Primal... Reviewed!

Thank you to Warner Bros for sending over a copy of this show for my review. My opinions are my own.

Primal is... interesting. No words, but there is a lot being said by way of yelling, growling, and action.

Story: The story revolves around a Spear and a Fang who unite through tragedy during the dawn of evolution. 

The way they unite is through battle, and their bond grows as they fight for survival in the primal world. I can't think of a moment where I lost interest, Primal has a really good pace to it. You get battle, which is enjoyable, but... you also get those comical moments (at least comical to me) where Spear and Fang were working out the kinks in terms of hunting.

It was funny to see the Spear doing his best to hunt for food, and the Fang snatched the prey from his clutches or... him getting upset because the dino was snoring loudly and he couldn't sleep.

The part that kept me glued to my seat was the combat, the dino-matic duo really got down and dirty in battle. They had all types of tactics they would put together in order to take down larger predators or a slew of predators. If you like animated action... I believe you'll appreciate the action in this show.

It wasn't all about kicking prehistoric butt and taking names on the walls of your local cave, you also had those moments where the Spear thought about the losses he's suffered. You also continue to see those bonding moments between the duo and even the intelligence of the Fang. There was a moment in the show where the Fang saw Spear's handprint in the sand and saw the dino put her paw print in the sand next to his. I don't know how smart dinosaurs were, but I don't think that would've occurred. Fact or fiction... it's probably one of the first times I've watched an entire season of a show without words in it.

Outside of survival and battle, I didn't really know where Spear & Fang (aka Team Badass) were going. It wasn't like there was some sort of safe zone they knew about, they were simply moving forward. That makes sense for the primitive pair but at the same time, there wasn't a mission objective outside of survival. 

They went from one scenario to the next fighting blood-thirsty dinos, huge bats, ape-men, a zombie-like menace, and more... until something changed the game. Progression to something more than survival as a rough and rugged Caveman and T-Rex completely expanded the world of Primal. That's where the show leaves off, but I look forward to season 2 because what season 1 left off with gave Spear hope (in my opinion)... as he took a step forward in evolution.


Visuals: Visuals for Primal look like they were ripped straight out of the pages of a concept art book. The lines are heavy, jagged, and rough, but at the same time... I like it. The art style isn't plain and almost reminds me of shows like... the Venture Bros (it works well for the show). You might say that it looks more like Samurai Jack, and that would make sense because the creator of that show is also behind... Primal.

The world is a bit on the dark side, but at the same time, the colors are vivid and eye-catching. You get a break from at times from the dark landscape during scenes like the one of a beach before all hell broke loose (in Rage of the Ape-Men).

The visuals are as brutal at times as they are cool, but at times the animations were rather... stiff. As the season dashed forward the stiff animations seemed to decrease, but they were still tucked in there for suspenseful moments.

Audio + Extras: Audio was quite enjoyable in my opinion and was delivered in DTS-HD 5.1 surround sound. They tried to mix it up via the sounds of nature, tribal drumbeats, and other background music... which worked out well (paired with roars, yelling, screeching, groans, and bumps + thumps). 

There are even times where you get complete silence that grabs your attention because you aren't sure what's about to happen next. I think you'll enjoy the sounds of Primal best via surround sound because you get a sense of how massive the threat is... and the music just sounds better as you encounter all the roars, yelling, screeching, bumps + thumps on Spear & Fans adventure.

No need to worry about it just being a bunch of noise either, they use the surround sound well. The Scent of Prey episode is a prime example, you might think something is running around your living room if you don't pay attention.

Extras include: 

Behind the Scenes: Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal

Price:  Pricewise... Primal comes in at $24.98 SRP on DVD & $29.99 SRP on Blu-ray. I enjoyed the experience, but the sweet spot would've been $19.99 on DVD & $24.99 on Blu-ray (unless they included a keychain of Spear riding on Fang's back or something). I have to give this show credit as far as runtime goes because each episode runs the length of your standard show (when you take out the commercial). Luckily you can save on DVD & Blu-ray... here!

Overall, this is an awesome show. I like the way Spear & Fang are brought together, and I love their team dynamic as they take on one threat after another as creatively rise to the occasion. The final episode is a clear leap in Spear's growth, but if you take a look, he and Fang actually grew throughout the season. You can't tell me that a dinosaur would normally know how to pull off combo moves with a caveman unless there was some sort of prehistoric WWE I wasn't aware of.

Story 5

Visuals 5

Audio + Extras 5

Price 4

4.75 out of 5 Cool Points

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Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time... Reviewed!

Before I dive into this review, I definitely have to give a shout out to the dev team for supplying a copy of the game for this review.

I have not played a videogame based on a movie, or a cartoon in a long... long... long time, so it's good to experience one that was a sheer joy to play (for the most part).

Story: The emperor's son... is back to take down the evil Aku! In Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time, you're brought up to speed where Jack is down for the count... compliments of his own girlfriend. Ashi's hands were tied by her father, Aku (the father-in-law you'd never want)... as he used her as a puppet against Jack.

Jack's love for Ashi, caused Aku to lose control and the Marty McFly of samurai was saved... which revealed that Ashi has inherited Aku's powers, including the ability to travel through time. The couple was able to escape through time... but Aku wasn't going to let things go that smoothly, as he sent a laser beam flying through the couple's little escape hatch. Instead of destroying them, Jack blocks the laser beam and was knocked back in time... or so it seemed. That's where your adventure begins.

Visuals: You know when the game is about to begin because you're introduced to the in-game version of Jack, which looks like a 3D version of the... 2D version. Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time, maintains the toon-ish look... but in a way that allows you to appreciate the cel-shaded art style. It looks like you're playing through the cartoon (for the most part).

The animations in the game make it even better because you aren't just making your way through a painful gameplay experience in order to reach the cutscenes, the in-game character animations are smooth.

Gameplay: Yes, the game has a toon-ish look... but don't underestimate the gameplay (we're still talking about Samurai Jack here). The game plays just as good as it looks, and if you look at the animations of Jack... the slashes and strikes are quite accurate.

Once you get a feel for Jack's movement and the weapons, you're able to become a more efficient fighter... there is no awkward movement getting in the way. You may be able to find success mindlessly pressing the attack buttons, but... there will be times where you have to utilize some form of strategy to succeed and... obtain the best score possible. By the way, the control scheme for the Keyboard + Mouse is solid... I was able to play the game without bailing out of frustration so that I could come back with the nearest controller.

Scores are based on the time you complete a level, the number of enemies defeated, whether or not you used items, and the number of times you continued.  

So there is replay value available in addition to depth... based on the skill tree, weapons + ranged weapons, items (which include prayer beads and their ability enhancements), jewelry, and more.

The skill tree has three different aspects: 

Spiritual Skills + Combat Skills + Physical Skills

Enemies are as tough as you want them to be, although they won't be a walk in the park (mainly the bosses) if you aren't playing on the easiest setting (that's a good thing). I recommend a higher difficulty setting for the warriors in the room. The beetle drones are the basic enemies, which can deliver a decent challenge, and it goes up from there... especially the boss fights.

I really like the way Samurai Jack loses clothing when his health gets low to represent that they were ripped in battle. When you're health is replenished, his clothing reappears.

Tip: Don't go full-on Rambo with your ranged weapon... because they can be depleted (until you get more) and that doesn't work when you need the ammo the most.

I would say save the ranged weapons for boss battles, but there were actually situations where it was needed most for targets firing at me from a distance.

One thing I didn't like (at times)... was the camera angle in side-scrolling areas. It went from 360 to a side view which would've been fine if you didn't have to deal with certain enemies that required you to face them and use a ranged weapon. I tried to attack enemies the way it was set up, but... it was a pain.

Another tip: During these situations, go back to the extent that gives you control of the camera and use your ranged weapon (if you have one) in order to take out these enemies so that they don't shoot you down when you're most... vulnerable.

Jack will travel to 9 different lands, which have a decent length to them but... despite the ability to make your way around a level and find hidden areas, the game is still quite linear. One reason I don't label this as a con is the fact that every game doesn't have to be open world, it just has to deliver a great gameplay experience + story and I believe that Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time does this. Open world can lose steam if you lose sight of why you're even playing the game, so I don't mind this game keeping me on track and locked in on the action. 

I say that to say the linear approach doesn't suck.

There are just as many bosses in this game as there are lower-level enemies types, but outside of Aku and the Giant Beetle Drones, I won't spill the beans as to who they are. Expect to see a lot of familiar faces in this game (duh of the day), this includes allies like Ashi, Sir Rothchild, Da Samurai (which reminds me of Sho'Nuff from "The Last Dragon"), the Scotsman, and more.

Price: Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time, comes in at a kickass price of... $39.99 and is available on all major platforms including the Nintendo Switch.

Overall, Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is an enjoyable game that delivers adventure, challenges, a decent amount of replay, and a story that delivers.

Story 5

Visuals 4

Gameplay 5

Price 5

4.75 out of 5 Cool Points

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First 30: Samurai Jack - Battle Through Time

Samurai jack: battle through time

Become Samurai Jack, the greatest warrior across time. Journey through time to finally stop Aku’s evil reign in this new adventure told by the creators of Samurai Jack.

Voiced by the original voice-actors, Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is an action platform game that spans across time and space, where your actions will determine a new legend!

An Untold Adventure That Ties Into the Epic Series Finale
Team up with trusted allies from the show to face off against familiar enemies.

Explore Worlds from the Award Winning Series
Visit classic worlds and moments from your favorite episodes. Travel to a dark future to free mankind. Dive into the past to face off against diabolical monsters. Seek your fate as you travel across space and time.

Create Your Own Legend
Equip and master over a dozen different weapons in combat.

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