Category Archives: Blogging

Jan 23 2012

Gordon, where are you?

Now readers of this blog will attest that I am a huge fan of the Half-Life series; first person sci-fi shooters with unrivalled gameplay, storylines and immersion, where you play as scientist Gordon Freeman as he gets mixed up in an alien invasion.  Half-Life 2 remains the benchmark by which all story-based first person shooters should be judged, and even though Valve originally promised a trilogy of spin-off episodes … to date they have only delivered two, leaving audiences on a cliff hanger at the end of episode 2.  That was four years ago, and what have we had since?  NOTHING.  Valve will not confirm or deny the existence of another Half-Life game in development, and although rumours have swept the internet of possibly Half-Life 2: Episode 3 being announced, or even more excitedly, Half-Life 3, we still have a wall of silence from Valve.  This is simply not good enough in my opinion, and I’m beginning to resent Valve’s attitude not only to the beloved gaming series, but also to its loyal fan-base.

Over on Valve’s own Steam community forums, a group has been started asking for more communication from Valve on the subject, stating they do not want to rush the development of the next Half-Life, but would like to know at the very least, that another Half-Life is in development.  Other developers are only too happy to shout about their games, and Valve’s famous secrecy has begun to grate.  I can see such behaviour back firing on the developer, as when the next Half-Life does come out, it will only be its loyal fans that take notice, and the majority of the gaming community, drip fed on yearly Call Of Duty games will not even understand its significance.  Which would be a huge shame, because to date, Half-Life 1, 2 and the two episodes have delivered supremely entertaining gaming, and if Valve were to deliver the next Half-Life to the same standard, if not better – then once again, we’d all have to sit up and take notice.  Let’s hope we still care when and if that happens.

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Jan 15 2012

Modern Warfare 3 – impressions

This needs little introduction.  The biggest video game franchise in history, at least as far as sales go, and the widest played online multiplayer game in the world.  Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare franchise reinvigorated the Call Of Duty brand, bringing into the modern-day and hitting us hard with total realism, glossed over with Michael Bay-like fireworks.  It’s the blockbuster of the video game world, and one of my favourite game series ever.

This time around you’re after a Russian terrorist who brings about World War 3, and you are sent in with your team to stop him.  This is a game filled with ‘oh my god’ moments of action and spectacle, with a globe-trotting storyline and production values that set it apart from almost any other game on the market.  Infinity Ward this time have teamed up with new developer Sledgehammer Games, and each mission and each fire fight feels like its been designed with absolute immersion and Hollywood-like excitement in mind.  I’m almost done with the single player campaign, and have experienced some amazing moments, none of which I will spoil for you, all I’ll say is … its brilliant, well crafted, and longer lasting that previous instalments.

Now onto the reason 90% of fans love this franchise … the multiplayer.  Again you have a variety of maps to play on, and a reward system that enables you to upgrade weapons and install new perks to help you in your quest for online supremacy.  Not much has changed from the well-honed formula of MW #1 & 2, but this time with new mode Kill Confirmed where you collect dog tags of your fallen foes to increase points for your team – it seems more addictive than ever.  As can be expected, the online lives or dies depending on the time you put into it and how good your reflexes are, but when ‘in the zone’ it can be an adrenaline-fueled joy, and one I will be returning to again and again.  Add to this modes like Spec Ops, Domination, Free-For-All and the classic Team Deathmatch, and this is one game that just keeps on giving.

Modern Warfare 3 is the best Call Of Duty yet, no question … and a flagship title regardless if your playing it on PC, Playstation 3 or XBOX 360.

Jan 8 2012

New sound system

With the advent of Sky to my gradually growing home entertainment set-up, as well as adopting Blu-ray a while back, I felt it was well overdue that I go for a decent sound system to further compliment my (just over) year old Samsung 40″ LED television…

Here’s what I’ve gone for.  It enables me to hook up both the Sky HD box and my Panasonic Blu-ray player, for (hopefully) much improved sound.  Cambridge Audio Topaz AM10 Integrated Amplifer & Cambridge Audio S20 compact loud speakers.

Update (13/01/2012):  Well I have the system set up and connected to my LED Television, Sky HD and Blu-ray player.  Verdict?  Very nice indeed.  The Amplifier itself is of a very good build quality and weighs a fair amount, made from brushed aluminium, and the high-end workmanship is in no doubt.  The speakers are also very well made, heavy too and sound great.  The system itself is not overly bass-ey, if that’s a word, but has a nice natural feel, with depth to it that compliments viewing television well.  When viewing a movie (I tested it on an action sequence in Avatar) it impressed with a very immersive and surround-like experience, which I had trouble finding any fault with.  It’s still early days, but at the moment I am well happy.

Jan 5 2012

It will be mine, yes … it will be mine!

Guess what I have being installed on Saturay?  Yes that is right, the UK satelite service SKY in beautiful HD.  Now my world will open up to the wonders of obscure TV shows, bizarre channels, movies I’ve seen a dozen times, and repeats of old favourites.  But hey, at least I won’t be bored … hopefully.  Here in the UK we don’t quite have the luxury of cable television, at least not to the extent as in the States, although things have greatly improved in the digital age, where previously we had to just flick through (count them) five channels – we now have digital channels, cranking that number up dramtaticaly.  Yet Sky, which is a subscription service, offers even more choice.  Colour me excited!!

Dec 31 2011

2011 a look back – part four

…and so we reach the final quarter, and with the last three months, some gems appeared and a few not so gem-like…. enjoy.

October  – December

October started off with the enjoyable but underwhelming Scream 4 that considering the long gap between that and the last movie, delivered clever ideas, but not much new.  Revisiting the Star Wars saga continued with four of the six movies being viewed and reviewed, which was exhaustive to say the least, but very memorable … and documentary-style sci-fi drama Monsters impressed with great performances and a very convincing atmosphere.

Drive Angry was a fun road-movie come horror actioner, with a great Nicolas Cage and a sexy-as-hell Amber Heard.  Not a bad way to start off November.  Justine Timberlake made for a credible action hero in sci-fi thriller In Time, and Spanish chiller Julia’s Eyes delivered tension, good performances and brilliantly executed scares.  It was great to view The Lion King again, in pin-sharp Blu-ray, and also a second viewing of Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds proved it to be a better movie than I had originally realised.  The Strangers however was disappointing and predictable, and really, the premise was done better in French horror Ils (aka Them).

December kicked off with David Lynch’s classic Blue Velvet, a creepy and erotic masterpiece.  It was good to see Terry Gilliam back on form with The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus, which proved he’s lost none of his bonkers brilliance.  And although I usually avoid remakes, The Thing showed that revisiting a classic and throwing in a few new ideas and a good cast, can make it work.  On Christmas Eve I checked out the much hyped Super 8 which despite aiming for 80s family movie nostalgia, just felt old-fashioned and lacking in its own identity.

So, now you must be asking yourself, with all these movies in mind, what will make the final Top Ten.  Well, you will just have to wait until later today.  Happy New Year!!

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