JR's Video Game Reviews - ASSASSIN'S CREED REVELATIONS

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ASSASSIN'S CREED REVELATIONS
(Reviewed on PlayStation 3 & Xbox 360)
Total Game Time: 30-40 hours in total
Dates of Play: 11 March 2013 - 15 April 2013 (PS3) & 17 March 2013 - 08 April 2013 (Xbox360)

Story - 9.5/10
Gameplay - 8/10
Graphics - 9/10
Innovation - 8/10
Playability - 7/10
Music - 8/10

JR's Rating: 8️⃣ (8.4 out of 10, Awesome)

"Revealing the Ancestry of Assassins"

POSITIVES ➕ 16th Century Constantinople ➕ Altair & Ezio ➕ Bomb Crafting ➕ Zipline Assassination

NEGATIVES ➖ Desmond Sequences ➖ Tower Defense Mechanics

This is the first out of the many Assassin's Creed games that I ever played. Assassin's Creed Revelations brings us a not so confusing storyline between three generations of Assassins - Altair, Ezio and Desmond. Ezio (16th Century) is in Constantinople in search of relics that would bring him back to Altair's era (12th Century). Desmond, in sideline however, is in the present day set to reminisce his ancestry. Majority of the game takes you to Ezio Auditore's storyline, where you fight Templars who are controlling various regions of Constantinople where during that time a struggle to inheritance is happening between Prince Ahmet and his brother Selim. In this game, in comparison to its precursors, you get to craft bombs with varying effects and kill enemies through a zipline assassination with your hookblade in addition to your traditional hidden blade. Set in the Renaissance era, Assassin's Creed Revelations presents an astounding Constantinople complete with its real-world landmarks - Hagia Sofia, Galata Tower, Topkapi Palace, Bayezid Mosque and the Hippodrome (to name a few). The story for me seems at some times convoluted especially when Desmond is placed in the picture (his sequences are also a waste of precious time); however, playing alternately between Ezio and Altair was fun and worth investing your time and attention as they are well thought of. The Assassin's Creed version of GTA San Andreas' Gang Territories - the capturing of areas controlled by Templars - is in itself unique and fun but I hated the mechanism of defending your area against the Templars when they recapture it. The story is good, the zipline assassinations are cool, bomb crafting and collecting treasures is worth my time, and the landmarks are beyond astounding but the lackluster Desmond sequences and tower defense mechanism are a bummer and a let down. Assassin's Creed Revelations is an amazing game, to say the least, in presenting its most iconic characters in a story that isn't forced in the beloved series. I find this as a personal favorite among the games in the series.

#AssassinsCreed #Revelations #AssassinsCreedRevelations #VideoGameReviews #JRVideoGameReviews

Image Reference: IGN

>>> http://www.ign.com/games/assassins-creed-revelations/xbox-360-76574

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^JR Late Night Posts - JR Late Night Reviews: Video Games

Time Published: 30 June 2017 (9:00 PM)

JR's Movie Reviews - DESPICABLE ME 3

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DESPICABLE ME 3

JR's Rating: 8️⃣ (8.0 out of 10, Awesome)

"The Search for the Candy-Eating Unicorn"

POSITIVES ➕ The Minions (Cuter As Ever) ➕ Gru's Twin, Dru ➕ The Search for the Unicorn ➕ Use of Pop Music from the 80s & 90s ➕ Minions in Prison Scene

NEGATIVES ➖ Story With Less Depth & Emotion ➖ Lack of Heart That The Two Prequels Had

You'll love this movie for three major things, 1) The Minions (of course, they're the most lovable), 2) Gru and Dru (and their battle against Balthazar Bratt) and 3) Agnes (and her search for the candy-eating unicorn, truly a cute moment). Despicable Me 3 follows three stories as I have specified in my introduction. First, we see Gru meeting his twin brother Dru on a quest to continue their family's legacy of villainry. Gru suffers from job firing from his spy agency and decides to partner with his twin brother to bring the diamond that Balthazar Bratt stole back to where it belongs. Second, we see the minions' rebellion against Gru not anymore being involved in villainry. They immediately regret their decision and go back to Gru. Third, we see Agnes on her search and capture of a unicorn. But the question is, will she really see and catch one. The animation is cute and amazing but the movie lacks what the first two Despicable Me movies had - a story that has depth and emotion. This one makes good combination of mixed yet understandable, complementing and noncovoluted storylines but fails to capture my heart in the process. I was hoping for something special from this movie that I could reminisce and recapture as I go out of the cinema but unfortunately, none. It's like the Minions, where the movie is for purely entertainment but this time around it was better. The first Despicable Me still stands as the best of the three films. Not a masterpiece, but the animation was cute and amazing that it deserves positive credit.

#DespicableMe3 #Minions
#2017Movies #MovieReviews #JRMovieReviews

Image Reference: Universal Pictures

>>> https://www.universalpictures.com/movies/despicable-me-3/posters

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^JR Late Night Posts - JR Late Night Reviews: Movies

Time Published: 24 June 2017 (9:00 PM)

JR's Movie Reviews - THE MUMMY

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THE MUMMY

JR's Rating: 5️⃣ (5.9 out of 10, Mediocre)

"Gloomy Start for the Dark Universe of Gods and Monsters"

POSITIVES ➕ Princess Ahmanet ➕ Mummy Jump Scares

NEGATIVES ➖ Tom Cruise ➖ Egyptian and English History Mash-Up ➖ Forced Linkage to Dr. Jekyll ➖ Confused Genre ➖ Too Much Emphasis on the Dark Universe

Truly, a weak start to the Universal Dark Universe... The Mummy seems like many great ideas placed in a film that looks rushed and confused if its a horror, comedy or action film. I was personally anticipating a dark, scary and horrific (in a good way) Dark Universe as it will be revitalizing the classic monsters we came to know of in film. The Mummy brings Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) in an adventure of defeating Egyptian princess Ahmanet's plans coming to reality. Princess Ahmanet made a deal with the Egyptian God of Death on making them the most powerful entities on earth. The plan fails miserably as Ahmanet gets buried alive in mercury. Come the present day, Ahmanet's tomb is found and transferred to England where she is on track to bringing her plans once again into fruition. It's Nick Morton's duty to save the world from this demise. Let me say, first, that it was really a dumb idea to connect Egyptian history to that of England's. I don't see the logic of how Egyptian artifacts be hidden in the underground catacombs of England. Second, Tom Cruise fails miserably to deliver a character suit for the film. This is not a Mission Impossible where you can be cocky and comedic but, for me, a horror flick that should be serious and made genuine. Third, the movie story seems rushed with so many details mixed into the fray. Indeed, the effects were great but not enough to impress me with the entirety of the film. There are positives though for the film. I liked how the selection and back story of the titular The Mummy was presented. I liked the concept of what power The Mummy has. And I liked the jump scares that filled the movie for thrills. But, all-in-all, The Mummy is horrific in a bad way. The Mummy should have been individualized, true to the foundation of its character as I don't think a shared universe for the classic monsters would work. The future seems gloomy for the Dark Universe, indeed...

#TheMummy #DarkUniverse
#2017Movies #MovieReviews #JRMovieReviews

Image Reference: JoBlo

>>> http://www.joblo.com/movie-posters/2017/the-mummy

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^JR Late Night Posts - JR Late Night Reviews: Movies

Time Published: 17 June 2017 (9:00 PM)

JR's Video Game Reviews - ALAN WAKE

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ALAN WAKE
(Reviewed on Xbox 360)
Total Game Time: 20-24 hours in total
Dates of Play: 31 May 2013 - 26 July 2013 (Xbox360)

Story - 10/10
Gameplay - 10/10
Graphics - 10/10
Innovation - 10/10
Playability - 9/10
Music - 10/10

JR's Rating:  (10 out of 10, Masterpiece)

"Insanity In The Darkness..."

POSITIVES ➕ Enemies Covered In Shadows ➕ Light Beats Darkness ➕ Nightmare Mode of Difficulty ➕ Scenic Bright Falls ➕ "The Departure Manuscript"

NEGATIVES

To consider yourself a true Xbox Fan, you would definitely have to play this exclusive. Alan Wake is stretched into three difficulties with five chapters presenting themselves in a TV episode-like manner. You are Alan Wake set to save your wife from the dark presence that literally turns your fiction into reality. After writing an unfinished "The Departure" manuscript, Alan Wake struggles to keep on pace with his written story while fighting enemies covered in shadows. These enemies covered in shadows are to be stripped of its dark presence with light, through flashlights or flares, then killed with a somewhat form of revolver. As hard as how that mechanic may seem, that's what makes this game so unique amongst all its peers - light beats darkness. Alan Wake is a game that I personally love. I tried all three levels of difficulty, with the Nightmare one really posing the most challenge as enemies are 10x harder to avoid and kill and damage is much greater to your character. On another note, I'm amazed by the setting, a scenic and well-crafted Bright Falls (a place you'll want to visit but would cancel on due to its dark history). The introductory ferry scene did get me pumped up when I started the game. When the first Taken (the enemy in this game) presents itself, that's when you get thrilled and anticipate for what's next to come. You get to fight zombie-like individuals that run at you with either a chainsaw or any handtool, poltergeist of random objects and group of ravens. Alan Wake is an Xbox 360 exclusive that PlayStation fans would die for. A game complemented with wonderful music, great design and unique gameplay and story is a masterpiece in its form. I'm hoping for a future sequel for this game but with more driving mechanic and scarier set of enemies which would really run through the nerves. Alan Wake made me insane with the presence of darkness...

#AlanWake #VideoGameReviews #JRVideoGameReviews

Image Reference: IGN

>>> http://www.ign.com/games/alan-wake/xbox-360-743608

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^JR Late Night Posts - JR Late Night Reviews: Video Games

Time Published: 16 June 2017 (9:00 PM)

JR's Movie Reviews - WONDER WOMAN

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WONDER WOMAN

JR's Rating:  (10 out of 10, Masterpiece)

"Flawless, Hope for the DC Extended Universe"

POSITIVES ➕ Gal Gadot ➕ Greek Mythology & World War I ➕ Wonder Woman & Steve Trevor Love Story ➕ Strongest Entry to the DC Extended Universe ➕ Kick-Ass Yet Ignorant Wonder Woman

NEGATIVES

Wonder Woman is the best non-ensemble superhero movie I have seen EVER, and best superhero origins movie I have ever seen. With a dominant Marvel in movies, Wonder Woman proved there is hope to love and be invested in DC. This is probably the first time that I even rooted for a female superhero. Wonder Woman best exemplified the superhero origins story, bringing in Greek mythology and World War masterfully into the mix. We see the start of a young Diana set to defeat the Greek God of War, Ares, from setting the World War into fruition. Wonder Woman is all powerful, having superhuman strength, flying skills, and even speed to help mankind. I love Gal Gadot so much, definitely so hot as f*. She gave justice to the presentation of Wonder Woman, true to the character and definitely hot. I even love how she made Wonder Woman appear so much traditional and ignorant about mankind's progress, making some scenes be in a lighter mood at times of intense and strong scenes. The movie even succeeds to grab your heart, which is rare for an action-packed superhero movie. The love for morality is what makes Wonder Woman so damn inspirational and amazing, she's even damn smart. I am so moved even by the love story between Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor, truly a tear-jerker. Action scenes are intense and very well-crafted, at par with those by Marvel's. Wonder Woman in its entirety is a masterpiece, the movie made her one of my new favorites. Well deserving of a fresh 10 score.

#WonderWoman #DCEU
#2017Movies #MovieReviews #JRMovieReviews

Image Reference: TrailerAddict.com

>>> https://www.traileraddict.com/wonder-woman-2017/poster/1

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^JR Late Night Posts - JR Late Night Reviews: Movies

Time Published: 07 June 2017 (9:00 PM)

JR's Movie Reviews - PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES

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PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES

JR's Rating: 7️⃣ (7.8 out of 10, Alright)

"Breaking the Curse of the Sea, A Tale of Poseidon's Trident"

POSITIVES ➕ Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow ➕ The Scary Captain Salazar & His Crew ➕ Captain Barbossa & Carina ➕ Guillotine Scene ➕ Powerful Heist Introduction

NEGATIVES ➖ Convoluted Story ➖ Waste of Inserting British Ship & Troops

An amazing tale of the dead yet with too many convoluted side stories. Pirates of the Caribbean has been an established franchise giving us tales of the Fountain of Youth, Davy Jones' Locker and the Black Pearl. This fifth one focuses on Poseidon's Trident which keeps all curses of the sea alive unless destroyed. Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow is alive and exciting as ever and he's set to conquer Captain Salazar who seeks revenge on his death and his crew. We see Henry Turner set to relieve the curse of his father through destroying Poseidon's Trident and we see Carina Smyth set on a search for her father. The three set on a journey across the seas to help each other in an action-packed sea experience. Amazing as the story may sound with an astounding start and ending, the movie seem confused with a lot of different characters which seem inessential and plots which are a bit awkward and unnecessary. Jack Sparrow remains the power of the film with his humor complemented by those thrilling scenes he is set to amass such as the vault heist, escape from the guillotine, race against sharks, fight against a ship figurehead and the final duel against Salazar. The journey of the British towards the trident is a bit unnecessary though if they would have to kill them all too easily, there are a lot of side stories even which confuse the main plot of the film. The surprise of Barbossa being Carina's father is well presented even his sacrifice in the end but how Henry and Will finally see each other was very abrupt. Pirates of the Caribbean 5: Dead Men Tell No Tales (or Salazar's Revenge) is an amazing action-packed adventure which is worth the watch if you're for the thrilling scenes, but too much side quests taking time from the main linear story is a bummer. I don't see this as a powerful final film for this prominent movie franchise, a fitting final one giving justice to Jack Sparrow should end the series.

#PiratesoftheCaribbean #DeadMenTellNoTales #SalazarsRevenge
#2017Movies #MovieReviews #JRMovieReviews

Image Reference: DarkHorizons.com

>>> http://www.darkhorizons.com/a-new-dead-men-tell-no-tales-poster/

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^JR Late Night Posts - JR Late Night Reviews: Movies

Time Published: 03 June 2017 (9:00 PM)