Greetings friends and closet nerds, welcome back to another edition of Talk Nerdy to Me – your go-to source for unfiltered opinions on comics, news, video games, trailers, and all of the down and dirty about all things nerdy.

On this week’s episode, we decided to change pace a bit from the comics and trailers we’ve covered so far, and dive into the wonderful world of gaming. Despite popular belief, we aren’t just one-trick ponies over here at Talk Nerdy…we can discuss other things besides how awesome Batman is. (Which in case you forgot, he totally is awesome). No – there’s another side to this cultured coin – AJ and Shaun are avid gamers and we’re not just your average noobs! We’ve been known to last 15-20 seconds at a time in various multiplayer scenarios!!

So this week we’re going to talk about some trends we see, and a couple games we’re super-hyped about. We’ll each provide some insight, a bit of wisdom, a couple laughs but mostly all fun/all games!! We hope you already grabbed that cup-o-joe & got comfy because the nerdiness is about to begin!

The System Seller (AJ)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw47_q9wbBE]

We are a little over a month since Nintendo launched both the Switch console and Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and to say they’re taking off would be an understatement that not even Nintendo CEO Tatsumi Kimishima could have predicted.

Last October Kimishima released a statement saying they expected 2 million consoles would be sent to retailers in the first month of the Switch’s release. Those 28 days have come and gone and sales of the console have officially eclipsed 2.4 million units sold, surpassing their own lofty expectations and easily outpacing the Wii U, which sold 3.06 million in its first 44 days.

Every console launch needs a signature game, and while Zelda: Twilight Princess helped accelerate Wii U sales, it’s Breath of the Wild taking the Switch to unseen heights. 89% of the customers who purchased a Switch in the US also went home with a copy of Breathe of the Wild. Even more incredible though, is that Zelda’s sales surpassed that of the Switch itself! 906,000 Switch units were sold in the US in the first 28 days, while BotW finished the month with over 925,000 copies sold. According to arstechnica.com, this is the first time in gaming history that this has ever happened.

System seller, indeed.

The Curious Case of the Missing Comic Games (Shaun)

As you all are probably aware, it appears we are in the middle of the Golden-Age of Comic Book Movies. They are arguably the best bets in Hollywood right now, with Marvel putting out hit after hit, and despite mixed reactions, the DCEU has been incredibly profitable and is finding its audience – which is paving the way for the other guys to make their way to the screen with successes of Walking Dead, Preacher, and an Invincible film coming soon. At the same time, Comic Book sales are still booming – DC has seen huge success with their Rebirth event, and the recent “Button” Batman/Flash/Watchmen event, and even though it’s infuriating fans and not making much sense, Marvel’s “Secret Empire” is also doing really well in sales. Vertigo and Image comics are also seeing incredible growth as new and amazing stories are coming out every day. It’s an incredible time to be alive if you’ve grown up Nerdy like us and loving this to the core.

With all this success we’re seeing, the question needs to be asked – where are all the video games? The video game industry saw sales reach $91 Billion in 2016, (Here’s my proof) and the number is only expected to grow this year. Millions of pop-culture obsessed potentially loyal fans ready to spend that hard earned money on their favorite fandom upon any release. It would only make sense for this cash cow to be milked by the Comic based industry. So that begs the question…where are the games? Think of the last great comic inspired game…there’s a good chance it was a part of the Arkham Series or Injustice.

Sure Marvel had “Marvel vs Capcom”, but that franchised started in 1999, and while Marvel pushed out a ton of movie-tie-in games in from 2007 – 2012 those were pre- Xbox One & PS4 which both came out in 2013. The games specifically released by Marvel for Xbox One & PS4 is the Guardians of the Galaxy Telltale game which came out this year, and the upcoming are the Marvel vs Capcom Infinite as well as the Spider-man PS4 Exclusive (Marvel Based Games -Wikipedia)  Not that DC’s been much better. The Arkham Series & Injustice both debuted on the PS3 & xbox 360 consoles – along with a bunch of other throw away movie-tie-in titles you couldn’t get $3.50 for at Gamestop. (DC Based Games – Wikipedia). Worth noting, Ps4/XBOX One has Arkham Knight, PS4VR has and Arkham Knight, a Batman: Telltale game came out last in 2016 & Injustice 2 debuts today. But still – take out Batman, and where are the games?

The point is – how can an industry that has grown and thrived off of creativity, imagination, and an endlessly supportive fan base be so uninspiring in this market? One thing’s for sure – Batman still F*CKING RULES ALL!

 

Injustice 2: God-like Game Among Us (AJ)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIOTVmjCuNs]
It’s finally here! As you read this thousands of gaming and DC fans have already called in sick and are well on their way to unfolding the story of Injustice 2, the sequel to the wildly popular Injustice: Gods Among Us. Ed Boon

(Mortal Kombat) has promised fans the largest initial and downloadable roster in NetherRealm’s history and we’re here to give you a taste of what they have in store.

Let’s start by exploring the sheer size of this game. We’ve already been introduced to the initial roster of 25 characters and even some of the pre-order and DLC characters (listed below), but what really has me impressed is the game’s new gear system. By beating different game modes, players will win Motherboxes that allow them to customize their favorite characters’ gear, moves, and overall look.

Not wanting to wear one hat, NetherRealm bulked up their already impressive storytelling by including 13,000+ lines of dialogue and 6,000+ intros to go along with vastly improved cutscene animations. To help further this from a generic fight to a full-blown story, cutscenes have been added for both player clashes and super moves. Each character has a signature move, but the one I’m excited for the most is obviously Barry Allen’s Flash and it seems I’m not alone. Nowloading.com ranked all known super moves and the Scarlet Speedster checked in at numero uno. You can catch that in all its glory below:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IFrmrDkg9c]
Official plot details have been released via secondary sources, but unfortunately for anyone reading this, I refuse to put spoilers here. I will recommend checking out the Injustice comics as the first was a fantastic prequel to Gods Among Us and Injustice 2’s digital comics are sure to be the same. To help make up for a lack of in-game information, here is the official plot synopsis released by NetherRealm to tide you over til you find an excuse to get out of work.

“Injustice 2 continues the epic cinematic story introduced in Injustice: Gods Among Us as Batman and his allies work towards putting the pieces of society back together while struggling against those who want to restore Superman’s regime. In the midst of the chaos, a new threat appears that will put Earth’s existence at risk.”

Injustice 2 is out TODAY on XBox One and PS4. Enjoy!

With Great Games come Great Responsibility (Shaun)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R2uvJqWeVg]
While I did just go on a bit of rant on the lack of Comic-Inspired games on the latest generation of consoles, there is one upcoming title that has me feeling a bit sticky with anticipation: The Spider-man PS4 Exclusive (Suck it

Xbox)!! While Batman has been “King of the Castle” in the comic/video game world for the last 8 years, a worthy challenger has seemed to appear in the form of Everyone’s favorite spandex wearing web-slinger. Much like the bat obsessed competition, this new Spidey game serves in an open world environment similar to the Grand Theft Auto games that Arkham has capitalized on.  With an original story, incredible visuals and endless possibilities, Could this be Marvel’s answer to the Arkham franchise? My Spider-Sense suggests so!

Unattached to the upcoming Ironman 4: The Search for Spider-man movie (or any movie for that matter)  this is a standalone game that follows a more experienced Peter Parker – not your Friendly Neighborhood Noob. The game will be released Christmas 2017 by Insomniac Studios – and is one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year! Utilizing the open world environment, you’ll be able to fully explore Spidey’s New York world, playing the hero as juggles his insanely chaotic personal life & career as well. “Borrowing” aspects of GTA & Arkham, you will be able to chose various missions, not follow a forced linear path. All the while getting to play as the Amazing Spider-man we’ve all dreamed of – with this game promising the best use of his acrobatic abilities, improvisation, fighting style and web-slinging.

Marvel needs this – Injustice 2’s anticipation and release has been tracking better than their Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite, and the last good web-slinger inspired game was “Spider-man: Web of Shadows” and that came out in 2008. If this does well, which it is expected to – this could inspire a lot more risk taking within the comic/video-games industry and open the door to much more fantastic opportunities for some great comic inspired games besides just Batman. So in truth – we need this too.

That’s All, Folks!!

Thanks for sticking it through to the end with us again friends and fanbase obsessed acquaintances. We’ll be coming out with a “Games-to-Get” Guide in the future, but for now I hope this satisfied your thirsty for a bit of the the video game world as told through the world of Talk Nerdy to Me.

So, were we right on point? Did we miss the mark? Are we average gamers or just doofus noobs with an opinion and a keyboard? Will you be purchasing Injustice 2? Regardless – let us know your thoughts below!

Now, while we’re both big boys and can take a joke or jest, let’s try to play nice in the comments at least towards each other. Vitriol, bullying and unnecessary trolling is strongly frowned upon. Let’s keep it fun, and we welcome your thoughts and memes!

If you have any suggestions or thoughts please feel free to message us, and be sure to tune into our weekly TGS Podcast – Shop Talk, where everything and more is discussed in a fuller format with AJ Speck, Aron White, Shane Bailey, & Shaun Curran.

Also be sure to check out some of the other amazing articles, writers & podcasts TGS has to offer. You won’t be sorry!! Now if you’ll excuse us – we got some Injustice to play…Thanks again for reading and have a great day!