Pulse
Entertaining apoplyptic horror. Bit OTT in places, but still fun.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Mario Car!
Game are currently running a competition in the UK, where at any of the 30 stores in the UK where the competition is being run, you can attempt to get the best lap time on a single track on Mario Kart Wii.
The winners from this will then go onto a grand final on the launch of Mario Kart Wii, where the winner will win the grand price, which is this:
Now is that not both the geekiest and coolest car you have ever set your eyes upon!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Dead Fantasy
I don't know how I missed the first one - but boy am I impressed.
Dead Fantasy and Dead Fantasy 2 are two fan movies put together by someone by the name of Monty Oum. They mesh together the stars of Dead or Alive and Final Fantasy in what has got to be the most spectacular game related fan movies I have ever seen. How the hell did he do it?
Somebody hire this guy!
Anyway, the link below is to the wired site, which helpfully has a link to both videos
Dead Fantasy 1 and 2
It has to be said that the Final Fantasy gals kick some serious ass - especially Tifa and Rinoa
Dead Fantasy and Dead Fantasy 2 are two fan movies put together by someone by the name of Monty Oum. They mesh together the stars of Dead or Alive and Final Fantasy in what has got to be the most spectacular game related fan movies I have ever seen. How the hell did he do it?
Somebody hire this guy!
Anyway, the link below is to the wired site, which helpfully has a link to both videos
Dead Fantasy 1 and 2
It has to be said that the Final Fantasy gals kick some serious ass - especially Tifa and Rinoa
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Guitar Hero DS
OH MY GOD - This is either going to be absolutely awful or absolutely incredible. It's hard to say until you actually get a chance to play...
Take look here for it in action:
High BP, Brick and snaking
Okay then – onto my blood pressure…I went to the doctors the other day for some repeat prescriptions, and also to have my blood pressure taken following on from my increased blood pressure at the beginning of the year. Now bear in mind that since then I have:
- Increased the amount of exercise I do (i.e. go out on my bike 3-4 times a week and also go for more walks)
- Cut out almost all junk food, i.e. sweets, chocolate, chips, fast food etc.
-Watched the level of salt intake that I have in a day and reduced this as much as possible.
- Massively increased the amount of fruit and veg I have in the day, easily having between 6-8 portions a day.
- Taken up meditation, which I probably do 4-5 times a week (although I have been a little lax of late).
As such, I had expected my blood pressure to have dropped even further, but no, instead it has increased dramatically again to (if my memory is correct) 146/109. Definitely not good.
As such, it looks like a full gone conclusion that I will be diagnosed with high blood pressure, and as such be on medication for the rest of my life. So, a bit of a bummer to say the least, especially after all my hard work to improve my health (which I will be continuing btw). However, I should have guessed that something was up, as I was getting more and more stress like headaches over the last week, as well as feeling a little run down, which is similar to how I felt the first time that my high blood pressure was identified.
Anyway, I had an ECG this morning and also a blood test – so hopefully I should get the result from these soon. In addition to this I also have to wear a blood test monitor for 1 whole day at the beginning of April
Film watched:
Brick
Dames, drugs and detectives. Modern teenage noire that doesn’t quite gel.
6.5/10
I have recently read in the Official Nintendo Magazine that for Mario Kart Wii, that snaking has effectively been removed from the series. Snaking, for those of you who don’t know, relates to a technique used to gain additional boosts during a race. Normally in Mario Kart you can gain a boost out of a curve, by power sliding around a bend whilst alternatively pressing left and right to get a boost. Now some people take this technique and apply it to straights, effectively turning left and right alternatively whilst activating boosts from power slides – or as it is better know, snaking. This gives an unfair advantage to those who have mastered the art of snaking, which was especially evident when Mario Kart was played online on the DS.Whilst it is still possible to get a boost from power sliding on Mario Kart Wii (as well as pulling wheelies on bikes), this is based on the amount of time you hold a power slide as oppose to how quickly you can waggle left and right. As such, this has effectively eliminated snaking from the game and ensures that power slides are used as originally intended. This is quite possibly the most sensible move possible my Nintendo to ensure that races are as fair as possible.
BTW, have mentioned how excited I am (and Elliot) about Mario Kart Wii? Just over 2 weeks to go now :)
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Arthur C Clarke RIP
I had planned to blog this lunchtime about my renewed blood pressure issues, maybe I’ll leave that for another day. Instead I read the sad news that Arthur C Clarke has just passed away, aged 90.
It has to be said that he was not only a genius (invented the communications satellite) but also an exceptional writer. Rendezvous with Rama is one of my all time favourites and I have also enjoyed numerous other books written by him. It also has to be said, that as I kid I was always glued to the TV series Arthur C Clarke’s Mysterious World, which at the time I thought was the greatest TV show ever.
It is a sad, sad day and he will be greatly missed.
It has to be said that he was not only a genius (invented the communications satellite) but also an exceptional writer. Rendezvous with Rama is one of my all time favourites and I have also enjoyed numerous other books written by him. It also has to be said, that as I kid I was always glued to the TV series Arthur C Clarke’s Mysterious World, which at the time I thought was the greatest TV show ever.
It is a sad, sad day and he will be greatly missed.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Stardust
Film watched:
Stardust
Whimiscal fairytale fantasy adventure, very Princess Bride, very good.
8/10
Stardust
Whimiscal fairytale fantasy adventure, very Princess Bride, very good.
8/10
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Too many games!
I have come to the conclusion that there are simply a stupid number of good games due out in 2008, and rather strangely most of these are not bunched up during the regular busy Christmas period.
I am not someone who can have too many games going at the same time, instead I tend to focus on one or two particular games at a time (although saying that, I just realised that I’m currently playing through the following: Half Life 2 (PS3), Super Mario Galaxy (Wii), COD4 (online PS3), Final Fantasy: Revenant Wings and Advance Wars: Days of Ruin). As such, from the list of games that I would like, I’m sure that there will be some that I don’t have time to get and play.
As such, I thought I’d do my own little preview of the games due out which I’m interested in and assign some sort of anticipation rating to them.
Ratings key:
*** Would like to play, but may have to skip if released next to another game.
**** Really looking forward to
***** Must play, my life depends on it!
Game: Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice
Format: DS
Release date: Out Now (US)
Rating: *****
Details: I have loved the previous games in the series and look forward to this immensely. I have actually just recently ordered this on import and should receive it in a week or two.
Game: Professor Lanyon and the Mysterious Village
Format: DS
Release date: Out Now (US)
Rating: ****
Details: This looks like a great puzzle/adventure which I will likely purchase. However, I may wait until the UK release.
Game: No More Heroes
Format: Wii
Release date: 14/03/08
Rating: ***
Details: This looks like an unusual and fund game from the makers of Killer 7 for the Wii. Unfortunately the UK release has been gimped slightly when compared to the US release, taking out much of the violence. Also, I doubt that I’ll have time to play it, as such, I don’t think I’ll get around to getting it.
Game: Fire Emblem
Format: Wii
Release date: 14/03/08
Rating: ***
Details: I really, really want to play a Fire Emblem game. From the makers of Advance Wars, this comes across as a medieval strategy game. Unfortunately with so many other games due out, this may need to slip off my list for the time being, until I have more time.
Game: Gran Turismo 4: Prologue
Format: PS3
Release date: 28/03/08
Rating: ***
Details: I may skip this, as in reality it is little more than an extended demo. Although the though of online racing is tempting, I think I’ll likely wait until the full version in a year or so. Besides for racing I have:
Game: Mario Kart Wii
Format: Wii
Release date: 11/04/08
Rating: *****
Details: If I had to choose one game only to play in 2008, this would be it. I have always loved the Mario Kart Series and I’m sure that this will not change. I’m not too sure that I’ll like the Wiiwheel control scheme, but at least you have the option of using the nunchuck, or even a Gamecube controller.
Game: Wii Fit
Format: Wii
Release date: 25/04/08
Rating: ****
Details: When this was first announced at E3 last year, I must admit that I had little interest in it. However, after identifying the my blood pressure hasn’t been too great of late, the idea of a game which in turn will also help with my health is now very appealing. I think that Nintendo are likely onto a winner with this one, and I’m looking forward to this.
Game: Super Smash Bros Brawl
Format: Wii
Release date: Q2/3 08
Rating: ****
Details: I may not be as big a fan of the series as other people on the internet (who seem to literally worship the games), there is no denying that they are great fun. The opportunity to play online is also a big draw, plus it’s Nintendo, therefore this almost automatically makes it an immediate purchase.
Game: Okami
Format: Wii
Release date: Q2/3 08
Rating: ***
Details: I very nearly bought this for the PS2 so many time, after all what is there not to like, it is after all very similar to Zelda gameplay wise, but with a striking Japanese graphical style. Thankfully, this is now being ported to the Wii, which should suit the game down to the ground considering that a large portion of this is controlled by brush strokes. Also the 480p widescreen resolution on the Wii version only makes a beautiful game even more beautiful!
Game: Grand Theft Auto 4
Format: PS3
Release date: 29/04/08
Rating: *****
Details: I have some concerns that this may end up being a bad port of the 360 version and also that it may not have evolved enough from the previous GTA games, but to be frank, this is still on of my must haves for the year.
Game: Rock Band
Format: PS3
Release date: Q2/3 08
Rating: *****
Details: Oh you lucky, lucky American’s, getting this November 2007, when us European’s have to wait forever to get our hands on it. After playing Guitar Hero down a friends almost every Monday nigh for month, I’m definitely all set for the release of this.
Game: Metal Gear Solid 4
Format: PS3
Release date: 12/06/08
Rating: *****
Details: This is likely the biggest game out on the PS3 in 2008. I am a big fan of the series and this looks likely to be the best yet. I think it’s quite likely that PS3’s will jump off the shelves once this is released.
Game: Disgaea 3
Format: PS3
Release date: August 08 (US)
Rating: *****
Details: I remember once commenting about Disgaea on the PS2 that it is a fantastic game, but that the graphics weren’t that much better than a PS1, well now the seconds sequel is due on the PS3 and still the graphics don’t look any better than a PS1. Does it matter, not a jot. When it comes to SRPG’s this is king. It is rare to find a game which is so involving, so bizarre and so funny. Oh yes, this is a must buy (and probably import).
Game: Little Big Planet
Format: PS3
Release date: September 08
Rating: ****
Details: This looks both quirky and interesting. It looks relatively simple to design your own levels and genuinely fun to play. Another big seller for the PS3.
Game: Killzone 2
Format: PS3
Release date: November 08
Rating: ***
Details: Purely on a graphical standpoint, this game is looking stunning. I played the first game briefly and thought it was good, but not spectacular. Killzone 2 on the other hand looks like it could be a stunner. There is, however, a vague possibility that it may be overshadowed by Resistance 2.
Game: Resistance 2
Format: PS3
Release date: November 08
Rating: ****
Details: Whilst the single player game on Resistance was good, it wasn’t great, multiplayer however was a blast. Resistance 2 looks like it takes that multiplayer game and runs with it. This could quite easily top COD4 on the PS3 online front for me.
Game: Fire Emblem (DS)
Format: DS
Release date: Q4 08
Rating: ***
Details: I may end up getting the handheld Fire Emblem (when it’s eventually released) instead of the Wii version. Games like Advance Wars are great to play on the fly, and as such Fire Emblem would go down a storm.
Game: Final Fantasy 4
Format: DS
Release date: Q4 08
Rating: ****
Details: Looks very much like a similar update that Final Fantasy 3 was, which I enjoyed immensely. As such, and also bearing in mind that it is Final Fantasy, I will likely get.
Game: Final Fantasy Tactics: A2
Format: DS
Release date: Q4 08
Rating: *****
Details: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Advance Wars were the most played games on my GBA of old, as such this immediately becomes my most anticipated game due on the DS. I could quite easily lose hours on this game without even noticing.
Game: Street Fighter 4
Format: PS3
Release date: Q4 08
Rating: ****
Details: I still maintain that Street Fighter 2 is the best fighting game out there and 4 looks like it is returning to it’s roots and as such, I’m interested.
Game: Soul Calibur 4
Format: PS3
Release date: Q4 08
Rating: ****
Details: I have really enjoyed Soul Blade, Soul Calibur and Soul Calibur 2 (never got around to getting 3), and as such, this new iteration is another likely purchase for me.
So as you can see, there are a fair few games due out on the systems that I own in 2008. There are of course other big games due, such as Resident Evil 5 and Final Fantasy 13, but I do not think that these will be released in 2008, these are more likely 2009 releases. In addition to this there are also games due out on the PSN and Wiiware which I am interested in.
Well, it’s going to be a busy year, that’s for sure.
I am not someone who can have too many games going at the same time, instead I tend to focus on one or two particular games at a time (although saying that, I just realised that I’m currently playing through the following: Half Life 2 (PS3), Super Mario Galaxy (Wii), COD4 (online PS3), Final Fantasy: Revenant Wings and Advance Wars: Days of Ruin). As such, from the list of games that I would like, I’m sure that there will be some that I don’t have time to get and play.
As such, I thought I’d do my own little preview of the games due out which I’m interested in and assign some sort of anticipation rating to them.
Ratings key:
*** Would like to play, but may have to skip if released next to another game.
**** Really looking forward to
***** Must play, my life depends on it!
Game: Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice
Format: DS
Release date: Out Now (US)
Rating: *****
Details: I have loved the previous games in the series and look forward to this immensely. I have actually just recently ordered this on import and should receive it in a week or two.
Game: Professor Lanyon and the Mysterious Village
Format: DS
Release date: Out Now (US)
Rating: ****
Details: This looks like a great puzzle/adventure which I will likely purchase. However, I may wait until the UK release.
Game: No More Heroes
Format: Wii
Release date: 14/03/08
Rating: ***
Details: This looks like an unusual and fund game from the makers of Killer 7 for the Wii. Unfortunately the UK release has been gimped slightly when compared to the US release, taking out much of the violence. Also, I doubt that I’ll have time to play it, as such, I don’t think I’ll get around to getting it.
Game: Fire Emblem
Format: Wii
Release date: 14/03/08
Rating: ***
Details: I really, really want to play a Fire Emblem game. From the makers of Advance Wars, this comes across as a medieval strategy game. Unfortunately with so many other games due out, this may need to slip off my list for the time being, until I have more time.
Game: Gran Turismo 4: Prologue
Format: PS3
Release date: 28/03/08
Rating: ***
Details: I may skip this, as in reality it is little more than an extended demo. Although the though of online racing is tempting, I think I’ll likely wait until the full version in a year or so. Besides for racing I have:
Game: Mario Kart Wii
Format: Wii
Release date: 11/04/08
Rating: *****
Details: If I had to choose one game only to play in 2008, this would be it. I have always loved the Mario Kart Series and I’m sure that this will not change. I’m not too sure that I’ll like the Wiiwheel control scheme, but at least you have the option of using the nunchuck, or even a Gamecube controller.
Game: Wii Fit
Format: Wii
Release date: 25/04/08
Rating: ****
Details: When this was first announced at E3 last year, I must admit that I had little interest in it. However, after identifying the my blood pressure hasn’t been too great of late, the idea of a game which in turn will also help with my health is now very appealing. I think that Nintendo are likely onto a winner with this one, and I’m looking forward to this.
Game: Super Smash Bros Brawl
Format: Wii
Release date: Q2/3 08
Rating: ****
Details: I may not be as big a fan of the series as other people on the internet (who seem to literally worship the games), there is no denying that they are great fun. The opportunity to play online is also a big draw, plus it’s Nintendo, therefore this almost automatically makes it an immediate purchase.
Game: Okami
Format: Wii
Release date: Q2/3 08
Rating: ***
Details: I very nearly bought this for the PS2 so many time, after all what is there not to like, it is after all very similar to Zelda gameplay wise, but with a striking Japanese graphical style. Thankfully, this is now being ported to the Wii, which should suit the game down to the ground considering that a large portion of this is controlled by brush strokes. Also the 480p widescreen resolution on the Wii version only makes a beautiful game even more beautiful!
Game: Grand Theft Auto 4
Format: PS3
Release date: 29/04/08
Rating: *****
Details: I have some concerns that this may end up being a bad port of the 360 version and also that it may not have evolved enough from the previous GTA games, but to be frank, this is still on of my must haves for the year.
Game: Rock Band
Format: PS3
Release date: Q2/3 08
Rating: *****
Details: Oh you lucky, lucky American’s, getting this November 2007, when us European’s have to wait forever to get our hands on it. After playing Guitar Hero down a friends almost every Monday nigh for month, I’m definitely all set for the release of this.
Game: Metal Gear Solid 4
Format: PS3
Release date: 12/06/08
Rating: *****
Details: This is likely the biggest game out on the PS3 in 2008. I am a big fan of the series and this looks likely to be the best yet. I think it’s quite likely that PS3’s will jump off the shelves once this is released.
Game: Disgaea 3
Format: PS3
Release date: August 08 (US)
Rating: *****
Details: I remember once commenting about Disgaea on the PS2 that it is a fantastic game, but that the graphics weren’t that much better than a PS1, well now the seconds sequel is due on the PS3 and still the graphics don’t look any better than a PS1. Does it matter, not a jot. When it comes to SRPG’s this is king. It is rare to find a game which is so involving, so bizarre and so funny. Oh yes, this is a must buy (and probably import).
Game: Little Big Planet
Format: PS3
Release date: September 08
Rating: ****
Details: This looks both quirky and interesting. It looks relatively simple to design your own levels and genuinely fun to play. Another big seller for the PS3.
Game: Killzone 2
Format: PS3
Release date: November 08
Rating: ***
Details: Purely on a graphical standpoint, this game is looking stunning. I played the first game briefly and thought it was good, but not spectacular. Killzone 2 on the other hand looks like it could be a stunner. There is, however, a vague possibility that it may be overshadowed by Resistance 2.
Game: Resistance 2
Format: PS3
Release date: November 08
Rating: ****
Details: Whilst the single player game on Resistance was good, it wasn’t great, multiplayer however was a blast. Resistance 2 looks like it takes that multiplayer game and runs with it. This could quite easily top COD4 on the PS3 online front for me.
Game: Fire Emblem (DS)
Format: DS
Release date: Q4 08
Rating: ***
Details: I may end up getting the handheld Fire Emblem (when it’s eventually released) instead of the Wii version. Games like Advance Wars are great to play on the fly, and as such Fire Emblem would go down a storm.
Game: Final Fantasy 4
Format: DS
Release date: Q4 08
Rating: ****
Details: Looks very much like a similar update that Final Fantasy 3 was, which I enjoyed immensely. As such, and also bearing in mind that it is Final Fantasy, I will likely get.
Game: Final Fantasy Tactics: A2
Format: DS
Release date: Q4 08
Rating: *****
Details: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Advance Wars were the most played games on my GBA of old, as such this immediately becomes my most anticipated game due on the DS. I could quite easily lose hours on this game without even noticing.
Game: Street Fighter 4
Format: PS3
Release date: Q4 08
Rating: ****
Details: I still maintain that Street Fighter 2 is the best fighting game out there and 4 looks like it is returning to it’s roots and as such, I’m interested.
Game: Soul Calibur 4
Format: PS3
Release date: Q4 08
Rating: ****
Details: I have really enjoyed Soul Blade, Soul Calibur and Soul Calibur 2 (never got around to getting 3), and as such, this new iteration is another likely purchase for me.
So as you can see, there are a fair few games due out on the systems that I own in 2008. There are of course other big games due, such as Resident Evil 5 and Final Fantasy 13, but I do not think that these will be released in 2008, these are more likely 2009 releases. In addition to this there are also games due out on the PSN and Wiiware which I am interested in.
Well, it’s going to be a busy year, that’s for sure.
Friday, February 29, 2008
London, Cloverfield and Mars
Well, we arrived back from London a couple of days ago. The weather over there was great, back here, not so great.
Anyway, we all had a great time. Roz finally managed to see Mika in concert which she enjoyed and Elliot was exceptionally well behaved and enjoyed the sights of London such as the London Eye, The Tower of London, London Zoo etc.
Funnily enough we were London when the minor earthquake hit at 1:00 am on 27/02/08 (5.2 on the Richter Scale for 15 seconds). We were based in Hammersmith, which did feel the effects of the quake:
This is taken from the Evening Standard
'In Hammersmith, Kiran Sekhon, 29, said: "I woke up absolutely terrified. I was in a deep sleep and all of a sudden woke to find my bed shaking. It went on for a few seconds and then stopped."'
Thankfully we all slept through it, none of us disturbed by it at all, which is strange because I’m normally a very light sleeper.
It seems like something always has to happen in London whenever I visit!
Film watched:
Cloverfield
Blair Witch meets Godzilla. Enjoyable, slightly daft, fun.
7.5/10
Veronica Mars
It’s official, I’m hooked.
I have now watched all of the first series and have just moved onto the second series. It is the type of program which is hard to watch in small bits, there is always the temptation to watch just one more.
It’s a shame that it is now cancelled, but at least the star of the show, Kristen Bell is now in series 2 of Heroes, and in truth she is the main draw of Veronica Mars, that and the tightly written mysteries.
Anyway, we all had a great time. Roz finally managed to see Mika in concert which she enjoyed and Elliot was exceptionally well behaved and enjoyed the sights of London such as the London Eye, The Tower of London, London Zoo etc.
Funnily enough we were London when the minor earthquake hit at 1:00 am on 27/02/08 (5.2 on the Richter Scale for 15 seconds). We were based in Hammersmith, which did feel the effects of the quake:
This is taken from the Evening Standard
'In Hammersmith, Kiran Sekhon, 29, said: "I woke up absolutely terrified. I was in a deep sleep and all of a sudden woke to find my bed shaking. It went on for a few seconds and then stopped."'
Thankfully we all slept through it, none of us disturbed by it at all, which is strange because I’m normally a very light sleeper.
It seems like something always has to happen in London whenever I visit!
Film watched:
Cloverfield
Blair Witch meets Godzilla. Enjoyable, slightly daft, fun.
7.5/10
Veronica Mars
It’s official, I’m hooked.
I have now watched all of the first series and have just moved onto the second series. It is the type of program which is hard to watch in small bits, there is always the temptation to watch just one more.
It’s a shame that it is now cancelled, but at least the star of the show, Kristen Bell is now in series 2 of Heroes, and in truth she is the main draw of Veronica Mars, that and the tightly written mysteries.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
MK Wii, Wii Fit and HD Fury
Well it looks like Both Mario Kart Wii and also Wii Fit have been given release dates in Europe… and what’s better is that they are out here before the US for once!
They are:
Wii Fit - 25 April 08
Mario Kart Wii – 11 April 08 !?!
I have to confess that I am seriously hyped about Mario Kart. I’m a huge fan of the Mario Kart series, every single one of them, even the much loathed (by some) Double Dash. So while Mario Kart on the Wii doesn’t look like much of a graphical improvement over Double Dash, I’m still looking forward to it, mainly for the online aspects of the game.
I’m also looking forward to Wii Fit, especially given my recent health scare, something like this is much needed to help boost my health further!
They are:
Wii Fit - 25 April 08
Mario Kart Wii – 11 April 08 !?!
I have to confess that I am seriously hyped about Mario Kart. I’m a huge fan of the Mario Kart series, every single one of them, even the much loathed (by some) Double Dash. So while Mario Kart on the Wii doesn’t look like much of a graphical improvement over Double Dash, I’m still looking forward to it, mainly for the online aspects of the game.
I’m also looking forward to Wii Fit, especially given my recent health scare, something like this is much needed to help boost my health further!
I just got my HD Fury converter through the post today. Up until now I have been forced to watch blu-ray via a converter box which converts component to VGA, which although good, did not have a great level of contrast and as a consequence dark scenes suffered. HD Fury converts HDMI to VGA and boy does it look good. I gave Ratatouille a quick go and the improvement is incredible.
For anyone out there with a HD compatible (but not HD ready) set, I cannot recommend this enough!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
HD DVD RIP & Paprika
Toshiba have just given the official world... HD DVD is dead.
Hopefully this will mean that with the end of confusing format wars, that the uptake of Blu-ray over DVD will increase dramatically. I can certainly say, that after watching the fantastic Ratatouille on Blu-ray last weekend, that this is the future of home cinema.
Film watched:
Paprika
A visual feast for the eyes, but an utter mess.
6/10
Friday, February 15, 2008
Everyday, last star and Mars
Everyday Shooter
At long last Everyday Shooter has been put on the European PSN. I have been waiting for this for months (it was out late last year in the US) and it would seem that Sony have finally got there act together (i.e. included the other languages for our non-English speaking European neighbours).
I’ve only had a short go on it last night, but what I played was fantastic. One of the things that the Xbox has done right is Xbox live arcade. Since a friend bought himself an Xbox, it has to be said that the live arcade games have probably impressed me most about the console, much more so than the full priced games. I was most impressed by Geometry Wars (but also by Pac Man arcade and Rez HD), and as such wanted my own 2 stick shooter to sink my teeth into. I’ve resisted buying the other lesser offerings on the PSN (although I’m aware that a lot of people rank Super Stardust HD highly) and waited for Everyday Shooter.
It has to be said that it feels like a much more chilled experience than Geometry Wars, and the way that the music links to the gameplay reminds me in some respects to Rez. I’ve only made it through 3 stages of the game so far, but I like the way that the games leaves it mainly to you to understand how each stage works. For example, the initial stage may seem like just a case of shooting everything in sight, but instead you need to understand how the different enemies react when shot, and use this to both defend yourself and also destroy the “smart bomb” type enemies at the right time to clear the screen and get maximum points. What is great is that the rules of the game change quite a lot with each new stage, and you are forced to adapt the way you play to match this.
Overall, I’m very impressed so far, and look forward to giving it more time as soon as I can. 
Super Mario Galaxy
I never got every star in Mario 64 (it was too damn hard), I also never got every single shine sprite in Super Mario Sunshine (the blue coins were dumb) – but I vowed to do my best to get every single star in Super Mario Galaxy, and the other day, I did just that – I managed to get the final star. It has to be said that there were 3 stars in particular that took sometime to get, but I got there in the end.
What’s great is that Elliot is now an official Mario nut. He loves sitting by me while I play it and even helps out by collecting star bits with the second Wiimote. As such, playing Super Mario Galaxy has been a great father/son time together, which we have both enjoyed.
Also, without spoiling things, getting all 120 stars isn’t necessarily the end of everything! As such, I’ll likely be playing the game for some time more with Elliot.
Veronica Mars
This is a TV series which wasn’t shown over here (to my knowledge, at least not on terrestrial channels), but one which I really wanted to see. Also unfortunately it hasn’t been release on DVD over here, so I’ve had to import US DVD’s to have the opportunity to watch it.
To boil it down to its basics, it’s about the daughter of a PI who is still in high school in a rich suburb of America. The daughter (Veronica Mars) works for her father and also does detective work of her own on the side. Kind of like Buffy meets Philip Marlow, with a dash of 90210.
It is a series that got a lot of acclaim in the US, but never really got the audience that it deserved, and as such was cancelled after 3 years. From my perspective, so far I have enjoyed it immensely. It is cleverly written, with a great ongoing mystery which in unravelled bit by bit as the series goes okay. On top of that are great characters brought to life by great actors. What is there not to like!
Bravo Veronica – the series may be dead, but I’m enjoying catching up. 
At long last Everyday Shooter has been put on the European PSN. I have been waiting for this for months (it was out late last year in the US) and it would seem that Sony have finally got there act together (i.e. included the other languages for our non-English speaking European neighbours).
I’ve only had a short go on it last night, but what I played was fantastic. One of the things that the Xbox has done right is Xbox live arcade. Since a friend bought himself an Xbox, it has to be said that the live arcade games have probably impressed me most about the console, much more so than the full priced games. I was most impressed by Geometry Wars (but also by Pac Man arcade and Rez HD), and as such wanted my own 2 stick shooter to sink my teeth into. I’ve resisted buying the other lesser offerings on the PSN (although I’m aware that a lot of people rank Super Stardust HD highly) and waited for Everyday Shooter.
It has to be said that it feels like a much more chilled experience than Geometry Wars, and the way that the music links to the gameplay reminds me in some respects to Rez. I’ve only made it through 3 stages of the game so far, but I like the way that the games leaves it mainly to you to understand how each stage works. For example, the initial stage may seem like just a case of shooting everything in sight, but instead you need to understand how the different enemies react when shot, and use this to both defend yourself and also destroy the “smart bomb” type enemies at the right time to clear the screen and get maximum points. What is great is that the rules of the game change quite a lot with each new stage, and you are forced to adapt the way you play to match this.
Overall, I’m very impressed so far, and look forward to giving it more time as soon as I can.
Super Mario Galaxy
I never got every star in Mario 64 (it was too damn hard), I also never got every single shine sprite in Super Mario Sunshine (the blue coins were dumb) – but I vowed to do my best to get every single star in Super Mario Galaxy, and the other day, I did just that – I managed to get the final star. It has to be said that there were 3 stars in particular that took sometime to get, but I got there in the end.
What’s great is that Elliot is now an official Mario nut. He loves sitting by me while I play it and even helps out by collecting star bits with the second Wiimote. As such, playing Super Mario Galaxy has been a great father/son time together, which we have both enjoyed.
Also, without spoiling things, getting all 120 stars isn’t necessarily the end of everything! As such, I’ll likely be playing the game for some time more with Elliot.
Veronica Mars
This is a TV series which wasn’t shown over here (to my knowledge, at least not on terrestrial channels), but one which I really wanted to see. Also unfortunately it hasn’t been release on DVD over here, so I’ve had to import US DVD’s to have the opportunity to watch it.
To boil it down to its basics, it’s about the daughter of a PI who is still in high school in a rich suburb of America. The daughter (Veronica Mars) works for her father and also does detective work of her own on the side. Kind of like Buffy meets Philip Marlow, with a dash of 90210.
It is a series that got a lot of acclaim in the US, but never really got the audience that it deserved, and as such was cancelled after 3 years. From my perspective, so far I have enjoyed it immensely. It is cleverly written, with a great ongoing mystery which in unravelled bit by bit as the series goes okay. On top of that are great characters brought to life by great actors. What is there not to like!
Bravo Veronica – the series may be dead, but I’m enjoying catching up.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Oscar predictions
Well, here they are, my oscar predictions (with comments).
As with previous years, I have skipped a few of the awards (namely short films and, rather surprisingly, foreign language films) as I am not in a position to comment on the nominees.
Best motion picture of the year
"No Country for Old Men"
No Country for Old Men is the favourite to win by some margin. It has won the WGA, SAG, DGA and PGA (i.e. all the Hollywood guild awards), as such, it would be a shock for it NOT to win. As much as I’d prefer ANY other film to win, it looks like No Country for Old Men’s year.
Of course out of all the films nominated I thing Atonement is by far the most deserving – but unfortunately I do not see it winning.
Achievement in directing
"No Country for Old Men" Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
I tend to either really like Coen films (Barton Fink and Big Lebrowski) or really dislike them (Fargo and No Country for Old Men). Whilst I think they are deserving directors, they have made much better films than No Country for Old Men. Anyway, I think they will win this year.
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood"
If there is a dead cert this year then this is it. Daniel Day-Lewis is one hell of an actor, and this is quite possibly his best performance so far. He WILL win.
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men"
Although it is not the type of role which is often recognised by the Academy, I think that Javier Bardem has won this race before it has begun. He was the absolute highlight of what I consider to be a poor film
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Ellen Page in "Juno"
This is between Julie Christie and Ellen Page. It is often the case that the Academy will give awards elderly actors and so Julie Christie looks the likely winner, however, she has won an award in the past. In addition to this, everyone seems to have universally liked Ellen Page in Juno, and even though I’m likely going to be wrong on this one, I’m going to say Ellen Page.
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There"
Actress playing against type – tick. Actress playing someone unattractive – tick. Actress playing someone of the opposite sex – tick.
= immediate win for Cate Blanchett.
Best animated feature film of the year
"Ratatouille”
Considering that it is the highest ranked film on Rotten Tomato’s and Metacritic for 2007, I’d be surprised if it didn’t win. The only crime here is that it wasn’t up for best picture!
Achievement in art direction
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Achievement in cinematography
"There Will Be Blood"
I personally think that Atonement should win, if only for the stunning long shot around Dunkirk. However, I think this may be a toss up between There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men. As such, I’m guessing that There Will Be Blood will likely scoop this.
Achievement in costume design
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
This is a toss up between Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Sweeny Todd. Elizabeth was not received as Sweeny Todd, plus Sweeny Todd is a little bit different to your average period drama, therefore I think it will nab the award.
Best documentary feature
"Sicko"
If only to see Michael Moore have his minute’s speech in front of millions of viewers!
Achievement in film editing
"The Bourne Ultimatum"
Achievement in makeup
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"
Haven’t seen it – don’t want to, but it’s the most likely winner from the bunch.
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
"Ratatouille"
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
"Falling Slowly" from "Once"
No idea why – but I’ve heard this is a good song (and most of the rest were from Enchanted – shudder)
Achievement in sound editing
"Transformers"
BOOM, CRASH, SMASH BOOOOOOOOM = Likely winner.
Achievement in sound mixing
"Transformers"
See above
Achievement in visual effects
"Transformers"
Although I didn’t enjoy the film that much, the effects were pretty impressive.
Adapted screenplay
"No Country for Old Men"
Because it’s going to win best picture!
Original screenplay
"Juno"
I really, really really want Ratatouille to win this, but I very much doubt it will. Instead a screenplay written by an ex stripper (who has also penned Candy Girl: A Year in The Life of an Unlikely Stripper) seems a good alternative!
As with previous years, I have skipped a few of the awards (namely short films and, rather surprisingly, foreign language films) as I am not in a position to comment on the nominees.
Best motion picture of the year
"No Country for Old Men"
No Country for Old Men is the favourite to win by some margin. It has won the WGA, SAG, DGA and PGA (i.e. all the Hollywood guild awards), as such, it would be a shock for it NOT to win. As much as I’d prefer ANY other film to win, it looks like No Country for Old Men’s year.
Of course out of all the films nominated I thing Atonement is by far the most deserving – but unfortunately I do not see it winning.
Achievement in directing
"No Country for Old Men" Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
I tend to either really like Coen films (Barton Fink and Big Lebrowski) or really dislike them (Fargo and No Country for Old Men). Whilst I think they are deserving directors, they have made much better films than No Country for Old Men. Anyway, I think they will win this year.
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood"
If there is a dead cert this year then this is it. Daniel Day-Lewis is one hell of an actor, and this is quite possibly his best performance so far. He WILL win.
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men"
Although it is not the type of role which is often recognised by the Academy, I think that Javier Bardem has won this race before it has begun. He was the absolute highlight of what I consider to be a poor film
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Ellen Page in "Juno"
This is between Julie Christie and Ellen Page. It is often the case that the Academy will give awards elderly actors and so Julie Christie looks the likely winner, however, she has won an award in the past. In addition to this, everyone seems to have universally liked Ellen Page in Juno, and even though I’m likely going to be wrong on this one, I’m going to say Ellen Page.
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There"
Actress playing against type – tick. Actress playing someone unattractive – tick. Actress playing someone of the opposite sex – tick.
= immediate win for Cate Blanchett.
Best animated feature film of the year
"Ratatouille”
Considering that it is the highest ranked film on Rotten Tomato’s and Metacritic for 2007, I’d be surprised if it didn’t win. The only crime here is that it wasn’t up for best picture!
Achievement in art direction
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Achievement in cinematography
"There Will Be Blood"
I personally think that Atonement should win, if only for the stunning long shot around Dunkirk. However, I think this may be a toss up between There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men. As such, I’m guessing that There Will Be Blood will likely scoop this.
Achievement in costume design
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
This is a toss up between Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Sweeny Todd. Elizabeth was not received as Sweeny Todd, plus Sweeny Todd is a little bit different to your average period drama, therefore I think it will nab the award.
Best documentary feature
"Sicko"
If only to see Michael Moore have his minute’s speech in front of millions of viewers!
Achievement in film editing
"The Bourne Ultimatum"
Achievement in makeup
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"
Haven’t seen it – don’t want to, but it’s the most likely winner from the bunch.
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
"Ratatouille"
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
"Falling Slowly" from "Once"
No idea why – but I’ve heard this is a good song (and most of the rest were from Enchanted – shudder)
Achievement in sound editing
"Transformers"
BOOM, CRASH, SMASH BOOOOOOOOM = Likely winner.
Achievement in sound mixing
"Transformers"
See above
Achievement in visual effects
"Transformers"
Although I didn’t enjoy the film that much, the effects were pretty impressive.
Adapted screenplay
"No Country for Old Men"
Because it’s going to win best picture!
Original screenplay
"Juno"
I really, really really want Ratatouille to win this, but I very much doubt it will. Instead a screenplay written by an ex stripper (who has also penned Candy Girl: A Year in The Life of an Unlikely Stripper) seems a good alternative!
Friday, February 08, 2008
Atonement (should win!)
Film watched:
Atonement
Atonement
I’m going to break my 10 word rule with this one… Why?
Because a long last I’ve watched a film that bloody well deserves the Best Picture Oscar! Forget There will be Blood, forget Juno and for God’s sake please forget No Country for Old Men (I’m not even counting Michael Clayton)! This is the one that deserves to win by a frankly huge margin.
The crime here, is that it quite clearly won’t.
It is a film that clearly wears its heart on its sleeve. At times funny, clever and deeply moving. It is both expertly written and beautifully directed and without a doubt one of the best British films in decades.
I normally ignore the BAFTA’s. I’ll be quite honest, I’ve always thought of them as a cut down British centric Oscars (which they are), but at least Atonement looks like the likely winner at this ceremony. As such, I’ll likely be watching, just to see Atonements moment of glory.
Anyway… At least I have something to back come Oscar night.
9/10
Sunday, February 03, 2008
PS3 Desktop VR
I was very impressed by the Wii desktop VR demonstration that was posted on the internet recently, and it appears as if someone has figured out a way to run something very similiar on the PS3 using the Playstation eye...
Once again, very inventive. I don't see why game developers don't use this type of technology in their games. It would be a great addition to a first person shooter!
Link here:
PS3 Desktop VR
I must learn how to imbed video's one of these days - I know you can do it in blogger, but I've failed each time I try... That just goes to show my computer skills :)
Once again, very inventive. I don't see why game developers don't use this type of technology in their games. It would be a great addition to a first person shooter!
Link here:
PS3 Desktop VR
I must learn how to imbed video's one of these days - I know you can do it in blogger, but I've failed each time I try... That just goes to show my computer skills :)
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