'Dark Knight Rises' Stops Short of Its Predecessor

Most will go into the movie knowing it’s the supposed end of director and co-writer Christopher Nolan’s epic trilogy, but almost all will exit the theater wanting something more

It’s tough to write a review of a comic book franchise that you adore and cherish and not be unbiased. You want to say you loved a movie, no matter how awful it is, for the sole reason of your respect and admiration of its characters, plotline and literary history. It’s also tough to view a movie like “The Dark Knight Rises” without shunning away comparisons to and expectations after its predecessor “The Dark Knight.” The 2008 blockbuster was a movie that broke the mold on the originality of the Batman legacy and, absolutely due to Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning portrayal of The Joker, set the bar high for successful comic book movies. This movie isn't "The Dark Knight." “The Dark Knight Rises,” simply, will make comic books fans want to cry…

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Kristen Mahon

1:27 pm on Saturday, August 11, 2012

Sean Connery!!! I totally agree!!   more ›

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Call of Duty Makes Dough, Skyrim Blows Minds

Infinity Ward sets records while Bethesda cranks out an early pick for Game of the Year.

One single week saw two of the biggest gaming stories of the year. This past Tuesday, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 released to millions of rabid fans who clearly couldn't wait to get their hands on the game. In the US and UK alone, 6.5 million copies of Infinity Ward’s FPS sold on day one, making $400 million in sales en route to setting a new record for the biggest entertainment launch in history. This was after the game had already recorded over 9 million preorders. The immediate reaction to the game, however, has been the source of contention in the gaming community. Metacritic is averaging a critic score of 89 for the Xbox 360 version, showing that most reviewers have certainly enjoyed what it has to offer. However, the user score …

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Scary Game Review | Amnesia: The Dark Descent

In celebration of Halloween, let's break down one of the most frightening games of all time.

Monday is Halloween, the time of year where everybody goes out of their way to be scared. In the world of video games, there are several places to go to accomplish this, but perhaps nowhere more effective than into the clutches of Amnesia: The Dark Descent for PC. One thing is for sure: The folks at Frictional Games sure do know how to scare you. And at a paltry $4.00 on Steam through October 31st, there's never been a better time to find out for yourself. The small-staffed indie developer had already flexed its survival-horror muscles with the Penumbra trilogy spanning 2007-2008. So when they said that Amnesia: The Dark Descent would be scary, many were inclined to believe them. It’s doubtful that many knew it would be this scary. Here is…

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An E3 2011 Retrospective

This past week hosted the biggest industry event of the year. Here are some of the high and low points of this year's expo

Fans of video gaming the world over are acutely familiar with the Electronic Entertainment Expo, affectionately known as E3. It is the industry trade show of the year. It's the event that the biggest names in video gaming save their biggest secrets for, or at least try to. The entire expo is a week-long display of major upcoming gaming hardware and software releases, but the real attractions are the developer conferences, where the real news is let out. Last year's conferences announced hardware such as the Playstation Move and Microsoft Kinect motion controllers, as well as the recently-released Nintendo 3DS handheld system. Last week played host to the 2011 E3 Expo, which concluded yesterday. Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Sony, …

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This Month in Gaming - June 2011

This month marks the start of summer, and several highly-anticipated sequels and a big-time remake will make their way to store shelves.

Over the next 30 days, we're going to see some big releases in the world of video games, ranging from a remake of an absolute classic to the return of a certain flat-topped egomaniac who's all out of bubble gum (and who many thought we'd never see again). Most months so far this year have had a title that was far-and-away the release of the month. But for June of 2011? Take your pick. The first inFAMOUS title blew open what we knew of sandbox games in 2009. It took the Grand Theft Auto-esque design of "do whatever you want in the city" and gave you super powers. All of a sudden, you could easily scale buildings, speed-grind on power lines and train rails, and toss cars like they were matchbox toys. Plus, the game gave you moral decisions, …

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Game Review - L.A. Noire

A sometimes repetitive, but absolutely rewarding, tale of corruption and deceit through the eyes of the law in 1940s Los Angeles that will stick with you.

The standard sandbox game is often one that somewhat glorifies lawlessness and violence. You typically find yourself running from the cops while attempting to get away with murder. Team Bondi turns the tables on you with L.A. Noire, making you the law. This single-player detective story twists and turns its way through postwar 1947 Los Angeles, each of its characters flawed and damaged in their own way with nary a wholesome soul to be found. It's a mature and unsettling tale of deceit, regret, crime, corruption, and war, and it's unlike any other game that you've played before. Let's get one thing out of the way: L.A. Noire is not a 1940s-themed Grand Theft Auto. It may look like an open-world game, but it doesn't play like one. It is …

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North Penn, LC Sports Week in Review

It's the end of the road for North Penn girls' lacrosse and boys' volleyball

The season ended in heartbreaking fashion for the girls' lacrosse team at North Penn.  The Maidens were upset by Upper Dublin, 13-9, in the second round of the District One playoffs.  Macie Hauck had three goals and two assists, while Rachel Shaw added four goals in the loss.  Earlier in the week, North Penn cruised past West Chester East, 21-7.  Hauck had seven goals and nine assists while Brenda McDermott also scored seven times. The season also came to an end for the boys' volleyball team at North Penn.  The Knights lost to Souderton, 3-1, in the District One Tournament.  Chris Davidson had 15 kills and seven digs in the loss, as North Penn finished its season at 13-5. The North Penn Softball team closed out the regular season with a 5-…

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