: Camelot Unchained, from a dude who worked on DAoC. I was on the fence on this one until today when "BSC Stealth" was introduced. Only a few days left to make it go.

5th grader joke of the day: Why does Snoop Lion need an umbrella?

What is your band name? Advancing Llama, thankyouverymuch.

"Star Wars: A New Hope" in 1 minute.

That's no math problem!

Twin movies.

GIBSON!

Doggy photobomb 4ever.

Game of Thrones, Friends style.

This ninja leaf needs no introduction.

Metallic putty eating magnets. I-- I-- I am oddly disturbed by this?

"Oh good, a mug with a handle made of human fingers."

Coffee drinks you've probably never heard of. I get the dirty chai from the corner coffee shop and it punches you in all the right places just like you'd expect.

These sweaters, for your next dress-up party.

This guy built his own Batcave.

"Thor 2" has a trailer.

Batman villains in their 1940s mugshots.

Ever wondered what it would be like to ride a 15' tall bicycle? Yeah me neither, but I still had to watch this.

9 classic movies that some of the cast & crew thought was awful. Heh, "Flaws."

Did you all catch this podcast of Andy McNamara and Adam Biessener sharing MMO war stories? Had me laughing out loud at my desk.

Your favorite geeky thing? There's a hockey jersey for that. I'M HAVING SERIOUS GHOSTBUSTERS JERSEY LUST!

Creaing the world of "Oblivion." I'm always a sucker for these meta-vids.

Adorable 3DS redesigns that should be a thing.

The Twilight Highlight Zone - Episode 3

Ben Hanson — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:07:00 GMT

We're back with another podcast that covers the next five episodes of The Twilight Zone! Listen to the audio below to hear Ben Hanson and Jeff Cork discuss and review the sci-fi-heavy block of episodes 11-15.

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11. And When the Sky Was Opened

12. What You Need

13. The Four of Us Are Dying

14. Third From the Sun

15. I Shot an Arrow into the Air

Be sure to leave your thoughts and personal reviews of these episodes in the comment section below!

Click on the link to listen to our podcasts on episodes 1-5 or episodes 6-10.

Friday Links: Something For Everyone

Margaret — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:09:00 GMT

Filed under things that make me happy?: Joe Juba bringing his puppy into the office each week. Heartbreaker!

My story about Batman: Arkham City goes like this: I get home last Friday night, order pizza, get cozy under a blanket, show some bad guys who is boss in Borderlands 2, and fire up Batman all rearin' to go. As soon as I equip my shiny new batsuit and fly to the court house?!? ... massive power outage. Sad trombone.

I didn't play much the rest of the weekend because I got sucked into True Vault Hunter Mode in Borderlands 2, but Batman is sitting next to my Xbox looking like it needs a hug. Definitely soon.

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This little dude is my spirit animal this week.

Oops, somebody left the water running.

The secret life of Catwoman.

Night Watch Bros.

Irrefutable proof the Cylons are already here.

Animals photoshopped to create a beautiful new species.

Gabby Douglas breaks into her house in a way you'll never be able to.

This week's nominee for dad-of-the-year. You go.

Chinese man pickpockets...using chopsticks? True story.

The Wired office in 1996 was my dream job in 1996!

New tv show alert: BSG meets Blade Runner?

Law & Order's fake websites.

Hyrulean travel posters forever.

The new 'Man of Steel' trailer. That is all.

Another another another 'Star Trek Into Darkness' trailer that may or may not be the last one maybe.

This is what happens when video game artists get to redesign comic book superheroes.

These Star Wars full-body costumes: for when your friends lose a bet.

Real-life houses that look like they belong in the Shire.

Star Wars superfan supercut.

For the gamer-chef in your life.

Patton Oswalt spectacularly delivered his Star Wars filibuster this week, and there is already a poster for the behemoth.

Your new wallpaper of the week.

This dog wants a kitty sooooo baaaad!

How do you follow the Gangnam Style supermonster? With a video that's racked up over 160 million views this week.

Oh No, Hellbugs! Let’s Play Defiance This Weekend

Andrew Reiner — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:43:00 GMT

Due to the shaky stability of Defiance’s Xbox 360 servers during my gaming hours, I haven’t been able invest as much time as I’ve wanted to into this massively multiplayer shooting experience. Kelly, my lovely wife, has graciously given me a nice window to play Defiance this weekend.

I don’t want to go after the Arkfalls alone, people. Join me in my fight against the evil hellbugs, mutants, robots, and weird beasts that are infesting our cities! I’ll be online on both Saturday and Sunday, starting at 5 PM CT and lasting as long as I can keep my eyes open.

My gamertag is Reinak. My in-game character name is Rinley. I’m two missions into Chapter 2, and currently sit with an EGO rating of 228. I’d recommend reaching these milestones before you join me. I should also point out that Mike Futter, Game Informer’s news editor, is joining me. His gamertag is PaladinXII.

The Earthbound And Bravely Default: Flying Fairy Victory

Kimberley Wallace — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:48:00 GMT

I woke up this morning to exciting news that turned my whole day around. RPG Fans, rejoice! We're finally getting our wishes for two highly-demanded games.

First off, let's talk about Earthbound. Earthbound will always hold a special place in my heart. I spent a summer beating it with my cousin. We were pretty serious because we even called the Nintendo help line to figure out that we had to stand under that damn waterfall. After my victory over it, I joined an AOL fan club for it. Yes, Earthbound was that serious to me. I also had a hard time recruiting friends to play games with me, but I got all my best girlfriends hooked. Earthbound is connected with my childhood, but nostalgia isn't the only reason I hold it in such high regard. Earthbound was humorous and different, taking real life and taking it in wacky directions with aliens. Psychics, child prodigies, martial artists were your party members. Something about Ness and his first interaction with Buzz Buzz pulled me in. I knew the adventure would take me to unique places, but I didn't realize the scope of it. The Mr. Saturn species, anyone?

Anyway, the reason why I'm writing this blog is a way to celebrate. For years now, I've been waiting for people to have access Earthbound's amazing mysteries. Not everyone had the opportunity that I did, and when the virtual console came into play during the Wii, I really thought this was the time. I looked forward to every update, but unfortunately, Earthbound was never there. Apparently, Nintendo had licensing issues that it couldn't get around. Earthbound has become such a collector's game that fetching it for a reasonable price is tough, and I always felt bad for RPG fans who longed to play it. But today's announcement lifted me, somehow Nintendo is making a virtual console release happen, and that's fantastic. Even just hearing about the game again has sparked all these nostalgic memories in me. The impression this game has left on me is everlasting.

I thought it would be fun to blog about some of our favorite Earthbound memories. So feel free to leave in the comments what made you fall in love with Ness' story.

Of course, Earthbound coming to the VC wasn't the only big news, today was another great moment for RPG fans with the announcement of Bravely Default: Flying Fairy coming to North America. Every Nintendo Direct fans sit anxiously hoping that this will be the moment Nintendo finally gives North America the green light. Some lost hope, others speculated it was still coming based on tweets on the official Twitter account that acknowledged hearing fans yearning for it. Today was finally the confirmation that many have been waiting for: a 2014 release window.

For those who know virtually nothing about Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, it has some exciting names behind it. The developer is Silicon Studio, who previously made 3D Dot Game Heroes, the producer is Tomoyo Asano, who worked Final Fantasy III, IV, and The 4 Heroes of Light for the Nintendo DS, and the scenario writer Naotaka Hayashi, earned acclaim for his visual novels such as Steins;Gate. The goal was to embrace a nostalgic feel, but still make it feel exciting and new for RPG fans. Time will tell how it all plays out, but I'm excited.

So, RPG fans, I raise my virtual cup to you and toast over today's news. Dance party time!

The Twilight Highlight Zone - Episode 2

Jeff Cork — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:18:13 GMT

Last week, Ben Hanson and I posted the first episode of our ongoing Twilight Zone podcast, which we're calling the "Twilight Highlight Zone." The setup is simple: We're watching every episode of the pioneering television show and podcasting our thoughts in five-episode blocks. We've got an all-new podcast for you this week, and it features some of the classics.

We're still working out the kinks, so feel free to pass along whatever constructive criticisms you have in the comments. One of the goals here is to get a good discussion going, so catch up with us and weigh in. We'll be following the same five-episode block schedule weekly, with new episodes coming Mondays. The Twilight Zone is available on Netflix streaming and other services, so get on it already.

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This week's podcast covers the following episodes:

6. Escape Clause

7. The Lonely

8. Time Enough at Last

9. Perchance to Dream

10. Judgment Night

If you missed out on last week's episode, it's available over here.

Batter Up, It's Time For A Little Inside Baseball

Mike Futter — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:09:00 GMT

If you missed this week's Game Informer Show (how could you?!), then you passed over a great conversation about the "always on" controversy and how we broke the story of designer Adam Orth's departure from Microsoft.

Game journalism often draws criticism for its reporting of "rumors" and "reports" (always clearly marked in the headline at Game Informer and many other sites). The difference is an important one, and understanding how we go about labeling them (and the lengths to which we go especially when livelihoods are on the line) might push back the fog a bit.

We are very cautious about posting rumors, and doing so means that we've identified the story to be of likely interest to our readers and somewhat plausible. The "rumor" tag also means that we cannot confirm the information. However, these stories allow us to draw in past events and reasonable speculation that put the latest tidbits in context.

We make thoughtful decisions before posting and certainly pass over more than we cover. We also ensure that the proper warnings are in place so no one can reasonably mistake rumor for hard fact.

You'll likely see the word "report" leading a headline more often than "rumor." These are stories that come from other sites that we trust and have a history of doing their own due diligence. The difference between "report" and regular news is our ability to independently verify the information.

Every site has sources that would rather remain anonymous (for a number of reasons), but we don't always get the same information at the same time. Be assured though, that we work hard to convert "report" stories by collecting our own information as quickly as possible.

In the case of Adam Orth's departure, we had been following the story for a number of days. We had one source almost immediately, but given the sensitive nature of the matter, we didn't want to take chances by coming forward with this as "rumor." We worked diligently to find a second, separate source to confirm the information, and two things happened at once allowing us to go live.

We called the Microsoft switchboard and were told that Orth was no longer with the company, and a second source came through. At that point, we felt comfortable sharing the information with the public.

Many times, readers wonder why we decide to run stories (or avoid them). I hope this helps make things a bit more transparent. If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask. We'll do our best to help fill in the blanks.

Friday Links: Procrastination Sauce

Margaret — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 17:19:00 GMT

Hello and welcome to another installment of This Week Stuff Happened On The Internet™.

The big news this week is of course the Batman issue, but you probably didn't know I'm maybe the only person in the office that hasn't played Arkham City (or Asylum). After getting bullied about it (not really) I picked up the GOTY edition on the cheap and have it ready to load up. You guys better be right about this one!

In Random iOS Games I Picked Up This Week news, there was Blendoku which is silly but perfect for OCD & visual types. In other words: Margaret Crack.

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Ship my pants.

This rant is my spirit animal this week.

Weird compliments. Um, thanks?

How animals eat their food.

Superhero powers that do stuff.

The way this dog feels about going for a walk is how I feel about pizza.

My favorite tweet this month and of 2013 and forever.

Alright, who is making the mantis shrimp video game?

What it's like at Game Informer HQ when there's an email saying there's free food.

I'm filing this under: things you cannot unsee but cannot not click.

Video games as Dr. Seuss books.

Movie poster cliches.

The trailer for 'Elysium', which comes out later this year, looks fantastic.

Trailer for 'The Purge'. Now you know what Cersei is up to in her free time.

The Thrones cast IRL.

It's official: you can kickstart anything.

Megaman blaster pillow set. Tim Turi and @RiverboatJack can die happy now.

How about some new music this week...

Reasons my son is crying. This makes me cackle like an evil woman.

A few links that still make me laugh out loud: Numb3rs explains IRC chat and did you know you can double your typing speed with a buddy?

If sea level rose 25 feet this is what it would look like.

Robots get bored at their jobs, too. Hahaha, "Whattup GLaDOS?!"

Let's reconvene for a group hug after you read this superfan's story.

So that dude who can make all those crazy trick kick shots? He got signed to the Detroit Lions.

What would the sky look like if planets were as close to earth as the moon.

Here are some dogs who don't know how big they are.

I Left My Heart in Gransys

Laleh — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 21:13:00 GMT

Capcom’s Western-style RPG may have slipped under your radar when it released last May. It certainly slipped under mine, as I was still adventuring in the snowy north of Skyrim. A few weeks ago, however, I decided to give it a chance, aiming to scratch my Monster Hunter and Elder Scrolls itches simultaneously. And let me tell you, I was blown away.

A giant, Latin-speaking dragon descends on your fishing village, and plucks your heart out. Then, newly “Arisen,” you are tasked with felling the beast before darkness descends over the kingdom of Gransys. Of course, before you can face this foe, you’ll need to hone your skills, and become a worthy opponent. This translates into single-handedly giving the wolf population a run for its money (“They hate fire!”), fighting off near-constant goblin and bandit ambushes, protecting any number of citizens as you escort them across the wilderness, et cetera. Players who are too hasty can expect to be quickly put in their place.

This is a game where you are often outmatched (especially in the first few hours of play time). Early in my game, I happened to run into Drake, a lesser dragon. I fought with vigor and determination, but was quickly bested. He is always resting in Devilfire Grove, no matter your level, but you won’t be able to defeat him for quite some time. I finally made short work of him last night, after discovering how to exploit his weakness — an exposed wound over his heart. Like in Capcom’s Monster Hunter, slaying monsters depends a lot on knowing when to fight and when to run, what the beast is weak to, and where to attack in order to gain the upper hand. Luckily, it’s a bit easier to learn these tricks without a guide (or an experienced trio of friends) in Dragon’s Dogma, thanks to the innovative Pawn system.

The darkness of night is realistic. You don't want to find yourself without oil for your lantern.

In addition to your own character, you also create an additional character, who serves as your main Pawn throughout the game. Customization is extremely deep, and you’ll find that your bespoke companion quickly becomes your best friend. This pawn levels up beside you, and you can change his gear, weapons, appearance and vocation just as you can change your own.

This is one of my favorite things about the game. After you begin as a Fighter, Mage, or Strider (as I did), and level up a certain amount, you can then change your vocation to a more specialized version (I chose becoming a Ranger over a Magick Archer). Or, if you happen to enlist a pawn (more on that shortly) that looks like they’re having more fun than you are, start from scratch and switch it up. It doesn’t take long to level each vocation up, so trying them out is much more fun and much less work than switching things up a typical Western RPG, where changing classes halfway through will often keep you from reaching your bad-ass potential.

Speaking of bad-assery, the combat in Dragon’s Dogma is much more fun and rewarding than in the likes of Skyrim (at least in my opinion). Some of the team members from the Devil May Cry series worked their magic for Dragon’s Dogma, and it shows.

I'm pretty sure I've killed about 500 Cyclopes.

Unfortunately, the gameplay far outshines the story in Dragon’s Dogma. If there is one thing I’d love to see in future entries, it would be more story—more quests, more player choice, more to explore. Playing this immediately after Skyrim and Mass Effect 3, left me wanting more. Luckily, wandering back and forth across Gransys will have you meeting infinite monsters, and though fighting the ubiquitous Direwolf packs, Cyclopes and Chimeras may become repetitive, they’ll be quickly brought to their knees (hooves?) once you level up a bit, and there are other foes that are much harder to find (and fight).

Seeking out the higher-level monsters is part of what makes me love the lack of fast-travel in Dragon’s Dogma. You can fast-travel to Gran Soren (the capital) and other locations of your choosing by using the super-rare Ferrystones and Portcrystals, but I rarely felt the need to. Exploration will reveal shortcuts that make Gransys seem much less overwhelming. The kingdom is much smaller than Skyrim, and there are far fewer caves, mines, dungeons, and keeps. I would never want to play Skyrim without fast-travel available, but I only fast-traveled three times in 60+ hours of Dragon’s Dogma.

Maybe that’s because in Skyrim, I’m overencumbered about 80% of the time, whereas in Dragon’s Dogma, I have three pack mules.

Bandits will ambush you often. Unless you do them favors...

The Pawns in Dragon’s Dogma are absolutely essential. They distract monsters from your attacks, deal considerable damage of their own, and are an infinite (and I mean constant) source of information. In the first few hours, you’ll be made painfully aware of the Pawns’ flaws — namely that they won’t shut up for more than thirty seconds, and tend to become poisoned/cursed/drenched immediately after warning you of the danger afoot — but it won’t be long before they are deeply appreciated.

As I mentioned earlier, you make a main Pawn in addition to your player character. Well, everyone else who has played Dragon’s Dogma did, too. When you’re connected online, you can enlist other players’ main Pawns to your party. Not only do they come with awesome powers and gear, but also with the knowledge of every quest they’ve ever been on with “other Arisen in other realms.” Often, will be able to guide you to a location you have yet to discover, or warn you of a specific monster that you’ll find there (and what you should bring in order to survive the journey).

All in all, Dragon’s Dogma definitely has its flaws, but they are far outweighed by the sheer joy of stumbling upon a Griffin and shooting it out of the sky with a flurry of ten blazing arrows after it takes wing to carry an Ox back to its nest. And then clinging to its feathers to give him a taste of your daggers, a la Shadow of the Colossus.

Each monster requires a unique strategy. Breaking off a Cyclops' armor will help you to fell him quickly.

It is, basically, the game I’ve always wanted to play. And I want there to be a lot more Dragon’s Dogma in the future. So if you like Monster Hunter, but have always wanted it set in a sprawling open world; if you love Skyrim but were disappointed with the uninteresting, broken, pansy dragons; if you want to experience a wonderful new take on the mash-up of the Action and RPG genres…if you’re interested for any reason, I implore you to give it a shot.

Better yet, buy the upcoming expanded version, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen (which allows you to import your character from the original entry, in case you want to test the water with a rental first).

Want more? Read Jeff Cork’s review of Dragon’s Dogma.

How I Tried To Scare Myself Last Night

Tim Turi — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:28:00 GMT

I was in the mood for a good scare last night following my disappointment with Metal Gear Rising: Reveangeance. Don’t ask me why those two things are related. I turned to Amnesia: The Dark Descent’s Justine DLC, Lone Survivor, and the YouTube series Marble Hornets. I also share my thoughts on the new Evil Dead remake.

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Justine (pictured above): I put off this DLC for a long time, but after playing Redbarrel’s creepy Outlast, I was in the mood for more first-person scares. Amnesia: The Dark Descent’s free Justine DLC lasts a tight 30 minutes, but that’s if you survive. Dying in the game forces you to restart from the beginning, adding extra tension to the formula. Players control Justine as she sneaks through a twisted series of puzzle rooms, occasionally being stalked by blind abominations. Most of these instances require Justine to either solve a puzzle to save a torture victim, or kill them for an easy way out. You receive different endings following the game’s thrilling climax depending on who is alive by the end. This DLC delivered some of the most memorable scares I’ve experienced in Amnesia, and is a must-play for horror fans. At the very least it will hold you over until Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs comes out. Buy it here.

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Lone Survivor: I’ve read great things about this 2D, side-scrolling horror title from last year. At first I doubted the cutesy pixel art could evoke a sense of fear, but I was immediately proven wrong. The unsettling music and sound effects are clearly inspired by Silent Hill, and the effect is instant. There’s an omnipresent sense of dread throughout the game that few modern horror titles manage to nail. I also like how Lone Survivor’s mentally unstable protagonist hallucinates, forcing players to discern what’s real. I need to spend more time with it to be sure, but I’m certain Lone Survivor is worth a look.Check it out here.

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Marble Hornets: This one isn’t a video game, but its influence on indie horror title Slender is obvious. A college student is looking for his missing friend, and sifts through old video footage of a scrapped student film, Marble Hornets, to look for clues. Sometimes these brief videos contain nothing but mundane outtakes and audio distortion, other times you can spot a tall, well-dressed figure standing in the distance. Clicking through the 60-plus videos is like the horror equivalent of Pringles – once you pop, you can’t stop. The Slenderman series may be three years old at this point, but it’s still effective. Watch it alone, late at night, on your laptop with headphones on.

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Evil Dead: I also saw the new Evil Dead remake this past weekend. I loved Sam Raimi’s original trilogy, and the original film actually scared me quite a bit when I was younger. I heard good things about the remake but managed to keep my expectations in check. The first red-band trailer creeped me out with its cringe-inducing, unflinching shots of people being slowly lacerated. I walked away from this Raimi-produced remake happy. It’s not the scariest thing in the world, but it’s the kind of horror film that will make you cringe for a minute straight then chuckle to yourself at the obscene core. The over-the-top violence and potty-mouthed demons evoke the classic Evil Dead vibe, despite the unfamiliar faces in the film and higher budget. The possessed young lady plot point may be played out in modern horror films, but keep in mind this franchise helped the trope evolve. In short, Evil Dead is a gross, fun, and faithful homage to the original films that expands the story in worthwhile ways.

Anything scare you recently?

The Twilight Highlight Zone - Episode 1

Ben Hanson — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:33:00 GMT

Well, here's something that you didn't expect: Jeff Cork and I decided to watch every episode of The Twilight Zone and record our discussions. Every week we will post a new episode of the "Twilight Highlight Zone" that covers and reviews the next five episodes of the classic show.

Since this is our first episode of a hopefully recurring series, we are eager for feedback. Let us know what you think and feel free to follow along with us as we tackle every episode of the show, which is available on Netflix Instant.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

This episode covers the following episodes...

1. Where is Everybody?

2. One for the Angels

3. Mr. Denton on Doomsday

4. The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine

5. Walking Distance

Tune in next week to hear us talk about the next five-episode block! Also, we will work on getting this audio up in an easy-to-follow iTunes feed.

He-Man And The Masters Of The Legoverse

Andrew Reiner — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:02:00 GMT

A couple of weeks ago I geeked out over the idea of George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones being turned into a Lego series. Brick builder David Frank (known as Fraslund on Flickr) shows us that He-Man and the Masters of the Universe has just as much "I will give you all of my money for every set" potential. Frank's custom piece is of Castle Grayskull, home to The Sorceress and that strange power that makes He-Man's shirt disappear.

Frank's build includes a detailed interior, three exterior sides, and custom minifigs of The Sorceress and He-Man. Take a look at Fraslund's gallery for a good look at this outstanding custom piece.

[Source: Fraslund via Brothers Brick]