RUKUS October 2014 by RUKUS MAGAZINE

Stefanie Knight October Cover Model 20 questions with Stefanie Photography by Andrew Gates Makeup & hair by Regina Pacheco

14 Pit Pass

Get In The Driver’s Seat Featured Event: Formula Drift, Irwindale Speedway By Andrew Gates and Rupa Begum

28 Auto Tech

Your Hands On Installs Rayno Window Film Install By Andrew Gates

30 All Access

The Latest Albums Reviewed Albums Reviewed: Lenny Kravitz Strut

34 All Access Spotlight Artists/Bands Featured:

Steve Aoki, Prince & Sixx: A.M. By Samuel Wendel

36 Live & Loud

Live Show Reviews Featured Artists/Shows: Jimmy Eat World

By Nicolas Bates and Dan Sinclair

38 Coming Up

Models To Keep An Eye On Featured Models: Amanda Kerr Huntington Beach, CA

42 Game On

The Latest Games Reviewed Games Reviewed: Persona 4 Arena Ultimax By Jesse Seilhan

By Jeremy Weeden

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

The Smashing Pumpkins Adore Reissue

Sunset Overdrive

By Silas Valentino

On The Cover

Photo by Andrew Gates Make-up & hair by Regina Pacheco

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By Jesse Seilhan By Jesse Seilhan

This Page

Photo by Andrew Gates Make-up & hair by Regina Pacheco

October 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 & Rupa Begum Game On Contributors

Jesse Seilhan & Josh Schilling Contributing Photographers

Andrew Gates, Nicolas Bates & Rupa Begum Contributing Videographers

Nate Olson & Adrien Delstanche Contributing Make-up Artists

Bioanca Robinson & Regina Pacheco Contributing Hair Stylists

Bioanca Robinson & Regina Pacheco Advertising

Andrew Gates

advertise@RUKUSmag.com Mailing Address

RUKUS MAGAZINE 11304 Chandler Blvd. #6131 North Hollywood, CA 91603

Copyright © 2008-2014 RUKUS MAGAZINE & RUKUSmag.com. All Rights Reserved! October 2014 issue, Volume 6, Number 10. ISSN 2161-4369 (print) ISSN 2161-4377 (online) Visit http://www.RUKUSmag.com for more images and content.

Stefanie

Knight Photography by Andrew Gates Make-up & hair by Regina Pacheco

tefanie Knight is originally from a small town in Ontario, Canada called Thunder Bay. Although, she hasn’t been modeling for very long, she has had quite the stroke of luck. Her first modeling gig was at a marina and even though it began to downpour, she got some great shots out of it. Stefanie had always dreamed of being a Playboy model so when she finally turned of age she had a photographer snaps some photos and she sent them in. She was contacted by a casting director and ended up shooting with Playboy to become a Cyber Girl for March 2014. Stefanie has also done some Playboy TV and radio show appearances and you can find her in one of Ice T’s music videos. Also, if you ever have the pleasure of visiting the Playboy Mansion you may find her as one of the body-paint models. Lately, she has been shooting with a myriad of photographers and enjoying it tremendously. Her goals for the future would be to become a Playmate, pursue some acting roles and eventually come out with her own line of merchandise. Whatever she plans on doing, we’re sure she’ll put her all in to it and she’ll look good doing it.

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20 QUESTIONS 1.What’s your Ethnicity? I am Polish and french. 2.What’s your zodiac sign? Saggitarius. 3.Where are you from originally? I am originally from a very small town in Ontario, Canada, but moved on to a big city, London, Ontario, Canada. 4.What did you like most about growing up in Canada? I love the fact that I grew up in Canada because as a child I got to experience all four seasons. I got to play in the sand, the leaves and the snow. 5.What kind of mischief did you get into while growing up? As a kid; I was always getting in to something with my bestfriend and always coming home with either a story to tell or a new hair color (pink, purple, green, ect.) and always giving my mother a heart attack. 6.What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done? One of the craziest things I have done is standing outside in London, Ontario in -50 winter weather in the snow naked, it was a Playboy TV episode for the hottest girls in the coldest cities. 7.What’s your favorite hobby and why? My favorite hobby is exploring, I travel all the time and I love it, I think I’m addicted to doing it. [laugh] 8.What’s your guilty pleasure? Cuddling with my chihuauha, Lola, and watching Netflix. 9.Who do you admire and why? I admire my mother. My mother was so strong growing up and raised me so well. The fact that my mother can let me follow my dreams and be happy for me is something I truly admire and hope that one day I can be the same way as her. 10.If you could change one thing in the world what would it be and why? I would take all the homeless animals off www.RUKUSmag.com

of the streets since they need a human to take care of them, it truly breaks my heart just knowing they are out there alone and hungry. 11.What’s one of your personal goals? A personal goal of mine is to start my own clothing line. I am starting with mens T-shirts and hoping to one day have a full line of clothing. A long-term goal of mine is to become a Playmate in the USA. 12.What do guys compliment you on the most? Men always compliment me on being all natural, it seems to be rare these days. 13.What’s your favorite body part on yourself? My favorite body part would have to be my boobs that I was blessed with. [wink] Also, my eyes are green, but when it’s really sunny out they look yellow. 14.What do you look for in a guy? I look for a guy who has goals. 15.What’s the first thing you notice about a guy? A mans hair. I don’t have a preference, but if he knows what suits him then that always stands out to me. 16.What’s your ideal first date? My ideal first date is definitely something that can leave us talking and really see how we connect. I love a guy that can hold a conversation so dinner and a nice walk. 17.What turns you on? If a man has a good smile and a sexy voice, I’m instantly looking his way. 18.What turns you off? Insecure men, be confident in everything you do. 19.What’s your biggest pet peeve? When people are too serious, live life the way you want and have fun, don’t worry about what others are doing. 20.Who’s your celebrity crush? Right now my celebrity crush would have to be a secret, but I can tell you it’s a comedian, I love it when a man can make me laugh. [wink] RM October 2014 • RUKUS

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Men always compliment me on being all natural...

RUKUS â&#x20AC;˘ October 2014

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STATS: Birthday:

December 17

Height:

5’3”

Weight:

119lb

Measurements:

31DD-23-32

See more of Stefanie at instagram.com/stefaniexknight www.RUKUSmag.com

October 2014 • RUKUS

Round 7

Irwindale 2014 Photos by Andrew Gates and Rupa Begum Written by Andrew Gates

Every year the Formula Drift season ends at the House of Drift AKA Irwindale Speedway. RUKUS magazine had the pleasure of witnessing one of the most epic battles and endings to Formula Drift in its history. The battle for the championship was a nail-biter to the very end. There’s something to be said about the show in general though; it’s a great place to meet new people, see some outrageous car builds and meet a lot of your favorite drivers…you can’t beat the weather

RUKUS • October 2014

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either. As you walk around the different driver areas you get a sense of two huge emotions; exhaustion and determination. As you can imagine; the season is long and hard and to have it coming to an end, everyone is at the ready, but still putting in the best effort until the very end. Since this is the last round for most of the drivers and the end of their season, it means you can expect the level of driving to be raised and the cars to take a beating since most of the drivers will start tearing down their cars to rebuild them for the next season immediately after this round. This was also the first year for the implementation of the Pro 2 series, which shaped up quite nicely with First Place going to Jeff Jones, Second Place went to “Rapper” Dan Savage and Third Place going to Brandon Wicknick. The Pro 2 Championship went to “Rapper” Dan Savage, although there was a moment where it looked like there might be a tie for the Championship with Geoff Stoneback. The only thing that set Savage apart was his qualifying position, which gave him the lead by a mere 5.5 points. If Dan would have qualified between fourth and eighth it would have been a tie…interesting scenario. As the main event neared for Pro 1’s Top 32, you could feel the enthusiasm spread throughout the grandstands and pit area since everyone knew the point standings and various outcomes that could take place. Would it be a duel to the final battle or would it be a clean sweep for Chris Forsberg? Everyone was on the edge of their seats waiting to see how it would play out, although it would most likely be between Fredric Aasbo and Chris Forsberg. It was really anyone’s guess, either way we knew it was going to be a night of screaming tires, blinding smoke and heart pounding action. In the end it came down to Aasbo needing to beat Daigo Saito in order to secure his spot as the 2014 Championship, unfortunately that didn’t work out for him. Daigo Saito took First Place, Fredric Aasbo got Second Place and Third Place went to Forrest Wang. Chris Forsberg would grab the Pro 1 Championship for 2014. We are looking forward to the 2015 season and can’t wait to see what kind of madness comes out of each driver’s garage…stay tuned. For those who couldn’t make it to the event, check out some of the killer action you missed.

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While RUKUS magazine was covering round seven of Formula Drift at Irwindale Speedway in California, we ran in to the good people at Rayno Window Film and they offered to do a live install demonstration on our drift car on October 11, 2014, so we abliged. We brought the RUKUS drift car to the Irwindale Speedway and let them have their way with it. The demo was live so the installer was under pressure, but he was a pro and the install looked amazing when it was completed. Rayno window film is some of the best window film on the market. If you haven’t had a chance to check them out, I urge you to go to their site [raynofilm.com] and see what they have to offer. I’ve dealt with window films in the past, but these guys have the technology that keeps the competition in the dark.

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October 2014 • RUKUS

Still Got It Written by Jeremy Weeden

Yes I know, it’s hard to believe Lenny Kravitz is 50 years old. Over 20 years since he came onto the scene via the glory days of MTV, Lenny is still around and busy as ever. Fresh off a role in the blockbuster Hunger Games films he looks younger than ever and on Strut, his tenth studio album, he verifies once again that he is still one of the most consistent artists out there. Strut opens with the hard rocking “Sex.” This song get the album started off on an up-tempo note with its hard hitting drums and crisp guitar riffs. The fun continues with Strut’s first single “The Chamber” a catchy tune with a funky bass line and grooving guitars that make you get up and dance. “Dirty White Boots” inspires images of strip clubs and wild nights with fun girls. This song has a classic rock feel to it and with its chanting chorus is one of the album’s highlights. “New York City” is an eighties inspired track complete with saxophone solo. This song is a tribute to what appears to be Lenny’s favorite city and her resilience. Things get slower with “The Pleasure and The Pain.” This is one of Lenny’s Motown-influenced songs and finds him singing about the ups and downs of a relationship. This song is a potential single and could be a hit in the future. “She’s a Beast” is another of the album’s slow jams. This song is reminiscent of ‘90s-era Aerosmith with its symphonic instrumentation and Lenny’s singing style. The party picks back up with the title track, “Strut.” This jolt of energy has a funky edge to it that is guaranteed to have everyone strutting around. “Frankenstein” is a bluesy affair replete with harmonicas and a choir. Lenny sings about needing love over the soulful track. “I’m a Believer” has a bouncing beat and is a hand-clapping, foot-stomping good time. This is the kind of irresistibly catchy song one can easily imagine hearing on car commercials and sports games. Strut even covers important life events including “Happy Birthday” which describes a perfect birthday party down to the cake and candles. “Ooo Baby Baby” is a Smokey Robinson & The Miracles cover. While Lenny is not quite able to take the song vocally where Smokey did, he sings it in his own style. This is a nice soft finish and brings the regular version of the album to a good end. The deluxe version features 2 additional songs including the exceptional “Sweet Glitchey Rose.” This song is Jimi Hendrix influenced and is definitely worth buying the deluxe version for. Lenny even gives the song a signature Hendrix solo. The other song, “Can’t Stop Thinking Bout You” is an R&B-flavored song with single potential. The song has a nice rhythmic guitar riff and a catchy chorus. Lenny Kravitz is the record holder for most consecutive wins at the Grammys by a male in the same category for a reason, the man knows how to make good music. That talent continues to shine on Strut. Always a fan of classic rock and finding new ways of bringing it to the current generation, Lenny attempts to do that again with Strut. There are several great songs on the album and a good mix of dance songs, slow songs and classic rock. Strut confirms Lenny Kravitz is still flying like an eagle and may be around for another 20 years.

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RUKUS • October 2014

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The Adore Rebirth Photo by Yelena Yemchuck Written by Silas Valentino

In July of 1998, The Smashing Pumpkins played a free show to an estimated 100,000 fans in downtown Minneapolis in support of their recently released fourth album Adore. One fan in attendance was a 17-year-old girl who had escaped from a Minnesotan correctional facility to catch the performance. She was apprehended after the show ended and not only is this story ridiculous and needs to be relayed to every Pumpkins fan, it goes to show just how mighty the band was when they released Adore-- a person fled her jail cell to see them. After three hugely successful and influential records, The Smashing Pumpkins recorded and released Adore in 1998; an album that proved to be their most misunderstood and rests as their “black album” (either the end of their good or the beginning of their bad). The album’s title is even a play on words describing it as “a door” into their new style. Over 15 years after its release Billy Corgan returns to Adore with a deep catalog of lost recordings, b-sides, outtakes, demos and random goodies. The deluxe edition runs over 100 songs and aptly confirms what mega-producer Rick Rubin (who at the time produced one song for the Pumpkins) said to NME in regards to the album back in 1998. “If you have a great song, you can make 20 different records out of it. This is one of the things I told Billy about the rest of the album. The songs are so good that there isn’t necessarily a right way to do them. There is no quintessential version, just the one you’re in the mood to make.” Corgan reacted positively to this advice and if “For Martha” is your favorite track you can hear its progression in three separate forms. The most surprising nugget you can dig out of this reissue is the “Ava Adore” remix by Puff Daddy. He throws in some crisp acoustic guitar melodies and orchestral accompaniment into Adore’s lead single and completely revamps the gothic, dark track. It’s important to note that this rendition (though worth listening to) completely contradicts what Corgan was aiming to do with the album-- which was produce “arcane night music.” Corgan’s liking to dark sounds came after a project with Shaquille O’neal fell through (this is surprisingly true). From the ashes of Shaq’s abandoned collaboration, came the electronic track “Eye” released in 1996 to critical acclaim and was featured in David Lynch’s film “Lost Highway.” In maintaining the track’s eerie and ominous atmosphere, Corgan approached recording songs for Adore in the same manner. Following the Diddy remix the other track that earns notability is the Rubin-produced lost hit “Let Me Give the World to You My Love.” It’s a tight production and Corgan’s usual nasal cringe is substituted for a more baritone vocal approach. The chorus offers a delicious major-to-minor key transition that could have influenced a few 1,000 more listeners back in ‘98. Corgan said he left the song off Adore because he felt it didn’t fit well among the moody, bleak track list and he’s right. “Let Me Give the World to You My Love” wasn’t meant to be enjoyed in 1998 rather today when most of the fruits from The Smashing Pumpkins have fallen. Adore will forever be characterized as The Smashing Pumpkin’s bastard child who was loved only by few, but that love was strong. Most fans didn’t give it a chance when it was released and Corgan (being the outspoken quote machine he is) blasted fans during a ‘98 Howard Stern interview. When David Fricke of Rolling Stone later followed up with Corgan about his comments, the bald-headed genie of youthful angst replied, “There’s definitely the moment where you go, ‘What happened?’ You have this feeling of desertion: Maybe they don’t love you anymore. But then you realize it’s not about that. It’s not a negative energy. You have not created the positive energy, whatever it takes-that kinetic connection. “At the end of the day, if people do not connect with Adore, that is my responsibility. But in 15 years, if somebody pulls me over and says, ‘Adore is the best record you ever did,’ I’m gonna fall over laughing.”

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October 2014 • RUKUS

Facebook.com/Steve.Aoki

Written by Samuel Wendel

Steve Aoki, Neon Future I

The second studio album from DJ/Producer Steve Aoki is also the first part of a two-album series, and therein is already a bit of a mouthful to describe. And the album, entitled Neon Future I itself is complicated too, at times reaching towards being conceptually abstract and esoteric and at other times descending to relatively one-dimensional depths. Aoki wants to come off as an EDM superstar with a cerebral-bent, but instead achieves more mystifying results. One second Neon Future sounds like it wants to rise above the tired formula of EDM and the next second it descends right back into its formulaic depths with a track featuring Fall Out Boy that sounds like it was recorded via conference call. As disjointed as it is, Aoki still knows his way around a catchy tune and smartly delivers several clever and memorable tracks like “Born to Get Wild” and “Free the Madness,” both of which should provide young twentysomethings with finger-painted faces and glow-sticks ample opportunities to get sweaty and delirious at music festivals. On Neon Future I Aoki shoots for the stars and gets stuck in orbit—but that’s still further than many EDMers get.

Facebook.com/Prince

Prince, Art Official Age

After laying low for several years, Prince has returned in decidedly Prince fashion in 2014, and caps off the year with his second full-length album, entitled Art Official Age [NPG Records]. Despite the pun-laced title, Prince’s 33rd studio album is a down-home genuine R&B album with a signature helping of electro-funk—nothing artificial about it. And better yet for longtime fans, this might be the best Prince album he’s put out in decades, a slinky, eccentric and seductive album that attempts to return to Purple Rain heights and although it doesn’t quite make it, it’s most-definitely not mailed in especially since he recorded the entire thing himself. While Art Official may seem out of place in the EDM-age, as it most-definitely is, this is Prince doing what Prince does best; it’s not perfect and it’s downright outlandish at times, but it wouldn’t be Prince without a large-helping of peculiarity with a side of narcissism. Standout tracks are soul ballad “This Could Be Us” and futuristic “Funkroll.”

Facebook.com/SixxAmMusic

Sixx:A.M., Modern Vintage

The third full-length from Sixx: A.M. is a motley assortment of hard-rock tunes that are as breezy as Nikki Sixx’s hair in a warm Los Angeles breeze on a smoggy day. The solo-project of the Mötley Crüe founder and bassist has—as expected—been unable to reach the glamorously crusty heights of its bassist’s other band, but Modern Vintage is not without several highlights. Beginning with opener “Stars,” which finds Sixx:A.M. grooving with distorted guitars and an infectious chorus. They pepper in a few more of these big hooks, specifically on “Give Me a Love,” but “Stars” is the catchiest piece in the album—not that it goes downhill from there. As a whole Modern Vintage finds Sixx, guitarist DJ Ashba, and vocalist James Michael exploring more, moving away from the mechanical standards of hard rock, and attempting atmospheric and eclectic compositions. It doesn’t always work, but it’s at least creative and not without successful moments—like cover of The Cars 1984 tune “Drive,” that, while not as good as the original, is passable and does it justice. It’d be hard fault Sixx:A.M if they simply tried to cash in on the success of Sixx’s other band with cheap knockoff tunes, but instead with Modern Vintage they start forging into different territory, which is admirable to say the least.

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Jimmy Eat World Photos by Nicolas Bates Written by Dan Sinclair

Perhaps hard to believe for some, but it’s actually been a decade since 2004 when Jimmy Eat World put their fifth studio album, Futures, out into the world, but it is true. And if that’s not enough to make you feel old, just remember the band actually formed back in 1993, and that’s 21 years ago. You’re welcome. It’s a sold-out show at Club Nokia, so they invoke their ridiculous rule of not being allowed to enter through the front doors once a certain amount of people are already inside. Instead Nick and I climb several flights of stairs to the third floor just to take an elevator back down to the main level to the stage level. Seriously. We climbed a shit-ton of stairs just to take an elevator back down to the other side of the doors we weren’t allowed to walk through. Anyway, back to Jimmy Eat World. They take the stage and the crowd starts screaming with Jim Adkins front and center, joined by harmonizer and fellow guitar player Tom Linton, along with bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind. They waste little time and get right into things with the title track to the album they’re celebrating in “Futures.” As part of the tour, the band will be playing the entire album from start to finish. Adkins’ familiar voice rises above the changing melodies of the song, and this writer is taken back to the late ‘90s when he first saw Jimmy Eat World playing with the great At the Drive-In at the First Unitarian Church’s basement in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. That seems like forever ago. After Jimmy Eat World plays the second song off of Futures, the melancholy “Just Tonight…,” the crowd helps them sing “Work,” shouting out their best oh-oh-ohs! Adkins is grateful for the support. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for coming out tonight.” Next, things get mellow for “Kill.” The spotlight seems to be shining on Adkins for “The World You Love,” with the rest of the fellas draped in the shadows behind him. Not sure if this is by design or just how the writer sees things after walking up too many flights of stairs before a show. Then shit gets crazy when “Pain” comes up. Everyone starts jumping up and down and singing out, “Takes my pain away!” It’s not like the crowd was sleeping or anything, but this energetic song definitely sparked something inside of them and the whole scene feels refreshed. They bust out the acoustic guitars for the slower “Drugs or Me,” which is then followed by “Polaris,” “Nothingwrong” and “Night Drive.” They close Futures with this writer’s choice for best song on the album, “23.” It’s got the best changes and the most soothing chorus of the set, and Jimmy Eat World does it big, playing the full seven-and-a-half-minute version of it before leaving the stage. But, of course, no one’s going anywhere as the crowd cheers for more, and the boys soon return to stage. Adkins tells everyone, “We’ve got a few more songs to play for you.” They start with “Over” and “Closer” off the 2005 EP Stay on My Side Tonight, and it’s really good to hear Adkins and Linton harmonizing together like the old days. After that, Jimmy Eat World goes back to “Capitol Records days” for the brilliant “Ten.” They thank the fans again. Adkins adds that “L.A. is like a second home to us. Feels like a hometown show.” After playing “Dizzy,” they bring out a second set of drums for an amazing version of “Disintegration” that nearly brings the house down. Jimmy Eat World leaves the stage again. But, once again, no one else leaves and the band returns to the stage after a brief break. They start the second encore with “I Will Steal You Back” off of 2013’s Damage. Then they revisit their most popular album, Bleed American, for the rest of the show, much to the crowd’s delight. First up is “A Praise Chorus,” and the crowd sings along, “I’m on my feet/I’m on the floor/I’m good to go!” Then it’s “Salt, sweat, sugar on the asphalt” via “Bleed American,” followed by “The Sweetness,” where everyone screams out the answer to the question, “Are you listening?” And just when the fans think it’s over, Jimmy Eat World goes ahead and plays that one you could never get out of your head all of 2001, “The Middle.” Judging from the smiles on everyone exiting Club Nokia, the ten-year celebration of Futures was a success as fans look forward for more Jimmy Eat World in the future(s).

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October 2014 • RUKUS

Amanda

Kerr

Photography by Andrew Gates Make-up & hair by Regina Pacheco

manda Kerr was born and raised in Orange County, California. She got her start in the modeling world at age twenty when a photographer friend asked her to do a photo-shoot. Amanda always had an interest in modeling, but never realized how much she loved being in front of the camera. A few months after posting the images online she was contacted by a company called Unigirl and asked her to participate in their calendar, which she gladly accepted. This was a huge break for her and her modeling career began to blossom. Amanda has expanded her portfolio since the calendar shoot and done some car shows, modeled for a couple clothing companies and websites as well as a magazine feature. You may have seen her at various shows since she has also been a brand ambassador for Azunia Tequila, MillerCoors, Bacardi, Drive Energy Drink and Vortech Superchargers. Although, Amanda has taken a short break from modeling, she is working on coming back stronger while using her knowledge as a make-up artist to take her to the next level. In the future, she would like to have her own line of cosmetics. This girl knows exactly what she wants and goes for it, watch out world.

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THE STATS Birthday: March 10 Zodiac Sign: I’m a pisces. Measurements: 34B-25-37 Height: 5’8” Weight: 125lb Ethnicity: I am a mix of Puerto Rican and German. Hometown: Huntington Beach, CA Turn Ons: I love neck kisses and when a man smells good. Turn Offs: Rudeness, arrogance and bad hygiene turn me off. Ideal first date: My ideal first date would be something fun and exciting like an amusement park, or going to a music festival. Guilty Pleasure: I have the worst sweet tooth ever. Candy, ice cream, donuts, all of that. Pet Peeves: Negative people. I’m all about positivity! Celebrity Pass: It would be a close tie between Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling. See more of Amanda at instagram.com/msmandykerr

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October 2014 • RUKUS

Sho Nuff

Written by Jesse Seilhan

We currently live in a fighting game resurgence. There was a dark period where Street Fighter was dormant, classic franchises were dead, and 3D fighters lost all their steam. Luckily, companies like NetherRealm (Injustice, Mortal Kombat) and Arc System Works (Guilty Gear, BlazBlue) helped keep the genre alive, by creating deep and engaging battle systems that welcome new fans and empowering veterans. With a game like Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, Arc System Works is bridging the gap by creating a deep and beautiful fighting game that both rewards fans of the RPG series Persona while still embracing fighting fans that could care less about the story. While it once only existed in Japanese arcades, it now lives on the Xbox 360 and PS3, giving fans in North America something to hold them over until the next real canonical Persona game is released. Anime fighters are kind of in their own class, as the philosophy of balance and tiering is a little different than your standard fighter. Most characters have a second-self, a Shadow Type, that has its own attacks and combos, different than the version of the character that flies solo. Even further, some characters have wacky sub-battle systems, like a baseball diamond or deck of playing cards, each performing completely differently in battle than everyone else. Luckily, there is an extensive tutorial mode that covers a myriad of systems, although it never gets character-specific enough to explain some of those wackier ones. The game follows a four-button layout, eliminating some of the cramping maneuvers needed to navigate modern fighters. Spending time in both practice and tutorial battles will help create rhythm with the varied cast and might not be as easy as trying to pick the Ken and Ryu of this game before going blind into a match. The character design and variety of modes is the real draw, as the story mode covers the storied Persona mythology from the view of multiple characters. The Persona universe is kind of insane, focusing on teenagers that have the ability to summon aspects of their psyche that are used in battle. Each character is fairly different, in both design and philosophy, and playing them requires a slightly different focus and implementation. The Golden Arena mode is a fun time sink, as your fighter levels up with each successful battle, eventually gaining new abilities and stat increases over time. In the PS3 version, there is a cool virtual lobby where players can mingle before online fights begin, perusing various locations from the franchise and utilizing classic music from prior games. The game does have a fairly dedicated community online, with players vying to hone their skills to one day compete in the excellent EVO tournament in Las Vegas. For those that have yet to buy a shiny new console, there is not a whole lot of new software coming your way, especially in the fighting genre. This game is already a must-buy for Persona fans, but those new to the genre and the lore will probably be happier with something a little more accessible. The tutorials do a great job getting the uninitiated comfortable, but without any strong ties to the story or the characters that operate within, it would be real tough to recommend this to a fighting game fan. This is no fault of the game itself, as its made just about as well as can be, stuffed with fighters, modes, and already an extensive amount of DLC. Those willing to dedicate many hours to mastering a different kind of fighting game, pick up Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, but for casual fans, wait until you pick up a new console see what the landscape looks like then.

RUKUS â&#x20AC;˘ October 2014

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October 2014 • RUKUS

RUKUS • October 2014

www.RUKUSmag.com

Stab in the Dark Written by Jesse Seilhan

You know the drill: movie games suck. Between the short development cycle, lack of risk-taking, and cookie-cutter storylines, games based on films or books never live up to the source material. Lord of the Rings has had a particularly rough go of it, as games built around both the movies and the books have been forgettable, to say the least. But every once in awhile, a game comes out that doesn’t tie its hitch to the established franchise and breaks the prior mold. With Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, we finally have a LotR game that embraces the lore while blazing its own trail, introducing a brand new character named Tallion who is on a revenge-quest to take down Sauron. If none of these names or places sound familiar, don’t worry, as the game is pretty badass regardless of its setting and might be the first real next-gen game of this short console cycle. The story, the little that exists, is bad. I have to get this out of the way, as the “wife and child die, husband/father seeks revenge” story is beyond trite at this stage of video game design. Tallion is a fairly bland character, filled with stereotypical quips and confused looks while he stomps around. Luckily, the ghost-person that lives within him is way more interesting and provides a nice balance to Tallion’s vanilla performance (done by illustrious voice actor Troy Baker). Luckily, everything around Tallion is interesting, as the Nemesis System is the real draw in this game. This is the name given to the structure that all enemies in the game operate within, creating a hierarchy of Orcs, from the lowliest of low to the fearsome warchiefs that rule the land. Killing someone at the top creates a vacuum that is filled by the next orc on the totem pole, and his spot is then filled by someone lower, and so on. Each warchief has a guard or more, and by taking out those guards, the big bads become easier to eliminate. This creates some impressive in-game storytelling, as each orc that kills Tallion gets promoted in the world. You often meet enemies that destroyed you before, but now they have more guards, less weaknesses, and at least one solid line of dialogue berating you for being a loser that has already tasted his blade. While the main story missions involve some named characters, none of them are as impressive as the lowly orc that climbed his way to the top by killing you over and over, ultimately ruling a part of Mordor and awaiting your revenge. The battle system is straight-up Batman style, with normal attacks, stuns, flips, and counters, all based on the rhythm of button presses. Tallion’s upgrade tree allows for some instant kills, slowing down time, and the ability to mount beasts and use them in battle. Stealth plays a huge part as well, as you stalk plenty of enemies that you then either kill, interrogate (in order to figure out the weaknesses of high-ranking foes), or brand, a process that turns the orc to your side. This creates a whole different aspect of the game, where your branded orcs can turn on their fellow monsters in battle and help you turn the tide, especially when you’ve branded the toughest warchiefs in the game. Ultimately, this game is a great version of a bunch of other games: Batman’s combat, Assassin Creed’s traversal, and nameless other clones of those two games, but the Nemesis system is the perfect differentiator that makes this game a must-play. While not the perfect game, it is engrossing in a way that most games never are, creating dynamic and unique situations between you and the endless amount of bloodthirsty foes ready to rise the ranks and defeat you. Throw in some hunting and gathering side-quests, a random Gollum cameo, and plenty of decapitations, and you have one of the best games of the year.

www.RUKUSmag.com

October 2014 • RUKUS

RUKUS • October 2014

www.RUKUSmag.com

Punk in the Trunk

Written by Jesse Seilhan

Microsoft is struggling to catch up with Sony when it comes to global sales of consoles. The PS4 has doubled the Xbox One, mostly due to a lower price point and better graphical performance, but not really on the strength of its software lineup. While Sony doesn’t have a real holiday exclusive (sorry Little Big Planet 3), Microsoft is hitting hard with two major releases, starting with Insomniac’s Sunset Overdrive. Insomniac used to make games only for Sony, with Resistance and Ratchet & Clank being the main two properties, but they have since become free agents and have delivered to Microsoft fans one of the most fun games of this early generation in Sunset Overdrive, a game about as insane and explosive as the war between the consoles. You start this third-person shooter by creating your very own character, named “Player.” You give him or her the right shape, style, look, and everything else with the game’s extensive character creation tools, which can be changed at any time in any way at any point in the game. You can even save more than ten custom presets for your character, if you’re feeling one look over another on any given day. From there, it’s off to see what Sunset City has to offer, which turns out to be a mutated population hellbent on your destruction. An energy drink dubbed Overcharge has begun to turn the populace into monstrous creatures who crave the taste of their favorite drink, and there are literally millions of them out there ready to attack. You stand in their way, equipped with the craziest and wackiest weapon loadout of the past few years, from vinyl-launching rifles to pulse guns and explosive teddy bears. Upgrading and rotating through these weapons is the real key to this game, as the 20 or so never feel old or boring, even after you’ve maxed them to their highest potential. The mission structure is similar to other open-world games: go here, collect this, fetch that, do this three times until the next area opens up. Luckily, this game presents the entire world to you from the get go, has fast travel, and really pokes fun at a lot of the age-old tropes games of a similar ilk lean heavily on. How you get around is probably the most fun and unique part of Sunset Overdrive, as the game employs a Jet Grind Radio meets Tony Hawk style of traversal. You grind, wall-run, flip, and air-dash your way from coast to coast, always racking up a higher style score for doing so. String together enough acrobatic maneuvers, toss in a couple kills along the way, and the game’s combo system opens up and actually creates new effects for your weapons, from fire and ice afterburns to mini-nuclear explosions. Staying mobile is key to your survival, as the various enemy types (spanning three races and many varieties therein) can take you down within seconds if you’re standing still. At first, it feels difficult, but after you realize that the sky is your friend, it gets way more fun. Sunset Overdrive definitely embraces the punk mentality, with foul-mouthed characters, a screaming soundtrack, and a “don’t give a shit” vibe that permeates every beat of the story. The game is also beautiful, running at a blistering 60 frames per second, even during the eight-player Chaos Squad mode, where you and seven buddies team up to complete quests and protect a base or two. Even with 25+ hours invested, I still find plenty of collectibles to find, weapons to unlock, and hidden nooks and crannies to explore. The colorful visuals and impressive draw distance make this a beauty to look at, but way more fun to actually smash around in. If you have an Xbox One and have been questioning your decision, look no further than Sunset Overdrive as the best reason to own an Xbox One in 2014.

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October 2014 • RUKUS

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