By Meg Downey on Dec 27, 2018 12:05 am
If there's one thing the Transformers franchise excels in (other than, you know, giant robots punching one another and turning into vehicles) it's really drilling into that nostalgia vein. There's a wealth of totally radical 80s potential to be found in the world of Autobots and Decepticons, and Bumblebee was not afraid to just go for it wholeheartedly, resulting in one of the most Easter Egg packed installments of the live action lineup. From nods to the robots of Transformers cartoons past to wink-nudge references to classic movies, Bumblebee never missed an opportunity--which might have been a bad thing if it hadn't managed to be so charming along the way. In our Bumblebee review, we called out the movie's ability to ride the referential line with surprising grace. "Bumblebee hits a perfect tone with a great mix of action, humor, and heart. The soundtrack strikes all the right chords, the action is mostly clear and easy to follow even when two massive robots are rapidly grappling and transforming into various forms, and the characters are instantly relatable, without screenwriter Christina Hodson relying too much on cliches. The homages to Spielberg, Hughes, and other '80s filmmakers may not be subtle, but they are a lot of fun, and Bumblebee pays tribute in smart ways that don't feel out of place or forced. " Unsurprisingly, there are some spoilers coming up, so proceed with caution as we recount every reference (both 80s and otherwise) we were able to find.
1.) Shockwave
While Megatron is conspicuously absent from the movie, other prominent members of the Decepticon leadership are front and center. The cycloptic Shockwave, a purple robot who, much like his boss, typically transforms into a gun, is seen giving orders on Cybertron during the opening moments. If you pay close enough attention, you'll even hear his iconic, highly accented voice deliver a few lines.
2.) Soundwave & Ravage
Arguably one of the most famous and recognizable Decepticons of all time, master spy Soundwave gets a prominent shoutout during the opening scene as he sends out his cassette tape minion--Ravage, a robotic cat--for the attack. "Ravage, eject," he says.
3.) Arcee
Instantly recognizable for her bright pink and white paint job, Arcee, one of the first female Transformers, can be seen fighting with the Autobots on Cybertron.
4.) Wheeljack
Endearing Autobot scientist Wheeljack shouts some orders to his teammates in the Cybertron scene--you can pick him out by his distinctive mouth plating and weirdly prominent "ear" crests.
5.) Ratchet
Autobot medic and one of the original Bay universe Transformers, Rachet, can be spotted on Cybertron represented with his classic red and white colors and design.
6.) Ironhide
One of the last big cameos during the battle for Cybertron is Ironhide, another of the original team from the Bay universe, who, like Ratchet, can be scene here sporting his original design and colors.
7.) Cliffjumper
Shatter and Dropkick track down an autobot soldier named Cliffjumper as they search the solar system for information on Optimus. Not only is Cliffjumper a classic Transformer represented in his original design, he's also notable as being close to identical to Bumblebee in the 80s cartoon and comic universe. Though the two of them were not officially related, they're commonly mistaken for one another.
8.) Seekers
The Decepticon forces on Cybertron are made up primarily of flying robots who transform into fighter jets, a quick shorthand for the Decepticon special forces team known as the Seekers, who were frequently lead by Starscream. They're never formally named, but other members like Skywarp, Thundercracker, and Acid Storm can be spotted among the crowds.
9.) The Touch
While Bee tries to encourage Charlie to impress all her high school friends, he plays 80s power ballad "The Touch" over his radio--a nice little nod to the theme song of the 1986 Transformers animated movie.
10.) Breakfast Club
It wouldn't be a movie set in the '80s without plenty of gratuitous '80s references. The main thing Bumblebee keeps going back to is the John Hughes 1985 classic The Breakfast Club, an essential teen movie from the decade that's still worth watching today.
11.) Triple Changers
Dropkick and Shatter are able to have two different alt modes simultaneously, making them the first real triple changers we've seen in the live action universe. However, triple changers have been a pretty major part of the Transformers mythology for a while, dating all the way back to the 80s.
12.) Sector 7
John Cena's character, Agent Burns, works for Sector 7, an arm of the US military specifically created to monitor and control otherworldly threats. It was first established back in the first Michael Bay movie.
13.) The Camaro
At the end of the movie, Bee changes his alt mode from his vintage VW bug to a sleek yellow Camaro, a nod to his alt mode through the other live action movies.
14.) Rick Roll
Naturally for a movie about Bumblebee, who uses songs on the radio to communicate, music plays a big part in the film. The funniest musical moment probably comes when Charlie gives Bumblebee the Rick Astley cassette with the song "Never Gonna Give You Up" on it--AKA the internet's beloved/despised "Rick Roll" meme--and he promptly spits it out.
15.) Alf
Here's another fun '80s reference: The Watson family enjoys the show Alf, which is about an Alien Life Form who crash lands in a suburban garage. Get it? (Yes, we get it.)
16.) Pong
Just in case you forgot, this movie is set in the '80s. Was Pong still popular in the '80s? Didn't they have the NES and Mario already by then?
17.) "Take us to your leader"
It's pretty clear that Shatter and Dropkick are in on the joke when they repeat this commonly used science fiction phrase.
18.) Help me, Bumblebee. You're my only hope
The way Optimus Prime's message to Bumblebee gets unveiled as a hologram emitted from the robot's chest may be a nod to Princess Leia's message to Obi-Wan Kenobi in A New Hope. Or maybe not--you decide!
19.) Inventing the internet
Based on the scene where they take over the world's satellites and communications networks, it seems in Transformers lore, Shatter and Dropkick actually did do something positive for humanity: Although it wasn't their intent, they just invented the internet.
20.) Pop Tarts
Members of the Watson family eat Pop Tarts, which were a popular breakfast choice in the 1980s, before scientists learned that eating nothing but processed sugar for an entire meal is actually a bad idea and let everyone know as much.
21.) Hot Dog on a Stick
Charlie works at a Hot Dog on a Stick, a fast food restaurant popular at malls in the 1980s. They made corn dogs, which is why the name "Hot Dog on a Stick" is funny. They would also deep fry pure breaded cheese on a stick, which was delicious.
22.) '80s Movies
What kind of movie is set in the '80s but doesn't have overt references to '80s movies? Luckily Bumblebee includes posters for The Thing and Raiders of the Lost Ark in Memo's bedroom.
By GameSpot Staff on Dec 26, 2018 11:30 pm
Ready? Aim. Fire!
Whether you were in the mood for large-scale historical battles or first-person sci-fi shooting and looting--or perhaps you simply needed to get your fix on the go with Nintendo Switch--2018 had a bit of something for every shooter fan out there. The big guns like Destiny 2, Battlefield V, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 had no problems gathering the usual attention, but they aren't the only shooting games that rose to the top in the past year. We've rounded up every shooter that scored at least an 8 on GameSpot in 2018, and organized them by score below. Scroll down to see where your favorite of the year landed. You might find also find something new to consider playing before games start rolling out in 2019. If you're interested in other 2018 review roundups, or our bounty of features discussing and showcasing the year's best games overall, jump over to GameSpot's Best Games of 2018 hub. And while you're there, keep your eyes peeled for our most anticipated games coming in 2019.
Far Cry 5 - 9/10
Despite some brief irritations and missed opportunities with its narrative, spending time in the world of Hope County remains absolutely delightful. Far Cry 5 boasts a wonderfully harmonious flow to its adventure, with its smart changes to exploration, discovery, and progression distinctly bolstering the enjoyment of creatively engaging and experimenting with its spectacular open world. -- Edmond Tran [Full Review]
Battlefield V - 8/10
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4 - 8/10
Black Ops 4 isn't short on content, and its three main modes are substantial. Multiplayer introduces more tactical mechanics without forcing you into them, and it largely strikes a good balance. Zombies has multiple deep, secret-filled maps to explore, though its returning characters don't hold up and prove distracting. Finally, Blackout pushes Call of Duty in an entirely new direction, making use of aspects from both multiplayer and Zombies for a take on the battle royale genre that stands on its own. Sure, there isn't a traditional single-player campaign, but with the depth and breadth of what is there, Black Ops 4 doesn't need it. -- Kallie Plagge [Full Review]
Destiny 2: Forsaken - 8/10
There is a lot to do in Forsaken, so much so that it can be difficult to see it all. That also means that, for the average player, this expansion has a much longer tail than previous iterations of Destiny 2. The variety and flexibility of activities established in the base game still work to make grinding a good time, and Gambit adds a consistently entertaining mode to the roster. The endgame, while difficult to reach, is also where the most satisfaction can be found. -- Kallie Plagge [Full Review]
Earth Defense Force 5 - 8/10
Despite the series' long-running nature, Earth Defense Force 5 is a standout action game, revelling in its own absurdity while crafting a brilliantly fun and lively action game around it. Its huge battles are a joy to watch play out both from up close and afar, and the wide variety of weapons and play styles with each player type offers plenty of reason to come back for more after the final bullet has been fired. -- James Swinbanks [Full Review]
Mothergunship - 8 1/0
With the game's clever gun crafting system added into the mix, familiar tropes and techniques from classic shooting galleries feel super-charged in the game's randomized bullet-hell dungeons. When Mothergunship is firing on all cylinders, it's a satisfying and thrilling shooter where it really counts. With an incredibly fun and never uninteresting gun-crafting mechanic, it certainly goes a long way with its clever hook and an endless flow of enemies to gun down. -- Alessandro Fillari [Full Review]
Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus (Switch Port) - 8/10
As long as you're able to play the entire game in docked mode, The New Colossus is the same fantastic game it is on other platforms. It runs well and, despite some minor visual compromises, it still looks pretty good. Handheld mode is unfortunately far less optimized, and the Joy-Cons simply don't feel as good to use as the Pro Controller. -- Kallie Plagge [Full Review]
By Mat Elfring on Dec 26, 2018 09:18 pm
How old is too old to play with Nerf? Asking for a friend.
Nerf blasters have come a long way since I was a kid. Back then, the coolest thing in the world was the Nerf Bow And Arrow, which fired a comically fat dart at your opponents. Now, Nerf is doing some really cool things with its Rival line by bringing the weapons of Overwatch into the real world. Sure, the spring-loading technology probably hasn't changed much, but the look and feel of these blasters has. Hasbro gave GameSpot four of its new blasters based on the game Overwatch, and we played around with them. We also fired them a bunch, lost some of the balls, and made sure no one was looking at us in the process. Check out below the box art and close up looks at what comes with each blaster below, as well as our thoughts on them. One thing is for sure, Nerf may look a whole lot different from what it used to but it still plays the same. All of these Nerf Rival Overwatch blasters will be available at GameStop in the U.S. and at EB Games in Canada in January 2019.
Nerf Rival Microshots Overwatch
Price: $10 There are three different microshots to choose from: Torbjorn, D.Va, and Tracer. Each one comes with two darts, and it's a very basic blaster, with easy to load and fire mechanics.
Thoughts
Pros: Reminds me of the classic Nerf toys I played with as a kid. Cons: Obviously, this was made for younger folks, as I don't feel the power of Overwatch holding this.
Nerf Rival Overwatch McCree Blaster
Price: $30 Comes with a die cast McCree badge and five high-powered rounds. The blaster also has a trigger lock to prevent accidental firing.
Loading
This is the only blaster in the line that gets loaded from the back, and it only holds one shot at a time.
Thoughts
Pros: This is probably the coolest-looking blaster in the line. The badge is real sturdy and feels official. Cons: It has to be loaded with a single round every time you fire. The blaster doesn't hold multiple rounds.
Nerf Rival Overwatch D.Va Blaster
Price: $30 D.Va's straight-forward blaster comes with three rounds and her lucky bunny charm. Additionally, it has a trigger lock to prevent accidental firing.
Loading
Up to three rounds can be loaded into the blaster at a time. The go into the top near the front of the barrel.
Thoughts
Pros: Out of the entire line, this blaster looks most like the weapon from Overwatch. It holds multiple rounds, so you don't have to reload. Cons: None
Nerf Rival Overwatch Reaper (Wight Edition) Collector Pack
Price: $193 This set comes with two blasters, 16 rounds, and a mask. Like other blasters in the set, these also have a trigger lock to prevent accidental firing.
Loading
Each of the blasters can hold eight rounds at a time, and they get loaded at the top of the blaster, right in the middle.
The mask
This thing is nuts. It's pretty durable and doesn't feel cheap by any means, which is nice as many collector packs skip out on the quality of the extra items included. The mask is easy to see out of and fits nicely on the face.
Thoughts
Pros: The mask fits the head and face of a 36-year-old man who has no shame. The blasters are easy to load with one hand, which is important because you'll be carrying both of them at the same time. Cons: This is pretty pricey, but it is a collectors edition.
Recent Articles:
| 
No comments:
Post a Comment