Cowa-Sequential

With the release of the Playstation 4, Xbox One, and Wii U, a new console generation has once again begun. However this post goes back to a game from the Playstation 2/ Xbox generation over ten years ago. Viewtiful Joe was a Gamecube and later PS2 game that was developed by Clover Studios and Capcom as part of a multi game agreement between Nintendo and Capcom. These  games ranged from the acclaimed Resident Evil 4 to the bizarre Killer 7 and the forgotten PN03. Viewtiful Joe eventually spun off into three sequels not including appearances in the Marvel vs. Capcom franchise. Clover Studios was one of my favorite developers (Godhand, Okami) and they eventually spun off into Platinum Games. Viewtiful Joe is a platformer beat-em up that stars movie buff Joe who goes into Movie World to save his girlfriend Silvia. Using a fancy VFX watch and advice from his idol Captain Blue, Joe can transform into Viewtiful Joe obtaining the power to control the flow of time and other fantastical ab...

The National Football League's NFC East division has a long and storied history.  Every year the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, and Dallas Cowboys compete for the division crown in hopes of going the distance and winning a Super Bowl Championship. This season has been a transition year  for all of these teams. The Eagles are having a surprising season helmed by new coach Chip Kelly and 2nd year Quarterback Nick Foles while the Redskins are following up their 2012 Division with an abysmal 3 win year and internal division. The Cowboys are one game behind from the Eagles in the division but many question the team's ability to win with their backs against the wall. The Giants have struggled as well, starting their season with six straight losses. Their 2 time Super Bowl MVP QB Eli Manning has proven to be a turnover machine. Among all the teams, defense is currently something that is being left out in the cold. So where does that leave us? As a Philad...

The year was 2004 and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy was released in theaters. Starring Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Steven Carrell, and others it became a hit  that launched a thousand memes, jokes, and T-shirts.  It seems likes it was just yesterday when the original comedy shows local Anchor and lovable jerk Ron Burgundy broadcasting the news at sunny shores of 1970s San Diego rising, falling, finding love, and eventually becoming  slightly less of a lovable jerk. Now nine years later, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues hit theaters among lots of hype, excitement, and car commercials. Was it as hilarious as the original or did it collapse amongst years of hype and unrealistic expectations? The story starts out with lovable idiot Ron being fired from his job due his on-air antics and his wife Veronica Corningstone being promoted to lead anchor. He then leaves his wife and son to become an alcoholic announcer at SeaWorld.  Following a suicide attempt, ...

Growing up, I've had several video game systems including the Gameboy, NES, and Nintendo 64. However I would be remiss if I did not mention the Sega Genesis. The year was 199X (specific year I can't recall) and my brother and I made the jump from 8 bit to 16 bit. At the time this blew our minds. We played games such as Road Rash, Mortal Kombat, and several excellent licensed games based on Batman, Disney, ect. However I can clearly say that one of my favorite titles was Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Compared to the more primitive 8 bit era and its immediate predecessor Sonic 2  possessed certain qualities which made it not only the most successful game on the console but one of my favorite of all time. Sonic 2 was bigger, faster, and better designed than Sonic 1. From Emerald Hill and Chemical Plant to Oil Ocean and Sky Fortress, the game had amazing variety and design and also giving Sonic his trademark SpinDash. (This excludes the death pit in the Mystic Cave level). Giving the abi...

A few months ago the United States was on the brink of intervening in the Syrian civil war due to the use of chemical weapons. Subsequently, a deal between Russia and Syria's Assad regime, the weapons were turned over and hopefully disposed of. Regardless of the outcome, the war itself has largely disappeared from the headlines and public memory. The following is a letter that I wrote to US Senator Robert Menendez regarding my opinion as events unfolded. Senator Menendez, My name is Matthew Cowans and I am a resident of New Jersey who is very concerned about the direction of the United States’ recent foreign policy. I strongly believe that military action is the wrong reaction to the Syrian civil war.  What is the current urgency of this action? The Syrian civil war has been fought in the streets of Damascus and the suburbs of Alleppo for over thirty months yet prior to the chemical weapon attacks, there was no march to war or call to action. Syria possessing chemical weapon...

Batman is the world's most famous superhero. While Superman may be older and more iconic he does not have the billion dollar movies franchises, critically acclaimed  video games or legendary storylines that the Dark Knight possesses. My knowledge of Batman began like most people of my generation through Batman the Animated Series which debuted in 1992 and older Superfriends reruns. While the Tim Burton films were definitely an influence, (ignoring the punishing Batman& Robin) the Animated Series Batman voiced by Kevin Conroy is how I view Batman. The fact that he voiced Batman in the Arkham series along with Mark Hamil's Joker is further proof of his longevity and popularity. All in all DC animated Batman had an outstanding run from Batman Animated to Justice League Unlimited. Batman is a mass media icon whose reach is nearly infinite.  The other version of the Dark Knight comes from the pages of  Detective Comics, introduced along with Robin the Boy Wonder over seven...

I have been a Nintendo fan since the Nintendo 64 days and have fond memories playing Super Mario Bros. and Tecmo Bowl in the NES days.  The late 1990s and 2000s were filled with games such as Super Mario 64, GoldenEye, Super Smash Bros. and the Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. I can't count the hours spent riding through the green fields of Hyrule, leaping into Mushroom Kingdom and finding the perfect Smash  with friends and family. From the Game Boy Pocket to the Nintendo DS. and from the NES to Wii, I've enjoyed them all (with exception to the SNES as I had a Genesis). One would expect that I would have purchased a 3DS or a Wii U however as of today I have neither. Did I stop loving the franchises that one enthralled me or am I losing interest in video games as a whole? Since its release in late 2012, the Wii U has struggled in the marketplace compared to its juggernaut predecessor. The original motion controlled Wii revolutionized the use of body movement in video games, tran...