Hulk #56 Review

The odds aren't looking too great for Red Hulk as the fourth chapter of  Mayan Rule opens. The majority of Alpha Flight and his gamma-powered allies have been drained by the rejuvenated Mayan gods, and only his robotic companions are left to aid Red Hulk in the fight. But when have the odds ever been in his favor?

Issue #56 offers less of an action-packed romp and more of a downbeat adventure that sheds more light on the nature and motivations of the gods. Some of this material seems a bit counterproductive. With so many religious and mythological pantheons co-existing in the Marvel Universe, why do the Mayan gods need a more logical, scientific explanation for being? Still, these revelations cast the conflict in a new light and should make for an interesting finale.

This approach also allows Machine Man to step up to the plate again, which is never a bad thing. Red Hulk is about as battered and weakened as he's ever been in this issue, and Parker takes the opportunity to reinforce just how much Ross has come to depend on both Aaron and Annie. What began as an ensemble storyline has become far more intimate and contained. But while it's disappointing that Alpha Flight have been relegated to the background, Parker is focusing on the character dynamics that have made the series such a blast from the beginning.

Dale Eaglesham's artwork isn't quite up to the quality established in the previous issues. Some of his framing is a little odd, with characters seeming to fade out of focus and into the background. On the plus side, the lengthy flashback to the origins of the gods allows Eaglesham to branch out and tackle some more unusual, non-super-heroic imagery. Hopefully Eaglesham will be back in top form for the finale issue.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and IGN Movies. He can't wait until he's old enough to feel ways about stuff. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Microsoft Flight and Project Columbia Cancelled

Microsoft has ceased development of its free-to-play flight simulator Microsoft Flight. It has also scrapped Project Columbia, an unannounced Kinect game.

Both games were being developed at Microsoft's Vancouver studio. Last night, as noticed by Kotaku, employees took to social media to report on the cancellation of both games and highlight the redundancies facing its staff.

Despite initial reports that Microsoft had closed the entire studio, Microsoft has confirmed that the studio will remain open but will operate at a reduced capacity.

Speaking to Gamespot, a Microsoft spokesperson said, Microsoft Studios has decided to end development on Microsoft Flight and Project Columbia. As a result of this action, some positions within the development teams have been eliminated. Microsoft human resources is working with the affected individuals to find new roles within the company."

"Microsoft Studios is invested in British Columbia and still has several teams, both in Vancouver and Victoria, which will continue to produce the best entertainment and gaming experiences possible."

This is the latest setback for the games industry in Vancouver, with Capcom making redundancies at its studio in recent weeks and Rockstar relocating to Toronto.

Daniel is IGN's UK Games Writer. You can be part of the world's worst cult by following him on IGN and Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com