Mr. Universal's Blog

While exploring the Musée d'Orsay art museum in Paris, Amy Pond seems certain that the Doctor is doing everything he can to cheer her up. While he claims innocence (Amy doesn't remember the death of her fiancé, Rory, in last week's "Cold Blood"), the pair seem in awe by some of the work that's on display. Amy seems particularly smitten with the work of the famed post-Impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh, as does the Doctor, but it's a strange speck he notices while looking at ‘The Church at Auvers', as within one of its tiny painted windows is a face that most definitely shouldn't be there. Sensing trouble, the Doctor asks the art historian/tour guide on staff (Bill Nighy) exactly when the piece was painted, as it seems the only way to get to the bottom of things is to travel back to 1889 - just before the artist would ultimately end his own life.

It's another historical adventure for the Doctor and Amy this time around, although it'll take more than just monsters and mayhem to keep those eyes dry this time. Keep reading for the rest of the Doctor Who "Vincent and the Doctor" micro-review!

When we last saw Amy Pond in last week's "The Hungry Earth", things weren't going so well for the Doctor's latest companion. Taken hostage by an ancient race of reptilian humanoids called the Silurians, it seems that live dissection is, quite literally, on the table for her and fellow captive. Not to fear, as the Doctor and engineer Nasreen have managed to infiltrate the underground Silurian city looking for them, when they're not being entranced by the magnitude of their subterranean surroundings, that is.

Meanwhile, Rory, Tony, and worried mum are on the surface, charged with the safe keeping of their Silurian hostage, Alaya, who has become morbidly prophetic. Not helping is Tony's vicious wound, inflicted by Alaya's deadly tongue-lashing that's slowly creeping through his increasingly emerald-colored veins. It's a deadly game our heroes are playing this time around, and let's just say that not everyone makes it through alive this time around - including a major character.

If all this sounds like a right mess, that's probably because you skipped last week's equally-exciting opening chapter "The Hungry Earth". I'll wait right here while you catch up (go ahead), and when you think you're ready to proceed, simply keep reading for the rest of the spoiler-ridden of the Doctor Who "Cold Earth" micro-review!

After promising Amy and Rory a trip to Rio de Janeiro (a nice excuse to get Karen Gillam to show off those legs), it seems the good Doctor still can't pilot his own Tardis correctly after nearly a century, as the trio end up in the slightly less lush Welsh countryside of Cwmtaff. Only it's ten years in the future, and sandy beaches are nowhere in sight. But as you'd imagine, strange things are afoot, as graves are missing bodies, and the local mining rig has been coming up with the most peculiar readings as their massive drill digs deeper into the earth's core than ever before. Oh, and it seems that the drilling has angered an ancient human-like race of reptilian warriors that have a major beef against the current rulers of the surface - and they're taking hostages.

And thus begins the second two-parter in the latest series of the Matt Smith-era of Doctor Who. This one ain't for the squeamish, that's for sure, and you'd better keep reading for the rest of the "The Hungry Earth" micro-review!

It's been five years since Amy and Rory last saw the Doctor, and much has happened since. The two are now happily married, as evidenced by a very-pregnant Amy, while Rory has since graduated from mere nurse and now seems to be a doctor, himself. With her bulging midsection and his colonial ponytail in tow, the pair seems resigned to their fate as a growing family right smack dab in the middle of quite possibly the most serene village in all of England. But then - go figure - the familiar noise begins and is followed by the prompt appearance of the Doctor himself. A quick reunion is followed by the nagging feeling that something isn't quite right with this picture-perfect scenario. Then they wake up back in the Tardis, realizing they apparently just had a shared psychic experience masquerading as a dream. Then they wake up again. Oops.

Sounds like this one is going to be, in the Doctor's own words, a tricky one. Keep reading for the rest of the dreamy "Amy's Choice" micro-review!

The conclusion of last week's "Flesh and Stone" episode saw companion Amy Pond getting rather amorous with the universe's most popular time traveler, which may have been a dream come true for most hot-blooded heterosexual males (and some ladies), but this is the Doctor we're talking about. He does practically everything EXCEPT romance, and it isn't long before he plays cupid for his most recent companion and her fiancé, Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill). After hilariously busting up - and through - Rory's bachelor party, he suggests the two take a romantic vacation in quite possibly the most romantic spot in history - Venice, Italy.

Only one problem, as this particular version of the city of love is infested with a problem, of the blood-sucking variety. Beautiful women with big bosoms - and even bigger fangs - in 16th century Venice? Sounds like fun, although be careful, as there be spoilers ahead for the uninitiated. Keep reading to see the rest of "The Vampires of Venice" micro-review!

When we last saw the Doctor and his group of militarized clergymen, they were surrounded by a motley group of perhaps the most deadly creatures in the known universe - the Weeping Angels. Stranded on a dead planet absolutely brimming with half-starved Angels looking for a kill, the Doctor (Matt Smith) and his companion Amy Pond (Karen Gillam) and wayward companion River Song (Alex Kingston) may have finally met their match.

The Doctor, River Song, and more Weeping Angels...oh my! Keep reading for the conclusion of last week's stellar "The Time of Angels" with this week's equally-outstanding (if not better) "Flesh and Stone" micro-review!

Our good buddies at playSwitch.com are celebrating the PAX East 2010 extravaganza in the best way possible...they're attending!  But even better than the potent mix of thousands of videogame and cosplay fans packed in like sardines (stinky), they're hitting the floor and passing out goodies that let people attending win all sorts of cool prizes and more.  The self-explanatory "Human Bumper Sticker Project" is in full-force, and just sporting a free playSwitch sticker makes you one-step closer to winning a videogame bundle of your own.  What's not to love?

If you want to know more, or just want to check out the excitement, updates pix, and impressions for yourselves head over at the official site right HERE!

Those betting that Nintendo's next-generation of hardware would be an HD-equipped Nintendo Wii have officially lost that wager, as the company surprised not not just the videogame world this week, but the world of technology followers with the announcement their latest addition to the popular DS family of consoles would feature one of the most popular advancements in recent entertainment history, 3D. Only without the glasses and, most likely, cheaper than you might think. Introducing the Nintendo 3DS.

Yes, the 3DS is real, and its coming sooner than you think. Keep reading to see what's got the whole world buzzing, and why this could change everything.

Forgot to pre-order your tickets?  Here's your chance to win tickets to the 2010 PAX East extravaganza in Boston next weekend!  Our friends over at PlaySwitch.com are offering two lucky winners a chance to get inside the biggest videogame gathering in East Coast history, and they're not charging a dime.  Simply email them direct and let them know why you want in the show.  It couldn't be easier, and time is running out!

Also, look for the amazingly cool "Human Bumper Sticker Project" at the show, which aims to turn everyday fans into roving billboards of branding-style fun, with fabulous prizes for 30 'spotted' winners.  Prizes include game bundles (your choice), as well as points to pick up games in the future.  The 2010 PAX East show is happening March 26 - 28th, so better get cracking if you want to get your chance.  Check out all the details at the official PlaySwitch 2010 PAX East page by clicking this link right HERE!

Billed as "Kansas City's largest pop culture and comic book convention" and the most successful annual gathering of the area's biggest fans and distributors, KC's 2010 Planet Comicon is looking to be the long-running get-together's biggest and best yet. To help celebrate the craziness, we're sending our very own Drew Misemer to cover the show, hobnob with guests, and do his best to avoid getting into any more accidents (long story).

Star Wars cameos, comic book celebrities, and even a special appearance from the Hulk himself... what's not to love? Keep reading for more details on the 2010 Kansas City Planet Comicon, and how it's all going down!

With Final Fantasy XIII gearing up for its North American release next week, the expected curiosity of whether the Xbox 360 version is on par with the PlayStation 3 version has reached fever pitch. The match-up has been among - if not the - dividing line between the most hardcore (i.e. hardheaded) fanboy purists searching for whatever scrap of confirmation-bias they could find, hoping to prove, once-and for all, of their console-of-choice's superiority.

The Xbox 360 has typically come out ahead in this regard, most likely due to the console being the lead development platform on most multi-console games, with PlayStation 3 versions not performing as well. But Final Fantasy XIII is that rarest of things; a blockbuster multi-console release that began life as a PlayStation 3 exclusive. Not only that, but one that many felt would prove the console's tech and choice of Blu-ray format superior to that of the Xbox 360. So you can only imagine the collected nerd-rage that followed Square-Enix's announcement the game would also be headed to Microsoft's machine, and thus began the long and often banal war of screenshot analysis and screenshot comparisons.

And it seems we have a winner, according to one of the internet's most notorious and most thorough analystic firms.  Check out who 'won' the battle for compression champ after the jump!

A (mostly) new trailer for the upcoming Clash of the Titans remake is making the rounds online this weekend, and if you hadn't already guessed from the previously released series of movie posters, this ain't your mom's Clash of the Titans.  The new version is bigger, grittier, and features 100% more Liam Neeson-as-Zeus action than anything the 1981 original could muster.  OK, so maybe that last sentence didn't make much sense, but just know with the latest trailer comes our first-ever look at the newly designed Kraken beast...and hints that the highlight of the original film will probably be the highlight of the new one.

People just love the Kraken, as evidenced by Pirates of the Caribbean, and there's nothing to stop his rage upon anyone who gets in his way...unless your packing a severed Medusa head.  Watch for Clash of the Titans to release the Kraken into theaters everywhere March 26th!

If you're the type of gamer who loves their gadgets, peripherals, and occassional oddity, changes are you're more than familiar with Nyko Technologies and their myriad of third-party videogame options.  Few companies have benefited from the recent console generation as they have, thanks in part to a particularly profitable string of successful controllers and battery-chargers for the Nintendo Wii.  With the busy holiday shopping season in full-swing, there's never been a better time to stock up inexpensive gaming options for the player in your life...or maybe just yourself!

Be sure to check out the new interview with Nyko's director of marketing Chris Arbogast and our friends at PlaySwitch for the best shopping suggestions from Nyko themselves, which include several nods to their own Wii Remote-replacement Wand, Kamo, and even what many are calling the best videogame charge device yet, the new Charge Station IC for the Wii console.

Industry watchers and potential hopefuls will want to pay special-attention to how the company developed some of their most famous attachments, including their controversial dealings with Nintendo to developer for the console.  And how does the company feel about Microsoft's upcoming Natal and Sony's motion-sensing controllers potentially changing the videogame controller market?  These questions and more in this special holiday-inspired look into one of the industry's leading providers of interactive control on the cheap.

'Tis the season to be giving and greedy, and they're always more than generous when you check out the official Nyko interview over at the official PlaySwitch podcast for yourselves right HERE!

Just in case you're not completely over the recent media-madness that was/is/remains Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, the Popzara Crew has sat down and given their take on the recent splash of multiplatform releases.  On the block this week is the focus point of many a gaming blog, Modern Warfare 2, followed by the unexpected (but still welcome) Modern Warfare: Reflex, with the portable action of Modern Warfare: Mobilized taking up the rear.  The verdict?  All good news for fans of Activision's increasingly popular action-drama, and be sure to check them all out for yourselves!

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC) Review
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Reflex (Wii) Review
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized (DS) Review

Legendary videogame developer and current head of Lionhead Games, Peter Molyneux has not only survived in an industry forever changing, he's thrived. During a lecture given at this year's BAFTA Annual Games Lecture this week the creator of such classic franchises as Populous and Fable dished out his picks for the most revolutionary games of the past twenty years. He prefaced his picks by challenging designers to 'defy perceived widsome and custom," citing the best innovations "come from challenging the foundation stones of conventional wisdom."

See how your picks measure up to Molyneux's after the jump!