RUKUS April 2014 by RUKUS MAGAZINE

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Jennifer Irene April Cover Model 20 questions with Jennifer Photography by Andrew Gates Makeup & hair by Jennifer Irene

14 Pit Pass

Get In The Driver’s Seat Featured Show: DUB Show Los Angeles 2014 By Andrew Gates

20 All Access

The Latest Albums Reviewed Albums Reviewed: The Used Imaginary Enemy By Silas Valentino

Mobb Deep The Infamous Mobb Deep By Jeremy Weeden

24 All Access Spotlight

26 Live & Loud

Live Show Reviews Featured Artists/Shows: The National

By Nicolas Bates and Dan Sinclair

30 Coming Up

Models To Keep An Eye On Featured Models: Claudia Juarez La Habra, CA

34 Game On

The Latest Games Reviewed Games Reviewed:

Artists/Bands Featured:

Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls

Chevelle, Pharrell Williams & Manchester Orchestra

Bioshock: Burial at Sea

By Samuel Wendel

On The Cover

Photo by Andrew Gates Make-up & hair by Jennifer Irene

www.RUKUSmag.com

By Jesse Seilhan

By Josh Schilling

This Page

Photo by Andrew Gates Make-up & hair by Jennifer Irene

April 2014 • RUKUS

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Andrew Gates Live & Loud Editor

Nicolas Bates All Access Editor

Silas Valentino Games Editor

Jesse Seilhan Art Director

Andrew Gates All Access Contributors

Silas Valentino, Jeremy Weeden & Samuel Wendel Live & Loud Contributors

Nicolas Bates & Dan Sinclair Pit Pass Contributor

Andrew Gates Game On Contributors

Jesse Seilhan & Josh Schilling Contributing Photographers

Andrew Gates & Nicolas Bates Contributing Videographers

Nate Olson & Miguel Ordaz Contributing Make-up Artists

Bioanca Robinson & Jennifer Irene Contributing Hair Stylists

Bioanca Robinson & Jennifer Irene Advertising

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Copyright © 2008-2014 RUKUS MAGAZINE & RUKUSmag.com. All Rights Reserved! April 2014 issue, Volume 6, Number 4. ISSN 2161-4369 (print) ISSN 2161-4377 (online) Visit http://www.RUKUSmag.com for more images and content.

Jennifer Irene Photography by Andrew Gates Make-up & hair by Jennifer Irene

ennifer Irene is back! This is the beautiful ones second time shooting with RUKUS. You may remember her from the February 2013 issue where she was a featured. Jennifer was born and raised in Redondo Beach, California and loves it. She’s a beach bunny for sure and wouldn’t trade it for anything. Her modeling career got a kick-start when she used her singing, dancing and acting talents on stage for live theater. She was signed with Upscale Records in Newport Beach and received a distribution deal through SONY BMG. Since then, she has established an extensive resume consisting of acting, runway, print, commercial and promotional modeling. She is currently the official spokes-model for VP Racing Fuels and travels the states helping them promote their product. Jennifer is making the rounds and it shows as her fan-base grows.

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April 2014 • RUKUS

RUKUS • April 2014

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20 QUESTIONS 1.What’s your Ethnicity? I’m Fried Rice and Frijoles. [laugh] Meaning; I’m half Chinese and Half Mexican 2.What’s your zodiac sign? I’m a scorpio, which is the most sensually energetic of all the signs and is the symbol of sex. My personality totally matches my sign. 3.Where are you from originally? I’m a Local, born and raised in Redondo Beach, California and proud of it too. I love California! 4.What did you like most about growing up in Redondo Beach, CA? What’s not to love about growing up in Redondo Beach. We have the beach, marine life, beautiful weather, the mountains and the desert, not to mention my family lives here and so much more. 5.What kind of mischief did you get into while growing up? Oh Gosh. I was known as the notorious “cat napper.” I have always had a love for animals. When I was a little girl (by little girl I mean like 5 or 6), I used to hide the neighbors kittens in my room. I would love them and squeeze them and play with them until I got caught and had to go apologize and give them back to their owners. 6.What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done? For those of you that know me, you would know that I am notorious for doing crazy things. Haha. So It’s hard to pinpoint the craziest, however if I were to name one of the craziest things I have ever done, I would have to say it was jumping off a high cliff in Hawaii without knowing how deep the water was beneath me. After seeing all the Tru TV shows I’m surprised I didn’t get seriously hurt, I guess I was lucky. 7.What’s your favorite hobby and why? I have many favorite hobbies; I sing, dance, and act. I enjoy all of these because it keeps me active, “a body in motion stays in motion.” 8.What’s your guilty pleasure? I can never say no to candy or food. 9.Who do you admire and why? I admire my immediate family and loved ones because they are the first ones to tell me when I’m wrong and the first ones to love me when I need someone to lean on. 10.If you could change one thing in the world what would it be and why? If I could change one thing in the world, I would www.RUKUSmag.com

eliminate all the morons. [laugh] I cannot stand it when people lack common sense. 11.What’s one of your personal goals? I always say “shoot for the moon because even if you miss you will land among the stars.” One of my biggest personal goals in this next year is to make an evident impact amongst my community by helping to aid and inspire young adults to reach their dreams and their goals. In order to succeed you have to first believe in yourself. 12.What do guys compliment you on the most? Guys like to compliment me on my voluptuous curves and seductive eyes. What can I say, I got it from my momma. [laugh] 13.What’s your favorite body part on yourself? My favorite assets are my legs and my booty. “If it’s not your beauty, it’s your booty” [laugh] 14.What do you look for in a guy? I like a man who is attractive, confident, and successful. He has to be able to be secure enough with himself that he can be comfortable and secure with my job. It’s hard to find a guy who is secure enough to date a model especially since I travel a lot. 15.What’s the first thing you notice about a guy? The first thing I notice about a guy is his smile and his eyes. I like a man with nice straight teeth and bright beautiful eyes. 16.What’s your ideal first date? Doing Something out of the ordinary. I get excited doing spontaneous things. I’m a free spirited woman and I feel like there is so much excitement when you bend the rules a little bit and avoid the traditional “dinner and movie” type date. I would rather do something active and fun like go to the beach and jump in the ocean, go bowling, or even go to disneyland. 17.What turns you on? An amazing kiss that leaves me wanting more and fast cars, getting in the drivers seat and taking control, I think that says it all. 18.What turns you off? I cannot stand narcissistic men who take more time to get ready than I do and constantly check themselves out in the mirror, such a turn off. 19.What’s your biggest pet peeve? A lack of consideration and professionalism. I can’t stand when people are late or have a condescending attitude toward others. 20.Who’s your celebrity crush? Matthew McConaughey, I love his fit physique and surfer look. [smile] RM April 2014 • RUKUS

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April 2014 • RUKUS

An amazing kiss that leaves me wanting more...

RUKUS â&#x20AC;˘ April 2014

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STATS: Birthday:

October 29

Height:

5’8”

Weight:

115lb

Measurements:

34D-25-35

See more of Jennifer at instagram.com/JenniferIreneOfficial www.RUKUSmag.com

April 2014 • RUKUS

DUB 2014 Written by Andrew Gates Photos by Andrew Gates

Every year the DUB Show makes its way to sunny southern california and every year I am absolutely amazed at the level these cars have risen. It’s a spectacle unlike any other and this year is was no different.

When I first made my way to the Los Angeles Convention Center and approached the massive line to get inside, luckily I was media so no need to wait, I heard the bass coming from inside. Not only can you see some fly cars with all the amenities they also had a sik line-up of popular music artists to entertain the crowd. These artists included; Rick Ross, Game, T-Pain, Nispey Hussle and more. As I made my way around the venue I was surprised at the level the builders are bringing the lowrider and custom car game, the money that has been spent and the time it has taken to pursue a love of cars is evident. As a recent car builder myself, I see the cars as fine works of art and understand how this is not just a hobby, it is an addiction. There will always be something more to add to the ride to make it stand-out from your neighbors. If you didn’t have a chance to attend the show, check out the whips you missed and appreciate the art that is automotive!

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RUKUS • April 2014

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RUKUS • April 2014

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Used & Abused Written by Silas Valentino

Six albums in, The Used is still mad as hell at just about everything in the world. Lady friends who broke their heart, the United States, their generation— you name it and The Used will write an angry rock song about it. Imaginary Enemy is a solid effort from the Utah don’t-call-us-Emo rock band and while certain songs demand your attention, many of them fall behind destined to be lost in the crevices of your library. “All revolutions are impossible until they happen—then they become inevitable.” This spoken-word statement, from album opener “Revolution,” begins Imaginary Enemy and it’s a fitting ethos for the whole record. Take a look at their album cover. It looks like a Sgt. Pepper’s hit list on every political leader from the last quarter century, plus a few historical favorites shuffled in the mix. “Revolution” is a heavy mix of distorted guitar, technological breakdowns and a crashing-of-the-walls chorus. It’s laced with lyrics about the end and revolts, and The Used can sell it. But the only downfall is that their message lacks the tenacity and originality needed to inspire a teenager to drop their phones and write to their congressman. Missing the political cue is all right for The Used has composed an instantly enjoyable single, “Cry.” Damn, singer Bert McCracken can sing a hook. “I’m going to let you bleed for a little bit/ I’m going to make you beg just for making me cry,” he croons but with enough power pop gooeyness to make you want to jump in and join the destruction of his former lover, or whoever he’s singing about. In the past, The Used have covered songs by David Bowie and the Talking Heads meaning that they respect the greats in cool pop and can reflect part of their musical ability. Remember when Emo bands used to have long song titles that would take 10- seconds to scroll by on your iPod? “A Song to Stifle Imperial Progression (A Work in Progress)” may not be the longest song title, but it carries the same attitude that bands like Panic! At the Disco and My Chemical Romance used to flaunt but have since demised. “They say democracy, they really mean disease/ Not satisfied ‘til everyone is on their knees,” McCracken howls during the chorus. Hopefully the band paid their taxes this month because with lyrics like these the government might be coming after them. The last half of Imaginary Enemy parks itself in ballad territory only raising the fist of fury during the penultimate track “Force Without Violence.” The strongest effort from the ballad caliber is the drum-heavy “Kenna Song.” Though the drums command the track, “Kenna Song” is marked by the little poppy musical additions that sprinkle down throughout the track. During the recording of Imaginary Enemy, The Used decided to make drastic changes in their song writing process. Instead of producing the music first and then adding the melodies and vocals, the band opted to working backwards by playing off of what McCraken laid down first and then writing music around the vocals. An interesting way to record an album, the trick worked for a few of the best tracks on Imaginary Enemy. “Cry,” “A Song to Stifle Imperial Progression (A Work in Progress)” and “Overdose” are excellent highlights and deserve a listen but unfortunately that can’t be said for some of the other tracks that sound secondhand and worn. Thirteen years into their career, The Used may be sounding a bit too much like their name.

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RUKUS • April 2014

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Keepin’ it Deep Written by Jeremy Weeden

Mobb Deep is legendary in the world of hip-hop. As the two MCs from Queens, Kejuan “Havoc” Muchita and Albert “Prodigy” Johnson have been making classic rap music for years. From “Shook Ones (Part II)” to “Survival of the Fittest” to “Quiet Storm,” Mobb Deep is known for making hard gritty hip-hop and The Infamous Mobb Deep is no different. Almost 20 years after their breakthrough second LP The Infamous, Mobb Deep have stayed true to their formula for making music. Along with old cohorts like Alchemist and new collaborators like Boi-1da, Mobb Deep are able to recapture the magic and deliver a very good album. In a very smooth, shiny world of hip-hop Mobb Deep provide some welcoming grit. The Infamous Mobb Deep starts with the hard-hitting “Taking You off Here,” a classic throwback to the 90’s golden era of rap. This track is undeniably Mobb Deep picking up where they left off with Havoc’s rugged, raw production style on full display. Prodigy and Havoc demonstrate their natural chemistry and continue their penchant for vivid portrayals of street life. The next track “Say Something” displays Havoc’s underrated talent for rhyming as he drops bars like “I am not normal, let me be the first to warn you/Paranoid as fuck, front on me that metal on you/Tears down the face of those that most adore you/ Fuck the king of New York, H been royal.” “Legendary” features two other timeless acts: Bun B and Juicy J. This track is produced by Boi-1da and, as expected, features the quartet rapping about being legends. Prodigy has an excellent verse and even gives some advice to the young up-and-comers with the lyrics “Peace to the youth, the young soldiers in the street/ Getting to the money, they reminding me of me/When you get that better keep that, better not let that drop/ Cause someone gone be right there and they’ll take your spot.” “Henny” features Mack Wilds, French Montana and Busta Rhymes and is a remix of Wild’s song of the same name. Wilds sampled Mobb Deep’s hit “Burn” for the original track, so the remix with Mobb Deep is actually genius. This song has single potential and is an excellent example of mixing the old with the new. “Conquer” is another song produced by Havoc and is a classic boom-bap track. The beat exhorts victory as the triumphant horns and heavy drums will make this track a listener favorite. Havoc delivers a flawless verse starting with “Who want it, who got the stomach for this horror/Guts spill have you praying to the Holy Father/ Dear Lord I didn’t mean to be an imbecile/ Thought it was a game now you know it’s really real/When you feel steel pressed against warm skin/Ain’t no turning back nigga, now you all in/Get curious I show you how the Reaper look/All tough when you get there don’t be a wuss/All shook naw he ain’t a crook son/I’m seeing tears and it’s not a good look son.” “Waterboarding” has a laid back feel and Prodigy rides the beat with a relaxed flow dropping gems like “Water board hip-hop I torture the flow like water/The drought over, yeah here we go/Used to spit now I flow my soul into to the shit/Praise God Mobb Deep goes hard and never ends/ You can drown in this ocean of dopeness/ Jump in to this deep dark abyss swimming they wish/ They pray, they hope, they dream they could be so fresh/While my drive and passion supersedes they attempts to be/ Just like H just like P/There ain’t a rapper breathing air that compare with these.” The Infamous Mobb Deep is an excellent album and a throwback to the golden era of rap where hard beats and rhymes ruled the land. Many of Mobb Deep’s peers have fallen off the map because they are unable to make music that still appeals to people today. Mobb Deep prove that it’s not a problem and show that they are among the fittest and are built to survive.

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April 2014 • RUKUS

Facebook.com/Chevelle

Written by Samuel Wendel

Chevelle, La Gárgola

La Gárgola is the seventh studio album from American hard rock band Chevelle, and is a worthy successor to their last album, 2011’s Hats Off to the Bull. In fact, it sounds like they were both carved from the same tree and some of that is probably due to Joe Barresi (who has worked with groups like Tool and Coheed and Cambria) acting as producer on both albums. As always, Chevelle toes the line between metal and rock throughout, and at nearly 50 minutes there’s a lot to space to fill, so there are lulls, but overall Chevelle has produced another heavy, riff-filled album with a couple of standouts that should please new and old fans alike. But beyond the usual, the reason La Gárgola is a worthy inclusion into Chevelle’s discography, is that it shows the group experimenting with different styles —no small feat for a band that’s been around since 1995. The album opens with the chaotic and fast-paced “Ouija Board,” but later dives into the psychedelic, tribal beat driven “Take Out the Gunman,” the spaced-out “An Island,” and finally “Jawbreaker,” which is much closer to heavy metal than it is rock. For a band that’s been around since the mid 90s, Chevelle are a rare group that don’t seem to be slowing down with age, but instead the trio seem to be keeping its foot on the gas.

Facebook.com/Pharrell

Pharrell, Girl

For a man with only two studio albums under his belt, Pharrell Williams has been busy. In a year that saw him featured on multiple smash hits (Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky”) and a performance of his Academy Award-nominated song “Happy” (from the Despicable Me soundtrack) at the award show, Pharrell somehow found time to finally record and release his second album, entitled Girl. And it’s no throwaway collection of songs surrounding the lead single. Girl shows Pharrell coming into his own as a musician and a producer and it’s much better than his debut album, In My Mind. The album is a star-studded affair, featuring appearances from the likes of Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, Miley Cyrus, Daft Punk, and Alicia Keys, but Pharrell makes sure they don’t overshadow the music. Girl has Pharrell experimenting with a variety of styles and influences, from funk to R&B, and dance-pop to neo-soul. It’s not the most balanced album of all time, but Pharrell makes sure that’s always entertaining and catchy. Pharrell is on top of the music world right now, and Girl shows that his momentum could take him even higher.

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Manchester Orchestra, Cope

Sometimes the simplest strategy is the best one. On Machester Orchestra’s fourth studio album Cope, the Atlanta-based indie rock group seems to embrace that strategy, a marked turnaround from their last album, which was bloated and overly complex. That album, Simple Math, reached for unattainable heights, trying to be epic and insightful, but —not to ridicule a band for trying— they took a mighty swing and fouled the ball-off. This time around the band cuts out all the dead weight and just makes a hard-driving indie/ alternative rock album. Before its release the group itself described it as an “unrelenting and unapologetically heavy 38 minutes of rock.” And that’s exactly what it is. Opener and lead single “Top Notch” sets the tone for the album with a booming drums and slashing guitars, and makes sure you know this is closer to alternative rock of the late 90s than it is indie-rock from the 2000s. Second single “Every Stone” isn’t quite as loud or fast as the first one, but is also a stripped down, no frills rock song that should eventually show up on alternative radio stations. And that’s what Cope is, a radio friendly alternative rock album.

RUKUS • April 2014

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The National Photo by Nicolas Bates Written by Dan Sinclair

If one ever needed an excuse to traverse the Pacific Coast Highway a couple hours north of Los Angeles to the lovely city of Santa Barbara, seeing The National at the Bowl is certainly a better one than most. Seriously, the Santa Barbara Bowl is one of the most gorgeous venues in all the country, built into a mountainous hill only a couple miles from the ocean. Use any excuse you can to get there. Unfortunately, the one to see The National is no longer valid, at least not for the rest of 2014 one would assume. Dedicated RUKUS fans keeping score at home may remember this writer was lucky enough to catch The National’s set at San Francisco’s Outside Lands last summer. And while that was absolutely a great experience, it doesn’t even begin to compare to the full concert here in Santa Barbara. The National are just one of those bands few true fans of music could ever object to and most seem to flock to, and hearing that sound live has few competitors for such a moving concert experience. Though it was a drizzly, cloudy Friday evening, none seemed to mind as The National kicked off the show with the poppy “Don’t Swallow the Cap” and the sad, but powerfully moving “I Should Live in Salt,” both off 2013’s Trouble Will Find Me. Matt Berninger stood center stage, leaning into the microphone, gripping it with both hands, bellowing his Bukowski-esque lyrics in his famous baritone, backed strongly by drummer Bryan Dessner’s steady driving beats. Bryan’s brother mans the bass while twins Bryce and Aaron Dessner play the guitars and keys. Matt also has a brother named Tom, but he’s not in the band. He was a roadie for part of one tour which is brilliantly documented in his hilariously sad film Mistaken for Strangers, which I recommend you all to go see as soon as you can. Also, “Mistaken for Strangers” was played next. Next up The National dove into “Sorrow” and then “Sea of Love,” each song seeming to sound better and even more important than the last, before continuing on with “Hard to Find.” Up next was “Afraid of Everyone,” which is important because it’s the lovely Miss Erin Lucia’s favorite off of High Violet and she was accompanying your humble writer for this evening. She had broken this news to me on the drive up, and during that conversation, I had informed her that “Conversation 16” was mine. And wouldn’t you know it, The National played those two songs back to back just for us. Everyone kept singing along to “Squalor Victoria,” “I Need My Girl” and “This Is the Last Time” before the band debuted the ultra-rare “Santa Clara.” According to Bryce, the song was supposed to be on Boxer, but didn’t make the cut. Really great performance and I suggest you track it down. Somewhere between “All the Wine” and “Abel” was right about the time the rain really started coming down. Many of the wimps ran away, but the majority of the crowd not only stayed, but jumped to their feet to dance in the rain. EL and I were among the rain dancers even though neither was dressed well for the weather. But we, along with the other drenched, no longer gave any shits when “Slow Show” and “Bloodbuzz Ohio” were played back to back. Matt was actually happy it was raining, proclaiming “Finally!” After “Pink Rabbits” and “England” I thought Matt’s lungs were going to burst with his passionate rendering of “Graceless.” But they did not and he was able to close the set with an equally soulful performance of “Fake Empire.” For the encore, this writer was forever grateful to hear his favorite National song “Mr. November.” I’m a Scorpio, okay? And I was only one in a sea of many voices screaming out the promise that “I won’t fuck us over/I’m Mr. November.” During “Terrible Love,” Matt went into the crowd, climbing his way all the way to the back of the lower section, pulling the cord of his mic as tight and as far as it would stretch. When he returned to the stage, the band went acoustic as Matt yelled out the words to “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks” along with the participating soaking wet fans. The National thanked us, but it was we who should’ve thanked them for one of the greatest live music performances of this writer’s recent memory. If you don’t get it, don’t worry. I promise to “explain everything to the geeks.”

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Cecilia Juarez Photography by Andrew Gates Make-up & hair by Bioanca Robinson

ecilia Juarez is a beautiful Latina who hails from La Habra, California. She was originally discovered at a fitness convention in Los Angeles and has been working steady ever since. Since her discovery she has been posing for different beer brands, photographers and clothing companies. Cecilia has also been hitting the music scene as a video vixen for a few heavy hitters in the industry. Although, new to the modeling industry she has definitely been making a mark since her debut with a fast growing fan-base throughout social media and beyond. Her plan is to make a name for herself in the fitness world with product endorsements and magazine spreads, with a body like hers itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to see why. Watch Cecilia as she flexes her way to the top.

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THE STATS Birthday: May 5 Zodiac Sign: Taurus Measurements: 33DD-24-34 Height: 5’2” Weight: 102lb Ethnicity: I am latina. Hometown: La Habra, CA Turn Ons: I love an intellectual man and if he has nice biceps that wouldn’t hurt. (laugh) Turn Offs: I can’t stand a selfish or egotistical man. Another turn off is a man with no sense of humor. I love to laugh and I would like someone to laugh with me. Ideal first date: I love spontaneous things, but the truth is if I’m feeling your vibe anything we do would be ideal to me. Guilty Pleasure: I must say I love my carbs. A Hawaiian pizza with extra cheese...yummm. Pet Peeves: It annoys me when a person repeats their words frequently “like” “like” “like” or if they’re messy. Celebrity Pass: Edwardo Verastegui, Alejandro Fernandez, and Joe Manganiello.

See more of Claudia at instagram.com/ceciliaj12

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To Hell and Back

Written by Jesse Seilhan

When Diablo III came out last year, fans and critics alike found themselves mouse-deep into a hole of loot grinding, boss raiding, and gear comparing. It only took a few months for the attraction to wear off, however, as glaring issues with the end-game content and auction house kept the game from truly meeting it’s predecessor’s level. With Reaper of Souls, Blizzard looks to right all of its initial wrongs, offering fans a new way to play, a ton of new loot, and a new character to play it with. While the expansion does cost $40, it is money well spent if you have a couple buddies willing to stomp through Hell one more time. First off, you get a whole new act for your money. While not as long as the prior four, Act V is definitely worthwhile. The new areas are excellent and the new enemies add another layer of strategy to an already complex game. The story is all about another angel, this time the archangel Malthael, who has come to capture the stone that Diablo was trapped in at the end of the main campaign. It all becomes quite clear very soon why he desires such ultimate power, but it is up to you and your weapon of choice to make sure this does not happen. Blizzard decided to make that trek a little more fun by adding a new character to the fracas: The Crusader. Equipped with a trusty flail, this holy soldier has a variety of badass powers at his or her disposal. First and foremost, a shield is used as an offensive tool, being thrown across the battlefield or bashing it into demon skulls around every corner. Even cooler, you can call in a magical steed that lets you traverse the grounds much quicker and do some stomping damage in the process. Toss in some quality voice acting and a semi-strong narrative and you have the perfect fit for an already eclectic group of heroes. The biggest addition to the game comes in the form of Adventure Mode. Once the final boss has been slain, players will want to repeat moments of the game again and again in search for better items. Before Reaper of Souls, this task was a bore as you had to sit through all the story stuff again and rinse and repeat until you found something cool. With Adventure Mode, you are given a series of bounties to complete in nearly every area of the game. Once those trials are finished, you are rewarded with a giant bag of loot that explodes like a pinata. Along the way, you will fight some of the toughest enemies within the game, including remixed versions of prior bosses, all who will happily leave some cool stuff when you have levied the final blow. All in all, it makes for the best reason to keep playing after the credits have rolled. For fans of this series, expansions are widely believed to be some of the best Diablo content ever produced. Reaper of Souls continues that tradition by giving players hundreds of hours worth of stuff to play through. Unless, for some reason, you found the basic mechanic and art design boring, there is no reason why you wouldn’t pay to get more rich, gaming goodness from one of the best studios alive today. They even revamped the difficulties, adding another one altogether and giving you full control over how tough the last one is, just to make sure you never really feel more overpowered than the angels and demons you fight. So call a buddy or two and let them know that Diablo III is cool again, that way you and some pals can Adventure Mode your way through this fantastic game.

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RUKUS • April 2014

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Out to Sea Written by Josh Schilling

“The next batches of DLC have the possibility of being some of the most impactful and interesting add-ons of all time.” That quote was how I finished my review of “Clash in the Clouds,” the initial fun-but-lacking DLC for Bioshock Infinite. Since then, the highly anticipated, two-part finale has been released, collectively titled “Burial at Sea.” It is a sad time, in a way, because the title of the finale is significant in that it is most likely the last time we experience this universe(s) through the eyes of Ken Levine, the storyteller behind one of the most fascinating, mind-churning tales in video game history. This final chapter, at least, delivers sweet closure and begins the end where it started, far under the sea in the crumbling utopia of Rapture. Part 1 of the finale is similar in style to the main game. You run around as Booker while wielding different kinds of guns and vigor/plasmids while your supernatural cohort Elizabeth aids you in a variety of practical and unworldly ways. Following the events of Infinite, it takes a little time to acclimate the new setting into the fabric of the old, but it is definitely interesting to traipse down the thoroughfares of a humanely populated Rapture, while experiencing how life is like under the sea before everything went to hell. From there, things deteriorate,and of course you fight a bunch of bad guys while trying to find and save young Sally. The first half of the story ends with a pretty hefty twist that, while satisfying, doesn’t do anything truly different. Part 1 feels like a microcosm of the main Infinite story wrapped in the shroud of Rapture, and while normally that would be pretty fantastic, it is not one of the most impactful and interesting add-ons of all time. Then Part 2 happened, and the game is now changed. You are no longer a dude with guns and powers, you are now Elizabeth stripped of her powers. The overall quest has not changed as you have your heart set on finding Sally, but the gameplay is changed in a few minor, but significant ways. Stealth is now extremely important as death can find you quickly and easily. Big Daddy cannot be killed so he must be avoided or persuaded, and you have to adapt to different actions and tactics in order to succeed. This gives a much appreciated breath-of-fresh-air to the overall game and only goes to accentuate the true strength of Part 2, which is the all-familiar, kick-ass, brain-cramping narrative that made Bioshock Infinite famous in the first place. When you couple the two parts of “Burial at Sea” and see it as a whole, you understand the groundwork that the first half had to lay. The second half, as a result, fulfills the elevated expectations and brings the entire saga together for one last hurrah. You revisit many familiar characters including Andrew Ryan and friends from the original Bioshock, while tying the whole complex storyline into a logical, thought-provoking conclusion. These expansions could stand alone as a sequel, and enough cannot be said about the quality of this production from just about every area. For fans of the franchise, you must play Burial at Sea, as so many loose ends are sewn together in ways that surprise and satiate. Just like Infinite, I continue to dwell on the conclusion of this narrative, and I ponder not only the story, but the crafting of the story. This is the final piece of the puzzle that easily and lovingly fits perfectly into place. I had a wonderful time with this game, and it is an easy call to say that Burial at Sea is one of the most impactful and interesting add-ons of all time.

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April 2014 • RUKUS

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