Video Game Review - Shining in the Darkness (1991 - Sega Genesis)

Role-playing games weren't big in my neighborhood or in my school growing up. If they were, no one was about to tell another dude that they played a game and leveled up their main guy to level XX and got all the items and keys to... by now, the person listening would've stopped listening and you'd be labeled a geek/herb/nerd/oreo/sellout/inarticulate insult here. Times have changed and the average person will only be mildly interested in the tales of your fighting dragons and the usual love story built-in to an RPG. Some things have not changed in the march of time and remain in place to this day, namely the dungeon crawl.

The game Shining in the Darkness was not the first to do the dungeon crawl; It's only one of many. It does bear the distinction of being the first RPG in Sega's "Shining" Series, created by the SONIC team. The game was set up in a first-person format and sets the history for the meat of the "Shining" Series, Shining Force and its sequels. The stories of the "Shining" Series are always told in hindsight by a visible narrator, who manages your save file by REMEMBERING where they left off in telling the tale. For Shining in the Darkness, an old man tells us tales of long ago. In memoriam, we live the life of our main character and his course to defeat the evil eminating from a nearby tower. We are also introduced to other characters: your partners Pyra (a whip-wielding wizardess) and Milo (a cudgeling clergyman), and the requisite royals with the notable but goofy court wizard Melvin, who ends up possessed by the evil in the tower to become the arch-nemesis of the light, Dark Sol.

The game is alright, but the lack of free (read: diagonal) movement hinders it a lot. The weapons you can make are built of standard stuff, such as Mithril, and cursed ore known as Dark Matter. The Dark Matter
weapons are strong but have their consequences to using them. Which is why I try NOT to use them; make do with what you got. The magic is sub-par for the abilities of the Sega Genesis in those years, but they
can be forgiven. With only 3 characters(counting yourself) to fight with on a regular basis and the occasional helper, this game only serves as a history lesson as to who Dark Sol is and the history of the world of the
"Shining" Series.

Cordoba Chronicles IV: Chapter 4

It had been a week since Rashad started working for Jollum and the Black Spade Construction Company. The ad had been true to its word: long hours and good pay for it. Sometimes the days were too long, but at least he was paid for the longer days just the same. He was able to eat and pay the innkeeper of the Stonesthrow Inn for his room and board. While he was taking care of his business, he was making fast friends with his co-workers.

The sun beat down the shoulders of the construction workers as the sun rose higher in the sky. Rashad began to think of what he’d do tonight. He didn’t know if he was gonna go straight to sleep, eat dinner or what. He just wanted the day to be done with. While he helped Wyle hammer nails into the frame of the structure, the carpenter asked him “So, where you from?”

“A small town called Miniga, in North Cordoba. You?”

Wyle answered, “I’m from Rashomar City.”

“I’ve only been there,” Rashad remembered, “once.”

“Ah. I’ve never been to Miniga. What’s it like?”

“Well, we—“ Rashad started. He was stopped by what he saw just outside the gates of the work site. Inia was headed into Moira’s Loom House, dressed in an ankle-length dress with long sleeves. Her hair had been pulled back into a bun that rested on the back of her bronze neck. Her trademark blue cloak and gold clasp flared up as she hurried into the Loom House.

“Not a chance. Not in a million years,” Wyle said as he caught what Rashad was looking at.

“You mean Inia? What do you mean by that?”

“You’re looking at her again, Rashad. That’s the Benefactor’s niece. You can’t get next to that, and it’s not for a lack of the girl trying.”

“I know, man,” Rashad said and then added, “That’s how I GOT this job.”

“That’s really great,” Wyle said, “but don’t think just because you got this job on account of her AND the fact that she likes you is any reason to believe that you two will get together. Hand me some nails.”

“Just you wait, man,” Rashad said. He felt a mischievous spark rising in his heart, a spark he hadn’t experienced since he was a kid. “I’m so in there, I’m gonna—“

“Wyle! Rashad!” came Jollum’s yell across the construction yard. “You two working or what?”

Both answered “Yes, sir”. Wyle turned to Rashad and said in a low voice, “Told you to hand me some nails, man! Gimme those…” The carpenter snatched the nails from Rashad and said, “We can take as long as we want on this project, so long as we work. So we can work and talk, man.”

Rashad nodded and Wyle continued, “So, what’s up with you tonight?"

“I don’t know, man. Sleep or something, you know.”

“Me and the guys are headed to Egress Bar tonight,” Wyle said. “You’re welcome to join us for a night of wine and women, man. Love to have you.”

Egress Bar, Rashad thought. Probably don’t have enough money—oh, wait, these people barter, they have no damned money—so he said, “How are we gonna pay for that stuff?”

“Don’t worry about it, man. Jollum’s got us covered.”

“The foreman?” Rashad asked. “What’s he got to do with Egress Bar?”

“GUYS!” Jollum yelled across the yard. “WORK!!!”

“Okay,” they yelled back and Wyle said, “At quitting time, we’re all headed for the Egress Bar.”

Rashad nodded in understanding and went to go help Barcrab with his loads. As he walked over to the Enigman, he couldn’t help but ask himself how they were gonna pay the barkeeper.

He could easily see the items in his hand in the fading rays of the sun, its form barreling down the southern sky to return the next day. What Rashad couldn’t see was the purpose of these hard chocolate candies would serve tonight in the Egress Bar. “Women love candy” Wyle explained. “We’ve got lots of that, so we’re good for the night, baby!”

The four construction workers Cyan, Rashad, Wyle and Barcrab the Enigman made their way to the Egress Bar. The structure was lit up with strange lights and didn’t seem very inviting. The big dude with the slick white hair and the axe didn’t seem very friendly either. Despite the unfriendly demeanor, the bouncer smiled when Wyle approached. His smile showed a tongue piercing when Wyle gave him a handshake of greeting. “’Sup, man? How’s things been?”

“They’re goin’ alright, Donovan,” Wyle said. “We’re gonna get that shipment of slate sometime this week. Looking forward to it.”

“I see.” A puff of frost escaped Donovan’s lips as he said, “Come on in and enjoy yourselves, gents.” He stepped aside to let Cyan, Wyle and Barcrab through, but stopped when Rashad tried to enter. “Who’s this? Is he with you guys?”

“You mean Rashad? Yeah, he’s cool with us” Wyle said over his shoulder.

“Ah. Welcome to the Egress Bar, friend.”

“Thanks,” Rashad said. As he passed by Donovan, he took note of the man’s axe. It was crafted from a single piece of ice and both edges reflected the interior lighting in them. “Nice axe,” he said.

Donovan turned with a raised eyebrow and said “What?”

“Your axe. It’s very well made.”

“Right” the ice mage said. “Axe. Thanks.”

Rashad turned and followed his coworkers into a door at the back. The four of them descended a stairwell that spouted boisterous laughter and yells of carousal. Wyle pulled open the door at the bottom and the foursome entered the real Egress Bar. Rashad had to adjust his eyes to the sudden burst of colored light that assaulted his eyes and he had to shout over the yelling in the bar from the groups of patrons near the stage. He leaned over to Wyle and yelled, “What the hell is all this stuff?”

“Egress Bar, baby! We’re gonna get drunk and we’re gonna get our dance on and we’re gonna get next to some girls and have a damn good time!”

“Second that motion,” Cyan shouted as he watched a sleek Enigman cat-woman strut past and twitch her tail in his direction. “I’ll see you chumps later!”

As Cyan followed the cat-woman about, a little voice squealed “WY-LIEEE!”

“Hey baby, what’s up, Zappa?” Wyle shouted as Rashad turned to see whose voice this was. Rashad looked and saw that Zappa was a rather short yet bubbly Halfling waitress. She had her hair pulled away from her sideburns with a bandanna and also wore different sized shawls to cover her hairy body. The girl has a great smile plastered on her face as she hugged Wyle tightly.

“By the moons, Wyle! I haven’t seen you in a long time! Good to see you!” Zappa put down her tray on the bar and shouted, “What’s up, Barcrab?”

“NOTHING,” the Enigman said in a speaking voice loud enough to be heard over the din. “JUST WORKING. SAME OLD THING.”

“I hear you, boy.” Zappa looked over at Rashad, shouting, “Who’s Mister Silent here?”

“That’s my buddy, Rashad,” Wyle shouted over the other conversations. “He’s new at the site for the town hall. Go say hey.” Zappa nodded and moved to Rashad’s seat at the bar and spoke as loudly as she could without yelling.

“Hey sweetie, I’m Zappa. You need anything?”

“No, thanks,” Rashad said. He didn’t know what it was about Zappa that turned him off, but he wasn’t receptive to her false charms. He turned away from the waitress and looked to the bartender for his drinks. “Hey bartender,” he shouted over the noise.

The bartender got up from the lower shelves and walked over. She had long black hair that covered the right side of her face and spilled down to her lizard-skin vest. Her intense eyes studied Rashad briefly before she shouted, “Pick your poison, man.”

“Fireflower Special. Can you do it?”

“You bet, baby. Let Shuya take care of you,” the bartender shot back with a wink. She then turned around and produced a Fireflower Special. “One Fireflower Special, baby.”

“Wow! That was quick!” Rashad exclaimed. As he reached for the glass, Shuya pulled it away.

“This one isn’t yours, buddy. He ordered one too.” She pushed the glass off to Rashad’s left and a large red claw stopped it. Barcrab put the glass to his mandibles and drank deeply of the vermilion liquid, all the while staring down Rashad hard with his eyestalks. Rashad whirled around in his seat and looked over the Egress Bar.

 

The bar itself was much larger than the bar upstairs. The walls were carved with relief pictures of birds painted white against backgrounds painted blue, stretching all the way from the stage to the emergency exit at the back and back up to the bar. The carvings swirled in the orange light and ruddy shadow of the burning braziers and the occasional flash of soft blue magical light from one of the holes in the ceiling. Each flash showed the patrons clearly in its light; an Enigman here, a Halfling there. Rashad turned back to the bar to see Shuya approaching with his Fireflower Special. He pulled the pepper away from the lip of the glass and took a swig, feeling the familiar draft race down his throat. It burned a little, just like it should and he thanked Shuya with a hard candy. Turning back to the action with Fireflower in hand, Rashad’s eyes passed over the stage and he saw a shirtless Elven bard tuning his guitar on the steps of the stage.

Looks like a show, Rashad thought.

Movie Review - The Chosen One: Legend of the Raven (1998)

I thought this movie was a piece of crap before I even watched it. It had touches of The Crow and a poorly thought-out superhero costume, designed specifically to distance it from the Brandon Lee film. Yet the movie was a Troma Team release, so my friend Jim and I watched this video, knowing that the movie would only reach a certain level of competence if only to facilitate a sex scene. Such is the destiny of the Lawrence Lanoff movie The Chosen One: Legend of the Raven.

The film starts out crappily enough: it starts with a murder. Emma Bravenight (Playboy Playmate May 1996 and notorious Caucasian Shauna Sand-Lamas), member of the sacred Tribe of the Crescent and Guardian of the Crescent--a magic Native American Indian talisman of power--is killed by the forces of evil while frolicking in the woods in sexy lingerie. Her sister, McKenna(former Prince protoge and fellow Playboy star Carmen Electra), has returned from the Marine Corps to attend the funeral with her Native American Indian "father" Papi (Frank Salsedo). After Emma is given back to the four elements, McKenna asks around to find out who killed her sister. She starts out in the obvious place: her ex-boyfriend, Sheriff Henry (Dave Oliver). He's no real help, so she goes to live in her sister's house.
McKenna is soon haunted by Emma's ghost, who keeps telling her that she's next in line to receive the powers of the Raven or some such nonsense. The hauntings continue before and after McKenna's initial kidnapping and branding by Native Americans. She goes through some metamorphosis and starts to act more like a cat than a raven, as evidenced by her obsession with milk (more on that later). The sheriff, still smitten with McKenna after all these years despite his marriage to the town barfly Nora (Debra Xavier), continues to come over and hang out with the grieving non-Native American. Nora spied on him and became angry, so angry that she decided to escalate her adulterous relationship with the local crystal meth dealer Cole (Michael Stadvec). It's at this point that the movie becomes iffy.

Somewhere between McKenna's eventual transformation into the evil-fighting Native American superhero the Raven, both she and Nora are killed but revived by the Crescent talisman McKenna wears around her neck. While this was the first of the trials necessary to become the Raven (the worst of them a nine-hour session where you must hang from your arms in the cold night air...so much worse than dying, I suppose), Nora took the path of evil--the path of the Wolf. Somehow, she receives special powers, but becomes ten times sluttier than she was before. Nora soon puts herself at the mercy of the Route 33 serial killer, only to kill him and bathe in his blood. She enjoyed the bath and decides to do the same to McKenna.
Luckily, McKenna has finished her transformation into the Raven. She now has powers like bending space and time, heightened senses and the ability to heal with the power of love (a very appropriate skill: if anyone can heal with the power of lovin', it'd be a porn star). She cobbles together a superhero costume out of her sister's closet: a skintight white bodysuit with spiked chrome gauntlets and greaves, with a grated chrome faceplate to match. I see why Emma ran around in the woods with just lingerie on. She had no decent clothes. Speaking of poor choices in clothing, both Nora the Wolf and McKenna the Raven square off in a battle to the death for the souls of mankind in a local back alley.
McKenna wins, becomes Guardian of the Crescent, rides off into the sunset with the sheriff, THE END, THANK GOD.

This movie was absolutely horrible. It had no direct basis in Native American myths (although the references to elements and ravens were enough for the filmmakers) or Native American peoples (there are three Native American characters and only one is a Native American; the others are Caucasians from Ohio and California). I wasn't looking at this as a cultural representation of all Indigenous Americans, I just wished that the casting director had been more realistic by hiring more American Indians. If Mel Gibson could find people to play Meso-Americans in Apocaplyto, actual Naive Americans could have been found for this crapfest.  for They could have also written a story based less on reality and incorporated the wacky mythology of the Raven into a fantasy world, where White Native Americans are easily accepted. In either case, the movie's output (and my review score) could not have been completed without the most wonderful scene in the whole production: the milk bath/sex scene.
The milk bath/sex scene started with the proper innuendo. McKenna, wearing white, goes overboard on the drinking milk and spills it all over shirt and onto her fake boobs... and the sheriff. The sheriff, like any dedicated yet philandering lawman, is intrigued and goes in to investigate. Soon they're having sex in McKenna's room and puting out all the candles with milk, milk and more milk. Spilled, poured and splashed all over McKenna's taut and sculpted tan body, I truly think that this is some of Ms. Electra's finest work, with her prior soft core porn a close second. I dare you to disagree.

It is in this vein that I can honestly say that The Chosen One: Legend of the Raven really shines. All other things in this 'action' movie--even the funny parts--pale in comparison. Just as pale as a paleface playing a Native American.

Video Game Review - Wild ARMs (1997 - Sony Playstation)

I consider myself open minded about video games and movies. When I look back on some of the games I've played (Final Fantasy Tactics, SaGa Frontier) and the movies that I've seen (Falling Down, Manos: the Hands of Fate), Im proud to say that I've done a great service to the world. That service being the idea of looking at a bad video game or movie and rating it properly. Sometimes I find a gem in the sewage of the bad movies.  Other times I'll find the experience of a game to be far better than the game itself. This is one of those games.

Wild ARMs is an RPG that is considered innovative. It may be considered innovative because of the ability to switch characters and move them independently of each other, but I doubt that would over shadow the main reason why this game is a note in RPG history: it's a western.
Not the first RPG with a western theme (Oregon Trail, anyone?), Wild ARMs takes a lead from the TV show "Wild Wild West" but in the way that only an anime-influenced game could. This leads us to our three heroes.

• Rudy Roughnight - A young blue-haired boy with the amazing ability to use ARMs (read: guns). There's some mystical bullshit about who can and can't use ARMs (plot point). This kid'll be your main guy for a while & he's generally considered the hero.
• Jack - A treasure hunter whose intro owes a lot to Raiders of the Lost Ark and Benny Hill chase scenes. He's also a master swordsman, whose skill is a "Quick Draw" (??). Very suave and very dependable in a fight.
• Cecilia - She's some magic chick. She can heal and stuff, just like every "staff chick". She's also the only one who can use Summon skill. She's a prototype version of Final Fantasy X's Yuna, but not as well known.

Wild ARMs' mild popularity owes a lot to its predecessor, Final Fantasy VII. There are many instances where a story element will draw a parallel to FF7. Summon stones are one; fighting the final boss in a weird dimension is another. The game's main protagonist has a gay first name and a manly last name, per the Squaresoft fashion. You'll even have to fight large machines of elemental origin, akin to the Weapons in FF7. The game does have original points, however.
First is the fact that the Summons can be enhanced. This was before the leveling up of Guardian Forces in Final Fantasy VIII was made necessary (much less, made). The enhancement of the Summon skill used on an equipped Summon stone could not only do double damage but also provide a better summon animation.  Second is the personal vehicle of travel. It's much better than the Highwind, but its drawback is the need to find an engine component in order to completely explore the known world. Strangely enough, Cowboy Bebop's Swordfish airplane may be borrowing from the design of the transport.
Third on the list is an action that shocked me to the core. I never thought that an RPG hero would go that far to save the world, but I was wrong. There was a reason why it happened, and I don't think any RPG can top that. To tell you what it is would destroy the whole shock value of the act, and I believe that everyone should experience it.
Music in this game is superb, and has 1960s influences. Of particular note, the Map Screen music is a reprise of "The Ecstacy of Gold" from Enrico Morricone's soundtrack to The Good, the Bad & the Ugly. While the music is great, the graphics needed work. These two factors canceled each other out, leaving me with the experience to decide the rating.
 
I'll have to give Wild ARMs a 6, because it was only alright then. The "shocking action" is the kicker that put it up to 6 in the first place.  The game has since been remade into Wild ARMs: Alter Code F, with better graphics, for the PlayStation 2.  I have no idea what Alter Code F means, as I haven't played it.

RATING: 6/10

VERY VERY SORRY

Hey all,

Been distracted with so many things not coming to fruition, that I was not able to update for July 15th.  Will post double on 8/1, chapters 3 and 4.  Will also make an effort to post some more movie reviews.

Cordoba Chronicles IV: Chapter 3

RASHAD awoke a little sore from the previous day’s work. “Work all day” is right. He worked his arm around to knock out the kinks he felt and hopped into his boots to greet the new day. Making his way to the water closet, he looked over the banister to the ground floor, which held the dining area. It contained most of the guests he had seen upon coming to the Stonesthrow Inn, eating a late breakfast. Rashad took care of his business in the water closet and went downstairs to get his hands on some food.

That’s when he saw her again. Rashad hadn’t had a chance to thank the girl for her help in getting a job. He looked himself over to make sure that he wasn’t a complete mess, and walked over to greet—

“Inia,” he said. “Hello again.” 

The girl looked up from her thoughts as she sat at a table near he door. Her face split into a big smile as she said, “Hey, it’s you. How are you?” 

“I’m good. Listen,” he started, “I wanted to thank you for assisting me with getting a job yesterday. You have no idea how much I needed the work.”

Inia regarded him with a slight squint and said, “It’s all grand, uh…” 

“Rashad,” he said. “So what brings you to the Stonesthrow?” 

“I’m trying to kill some time before my job interview,” she said in a serious tone. 

“Well, good luck to you today in getting that job. From the way it looks, it seems kind of hard to get decent work in this town,” Rashad said. 

“Yeah,” Inia agreed. 

“I’ve got to get to my job, so until we meet again, eh?” 

She forced a smile and said, “Right.” 

Rashad turned and walked out the dual doors of the Stonesthrow Inn. He headed north for the construction site, noting the crowd gathered about the stable wall again. He felt fortunate to have a job in this town, where not even the townsfolk have guaranteed jobs. Rashad wondered how it could’ve gotten to this point, and then thought better of it. 

The gate opened easily as Rashad pulled the gate aside. He looked about and saw Barcrab the Enigman lifting some slate rock and stopped him. “What’s the order today, Barcrab?” 

“CHECK WITH THE BOSS” he rumbled through his mandibles. 

“Thanks,” Rashad said as the Enigman stomped away. Moving on to the foreman’s tent, he heard a rattling cough and slight murmuring coming from behind the flap. He pushed aside the flap to see Jollum on his knees praying. “Sir,” Rashad asked, “everything alright?” 

Jollum coughed in surprise, sending a bit of spittle onto the floor. Covering his mouth, he rose to meet the newest worker. “I’m sorry,” he forced, “I didn’t hear you come in.” 

“All apologies, Jollum,” Rashad said as he started to exit. “I’ll leave you to your prayers.” 

“No, no, lad. You came to my tent to ask me something. What is it?” 

Rashad proceeded to ask about the next thing he’s supposed to do and the foreman replied, “Go help that Halfling Cyan dig some more pylon pits. He’ll need the help as we’ve been told to add another section to the building.” 

“Aye, sir,” Rashad replied. He turned outside of the flap and made his way to the back of the site, where he found Cyan.

Cyan stood six-foot-two with a full head of dark green hair, cropped short on the sides. When Rashad saw him inside the pylon pit from a distance, his hair resembled a shifting patch of grass against the lip of the hole. The new worker grabbed a nearby shovel and walked up to the edge, kicking dirt down onto Cyan’s head and stated, “Hey. Jollum said to help you.” 

Looking up, the scowl on Cyan’s face twisted his horseshoe mustache was unmistakable. After a quick apology from Rashad, Cyan replied, “Alright, get on down here then.” Hopping down with his shovel, Rashad landed on two dirt pails. The contents spilled over onto Cyan’s digging area. The Halfling looked down and then looked back at the new guy, saying, “What the bloody – ey, what are you doing?” 

Cyan walked over to Rashad and the dirt pails and said, “Is this your idea of help?” He lifted the empty dirt pails with sweaty, corded arms and said, “Look, here’s how you’re gonna help me. Go over to where you spilled the dirt and fill those pails. When you’re done with that, go get rid of the dirt in both pails. You come back; you do it again. Alright?” Having no choice but to agree, Rashad started to fill the pails as Cyan watched. As he hefted the pails, he noticed that the walls of the pit were steep. 

“How am I supposed to get out of here with these pails?” Rashad asked.

Cyan laughed, saying, “You’ll figure it out, new guy.”

Rashad didn’t know why this guy was giving him such a hard time, but he took it in stride. He lifted each of the pails up to the lip of the pit and pushed them aside to make room for himself. As he began to pull himself up from the hole, he was hit with clods of dirt from Cyan’s shovel. Rashad kept reminding himself that he needed to eat as he got to his feet and went to dump the excess dirt. He found the wastepile, over where Wyle was hanging from a rafter and nailing into a support beam. The carpenter pulled away from his work, asking, “What happened to you, new guy?” 

“Nothing,” Rashad said. “Just diggin’ a hole with Cyan. That’s all.” 

“That ain’t all,” Wyle shot back. “Look, man. Cyan gives everyone a hard time, even the boss. Just give him some time to get used to you, alright?” 

“Alright,” Rashad agreed as he emptied the two pails. He turned and asked the carpenter: “But why does he have to be such a jerk?” 

Wyle shrugged his shoulders, an act made stranger by his hanging from the support beam, and said, “I don’t know; that’s just how he is. Don’t worry, …uh, Rashad. It’ll all work out in the end.” He clapped a reassuring hand on Rashad’s shoulder, sending up a cloud of dust. Rashad turned away from the dust and thanked Wyle. “No problem, new guy,” the carpenter replied as Rashad went back to the pit. As he passed through the site, his eyes caught a glimpse of a blue cloak outside the front gate. It was Inia, leaving the Stonesthrow Inn and headed for a building across the street. Thinking of the interview she was about to take, Rashad hoped that her job wouldn’t be nearly as frustrating as his own.

Movie Review - Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon (2011)

The third installment of the Michael Bay franchise based off the Hasbro property of the 1980s, Transformers almost wore out its welcome when it was announced to me.  OK, moon landing was a cover-up, trapped Transformers on the Moon, yadda yadda yadda.  What does the story have to deal with? More slow-motion? More Optimus Prime dying for no reason other than the fact he can come back? More blue and orange cluttered with lens flares?  Not only that, but something I've never seen in a Transformers cartoon episode that I can recall: a bona-fide Cybertronian invasion.

Yes, the Decepticons finally get it right and attempt to take over Earth, starting with Detroit or Chicago, and attempt to bring the entire host of Cybertron over to Earth. The only ones who can stop them are the Autobots and their human allies, the most prominent of their number not doing so well...relatively speaking.

Sam Witwicky (reprised by 'actor' Shia Lebouf) is out of college--paid for by the U.S. Government as reward for saving the planet TWICE--but chronically unemployed.  His new girlfriend Carly (played by Victoria Secret underwear model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley) is gainfully employed and works for a rich guy, Dylan Gould (Patrick "McDreamy" Dempsey).  Feeling frustrated with interviews, threatened by a possible rival, and unappreciated by the world, Sam tries very hard to get along without his giant robot friends--Bumblebee in particular.  Though there would be no movie with only Autobots; what of the Decepticons that survived the Fallen's...fall?
It would seem Megatron went into hiding in the African savanna, along with Starscream, Soundwave, and a curiously verbal Laserbeak. His new plan requires the Autobots to do his bidding--yes I know it sounds strange, as Autobots usually have a sixth sense about Decepticon plans--and the plan goes off without a hitch, introducing us to Optimus Prime's predecessor, Sentinel Prime.
Sentinel Prime (voiced by a briefly out-of-retirement Leonard Nimoy) meets with Optimus and they team up to handle the Decepticons as much as possible, but eventually things change and the Decepticon plan goes into effect.  It's up to the members of NEST--human members of the Earth-Autobot alliance task force--to handle the outcome. Tyrese Gibson and Josh Duhamel make appearances and help win the day.

Concerning the invasion, they might have been cribbing from the 2005 version of War of the Worlds, some of Battle: Los Angeles, and just a smidge from September 11th footage.  I will say this: they got it right.  It was the footage of the invasion that made me want to see this film.  Seeing it in 3D is not a good idea, as your eyes will hurt afterward.