Movie Review: Prometheus

     If anyone was asked to list off their top five films they felt deserved a prequel, it’s very unlikely Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi/horror Alien would be featured. The film held its mysteries but that only added to the slowly unfolding horror as the audience as well as the characters could never get a firm grasp on just what was going on. Wouldn’t a prequel destroy the mystique of it all?

     Thirty-three years later and Scott has returned with the answers in his prequel that isn’t a prequel, Prometheus.

     I’ll be honest; when I first came out of the midnight screening I attended I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of the film. Sure I enjoyed it – I enjoyed it a lot – but the whole thing seemed to sit awkwardly between wanting to be a full-blown Alien prequel and starting its own mythology, and it appeared notably hampered by this. It is with great afterthought I can happily report this film delivers on both fronts, though it can struggle to show it.

     In the year 2092, the exploratory vessel Prometheus lands on LV-223; a moon that is the focal point of numerous cave paintings and murals from ancient civilisations. Is it a simple star map, or an invitation to meet our creators? It is this divide of Science vs. Faith that drives the film and sets up many of its bigger ideas. On the one hand you have Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace), a firm believer in God, and on the other, her scientific and romantic partner Dr. Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green); their constant bashing of heads over the divinity of the situation as they lead the Prometheus crew on the expedition personifies this ongoing struggle as more questions are added to the equation. Why were we created? Could we be just as easily destroyed? What right do we have to meet our creators? What are the consequences of wielding the tools of creation?

     While most of these questions remain profoundly ambient throughout, the answer to that final question is simply ‘catastrophic’. Coming across the ooze that can both birth and destroy life, the crew soon find out such toys should not be played with as strange mutations occur and a certain all-too-curious robot could spell doom for the entire crew.

     Ah yes, David. The film’s themes of creation come full circle as the created become the creators, as Weyland Industries places its most advanced android onboard the Prometheus. David is played by Michael Fassbender with a staggering coolness and distance; he is both loveable – his stoic attitude giving some of the best laughs of the movie – and terrifying, his true motives masked under an emotionless exterior. Is he helping the team or helping himself? Hints throughout suggest he may wish to prove himself by surpassing his human masters, violently, but maybe he is just trying to find himself amongst these humans? He is searching for his purpose as much as the human scientists are by trying to find their creators. He has a calm complexity to him, and that, along with Fassbender’s fantastic portrayal, makes him the standout character of the movie.

     It says a lot that an emotionless robot is the best character in the film. Truthfully, characters are Prometheus’ weakest point. For the most part, they are criminally underdeveloped and lack depth. Rapace’s Shaw and Idris Elba as Prometheus’ captain are two standouts alongside Fassbender, but the remaining cast are very two dimensional. Charlize Theron is great as the cold and calculating Vickers, but that’s all she is with no evolution of her character (kind of ironic considering the themes of the film); the same can be said for most of the supporting cast, while the rest are forgettable cannon fodder. This makes it hard to get emotionally invested in any of the ship’s crew as they start dropping like flies, leaving some of the more action-heavy or supposedly shocking scenes feeling a little hollow. That’s not saying the film fails in delivering thrills, however. There are some great action set pieces, and, while we’re not talking copious amounts of horror here, the film magnificently channels the intensity of Alien in a couple of scenes. One sequence in particular had me clawing into the fabric of my seat as it unfolded. You’ll know exactly which one I’m referring to when you see it.

     It’s at this point I should probably mention how goddamn beautiful this film is. Scott has always been one for fantastic cinematography, and this is him at the top of his game. The introduction and opening credits in particular are gorgeous and will blow you away – this is one of the few films I recommend going to see in 3D, it truly is an impressive, worthwhile experience. The first third of the film, as we are given slow panning shots of the Prometheus’ interior before the crew are awoken from hypersleep, feels like it is taken right from the beginning of the original Alien. The set designs later on in the film are also as epic and horrific in size and scope as they were 30 years ago. It is beautiful, suspenseful and eerie, creating something that fans of the franchise will feel right at home with.

     Prometheus is a film with big ideas and a competent story to keep them afloat, but there are times when it feels like it’s trying to tell more than one tale. The marketing seemed to strangely suggest that this was an Alien prequel but also something else entirely, and it was spot on. At times it can feel like an odd balance, the film feeling stuck in an awkward position between trying to set up the 1979 movie while also attempting to launch its own ideas. Like I said earlier, I came out of the cinema feeling unsure as to whether I had watched a good film or not because of this. That may sound like a weird feeling to have, but it’s true – I knew I had enjoyed the film, but upon first watching it seemed to be telling two entirely different stories and it was hard to comprehend what I’d just watched. It’s a testament to how thought provoking the film can be that after thinking it through, my opinion shifted from “this is a really good film” to “this is a really great film”.

     I suppose that’s the best way to define Prometheus. It is a film that on the surface can feel confounding and heavy handed, but its big ideas, thrilling set pieces and brooding intensity more than make up for any shortcomings it suffers from. Go into the cinema with an open mind, and you’ll be taken on a journey you’re not likely to forget anytime soon.

Rating: 4 / 5

Movie Review: The Avengers

A running theme in The Avengers is the concern over just how well an assembled group of superheroes can work together, and watching the film it’s hard not to see that as some kind of metaphor for the colossal risk Marvel took in bringing it – the first true superhero mash-up – to the big screen.

The Avengers is the payoff of all that build up of “Marvel’s Cinematic Universe”, first established in Iron Man way back in 2008, as Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Reyner) team up to take on an alien invasion of apocalyptic proportions. It is not an easy melding for the heroes as they struggle to cooperate, and going in to the film one would be forgiven for wondering just how this dynamic was going to work. Here we have SIX superheroes from five different movies, each with their own backgrounds – some that need more fleshing out due to their supporting roles in previous films – and big personalities. It is often said there is too much of a good thing, and after the somewhat disappointing Iron Man 2 and Thor, it could be argued the superhero world was getting a little crowded. How are these characters meant to work together believably? And how on Earth are they and all of their baggage supposed to fit into a single 140 minute film?

Fortunately, the answer to these questions is a resounding ‘brilliantly’. Writer and director Joss Whedon is a master of ensemble casts, showcasing here the same brilliant dialogue and character interaction that made his short-lived series Firefly such a fan favourite. Let’s not beat around the bush here; The Avengers is an action movie through-and-through. There is enough action here to give any of Michael Bay’s Transformers travesties – err, films – a run for their money, but what sets Avengers apart from other CGI explosion-fests is that the action that takes place away from the CGI and explosions is just as entertaining. The verbal sparring between characters as they bicker amongst each other is not only integral to the group dynamic plot but hilariously entertaining, and there are enough fantastic, laugh-out-loud one-liners to put Roger Moore-era James Bond to shame.

Of course brilliant writing and direction only gets you so far, with the cast being possibly the biggest deciding factor in a character-driven piece such as this. This is where building off the backs of established film franchises has paid off – ever since Marvel hatched this plan to build their so-called Cinematic Universe, they have meticulously cast their heroes down to the very last detail. Every choice has been inspired, with Downey Jr. in particular becoming synonymous with the role of Tony Stark. With each of the heroes, with the exceptions of Black Widow and Hawkeye, having their own films to flesh out their characters and back stories, The Avengers wastes little time in character establishment, instead focusing upon their interactions and the action set pieces they find themselves getting into. It works, but anyone wishing to see this film would be highly recommended to go back and watch all of the Marvel Studio films in order to best get acquainted with the characters. That’s not to say the cast is underdeveloped or unchanged from their previous outings – character arcs are logical and make sense within the group dynamic, advancing each hero ever closer to the eventual team-up. Many people were waiting to see Mark Ruffalo’s take on Bruce Banner and the Incredible Hulk, and I am delighted to say that not only has he matched Ed Norton’s previous portrayal, but exceeded it and rocketed to the coveted most-valued-player spot in this ensemble of heroes; many audience pleasing moments come at the hands (and fists) of the big green meanie. His interactions with Stark and Thor are especially fun. Black Widow is also vastly improved over her first appearance in Iron Man 2, becoming a genuinely likeable character, miles ahead of her previous two dimensional role, thanks to some great moments between her and Hawkeye – the two most unknown heroes of the group complement each other fantastically. This isn’t even mentioning the great supporting cast. Marvel film regulars Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) turn in memorable performances, and newcomer Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) is a character that will be of undoubted interest in future movies.

I have only one gripe with The Avengers, and it stems from this overwhelming sense of team bonding that the film revolves around. As mentioned earlier, Avengers is chocked full of massive action set pieces, and the final act of the film is a non-stop thrill ride. The movie excels in this, but there are certain moments – though great on their own merits – in this homestretch of the movie that felt unnecessary. How many times must we see more enemies pouring in from every given direction followed by a montage of the Avengers doing what they do best to more and more generic creatures? Don’t get me wrong; it’s all fun, and it’s all certainly pulse-pounding, but I did find myself wondering when we were finally going to get the resolution of the epic spectacle on more than one brief occasion. The sheer enjoyment the sum of its parts brings means the film does not suffer from this, however. I’ve also seen some complaints regarding the simplicity of the story, and it is true that Loki (Tom Hiddleston) fronting an army of mysterious aliens and bringing them to Earth does not make for the most brain teasing plot, but when the film is already juggling so many characters and trying to establish the Avengers as a legitimate superhero team, anything more robust could have found the film leaning into the Spider-man 3/Iron Man 2 territories of over-bloated incoherence. Hiddleston, much improved from his turn in Thor, provides enough of a charismatic villain for the heroes to buttheads with that the story feels satisfyingly balanced as a backdrop for the formation of the titular team.

The Avengers is a rare occurrence where literally all of the elements have come together to make an absolutely brilliant film. Whedon and his stellar cast have managed to make this absolutely insane idea completely viable and utterly believable within the realms of the Marvel universe; it’s funny, it’s exciting and small gripes cannot stop it from being a hell of a lot of fun. Marvel hasn’t been this entertaining since the original Iron Man.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

My Thoughts on the Mass Effect 3 Ending

If you haven't been living under a rock lately, you'll be all too aware of the backlash the ending to BioWare's Mass Effect 3 has been getting. It's understandable that a game that is meant to tie up a trilogy will no doubt come under immense scrutiny from the fans the series has gained over the years, but the response has been overwhelming.

Overwhelmingly bad.

I've been hearing cries of "it makes no sense!", "it gives no closure!" and "give my money back!" since about a day after the game was released. Many are even signing up to a number of petitions to get BioWare to change or add to the endings in downloadable content.

Well, I've finally beaten the game and witnessed the ending for myself.

My initial thoughts? I can't believe it's getting the backlash it is.

Here's my opinion of the ending, beware of spoilers (and also beware wall of text!):

The final section of the game, from the fleets arriving through the Mass Effect relays to the ground assault and to the final push to the Citadel and the confrontation upon it is - no exaggeration - possibly my favourite moment in gaming. Ever. That section is an amazing end to the series. I was seriously sat so close to the edge of my seat as it unfolded, the scenes aboard the Citadel especially.

Now, most people seem to be flying off the handle once Shepard gets taken directly to the Catalyst. I've seen people saying it doesn't make sense and seems corny - yes, I found it a bit cheesy that this being had chosen the Earth kid as the form that it would take for Shepard, but the concept of the scene itself is show stopping. Here we are; we have built our forces for three games, forced our way through the enemy lines and now we stand at the precipice - the moment where galactic history will change forever. Three choices; three very hard choices. I sat staring at the screen for a good 5 minutes weighing up what I should do. All this time I have been hell-bent on destroying the Reapers, but with that comes the cost of also destroying myself, all advanced technology and the Geth, who have recently become fully sentient and brokered peace with organics. I could go the way of the Illusive Man and choose to control the Reapers, but can one man handle such a feat without succumbing to indoctrination or madness and end up destroying what he wishes to protect? Finally, I could merge organics and synthetics, reaching the "next step of evolution" - but what does that mean exactly?

I wondered, what would it mean to merge these lifeforms? I can imagine it would be horrific to the general populace of the galaxy. The thought of it is horrific to me, thinking of it now - my very being changed into something new, something different. But is it something better? Thinking back to the rest of the game, there seems to be a very distinct running theme of organic/synthetic metamorphosis; Shepard's doubts as to whether he is human or an artificial creation (that one's been around since the start of ME2, no less), EDI receiving a body and becoming ever more human, the Geth becoming sentient and becoming an integral part of the galactic community. Being paragon, my Shepard saw the positives of these ideas - he helped EDI fall in love/feel human emotions, he brought the Geth and Quarians together; he saw what good can become of this. So, I went for it - I merged the two beings, feeling that all of my experiences in the game (hell, even from first meeting the Geth and the organic/machine-hybrid Saren at the very beginning of the first game) paid a part in making that choice. To me, it felt like the natural progression of evolution for this universe, and the natural culmination of the story.

Bravo, BioWare, bravo. You made a real philosophical, thought provoking ending, in my opinion.

Now, that doesn't mean I'm entirely happy with the ending, of course. The Mass Effect relays are destroyed in the process of spreading this energy - I can get behind that, as it seems like the most lore-logical way of making that happen. But why was the Normandy leaving through a relay? Why wasn't it with the rest of the fleet - in fact, what happened to the rest of the fleet? And my crew? I know they got back aboard the Normandy (well, at least some of them did), but how? Did it make a return to Earth before it retreated? Why, when, how? This needs explanation.

What also needs explanation is what becomes of the crew - and the rest of the galaxy - now that the relays are destroyed. I believe it could be implied by the after-credits scene with the old man and the child that the planet they crashed on becomes populated, but how do they do that with such a small crew? That gene pool is waaaaaaaaay too small, but then, perhaps - in the Merge ending, at least - this newly evolved race does not reproduce in the same way? Of course, the planet with the man and child could be any other planet where humans were left once the relays were gone. This needs explanation. Same with what became of all the other races.

And one last thing, I speak of how the brokering of peace between organics and synthetics made the ending relative for me, but I believe there should have been an option where Shepard can rebuke the Catalysts idea that the two races will always battle - he did just do the impossible by making peace between Geth & organics, surely he can argue against the options given to him at the end and try and convince the Catalyst to just leave with the Reapers and let the races get on with things and see what becomes of the galaxy on their own terms. Perhaps this could be added in the DLC everyone who hated the endings wants; leave the original endings intact (while adding an epilogue to explain the discrepancies I brought up earlier), but add a 4th option ("Resist"), where Shepard has to battle Reapers/the Catalyst to destroy them on his own terms and free the galaxy.

Phew, that was long!

All in all, I'm really happy with how things turned out as an ending to the series. The game as a whole is fantastic and, despite the lack of explanation, I feel the endings were a fitting end to the impossible battle Shepard, his crew, and the galaxy as a whole faced. If Bioware do add new endings/add to the existing endings in DLC, I'll be happy to get more closure, but I certainly don't believe the series is "ruined", like many people do, with the endings we have now.

On Hiatus

You may have noticed there's been little in the way of new posts lately, even a lack of quick news updates.

Never fear, I'm not going anywhere, I'm merely putting this blog on the back burner while I work on another project - details of which will surface here when it nears completion.

You may hear from me now and again, but for the most part this blog is temporarily closed until I'm finished with other things.

'til we meet again...

BR

The Dark Knight Rises Trailer Released

Last night saw the opening of the final Harry Potter film, and with it the first trailer for The Dark Knight Rises; the third film in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy.

Watch it here and enjoy. (EDIT: Now in gorgeous HD!)

Portal 2 Soundtrack VOL. 2 Now Available

Valve is being very kind and posting its soundtrack to Portal 2 for free over a period of time. A few months ago we got volume 1, and now they've dropped volume 2. Still completely free of charge.

Get it here.

Sonic the Hedgehog Turns 20! Sonic Generations Demo Released

Today sees one of gaming's most endearing, most recognisable mascots turn the big 2-0.

SEGA's blue hedgehog, Sonic, has been gracing our consoles since his first outing in Sonic the Hedgehog on the SEGA Mega Drive (or the SEGA Genesis for you U.S. peeps!) and continues to this day. He's had some rough spots lately, with most of his 3D adventures being a little on the disappointing side and many fans longing for the days of the traditional 2D side-scrollers. SEGA tried to address this last year with the release of Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, but some rather floaty physics left people wanting more despite the better change in direction.

Now here we are in 2011, 20 years after Sonic the Hedgehog hit shelves, to the day, and SEGA have released a demo for the upcoming Sonic Generations, which sees the two designs of the character (short and podgy, as seen in the Mega Drive days and tall and lean, as seen in later years) teaming up across levels inspired by all Sonic titles to date. The demo showcases a really sleak HD remix of the original Green Hill Zone and it looks amazing, and plays just like the original title did all those years ago.

The demo is out on Xbox LIVE & PlayStation Network right now and has a 20 day limit on it so go download it NOW!

inFamous Developer Working on NEW PS3 Exclusive

inFamous 2 has just hit shelves, and already developer Sucker Punch Productions is hard at work on a new title for the PlayStation 3.

The company have posted a job listing on Gamasutra looking for a senior producer for its next project. The listing requires that candidates have at least five years of experience, have worked on at least one shipped triple-A title in a producer role and have a "passion for console games".

What this title is could be anyone's guess. It's certainly not the recently announced Sly Cooper 4 (the studio's previous flagship franchise) as that is being worked on by a different developer (though Sucker Punch are acting as mentors and consultants), but it could possibly be inFamous 3. This would be great news considering the shocking (no pun intended) endings received by both the good and bad karma routes the game offers that left many clamouring for more. Sucker Punch also wasted no time in getting stuck into developing the sequel to the original inFamous not long after that title shipped, so it would not be out of the question that they were getting to work on part 3 of the series around about now.

Of course, it could be for something completely different. Hopefully more news on this surfaces sooner rather than later.

PlayStation Vita UK Release Date LEAKED

The UK release date for Sony's new handheld console, the PlayStation Vita, has supposedly being leaked by online retailer Shopto.net.

They put the release date as November 4th 2011, which is in-line with the Sony's promise to have the console out in every region by the end of the year.

The site also has attached prices to its pre-orders for the console and its software - the wi-fi only model will cost £229.99, while the 3G & wi-fi model will set you back £279.99. These prices seem pretty steep when compared with the US prices of $250 and $299 for the wi-fi and 3G models respectively, but it is important to note that the Vita is nigh-on confirmed to be region-free, so importing at the lower cost is always an option.

Shopto.net has also placed the games for the Vita at £40 each, which is unsurprising due to the home console-like quality the titles are aiming for.

Please note that all of this date and pricing information could simply be place holder.

E3 2011: Nintendo Press Conference Review

The final of the "big 3" E3 press conferences took place yesterday. Nintendo's conference was different to Microsoft's and Sony's as it split the presser into three sections dedicated to consoles (and 1 to a franchise) rather than individual games - this meant there was less information on specific titles, but more of them announced. Regardless, here's a round up of the highlights and my thoughts:

The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary
The conference started with a live orchestra playing a suite of Zelda music accompanied by a video montage to showcase the 25th anniversary celebration of the franchise. It was announced that Link's Awakening DX and Four Swords will be making their way to Nintendo's Virtual Console later this year, and that the new Wii title Skyward Sword will drop sometime during this holiday season, though no footage was shown of any of the games.

It was also announced that a symphony orchestra will be touring across "most regions" playing concerts dedicated to the music of Zelda next year.

Nintendo 3DS Titles
Next up was the 3DS segment of the presser, which showed off a few trailers for upcoming games. Those featured included Mario Kart 3D, Starfox 64 3D, Luigi's Mansion 2, Super Mario 3D and Kid Icarus: Uprising - all of them were announced for release later this year, with Starfox slated for a September release (that game also featured a really neat concept where in multiplayer mode, the 3DS' camera would broadcast the image of your opponent's faces - just like it does in the single player game with the characters - very cool!). Luigi's Mansion 2 was a very surprising addition to the line up, and one that is most welcome; it looks just as fun as the original, and is confirmed to include many new features over its predecessor, including more than one mansion.

Wii U
Now this is what everybody was waiting for, and what took up the bulk of the conference - Nintendo's new home console. What was codenamed Project Café was officially unveiled as Wii U; a brand new HD console that features a very unique controller.

The controller is essentially a tablet computer, with a 6.5" touch screen display surrounded by the usual dual analogue sticks (though they are more akin to the 3DS' circle pad than traditional sticks), directional pad, triggers and face buttons. The main features of the console obviously stem from this additional screen, as was demonstrated in the fact that it allows for continuous play of a game even if the TV channel is switched - that's right, now someone else can watch TV while you're in the middle of a game and you can just switch over to the controller screen to keep playing. Not only that, but the extra screen can be used in the same way the DS' dual screen is; while showing a video demo of Zelda, the action of the main game was unfolding on the big screen while the controller screen had the inventory that could be touched for easy item switching. Other elements that were shown involving the controller involved using it as a Reversi (at least I think it was Reversi...) board, as a platform to launch ninja stars from at targets on the TV and placing it on the floor and using a WiiMote as a golf club to hit the ball that was on the controller screen and off onto the course on the TV.

It all looks very impressive, but it's hard to really see the point in it all, in my opinion. I can see the use in being able to continue games on another screen while someone else wants to watch television, but Sony already showed their capability to do that with the PSVita and its ability to continue saves from the PS3 the day before, and if the original PSP is anything to go by, we may well see some form of remote play application from the portable for the PS3 in the future. Also, the controller looks REALLY uncomfortable and awkward to hold; imagine holding an iPad horizontally for a long period of time... It just doesn't seem to be that easy to keep a hold of for so long, but as I've not actually held one I can't comment on this too much - these are just first impressions.

On the plus side, Nintendo announced a LOT of third party games that will be coming to the Wii U, including the likes of Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Darksiders II, Lego City Stories (also coming to 3DS) and more, which is great to see after the major lack of them for the original Wii. Oh, and they announced a new Smash Bros. game coming to both the new console and the 3DS! What gameplay they showed of these titles looked very nice graphically and performance-wise; easily on par with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Verdict
This is a tough one to judge. Yesterday I said that we'd have to wait and see if Nintendo would claim victory at this year's E3 with the unveiling of their new console, but frankly I'm not sure what to make of the hardware. It's great that Nintendo have finally come out with a HD console, but this is SIX years into the current generation, where we've had access to a HD console since 2005 when the Xbox 360 first launched and the PS3 a year later. It's hard to judge the Wii U's relevance when it comes out so late in the game. The console's controller, while certainly fancy, seems very gimmicky and besides the ability to continue play away from the main TV screen seems to offer very little in terms of gameplay value - whether what it does offer makes up for the bulky, uncomfortable looking design remains to be seen.

So, I don't know. I think Sony's conference had a lot more fanfare about it (though the orchestra for the Zelda section here was a very nice touch), with a lot more emphasis on the hardcore games and giving a lot more detail on upcoming releases. At this moment in time, I'm also more impressed with the techincal prowess of the portable PlayStation Vita than the questionable Wii U, and as that was Nintendo's main gambit it could go either way as to whether their conference this year was a total bust depending upon how the console fares in the months up until its release in next year. Thankfully, the 3DS line-up that was announced was very nice, with some quality titles on the way later this year.

E3 2011: Sony Press Conference Review

Well, last night the second of the "big 3" gave their presser at this year's E3 expo, so here's a run-down of the highlights and my thoughts on Sony's conference:

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
What a start! Way to grab the audience's attention by the scruff of the neck, Sony! Much like Naughty Dog's preview of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves at E3 2009, the 5 minute demo of Drake's Deception we saw was jam packed with action. Nathan Drake sneaks aboard a cruise liner, only to be ambushed and end up blowing a hole in the side of the ship thanks to a nicely thrown grenade, causing the liner to sink. From that point to the end of the demo it's a frantic race from walls of water and through submerged corridors as Drake attempts to escape the doomed ship.

What was presented looked fantastic; more of the cinematic scope Naughty Dog are known for. The graphics were, as we've come to expect, sublime - with the rushing water and the stormy weather effects being particular stand outs.

After the gameplay demo, a trailer was shown for the game showcasing even more new gameplay elements - again, looking absolutely spectacular. Drake on horseback or holding onto falling cargo from a plane, anyone?

Resistance 3
I'm not a huge First Person Shooter fan, especially not of the modern day warfare variety, but I do like sci-fi. I enjoy Halo, and somewhat enjoy Killzone (though I find that the series takes itself way too seriously, like most of the 'realistic' shooters), and have never tried the Resistance series. What we saw here was typical gritty sci-fi FPS fare, until some giant frickin' spider thing came along! It was a short demo, but what we saw was impressive in scope and left me a little intrigued as to what this series is all about and I might just check it out.

Resistance 3 also began the conference's focus on the Move, with the Sharpshooter accessory heavily featured. It's an impressive piece of kit and it's nice to see more games coming out that make use of it. A bundle was announced that includes a copy of Resistance 3, the Sharpshooter, a Move controller and the PlayStation Eye camera for $150.

PlayStation 3D Display TV & Glasses
Now this was impressive. Sony have always been at the forefront of the 3D gaming revolution, and while I'm not a big fan of 3D movies (I like it when it's done right, and with good intention like in Avatar and Tron: Legacy, but not when it's just a pointless cash-grab) I do find that 3D adds a great deal to the immersion of the gaming experience. The problem is, it's so damn expensive! Well, Sony's got your back with their PlayStation 3D Display, a 24" monitor that offers full 3D support as well as the VERY cool feature that allows 2 players to see 2 different images on the screen. That's right, when playing with a friend there'll be no more split screen, instead player 1 will see one image while player 2 will see another.

Sony are offering the TV, a pair of 3D glasses, a HDMI cable and a copy of Resistance 3 in a bundle for $499. Insanely good price, considering the normal prices of 3DTVs.

PlayStation Move Titles
This was a mixed bag; they announced that NBA 2K12 will include new Move support, and Kobe Bryant came on stage to demo it, and then moved onto show Medieval Moves, a new casual Move title from the makers of Sports Champions. Nothing special, but it was nice to see that Medival Moves was indeed a full, story-driven game and not just a collection of minigames for the motion control.

On the other hand, it was announced that this fall both inFamous 2 and LittleBigPlanet 2 will be getting PlayStation Move support for their user generated content - players of these games will now be able to create and play levels/missions specifically for use with the PlayStation Move controller. Pretty damn cool.

And finally, in a hell of a surprise, Irrational Games' Ken Levine took to the stage to announce that Bioshock: Infinite will include full Move support! Very cool to see that, unlike the Kinect, the Move is really making its mark in hardcore games and not just shovel-ware. Levine also announced that a Bioshock game will be coming to the NGP (more on that later).

Dust 514
No one really knows what to make of this new PS3 exclusive. CCP Games took to the stage to show off their new Massively Multiplayer Online FPS title, that somehow links into their MMORPG Eve Online. Players of Dust 514 will play the part of the ground soldiers fighting battles on the planets in the Eve universe, which in turn will be reflected in the Eve Online universe as the planets fall under different control as battles are won or lost in Dust. Pretty confusing, huh? It's an interesting concept, and I look forward to hearing more about it and seeing how it works in the future.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
Sly Cooper is back! One of the most loved platformer games from the PS2 is back for a fourth title, as showcased in a little teaser trailer with a very cool art style. No information was given except that the game is coming out some time next year.

Starhawk
As a huge Firefly fan, my interest was immediately piqued once I heard that the spiritual successor to Warhawk would be a sci-fi/western hybrid, and thankfully the gameplay looks set to keep a hold of that interest. It's a third person shooter with heavy doses of vehicular combat and looks insanely intense. The new "build & battle" mechanic looks cool too, where players in both single player and multiplayer can instantly construct buildings, walls and other structures in the battlefield to use as cover or generate vehicles, etc. Definitely a title to look out for.

PlayStation Vita
We've come to know it as the Next Generation Portable, or NGP for the past few months ever since it was first announced, but at their conference Sony officially revealed their new handheld console as the PlayStation Vita ('Vita' meaning 'life'). What we saw of the technology was very impressive, with Uncharted: Golden Abyss being used to showcase the system's graphical capabilities. And let me tell you, they are damn impressive - it's almost like holding a miniaturised PlayStation 3 in the palm of your hands! The touch screen abilities were also shown off as they showcased how players can touch enemies on the screen to direct Drake in melee combat, as well as being able to use the touch pad to climb surfaces.

Also shown was Ruin, an action RPG that boasted a very cool save-game feature - saving your progress on the PSVita will allow you to resume from the exact point where you left off on the PS3. Imagine the possibilities of being able to to take your home-console games on the move with you and just continue where you left off and vice versa.

Finally, Modnation Racers, LittleBigPlanet and Street Fighter x Tekken (which features a PSVita and PS3 exclusive character in inFamous' Cole MacGrath) were all shown on the console - all looking bright, vibrant and with some very cool touch screen and touch pad abilities, such as Modnation Racers' feature that allows the player to create mountains and lakes in the track editor by simply pushing on the rear touch pad. Very smooth and very snazzy.

It was announced that the PlayStation Vita will be releasing this holiday season for the surprisingly low price of $250 for the wi-fi only model, and $299 for the wi-fi and 3G model (which will be using AT&T in the US - details on service providers for other territories will be given for a later date).

Verdict
Well, where to start?

I was worried after Microsoft's presser that this was going to be yet again another year based very much on motion controls and shovel-ware, but I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, there was a brief lapse with the reveal of NBA 2K12's Move support and the casual Medieval Moves, but for the most part all of the Move emphasis (which there was little of overall) was on hardcore games - Move support in Bioshock: Infinite and inFamous 2? Yes please!

Indeed, the focus was very much on the games this year, with some amazing exclusives showcased; Uncharted 3 looks unsurprisingly fantastic, while titles like Starhawk and Dust 514 proved to be games to keep an eye on. No Disneyland Adventures here, thank you!

The biggest surprise of the show was undoubtedly the PlayStation Vita, however, and it seems to have already stole the hearts and minds of most of the people who saw the reveal. It's technologically impressive, with an astounding line-up of games in the works. And don't get me started on that price!

All in all, Sony have stepped up their game by offering more for the hardcore gamers than the competition and keeping it interesting throughout (Medieval Moves excepted). With a performance like that, they could very well "win" E3 this year, but as Nintendo's gear up to reveal their brand new home console it could be a short lived victory. We shall see once the Big N take to the stage later today.

E3 2011: Microsoft Press Conference Review

Well, E3 is finally upon us, and it kicked off today with Microsoft's press conference. Here's a run-down of some of the highlights and my thoughts:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Mehhhh! I'm not shy to announce my disdain for the CoD franchise - I think, while it's big-budget and very nice looking, it's repetitive and severely nerfed (especially in the case of online). Also, being released every friggin' year doesn't help matters. Enough already!

The gameplay of MW3 shown today looked pretty slick, showing an underwater assault on a submarine, but it's just more of the same in my opinion. Of course, if you're into that kind of thing then more the power to you. Also, it was re-confirmed that Xbox will be getting all of the DLC for the game FIRST.

Tomb Raider
Now this looks promising! With a more fluid action system and a much more cinematic and gritty approach, this reboot of the beloved franchise looks like it could see Ms. Croft taking on Nathan Drake in the action/adventure stakes. New gameplay included a jaunt through a collapsing cave system - very intense!

Mass Effect 3
One of my personally most anticipated titles. The final part of Bioware's epic trilogy looks set to amp up the action with a much faster paced combat system if today's gameplay demo is anything to go by. Also of note, Kinect usage was featured through the ability to use voice recognition to give orders to your squad mates and navigate speech options.

Minecraft
The biggest indie game of all time is coming to Xbox! Instant cult-classic Minecraft is coming to the console in full-form with optional Kinect functionality, but no word on what that functionality would include.

Gears of War 3
Nothing terribly new was shown here, but what we did see looked gorgeous and set to deliver more of the action-packed set pieces the franchise is known for come its September release date.

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
As much of a cash-grab this is... I can't help but be interested. What we have here is the original Halo title fully remade using the Halo: Reach engine and featuring online co-op and full online multiplayer. It's scheduled to drop on November 15th at a reduced price of £30/$40.

Halo 4
No details were given on this besides the fact it'll feature the return of Master Chief and be the start of a new trilogy when it comes out during the holidays, 2012.

Kinect Games
What the hell, Microsoft? I mean, WHAT THE HELL?! After the backlash of last year's conference and its focus on motion controlled games, and the general lack of interest in the Kinect and its software from the gaming community, I really don't understand the huge emphasis on Kinect games this year.

There were a few titles that piqued my interest - Star Wars Kinect and Fable: The Journey were two titles that seemed to be much less about pointless minigames and more about an immersive experience. The former, featured various scenarios ranging from pod-racing to lightsaber battles to X-Wing dogfights, while the latter sees the much-loved action-RPG franchise turn to a 1st person perspective as players use their arms to simulate riding horses and sword fighting. EA Sports also announced that Kinect would become a heavily featured in their games in the future - nice to see it used in real sports games rather than just mini-games like in Kinect Sports or Kinect Adventures. Other than that, it was a lot more mindless drivel with mini-games galore in Kinect Disneyland Adventures, Kinect Sports: Season 2, and Kinect Fun Labs (though this does include a rather nifty ability to photograph objects in the real world and turn them into avatar items) and very little to spark any interest.

Verdict
Microsoft's press conference was the very first event at this year's E3 expo, but I hope it's not a sign of things to come. It started off very, very strongly - with focus on real games like Tomb Raider and Mass Effect 3 (I really don't mind minimal Kinect functionality like the voice-recognition in ME3) - but just fell flat once we entered the seemingly never-ending Kinect stretch. It was, for lack of a better word, boring with how much time was spent on shovel-ware. They made a bit of come-back at the end with Halo 4, but by then it was a case of too little, too late.

Here's hoping Sony don't spend too long on the Move.

Mr. Kojima & Konami Deliver the Goods

Well, this year's E3 is nearly upon us and the news is starting to trickle in.

Today's announcement from the Konami pre-E3 conference? Hideo Kojima and the other beautiful people at Konami deliver on all fronts.

You may remember the announcement that Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker was making a HD transition to PS3 from PSP. Well, it is - but it's not coming alone. As part of the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker will all be making the jump to Sony's current console and the Xbox 360 in November this year.. Expect trophies/achievements, slick HD visuals and no doubt a stack of extras as has been the case with past HD remasters.

But wait, that's not all!

Remember those two excellent mech-based games that Kojima and his team produced for the PS2? A little series called Zone of the Enders? Well those are being remastered and released in HD on the PS3 and Xbox 360 too! Hopefully when this drops sometime in 2012, it's just a stepping stone for the much sought after part 3 of the franchise.

BUT WAIT, THAT'S NOT ALL!

Not enough HD collection talk in this post? Didn't think so. Silent Hill 2 & 3 are being remastered and bundled up for your enjoyment too! That's right, a THIRD HD collection is coming from Konami, but no release date has yet been announced. They also teased a bit more of the newest title, Silent Hill: Downpour (due out this winter), but no new real information was given.

And finally...

Konami showed off their new "Fox Engine", a new graphics engine that Hideo Kojima and his team are using to create an as-of-yet unrevealed new title.

Phew, what a news blow-out. Lots of stuff to look forward to from the House of Konami it seems!

5 TV Shows You Should Be Watching, Part 3

Reality TV shows dominate the airwaves, broadcasting their "talent" to the mindless drones that gobble that shit up, game shows are becoming more and more redundantly garbage, and don't even get me started on The Only Way is Essex.

What happened to good old drama? Well, it's still there, and I'm taking a stand against the system by pointing you away from the trash and right to the treasure. So let me educate you with five shows you should be filling your viewing schedule with, ranging from "you should be watching this" to "WHY AREN'T YOU PRE-ORDERING THE ULTRA-DELUXE-LIMITED-COLLECTOR'S EDITION BLU-RAY BOX SET RIGHT NOW?!".

I already covered HBO's prohibition drama Boardwalk Empire at number 5,and BBC's Doctor Who was number 4, so that leads us into...


#3 The Walking Dead
AMC took a big gamble in producing The Walking Dead; a show based upon a long-running series of graphic novels revolving around the tale of a group of people struggling to survive during a zombie apocalypse. The Zombie genre has not been greatly explored on the small screen, and bringing one to life from the pages of a comic book was never going to be a guaranteed hit, regardless that the source material is regarded as some very fine work.


Thankfully, the wonderful Frank Darabont (of The Shawshank Redemption fame) took the project under his wing and gave us something truly special.


When small town police officer Rick Grimes wakes alone in a deserted, decimated hospital people would be forgiven for having the odd flash back to 28 Days Later, but this is a very different beast to Danny Boyle's London-based horror. As Grimes sets out to locate his family and encounters survivors along the way, it becomes clear that this series is not so much about a zombie apocalypse, but more-so about the people and how they endure to survive in such an event. In the pilot episode, in particular, there is a rather touching scene where a man tries to bring himself to shoot his wife in the head now that she has become one of the Walking Dead that comes off as a really beautiful moment of modern television.


Of course, even though it could be argued that the zombie apocalypse is superficial, the production team certainly spared no expense in making the whole thing as realistic as possible. This is some of the greatest set design and make-up work I've seen in television history - the zombies look better than most seen in Hollywood today, never mind on a TV budget! This isn't even mentioning the acting that remains constantly stellar throughout, and the storyline that goes a long way to keep you on your toes. The final two episodes of the first season are two very tense hours!


Unfortunately, due to the aforementioned gamble the show was at the time of production, only six episodes were green-lit for season one, but due to the show's fantastic reception and ratings the second season is set to be a full-length 13 episode run. So while the first season is a little on the short side, it's six hours of quality entertainment that I recommend everyone to watch before the next season starts in September on AMC (US) and FX (UK).

Music To Test By: Portal 2 Soundtrack Now Available for FREE

Those kind folks over at Valve have released volume 1 of the Portal 2 soundtrack, "Songs to Test By", on the game's official website for free.

Get it here.

It's a really fantastic score, and it's free of charge! Enjoy.

Metal Gear Peace Walking onto PS3

c wut i did thar?

JVN, a French website, has suggested that Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is set to be one of the first PSP games to be remastered and released on PS3 as part of the new PSP Remasters series Sony is releasing.

The game is reported to feature crisp HD visuals and be tailored for the PS3, including making the most of the home console's extra analogue stick it has over its portable cousin. This should be good news for those - like myself - who detest the camera functionality in games on the PSP due to the lack of that extra stick.

There are currently no details regarding possible SIXAXIS or 3D support, but the game is expected to be officially announced alongside other titles in the PSP Remasters series at this year's E3 expo.

Duke Nukem Forever has Gone Gold!!!

Pigs have flown, Hell has frozen over... Now after fifteen years of development time Duke Nukem Forever has gone gold and is ready to go to press!

The much-awaited first person shooter from Gearbox Software sees everyone's favourite ass-kicker return for the first time since 1996's Duke Nukem 3D. It will be released for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on June 10th, so expect a review/my first thoughts around that time.

"It's time to kick ass and chew bubble gum... And I'm all outta gum!"

5 TV Shows You Should Be Watching, Part 2

Television is a dark, depressing place as of late.

Reality TV shows dominate the airwaves, broadcasting their "talent" to the mindless drones that gobble that shit up, game shows are becoming more and more redundantly garbage, and don't even get me started on The Only Way is Essex.

What happened to good old drama? Well, it's still there, and I'm taking a stand against the system by pointing you away from the trash and right to the treasure. So let me educate you with five shows you should be filling your viewing schedule with, ranging from "you should be watching this" to "WHY AREN'T YOU PRE-ORDERING THE ULTRA-DELUXE-LIMITED-COLLECTOR'S EDITION BLU-RAY BOX SET RIGHT NOW?!".

I already covered HBO's prohibition drama Boardwalk Empire at number 5, so let's move on with...


#4 Doctor Who
Get any preconception that this is a show just for the kiddies out of your head right now. While it retains a lot of its familiar charm and humour, the modern series is a whole different beast than the overtly corny tea time extravaganza it used to be.


Since 2010 when lead writing duties passed from Russel T. Davies (who shall always be revered as the man who brought the Doctor back to our screens) to Steven Moffat the whole show took on a more adult-orientated vibe with head-scratching multi-season long plot arcs and enough sexual innuendo to make a sailor blush... Okay, well maybe not THAT much; it is still on before the watershed!


The general story of the show should need no introduction; human-looking alien travels across time and space in his multidimensional blue box spaceship, brining along various companions on the way for countless adventures. Last year's series 5 saw the introduction of the Doctor's eleventh incarnation (Matt Smith) (must be nice being able to hit "reset" upon death) and companion Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), a boisterous, ginger, Scottish girl who has a fondness for short skirts. The pair spend the next season and a half (as it stands at the time of writing this article) seeking out answers to a myriad of questions: What are the cracks in time? Who caused them? What are the 'Silence'? And, most importantly, who on Earth is River Song (Alex Kingston)? Ah yes, River and the Doctor's relationship remains unsolved (again, as this article goes to press but promised to be fully answered this season) as they keep bumping into each other time and time again in the wrong order, in a mixed up timeline of events.


With so many questions floating about, and the quality with which their mysteries and subsequent answers are told, it is easy to see that this is no longer simply a "children's show" but in fact one that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Everything from the acting to the production values is stellar, with a few moments of cheese and corny-ness slipping through the cracks; but would it really be Doctor Who if it didn't have cheese?! The series has being running since 1963 and has had its fair share of ups and downs along the way... Thankfully, with its current formula it is most definitely at its finest.


Expect a full review of Season 6, Part 1 once the final episode has aired on June 4th.





Season 6, Part 1 of Doctor Who is currently airing on BBC1 Saturdays at approximately 6:30pm (start times change on a weekly basis). Part 1 will end on the 7th episode of the season June 4th, before Part 2 returns in September with the remaining 6 episodes. The show is broadcast on Saturday evenings on BBC America and SPACE in the USA and Canada respectively.

PSP Titles to be Remastered for PS3 Release

Well this is interesting!

Sony have announced their plans to remaster and release PSP titles on the PS3, starting this summer with Monster Hunter Portable 3rd HD Ver. (not a very catchy title, is it?).

Each title will come with upgraded graphics, new additional content and (in some cases) stereoscopic 3D support. Save files will be transferable between PS3 & PSP, and multiplayer is fully supported, including through the PSP ad-hoc system.

I have a PSP but much prefer sitting down and playing on a console. Also preferring my 3DS for portable gaming at the moment! Here's hoping for MGS Peace Walker to make the transition.

Rebecca Black Predicts the End of Days?!

Well, Harold Camping's Rapture prediction was a bust. May 21st was the day he stated would see the Holy God rescue 200 million by bringing them to Heaven, while earthquakes began the prolonged destruction of the Earth (lasting 'til October 21st no less!) at 6pm in each time zone.

Well, we're still waiting.

In the mean time, listen to this lovely doomsday song by Rebecca Black and the very funny folks over at Rooster Teeth.



I do not own, nor did I create, this video. This video is property of Rooster Teeth.
Rebecca Black and 'Friday' are property of Satan.