This line should be "not NECESSARY if one owns a compatible Android device"
Battle Royale: The Last Generation Of An SNES-CD Saga
- Thread starter RySenkari
- Start date
TV In 2015
(Authors' Note: In the past, I used to cover mostly broadcast television, with a list of top 25 broadcast shows and a rundown on the big four broadcast networks. However, by 2015, much like IOTL, the television landscape has shifted to cable, premium, and streaming, and broadcast TV is a much smaller piece of the pie. Therefore, I'm scrapping the familiar broadcast coverage and instead, I'm going to devote more of these TV updates to covering cable and streaming.)
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"OTA Revolution" Greatly Expands Broadcast TV Landscape
For the longest time, most television viewers stuck without cable or satellite could only view a few channels on their televisions via the use of an over-the-air antenna. These networks included ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS, CW, and perhaps a few others such as MyNetwork and Univision. But after the switch from analog to digital television in the early 2010s, the landscape of broadcast television has greatly expanded, with some markets now enjoying dozens of free television channels, in a landscape not all that unlike where basic cable was in the 1980s. These channels are focused mostly on old content, leased from the libraries of large production companies, but a few of the bolder networks are attempting to air brand new content on these start-up channels, in the hopes of snatching viewers from the "Big Four", and potentially scoring more lucrative advertising contracts. Most of these new networks focus mostly on a single genre worth of content: Comet, for example, is a channel airing old sci-fi shows and movies, while Grit airs mostly western content, Emergency focuses on real-life stories of police, firefighters, and paramedics, Spark offers romance, and Bounce offers African-American centered programming. Some of the bolder channels are focusing on more niche content: The network called Geek airs content that might appeal to fans of fantasy, anime, and video games, and airs such programming as classic Doctor Who, some anime series (most notably managing to license the rights to air old Sailor Moon episodes), and even old reruns of GameTV. Then there's Premiere, which is attempting to build a lineup consisting mostly of brand new content, in stark contrast with most of the other new broadcast networks that air only reruns. In addition to a slate of original primetime content (which, obviously, is more cheaply produced when compared with the big four network fare), Premiere airs acquisitions from other countries, such as British and Canadian shows, and, like the aforementioned Geek, also airs some anime content (but unlike Geek's anime, Premiere's has never before aired on Western television). Premiere is aiming to be the highest rated of the new OTA networks, and thus far, it's succeeded, with ratings comparable to networks such as MyNetwork TV and Ion, networks that have been around for more than a decade. There's also a project to launch a new OTA sports network, though this network would likely rely on more obscure sports and archived content, which would be much cheaper to license. However, this network is also planning on airing e-sports, a growth area that the cable sports networks such as ESPN have barely scratched the surface of. The new digital network landscape is an environment broadcasters have barely scratched the surface of, but if a success story does emerge over the next few years, it could forever change how we view broadcast television, and could even create a "sixth network" to rival the five broadcast giants.
-from an article on Tubehound, posted on June 2, 2015
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Sci-Fi Channel Surges To #1 On Cable
The biggest story in cable over the past few years has to be the remarkable surge of the Sci-Fi Channel, which has gone from being somewhat of a joke at the start of the decade to being cable's #1 highest rated network, with two of the top five highest rated shows on all of cable as well as the highest rated cable drama episode of all time. The network seemed to have bottomed out around 2011, with stinkers like They Came To Texas filling the lineup. However, the network got a new president later that year, committed to "bringing original content and great adaptations" to the network and turning its reputation around. Shows such as Dunningbrook Cove, a supernatural drama that was originally decried as "Baywatch meets Contact", but soon became a cult fave and then a mainstream hit thanks to its compelling characters and slow-burn storylines, and Y: The Last Man, based on the comic series about a man who becomes the last of his gender on Earth after a strange disaster wipes out all the other men from the planet, were early successes when they launched in 2012. These were accompanied by movies with a new emphasis on high production values and compelling storylines, such as Remnant, about a team of astronauts who struggle to survive on Mars after a disaster shatters it to pieces, and The Sifters, about a zombie murder mystery, earned great reviews and strong ratings. These shows and movies helped to set the stage for 2013's Tessera, the network's highest budgeted original show ever, focused on a group of "dimensional archeologists" looking for fragments of memories in the multiverse. It's a deep and complex show with an ambitious narrative, but tied together by character moments and startling events that help to ground the show for general audiences. It saw enormous ratings in its first season, and its second season sent its popularity into the stratosphere, with its second season finale achieving an unprecedented-for-cable 22.7 million viewers (including a mind-boggling 13.0 18-49 rating), making it the most popular show on television, broadcast or cable. Other recent hits include Z Nation, a comedy/drama zombie apocalypse series, and Stormhunters, a show about a group of extreme meteorologists attempting to get ahead of strange weather phenomena. Stormhunters is mostly a serious action show, but doesn't take itself completely seriously: a recent episode about a "sharknado" in which a tornado strikes Los Angeles, sending massive amounts of sharks into the city, proved a hit amongst fans despite its rather silly premise. This fall, Sci-Fi plans to bring back its classic MST3K series, but with a much bigger budget that will allow for a few major Hollywood releases to get the treatment (of course, the series will also feature lots of low-budget cult classic films as well). Of course, the Hollywood films will all come from Universal, which is owned by Comcast (also the parent company of Sci-Fi). "We think you'll be pleasantly surprised at some of the films they're letting us tear apart," said series creator Joel Hodgson, who will also be running the revival series. "And yes, we hold nothing back."
-from an article on Zap2it.com, posted on June 12, 2015
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End Of An Era For HBO? After Finalwar's Final Season, Network Scales Back
The final season of HBO's hit alien invasion show Finalwar begins airing in September, and will draw to a conclusion at the beginning of November. It proved to be a major ratings success for the network in its five seasons on the air, but with cost run-ups galore and the failure of other high profile big budget sci-fi shows, HBO has retreated to more of a focus on smaller scale programming, similar to popular 2000s titles such as The Wire and Entourage. The network has admitted that Finalwar wasn't as profitable as they expected it to be after the first two massive seasons, with ratings declines in the third and fourth seasons leading to a reduction in season five's episode order from 10 to 8. Finalwar has remained quite popular throughout its run, and critics mostly agreed that season four was the strongest to date, but after season two's huge ratings, season three and four's budgets ballooned considerably, both in an effort to wow audiences and also to stay ahead of TNT's continuing hit Falling Skies, which remains one of cable's top rated shows (#2, behind Tessera on Sci-Fi) at a considerably lower budget than Finalwar. Finalwar was beating Falling Skies in the ratings during its first two seasons, but the last few years have seen TNT's show pull significantly ahead, which was said by one insider to be a "source of embarrassment" for HBO.
HBO's new hits include shows such as Cardiac Kid, a drama about a professional football coach under intensely high stress, played by Adrian Pasdar (a role that's earned the actor an Emmy in both 2013 and 2014), and Legacies, a drama/dark comedy about a group of sorority members fighting for their place in the club's pecking order. These two shows, amongst others, have earned not only critical acclaim for the network, but consistently high ratings on considerably lower budgets, and have set a trend that HBO seems eager to follow. The network has rejected potential projects that include an adaptation of George R.R. Martin's A Song Of Ice And Fire series (which may be headed for streaming, and a looming bidding war between Blockbuster, Netflix, and possibly Fox's Hulu) and a spy thriller serial called Exit starring Nicolas Cage (though HBO's rejection did free Cage up for his Oscar nominated turn in Ruffled that seems to have revived his career, so that probably turned out for the best), and have instead greenlighted a series of comedy shows aimed at recapturing some of the Sex And The City crowd. HBO is at a major turning point, but is still well-positioned to be one of cable's most watched networks, and greenlighting more lower budget shows will give them a higher margin for error, even if a few of them fail.
-from an article on Yahoo! Entertainment News, posted on June 20, 2015
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"OTA Revolution" Greatly Expands Broadcast TV Landscape
For the longest time, most television viewers stuck without cable or satellite could only view a few channels on their televisions via the use of an over-the-air antenna. These networks included ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS, CW, and perhaps a few others such as MyNetwork and Univision. But after the switch from analog to digital television in the early 2010s, the landscape of broadcast television has greatly expanded, with some markets now enjoying dozens of free television channels, in a landscape not all that unlike where basic cable was in the 1980s. These channels are focused mostly on old content, leased from the libraries of large production companies, but a few of the bolder networks are attempting to air brand new content on these start-up channels, in the hopes of snatching viewers from the "Big Four", and potentially scoring more lucrative advertising contracts. Most of these new networks focus mostly on a single genre worth of content: Comet, for example, is a channel airing old sci-fi shows and movies, while Grit airs mostly western content, Emergency focuses on real-life stories of police, firefighters, and paramedics, Spark offers romance, and Bounce offers African-American centered programming. Some of the bolder channels are focusing on more niche content: The network called Geek airs content that might appeal to fans of fantasy, anime, and video games, and airs such programming as classic Doctor Who, some anime series (most notably managing to license the rights to air old Sailor Moon episodes), and even old reruns of GameTV. Then there's Premiere, which is attempting to build a lineup consisting mostly of brand new content, in stark contrast with most of the other new broadcast networks that air only reruns. In addition to a slate of original primetime content (which, obviously, is more cheaply produced when compared with the big four network fare), Premiere airs acquisitions from other countries, such as British and Canadian shows, and, like the aforementioned Geek, also airs some anime content (but unlike Geek's anime, Premiere's has never before aired on Western television). Premiere is aiming to be the highest rated of the new OTA networks, and thus far, it's succeeded, with ratings comparable to networks such as MyNetwork TV and Ion, networks that have been around for more than a decade. There's also a project to launch a new OTA sports network, though this network would likely rely on more obscure sports and archived content, which would be much cheaper to license. However, this network is also planning on airing e-sports, a growth area that the cable sports networks such as ESPN have barely scratched the surface of. The new digital network landscape is an environment broadcasters have barely scratched the surface of, but if a success story does emerge over the next few years, it could forever change how we view broadcast television, and could even create a "sixth network" to rival the five broadcast giants.
-from an article on Tubehound, posted on June 2, 2015
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Sci-Fi Channel Surges To #1 On Cable
The biggest story in cable over the past few years has to be the remarkable surge of the Sci-Fi Channel, which has gone from being somewhat of a joke at the start of the decade to being cable's #1 highest rated network, with two of the top five highest rated shows on all of cable as well as the highest rated cable drama episode of all time. The network seemed to have bottomed out around 2011, with stinkers like They Came To Texas filling the lineup. However, the network got a new president later that year, committed to "bringing original content and great adaptations" to the network and turning its reputation around. Shows such as Dunningbrook Cove, a supernatural drama that was originally decried as "Baywatch meets Contact", but soon became a cult fave and then a mainstream hit thanks to its compelling characters and slow-burn storylines, and Y: The Last Man, based on the comic series about a man who becomes the last of his gender on Earth after a strange disaster wipes out all the other men from the planet, were early successes when they launched in 2012. These were accompanied by movies with a new emphasis on high production values and compelling storylines, such as Remnant, about a team of astronauts who struggle to survive on Mars after a disaster shatters it to pieces, and The Sifters, about a zombie murder mystery, earned great reviews and strong ratings. These shows and movies helped to set the stage for 2013's Tessera, the network's highest budgeted original show ever, focused on a group of "dimensional archeologists" looking for fragments of memories in the multiverse. It's a deep and complex show with an ambitious narrative, but tied together by character moments and startling events that help to ground the show for general audiences. It saw enormous ratings in its first season, and its second season sent its popularity into the stratosphere, with its second season finale achieving an unprecedented-for-cable 22.7 million viewers (including a mind-boggling 13.0 18-49 rating), making it the most popular show on television, broadcast or cable. Other recent hits include Z Nation, a comedy/drama zombie apocalypse series, and Stormhunters, a show about a group of extreme meteorologists attempting to get ahead of strange weather phenomena. Stormhunters is mostly a serious action show, but doesn't take itself completely seriously: a recent episode about a "sharknado" in which a tornado strikes Los Angeles, sending massive amounts of sharks into the city, proved a hit amongst fans despite its rather silly premise. This fall, Sci-Fi plans to bring back its classic MST3K series, but with a much bigger budget that will allow for a few major Hollywood releases to get the treatment (of course, the series will also feature lots of low-budget cult classic films as well). Of course, the Hollywood films will all come from Universal, which is owned by Comcast (also the parent company of Sci-Fi). "We think you'll be pleasantly surprised at some of the films they're letting us tear apart," said series creator Joel Hodgson, who will also be running the revival series. "And yes, we hold nothing back."
-from an article on Zap2it.com, posted on June 12, 2015
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End Of An Era For HBO? After Finalwar's Final Season, Network Scales Back
The final season of HBO's hit alien invasion show Finalwar begins airing in September, and will draw to a conclusion at the beginning of November. It proved to be a major ratings success for the network in its five seasons on the air, but with cost run-ups galore and the failure of other high profile big budget sci-fi shows, HBO has retreated to more of a focus on smaller scale programming, similar to popular 2000s titles such as The Wire and Entourage. The network has admitted that Finalwar wasn't as profitable as they expected it to be after the first two massive seasons, with ratings declines in the third and fourth seasons leading to a reduction in season five's episode order from 10 to 8. Finalwar has remained quite popular throughout its run, and critics mostly agreed that season four was the strongest to date, but after season two's huge ratings, season three and four's budgets ballooned considerably, both in an effort to wow audiences and also to stay ahead of TNT's continuing hit Falling Skies, which remains one of cable's top rated shows (#2, behind Tessera on Sci-Fi) at a considerably lower budget than Finalwar. Finalwar was beating Falling Skies in the ratings during its first two seasons, but the last few years have seen TNT's show pull significantly ahead, which was said by one insider to be a "source of embarrassment" for HBO.
HBO's new hits include shows such as Cardiac Kid, a drama about a professional football coach under intensely high stress, played by Adrian Pasdar (a role that's earned the actor an Emmy in both 2013 and 2014), and Legacies, a drama/dark comedy about a group of sorority members fighting for their place in the club's pecking order. These two shows, amongst others, have earned not only critical acclaim for the network, but consistently high ratings on considerably lower budgets, and have set a trend that HBO seems eager to follow. The network has rejected potential projects that include an adaptation of George R.R. Martin's A Song Of Ice And Fire series (which may be headed for streaming, and a looming bidding war between Blockbuster, Netflix, and possibly Fox's Hulu) and a spy thriller serial called Exit starring Nicolas Cage (though HBO's rejection did free Cage up for his Oscar nominated turn in Ruffled that seems to have revived his career, so that probably turned out for the best), and have instead greenlighted a series of comedy shows aimed at recapturing some of the Sex And The City crowd. HBO is at a major turning point, but is still well-positioned to be one of cable's most watched networks, and greenlighting more lower budget shows will give them a higher margin for error, even if a few of them fail.
-from an article on Yahoo! Entertainment News, posted on June 20, 2015
Due to the fact that Game of Thrones is a mainstream hit of sorts, it would be rather poetic for Blockbuster to get, well, a blockbuster show. No pun intended on that.
Nice to see the OTA "subchannel network" boom occur as in OTL, making more content available for those who have "cut the cord" and don't want to pay for a streaming service. It's even better to see a viable and successful OTA network that specializes in original programming. Premier's going to go far if they can keep up their momentum.
Meanwhile an OTA e-sports network - if done right - could be a money printer for whichever company owns it, especially since video games and gaming culture has more mainstream respect and credibility ITTL.
I've always felt that one thing that has held e-sports back IOTL is the attitude, particularly in older generations, that "e-sports aren't REAL sports," despite the fact that many high-level professional video game players have training and practice regimens not too dissimilar to athletes in traditional sports. (In addition to the injury risks and potential long-term health impacts.) While there are certainly people who still feel that way ITTL, they're probably less influential and possibly more likely to have a change of heart when they see the eyeballs (and dollar signs) e-sports can bring in.
And cheers to Sci-Fi Network soaring to #1 in the ratings (and without that silly "phonetic" name change, to boot)!
Meanwhile an OTA e-sports network - if done right - could be a money printer for whichever company owns it, especially since video games and gaming culture has more mainstream respect and credibility ITTL.
I've always felt that one thing that has held e-sports back IOTL is the attitude, particularly in older generations, that "e-sports aren't REAL sports," despite the fact that many high-level professional video game players have training and practice regimens not too dissimilar to athletes in traditional sports. (In addition to the injury risks and potential long-term health impacts.) While there are certainly people who still feel that way ITTL, they're probably less influential and possibly more likely to have a change of heart when they see the eyeballs (and dollar signs) e-sports can bring in.
And cheers to Sci-Fi Network soaring to #1 in the ratings (and without that silly "phonetic" name change, to boot)!
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While I never got into Game of Thrones, with the last season retroactively justifying my disinterest, I do hope that Blockbuster treats the source material with more respect. Maybe by keeping Martin as a creative consultant to keep the material in line with the rest of the books when they run out of said source material like in OTL. Not to mention not hiring men who half-ass the final season because of a project they end up not even doing.
Somewhat unrelated but with the latest controversey surrounding Harry Potter, here's hoping Rowling dosen't express ultra-reactionary terf rhetoric about transpeople TTL or she remains perpertually silent about them if she turns out to be a POS like in our world.
Saying this because while I can easily disown Rowling or tell her to GTFO(death of the author FTW), I can't really "disown" a book series I've grown up with and still look somewhat positively to this day and with regards to nostaligia it's despite calls to "cancel" the series over something like the Scott Card or Lovecraft treatment(acknowledge the author was a huge POS but still recognize the books have some literary merit rather than spam the airwaves with #readanotherbook memes or try to erase any merit their literary contributions have).
Saying this because while I can easily disown Rowling or tell her to GTFO(death of the author FTW), I can't really "disown" a book series I've grown up with and still look somewhat positively to this day and with regards to nostaligia it's despite calls to "cancel" the series over something like the Scott Card or Lovecraft treatment(acknowledge the author was a huge POS but still recognize the books have some literary merit rather than spam the airwaves with #readanotherbook memes or try to erase any merit their literary contributions have).
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AeroTheZealousOne
Monthly Donor
I'm sure the Game Over thread would be laughing at TTL's RySenkari for the ridiculous name change.
I think the last show I ever regularly watched on
I guess we do get media where a tornado hits LA in this universe! Wasn't The Day After Tomorrow, but this particular episode's mention makes up for it nonetheless.
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Spring 2015 (Part 4) - Epic RPGs on Small Screens
Render Spirit
Render Spirit is a 3-D turn based JRPG exclusive to the Apple Gemini. Developed by a team headed by Yoshiharu Gotanda, Render Spirit is a game combining elements of RPGs and horror titles, and is intended to be every bit as grand and epic as the RPGs being produced for the console systems. It takes place in a postapocalyptic Japan that has been devastated by an event known as the Soultear, in which a powerful invisible force washed over the Earth, separating 99% of humans from their souls while also causing numerous natural disasters to ravage the planet. Now, the remaining humans must fight for their lives as the disembodied souls seek out new forms and new corporeal bodies, while a strange evil force roams the planet, devouring the souls of the living and dead alike. The game follows three characters: Kade, Azumi, and Tokash, who have taken on the role of Spirit Tamers, who must put the roaming souls to rest while dodging the mysterious evil force that seeks to devour everything. These souls are sometimes wandering out in the open, but other times, they leap into inanimate objects and creatures. Some of these souls have coalesced magical energy around themselves, forming bodies known as Renders, and these Renders must be destroyed via different methods. The game's general tone is a cross between Shin Megami Tensei and The Whispered, but with a very unique turn-based battle system, in which characters can move about the battlefield and store up action points before unleashing attacks. Characters mostly use firearms in battle, but are also capable of using Spirit Attacks, which are somewhat like magic. Each character carries two different guns: one that's effective on corporeal beings, and another that's effective on spiritual beings. The corporeal gun can be augmented to have better damage against certain kinds of materials such as stone and metal, depending on what kind of object is currently being possessed. Combination attacks can occur when two or three characters have their attacks triggered at once, and this can lead to exponential damage in certain circumstances, with combo attacks also being the best way to rack up a lot of damage in a hurry. Despite the game being exclusive to a handheld system, it's been designed as if it were a console game, with no compromises in terms of detail or scale. The city itself is huge, with lots of corridors, twists, turns, and explorable areas. Combat and cutscenes are extremely smoothly animated, really showing off the game's graphical detail. While not up to the level of a Virtua game, Render Spirit is better looking than any iTwin game, and shows off the Gemini's capabilities in a major way. The game's voice acting is considered top notch, with veteran Los Angeles voice actors brought in to voice the game's characters (Travis Willingham voices Kade, Michelle Ruff voices Azumi, and Matthew Mercer voices Tokash). The game itself features a sprawling, epic plot, with a 30 hour main quest and a significantly longer game if one embarks on the side quests (which usually involve finding or taming lost souls or defeating a powerful Render). The Spirit Tamers are already a team at the start of the game, and as the plot progresses, we get details about each one's past and their life before and after the Soultear. Initially, the Spirit Tamers are mostly fighting to survive and to help out who they can, but after they get a lead on a powerful spirit that could be connected to Soultear itself (and could be the key to putting all the wayward spirits to rest), the three embark on a journey to learn this mysterious spirit's identity. The spirit turns out to be that of a young woman named Rumia, who wandered out of the spirit world and onto the surface of the Earth. When a mysterious spirit being attempted to "call her home", it caused the Soultear, as Rumia remains shackled to the Earth by six runes buried around the city. The Renders protect these runes, and thus, protect Rumia from the force trying to take her away. These Renders were conjured by a human named Nido, who has fallen in love with Rumia, thus drawing the ire of her mother goddess, Ilia. The Spirit Tamers find themselves in a tug of war between the human spiritualist and the spirit goddess, while Rumia herself has fallen into the "space between worlds", unable to be reached by either of them. They eventually do find and destroy the runes, enabling Ilia to call Rumia back, but Rumia does not wish to go back, and transforms herself into a powerful Render, eventually absorbing Nido into her, and attempting to absorb the other souls on the planet as well. The Spirit Tamers are forced to become "vessels of Ilia" to stop Rumia's rampage. Eventually, they defeat Rumia, and Azumi offers to substitute her soul for Rumia's to allow her to stay (as she is the only one who can end the Soultear). Ilia possesses Azumi, while Rumia's soul and Azumi's soul combine to form a new being that joins Kade and Tokash for the final battle (this being has all of Azumi's stats/equipment plus a few new powers). After being defeated, Ilia is forced back into the spirit world, while Azumi gets her body back and Rumia disperses the souls before leaving the planet with Nido's body to inhabit the space between worlds with him. The Spirit Tamers then devote their time to helping rebuild the destroyed world, while looking for a few lingering souls who might remain.
Render Spirit is released in April 2015 in North America, after a January release in Japan. It receives outstanding reviews, some of the best ever for a handheld JRPG, or any Gemini game for that matter, which praise the game's graphics, battle system, and storyline. It's seen as proof that an epic RPG can indeed succeed on a handheld, and in a major way, rivaling any Virtua JRPG that's been released so far. While it's not as big a hit in North America as it is in Japan, it does surprisingly well here thanks to the excellent reviews and word of mouth, and even manages to push a few Gemini units to RPG fans who'd previously purchased the Connect. It's one of the more pleasant surprise stories of the year, and becomes one of the Gemini's best examples of its console-like qualities and its technological superiority over the Connect.
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Infinitia Second
Infinitia Second is a Connect exclusive and the sequel to Squaresoft's 2011 Connect launch JRPG Infinitia, and can be considered analogous to OTL's Bravely Second: End Layer, as a direct sequel to its original game with many of the same mechanics and characters. It brings back the heroes Rorek and Primrose from the original game (with Mell and Falcon becoming major NPCs), and also introduces two new playable characters: the sassy thief Galeria and the timid boy Ivan. Like in the original game, the four main characters can learn a variety of jobs, mixing and matching abilities to take on any style of hero the player wishes them to be. The system of risking and banking turns from the original game also returns, allowing characters to cast more powerful attacks the more of their turns they're willing to commit. The game also introduces powerful class specific Limit Breaks that can be used once the Limit meter is built up and a maximum amount of turns have been banked. Like in the original game, Infinitia Second allows players to explore a vast, mostly open world, and takes place on a different part of the world than the previous game did, so very few areas from the original game are revisited. There's no underworld in Infinitia Second, but instead, there's an entire archipelago in the sky known as the Sky Islands, which open up about 40 percent of the way through the story. Like its predecessor, Infinitia Second features full voice acting and cutscenes, and though it doesn't push the graphical limits of the time in the same way that the original did, it's still a very pretty game and one of the Connect's best looking RPGs. The plot takes place three years after the original, with invaders from the sky attempting to destroy Primrose's kingdom. She sets out on a journey (the player starts off as her), where she eventually finds the young orphan boy Ivan and takes him on as a little brother type figure. The two are eventually captured by Galeria, who tries to ransom off the princess, only to be forced to fight alongside her to rescue Ivan after he wanders off into an ancient ruin. Eventually, Rorek teams up with the three to complete the team. They venture to the Sky Islands, where they learn that a faction of rebel sky dwellers fighting to avenge Aetheria has stumbled upon an ancient device allowing them to achieve unnatural power. This device is the last remaining artifact from an ancient civilization that was ruled by Ultarandel, the Mechanicus King, a robot that gained sentience after being possessed by something called a God Spark. The tyranny of Ultarandel put an end to his kingdom, and the king himself was deactivated and buried. Eventually, the rebels from the sky reactivate Ultarandel, who seeks revenge on the world that damned him. Ultarandel's God Spark turns out to be the soul of a dark god called Ravennark, and after the heroes defeat Ultarandel, Ravennark's God Spark infects Falcon. Now inhabiting a living body, Falcon attempts to destroy the world and start anew. The heroes are able to purge the God Spark from Falcon and save him, only for the God Spark to manifest back into Ravennark's original form, which becomes the game's final boss. The game ends with Ravennark's defeat and the world being saved once again, while romance is seen to bloom between Primrose/Falcon and Rorek/Galeria.
Infinitia Second gets generally positive reviews upon its June 2015 release, though it's seen as being somewhat inferior to the Gemini's Render Spirit, the game it's often compared to, seen as being less pretty and less original. More traditional JRPG fans prefer it, but most casual and newer RPG fans prefer Render Spirit. Still, both games are seen as excellent, and both are successful in both Japan and the West, continuing an excellent year for JRPGs, especially on the handheld systems.
Render Spirit is a 3-D turn based JRPG exclusive to the Apple Gemini. Developed by a team headed by Yoshiharu Gotanda, Render Spirit is a game combining elements of RPGs and horror titles, and is intended to be every bit as grand and epic as the RPGs being produced for the console systems. It takes place in a postapocalyptic Japan that has been devastated by an event known as the Soultear, in which a powerful invisible force washed over the Earth, separating 99% of humans from their souls while also causing numerous natural disasters to ravage the planet. Now, the remaining humans must fight for their lives as the disembodied souls seek out new forms and new corporeal bodies, while a strange evil force roams the planet, devouring the souls of the living and dead alike. The game follows three characters: Kade, Azumi, and Tokash, who have taken on the role of Spirit Tamers, who must put the roaming souls to rest while dodging the mysterious evil force that seeks to devour everything. These souls are sometimes wandering out in the open, but other times, they leap into inanimate objects and creatures. Some of these souls have coalesced magical energy around themselves, forming bodies known as Renders, and these Renders must be destroyed via different methods. The game's general tone is a cross between Shin Megami Tensei and The Whispered, but with a very unique turn-based battle system, in which characters can move about the battlefield and store up action points before unleashing attacks. Characters mostly use firearms in battle, but are also capable of using Spirit Attacks, which are somewhat like magic. Each character carries two different guns: one that's effective on corporeal beings, and another that's effective on spiritual beings. The corporeal gun can be augmented to have better damage against certain kinds of materials such as stone and metal, depending on what kind of object is currently being possessed. Combination attacks can occur when two or three characters have their attacks triggered at once, and this can lead to exponential damage in certain circumstances, with combo attacks also being the best way to rack up a lot of damage in a hurry. Despite the game being exclusive to a handheld system, it's been designed as if it were a console game, with no compromises in terms of detail or scale. The city itself is huge, with lots of corridors, twists, turns, and explorable areas. Combat and cutscenes are extremely smoothly animated, really showing off the game's graphical detail. While not up to the level of a Virtua game, Render Spirit is better looking than any iTwin game, and shows off the Gemini's capabilities in a major way. The game's voice acting is considered top notch, with veteran Los Angeles voice actors brought in to voice the game's characters (Travis Willingham voices Kade, Michelle Ruff voices Azumi, and Matthew Mercer voices Tokash). The game itself features a sprawling, epic plot, with a 30 hour main quest and a significantly longer game if one embarks on the side quests (which usually involve finding or taming lost souls or defeating a powerful Render). The Spirit Tamers are already a team at the start of the game, and as the plot progresses, we get details about each one's past and their life before and after the Soultear. Initially, the Spirit Tamers are mostly fighting to survive and to help out who they can, but after they get a lead on a powerful spirit that could be connected to Soultear itself (and could be the key to putting all the wayward spirits to rest), the three embark on a journey to learn this mysterious spirit's identity. The spirit turns out to be that of a young woman named Rumia, who wandered out of the spirit world and onto the surface of the Earth. When a mysterious spirit being attempted to "call her home", it caused the Soultear, as Rumia remains shackled to the Earth by six runes buried around the city. The Renders protect these runes, and thus, protect Rumia from the force trying to take her away. These Renders were conjured by a human named Nido, who has fallen in love with Rumia, thus drawing the ire of her mother goddess, Ilia. The Spirit Tamers find themselves in a tug of war between the human spiritualist and the spirit goddess, while Rumia herself has fallen into the "space between worlds", unable to be reached by either of them. They eventually do find and destroy the runes, enabling Ilia to call Rumia back, but Rumia does not wish to go back, and transforms herself into a powerful Render, eventually absorbing Nido into her, and attempting to absorb the other souls on the planet as well. The Spirit Tamers are forced to become "vessels of Ilia" to stop Rumia's rampage. Eventually, they defeat Rumia, and Azumi offers to substitute her soul for Rumia's to allow her to stay (as she is the only one who can end the Soultear). Ilia possesses Azumi, while Rumia's soul and Azumi's soul combine to form a new being that joins Kade and Tokash for the final battle (this being has all of Azumi's stats/equipment plus a few new powers). After being defeated, Ilia is forced back into the spirit world, while Azumi gets her body back and Rumia disperses the souls before leaving the planet with Nido's body to inhabit the space between worlds with him. The Spirit Tamers then devote their time to helping rebuild the destroyed world, while looking for a few lingering souls who might remain.
Render Spirit is released in April 2015 in North America, after a January release in Japan. It receives outstanding reviews, some of the best ever for a handheld JRPG, or any Gemini game for that matter, which praise the game's graphics, battle system, and storyline. It's seen as proof that an epic RPG can indeed succeed on a handheld, and in a major way, rivaling any Virtua JRPG that's been released so far. While it's not as big a hit in North America as it is in Japan, it does surprisingly well here thanks to the excellent reviews and word of mouth, and even manages to push a few Gemini units to RPG fans who'd previously purchased the Connect. It's one of the more pleasant surprise stories of the year, and becomes one of the Gemini's best examples of its console-like qualities and its technological superiority over the Connect.
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Infinitia Second
Infinitia Second is a Connect exclusive and the sequel to Squaresoft's 2011 Connect launch JRPG Infinitia, and can be considered analogous to OTL's Bravely Second: End Layer, as a direct sequel to its original game with many of the same mechanics and characters. It brings back the heroes Rorek and Primrose from the original game (with Mell and Falcon becoming major NPCs), and also introduces two new playable characters: the sassy thief Galeria and the timid boy Ivan. Like in the original game, the four main characters can learn a variety of jobs, mixing and matching abilities to take on any style of hero the player wishes them to be. The system of risking and banking turns from the original game also returns, allowing characters to cast more powerful attacks the more of their turns they're willing to commit. The game also introduces powerful class specific Limit Breaks that can be used once the Limit meter is built up and a maximum amount of turns have been banked. Like in the original game, Infinitia Second allows players to explore a vast, mostly open world, and takes place on a different part of the world than the previous game did, so very few areas from the original game are revisited. There's no underworld in Infinitia Second, but instead, there's an entire archipelago in the sky known as the Sky Islands, which open up about 40 percent of the way through the story. Like its predecessor, Infinitia Second features full voice acting and cutscenes, and though it doesn't push the graphical limits of the time in the same way that the original did, it's still a very pretty game and one of the Connect's best looking RPGs. The plot takes place three years after the original, with invaders from the sky attempting to destroy Primrose's kingdom. She sets out on a journey (the player starts off as her), where she eventually finds the young orphan boy Ivan and takes him on as a little brother type figure. The two are eventually captured by Galeria, who tries to ransom off the princess, only to be forced to fight alongside her to rescue Ivan after he wanders off into an ancient ruin. Eventually, Rorek teams up with the three to complete the team. They venture to the Sky Islands, where they learn that a faction of rebel sky dwellers fighting to avenge Aetheria has stumbled upon an ancient device allowing them to achieve unnatural power. This device is the last remaining artifact from an ancient civilization that was ruled by Ultarandel, the Mechanicus King, a robot that gained sentience after being possessed by something called a God Spark. The tyranny of Ultarandel put an end to his kingdom, and the king himself was deactivated and buried. Eventually, the rebels from the sky reactivate Ultarandel, who seeks revenge on the world that damned him. Ultarandel's God Spark turns out to be the soul of a dark god called Ravennark, and after the heroes defeat Ultarandel, Ravennark's God Spark infects Falcon. Now inhabiting a living body, Falcon attempts to destroy the world and start anew. The heroes are able to purge the God Spark from Falcon and save him, only for the God Spark to manifest back into Ravennark's original form, which becomes the game's final boss. The game ends with Ravennark's defeat and the world being saved once again, while romance is seen to bloom between Primrose/Falcon and Rorek/Galeria.
Infinitia Second gets generally positive reviews upon its June 2015 release, though it's seen as being somewhat inferior to the Gemini's Render Spirit, the game it's often compared to, seen as being less pretty and less original. More traditional JRPG fans prefer it, but most casual and newer RPG fans prefer Render Spirit. Still, both games are seen as excellent, and both are successful in both Japan and the West, continuing an excellent year for JRPGs, especially on the handheld systems.
Spring 2015 (Part 5) - Elemancers
Elemancers
Elemancers is a combination MOBA/FPS title published and developed by Nintendo, and can be best compared to the OTL game Splatoon, though it has some significant differences in gameplay and general aesthetic (it can best be described as Splatoon meets Harry Potter). Its premise involves young students at a magical school who are constantly battling one another with playful spells who hang out like friends while engaging each other in mostly friendly competition. It's designed to take heavy advantage of the Reality's VR functionality, but doesn't require it, and can be played like a normal FPS fairly easily. The basic gameplay has two teams of four battling it out to score the most eliminations, though there are also free for all modes (in which up to 12 players can battle individually), capture the flag modes, modes where three teams of four battle, and other different modes that can be freely selected by players (the online in Elemancers is much more customizable than in OTL Splatoon). Matches allow players on the same team to choose the same character, so it's possible, for example, to have four Pyrons or four Katsus to a team. Each character has their own basic roster of spells and techniques, with some spells being more offensive and others being more defensive. It's possible to build up one's Special meter to unleash an ultimate attack, or to collect items to enhance offense or defense. Characters require magical energy to use their attacks, and this magic can be recharged either by hiding and re-building one's meter, or by finding items that allow a quick recharge. It's also possible to charge another player up as well. The starting game has 12 characters to choose from, with two more added via free download in the first week of play, and more characters introduced in the months and years after the game's release (much like OTL's Overwatch). Each character specializes in a specific "school" of magic, and each one has their own unique personality. The 12 basic characters and first two download characters are:
Pyron: A fast-moving fire wizard with a friendly, if somewhat flighty personality, Pyron is one of the game's two "mascot" characters and is the one most featured in initial lore. He's intended for basic players to be able to play with fairly easily.
Katsu: A water witch with a more defensive skillset and the ability to heal herself and those around her, Katsu is a more subtle character, though she's also quite friendly, and she has little cat ears befitting her name.
Lectro: A big wizard who uses lightning and thunder attacks, Lectro is more of a tanky bruiser character, slow but hard hitting. He's a bit of a "dumb muscle" type, and somewhat of a bully, but he'll grow on you.
Viya: Viya is a plant witch with a playful, mischievous personality. She's more of a technical character, capable of using traps and bindings, and stun-locking her foes, though her attacks are fairly weak.
Ediface: Dark and mysterious, Ediface is a wizard specializing in shadow magic. He's a bit of a "goth" type character, quite brooding and somewhat dry, a Hot Topic Professor Snape kind of guy. He's good for sneaky players who are able to position themselves well.
Lucius: Lucius is a light wizard. He's quite boastful, and his light attacks are quick and strong, but he's an absolute glass cannon who needs to pick his shots well or get blown away. As proud as he is of himself, he's pretty friendly too.
Mena: Mena is an animal whispering witch, who deploys small familiars in battle. The player will need to be able to track and control Mena's familiars to get an advantage over their foes.
Paul: Paul is a potions master, who flings poisons and potions at enemies with reckless abandon. He's a bit of a chaotic character, sort of the Junkrat archetype of the game, capable of area denial and causing lots of mayhem.
Shara: Shara is a quake witch, capable of manipulating rocks and dirt to trap and bombard foes. She plays somewhat like a more aggressive Viya, powerful attacks but with a high failure rate. Personality wise, she's fairly calm and reasonable, confident in her abilities but not boastful.
Arty: Arty is an artifact wizard, capable of manipulating objects. In addition to crafting various projectiles, he's able to stop enemy attacks in certain circumstances. He's quite good, but requires a high level of spatial awareness to play effectively.
Cyla: Cyla is a wind witch, capable of manipulating the air and blowing enemies away. Her powers are best used to knock enemies off balance to set them up for a powerful strike, and like Lucius, requires lots of strategy to use effectively.
Kryo: Kryo is an ice wizard, who utilizes powerful freezing abilities. He plays a lot like Mei in OTL's Overwatch, though due to the way freezing works in this game, he's a bit less annoying to battle against.
Luvaby: The game's first DLC character, Luvaby can hover and rain cupid arrows down on her enemies, causing damage and manipulating them to some extent. She's viable as a specialty character but is more of an annoyance than anything, and personality-wise, she's a hopeless romantic.
Shred: The second DLC character, released along with Luvaby, Shred is a sonic manipulating witch who can blast her foes with sound waves generated by her magical instruments. Her attacks are extremely powerful, but do leave her vulnerable.
In addition to the game's featured multiplayer mode, Elemancers also has a story mode for each character, which doubles as both an introduction to their personality and a tutorial for how all their abilities work. These 45-90 minute segments play out as FPS levels set between dynamic, voice acted motion comics, and are fun enough that most Elemancers players will try to play all of them even if they only main one or two different characters. They help to flesh out the game's overall story, which pits the students in conflict with a mysterious dark wizard named Tyranos, who seeks to take over their school. Tyranos is much more over the top of a villain than Voldemort, less like "Hitler with magic" and more like a slightly toned down No Heart from the Care Bears animated series. Elemancers, like OTL's Splatoon, never takes itself too seriously: it's a solid E10+ game targeted at younger players but designed to be fun for adults as well.
Elemancers is released on May 8, 2015, and is probably Nintendo's most hyped game of the year up to that point, intended to be a major first party title and a big push for the console's VR. Reviews are strong, averaging in the mid to high 8s, and praising the combat and fun aesthetic of the game, though they do somewhat criticize the simplicity of the story and the slightly imbalanced gameplay (though Nintendo does plan to patch frequently for balance to keep all heroes viable). The game is intended for competitive online play, with a rating system and ladder available on day one (though there's also a casual mode for people who just want to have fun), and for the most part, it succeeds in that regard. It never becomes the major e-sport that a game like Overwatch or League of Legends is IOTL, but it does become one of Nintendo's most popular online titles, a staple of live event play and the tournament scene. Several of the game's main characters become popular members of Nintendo's character lineup, though it's ultimately too late to include one of them in Super Smash Bros. Reality, even as DLC. The game's release is accompanied by a small spike in the Reality's sales, as its intended demographic lines up perfectly with the Nexus' primary crowd of players. However, the Nexus price cut in June would swing the advantage back toward Google, and would put a slight dent in Elemancers' momentum... though with The Legend Of Zelda set to release in late June, Nintendo's not done with its big spring push...
Elemancers is a combination MOBA/FPS title published and developed by Nintendo, and can be best compared to the OTL game Splatoon, though it has some significant differences in gameplay and general aesthetic (it can best be described as Splatoon meets Harry Potter). Its premise involves young students at a magical school who are constantly battling one another with playful spells who hang out like friends while engaging each other in mostly friendly competition. It's designed to take heavy advantage of the Reality's VR functionality, but doesn't require it, and can be played like a normal FPS fairly easily. The basic gameplay has two teams of four battling it out to score the most eliminations, though there are also free for all modes (in which up to 12 players can battle individually), capture the flag modes, modes where three teams of four battle, and other different modes that can be freely selected by players (the online in Elemancers is much more customizable than in OTL Splatoon). Matches allow players on the same team to choose the same character, so it's possible, for example, to have four Pyrons or four Katsus to a team. Each character has their own basic roster of spells and techniques, with some spells being more offensive and others being more defensive. It's possible to build up one's Special meter to unleash an ultimate attack, or to collect items to enhance offense or defense. Characters require magical energy to use their attacks, and this magic can be recharged either by hiding and re-building one's meter, or by finding items that allow a quick recharge. It's also possible to charge another player up as well. The starting game has 12 characters to choose from, with two more added via free download in the first week of play, and more characters introduced in the months and years after the game's release (much like OTL's Overwatch). Each character specializes in a specific "school" of magic, and each one has their own unique personality. The 12 basic characters and first two download characters are:
Pyron: A fast-moving fire wizard with a friendly, if somewhat flighty personality, Pyron is one of the game's two "mascot" characters and is the one most featured in initial lore. He's intended for basic players to be able to play with fairly easily.
Katsu: A water witch with a more defensive skillset and the ability to heal herself and those around her, Katsu is a more subtle character, though she's also quite friendly, and she has little cat ears befitting her name.
Lectro: A big wizard who uses lightning and thunder attacks, Lectro is more of a tanky bruiser character, slow but hard hitting. He's a bit of a "dumb muscle" type, and somewhat of a bully, but he'll grow on you.
Viya: Viya is a plant witch with a playful, mischievous personality. She's more of a technical character, capable of using traps and bindings, and stun-locking her foes, though her attacks are fairly weak.
Ediface: Dark and mysterious, Ediface is a wizard specializing in shadow magic. He's a bit of a "goth" type character, quite brooding and somewhat dry, a Hot Topic Professor Snape kind of guy. He's good for sneaky players who are able to position themselves well.
Lucius: Lucius is a light wizard. He's quite boastful, and his light attacks are quick and strong, but he's an absolute glass cannon who needs to pick his shots well or get blown away. As proud as he is of himself, he's pretty friendly too.
Mena: Mena is an animal whispering witch, who deploys small familiars in battle. The player will need to be able to track and control Mena's familiars to get an advantage over their foes.
Paul: Paul is a potions master, who flings poisons and potions at enemies with reckless abandon. He's a bit of a chaotic character, sort of the Junkrat archetype of the game, capable of area denial and causing lots of mayhem.
Shara: Shara is a quake witch, capable of manipulating rocks and dirt to trap and bombard foes. She plays somewhat like a more aggressive Viya, powerful attacks but with a high failure rate. Personality wise, she's fairly calm and reasonable, confident in her abilities but not boastful.
Arty: Arty is an artifact wizard, capable of manipulating objects. In addition to crafting various projectiles, he's able to stop enemy attacks in certain circumstances. He's quite good, but requires a high level of spatial awareness to play effectively.
Cyla: Cyla is a wind witch, capable of manipulating the air and blowing enemies away. Her powers are best used to knock enemies off balance to set them up for a powerful strike, and like Lucius, requires lots of strategy to use effectively.
Kryo: Kryo is an ice wizard, who utilizes powerful freezing abilities. He plays a lot like Mei in OTL's Overwatch, though due to the way freezing works in this game, he's a bit less annoying to battle against.
Luvaby: The game's first DLC character, Luvaby can hover and rain cupid arrows down on her enemies, causing damage and manipulating them to some extent. She's viable as a specialty character but is more of an annoyance than anything, and personality-wise, she's a hopeless romantic.
Shred: The second DLC character, released along with Luvaby, Shred is a sonic manipulating witch who can blast her foes with sound waves generated by her magical instruments. Her attacks are extremely powerful, but do leave her vulnerable.
In addition to the game's featured multiplayer mode, Elemancers also has a story mode for each character, which doubles as both an introduction to their personality and a tutorial for how all their abilities work. These 45-90 minute segments play out as FPS levels set between dynamic, voice acted motion comics, and are fun enough that most Elemancers players will try to play all of them even if they only main one or two different characters. They help to flesh out the game's overall story, which pits the students in conflict with a mysterious dark wizard named Tyranos, who seeks to take over their school. Tyranos is much more over the top of a villain than Voldemort, less like "Hitler with magic" and more like a slightly toned down No Heart from the Care Bears animated series. Elemancers, like OTL's Splatoon, never takes itself too seriously: it's a solid E10+ game targeted at younger players but designed to be fun for adults as well.
Elemancers is released on May 8, 2015, and is probably Nintendo's most hyped game of the year up to that point, intended to be a major first party title and a big push for the console's VR. Reviews are strong, averaging in the mid to high 8s, and praising the combat and fun aesthetic of the game, though they do somewhat criticize the simplicity of the story and the slightly imbalanced gameplay (though Nintendo does plan to patch frequently for balance to keep all heroes viable). The game is intended for competitive online play, with a rating system and ladder available on day one (though there's also a casual mode for people who just want to have fun), and for the most part, it succeeds in that regard. It never becomes the major e-sport that a game like Overwatch or League of Legends is IOTL, but it does become one of Nintendo's most popular online titles, a staple of live event play and the tournament scene. Several of the game's main characters become popular members of Nintendo's character lineup, though it's ultimately too late to include one of them in Super Smash Bros. Reality, even as DLC. The game's release is accompanied by a small spike in the Reality's sales, as its intended demographic lines up perfectly with the Nexus' primary crowd of players. However, the Nexus price cut in June would swing the advantage back toward Google, and would put a slight dent in Elemancers' momentum... though with The Legend Of Zelda set to release in late June, Nintendo's not done with its big spring push...
Sports In 2015
The 2014-15 NBA season was a bit of a topsy turvy year, especially in the Eastern Conference, where the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons had a rough year thanks to injuries to Stephen Curry (for the Bulls) and off-court drama with Carmelo Anthony (for the Pistons). The teams managed to struggle their way into the playoffs (in a tough division, no less), but had to make way for some dynamic young teams including the Pacers, Nets, and Heat. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks, led by Rookie of the Year D'Angelo Russell and some smart free agent pickups, were able to sneak into the playoffs as well, giving the Central Division five playoff teams overall. The Philadelphia 76ers, led by Dwight Howard, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, dueled for the #1 seed all year, but it was Philly that came out on top with a strong 61-21 record (though many attributed it to a soft schedule).
In the West, the Lakers continued to dominate and ended up with the league's best record, 62-20. The Supersonics, with a fanbase energized by a new arena and a 25-year agreement guaranteeing that the team would stay in Seattle until at least 2039, continued to impress thanks to the skillful play of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, though injuries to Seattle's Kevin Durant put a bit of a damper on things. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers surged to a #3 seed, led by rookie sensation Arvis Williams, who finished a close second in the Rookie of the Year polling to DeAngelo Russell, and was flanked by a pair of tough veteran free agents in Darko Milicic and Kevin Martin. The Denver Nuggets, with their young core of Willard Jones, Ben McLemore, and others, were also a potent team, and took the #4 seed from Kobe's Golden State Warriors.
Playoffs:
First Round:
Eastern Conference:
(1) Philadelphia 76ers over (8) Milwaukee Bucks, 4 to 0
The young Bucks were a solid team all year, but they couldn't hold a candle to Dwight Howard, James Harden, and the tough 76ers. With Howard bullying the Bucks on the boards, and Harden unstoppable from long range, Philly didn't have much trouble winning this series. They dominated the first two at home, and gutted out the last two on the road.
(4) Brooklyn Nets over (5) Miami Heat, 4 to 2
This was a rebound year for the Heat, thanks to the stellar play of young Joel Embiid, who was quite effective in this series as well against the Nets' veteran center Greg Oden. However, Brooklyn's young power forward Anthony Bennett proved too good in this series, and the team also got help from vets like JJ Redick, who made a clutch three in game five to help the Nets win that game, and then helped the Nets clinch game six with his solid scoring.
(2) Cleveland Cavaliers over (7) Detroit Pistons, 4 to 0
The Pistons had fallen a bit from the heights of 2013, with Carmelo looking for more money even though his play was starting to decline. He hadn't quite demanded a trade, feeling a lot of loyalty for area fans, but his play was suffering as a result of the drama, and he found himself struggling to contain LeBron, who was dominant in this series alongside Russell Westbrook. Cleveland didn't have a whole lot else going on, but they didn't need it, as the two playmakers ran all over Detroit in this one.
(3) Indiana Pacers over (6) Chicago Bulls, 4 to 3
Stephen Curry was mostly back to his old self, and this series ended up being a shootout between the Pacers' three point launchers and Curry. Hayward and Thompson played extremely effectively for the Pacers, making the plays they needed to, while Curry was just a step too slow thanks to his injuries. The Pacers grind out a tough and exciting series, but will have their work cut out for them against LeBron's Cavs.
Western Conference:
(1) Los Angeles Lakers over (8) Dallas Mavericks, 4 to 1
The Lakers actually struggled a bit against the Mavericks here, with Dallas' young players and veterans able to nearly steal game 2, win game 3 in Dallas, and play a tough game 4. The Lakers dominated game 5 to assert their superiority, but there were some question marks heading out of this one.
(5) Golden State Warriors over (4) Denver Nuggets, 4 to 0
The veteran Kobe easily handled Denver's young guns in this series. With this year rumored to be Kobe's last in the league, he played extremely well, getting a lot of help from Deron Williams, while the Nuggets were just outfoxed and outgunned at every turn.
(6) Utah Jazz over (3) Los Angeles Clippers, 4 to 3
This was a bit of a revenge series for the Jazz, as Darko Milicic had departed them in free agency after his playoff temper tantrum the previous year. Utah's team was a lot fresher for this year's playoffs, while the Clippers struggled at times, and rookie Arvis Williams showed his inexperience with a lot of turnovers, including a costly one late in game seven. It took nearly everything the Jazz had to win this series, and they'd face a much stiffer test in their next round opponent.
(2) Seattle Supersonics over (7) St. Louis Arches, 4 to 2
Led by Giannis Antentokoumpo, St. Louis had a good year, though it wouldn't save them from moving to Vegas in 2016. The team played well in this series too, exposing Seattle's weaknesses and generally giving them problems the whole way. Giannis was probably the best player in the series, outplaying even Chris Paul, but in the end, Seattle was too much, and knocked off the Arches, who would have one final year in St. Louis and one more chance to bring that city its first NBA title in nearly sixty years.
Second Round:
Eastern Conference:
(1) Philadelphia 76ers over (4) Brooklyn Nets, 4 to 0
Philly continued their utter domination in the playoffs, proving that they could indeed hang with good teams and shutting up the critics who complained about their easy schedule. James Harden was an absolute beast in this series, running circles around the Nets and achieving two fifty point games. Meanwhile, Dwight Howard ate Greg Oden for breakfast, blocking the slow center at every turn and dunking over him repeatedly. Philly looked incredible in this series, and would go into the Conference Finals as major favorites.
(2) Cleveland Cavaliers over (3) Indiana Pacers, 4 to 1
The Pacers gave a gutsy effort, but they were no match for LeBron and Westbrook. Hayward and Thompson scored freely, but it didn't matter, with LeBron and Westbrook doing the same, and much more frequently. The Pacers almost won game 4 at home to even the series, but couldn't get it done, and game five was a rout.
Western Conference:
(5) Golden State Warriors over (1) Los Angeles Lakers, 4 to 2
Kobe's Warriors scored a huge upset over the Lakers, leading to a standing ovation from the hometown crowd at the end of Game 6. He was vintage Kobe, even managing to score around the tough Anthony Davis, while Dwyane Wade was rendered almost completely ineffective. Deron Williams was excellent in this series too, with great passes to Kobe and the team's other scorers, and in the end, Golden State won by defending home court and stealing Game 2 in LA.
(2) Seattle Supersonics over (6) Utah Jazz, 4 to 3
The Jazz almost managed to pull it off, with their tough veterans and fast rookies giving Seattle fits, while Paul and Griffin failed to connect on numerous occasions. The teams split Games 1 and 2 and 3 and 4, with Game 5 going to double overtime before Seattle managed to pull it out. The Jazz routed Seattle in Game 6, and played tough all the way in Game 7, but in the end, it came down to the Sonics making the big plays and winning by four.
Conference Championships:
(1) Philadelphia 76ers over (2) Cleveland Cavaliers, 4 to 3
Cleveland proved to be a much tougher opponent for Philly than their previous two opponents had been, and at times looked to be dominating the series, winning Game 1 in Philly in a rout and nearly winning Game 2. Philly managed to take Game 3 in Cleveland, but Cleveland roared back with a dominating Game 4 performance. Game 5 was extremely close, though the 76ers were able to win in overtime, and Cleveland crushed them in Game 6 before jumping out to a 45-30 lead in the second quarter of Game 7 before Philadelphia's physical play and Harden's aggressive scoring grinded them down. The game came down to one final shot, but after LeBron missed a game winner from 17 feet, Philly survived, 104-103, and would advance to the NBA Finals.
(2) Seattle Supersonics over (5) Golden State Warriors, 4 to 1
Seattle would return to the Finals after Lob City got its groove back, while an exhausted Kobe couldn't repeat his heroics of the first two rounds. Paul and Griffin were awesome, while Kevin Durant returned to form as well, his injury having fully healed in time for this series. Golden State was never really in it, and though Deron Williams tried to pick up the slack, it would be too little, too late. Seattle would return to the NBA Finals for the second time in three years, where they would try to get the job done.
2015 NBA Finals:
Philadelphia 76ers over Seattle Supersonics, 4 to 1
The 76ers finally broke through, beating the Seattle Supersonics in a series that, like the Western Conference Finals, was never all that much in doubt. Philadelphia cruised to wins in the first two games, and though Seattle won game four to prevent a sweep, that's all they managed to do. Durant was effective, but Paul and Griffin weren't, while Philly got great performances out of Dwight Howard, James Harden, and their supporting cast of veterans. The 76ers earned their first title in 32 years, Harden would be the Finals MVP, and would sign a huge contract extension to stay in Philadelphia and hopefully help the team continue its reign.
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There were a number of stories going into the NBA's offseason in 2015: LeBron James was thinking of leaving Cleveland, Carmelo Anthony was thinking of leaving Detroit, Kevin Durant was thinking of leaving Seattle, Kobe might retire... and with all the potential free agency movement, there was also a draft looming that looked like it might be one of the best in years, with high school phenoms like Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram, Jaylen Brown, Thon Maker, and Marcus Mangum joining college stars like Frank Kaminsky, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Bob Bing, along with foreign players like Kristaps Porzingis, Mario Hezonja, and Liu Fauzeng. Draft picks were hot commodities among teams looking to trade mercurial stars, and Detroit was tempted to deal Anthony to move way up in the draft for a shot at one of the young players. However, the team sat down with Carmelo and managed to work out a deal to keep him in Motor City until 2017, and would stay put in the draft at #17, where they hoped one of the stars might fall. LeBron also stayed put, wanting to take his team to a title, and Kobe also agreed to stay in Golden State one more year. However, Kevin Durant AND Blake Griffin wanted out of Seattle, and the team managed to arrange a trade to Orlando, who had the #2 pick in the draft. They'd send Durant and Griffin to Orlando in exchange for the #2 pick, along with the rights to trade picks with Orlando in 2016 and 2018, and unprotected firsts in 2017 and 2019. Ben Simmons was definitely going first, and the Toronto Raptors had the #1 pick, so Simmons was headed to Canada. Karl-Anthony Towns was a no-brainer for Seattle, where he'd match up perfectly with Chris Paul. Chinese phenomenon Liu Fauzeng would go to the New York Knicks, who hadn't had a terrible 2015 season, but had gotten lucky in the draft lottery to move up from #9 to #3. Brandon Ingram would go to the Atlanta Hawks, who had the #4 pick, while Bob Bing (no relation to NBA legend Dave Bing) would go #5 to the Boston Celtics. Marcus Mangum, a dominating rebounder and scorer with some injury concerns, would be taken with the #6 pick, Jaylen Brown would be #8, Frank Kaminsky would go #9, and Mario Hezonja would go #10. Kristaps Porzingis was talented, but had some maturity and injury concerns, and would eventually fall to #13, where he'd be snapped up by Detroit, who traded up four spots (fortunately, they wouldn't have to give up Carmelo, just the #17 pick, a veteran starter, a future top-10 protected first round pick, and cash) to grab him and team him up with Carmelo. Thon Maker would land on the Bulls with the #18 pick, where he'd team up with Stephen Curry as that team hoped to bounce back.
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Phil Mickelson Wins Masters After Showdown With 19-Year-Old Phenom
Phil Mickelson won the 2015 Masters with a score of -9, taking his second green jacket and sixth overall major, but perhaps the biggest story at the tournament was 19-year-old Chen Yengfang, a golfer from China who made Masters history with a 58 on the third day, going from just barely making the cut at +2 to being twelve under par and two strokes ahead of Mickelson going into the fourth day. Chen, who had previously won a number of amateur tournaments in both North America and Asia, went pro last year and finished third at the US Open as an 18-year-old. The pressure seemed to get to Chen today, as he lost his lead on the third hole with bogeys on the 2nd and 3rd, but he quickly bounced back, and led Mickelson by a stroke for most of the day before a clutch eagle from Mickelson on the 15th hole managed to even things up. Mickelson and Chen went into the final hole tied at eight under par, but a 17-yard birdie putt from Mickelson sealed the deal and clinched one of the most exciting Masters tournaments in history. 2015 has seen a number of great Chinese athletes emerge on the world stage, with basketball star Liu Fauzeng expected to go in the top five in this year's NBA Draft, and 20-year-old tennis sensation Su Nanjian emerging as the #4 player in the world. Yengfang's success at last year's US Open and now this year's Masters have made him perhaps the most popular young golfer to emerge since Tiger Woods, and has also generated a huge amount of interest in golf in China, where golf courses are being constructed at a record pace.
-from an April 12, 2015 article on the Fairway Times
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MLB Commissioner Bush Reinstates Pete Rose, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson In Controversial Ruling
George W. Bush, former Republican presidential candidate who took over from Bud Selig as the commissioner of Major League Baseball in 2013, made a major announcement today, reinstating banned players Pete Rose and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson to the league. This will make both of them eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame, with Rose considered a shoo-in if the Veterans' Committee decides to take up a vote on his candidacy next year. Bush announced the reinstatements in a written announcement, in which he stated that “while the actions these two men committed caused great harm to the sport of baseball, there is also a time to forgive the transgressions of the past, for the sake of the history of the game”. The reinstatements have been met with controversy, with a number of longtime writers and personalities within the sport condemning both of them, especially the reinstatement of Joe Jackson, who was banned from the game for his role in the Black Sox Scandal of 1919.
Bush's tenure as commissioner has seen rising attendance at MLB games, but has also seen a number of controversies, including the mandating of a certain amount of luxury boxes in MLB stadiums, as well as a push for more inter-league play and a playoff expansion to 12 teams, which the league's owners voted in support of for the 2016 season. Bush has also been accused of giving favorable treatment to certain team officials, though none of these accusations have been proven. It was also widely circulated in the news around the time of Rose's reinstatement that Rose was a donor to Bush's presidential campaigns in 2000 and 2004, in which he lost the Republican nomination to John McCain and John Kasich respectively. Bush had no comment when questioned about this connection to Rose.
-from a May 8, 2015 article on Yahoo! Sports
In the West, the Lakers continued to dominate and ended up with the league's best record, 62-20. The Supersonics, with a fanbase energized by a new arena and a 25-year agreement guaranteeing that the team would stay in Seattle until at least 2039, continued to impress thanks to the skillful play of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, though injuries to Seattle's Kevin Durant put a bit of a damper on things. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers surged to a #3 seed, led by rookie sensation Arvis Williams, who finished a close second in the Rookie of the Year polling to DeAngelo Russell, and was flanked by a pair of tough veteran free agents in Darko Milicic and Kevin Martin. The Denver Nuggets, with their young core of Willard Jones, Ben McLemore, and others, were also a potent team, and took the #4 seed from Kobe's Golden State Warriors.
Playoffs:
First Round:
Eastern Conference:
(1) Philadelphia 76ers over (8) Milwaukee Bucks, 4 to 0
The young Bucks were a solid team all year, but they couldn't hold a candle to Dwight Howard, James Harden, and the tough 76ers. With Howard bullying the Bucks on the boards, and Harden unstoppable from long range, Philly didn't have much trouble winning this series. They dominated the first two at home, and gutted out the last two on the road.
(4) Brooklyn Nets over (5) Miami Heat, 4 to 2
This was a rebound year for the Heat, thanks to the stellar play of young Joel Embiid, who was quite effective in this series as well against the Nets' veteran center Greg Oden. However, Brooklyn's young power forward Anthony Bennett proved too good in this series, and the team also got help from vets like JJ Redick, who made a clutch three in game five to help the Nets win that game, and then helped the Nets clinch game six with his solid scoring.
(2) Cleveland Cavaliers over (7) Detroit Pistons, 4 to 0
The Pistons had fallen a bit from the heights of 2013, with Carmelo looking for more money even though his play was starting to decline. He hadn't quite demanded a trade, feeling a lot of loyalty for area fans, but his play was suffering as a result of the drama, and he found himself struggling to contain LeBron, who was dominant in this series alongside Russell Westbrook. Cleveland didn't have a whole lot else going on, but they didn't need it, as the two playmakers ran all over Detroit in this one.
(3) Indiana Pacers over (6) Chicago Bulls, 4 to 3
Stephen Curry was mostly back to his old self, and this series ended up being a shootout between the Pacers' three point launchers and Curry. Hayward and Thompson played extremely effectively for the Pacers, making the plays they needed to, while Curry was just a step too slow thanks to his injuries. The Pacers grind out a tough and exciting series, but will have their work cut out for them against LeBron's Cavs.
Western Conference:
(1) Los Angeles Lakers over (8) Dallas Mavericks, 4 to 1
The Lakers actually struggled a bit against the Mavericks here, with Dallas' young players and veterans able to nearly steal game 2, win game 3 in Dallas, and play a tough game 4. The Lakers dominated game 5 to assert their superiority, but there were some question marks heading out of this one.
(5) Golden State Warriors over (4) Denver Nuggets, 4 to 0
The veteran Kobe easily handled Denver's young guns in this series. With this year rumored to be Kobe's last in the league, he played extremely well, getting a lot of help from Deron Williams, while the Nuggets were just outfoxed and outgunned at every turn.
(6) Utah Jazz over (3) Los Angeles Clippers, 4 to 3
This was a bit of a revenge series for the Jazz, as Darko Milicic had departed them in free agency after his playoff temper tantrum the previous year. Utah's team was a lot fresher for this year's playoffs, while the Clippers struggled at times, and rookie Arvis Williams showed his inexperience with a lot of turnovers, including a costly one late in game seven. It took nearly everything the Jazz had to win this series, and they'd face a much stiffer test in their next round opponent.
(2) Seattle Supersonics over (7) St. Louis Arches, 4 to 2
Led by Giannis Antentokoumpo, St. Louis had a good year, though it wouldn't save them from moving to Vegas in 2016. The team played well in this series too, exposing Seattle's weaknesses and generally giving them problems the whole way. Giannis was probably the best player in the series, outplaying even Chris Paul, but in the end, Seattle was too much, and knocked off the Arches, who would have one final year in St. Louis and one more chance to bring that city its first NBA title in nearly sixty years.
Second Round:
Eastern Conference:
(1) Philadelphia 76ers over (4) Brooklyn Nets, 4 to 0
Philly continued their utter domination in the playoffs, proving that they could indeed hang with good teams and shutting up the critics who complained about their easy schedule. James Harden was an absolute beast in this series, running circles around the Nets and achieving two fifty point games. Meanwhile, Dwight Howard ate Greg Oden for breakfast, blocking the slow center at every turn and dunking over him repeatedly. Philly looked incredible in this series, and would go into the Conference Finals as major favorites.
(2) Cleveland Cavaliers over (3) Indiana Pacers, 4 to 1
The Pacers gave a gutsy effort, but they were no match for LeBron and Westbrook. Hayward and Thompson scored freely, but it didn't matter, with LeBron and Westbrook doing the same, and much more frequently. The Pacers almost won game 4 at home to even the series, but couldn't get it done, and game five was a rout.
Western Conference:
(5) Golden State Warriors over (1) Los Angeles Lakers, 4 to 2
Kobe's Warriors scored a huge upset over the Lakers, leading to a standing ovation from the hometown crowd at the end of Game 6. He was vintage Kobe, even managing to score around the tough Anthony Davis, while Dwyane Wade was rendered almost completely ineffective. Deron Williams was excellent in this series too, with great passes to Kobe and the team's other scorers, and in the end, Golden State won by defending home court and stealing Game 2 in LA.
(2) Seattle Supersonics over (6) Utah Jazz, 4 to 3
The Jazz almost managed to pull it off, with their tough veterans and fast rookies giving Seattle fits, while Paul and Griffin failed to connect on numerous occasions. The teams split Games 1 and 2 and 3 and 4, with Game 5 going to double overtime before Seattle managed to pull it out. The Jazz routed Seattle in Game 6, and played tough all the way in Game 7, but in the end, it came down to the Sonics making the big plays and winning by four.
Conference Championships:
(1) Philadelphia 76ers over (2) Cleveland Cavaliers, 4 to 3
Cleveland proved to be a much tougher opponent for Philly than their previous two opponents had been, and at times looked to be dominating the series, winning Game 1 in Philly in a rout and nearly winning Game 2. Philly managed to take Game 3 in Cleveland, but Cleveland roared back with a dominating Game 4 performance. Game 5 was extremely close, though the 76ers were able to win in overtime, and Cleveland crushed them in Game 6 before jumping out to a 45-30 lead in the second quarter of Game 7 before Philadelphia's physical play and Harden's aggressive scoring grinded them down. The game came down to one final shot, but after LeBron missed a game winner from 17 feet, Philly survived, 104-103, and would advance to the NBA Finals.
(2) Seattle Supersonics over (5) Golden State Warriors, 4 to 1
Seattle would return to the Finals after Lob City got its groove back, while an exhausted Kobe couldn't repeat his heroics of the first two rounds. Paul and Griffin were awesome, while Kevin Durant returned to form as well, his injury having fully healed in time for this series. Golden State was never really in it, and though Deron Williams tried to pick up the slack, it would be too little, too late. Seattle would return to the NBA Finals for the second time in three years, where they would try to get the job done.
2015 NBA Finals:
Philadelphia 76ers over Seattle Supersonics, 4 to 1
The 76ers finally broke through, beating the Seattle Supersonics in a series that, like the Western Conference Finals, was never all that much in doubt. Philadelphia cruised to wins in the first two games, and though Seattle won game four to prevent a sweep, that's all they managed to do. Durant was effective, but Paul and Griffin weren't, while Philly got great performances out of Dwight Howard, James Harden, and their supporting cast of veterans. The 76ers earned their first title in 32 years, Harden would be the Finals MVP, and would sign a huge contract extension to stay in Philadelphia and hopefully help the team continue its reign.
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There were a number of stories going into the NBA's offseason in 2015: LeBron James was thinking of leaving Cleveland, Carmelo Anthony was thinking of leaving Detroit, Kevin Durant was thinking of leaving Seattle, Kobe might retire... and with all the potential free agency movement, there was also a draft looming that looked like it might be one of the best in years, with high school phenoms like Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram, Jaylen Brown, Thon Maker, and Marcus Mangum joining college stars like Frank Kaminsky, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Bob Bing, along with foreign players like Kristaps Porzingis, Mario Hezonja, and Liu Fauzeng. Draft picks were hot commodities among teams looking to trade mercurial stars, and Detroit was tempted to deal Anthony to move way up in the draft for a shot at one of the young players. However, the team sat down with Carmelo and managed to work out a deal to keep him in Motor City until 2017, and would stay put in the draft at #17, where they hoped one of the stars might fall. LeBron also stayed put, wanting to take his team to a title, and Kobe also agreed to stay in Golden State one more year. However, Kevin Durant AND Blake Griffin wanted out of Seattle, and the team managed to arrange a trade to Orlando, who had the #2 pick in the draft. They'd send Durant and Griffin to Orlando in exchange for the #2 pick, along with the rights to trade picks with Orlando in 2016 and 2018, and unprotected firsts in 2017 and 2019. Ben Simmons was definitely going first, and the Toronto Raptors had the #1 pick, so Simmons was headed to Canada. Karl-Anthony Towns was a no-brainer for Seattle, where he'd match up perfectly with Chris Paul. Chinese phenomenon Liu Fauzeng would go to the New York Knicks, who hadn't had a terrible 2015 season, but had gotten lucky in the draft lottery to move up from #9 to #3. Brandon Ingram would go to the Atlanta Hawks, who had the #4 pick, while Bob Bing (no relation to NBA legend Dave Bing) would go #5 to the Boston Celtics. Marcus Mangum, a dominating rebounder and scorer with some injury concerns, would be taken with the #6 pick, Jaylen Brown would be #8, Frank Kaminsky would go #9, and Mario Hezonja would go #10. Kristaps Porzingis was talented, but had some maturity and injury concerns, and would eventually fall to #13, where he'd be snapped up by Detroit, who traded up four spots (fortunately, they wouldn't have to give up Carmelo, just the #17 pick, a veteran starter, a future top-10 protected first round pick, and cash) to grab him and team him up with Carmelo. Thon Maker would land on the Bulls with the #18 pick, where he'd team up with Stephen Curry as that team hoped to bounce back.
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Phil Mickelson Wins Masters After Showdown With 19-Year-Old Phenom
Phil Mickelson won the 2015 Masters with a score of -9, taking his second green jacket and sixth overall major, but perhaps the biggest story at the tournament was 19-year-old Chen Yengfang, a golfer from China who made Masters history with a 58 on the third day, going from just barely making the cut at +2 to being twelve under par and two strokes ahead of Mickelson going into the fourth day. Chen, who had previously won a number of amateur tournaments in both North America and Asia, went pro last year and finished third at the US Open as an 18-year-old. The pressure seemed to get to Chen today, as he lost his lead on the third hole with bogeys on the 2nd and 3rd, but he quickly bounced back, and led Mickelson by a stroke for most of the day before a clutch eagle from Mickelson on the 15th hole managed to even things up. Mickelson and Chen went into the final hole tied at eight under par, but a 17-yard birdie putt from Mickelson sealed the deal and clinched one of the most exciting Masters tournaments in history. 2015 has seen a number of great Chinese athletes emerge on the world stage, with basketball star Liu Fauzeng expected to go in the top five in this year's NBA Draft, and 20-year-old tennis sensation Su Nanjian emerging as the #4 player in the world. Yengfang's success at last year's US Open and now this year's Masters have made him perhaps the most popular young golfer to emerge since Tiger Woods, and has also generated a huge amount of interest in golf in China, where golf courses are being constructed at a record pace.
-from an April 12, 2015 article on the Fairway Times
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MLB Commissioner Bush Reinstates Pete Rose, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson In Controversial Ruling
George W. Bush, former Republican presidential candidate who took over from Bud Selig as the commissioner of Major League Baseball in 2013, made a major announcement today, reinstating banned players Pete Rose and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson to the league. This will make both of them eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame, with Rose considered a shoo-in if the Veterans' Committee decides to take up a vote on his candidacy next year. Bush announced the reinstatements in a written announcement, in which he stated that “while the actions these two men committed caused great harm to the sport of baseball, there is also a time to forgive the transgressions of the past, for the sake of the history of the game”. The reinstatements have been met with controversy, with a number of longtime writers and personalities within the sport condemning both of them, especially the reinstatement of Joe Jackson, who was banned from the game for his role in the Black Sox Scandal of 1919.
Bush's tenure as commissioner has seen rising attendance at MLB games, but has also seen a number of controversies, including the mandating of a certain amount of luxury boxes in MLB stadiums, as well as a push for more inter-league play and a playoff expansion to 12 teams, which the league's owners voted in support of for the 2016 season. Bush has also been accused of giving favorable treatment to certain team officials, though none of these accusations have been proven. It was also widely circulated in the news around the time of Rose's reinstatement that Rose was a donor to Bush's presidential campaigns in 2000 and 2004, in which he lost the Republican nomination to John McCain and John Kasich respectively. Bush had no comment when questioned about this connection to Rose.
-from a May 8, 2015 article on Yahoo! Sports
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Does Pete Rose still get the stuffing knocked out of him by Kane?
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Woah George Bush as the commissioner of the MLB? Now that was really.... unexpected
The Supersonics moved to Oklahoma City IOTL and now play as the Oklahoma City Thunder
An Old Tradition, plus like always a controversial Commissioner too.Took a while but we finally got the occasionally-what-if'ed "George W. Bush as MLB Commissioner"