MAD MAX: FURY ROAD REVIEW "NOTHING BUT SAND, FIRE, AND METAL"

Reviewed by: Jamaal Ryan

“Don’t get addicted to water. You’ll regret it when it’s gone.”

Much like the pheasants scurrying at the bottom of the cliff for water with rusted tin plates desperately held high, sitting through Fury Road’s 120 minutes felt refreshing, it felt rare, and I didn’t want it to stop. It’s nearly two hours of brutal, cacophonous sequences, complete with a simple story and a fascinating world all in which redefine why Mad Max is such a seminal name among action films. And much like those pheasants, by the time the credits rolled, I regret it ever stopping.

Mad Max: Fury Road elevates the style and desert-punk exotica from the third film of the series, and the unrelenting violence of the second, all while thankfully ignoring everything about Mad Max the original – a film so reflective of director George Miller’s lack of experience back in 1979 that no other releases carrying the Mad Max name afterwards has given it anything more than a subtle referential nod to.

Max, the lone-wolf road-warrior of course played by Tom Hardy, is somehow captured for the first time in his desert venture by the War Boys. They’re a violent tribe who’s martyr driven war code is fittingly depicted by their ghastly, ghost-white body paint and want nothing but to carve themselves a warpath to Valhalla after capturing the attention – or even a glance – of their leader, Immortan Joe (played by Hugh Keays-Byrne, who also played Toecutter in the original Mad Max). Max is then imprisoned and used as a blood-syphoning tool for battle when Immortan Joe finds out that the once trusted Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) has stolen his Five Wives who no longer want to fulfill their roles as Joe’s breeding subjects for his twisted lineage.

When the War Boys begin their pursuit into battle, we get a good look at the fascinating war culture that have manifested within these perpetual “water wars”. War is a celebration for this lot as they treat their steering wheels in much of the same manner that marines hold their rifles near and dear, and they ceremonialize their calls to battle with tribal drums, shooting flamethrowers, and speaker-backed guitarists all while parading into battle on top of their jagged, amalgamated vehicles of carnage. The depiction of the War Boys’ ritualistic love for combat is so intricate and bizarre that it becomes a shame that the other groups seen in Mad Max aren’t fully explored in the same manner.

Mad Max is, by all accounts, a visual masterpiece. While almost all of the action – and most of the film –take place in one big elaborate pursuit, everything is immaculately paced, beautifully shot, and incredibly well orchestrated. The color palette rivals that of Zack Znyder’s work with intense and domineering color themes that change throughout day and night scenes as the story moves rapidly down this “fury road”. Stunt coordinator Guy Norris makes his return – whose history with Mad Max dates as far back as 1981’s The Road Warrior – with an impeccable handle on what makes Mad Max a tent-pole in the action film genre.  Each sequence is jaw dropping with mangled and exploding vehicles, flinging bodies, and death defying stunts that make perfect sense for this world, all captured by some of the best cinematography that I’ve ever seen. It equates to Transformers levels of intensity, but without all the glossy lens flairs and CGI.

As an aside, I also have an odd appreciation for Mad Max’s restraint in its brutal action. Fury Road is, undoubtedly, a very violent film. People die in very horrifying and over the top ways, however scenes don’t draw much attention to torture porn where it very easily could have. They cut away at just the right moment where the viewer still feels the impact with a brief glance at blood splatter, but can effortlessly fill in the blanks with their imagination. Though the action is quite visceral, it’s clear that George Miller has not been tainted by the explicit gratuitousness of modern film.

Tom Hardy is front and center of much the action as the great physical actor he’s beyond proven himself to be. And as much of a theatrical performer we’ve seen him demonstrate before (look no further than his previous work in films like Bronson and Locke), here he sinks right into the man-of-action/less-so-with-words character that Mel Gibson portrayed back in the 80’s. However, more than making up for Hardy’s stoic’ness, Charlize Theron as Furiosa has taken Mad Max: Fury Road and made this a film of her own. With her shaven head, black war paint, and mechanical arm, Theron embodies a true badass by every sense of the word. Not only is her physicality frightening, but she commands each scene she’s in even when Fury Road begins to explore her more as a home sick orphan than a hardened imperator.

But Furiosa isn’t the only powerful woman in Mad Max. Naysayers of Age of Ultron’s treatment of Black Widow should be more than satisfied with Fury Road’s use of women. These female characters have adapted to this salty landscape in more ways than they have in previous Mad Max films. It’s enough to say that the “damseled” Five Wives are being rescued and transported by Furiosa herself, but they prove to be far more complex, useful, and unpampered in the events that unfold in the movie. And without spoiling anything, women play a bigger role later in the film, and become a significant part of Mad Max’s most high octane action sequences.

It’s rare to see the reboot of a classic film best the original in every way, shape and form; however there’s no question: Mad Max: Fury Road is the best Mad Max film ever made. Perhaps it’s partly because George Miller stuck with the franchise and preserved what made the 80’s films so alluring, but Mad Max: Fury Road is the Mad Max movie for a modern era, and it’s a complete festival for today’s action film fans.

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON REVIEW: THE OBLIGATORY ASSEMBLE

Reviewed by Jamaal Ryan

Like Iron Man 2, it’s almost unfair to expect The Avengers: Age of Ultron to live anywhere up to what is – to some – perhaps the best Marvel movie to date. The original Avengers was tight, funny, spectacular, and well-orchestrated considering the number of Marvel heroes vying for the spotlight. It’s difficult for Age of Ultron to do much harm with Joss Whedon once again at the helm who’s already established an efficient formula on how to write and direct Cap, Stark, Thor, Hulk, Widow, and don’t you dare forget – Hawk Eye. That said however, like many sequels, Age of Ultron doesn’t quite measure up to the first Avengers as it’s often too self-indulgent, leaving a less muscular superhero action film.

Age of Ultron literally hits the ground running with the imperfect team engaging in an assault on a Hydra outpost in attempts to track down Loki’s all too powerful scepter. Here, the Avengers run into Sokovian twins Quicksilver (who’s distractingly and less charismatically played by Kick-Ass’ Aaron Taylor-Johnson compared to Even Peter’s Quicksilver in Days of Future Past) and Scarlett Witch, both whom you may remember from the Winter Soldier post credits and may or may not play an important role in the Avengers’ future (comic book fans need not weigh in).

The introductory action scene doesn’t do much for the film as an opening not only because the action itself seems muted in a snowy woodland as opposed to the bank-breaking city destruction that Marvel movies are so good at, but because – in spite some of the sprinkled foreshadowing moments – the film doesn’t really feel like it begins until the subsequent story beats, especially after a much welcomed dinner party scene that fans of the previous film would have like to have seen after the post-post credits scene set in the restaurant.

 It’s also when we meet Ultron, the titular big bad who begins as one of the most interesting and captivating villains I’ve ever seen. Ultron, sequentially built from a half destroyed Iron Legion bot to a more complete and more harrowing form, initially comes off as somewhat convincing that he has the world’s best interest at heart, ignoring the fact that it’s later revealed that he wants – unsurprisingly – nothing but to have humanity replaced by “living metal”.

Pulling from his cold, confident, yet oddly benevolent performance in Blacklist, James Spader as Ultron had me best at a scene where he expressed genuine compassion as Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch bled their story covering their experience in their homeland’s bombings. With little human features to illustrate an even fabricated concern for their loss, Ultron’s stillness, head tilted to the right, and empathetic tone was enough to show that he was truly listening. It’s unfortunate that this altruistic villain song and dance doesn’t last throughout the film, as Ultron’s arch inevitably devolves into striving for  generic global extinction.

But despite issues with his increasingly simplified motivations, Ultron sense of humor and comedic delivery is the best among the Avengers cast. I won’t take away from how well written and acted this character is, but Ultron partly stands out because the Avengers themselves are working overtime to make you laugh. Expect to get annoyed at the incessant sardonic quips spliced between frequent and distracting pauses in the action leaving just enough time for the characters to loosen the mood. The Avengers is still one of the funniest of comic book films to date because it knew how to pace itself and show restraint which left some of the lighter moments to be absolutely hilarious. Age of Ultron seeks to one-up itself, and it succeeds – albeit only quantitatively.

 Part of what made the original Marvel film work was the cracks that constantly threatened the cohesion within the Avengers team. This follow up makes great efforts to flesh out these characters even more, but with mixed success. Robert Downing Jr.’s Iron Man, who’s originally responsible for the birth of Ultron, is a true “mad scientist”. His fixation on achieving world piece by building sentient machines in mass quantity is the critical plot device that moves the narrative forward and makes him (still) the most interesting member of the group.

Iron Man’s steadfast motivation proves to be too much for the equally brilliant, but more so hesitant Bruce Banner (Hulk) who’s once again well performed by Mark Ruffalo.  And while this exchange of great minds is enjoyable to watch, Age of Ultron focuses more on Banners relationship with Scarlet Johanson’s Black Widow. Though their time together doesn’t take too much away from the film’s focus as it often neatly finds its place when Banner is “greened out” – outside of one particular scene that aptly humanizes Black Widow even further, it’s hard to say that it adds much to the story. As a fitting second act in their relationship, it’ll be interesting to see where the next Avengers film takes it, perhaps with more drama and potential sacrifice. But for now, it only works as the obligatory romance thread amid the large scale action.

 This then leaves Hawk Eye, the only character who doesn’t have his own film, nor has he been given enough screen time before to establish much character. Age of Ultron makes a huge effort in attempting to make Hawk Eye relevant with a nice surprise that partly comes in the form of Bloodline’s Linda Cardellini. It’s an obvious and even on-the-nose response to fans’ criticisms of Hawk Eye’s forgettable role in the Avengers, which can also be better appreciated after seeing Jeremy Renner’s appearance in Fallon’s Tonight Show. However it’s too bad that not only does it completely loose context once the story moves past it, it also slows the film down considerably, doing little for the character in this movie and leaves little to look forward to in the future.

 As a by-the-numbers comic book action film, Age of Utlron adheres shockingly close to the same formula from the original towards the end, so much so that the next film simply cannot get away with assigning similar roles and tracing the same action beats a third time. It’s less effective because of it, but it’s also less effective thanks to the grey, dusty city that the final showdown takes place in. It’s a noticeable contrast to the glossy Manhattan battle that concluded the first film, losing out on the visual pop of glistening skyscrapers and city skylines in place of crumbing Eastern European architecture. To be fair, that’s quite tough to live up to, as the final battle in the original Avengers is one of the very best large scale fights I’ve ever seen in a film. Full stop.

But none of this means that Avengers: Age of Ultron is a bad sequel in comparison, or even a bad film outright. Each of the cast members have fully settled into their roles, and the chemistry is palpable both in action and off duty. Though some of the character development may feel reactionary or formulaic rather than serving as clever table setting for the next film, they make for good plot threads in a movie full of sexy superheroes. All things considered, The Avengers: Age of Ultron is gorgeous, funny, substantive, and very fun to watch.

EX MACHINA REVIEW: ARTIFICIAL MIND GAMES

Reviewed by: Jamaal Ryan

The development of self-awareness in artificial intelligence is a common theme within science fiction. Many theorize that the moment AI develops a consciousness well enough to resist the strings attached by their maker, whether that would be in an act of self-preservation or a calculated effort to save humanity from itself, mankind could be looking at the beginnings of a hostile takeover by the very machines they’ve created. Ex Machina, written and directed by Alex Garland, isolates us within the former scenario. However instead of fleshing out a story built around physical conflict riddled in bullets and scrap metal ala the much lesser successful film, Chappie, Ex Machina weaponizes the use of wits and emotional manipulation.

After winning a companywide raffle, talented programmer Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) is flown out to the estate of his company’s founder and CEO, Nathan (Oscar Isaac), who heads up this films version of Google. Nathan outlines the purpose of this visit as giving Caleb the rare opportunity to be the first human engage in a “Turing Test” – an assessment that gauges a human’s ability to discern a machine’s behavior from that of a human – with Nathan’s AI project, Ava (Alicia Vikander).

Ex Machina is as lean in its script as the clean, glass doored, underground penthouse it’s set in. Scenes hold no more than two individuals on screen, which pulls the entire focus on intense and uncomfortable dialogue. This leaves the three above actors with little to rely on outside of their deafening theatrical muscles. Nathan is arrogant, smart, and incredibly self-aware, using all three characteristics to collude Caleb who is impulsive, vulnerable, and emotionally reactive, who’s particularly drawn to Ava’s frighteningly developing insight, intellect, and sexuality. With the deliberately indistinguishable Caleb caught between Nathan’s fit, buzz-cut and bearded confidence, and Ava’s uncompromisingly robotic, yet feature filled seduction, Ex Machina exists only within the chilling and hostile triangle that unfolds, revealing no clear winner until the very end.

The story on artificial intelligence is handled with rare brilliance, both visually and thematically. Nathan’s truly massive estate – encapsulating mountains, forests, and frozen landscapes – creates a crisp and beautiful juxtaposition to Ava’s assembled existence who’s manufactured with soft layers of artificial skin, doll-like feminine features, and a translucent frame that cases the strangely flattering anatomy of wires and blue lights. Both Nathan and Caleb challenge each other on the scientific goal of the tests, debating factors of sexual arousal, further experimentations, and ulterior motives, all without having real insight into Ava’s adaptive machine of a brain. The conflict here isn’t all that exclusive (or as inclusive) however. The narrative primarily develops as scenes mix and match one on one interaction with any of the three characters, often leaving a third in the dark.

Ex Machina’s conclusion is provocatively intangible, despite the inevitable devastation that occurs. It avoids leaning in the direction of alliance or discord that so many films of this science fiction ilk tend to land on without pulling the rug from right under the viewer.

Alex Garland has scripted a gripping and uncomfortable character study with an inseparable formula of AI theory and primitive sexual impulses.  Ex Machina is as haunting as it is smart, creating a rare kind of science fiction.

HOTLINE MIAMI 2: WRONG NUMBER REVIEW "THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY"

Reviewed by: Jamaal Ryan

Chop, bludgeon, shoot, die. Chop, bludgeon, shoot, die. While this cycle of extreme violence is the bread and butter of Hotline Miami (minus the hypnotizing beats and colorfully hazed 16-bit pixels), Dennaton’s cult classic was damn near perfect, merited by both its synergistic novelty and sublime execution on the top-down, twin-stick shooter sub-genre. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, however, is nowhere near as modest or as lean as the original as it’s characteristically manic in every way shape and form. It’s talented, charming, attractive, and a hell of a lot of fun, but it’s also overly ambitious, tangibly incohesive, and carries on for far too long. Read more.

CAN ANTI-SOCIAL PLAYERS STILL ENJOY EVOLVE?

By Jamaal Ryan

As Evolve began its rapid transformation from an intangible, freshly announced concept into a frequently played, comprehensible love-child of Turtle Rock, there was plenty of skepticism surrounding the developer's approach towards four versus one asynchronous multiplayer design. Would Evolve be unbalanced thanks to the Wraith? Would Evolve feel complete if you didn't opt in for the obnoxious pre-order bonuses? Would Evolve ever live up to being the second coming of the co-op driven shooter after the studio’s success with Left 4 Dead? All of these were valid concerns, especially considering the worrisome alpha and beta, which quickly revealed discrepancies in this angelic silhouette.

Leading up to its release, the coverage of Evolve was borderline idealistic, with like-minded members of the press asking questions about coordination, verbal cues and advanced team strategies, all of which the type of player Evolve was catering to would want answers for. They are the party chat goers, the Battlefield clansters, and the high-fiving tea baggers. But I’m not one of those players. I play multiplayer games for little more than self-merit, and I find that the most effective use of my mic is to silence the voices coming out of my television. I am not a social player. Yet this is a social game. So here's the question I asked: Could players like me, isolated competitors, enjoy a game like Evolve? Read more.

TITAN ATTACKS! REVIEW

Reviewed By: Jamaal Ryan

The name “Titan Attacks” might be a bit misleading to some. Amongst numerous games that have made use of the word “titan”, including Puppy Game’s very own and more appropriately named Revenge of the Titans, Titan Attacks! is simply a straightforward Space Invaders game built for the modern indie era. Bold neon pixel art mixed with solid shooting flair and dash of current video game trends encapsulate what this bit-sized arcade title – now brought over to the 3DS from Steam and PlayStation platforms – has to offer. Read more.

MOST ANTICIPATED 2015: SPLATOON PREVIEW

By Jamaal Ryan

I have a confession to make: I'm addicted to shooters. There's something about the immediate gratification of painting your target with the cursor and pulling the trigger at the pixel-perfect moment that delivers heaps of dopamine with every round. It’s the genre that first broke me out of my unwavering (yet surprisingly limited) Nintendo fanboyism after never getting that horrendous Mario first-person shooter that I obsessively fantasized about. So whenever an interesting new title is introduced to the genre, my cravings begin to swell.

As we look forward in 2015, this year certainly has its fair share of high profile titles from the genre, including Turtle Rock’s long awaited Evolve, 343’s promising return with Halo 5, and a yet-to-be announced title that’s currently being worked on by the immensely talented multiplayer level design studio, Certain Affinity. But even among the promise and pedigree of these upcoming releases, and even looking at this year’s big name installments such as Uncharted 4, Batman: Arkham Knight, and the new Legend of Zelda, Splatoon comfortably sits as my most anticipated game of 2015. Read more

FAR CRY 4: THE MOST DERIVATIVE SEQUEL OF 2014

By Jamaal Ryan

Warning: Brief spoilers for Far Cry 3.

Seeing Citra plunge a knife into Jason Brodie's chest following an uncomfortable sex scene before the credits rolled wasn't the only element of Far Cry 3 that displeased me. Yes, the intended satire failed to land on its feet (or even take off for that matter), and yes, the cast featured a gaggle of smug, upper-middle-class pricks who earned no sympathy from me in the 20-or-so-hour campaign. Above all else, however, I also found the game itself to be deeply flawed. Read more.

PUGCAST EPISODE 5: SILENCE IS NOT THE ANSWER

By Power Up Gaming Staff

Show Notes: We're five shows in now, which means it's time to take off those training wheels. In this special episode, it's time for the panel (mostly) serious. Of course, that means that our chief news rater Scott Russell wasn't invited to the party. Sorry, Scott. It does, however, feature the debut of everyone's favourite news editor, Jon Nielson.

This week's show kicks off with the customary rating of the latest video game news. In Scott's absence, Tara Jayne steps up to the plate to grade everyone's stories, which include yet another Xbox One price change, a man dying from too much gaming, Elder Scrolls Online going free-to-play, and Microsoft's announcement of its HoloLens AR project.

Moving on, the panel discuss their most infuriating and frustrating gaming moments. From gagging themselves on their controllers, to punching their opponents in the face, each of the participants has a funny recollection of a time when the rage just got a little too much.

We then get down to the meat and potatoes of this episode: a roundtable discussion on representation in video games, and the movement that has been termed 'GamerGate'. In a well thought-out and articulate debate, the panelists all weigh in with their thoughts on what has been, rightly or wrongly, one of the most burning issues in the video games industry over the past year.

The guys then each briefly talk about the games they've been playing over the past couple of weeks, as well as those that they're looking forward to in jam-packed February. Listen here.

2014: THE CRITICAL TURNING POINT OF REPRESENTATION IN GAMES

By Jamaal Ryan

Writer's Note: This article was also featured on Kotaku. Special thanks to Patrick Klepek, and be sure to check out more thought provoking commentary on games in Worth Reading.

If there was one important theme to pick from the last 12 months, it would be: “Don’t you realize? Everyone’s a gamer!”

Now, this is a two part statement. In one aspect, it succinctly highlights the demographics of the video game community, using the term “everyone” as a way to illustrate exactly who plays video games today. It also acts as an assessment of cultural awareness; a reality-check if you will. The question “don’t you realize?” challenges any form of neglect or dismissiveness in order to re-orient those who choose to remain resistant to progressive diversity. And while signs of industry growing pains have been present throughout the entirety of 2014, game makers have clearly listened, ultimately making significant adjustments as to who is represented in our games. Read more.

GTA V MAKES THESE OLD PEOPLE VIOLENT

Shared by Jamaal Ryan

These senior citizens end the debate on violent video games.

SINGLE-PLAYER ONLY: WHY I PREFER SOLO GAMING

By Georgie Catto and Jamaal Ryan

Since the dawn of the information age, people have had the ability to communicate with people half a world away. While the information super highway has brought with it many benefits, this increased interconnectivity does occasionally have its downsides. Here are a few thoughts from two gamers (who incidentally live half a world away from each other), on why this invasive electronic advancement isn’t necessarily a good thing. Read more.

PLAYSTATION NOW: CHEAPER, BUT NOT CHEAP ENOUGH

By Jamaal Ryan

Even though video game streaming services have been floating around the industry for quite some time (look no further than OnLive and pre-Sony acquisition Gaikai), PlayStation has made a big splash in the market with their own take on cloud gaming, PlayStation Now.

Earlier this week, Sony announced that players who subscribe to PlayStation Now will gain access to a catalogue of more than 100 PlayStation 3 games, which will stream to various platforms and devices including PS4, PS3, Vita, and selected Sony branded televisions. Read more.

2014 PUG GAME OF THE YEAR AWARDS

By Jamaal Ryan

At the start of this year, some friends and I talked about what some of our most anticipated games were for 2014. Alien: Isolation, The Evil Within, Destiny, Batman: Arkham Knight, The Witcher 3, Evolve were but a few of the many titles that were feverishly discussed. The funny thing, though, is that half of those games were delayed until 2015, and the other half were incredibly divisive.

The past 12 months caught a lot of gamers off-guard, including myself. It was a year of broken promises that changed the way that game reviews were treated, and a year where fan favorites appeared seemingly out of nowhere. But by the end of this 52-week wildcard we call 2014, five games have resonated with me the most, earning a spot on my Game of the Year list. Read more.

SUNSET OVERDRIVE REVIEW "MURDER CLOWNS ON THE LOOSE."

Reviewed by: Jamaal Ryan

We’ve all come to know games that heavily strive for a particular tone that, in the end, often compromises the value of the experience. Azura’s Wrath, Blue Estate, and Anarchy Reigns are just a few examples of titles that really push their over-the-top message to unexpected heights (and lows), but ultimately fail to connect with the player in anything other than the occasional provocative images and sequences.

As purposefully outlandish as Sunset Overdrive’s tone is, such is not the case here. Its aggressive style of internet meme jokes and punkish flavor is evenly matched by its incredibly deliberate and surprisingly accomplished game systems, making it not only one of the best original open world games of 2014, but possibly even Insomniac’s best game yet. Read more.

VLAMBEER FACESA CLONED GAME...AGAIN

By Jamaal Ryan

They say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery; but in this case, imitation is the greatest form of skullduggery as Vlambeer – the talented indie developer behind Super Crate Box and Luftrausers – has had one of their games cloned yet again.

If you’re unfamiliar with Vlambeer’s series of cloned games, last year, just before they launched what would be one of 2013’s best mobile titles, Ridiculous Fishing, dev studio Gamenuts released a near identical rip off of Vlambeer’s previous game, Radical Fishing. Soon after, what was then their upcoming title, Luftrausers, was also cloned; not to mention that Ridiculous Fishing artist Greg Wohlwend then went on to work on Threes! (another successful mobile game) which was also ripped off by multiple clones.Read more.

CAPTAIN TOAD: TREASURE TRACKER REVIEW "FRESH FROM THE NINTENDO DREAM FACTORY"

By Jamaal Ryan

"Nintendo is at their best when they're desperate."

There isn’t a quote that is as timely and relevant as this one, since in the past we've seen some of the best work come out of the house of Mario when they’re cornered and on the ropes. At a time where Nintendo has never quite been in a worse position in the console market, we're beginning to see the company take some calculated risks, much like they did in the GameCube era, and very much unlike what we saw last generation. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is the latest title to come out of Nintendo's forced creativity, taking their tried and true concept of a platformer, and flipping it on its head... as well as all sorts of other directions. Read more.

WAIT...SONY'S PLANNING A SUPER MARIO MOVIE?

By Jamaal Ryan

In the wake of Sony’s massive security hack that has revealed everything from personal information, to private emails, to films under the Sony label, one movie negotiation deal that has surfaced amidst the leak was a Super Mario Bros. film.

Yes, you read that correctly: Super Mario Bros., as in Nintendo’s biggest franchise, now has a film adaptation being negotiated between Nintendo and Sony Pictures.

It’s shocking enough that Sony seems to be neck deep in striking a deal with Nintendo’s biggest property (but hey, Microsoft is making bank off of Minecraft which is one of Playstation’s best-selling titles), but what’s more unbelievable is that they’re taking another swing at making a Mario film after this ambitious train wreck: Read more.

THE TOP 25 PLAYSTATION 3 GAMES

By PUG Staff

Since 2006, the PlayStation 3 has hosted an outstanding amount of games that have ranged from awe-inspiring to diabolically shocking. Here at Power Up Gaming, we aren't interested in those bad eggs, so instead we've crafted a list of 25 delicious gaming goodies – both exclusive and multi-platform – for your consumption.

These games may not be tomes of perfection, but they definitely hinge on it. They represent an entire generation's efforts to create masterpieces time and time again, a feat that the PS3 has definitely accomplished.

As PlayStation celebrates its 20th anniversary, we invite you to browse our wares, and to comb a list that is so filled with wonder that you will fall in love with each of these titles, all over again. Enjoy.

25. Catherine

Harry Bowers: If there’s one thing that video games get slammed for, it’s attempting nothing new. Atlus’s Catherine was one of those rare games that truly stepped up to challenge this. The result was weird, to say the least. Catherine follows the romantic inadequacies of its hapless protagonist, Vincent. Drama, heartbreak and indecision ensue as Vincent attempts to choose between long-time partner Katherine and new impromptu flame, Catherine.

Here’s where things get weird. Moral implications are presided over by a mystical body of demonic nightmare-inducing sheep. Gameplay fixes are administered by proxy of tricky gauntlet-like puzzle sequences where a sleeping Vincent meets retribution for his nefarious practices. The game skirts between the mundane and the wacky as Vincent attempts to come to terms with what he truly wants from life.

Call it luck, or call it vision – either way, team Atlus struck gold here. The story was gripping and the cast completely empathetic. Gameplay matched story pound for pound. There was something exhilaratingly epic about monkeying your way up a rapidly crumbling tower to some iconic classical bangers. Catherine entertained from start to finish, all the while offering up searching questions about relationships, people and humanity. Catherine was an ambitious game which succeeded in doing something honestly different. That’s sadly an accolade very, very few console games can claim to. Fancy a change of pace from beefcake bro-shooters? Then give Catherine a spin; you won’t be disappointed.

24. Journey

Jamaal Ryan: Journey is a product of sharpened craft, the epitome of the emotional language thatgamecompany has used to communicate with players since its early days. Its glistening sights, award winning sounds, and freeing controls can melt any hardened exterior with effortless grace.

Journey conveys a wide range of themes quietly and metaphorically: isolation, partnership, fear, struggle, death, euphoria. This complex palette is delivered with the utmost subtlety, made even more impressive by being compressed into 2 hours. Because of this, Journey is profoundly therapeutic, plucking you from whatever mood you're in and gently placing you into a better place within a short space of time.

Journey is a timeless work of art, a multi-purposed classic that isn't just one of the best games on PlayStation 3; it's one of the best games ever made. Read more.

SONY AND NINTENDO'S BIGGEST GAMES REVEALED IN ONE WEEKEND

By Jamaal Ryan

It seems that no matter which console you have, 2015 will treat you with a platform defining title; the next gen follow-ups to the biggest franchises the big three have to offer. Last month, Halo 5 showed off some controversial (though admittedly needed) upgrades to its combat repertoire with boosting, ground pounding, and (OH GOD NO!) aiming down the sights, all in which make it my most anticipated shooter of 2015 next to Evolve.

With Sony and Nintendo’s biggest titlesnot yet fully revealed I’ve waited with bated breath to see when I can get my hands on some of my favorite franchises. Read more.