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ArdillaVerde93's Game Reviews #3: Tekken Tag Tournament 2
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By ArdillaVerde93
Hello, everyone! I wasn't sure where to put this, since "Gadgets And Geeks" seemed promising. Due to subject matter, I chose here. I'm not exactly in need of tech support, but I would like an answer. I have a white 500GB PS3 "Super Slim." I've only had it since Christmas. I am fully aware, having lost 2 PS3s in the past, that they eventually suffer an unavoidable death. I don't do anything fancy with it. No movie streaming, no hacking it, I haven't changed the Hard Drive,... nothing like that. I play games, and, occasionally, check out the PlayStation Store for sales. My question is this. How long is it safe to leave it running in a single gaming session? If it matters, I mostly play Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition, as I am trying to get the Platinum Trophy.
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By ArdillaVerde93
*Chapter Four: In Sickness And In Health*
*I apologise to any Australian and/or British people who may be offended by the content of this chapter.*
*This chapter includes depictions of profuse vomiting, as well as blood. Reader discretion is advised.*
*Location: Miller residence, Goldenrod City, Johto.*
As whatever terrible affliction Shaymin was suffering from continued to worsen, despite Tyler's best efforts to keep it under control, so did her hallucinations. More than once, Tyler had been tempted to add antipsychotics to the laundry list of medications he was already giving her. What stopped him was a combination of a few things. First and foremost, of course, was that she wasn't mentally ill, so antipsychotics likely wouldn't have any effect. That isn't to say that her brain was unaffected, though. Quite the opposite, in fact; as often as she had been drifting from reality, something, she thought, was certain to be wrong in that area. She just wasn't... well, psychotic. What she was having at that moment was a dream. An honest-to-Arceus dream; not another hallucination. It was hard to tell the difference sometimes, but, as she laid in Tyler's guest bed, her pearly-white fur and green quills drenched with sweat, she knew she was asleep. Shaymin possessed an uncommon gift; she could lucid dream on command. Having such a gift not only made for lovely dreams, but it also made it much easier to differentiate dreams from hallucinations. Nonetheless, just as her subconscious meeting with her beloved Tyler was cut short by an unwelcome noise, so was her dream. Granted, the offending noise this time wasn't nearly as shrill and grating as what brought her to her senses earlier. To her, however, it was far more unwelcome; so much so that her first thought when she heard it was to lash out at the source. "Oi! Rise and shine!"
Eleanor Miller. Wife of Doctor Tyler Miller, and mother of Ruby Louise Miller, who tragically passed away at the age of 3 from poisoning. Shaymin didn't like the word "hate," but, when it came to her feelings toward the Aussie who was currently in the bedroom with her, few other words would suffice. Rather than last time, when she awoke with a start, her return to reality was slow this time around, as if her dream itself wanted her to stay as long as possible. Eleanor's voice penetrated her mind again, and she finally realized she wouldn't be able to stay asleep any longer. "Are ya deaf, mate? Up and at 'em!" There were a few things Shaymin wanted to say to her, but she thought better of it. Among those things, however, were such gems as "if you scratch Tyler up again, it'll be the last time you use your hands," and "if I weren't so sick, I'd be tearing your fucking throat out right now." As drowsy as she was, she very nearly thought she was supposed to have the same accent as Eleanor. If she hadn't repressed that thought, she would've said "bloody Hell, mate! Can't ya see I'm sick?! Bugger off, wanker!" Instead, though, her response was a bitter and drowsy "what?". Clearly unaware of Shaymin's desire to brutally mutilate and/or kill her, Eleanor's words were far more cheerful. "G'day, mate!"
On that day, Eleanor sported the same outfit she wore most other days. A blouse with a simple design of horizontal stripes, which alternated in colour between spring green and white, covered her upper body, and a matching green skirt covered her lower body. On her feet, she wore jet-black shoes with buckle fasteners(as opposed to laces or Velcro.) over plain white socks. Her admittedly lovely blonde hair was done up in medium-length pigtails, which were held in place by basic, emerald green hair clips. Shaymin hadn't even opened her eyes by this point, but she would've been willing to bet that Eleanor was wearing her standard outfit. She was, of course, correct, which she discovered when she finally decided to open her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something(likely a harsh insult.), but her voice failed her. All at once, she was overwhelmed by nausea. She scrambled to her paws in the nick of time, leaving her with only a precious few seconds before she lost an internal battle, as well as the contents of her stomach, all over her side of the bed.
Even Legendaries get scared. Shaymin, at that moment, was terrified. Of course, she had every right to be; she was alone(Eleanor ran off when Shaymin threw up a second time.), waylaid by a possibly fatal disease, and violently emptying her stomach, which, at that point, burned as if she were being branded from inside. Worse yet, Tyler was nowhere to be found. That was what was at the front of her mind at the moment. She wasn't afraid of loneliness, and, honestly, she would rather be alone then have Eleanor in the same room. She felt terrible, and thought for sure that her disease would either take her life or sanity, except that she had unconditional faith in Tyler, and knew that he would figure out how to cure her. Her sudden, very painful attack of vomiting took her by surprise, but it certainly wasn't the first time she had thrown up, and she knew it would eventually stop, which it did very soon afterwards. But being without the only one who could offer her comfort, companionship, and, hopefully, relief, was the primary contributor to once again reducing her to a blubbering mess.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Eleanor had her cell phone up against the left side of her face, and one would think she was discussing a murder, rather than the sight of Shaymin vomiting. "...All over the place!... Bloody Hell; what're ya feeding her, mate?... Oi! Don't snap at me!... I dunno, hun; I ran for it when she tossed her cookies a second time." She walked up to the door separating the living room from the guest room. "Well, I think she's empty, but she's crying now. Should I give her something?... Well, alright; I'll tell her. See ya soon, mate!" She made a kissing noise before hanging up. It was good, for Shaymin's sake, that Eleanor wasn't still in the room with her; the sight of Eleanor kissing the air would likely have made her throw up again. Since she was no longer nauseous, she laid on the pillow she slept on, curled up again and shaking with emotion. That's how Eleanor found her a few seconds later. "Good news, mate!" Shaymin was too distraught to give much of a response, but she nodded to show she was listening. It didn't matter what Eleanor had to say to her; nothing could make her feel better, except... "That was Ty; he's on his way home to give you a check-up. He sounded worried, so get ready."
*Shortly beforehand, directly outside of the Goldenrod City Pokémon Centre...*
Kevin, Tyler, Prudence, and the Gardevoir Kevin used in the battle stood outside the Pokémon Centre. They had been teleported there by the Gardevoir, who Kevin returned to her Pokéball once the group had found their bearings. "Close enough," Tyler mused, looking back at the reinforced glass double doors that made up the front entrance to the Centre. "It's been a while." "That actually brings up a couple of questions," Kevin said. "Don't you have other patients?" Tyler shook his head. "I cashed in my vacation days for this." "Dude, that SUCKS!!!" Kevin groaned, putting a hand on Tyler's back. "I know how much you wanted to go to Mintale Town(a town on the outskirts of the Kanto region, in close proximity to several tourist destinations, including Cobalt Coast and Viridian Forest.)." To his surprise, Tyler recoiled, then glared at him intensely. "Shaymin is infinitely more important to me than a vacation from something I already love doing. What about you? Don't you have bad guys to catch(Kevin worked in law enforcement. That was one of the main reasons Tyler hadn't hit him in retaliation for his assumptions and accusations; assaulting an officer is a serious crime.)?" Kevin responded with a laugh. "I got a couple of days off, too, but damn! Giving up your entire vacation?!" Tyler didn't respond immediately; a few seconds went by, during which time, he looked up at the sky with a dreamy expression, which matched his tone of voice when he finally did speak up. "Shaymin's worth it. I'm surprised; someone like you should recognize love when you see it!"
It wasn't exactly a secret that Tyler had feelings for Shaymin, or, at least, that the 2 of them got along extremely well; in the time that they had known each other, they had spent a great deal of time together. They laughed together, and they cried together(this was very rare, as years of experience with medicine, and, frankly, with Eleanor, had left Tyler very reluctant to cry.). Shaymin had all but leapt into a Pokéball for Tyler on multiple occasions, though Tyler vehemently refused all of her offers, on the grounds that he couldn't possibly bring himself to capture her. Kevin had suspected for quite a while that they were a couple, even after Tyler got married(something which, ironically, Kevin and Shaymin had warned him against.), such was the kind of relationship they clearly had. After Tyler and Eleanor got married, though, everything changed; Shaymin couldn't, as she had implied after waking from her fever dream, even get a kiss from him, and not for lack of desire, asking, and even begging him for one. Nonetheless, Kevin was happy to hear confirmation of Tyler's feelings. He was about to say so when the chorus of Owl City's "Fireflies" stopped him, as well as causing him, Prudence, and Tyler to jump. Tyler's PokéGear(an all-purpose device commonly used by Johto-dwelling trainers.) was to blame.
"Dammit, Ellie!" Tyler swore, clutching his chest, as if he were having a heart attack. He knew Eleanor was on the other end because he had programmed his PokéGear to play that song(which was important to both of them, as their first dance as a married couple was to that song.). He assumed that the only reason Eleanor would bother him was some sort of emergency, so he wasted little time in removing the ringing device from his pocket, tapping the screen to answer the call, and putting it up to his ear. "Hey, Ellie.... What is it?... She did WHAT?!... Mew Christ; she just keeps getting sicker.... Damn you, Ellie! This is no time for jokes! This is a serious matter!... Well, why - Forget it; is she alright now?... I need you to check on her.... Not until we know what made her do that. Just tell her I'm on my way home, and don't scare her.... Love you too, sweetie." Kevin didn't even have a chance to ask what was discussed over the phone; Tyler took off at a full sprint the moment the call was over, leaving Kevin and Prudence standing outside the Pokémon Centre with shocked expressions.
*Meanwhile, back in Tyler's guest bedroom...*
Shaymin's expression brightened immediately, though her tears didn't stop, and her body still shook. "He's coming home?!" Eleanor nodded. "Yep! He's on his way now. He's probably gonna look you over again, so I'll give you some time alone to get ready." With that, she left, shutting the door behind her. Shaymin's stomach still burned, which, for most Grass-Types, is especially painful, but the thought of seeing Tyler again in reality, as opposed to in her dreams(and illness-induced daydreams.) was enough to give her a second wind. With a wide grin, she laid back and stared at the ceiling fan. She, like the others before her, could change her form and achieve flight. However, she had very rarely been able to do so ever since she learned of the abuse Tyler was suffering. As she lay there, she doubted she'd be able to transform, even if someone shoved a Gracidea(a lovely flower, usually pink, that causes the transformation.) down her throat. It didn't matter to her anymore, though; Tyler was coming back, and that was all she cared about. Tyler, before he had left for the tournament, told her that, if he won, he'd be able to get her help with her debilitating illness. Shaymin obviously hadn't seen Tyler suffer defeat, so she was hopeful she wouldn't be sick much longer. "Oh, Tyler; please hurry back! Good news or not, I can't wait to see - urp!"
As if her bodily functions were controlled by switches, she was once again stricken with dizziness and nausea, completely out of the blue. Like last time, she managed to right herself before retching. This time, however, nothing came out. For all of 15 seconds, Shaymin stood, shaking and dry heaving, intense pain shooting from her stomach up to her esophagus, and way up into the back of her throat. Finally, to Shaymin's great, but short-lived, relief, she managed to vomit a bitter, yellow substance. She collapsed, wracked with pain, but the dry heaving didn't stop. If she had been able to speak, she would've prayed for mercy, so horrid was the pain she felt. Again and again, her own body seemed to betray her, and she continued helplessly throwing up what was, in actuality, bile. This torture continued for several more seconds before, suddenly, Shaymin began howling in pain. She felt something tear just past the back of her throat and looked down to see that the puddle of her bile was flecked with bright red blood. She retched one last time and vomited a good bit more blood to add to the mess she had made. Whimpering pitifully and shaking as if she had been submerged in ice water, she collapsed once more, immediately bursting into heavy sobs.
*Author's Note*
Aww! Poor Shaymin! I wish I could reach through the screen and hug her! By the way, Mintale Town is where Hey You Pikachu and Pokémon Channel take place. Well, that's Chapter 4! This is sort of the exposition chapter; so much comes to light here! Eleanor's appearance(by the way, if any of you get the reference, don't post it in the comments; send me a PM if you want.), Tyler's vacation plans, what Kevin does for a living, why Tyler isn't at work, a glimpse into his and Shaymin's relationship, the fact that Shaymin can't fly,... Backstory for days! XD Anyway, this chapter was originally called "Adventures In Shaymin-Sitting," then "Best Laid Plans." Also, vomiting bile isn't uncommon, but it hurts like Hell, and Shaymin wasn't exactly in good condition as it was. Oh, and the reason that Ruby became the Johto League champion, but died at the age of 3, is because Celebi changed her age, then changed it back. Finally, for those of you who were wondering, I have decided on an ending. So, what do you think? Have I overstayed my welcome, or do you think you could bear a fifth chapter?
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By ArdillaVerde93
Name: Pokémon: The Movie 2000 and Pikachu's Rescue Adventure.
Other names: The Power Of One, Mirage Pokémon: Lugia's Explosive Birth, Revelation - Lugia, The Pikachu Expedition.
Featured Pokémon: Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Lugia.
Generation: 1.5(no games.).
Anime season: 2(Orange Island.).
Opening theme: Pokémon World.
Ending theme: The Power Of One by Donna Summer, Polkamon by Weird Al Yankovic, and Flying Without Wings by Westlife.
ArdillaVerde93's tagline:
Thus, the earth shall turn to Bob.
*SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS NOT A TEST!! AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE WILL FOLLOW!! XD*
Hi, everyone! Welcome to Gotta Review 'Em All part 2, where I'll be talking about the second Pokémon movie: The Power Of One! Now, before I go much further, let me explain something. I refer to the Orange Island series as Generation 1.5 because there are no games for it, and because it takes place between the original series and The Johto Journeys(Season 3.). As such, Generation II Pokemon made fairly frequent occurrences. By the way, being a Pokémon fanatic myself, I know that Nintendo would make a lot of people happy if they released a Pokémon game in which the player could go to the Orange Islands, since, aside from the fan-made game "Pokémon Naranja," that hasn't been possible. But I digress.
Alright, fair warning; I hope you like Donna Summer, because you'll hear a lot of her. Well, not her, but one of her songs. In fact, I'll be counting the number of times part of the song is played! Alright; let's do this! Without further ado, here's a synopsis, and review, of Pokémon: The Movie 2000, AKA The Power Of One!
The movie starts with a nice view of the ocean. 3 islands are visible in the distance.
*Power Of One count: 1(Background music.).*
The "camera" pulls back, showing another "island." I use quotation marks there because it looks more like a shrine than an island, but whatever. More pretty scenery is shown, as is a Generation II Pokémon: Slowking. Then, just like in the first movie, we're treated to a disembodied voice. This one, however, recites a prophecy.
"Disturb not the harmony of fire, ice, or lightning, lest these Titans wreak destruction upon the world in which they clash. Though the water's great guardian shall arise to quell the fighting, alone, its song will fail; thus, the Earth shall turn to ash. Oh, Chosen One, into thine hands bring together all 3. Their treasures combined tame the beast of the sea."
We're treated to a view of the inside of some sort of flying fortress(because fuck logic; this is Pokémon!), and we now see that the voice wasn't disembodied; it belongs to a dapper-looking man. His name is Lawrence III, but you're not supposed to know that yet, so this'll be our little secret; got it?
Anyway, he had been talking to himself, apparently, but a sudden beeping noise from behind him makes him turn around. Apparently, technology in the Pokémon world was advanced, even back then; Siri starts talking to him. She informs him that she has deciphered the prophecy and concluded that the Titans it refers to are Moltres(fire.), Articuno(ice.), and Zapdos(lightning.). They're very rare Pokemon, only found in Shamouti Island(according to the movie, at least; anybody who's actually played Pokémon knows that's bullshit.).
Lawrence asks Siri which one of the birds is closest, and she tells him that Moltres is. As such, he sets his sights on it first. It doesn't take him too long to find Moltres, and about the same amount of time to capture it within a forcefield generated by metal rings. Lawrence remarks how easy the capture was, and that, once he has Zapdos and Articuno, he'll find his true prize. Viewers are then treated to a scene that should be familiar to anyone who's played Pokémon Silver; Lugia swimming through the ocean.
*Power Of One count: 2(Lugia vocalizes it.).*
Another epic title sequence shows us the movie's alternate name: The Power Of One.
*Power Of One count: 3(a short, rock version is played during the title sequence.).*
With that out of the way, and now that the viewers know what they're watching, it cuts to a boat in the middle of the ocean, while the narrator points out what a beautiful day it is. We see that the main characters, including the captain, Maren, are on the boat. In particular, Pikachu is perched on a thin ledge, scowling. I guess, since he's an Electric type, they're using him to check for storms. That's actually pretty clever and funny at the same time.
So, as an excuse to show off their current teams, our heroes decide to let their Pokémon out to enjoy the beautiful day. We're treated to scenes of them playing around, set to a remix of the Season 2 theme song, "Pokemon World." Soon after that, the storm that I'm guessing they had Pikachu on the lookout for hits. The trainers recall their Pokémon, except for Ash's Pikachu, Misty's Togepi, and Tracey's Marill. Pikachu is left hanging onto the barrier on the bow of the boat.
*Power Of One count: 5(Lugia vocalizes it, then it's played as background music.).*
The storm, which disappeared as soon as it started, has nevertheless thrown our heroes off course; they're now headed toward Shamouti Island. The storm has also thrown Team Rocket around in their Mecha-Magikarp. One fourth wall break("An island!" "In a storm!" "I've seen this movie!"), and one McDonalds reference("We're about to be..." "Filet 'O Fish?"), later, they crash into a rock.
We are now shown what's going on back in Ash's hometown of Pallet Town. Ash's mom(whose name is first revealed in this movie to be "Delia.") is tending to her garden, while her Mr. Mime sweeps up. Professor Oak shows up to check on things, and he likes what he sees. He and Delia both comment on the nice weather, but, as if on cue, the weather turns nasty. It rains, then starts snowing. The viewers are treated to a beautiful aurora as a flock of Pidgey takes to the sky. All at once, the sky clears up. Oak(after almost being carried away by a huge group of Diglett.) points out that Pokémon are more in tune with nature than humans are, and the fact that the Pokémon are acting strange is a very bad sign.
We see that our heroes have made it, more or less unharmed, to Shamouti Island. Unfortunately, they're ambushed by a group of people dressed in bird costumes. Our heroes find out that Shamouti Island is currently host to a festival, and that a young girl named Melody is going to be the festival maiden. As for the role of the Chosen One, guess who takes that. You won't figure it out, but guess! It's Ash! Shocker; I know. Melody overhears that Ash is the Chosen One, and she gives him a "traditional welcome kiss." That pisses off Misty, which gets Melody's attention. She guesses that Misty is Ash's sister, and, after Misty refutes that claim, she guesses that she's Ash's girlfriend. Misty shoots down that possibility, as well, but Melody is intent on pissing her off even more. She says that there is a banquet that she'll be performing at, then tells Misty(calling her by name, even though Ash's friends hadn't introduced themselves yet.) not to get jealous.
Ash and his friends are led up some stairs, while surprisingly ominous music plays. Pikachu doesn't look too happy, but that's nothing out of the ordinary; he barely smiles at all throughout the entire movie. Anyway, the next minute or so that follows shows a big festival being held. After that, though, the festival isn't mentioned again, and we cut to the aforementioned banquet, and get to hear the end of what I'm sure was an adult joke("...and she says 'no, but I have Krabbys!'"). Misty is still mad at Melody, and takes her anger out on a piece of fried chicken. Ash, however, is more interested in what being "the Chosen One" entails.
*Power Of One count: 6(Melody plays it on her weird instrument.).*
Suddenly, all eyes are on Melody, as she plays a song while doing a weird jerky dance. She runs up to Ash and recites what I assume is another part of the prophecy from before.
"From the trio of islands, ancient spheres shall you take, for, between life and death, all the difference you'll make. O, Chosen One, you must climb to the shrine to make right what is wrong, and the world will be healed by the guardian's song!"
Ash doesn't quite understand, so Melody(using nearby fruit as props.) puts it in layman's terms for him.
*Power Of One count: 7(Melody plays it for a second or 2.).*
Now that Ash understands what he has to do, he wants to do it right away. Melody says he should stay for the party, but he's having none of it. Maren admires his enthusiasm, and offers to take him to the islands in her boat. Ash invites Misty, but she angrily declines. Then, completely unprovoked, Pikachu decides to be a dick and take Ash's treasured hat. Apparently, they made it to the boat, though, because the very next scene involves Team Rocket almost getting run over by it. Then, suddenly, it starts pouring rain again. We cut to the Slowking from earlier, reciting part of the "disturb not the harmony" part of the prophecy, before pointing out the sorry state of things, with a voice that wouldn't be out of place in an Emergency Alert System message. For those of you in the UK, who don't know what the Emergency Alert System is, I envy you. Slowking's voice in this part, and Lugia's speaking voice later, creep me out for reasons you luckily don't understand.
Back at the banquet, Melody decides that she's going to go after Ash, considering he's caught in the storm because of what Melody thinks is just a silly legend to entertain tourists. Misty and Tracey tag along, resulting in another back and forth between Melody and Misty, which, apparently, distracts them well enough for Team Rocket to stow away on their boat undetected.
Meanwhile, Lawrence III, in his floating fortress, points out a disturbance in the force, so to speak. Siri tells him that Zapdos is nearby, so he sets off in search of it. Now, we're shown a weather report that's being viewed by people on the island, as well as back in Pallet Town. The odd weather, though centered in the Orange Islands, is global. It seems to be caused by an underwater river. Delia, knowing that Ash is in the Orange Islands, is understandably worried. Then, we get to see another example of Pokémon technology; Professor Oak gets a call on Skype.
The call is from Professor Philena Ivy, a character exclusive to the Orange Islands arc. She confirms what Oak had already told Delia much earlier; the Pokémon are acting strange. We see a cameo appearance by Brock, as he runs back and forth, carrying Pokémon. Back on the boat, the storm is over for now, but that doesn't stop the waves from being treacherous. This results in the boat breaking it's rudder off on a rock, then getting washed ashore. At least the island they're stranded on is the one they were looking for. Pikachu runs off, because he's a dick, and Ash follows him.
Meanwhile, Melody is in hot pursuit of Ash, and she shows off some impressive boating skills. She assures Misty and Tracey that they don't need to worry, since she grew up around boats. Misty points out that she wasn't scared, anyway, since she's a Water type Gym Leader. Suddenly, the boat almost gets swallowed up by a huge wave. They avoid that, just in time for another huge wave to throw the boat into the air, and send Team Rocket flying. We see the interior of Maren's boat as Maren is about to have some coffee. Unfortunately, another wave crashes into the boat, causing Maren to spill the coffee. That's gotta hurt!
Melody's boat has landed on a giant rock, but everyone seems to be okay, although Maren's boat is wrecked. Suddenly, though, Melody's boat starts falling. Melody, however, reveals the sail of the boat and uses it to make the boat fly, taking advantage of the strong wind. Another back and forth between Melody and Misty later, and we get to see Lawrence III again. He pretends to feel sorry for Moltres, since it's all alone, but, when Siri tells him that Zapdos is near Fire Island, it becomes clear that Moltres won't be lonely for long.
Meanwhile, Pikachu has led Ash to the first of the 3 shrines he has to go to to get the spheres. Ash grabs the fire sphere, but has a fourth-wall breaking run-in with Team Rocket("...and make it double; we're on the big screen!" "I'll have to catch this on video!"). And cue the Deus Ex Machina; Melody's "flying" boat shows up and almost crushes them.
Melody scolds Ash for not staying at the party, but, when Misty butts in, Melody decides to piss her off by assuming she and Ash will get married. Team Rocket warns Misty about the dangers of romance just in time for Zapdos to come flying in and put on a kickass light show. Pikachu sees this giant bird of death, and decides to do the only rational thing: attack it! Or, at least, that's what it looks like. Meowth points out that Pikachu is actually trying to talk to Zapdos through those shocks, and even translates what Pikachu's saying; he wants to know why Zapdos is on Fire Island, and what happened to Moltres. Zapdos shocks him back, which Meowth also translates. Zapdos is taking Fire Island for itself, now that Moltres is gone.
With that, Zapdos goes apeshit and tries to shock everyone, but the electricity gets drawn upward by an unseen force. Well, unseen until it floats into view.
*Power Of One count: 8(background music.).*
Lawrence III is sucking up Zapdos' electricity with his fortress, which weakens it enough for him to capture it with the same method he used for Moltres. This time, though, he accidentally, and unknowingly, captures Melody's boat, and everyone on it, as well! Lawrence III remarks that all he needs now is Articuno. Then, we see another Pokémon Silver-esque scene.
*Power Of One count: 10(Lugia vocalizes it, then it's played as background music.).*
Lawrence III is alerted by Siri that the fortress picked up something extra when they were capturing Zapdos, so he goes to check on things. The chair he's sitting on happens to be on a platform that can rise and fall, so he reaches the holding area right after Melody reads the first part of the prophecy from earlier. He brags about his collection, which causes Misty to tell him off, calling him a bad trainer. Lawrence III, however, corrects her, saying he's just a collector. Apparently, he started with a Mew card. Just then, Siri tells him that Articuno is changing course, so he leaves to go after it. And now, we get to see the lovely Articuno screwing around, before the movie cuts to another news report.
This time, the news crew is flying in a helicopter, and they brought Oak, Ivy, and, for some reason, Delia, with them. Pokémon everywhere are trying to get to the Orange Islands, to try to stop whatever's going on. Oak explains that disturbances in the islands of fire, ice, and lightning are responsible for the crazy weather. Then, Ivy explains that the Pokémon are flocking to the islands because they want to correct the disturbances. Delia just wants to see Ash again. Then, we see Slowking, sad because he doesn't have pants. Um,... Alright?
Well, the blizzard ends as soon as it began, but we get to see more Articuno action, so that's cool. Back in the fortress, Melody rereads the same part of the prophecy she read before. James worries that he'll die, but Meowth assures him that he'll be fine, since only intelligent life will be destroyed. First thing's first, though; Moltres and Zapdos have to be freed.
Meanwhile, Lawrence III has his eyes on Articuno, and shows his desire for it by firing missiles at it! If he's a collector, shouldn't he be trying to capture the Pokémon he's collecting without hurting them, so they're more valuable? I still have my Fluttershy figure, and my posters(1 of which is an authentic Japanese movie poster for this movie.) from Comic-Con, in their box/bag. The less you handle them, the more they're worth. Anyway, it doesn't really matter, since Articuno dodges the missiles. We're treated with another quick Pokémon Silver-esque scene.
*Power Of One count: 11(background music. You have to listen carefully to hear it.).*
Back in the fortress, our heroes, and Team Rocket, try to free the birds by attacking the cages they're in. It doesn't work at first, but, when 4 Pokemon attack together, they break Moltres' cage. Moltres single-handedly breaks Zapdos' with Flamethrower, allowing them both to escape. Not exactly grateful, they both fly around, attacking each other, and they nearly destroy the fortress in the process. The damage they cause forces the fortress to crash land on Lightning Island. Everyone seems to be alright, but the shrine nearby is destroyed, causing the Lightning sphere to roll right up to Ash.
While our heroes, and Team Rocket, manage to get in Melody's boat, the birds keep on fighting, punctuated by a brief scene of an underwater tornado. Their fighting actually breaks part of the island, causing the boat, and everyone on it, to get swept away by a strong current. They prepare for a nasty fall, only to be saved by a waterspout.
*Power Of One count: 12(Lugia vocalizes it.).*
Team Rocket takes what I assume is the only life raft, but it doesn't really matter; soon, the boat ends up at another island. This one appears to be populated by the Slowking, who tells Ash to put the treasures in the 3 slots up ahead. Ash obeys, but soon finds that he's missing a sphere; the Ice sphere.
The birds are still fighting, so Ash runs up and tells them to stop. It, of course, doesn't work, but their fighting is interrupted anyway by the waterspout from before, which dissipates to reveal Lugia. Everyone gawks at it, and rightfully so, considering it's a Generation II Legendary Pokémon.
*Power Of One count: 13(Lugia vocalizes it.).*
Lugia's singing is familiar to Melody; she pulls out her ocarina-looking thing from the banquet, and realizes that the song she played on it was actually Lugia's song. Meanwhile, Lawrence III, surprisingly unharmed, now has Lugia in his sights!
The fighting continues, but Lugia is participating now, too, which makes for an epic battle. After a while, Melody recites the "water's great guardian" part of the prophecy, and Slowking points out the obvious("This looks bad!"). More fighting! Lugia puts up a good fight, but he can't keep up with 3 enemies at once, and gets shot out of the sky.
*Power Of One count: 14(background music.).*
With Lugia out of the way, the other 3 birds keep fighting, while Ash and the others look on in horror. The news crew helicopter flies in, and we see that Delia needs to rethink her priorities; she's more worried about Ash than she is about the fate of the world. Suddenly, the Pokémon that were trying to reach the islands finally arrive.
Everyone realizes that Ash is the actual Chosen One, but Ash isn't too keen on the idea of saving the world, even wishing his name was "Bob," so the prophecy wouldn't mention him. Melody remembers the similarity between her song and Lugia's song, so...
*Power Of One count: 15(Melody plays it.).*
Somehow, the song heals Lugia, so he chooses to talk directly to our heroes, and Team Rocket, in one of the creepiest, and most surprising, voices I've ever heard. He explains that, in order to stop the fighting, the 3 spheres have to be put in the slots, but that only Ash can do it, because he's the only one who can make the spheres glow. He says that Ash doesn't have to do it if he doesn't want to, and Ash is, understandably, hesitant. But, then, a miracle happens. Pikachu smiles! He gives him an unintelligible pep talk, along with Ash's other Pokémon, who emerge from their Pokéballs. Moved by the pep talk, Ash decides to finish the quest. This admittedly powerful moment is cut short in the very next scene, in which Ash makes a joke while trudging through the snow("Right now, I feel more like The Frozen One!").
After face-planting, Ash wonders if the prophecy was wrong. When Pikachu points out a wrecked boat nearby, though, Ash gets an idea. We cut to his Pokémon towing the wreckage, with Ash on it, at breakneck speed, while Lugia follows closely. Back with the others, Team Rocket laments that they're unimportant. Meowth says that they could be heroes if they were given a chance. Well, they get their chance; the news helicopter crashes(luckily not hurting anyone.) right next to them, which gives them an idea.
Back to Ash, his Pokémon, and Lugia again, they get attack by the other birds, but do a good job of fighting them off, at least until the birds destroy the "boat." Just as all hope seems lost, Ash is rescued by Team Rocket, of all people, who appear to have used some of the helicopter parts, along with the life raft from before, to make a motorboat. They soon reveal that their motives aren't exactly pure, though; there wouldn't be anyone left to rob if the world were to be destroyed. They get attacked again, but Lugia fights the attackers off. After going through a long tunnel(on a makeshift motorboat, no less.), they arrive at the shrine, where Ash takes the Ice sphere.
They try to escape, but get stopped by the birds; Lugia can't save them this time. In fact, their boat is destroyed. Then, Articuno is felled when the other 2 birds gang up on it. Ash and Team Rocket manage to escape, and Ash shows Lugia the Ice sphere.
*Power Of One count: 16(background music.).*
Lugia allows Ash(and, accidentally, Team Rocket, who grab his tail.) to ride on him back to the island where Ash has to take the spheres. Unfortunately, Lugia gets attacked by the other birds(sans Articuno.), and, with Team Rocket holding onto his tail, he can't dodge as well as he could before. After a totally random Weight Watchers reference("We should try Weight Watchers!" "It's too late for that!" "I heard it's never too late if you really stick to the program!"), Team Rocket lets go, sacrificing themselves for the greater good. However, they survive the fall, plunging underwater and surfacing near a huge group of Pokémon.
Lugia explains to Ash that the Pokémon have gathered because they want to help, but that Ash is the only one who can fix what's happening.
*Power Of One count: 17(background music.).*
Melody and Misty start worrying, but it's not needed, because Ash waves at them. Suddenly, though, Lawrence III's capture rings(that's what I'm calling them.) shoot from the fortress, straight towards Lugia.
*Power Of One count: 18(background music; you have to listen carefully.).*
The capture rings surround Ash, Pikachu, and Lugia. Lugia won't go down without a fight, though. He fires 2 Hyper Beams, the first of which destroys the fortress. Unfortunately, Lugia has used the last of his energy; he plunges into the icy sea, defeated, taking Ash and Pikachu down with him. Ash and Pikachu surface, but Ash is unconscious. Lugia admits his failure. Even the Pokémon that traveled all that way know things are grim.
Melody tries to give her ocarina thing to Misty, but she won't take it. Instead, she sets out to find Ash, which doesn't take her very long at all. Once she finds him, she brings him back to the island where, rather than give him CPR, she shakes him! Somehow, it works, but - and this is coming from someone with quite a bit of medical knowledge - I wouldn't recommend it. Not just because it's stupid, but because, if the victim has a head, neck, or back injury, you're likely to make it worse.
Anyway, Ash shambles over and puts the Ice sphere in the last slot. This makes pretty lights come out of all 3 spheres. It also causes shining green water(ew.) to pour out into markings on the ground, and it causes the stone pillars around everyone to crystallize. Melody wastes no time in playing her song. By the way, we have just reached the climax of the movie.
*Power Of One count: 21(Melody plays it, then background music takes over, then Melody finishes it.).*
Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, tamed by the song, fly around happily. That finally brings an end to the crazy weather that plagued the world. Grateful, Lugia emerges, his power restored by the song, and offers Ash and Pikachu a ride.
With the song finished, Melody drops to her knees. Some islanders look outside, stunned, and a news report tells us what we already know; the bad weather is over.
Back with the main characters, Lugia congratulates Ash, saying that the fate of the world couldn't have been in better hands. With that, he returns to the sea, and, unfortunately for Ash, his mother and Professor Oak catch up to them. Delia's first instinct is to bitch Ash out, but, then, she admits that she worries about him all the time. Ash placates her by saying that he'll try to stay close to home(LIAR!!). Oak runs off, excited to tell other researchers about the recent events. Then, we cut to Lawrence III, picking up his Mew card out of the wreckage of his fortress. He hasn't given up his hobby, and he's going to start over with the card that started it all.
The final pre-credits scene is of Team Rocket, happy that they did they did the right thing, but sad that nobody saw them do it. Slowking breaks the fourth wall by telling them that lots of people saw it, and that they're still watching. With that knowledge, Team Rocket ends the movie by talking about starting their own team.
*Power Of One count: 22(it plays during the credits, complete with vocals.).*
And, with that, we've reached the credits! Like they are in a lot of the Pokémon movies, the credits in this one aren't too special, serving mostly as a way to get extra songs in at the last minute. Donna Summer is good, but, by the time you've reached the credits, you're probably sick of the song she contributed, and the addition of vocals probably won't do too much to change that. The fact that they got Weird Al Yankovic to do a song is cool, but it seems out of place, considering the song that precedes it, and the song that comes after it, are both ballads. Not exactly what Weird Al Yankovic is known for. As for the final song, Flying Without Wings, it's amazing, and I wish they had played more of it.
And that's it for The Power Of One! A good movie that could've used song variety. In case you lost count, they used the same song 22 times! I'll talk more about it later, but, for now, let's move on to Pikachu's Rescue Adventure, the mini-movie that comes with it.
It starts with Ash, Misty, and Tracey deciding to take a break, so they let their Pokémon do the same. Unfortunately, Togepi apparently has ADHD, because it goes running after a swarm of Ledyba while the other Pokémon are asleep. Togepi loses its balance and tumbles down a hill, waking up the other Pokémon in the process. Further down the the hill, Togepi smacks into Meowth, who was just walking around. This sends them both tumbling until they fall down a hole. The other Pokémon reach the hole, and seem to be wondering what to do. Well, Psyduck, bringing up the rear, answers that for them, running into them and sending them all down the hole.
While they fall, and for a little while afterwards, the viewers are treated to a song. Coming To The Rescue by O-Town. It's a generic boy band sort of song, but it's still pretty good. A swarm of Ledyba, presumably the same one from before, drops our heroes(using that term loosely.) off at a big tree. An Elekid shows up, and Squirtle dons his Squirtle Squad sunglasses, trying to intimidate it. Pikachu steps in and stops him, though, instead opting to do what I assume is an Electric type equivalent of a secret handshake. Luckily, It works. Suddenly, a whole bunch of Pokémon pop up to greet the newcomers. After a short scene in which we see that Meowth is hanging from a branch overlooking a river, Pikachu explains to Elekid that they're looking for Togepi. It just so happens that Elekid knows where Togepi is, and he's willing to take the main characters there. We see more Pokémon, and, when the journey involves crossing a large vine, we see that, despite acting tough earlier, Squirtle is a pussy. Can't say I'd be too different.
Anyway, Elekid takes them to an Exeggcute nest. Lo and behold, there's Togepi! Unfortunately, the Exeggcute won't let Togepi go, because they think it's one of them. Exeggcute live in groups of 6, but this one only has 5; one of them is missing.
We see some more Pokémon as the main characters end up in a beautiful meadow. I assume that Elekid led them there. As it turns out, they're just in time for a show! 3 Bellossom pop out of the ground and start dancing. They're soon joined by more and more Pokémon, until it's like a dance crew(or troupe, if you prefer.)! Suddenly, Pikachu hears something, so he runs off to see what it is. He leads the other main characters into a cave, where they find a bunch of Clefairy. Pikachu realizes too late that they're using Metronome(picks a random attack and uses it.), which ends up turning into Explosion, sending the main characters flying into a tree with VERY springy leaves. In fact, it looks like there are actual springs attaching the leaves to the tree!
Everyone has fun bouncing around, but, unfortunately, Pikachu and Elekid bounce too high, and land on Meowth, still hanging from the branch. They get flung off of the branch, and land on a Snorlax, who launches them into the river. They surface riding up the waterfall on a Gyarados. Meowth tries to kick Pikachu off of it, which doesn't end well. Pikachu uses Thundershock, causing the Gyarados to buck all 3 of them off. Pikachu and Elekid land back in the tree, but Meowth blasts off in classic Team Rocket style. As soon as Meowth disappears, the weather turns bad. Everyone hides at first, but, when they realize that the Exeggcute nests are in danger, it becomes a mad dash to protect them. The wind is ridiculously strong, but Snorlax seems to be able to take it, so he stands over the others to protect them. After a little while, though, Pikachu realizes that everyone is in serious danger, so he runs up to the top of the tree for one of the most badass scenes in all of Pokémon. Pikachu, later joined by Elekid, Thundershocks the lightning to keep it away from the tree! I shit you not! It actually works, for a little while. Eventually, a bolt of lightning slips past them, starting a fire. Marill and Squirtle quickly use Water Gun to put it out, though.
With the fire out, the problem once again becomes protecting the Exeggcute. The same strategy as before(using Snorlax.) works for a while, until he lets go of the chain of Pokémon to try to grab some fruit that's blowing by, sending them flying and forcing Pikachu to grab onto a bump on the branch WITH HIS TEETH!! Coming from someone who has 2 broken teeth, I can't watch that without cringing. Just as Pikachu loses his grip, it's Snorlax to the rescue again! Snorlax pulls the Pokémon, and the Exeggcute nest with Togepi in it, back down to safety. With that done, the weather miraculously goes back to normal, and we see a beautiful Dragonair flying around.
There's just one last problem. The missing Exeggcute still hasn't been found. However, a random Chansey comes dancing in to solve that problem; the Exeggcute was in her pouch the whole time! The Exeggcute bounce around happily, now that they're all together. It turns out, though, that they're bouncing around near a Leaf Stone, which causes it to evolve into an Exeggutor, and start dancing.
We cut to a cliff near a cave, where the main characters say their goodbyes to their new friends. Then, we see that Meowth is, more or less, alright. He landed in a river, which dumped him into a lake. He says he doesn't wanna go to camp anymore(he does, anyway, but not for 3 more mini-movies.). Finally, we rejoin the trainers, just as they wake up. They wonder where their Pokémon are, but they soon find out that their Pokémon are safe and sound, playing in a lake(likely a different one than Meowth ended up in.). Tracey remarks that they must have been playing the whole time. The Pokémon end the mini-movie by jumping out of the water, which is shown as a still frame that fades into what looks like a drawing of the same scene.
And that's Pikachu's Rescue Adventure! In contrast to the movie it's shown alongside, it's much more light-hearted and cute, which are important qualities for those things. Now, I suppose you'd like to know my thoughts on this movie. Well, I'm not one to disappoint! Here we go!
Well, like I said at the beginning, I hope you like Donna Summer, or, at least, like hearing the same song over and over. This movie likes to beat that song into your head.It also likes to do the same thing with the prophecy. Not to mention that Pikachu is a total sourpuss; he only smiles twice throughout the entire movie! With that said, though, do I think that this is a good movie? Yes, I do.
The Power Of One boasts a fairly deep story, epic fights, and a star-studded soundtrack. In fact, to my knowledge, it was the last Pokémon movie to have a soundtrack that didn't consist completely, or mostly, of songs from the actual movie. That being said, though, 22 times is a bit much to play one song. Maybe, they were trying to brag about the fact that they got Donna Summer for the soundtrack. The first movie had songs by Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, The Spice Girls, Aaron Carter, and a few others, though, so that probably isn't the reason. Oh, well.
Like the first movie, this one is hard to find. I got my copy from my cousin for my 20th birthday. If you can find it for a good price, I'd recommend picking it up. It's a bit of a slog at almost 2 hours long, but there's enough to keep the viewer occupied. All in all, a fitting send-off for Generation 1.5. That's right; I said "send-off."
Generation 1.5 didn't end with this movie; it ended after Ash competed in the Orange League. This was, however, the final movie before Generation II. Before I leave you, I should mention that this movie is popular with Pokéshippers. Pokéshippers are people who depict Ash and Misty in a relationship in fanart and fanfiction. However much Misty tries to hide it, it's clear she has feelings for Ash. I'm not saying they should be a couple, but there's clearly something there.
Well, that's it for my synopsis and review of The Power Of One and Pikachu's Rescue Adventure! Join me next time when I enter familiar, and beloved, territory by reviewing my favorite Pokémon movie; Spell Of The Unown, the first movie from my favorite Generation of Pokémon: Generation II! Will the movie starring Pokémon that look like letters spell victory over the last 2 movies? Find out next time! ArdillaVerde93, signing off! Gotta Catch 'Em All!
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By ArdillaVerde93
Game: Heavy Rain.
Platform: PS3 exclusive.
ArdillaVerde93's tagline:
This... is... JAAAAAAAASOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!
"I love using motion controls for these Quick Time Events!" Before the game I'm gonna be talking about came out, saying that would've probably earned you a sound ass-kicking. Quick Time Events are cutscenes that require the player to perform certain button presses and/or movements in order to progress. Failure usually results in damage, or even death, to the player's character. Because of the usual suddenness of their appearance, which catches players, who put the controller down to watch what they think is a normal cutscene, off guard, they're commonly hated. So, what did developer Quantic Dream do? They made a game out of the parts of other games that people hate! That ballsy move is what brought us what turned out to be one of my favorite games. I speak, of course, of Heavy Rain.
Heavy Rain is certainly an odd breed of game. As I said before, the gameplay is composed almost entirely of Quick Time Events, which can take some time to get used to. Once you've got the hang of it, though, it's quite innovative. At times, it can be a bit confusing, though, mainly during "The Bear," if you're looking for the "Kamikaze" Trophy. Not to mention, it'll twist your fingers into pretzels, mainly during "The Butterfly." If it becomes problematic, though, you can change the difficulty, so it's a non-issue. So, that's the controls out of the way.
Heavy Rain stars 4 otherwise unconnected people, on the hunt for a killer, who, save for their alias, is unknown. The killer is simply known as "the Origami Killer," due to their victims being found with an origami figure. Each of the 4 characters has a storyline, and their own reasons for wanting to find this killer. Ethan Mars is an architect whose son was taken by the Origami Killer. Madison Paige is a journalist in search of the truth. Norman Jayden is an FBI agent who was assigned to the case. Finally, Scott Shelby is a private investigator who works with the families of the killer's victims. 4 characters doesn't mean 4 separate playthroughs, though; you play as all 4 at different points throughout the game. That doesn't mean that every playthrough is the same, though; not by a long shot. Throughout the game, you are faced with options. Your decisions actually have an impact on the game. Examples include...
*Do you kill that man, or pistol whip him into unconsciousness and pretend you did?
*Do you try reasoning with a religious maniac who thinks your friend is the son of Satan, or shoot him?
Even the way you talk to people can make a difference in this game. It's that kind of innovation that immerses you in the game. Rather than feeling like you're playing a game, you feel like you're actually a part of it! Every choice you make could be the difference between life and death, sometimes literally. I can't explain too much of the storyline without spoilers, so I'll talk about the other aspects of the game.
You probably know this already, but PS3 games are on Blu-Ray discs(which justified the PS3's ridiculously high price of around $500 at release, as Blu-Ray was, at the time, a new, and expensive, technology. For anyone who wants to know, mine, which I got a couple of years ago for Christmas, cost $120, but that was a Black Friday deal.), so they can hold inordinate amounts of data. Later games, such as Tekken Tag Tournament 2, and even some early games, like LittleBigPlanet, show that off quite well. Lush, striking graphics, immersive sound, and a wealth of content are all fairly commonplace on the polished black powerhouse. As for Heavy Rain? Well, you can certainly tell it's a next-gen game. The graphics are nice for an early PS3 game, and the soundtrack is absolutely breathtaking, and chilling at times. As far as content goes, there are several different endings to reward players for choosing different options, but, other than that, you pretty much just get the equivalent of DVD bonus features(concept art, making of, and trailers.). There's no postgame, unfortunately, but there's not really a need for one, since, no matter what ending you get, everything is wrapped up pretty nicely, story-wise. That's also why there's no sequel. A movie was in the works, but, as far as I know, it was scrapped. Basically, despite its innovations, Heavy Rain isn't flawless. You have to admit, though, making "Quick Time Event: The Game" was a risky move that, ironically, paid off pretty well. Even riskier was allowing the PlayStation Move controller(a set of 2 specialized motion controllers, used alongside a USB camera.) to be used, which, by the way, is a perfectly viable option. There were only a couple of times(such as the flashback level with young Scott, for example.) when I thought "this isn't working; if I wanna do this right, I'll have to switch to my DualShock 3(the standard controller that came with my system.)." Taking risks isn't something you see too often in this age of Call Of Duty and Grand Theft Auto, but Heavy Rain pulled it off with aplomb. By the way, I realize I'm a hypocrite for calling out COD and GTA for being repetitive, considering I'm obsessed with Pokémon, and I just spent a good portion of last night immersed in Saints Row: The Third. It's still a valid argument, though.
Anyway, I'm quickly running out things to say here, so let's get to my rating. I give Heavy Rain 4 out of 5. It's full of thrills and suspense to keep you going until you get all of the endings, but, unless you're going for Trophies, the thrills don't last long. Oh, and, by the way, my tagline for this review is based on a meme involving one of the first levels of the game. Look up "Heavy Rain Jason," or "Press X To Jason," and you'll see what I mean. Memes aside, Heavy Rain is proof that you don't have to join the crowd to make a good game. I apologize for throwing around the word "innovative," but, other than "awesome," that's one of the best words to use to describe Heavy Rain. If you have a PS3, give serious consideration to this game. Get the Director's Cut version, if you can find it; it's not too expensive, to my knowledge, and it comes with a voucher for the soundtrack, and another one for DLC.
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