Arcade Fire goes big with their latest release, Reflektor, which features many tracks that run over six minutes long. Katy Perry's new album Prism is responsible for kicking off a firestorm of YouTube lip  dubs that ultimately won a Colorado high school a live appearance from Perry. Though "there is not too much assassinating" in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, our reviewer guarantees hours of swashbuckling fun and exploration. Reflektor, Arcade Fire (Merge) The Grammy-winning band Arcade Fire led by Win Butler, recently released a huge two-disc, 76-minute album titled Reflektor. It is by far Arcade Fire’s most ambitious and most complex work, and blends together different musical genres. Tracks alternate between reggae, afro-beat, rap, punk, electronica, and indie rock, with a David Bowie cameo as well. Focusing on an 80s sound that is reminiscent of The Clash, Morrissey, New Order, and The Smiths, the album drives home the theme of empathy and acceptance. Arcade Fire weaves a well-crafted album with a great message; one that is sure to inspire all who are willing to listen. Check out these great tracks—“Here Comes the Night Time,” “You Already Know,” “Reflektor,” “Normal Person,” and “Afterlife.”—Nick M., grade 10, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School Prism, Katy Perry (Capitol) After the smashing success of Teenage Dream, Perry established herself as the queen of the dance pop scene. On her new album Prism, Perry branches out of her comfort zone and experiments with a variety of styles. The themes of Prism are more inspirational and spiritual, with many tracks dealing with self-help, empowerment, and relationship building. Produced by a top-notch team including Max Martin, Lukasz Gottwald and Henry Walter, Prism reveals snips of Perry’s emotional life over the last few years that are remarkably genuine and captivating. Check out “Birthday,” “Roar,” “This Is How We Do,” “Love Me,” and “Unconditionally.”—Amalie T., grade 9, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft) This game is an incredible swashbuckling pirate adventure that any fan of this series will enjoy. The story takes place in the past and the future, where the main character is Edward Kenway, the grandfather of Conner, the lead character in Assassin’s Creed III. Kenway becomes part of the Assassin vs. Templar conflict which revolves around a search for a mysterious place called The Observatory. Black Flag is all about the journey as players travel the seas hunting for treasure, plundering, and collecting booty. The main task is to boost the abilities of your ship (the Jackdaw) and crew, making the vessel an ultimate weapon. There are a variety of naval activities to complete while on the Jackdaw. One of the highlights is the pounding of naval fortresses which are kind of like boss battles. There are also a variety of missions that have you traveling to swampy jungles, island communities, port cities, and more. There is so much to do in the game that you have an easily 20 hours of main story, with at least another 20 hours of side-quests while also finding collectibles. At times the main missions can become repetitive, and there is not too much assassinating here but any one following the series will have hours of adventure with Black Flag. Rated: M for Mature. Platform: Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3.—James M., grade 11, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School