Rush Hour 4?

I knew the series was on the downslide, but damn.

"Found no rice, but only explosions."

The Future of the Film Industry?

Prompted by LewRockwell.com, I came across an article on the Forbes website that offered an alternative route for the movie industry to take in keeping up-to-date with technology and consumer preferences. Instead of attempting the draconian and impossible task of stamping out file-sharing of copyrighted material, perhaps a new business model is preferable. You can check that out here.

The questions presented in it are very intriguing. Will we still be using physical copies a decade from now? (I do imagine that there still is a visual appeal to movie collectors of physical copies, but for individuals like Thrasher, who hardly has room to contain his collection, this might be a better option for some). Might movie theaters become obsolete? (This question was not actually in the article, but it does ask Why do movie companies expect consumers to pay as much as they do to attend? I doubt theaters will become obsolete any time soon, but I think most people have their point where they would rather wait and save their money.)

But anyway, I'm curious as to what others think of this business model. I was thinking that it seems similar to what iTunes has done with music, but then I thought, "Wait, iTunes does movies as well!" However, what iTunes has done with the music industry is not what iTunes has done with the movie industry. As I open the iTunes store right now and look at a movie about Irish bare knuckle boxing called Knuckle, I see that the prices are as follows: $3.99 to rent ($4.99 to rent in HD) and $14.99 to buy ($19.99 in HD). I don't find these prices to be very competitive with those of physical copies (the price of a new copy on Amazon.com is $12.83 and that includes shipping). The last time I went into a record store, I found an album that I wanted selling for $17 (and I'm assuming everyone knows what albums typically sell for on iTunes). But price isn't the only reason that iTunes music offerings are superior. Also is what I can do afterwards with what I download; i.e. I can make my own physical copy, which I am not allowed to do with iTunes movies that I purchase. This limits what I can do with my movie (I don't have many options unless I already own various Macintosh devices). But the fact remains, as the article points out, that really consumers are in the driver's seat. Why should they even deal with the over-priced legal offerings at all when they can get a free substitute? I think the movie industry realizes this: they either have to lower their prices to offer movie consumers a legal option to compete with the file-sharing option or make the futile effort of trying to maintain their prices while policing the Internet.

Netflix Movie Review: Asylum (1997)

In continuation of our series on scouring the limited selection of Netflix Instant, today's review is about a movie called Asylum, which is the tenth result on IMDB if you type in the title. This movie came out in 1997 and features Robert Patrick, who played the scariest villain ever in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and is Colonel Ryan on one of my all-time favorite shows, The Unit; I decided to give this one a shot. It was better than expected, despite the mediocre rating given to it by IMBD viewers. I think we tend to judge movies relatively, and relative to Netflix Instant standards, Asylum is worth watching if one is looking for a mild thriller/mystery. It really is nothing special, but I think it gets the job done of being an averagely okay movie. Perhaps my sense has been tainted by watching various crappy movies on Netflix (expect to see an "Avoid List" soon. The inaugural nominees include Take Me Home Tonight, anything listed under Romantic Comedies, and others one could avoid just by looking at the title). This one involves a private detective who struggles with depression from childhood trauma. He goes undercover inside a mental asylum to investigate a death (I find it a particularly intriguing setting. Who didn't like Shutter Island?) It turns out to be an amusing mystery.

 One of the things I wished were explored more deeply in the film was the protagonists struggle with depression, as that seems to be heavily part of the theme at the beginning but later is somewhat forgotten. As for the plausibility of the story, I am unsure, as my experiences in mental institutions and pharmacology are limited. But I found it worth watching, and I hope my few words on it give the reader a reasonable expectation of what it offers.

"I got a really hot date!"

Sure, you have to endure a few ads in order to watch the free movies on Crackle, but they do have that curious and entertaining Jackie Chan flick, Gorgeous.

Click here to check it out. As always, Code Redd Net will keep you abreast of any other free and interesting films that pop up on Crackle or elsewhere.

For Your Viewing Pleasure, Chicken Man and Thrasher Present: Our Top Ten Video Games, Analysis and More

Now that our lists have concluded, it's time for some perspective.

Thrasher's Top Ten:

TimeSplitters: Future Perfect (PS2)
TimeSplitters 2 (PS2)
WCW/NWO Revenge (N64)
Streets of Rage 2 (Genesis)
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (PS1)
Thrasher Presents: Skate and Destroy (PS1)
Everything or Nothing (PS2)
Freedom Fighters (PS2)
Crazy Taxi (PS2)
NHLPA '93 (SNES)

Chicken Man's Top Ten:

Sonic 3 and Knuckles (Genesis)
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (PS2)
Splinter Cell (PS2, Xbox 360)
TimeSplitters 2 (PS2)
Batman: Arkham Asylum (Xbox 360)
Rise to Honor (PS2)
Everything or Nothing (PS2)
Hitman: Blood Money (PS2)
Star Wars: Battlefront (PS2)
The Sims (PC)

Obviously, several patterns emerge when our lists are cross referenced. First is the overwhelming prevalence of the PS2. Five out of the ten games on my list, as well as seven of the ten games on Chicken Man's list, were selected for that system. That's 60% overall. Not at all strange considering the cultural and market prominence of the PS2 during our adolescence. Yet despite such statistical domination by the PS2, we didn't forget about the classics. I picked out games from the Genesis, SNES, PS1, and N64, all of which predate the PS2. Chicken Man, meanwhile, chose titles from the Genesis, PC, and Xbox 360. Interestingly, he was the only one to select something from the current generation of consoles. Two, as a matter of fact. What accounts for this? For one thing, I take to new games very slowly. I own a 360, but the games I play for it are all about three or four years old. I get pretty stubborn about new things sometimes, kind of like an old man. Bad habit, I know, but a few of them have grown on me enough to warrant honorable mentions. More on that in a bit.

As for overlap, both Chicken Man and I picked TimeSplitters 2 and Everything or Nothing. Unsurprising, especially when you understand that these are two games we mutually chose to win awards for Best Multiplayer and Best Co-Op Multiplayer, respectfully. Most of the fondness I feel for these two games is irretrievably mixed up in memories of massive multiplayer and co-op sessions with Chicken Man. Furthermore, the rest of his list is full of games I love, including some that have earned an honorable mention below.

Speaking of honorable mentions, I forgot all about them since my first pick. Allow me to get caught up.

Thrasher's Honorable Mentions:

The World is Not Enough (N64), GoldenEye 007 (N64), Tiny Toons ACME All-Stars (Genesis), NBA Jam T.E. (Genesis), Winback: Covert Operations (PS2), Bulls vs. Blazers and the NBA Championship (Genesis), Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (PS1), Mirror's Edge (Xbox 360), Skate (Xbox 360), Jurassic Park: Rampage Edition (Genesis), Rise to Honor (PS2), TimeSplitters (PS2), and Nightfire (PS2)

For Your Viewing Pleasure, Chickenman's Top Ten Video Games (Part 10)

Today's game comes close to my heart, being one of the earliest that I owned and providing the fondest of memories. But first, here is a recap of the other games on my Top Ten:

The Sims (PC)

Star Wars: Battlefront (PS2)

Hitman: Blood Money (PS2)

Everything or Nothing (PS2)

Rise to Honor (PS2)

Batman: Arkham Asylum (XBox360)

TimeSplitters 2 (PS2)

Splinter Cell (PS2, XBox360)

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (PS2)

This is not really one game, but two. One of the cool things about the mysterious looking Sonic & Knuckles cartridge was that the top opened up and could be combined with Sonic 2 or Sonic 3, making Knuckles a playable character in either. What's more, it combined the stories of Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles, making Sonic 3 & Knuckles, which is today's game. But really, what is there to say? I will say that one hasn't really played Sonic until they've played this (seems like I've been saying similar things the past couple of days). It makes me think of a gentleman that I know who home schools his children. He happens to have a hacked Xbox which contains just about every single NES game. Though probably not officially a part of the curriculum, he has his kids master the classics before moving on to newer games (his explanation for this is his cousin who can play Halo just fine but cannot play the original Super Mario Bros. to save his life). So it is with Sonic. One must start at the beginning to get an appreciation of the character (Sonic Generations realizes this; look for a review coming soon). Again, I will say this is a must-have for Genesis owners and platformer fans, as well as those of the Blue Blur.

Thrasher Presents: Thrasher's Top Ten Video Games, Part Ten

Today we wrap things up for both of our countdowns. Speaking for myself only, I think this has been a really interesting experience, and I've enjoyed the challenge of picking out just 10 games to take with me on that metaphorical deserted island scenario. Join us tomorrow for a critical analysis/post-game show/breakdown of our selections and a bonus look at some games that just missed the cut. First, let's take a gander at my nine previous picks:

TimeSplitters 2 (PS2)
WCW/NWO Revenge (N64)
Streets of Rage 2 (Genesis)
THPS 2 (PS1)
Thrasher Presents: Skate and Destroy (PS1)
Everything or Nothing (PS2)
Freedom Fighters (PS2)
Crazy Taxi (PS2)
NHLPA '93 (SNES)

TimeSplitters: Future Perfect (PS2)

Notice I said TimeSplitters 2 was "almost" peerless yesterday. Not surprising, though, that its only peer is the sequel. Hard to say which is better, really. I wouldn't want to do without either one, so if I could someday get both TS2 and TSFP on the same disc, I would be happy as a clam. TSFP clearly has the better Story mode and single-player experience, including a co-op Story option, and the multiplayer is on point as usual. This is what Chicken Man and I have been talking about these past few days; even though TSFP had online play, Free Radical didn't skimp on the offline options. If anything, they embellished them. I personally don't care nearly as much for the maps in this one as opposed to TS2 or even TS1, but they are still very good, not to mention head-and-shoulders above modern shooters. Map Maker has been improved as well, though fewer bots can be used in custom maps than in normal circumstances. You also get blood, which seems odd at first in the TimeSplitters universe, but eventually you become inured against it. Again, it's tough to decide between them, and even though I'm inclined to pick TS2 over this one, I'm including both in my top ten because they tower over any other choice I could make.

For Your Viewing Pleasure, Chickenman's Top Ten (Part 9)

Previous Games:

The Sims (PC)

Star Wars: Battlefront (PS2)

Hitman: Blood Money (PS2)

Everything or Nothing (PS2)

Rise to Honor (PS2)

Batman: Arkham Asylum (XBox360)

TimeSplitters 2 (PS2)

Splinter Cell (PS2, XBox360)

Once upon a time, before Paul Walkers and Vin Diesels filled people's heads with the garbage that cars need to be modified and souped up to be fast or cool, Need for Speed made games featuring cars that came direct from the factory fast and didn't need to be upgraded. Surely, there is a place and time for that, but Hot Pursuit 2 seemed more pure in that it was about the driving experience, not having that perfectly tuned and balanced car. And it was fun! I'm not sure I have the time or patience to learn how to play Grand Turismo or some hardcore simulator well. When I have tried, I feel so constrained and the need to be cautious, not the need for speed. Some simulators, such as the honorably mentioned Forza 2, offer some driver's aids (such as stability management or suggested brake lines) that reduce the frustration and make the simulation experience more fun. However, newer Need for Speed games fail to do driver's aids well, being like a nanny driver's ed teacher where instead of a suggested brake line, it brakes for you.

What also should be mentioned is the strong soundtrack (audio seems to be an important theme among these Top Tens) that goes well with the game, as shown in the video above. Listening in on the police radio adds to the experience, where they seem to have a personality, unlike later NFS cops. The visuals were especially strong for its release date and still look good. It is a must-have for racing gamers, and still is hot and spicy chicken.

Honorable Mentions:

Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix (PS2), Forza Motorsport 2 (Xbox360)

Thrasher Presents: Thrasher's Top Ten Video Games, Part Nine

Take a look at my top ten so far:

WCW/NWO Revenge (N64)
Streets of Rage 2 (Genesis)
THPS 2 (PS1)
Thrasher Presents: Skate and Destroy (PS1)
Everything or Nothing (PS2)
Freedom Fighters (PS2)
Crazy Taxi (PS2)
NHLPA '93 (SNES)

TimeSplitters 2 (PS2)

The first TimeSplitters was something of a revelation to me. I had never seen a first-person shooter move as fast and as fluidly as that one. Not only that, but the number of computer-controlled bots you could use to fill out your deathmatches was something else. As Chicken Man smartly pointed out when he inducted TimeSplitters 2 into his own pantheon of great games, modern shooters seem to forget about the offline experience, and for me that most obviously manifests itself in the almost universal lack of bots to practice against. Everything has moved online, which sadly leaves us offline players by the wayside. Once you beat the single-player campaign, it's time to put that game back on the shelf. TS2 wouldn't dream of doing that. TS2 took everything that TS1 did and made it bigger, better, and prettier. Not only is the pitch-perfect multiplayer back and in rare form (these are some of the best maps in the series, I'd wager), but the single-player is just as satisfying, both in the main Story mode and in the numerous Arcade challenges and leagues. This is also a phenomenal co-op game. Further still, the Map Maker feature is deep and intuitive. There are very few games that have a shelf life as long as TS2. I don't just pop this game in once in a while for a nostalgic good time; I play it for hours still, trying to get the last of those platinum brass rings and working out the kinks in my new maps. No wonder we gave it the awards for Best Multiplayer and Best PS2 Game. TS2 is not only endless, but almost peerless.

Lost in the Archives: The Medallion (2003)

When I cleaned up and posted the Code Redd Net archives here this past summer/fall, I did so with the assurance that I had successfully saved all our reviews when the original Geocities site went belly-up in 2009. After a little digging, though, I realized that one piece was not saved: The Medallion. God only knows what Chicken Man and I thought of it back then, and in what puerile language I wrote my take on it, so I thought this might be a good time to revisit the film.

Perhaps this one could have stayed missing. What's here is serviceable enough entertainment, I suppose, but it's utterly pedestrian stuff that wastes the astounding physical talents of Jackie Chan. For fans of action cinema, that's an unforgivable crime. The story is absolutely asinine, but that's to be expected from these kinds of movies. Frankly, I'd be surprised if it wasn't dumb to the extreme. Forgiving a facile story is practically a prerequisite for enjoying something like this. From what I gathered on my second viewing, Jackie is a Hong Kong cop working with INTERPOL to stop a random assortment of bad guys from stealing a mysterious medallion. Once Jackie gets hold of the medallion before he drowns, apparently, in a shipping container, he suddenly wakes up in the morgue with a bevvy of supernatural powers. These powers take the form, evidently, of wirework and cheesy CGI. Here's the problem: Jackie Chan is a special effect unto himself. That's his appeal. Mixing his peerless physical talents with gimmicks is like adding too much spice to your favorite dish; just add a little bit and you'll probably spoil everything. It's simply too much to see Jackie soar over obstacles in wire-based stunts that I know he has done, apparatus-free, in other films. Jackie's at his most impressive when he's presented without artifice. Watch Who Am I? and look at the camera work during the climatic rooftop fight. The filmmakers observe his moves, but they don't embellish them, either by cutting too quickly or by tying him up to wires. Many of the stunts in this film do both, and they suffer for it. The editing is similarly problematic, mainly because it's terribly confusing. I often lost a clear sense of where each character was in relation to their surroundings, and this often resulted in diminished drama, primarily because it's hard to feel suspense when one doesn't know how close the bad guys are to the vulnerable hero. Furthermore, this whole film had a somewhat childish vibe that I disliked. Everything was so slapstick and gag-heavy that, again, I felt like Jackie was being wasted on this material. Jackie has considerable talent for slapstick, true, but this sort of tomfoolery was heavily based on sound. Most of the jokes were dependent on dialogue, especially double-entendres, or comical music. That is certainly not Jackie's forte. For a prime example of his humor, take a look at this scene from Mr. Nice Guy and see how that comedic interlude is based on what he can do with his body, not his voice. Point being, if you don't have Jackie Chan, special effects might be necessary. But when you have access to someone with his physical gifts, nothing else is needed. Your special effects budget is his salary. The Medallion hinders him, ironically enough, by trying to improve him.

For Your Viewing Pleasure, Chickenman's Top Ten (Part 8)

Aforementioned Top Ten Games:

The Sims (PC)

Star Wars: Battlefront (PS2)

Hitman: Blood Money (PS2)

Everything or Nothing (PS2)

Rise to Honor (PS2)

Batman: Arkham Asylum (XBox360)

TimeSplitters 2 (PS2)

The original Splinter Cell required a larger learning curve than any other game I have chosen to become proficient in playing. For many young'ns, I imagine, it is not easy to resist pulling a piece out and shooting the first enemy he sees. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell punished acting upon this inclination. Therefore this game cannot be called a shooter. Within it, a firearm is a tool such as any other. The real weapon is your mind and your ability to innovate.

I am unable to select a single game from the series and tout it as the best of the bunch. The addition of online play in Pandora Tomorrow, as well as the added feature of co-op in Chaos Theory (which I believe was a nominee for the Co-Op Award) showed that the developer wasn't simply putting out expansion packs, but credible games that could stand on their own feet. Obviously Conviction stands out as the blackest sheep of the bunch for its more action-oriented approach, but I cannot say that it is superior or inferior to the greater orientation towards stealth of the previous games. They are simply different, and both have their place in the series.

I feel that I need not say much about these games, because it's likely you've played them and know what I am talking about. If you have not, I would advise you that I consider your gaming experience incomplete for not having done so. Simply, the entire Splinter Cell series belongs on everyone's video game bucket list.

Thrasher Presents: Thrasher's Top Ten Video Games, Part Eight

Here's a look at what's gone down so far in my countdown:

Streets of Rage 2 (Genesis)
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (PS1)
Thrasher Presents: Skate and Destroy (PS1)
Everything or Nothing (PS2)
Freedom Fighters (PS2)
Crazy Taxi (PS2)
NHLPA '93 (SNES)


Goldberg! Goldberg! Goldberg!

WCW/NWO Revenge (N64)

This is probably the oddest pick I've made yet. Nevertheless, Revenge represents the pinnacle of my shamefaced, lifelong love for the absurd pseudo-sport of professional wrestling. For many people, wrestling is grotesque and idiotic, but for me, it's high theatre. I find it simultaneously hilarious and intriguing, and in 1998 my fandom reached its apex. Everything coalesced in one summer, and I can still vividly recall the moment when Goldberg defeated World Heavyweight Champion "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan live on TNT. I wasn't even past my tenth birthday when that happened, but watching that video brings all those memories back to me. Revenge is the game that captures all that drama in one cartridge and, if you're like me, all those memories too. For me, there's nothing like seeing Sting rappel down from the rafters to interfere in your contest. To this day, I consider this to be one of the most enjoyable multiplayer ever made. The controls are fluid and easy to learn, and the matches are as entertaining and dramatic as many of the televised bouts. Furthermore, each wrestler feels unique but balanced. Some excel at brawling with stop signs and briefcases, while others prefer to jump from the top rope and perform all kinds of acrobatic maneuvers, but one never becomes dominant over another. In my mind, no other wrestling game can touch this one for depth and accessibility.

For Your Viewing Pleasure, Chickenman's Top Ten Video Games (Part 7)

Games mentioned so far:
The Sims (PC)
Star Wars: Battlefront (PS2)
Hitman: Blood Money (PS2)
Everything or Nothing (PS2)
Rise to Honor (PS2)
Batman: Arkham Asylum (XBox360)

Behold, the sequel to the fastest first person shooter ever made. This was back in a time where the offline FPS player's preferences were respected. It seems today that most shooters consider their offline options as obligatory measures that they'd rather not deal with, whereas Free Radical makes it their bread and butter (especially since TimeSplitters 2 is strictly offline). There are many options available: a story mode (including co-op capabilities), a very customizable arcade with AI bots to play against as well as human players, an arcade league with ranked challenges, a challenge mode, and a map maker (please let me know of another FPS with a map maker, as I am not aware of it). This game has real replay value and is not limited to when the next sequel comes out and every online player upgrades. Another consideration is the fact that it has the old-school life meter, whereas in most modern shooters there is no such thing: one can be shot infinitely as long as he has enough time to heal. Admittedly, neither of these is very realistic but they seem to change the way the game is played and how difficult it is. I'm not saying the latter isn't difficult, but it is difficult in a different way. If I play Call of Duty on veteran difficulty, I find myself using  very limited guerrilla tactics, where I get off a couple shots, duck and heal, and repeat. This isn't very fun and can be frustrating. Completing missions on this difficulty is a task requiring mostly patience and luck, while playing TS2 on hard, which also requires patience, is fun and gives a sense of accomplishment. It is shooters like the Timesplitters series that challenge the notion that newer FPS games are an overall improvement over those of yesteryear.

Honorable Mentions:
Red Faction (PS2), Unreal Tournament (PS2), Nightfire (PS2)

Thrasher Presents: Thrasher's Top Ten Video Games, Part Seven

Tough choice today between two of my favorite brawlers. Still, I feel comfortable with my pick. First, though, let's recap my picks to date:

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (PS1)
Thrasher Presents: Skate and Destroy (PS1)
Everything or Nothing (PS2)
Freedom Fighters (PS2)
Crazy Taxi (PS2)
NHLPA '93 (SNES)

Streets of Rage 2 (Genesis)

It's tempting to include this one on my list for sentimental reasons alone. Any other game and I'd feel guilty about that kind of blind nostalgia, but Streets of Rage 2 is different. Despite this being the first game I ever owned, it's still one of the best. I can probably beat it with my eyes closed (on Easy or Normal difficulty, anyway, I'm only human) but it continues to grow on me. This is the archetypal beat-'em-up, and everything that followed fell short of its mark, including Streets of Rage 3. I can find absolutely no fault in this game whatsoever. It's just silky smooth to play, especially co-op. You know it's a classic, and you know it's an indelible part of your childhood, when the soundtrack continues to loop endlessly in your head, even as an adult. Streets of Rage 2, I love you.

For Your Viewing Pleasure, Chickenman's Top Ten Video Games (Part Six)

Rehash of Games So Far:
The Sims (PC)
Star Wars: Battlefront (PS2)
Hitman: Blood Money (PS2)
Everything or Nothing (PS2)
Rise to Honor (PS2)

The only way I can think of how to improve Arkham Asylum is to have an unlockable, playable Michael Keaton version of Batman. It is so well done. I admire the decision to produce a game with a unique storyline instead of trying to replicate The Dark Knight movie. Even more pleasing is the fact that it makes a great effort to stay consistent with the Batman canon and tradition, such as including many of the voices from Batman: The Animated Series, showing the developer's ability to both pay homage to long-time fans, as well as being totally accessible to those who might not know who Killer Croc is. This is in deep contrast to the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies, which I feel does the double task of disappointing Spidey fans as well as insulting its viewers by being consistent with neither the comic series or its own movies (Eddie Brock is mentioned by name in the first movie, but is treated as a new employee to the Daily Bugle in the third)! However, one of today's honorable mentions is Spider-Man 2 game based on the movie, as it included the long dreamed-of feature of the ability to freely roam Manhattan, therefore being, in my view, the first Spider-Man game that let the player actually feel like Spider-Man (in the sense of being a masked vigilante who stops random street crimes). It actually would have my vote for best super hero-themed game prior to the release of Arkham Asylum (which itself is topped by Arkham City, but we'll conveniently ignore that for the sake of this post). But to make this about Batman and not Spider-Man, I would like to finish off by mentioning the things that make Arkham Asylum so great: its ability to capture the overall Batman theme of fear and darkness, faithfulness to the character, a fun and challenging fighting system, and stealth levels that don't suck (I didn't mention that yesterday for Rise to Honor, but it is a prime example of this problem). It sets the bar for what a comic book hero game should be.

Honorable Mentions:
Spider-Man 2 (PS2), Spider-Man (DC), Comix Zone (Genesis)

Thrasher Presents: Thrasher's Top Ten Video Games, Part Six

A quick recap of my picks from last week:

Thrasher Presents: Skate and Destroy (PS1)

Everything or Nothing (PS2)

Freedom Fighters (PS2)

Crazy Taxi (PS2)

NHLPA '93 (SNES)

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (PS1)

Another skateboarding game, I know, but both this and Thrasher are irreplaceable in my eyes. THPS2 won our award for Best PS1 Game because it's probably the deepest game ever put together for that system. This sequel took everything that was great about THPS (and there was so many great things about that one) and refined it a thousand times. This game is a diamond.

Thrasher Presents: Thrasher's Top Ten Video Games, Part Five

This pick is a very special one for me, as you'll soon find out. But let's recap first:

Everything or Nothing (PS2)
Freedom Fighters (PS2)
Crazy Taxi (PS2)
NHLPA '93 (SNES)

(Needless to say, this is not from the PS1 version of Thrasher. Did you know there was a Game Boy Color version that got dusted before it could be released? Me neither, and it's too bad.)

Thrasher Presents: Skate and Destroy (PS1)

I believe I covered this one in depth for GameFAQs when I was 13. Honestly, with an opening salvo like "I am a true diehard skater," how could you not want to read on? Furthermore, what I liar I was at that age. I couldn't even ollie. Still can't. But I did know every inch of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, and Thrasher was an awesome alternative to its outlandishness. This was the Skate 2 of its day. Where THPS went over-the-top, Thrasher pushed for realism. Tricks needed to be planned carefully in Thrasher, as opposed to the more accessible THPS, where slaming the buttons would more often be rewarded than penalized. Both have their own place in my heart, truly, but this game had a few things going for it, principally the old-school hip hop soundtrack, which was presented with an honorary Code Redd Net Award. Bails were humorous things to see as well, especially when Chicken Man and I hooked up for a multiplayer mode called Sick Fix, where we competed to land the most impressive slams (most involving an oncoming subway train). And those were good times, breaking bones in deserted stations. THPS made me a fan of skateboarding, but it was Thrasher that got me on a skateboard for the first time, and it was Thrasher that got me into Run DMC. Plus, I got my alias from this game. Big surprise, I'm sure.

For Your Viewing Pleasure, Chickenman's Top Ten Video Games (Part 5)

Top Ten List in Review:
The Sims (PC)
Star Wars: Battlefront (PS2)
Hitman: Blood Money (PS2)
Everything or Nothing (PS2)

All he wanted was some Wushu

Rise to Honor is the best fighting game that I have ever played. I find it more appealing than having to memorize complex, button-masher combos and just let my sticks do my talking. Jet Li's Wushu is beautifully captured and very fun to experience. Also what is great about the game is how similar it is to a DVD of a Hong Kong martial arts film. You open up the menu and you have Chapters and Language Options (with or without subtitles). The story is also like a typical martial arts movie; I'm just here for the fight scenes. What is also pleasing is that it does not feel repetitive. One encounters multiple fighting styles presenting different challenges throughout the entire game. Simply, this is a must-have for martial arts fans.

Honorable Mentions:
Streets of Rage 2 (Genesis), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (Arcade)

Thrasher Presents: Thrasher's Top Ten Video Games, Part Four

Looks like the old Code Redd Net synchronicity is kicking in today. Earlier, Chicken Man picked Everything or Nothing as his next game of choice before I could. I would cry copycat, but the truth is we spent almost as much time playing that game together than we did individually. Hopefully this won't be the only time our picks match up.

A recap of my choices so far:

Freedom Fighters (PS2)
Crazy Taxi (PS2)
NHLPA '93 (SNES)


What a dumb question.

Everything or Nothing (PS2)

Talk about accolades; EoN won our awards for both Best Bond Game and Best Co-Op Multiplayer, and was also nominated in the crowded, highly-competitive Best PS2 Game category. In many ways, EoN is like the Citizen Kane of Code Redd Net. It's the rubric by which we judge other Bond games. It's canonical. As I stated in my review, no game with the license to kill can touch this one in terms of, for lack of a better term, 007ness. This game feels like James Bond, especially, as Chicken Man so precisely observed, in the hand-to-hand combat, which perfectly captured the brutality and creativity of the films. And Chicken Man will attest to this, some of our fondest memories are of playing co-op together for hours. I may have to go back and play a round or two of this tonight. I assuaged my own Curse of Completionism with this game last year, and consequently I haven't had a reason to pick it back up since. This seems like the perfect opportunity to do so.

For Your Viewing Pleasure, Chickenman's Top Ten Video Games (Part 4)

To Recap: Day one was The Sims (PC), day two was Star Wars: Battlefront, day three was Hitman: Blood Money. But today, nobody does it better.

Everything or Nothing is the best game of the world's greatest spy. Better than any other it captures the James Bond experience. Though most famous for first-person approaches, anybody can shoot a gun. It is only EoN that has any semblance of capturing Bond's martial arts skills. Also irreplaceable is the ability to jump off of ledges with reckless abandon (with or without a rappelling device). EoN offers some of the best and most challenging co-op gameplay as well. Check out the review here.

Honorable Mentions:

The World is Not Enough (N64), GoldenEye (N64), From Russia With Love (PS2)

Thrasher Presents: Thrasher's Top Ten Video Games, Part Three

Moments ago, Chicken Man picked the Hitman series in his own ongoing video game countdown. Within that piece he astutely highlighted the excellent soundtrack for those games, composed by the great Jesper Kyd. In keeping with that theme for today, I'd like to continue the trend by inducting another game scored by Kyd into the Thrasher Canon, so to speak.

But first, a quick review of the games I've selected thus far, and then on to today's pick:

Crazy Taxi (PS2)
NHLPA '93 (SNES)

Freedom Fighters (PS2)

And if I had to, was forced to, choose just one game from my list, if I was the kind of fellow to rank 'em, this just might be number one. No wonder I gave it the coveted Thrasher's Choice Award and unapologetically gushed over it in my review. Everything about this game amazes me. From the aforementioned soundtrack, to the level design, to the controls, to the atmosphere, to the simple/complex dynamics of the squad combat, this very well might be my all-time favorite. Unsurprisingly, the people over at Io Interactive (the same people who put out those top-notch Hitman games Chicken Man so understandably loves) know what they're doing.

For Your Viewing Pleasure, Chickenman's Top Ten Video Games (Part 3)

This list was started with the PC classic The Sims, followed by the fantasy/science fiction (we can debate the exact genre later) classic Star Wars: Battlefront, which is to be followed today by another classic (I hope I am not thought unoriginal by picking such games).

Pardon the picture; it is meant to represent the Hitman: 47 games (and possibly a better casting choice for the role than Timothy Olyphant, who played Agent 47 in the feature film). The games have many things going for them. One of the best qualities is simply having an enigmatic and bald playable character who is meticulously professional and sports twin custom-made M1911 pistols with the extremely cool name of Silverballers (with the even cooler name Hardballers in the Hitman 2 demo). He is scary and has a bar-code on his head. Pretty cool. Secondly, the gameplay allows for variety in how to skin the cat, and one can choose (most of the time) a myriad of ways to complete their contract, such as using different disguises, setting traps, or finding places from which to snipe. Thirdly, I like the soundtracks by Jesper Kyd and have purchased various tracks from them.

If I had to pick the best of the series, the obvious choice is Blood Money. It involves features like weapon customization, face recognition if one is not a silent assassin, and much needed assassin skill of hand-to-hand combat (something that was in the Hitman 2 demo, but mysteriously not in the final version). However, the entire trilogy (which includes Hitman 2, Contracts, and Blood Money but sadly neglects the original PC game) can be obtained for under $20 (and should be obtained). They each offer unique challenges and are just plain fun.

Honorable Mentions:
Shinobi's Revenge (Genesis), Mirror's Edge (XBox 360), Mr. Clean

For Your Viewing Pleasure, Chickenman's Top Ten Video Games (Part 2)

Yesterday, I started out with the original The Sims (my preferred format being the PC, if that wasn't clear) to kick off my list. Today, I wanted to take it in a slightly different direction.

If I may, I'd like to clarify this as the collective Star Wars: Battlefront as well as Battlefront II, since they are so similar. And yet they are distinct with each having unique maps, as well as the latter having playable Jedi characters and space battles.

One does not need to be a big Star Wars fan to enjoy these titles; the gameplay offers fine third-person shooting, hands-on battle strategy (it often seems that strategy games offer no ground level tactics, as these do), and vehicular combat. But if one is a fan of the series, these are must-own and the best games based on it that I know of. If you really want to impress a small kid who thinks his Lego Star Wars is the bomb, have him play this.

Honorable mentions (in this category):

Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (N64), Star Wars: Battle for Naboo (N64), Star Wars: Bounty Hunter (PS2)

Thrasher Presents: Thrasher's Top Ten Video Games, Part Two

Let's recap my choices so far, huh?

NHLPA '93 (SNES)

Strange start, I admit, but trust me on this one, it's a great game. And they'll just keep getting better. As you may have noticed, I have followed Chicken Man's lead and dropped the process of ranking my picks. That's truly a bunch of rubbish. How could I pick a favorite? I love them all for different reasons, I'm telling you. Keep that in mind as I reveal my next choice:

Crazy Taxi (PS2)
It certainly helps that this one has all original music, instead of the neutered soundtrack that popped up on my recent 360 purchase. Besides all that, though, this is one of the best, most complete arcade games ever put together. The whole package is unified nearly to the point of perfection, and that is precisely why I put such a high premium on the Offspring/Bad Religion soundtrack. When you remove one of those highly integrated components, you lose a significant element. PS2 and Dreamcast got it right the first time. Not only do you get the full arcade game, but you have an additional city to cruise, and a full set of Crazy Box challenges to complete. Quite simply, this game is the total package.

For Your Viewing Pleasure, Chickenman's Top Ten Video Games (in no particular order)

It's difficult to make a list such as this, as it is subject to change (but not especially frequently). Video games are heterogenous, being different things to different people (or even to the same person at different times). The question is: What ends are one trying to achieve? Most players probably have an easier time playing World of Warcraft for hours on end, but cannot easily do the same thing with Tetris, yet no one will deny that Tetris remains a very fun game. A game that stands the test of time is a friend indeed. Games can also be social, and should be whenever they can. And by this I don't mean only what one experiences online, but with individuals in the same room. A lasting bond can be formed between those who cooperatively topple dictators electronically, and greater rivalries are formed with people that you know and play against. But video games are also there when it's raining and your friends are busy.

Point is that video games accomplish different goals. Therefore, choosing top tens are difficult. And that's what I have to say about that.

One of the best qualities a game can have is allowing players to create and be innovative. I believe that The Sims did this well and that is why the franchise has been so successful. What is also impressive is how wide of an appeal it has, thus being able to be different things to different people. The HGTV crowd can spend hours designing what they wish they could afford and the sadists can live out certain fantasies. No achievements were necessary back then. You made your own goals (such as having an entire lot full of tombstones or trying to start the pizza guy on fire), did them, and took a picture to prove it. To me, it provoked the need for more autonomy in what we play and set the bar for open ended sandbox-like games.

Honorable Mentions:

Vectorman 2 (Genesis), Jet Moto (PS1), Rayman 2: Revolution (PS2)

Thrasher Presents: Thrasher's Top Ten Video Games, Part One

Listing is always an arbitrary business, but it can be done with plenty of aplomb and good humor. Like many things from Code Redd Net, you can trust that my lists will make no concessions to either comprehensiveness or objectivity. Both are, in my estimation, nearly impossible, one, and two, simply uninteresting. This way I can keep our honesty intact by continuing to call out our blatant bias, all while still having as much as possible with these silly things. Not only that, but you may learn something about the CRN staff in the process.

Now, having said that, let's get down to listing my Top Ten Video Games. First, a few Honorable Mentions: The World is Not Enough (N64), GoldenEye 007 (N64), Tiny Toons ACME All-Stars (Genesis), NBA Jam T.E. (Genesis), Winback: Covert Operations (PS2).

NHLPA Hockey '93 (SNES)

I'm certainly not a hockey fan, but this game is as smooth as butter. Super-tight controls and varied action are the main points here, plus the fights in this game are hilarious. Not as deep as many sports games would become (you essentially have an exhibition mode and a tournament mode to choose from), but few can rival its core replayability. And I'm still trying to figure out why I keep getting called for icing.

Crazy Taxi, Sega Sans Offspring

Speaking of game soundtracks, listen to this:

A couple months ago I purchased the Dreamcast Collection for my Xbox 360 and, though I have yet to try either Sega Bass Fishing or Space Channel 5 Part 2, I've been enjoying the opportunity to play through Sonic Adventure, something I missed way back when. It's not perfect, not by any means, but still an interesting time warp. Of course, rounding out the collection is Crazy Taxi, one of my personal favorites and a game I had mastered on the PS2. Unfortunately, my disc for the PS2 version is no longer in working condition, so I purchased this retrospective as a way of replacing it (and getting a few extra games thrown in for fun). Much to my chagrin, however, the Offspring/Bad Religion soundtrack had been completely replaced with generic punk rock. Now, I'm not particularly a fan of either band outside of Crazy Taxi, but within that world I enjoy them tremendously. Replacing them changes the dynamics of the game in a strange, unique way. Sure, the game plays just the same, but nevertheless, something is irretrievably lost without these diddies. Not to mention, all the advertising is gone. Who knew I would miss crazy sliding into Pizza Hut?