Valiant Hearts - The Great War

This week saw the release of puzzle/adventure game Valiant Hearts - The Great War; developed by Ubi Art Framework. Despite not yet playing it, I can tell it is a unique game; and a significant release.

I believe this game is evidence that not all games need realistic graphics. Like their previous games, Rayman Legends, Rayman Origins and Child of Light, Ubi Art have continued the tradition of a simplistic art style. The Rayman games stood out to me due for their vibrant colours, which helped make it gleefully frantic. Child of Light utilised a mix of light and dark shades, this added to the mystery of the story by literally keeping us in the dark. The studio clearly understands that even basic art styles can have a huge impact on a players experience.

Valiant Hearts uses a comic book form; with a dull palette of colours used for the majority. However, this enables vibrant colours to have a bigger impact when they are used - crimson blood and oozy mud browns hammer home the grimy side of war.

It definitely shows that war is hell.

Games with a cartoon look make us unconsciously vulnerable to the story. They lull us in to an innocent world; and the darker plot lines then have a massive impact upon us. One of the biggest examples of this is Limbo - a similar game which gained critical acclaimed. In which you play a small child as he hunts for his sister. Whilst this may sound innocent, the reality is a disturbing world about isolation and grief.

All these examples show that there is still a place for 2 dimensional side scrollers even now. Often games strive to give the player a feeling of immense freedom; but this can also create a dilemma. Do we really need ultimate freedom? A few years ago I was having a bit of a personal crisis - with many life choices open to me I was overwhelmed by life. Times when I tried to escape in a video game usually resulted in me hanging around in menu screens; before tuning off my console. But then I gave Limbo a shot, and was finally captivated by a game as I had in the past. I found comfort in the restrictions of a 2D plane, no choices to be made, no worrying about consequences. Just walking from left to right, trying to solve puzzles. I could let go and my mind didn't have to make any far reaching plans. The fact that new games such as Valiant Hearts and various re-releases of classic games show that there is still a need for simplistic structures in gaming.

Limbo's simplicity was what made it so touching.

Of course the subject matter that Valiant Hearts deals with is also what will make it memorable. We often see any media that seems to present the atrocities of war as being intrinsically important. The importance of never forgetting can automatically create respect for a story; whether we think it truly deserves it or not. I am rather cynical in the use of tragedies, believing that lazy writers can often use them to add significance to their tales. Yet, I don't think this is the case with Valiant Hearts. The story uses letters sent during World War I to tell the four characters experiences. To base the protagonists struggles on real evidence does show more dedication than that of lazy writing.

To add to this the characters aren't the usual soldier types, they are people caught in the middle of the conflict. This game will hopefully remind many that war isn't glorious or clean. its terrible and consumes the lives of those who want nothing to do with it.

On top of this the gameplay is all puzzle related, no killing comes from the protagonists directly. This too is rather refreshing; a war game that focuses on survival, not slaughter. Most would put you in the shoes of an unstoppable marine - death becomes a mere inconvenience, never a threat.  Valiant Heart's characters are fragile and out of their depth. This coupled with a story that gives them a reason for living, makes death genuinely terrifying. This creates a tense experience that you never want to put down.

For these reasons I believe Valiant Hearts will have a lasting legacy. In a generation of consoles thats obsessed with photo realistic graphics and constant action, there is still a place for innovation. The game looks beautiful and the story leaves its marks on you. Trailers alone will surely prove this to you. I'm sure you'll be waiting impatiently, as I have, for the download to finish.

What is your opinion on Valiant Hearts and games like it?
Let me know in the comments.



Valiant Hearts title picture from Dualshockers, War is hell image from mgnews, Limbo image from Imgur,

Moving House

It is a widely known fact that moving is one of the most stressful experiences a human can endure. So, why have I decided to go through that trauma four times in the last year and a half?

Every year students, like myself, move out of their term time accommodation and migrate back home for the holidays. I'm sure it is easier for some than others, it factors  on many things such as:

• How much you enjoy your term home/out of term home.
• How much stuff you need to pack.
• How organised you are, not just in packing but also planning what you need due to holiday work etc.
• How well you cope with stress.

The list could go on - with many multitudes of problems. Unfortunately, I am a self confessed hoarder/compulsive shopper; which means not only do I buy anything and everything I see, but also that I can never bring myself to throwing away either. I find it very easy to attach emotional meaning to the inanimate of objects. 

This is only the tip of the nerd-shelf!

As my housemate packed his items away he asked if I wanted anything on a table in his room. He explained how otherwise, 'it's all going in the bin.' This statement knocked me; many of the items appeared handmade. Surely they held a special place in his heart? When asked if anything I wanted was important to him - 'I don't really get sentimental over things,' was his reply.

I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for those who may have given him these items, and on a weird level for the items themselves destined for the trash heap. As a result of this I acquired more random tat for my nerd shelf (now pretty much a bookcase); ironic how I curse these items as I try to pack them away. Learning from this experience, I have resolved that when it comes to unpacking later I will scrutinise everything - my local charity shops will be pleased I'm sure.

The weather afforded the perfect opportunity for garden photos.

Worse than the packing/unpacking is the limbo like state of uncertainty a short term move brings. As I put stuff into those bland brown boxes I have to think whether I may need them at any time during the break. Another one of my flaws highlighted by moving is my disorganised nature, I find it hard to plan too far ahead. So, whilst I know I will need some books for working on my dissertation at home; I haven't really prioritized properly. In the end, I threw them into a canvas bag separate from my other books. 

This transition phase feels horrible; you're ever aware your moving again in a months time, leaving you feeling rather out of place. When I get back to my hometown I realise it's temporary, so do I choose to live out of my boxes or unpack them? Do I make any plans for my time there or should I just take it as it comes? In the end my time will probably be spent desperately trying to catch up with friends, panicking over the year ahead and attempting to get some work done. Unfortunately, the outcome will probably be that none of these get achieved and I return to University feeling like I have wasted a whole month.

My great modelling skills put to good work.

One silver lining to clearing out my cupboards, is in rediscovering all the things that have fallen down the back of furniture. I love finding my forgotten treasures as they spark memories I hadn't expected to revisit that day. For instance: my Dr Horrible freeze ray, which I built for London expo 2013. As I turned it over in my hands I remembered the amazing time I had at the event when my friends and I attended. Not just of expo itself, but of staying in a hotel for the weekend, going bowling and having dinner together. In my mind the whole experience was like a very geeky stag weekend.

I also used packing as an excuse to do a photo-shoot of some of my geeky items. The weather outside seemed to agree and the sunlight made the garden a perfect location. It's little moments of joy like those that softened the blow of packing. At the end of the day, yes packing is stressful and it does suck. But it allows us to rediscover sometimes, to move on at other times and to hopefully grow. My self I hope that this move will make me more careful in what I buy and hold on to. Although we will see if my plans to lighten my clutter come to fruition soon.

My latest Obsession #1: American Horror Story

Do you ever get into something so much that you can't get it off your mind? I certainly do, my life has been littered with times characterised by my latest obsession. This week a new obsession grew within me, one with horrific consequences.

I was walking through my local HMV, when I was drawn towards American Horror Story; like a puppet on a string. I felt compelled to pick up the box by it's striking cover photo. I loved the disjointed feel it has as characters don't seem to be engaging with each other. It just oozes multiple mysteries and couldn't help peak my interests. I hope that someone got a raise in the art department for this one.

Up until then, I had assumed to be a typical American drama. I'm not sure why I had assumed this, perhaps due to one of the producers previous work on the show Nip/Tuck. However, as I have mentioned in my Ringu post, I am on the lookout for something that will chill me to the core. With a title like American Horror Story, you would think I'd have at least taken slight notice.

One aspect of the that didn't help is that it also looks rather sex obsessed. This is something that has put me off other series like True Blood. Whilst I don't object to sex, I don't like when a TV show becomes more about showing skin then fleshing out the story. Too often, I find that they focus on sex in order to seem dark and edgy, but to me it just seems a bit childish. Often coming across like some desperate teenage boy's fantasy.



The picture created questions that demanded answers.

When I picked up the box I still wasn't convinced as whether it could warrant it's name. The description on the back doesn't help - with little to indicate that it is anything more than a family drama. It also seems more interested in advertising it's all star cast, rather than the story. This is another trait I see in many American shows, like Six Feet Under, which I tend to avoid like the plague. I have my own family issues - so why would I be interested in other peoples?

Yet, something about the box made an impact. With the subtly disturbing images that seem unconnected and distant from one another leaving an impression on my sub-conscious. It can't help but capture your intrigue with the promise of mystery. When I discovered the first series on Netflix and with a spare afternoon, I decided to give the pilot a try - I'm glad I did. I was hooked from the get go, but with the chilling opening line 'you're gonna die in there,' how could I not be?

Check out the trailer!

Somehow I watched half the first season in a single afternoon - I haven't had a TV marathon session like that since Heroes. I confess, I'm hooked, but unfortunately I'm also stuck. I recommended the pilot to my girlfriend, and now she has asked me to wait for her whilst she catches up. This wouldn't be too bad if not for the fact that she is rather busy (find out why on her blog, sorry for that cheeky plug).

I can't get it out my head; I keep thinking about it's complex plot and twisting details. That's a clear sign of an obsessesion, when you can't stop yourself agonising over possibilities. Already I can tell that I will soon have watched season two and three. Then I'll be impatiently waiting for season four.

I urge those of you have yet to be bitten to give it a try. Even the squeamish amongst you will feel compelled to keep watching.

What do you think of American Horror Story?
What are you rather obsessed with?
Are there shows you want to recommend, then let me know in the comments section.


Cover image from Life in the Dollhouse

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Does it live up to its name?)

Now don’t get me wrong, I love Spider-Man. I can’t think of another character I can relate to more than Peter Parker. Yet, like any true fanboy, I can't help but get exasperated beyond belief when I see a favourite franchise taken to places I don’t agree with. Case in point, The Amazing Spider-Man 2

 (which is partly based on the Ultimate Spider-Man universe).

It seemed that every piece of news I heard leading up to this film's release caused my despair to grow more and more, as yet another villain was thrown into the mix or another production statement released. The film seemed to become more concerned with setting up future spin offs and sequels; I worried about how crammed and rushed it would feel. The trailers didn’t help this either as I spotted hints that only comic fans would pick up on (no examples in order to avoid spoilers!). I realised that there was more going on in this than Sony were explicitly stating, which made me think that key plot points would be skipped over. Worse still, the film's main villain is Electro, one of my least favourite of Spidey’s rogues’gallery, second only to my most-hated, Rhino (who was then subsequently shown in trailers as well). The final moment of despair was when I heard the addition of a variation of Green Goblin, the best antagonist in my mind, and I wept at the thought of him, of all characters, being tacked on for sequels' sake.

This didn't exactly scream Green Goblin to me.
More like scabby hobo-man...

The previous film,The Amazing Spider-Man, created a term in my mind; what I call the 'Spider-Man effect'. This is when I seem to enjoy a film at the time, yet on reflection, I start finding flaws I had not noticed upon viewing. It gets worse when people then point out flaws and I can't help but agree. For instance, whilst I initially loved Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker, I couldn't help but agree that his portrayal flips between nerd to skater boy and then finally emo (although his hair is far too stylized for any of these). I didn't pick up on this initially, as I was just enjoying the experience. Some may call it hindsight, and I guess it is easier to see said flaws when they are pointed out to you later. One such problem I also now have is the Lizard's design - he looks more like a goomba from the live action Super Mario Bros.

film than the Lizard from the comics that I know and love. These issues have made me cynical to the point where I’d rather not watch it again for a while. Other examples of the 'Spider-Man effect' include Frozen and the Assassin’s Creed series (with horrible emphasis on Assassin’s creed III).
The bitter feelings only increased when I was made aware of the real reason for the reboot. Why, when I had heard some great rumours for Spider-Man 4, did they decide to start again? It turned out that the new films were actually made due to a contractual clause, where Sony would lose the rights to the franchise if they didn't release a film for a certain number of years.

This one point in the trailer ruined a bit of a surprise for me

It’s ironic, then, that the sequel has an almost polarised quality, as I entered the cinema with dread and yet I left with a new-found appreciation for the series. It gave me hope for the future installments. Thankfully, the film doesn't focus on introducing too many villains as I had feared, instead focusing on characters and the relationships they share. I was particularly impressed by Gwen and Peter, as we see them attempt to continue their lives after the fallout of Dr. Conner’s attack. The chemistry between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone is incredibly believable and I sympathised with their rocky times, causing me to become emotional myself.  The guilt Garfield portrays is powerful, and we understand his actions that result from it. This is a worthy depiction of my much-loved character, one who has always been ruled by his heart and not his head. Even the relationship of Peter and Harry, which happened before the film is set, is believable; I really got the sense that they had previously been strong friends. Their first scene together starts with an awkward tension which broke through to talking about past shared experiences. It was very realistic, and reminded me of similar reunions I have had. The rekindling of the friendship builds up properly giving more impact to the later scenes. It turned out my fears that it would seem rushed or forced were unfounded.

             

This sort of image made me fear for the film

Not that action is forgotten, either. There is enough Spidey action to keep a good balance of pace, and some of the Electro scenes are spectacular. Each battle is accompanied by Electro's soundtrack, one that’s very techno and every beat and bass drop feels natural and just epic. The handling of Electro's creation was good, too. The trailer made his transformation look a bit ridiculous - seeing him falling into a vat of eels after shocking himself looked a bit like something from Benny Hill. Yet his actual shift from Max 'the Spider-Man fan boy' Dillon to the paranoid madman with bad-ass electric powers is perfect. Even his theme song fits as the lyrics whisper symptoms of schizophrenia in a creepy fashion, giving us the effect that we can hear his frantic thoughts. Even the Rhino, although a bit too comic relief, was good, just perhaps his appearance is a bit brief.

My one issue with the villains in this film is that they seem to go down a similar path we have seen before. They start as normal people with some coincidental connection to Parker. Then they have some form of accident that messes with their sanity. Really, you should be able to shout 'bingo!' when they have a last minute change of heart and cause their own downfall.

               

Maybe, like with its predecessor, once hindsight kicks in I will begin to see its flaws. But then that’s life - everything seems like it could be better on reflection.

Except hindsight. That’s always a bitch.

Green Goblin photo found at Science Fiction.com, advert image from Screen Rant, Gwen image from Den of Geeks

E3 2014 - My Overview

Before I start, I’d like to issue a slight disclaimer. As mentioned in my previous E3 posts I did not go to E3 myself, and all insight I provide has come from live blogs and articles. This is not due to laziness, but living in a totally different country and not having the funds - I would love to go to E3 someday.

With that out of the way let’s take a look at my opinion on E3 2014; an event that has brought back a part of me. For the past two years I have been hesitant to call myself a gamer; I blame this in part to a rather cynical view of the console wars and the handling of the new generation. After last few years of companies showing off who has the biggest CPU, it seems we have finally got back to the games. And to be honest it’s the games that get me excited, not the boxes I play them on. So as I believe that this year focused on the games, it stands to reason that I feel a bit like my old geeky self again.

Favourite Part:

This is an easy one; my favourite part of E3 was Nintendo’s live event. Yes, it can be argued that as the Wii U is the only new gen console I own that I’m biased. But, at least I am honest about that fact. However, Nintendo’s fun and enthusiastic event couldn’t help but raise a smile in anyone who watched. It pays off too, if the creators look enthusiastic then the fans shall be as well. It’s little wonder then that Microsoft, Sony, EA and Ubisoft all seen rather procedural when their announcements can feel like a business meeting. I think this article demonstrates my point; not many executives are seen enjoying themselves so much as Shigeru Miyamoto.

To be more specific, I would say that Nintendo’s showcasing of their Amiibo concept was my highlight. I love the potential behind the idea, and as an avid collect of geeky merchandise, I can’t wait to fill my shelves with my favourite characters.

I can't help but want all of these.

Unexpectedly Impressed By:

On the other hand, I was rather impressed by both Sony’s and Microsoft’s first day conferences. Yes, they may have been a bit business like in their presentation, but they gave us a good look at some amazing games. With the competition between their machine's releases are out of the way we can finally see what they can play. In the exclusivity department I think Microsft did well; with Phantom Dust, Project Spark and Scalebound all looking rather appealing, despite not much gameplay being shown. Sony however, won in my mind with a single game, No Man's Sky - 

which if it is as it appeared, could be revolutionary. Having a genuinely new experience each time you play sounds great, and the fact that you can go from walking on land to space flight seamlessly adds a whole new level.

Disappointed by:

This one shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who has been keeping even a small interest in E3 -  its Ubisoft. Two reasons for this: firstly, the fact that playable female characters are not being included in two of their biggest upcoming releases co-op modes (article concerning the statement is here). Both Far Cry 4 and Assassin’s Creed: Unity features co-op with multiple playable characters but with no female option provided. I find it especially odd considering how Far Cry 3 and the Assassin's Creed series have had the option before.  This has been put down to time and resource constraints, which as explanations go is more offensive than the issue itself. There is a lot wrong with Ubisoft’s decision and if I'm honest it is an issue that runs throughout the industry, it will take full blog rant to cover it – look forward to that one!

The second reason is the announcement of a game that has been developed for the Wii U. But wait, surely this is good news? Well no, because Ubisoft refuse to release the game until the Wii U sells enough consoles to justify them releasing the game (article here). This came off as being a dig at Nintendo and a bit unprofessional in my mind. Why mention the game at all? I find nothing wrong with holding back a game ,if you believe it will sell better later. But, when it concerns a sensitive issue concerning another companies product, keep the reason to yourself. 

Looking forward to:

My top three games that I am hyped for are:

• No Man’s Sky
• Mario Maker
• Dragon Age:Inquisition

I also love the idea of Project Spark, however until I see some solid gameplay footage showing the kind of games we could create I will be wary of it. The concept sounds great, but seems a bit too ambitious.


Least looking forward to:

Well the yearly additions of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Battlefield Hardline go without saying. I hate how both series release yearly with little to no new features being added. Yet, the game I dread has got to be Let it Die; which from what I’ve seen, looks like a murder simulator along the lines of Manhunt and Mad World. The only outcome of this game is yet another media outcry against video games. For once too I would agree as the game looks like violence for the sake of being violent.

Conclusion:

Overall I was impressed by this year’s E3 and came away feeling rather enthusiastic for being a gamer again.

What did you think? Let me know in the comment section.


E3 logo from Arkhamverse, Amiibo image from Nintendo, Assassin's creed image from Rkbwrites, Shigeru Miyamoto image from paper architect blog

Nintendo's E3 Live Digital Event

Yesterday evening, at some point between the hours of four and five pm GMT, something changed within me. Or, to be more specific, something was rekindled. I am referring to the time at which Nintendo were conducting their live digital event, an event which made me proud to own a Wii U.  I hoped Nintendo would ease any doubts I have been having as an early buyer of the Wii U, and thankfully they delivered.

Even before the live broadcast, details of three titles currently in development began to emerge. All three were described as utilising the gamepad in new ways. The titles include a Star Fox game too, and even though I'm not a fan of the space mammal I know he is a popular character and sure to get people interested in the Wii U. The other two projects are currently known as Project Giant Robot (a fighting game where you pilot a giant robot), and Project Gaurd (a tower defence game). Little else is known about them yet, apart from that the gamepad will be used as some form of first person viewpoint. For instance, in Star Fox and Project Giant Robot the pad will give the view of a cockpit, whilst the TV screen will show the outside world. I hope that more games will incorporate the pad in such ways as this will prove it to be more than a gimmick.

The digital event itself started with a Super Smash Bros. style mock fight between Global Nintendo President, Satoru Iwata, and Nintendo America President, Reggie Fils-Amie. This fun opener stands in stark contrast with Sony's and Microsoft's very business-like approaches, and highlights Nintendo's continuing focus on fun. They went on to demonstrate Super Smash Bros Wii U, which of course looked awesome due to the new features shown. These include allowing the use of your Mii as a fighter and Nintendo's newest concept, Amiibos. These are basically Nintendo's own version of the popular Skylanders and Disney Infinity games, the concept being that physical figurines can be used as characters in the game's world. Nintendo promises each figurine will be able to develop their own stats and playing style, like a memory card. I love the idea of this, although I'm not sure my wallet will. As someone who has been already taken in by the aforementioned examples, I can see myself having the urge to collect them. Especially if they all look as good as the Mario they showcased:

The Amiibo designs are looking good!

When two whole new Legend of Zelda games were shown my excitement almost killed me. One of them, Hyrule Warriors, I had already heard of and I relish the combination of Zelda with Dynasty Warriors. The footage shown looked epic, displaying not only co-op play but also multiple playable characters from previous games - like Midna, a firm favourite of mine. I especially love the cool looking mega attacks and got a bit too thrilled by Ganon's giggle at the end. The second title (not yet named) is described as an open world Legend of Zelda; something seen only in a limited sense in the series before. The trailer shown was visually stunning, with a beautiful Hyrule vista followed by a lush forest. If the finished product is like this I imagine it as being similar to Skyrim. Something I have always wished to see, clearly shown by how my RPG characters are almost always named Link. No date was given for the second game, but Hyrule Warriors could well be in my hands by September and I can't wait.

There was also some typical cute looking Nintendo games. Games like Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. The trailer looked cool, very reminiscent of puzzle games like Fez. Yoshi, too, is getting a new title - Yoshi's Wooley World (A successor of sorts to Kirby's Epic Yarn). Whilst looking fun and unbelievably cute, I doubt I'll be interested as I havent been a fan of previous Yoshi games. Kirby himself is coming back in Kirby and the Rainbow Curse. It looks good but, as I have never played a Kirby game before, I can't form a strong opinion. But I like the clay art style so may keep my eye on it.

With so many enemies on screen at once in Hyrule Warrior I'm going to need a co-op buddy!

As many already know Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire are being remade, and initially I was skeptical as to why. It seems, on the other hand, that these are not just straight remakes. The inclusion of mega evolutions in the battles as well as the story suggests more than just superficial tweeking.

Bayonetta 2 looked good, and I like the fact they are including the Bayonetta 1 on the disc too as the first never had a Nintendo release. Looking as mad and quick paced as the original, it is a great example of a more hardcore game coming to the console that many dismiss as being only for families or children. Another hardcore title, The Devil's Third, will be released exclusively on Wii U as well, further disproving that the Wii U is just for casual gamers. From what little footage I have seen showed it to be quite dark and bloody. Finally, Xenoblade Chronicles X continues to uphold the Wii U's serious side. The trailer gave glimpses of an epic and heartbreaking story that makes me want to complete the first game.

One of my personal highlights was Mario Maker, a game where we will be able to create our own Mario levels. It reminded me a bit of Wario Ware D.I.Y. mixed with Little Big Planet. I can see it being fun and addictive, although I'm not sure my imagination is up to the job!

One citisism of Nintendo is their over-reliance on already established characters; looking back at my previous points in this post show this. Yet, the game Splatoon displayed that new concepts are coming as well. This one looks very odd - take the gameplay of Team Fortress, mix in a few painting puzzles from Portal 2 and then add the ability to turn into a squid... Yes, this game looks very odd indeed. It is essentially an online, team-based shooter, however as I am not a big online multiplayer fan I don't know how interested I am in this. If it is released with a split-screen option or single player I will definitely buy as it looks really fun.

In one word...
 hectic.

Nintendo's live digital event left me excited beyond belief, as you may be able to tell. I finished watching feeling nostalgia for the Gamecube era of my life, a time when I was proud to be a gamer, when every new game seemed innovative. I truly believe that Nintendo have proved that the Wii U has some serious potential, but in all honesty I didn't need much persuading.

I'd just like to finish by saying that I hope I haven't missed too much from E3 so far. There are a lot of games being showcased and I am aware of some I have overlooked. Feel free to ask my opinion on any game below in the comments.

What's your opinion on E3 so far? Are you as impressed by Nintendo as myself?


Amiibo image from Videogamer, Hyrule Warrior image from Zelda Universe, Splatoon image from news.geliyoo

E3 Day One

Today's post is going to be a brief summary of what I thought about some of the announcements made at E3 on day one.

Microsoft

The first day of E3 2014 kicked off yesterday with Microsoft's press conference, and I've got to admit they impressed me. Which is a hard thing to type, considering my current feelings towards the company after the last few years. However their slot didn't start off this way, as they opened with a trailer for the newest Call of Duty. I use the word 'newest' in the loosest possible terms here. The only change appeared to be that they had managed to slip in a celebrity cameo, (Kevin Spacey) in amongst all of the explosions. As the show progressed, I saw some games that did peak my interest and I will give a brief summary of them in this post.

After Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, they showed Forza Horizon 2, not much has changed since the first one; but it is hard to innovate on a racing game apart from better graphics. They were keen to mention the addition of what they called 'dynamic weather' (what I presume means wet surfaces will affect your driving etc.); as I enjoyed the first Forza Horizon I will keep an eye on the sequel.

Kevin Spacey looking rather plastic.

Next came Valve's Evolve, which looks like a cross between Team Fortress, Left 4 Dead and Borderlands. Considering it is a Valve game and they rarely put a foot wrong in my opinion; means this is definitely of interest to me.

What isn't of interest to me is Assassin's Creed: Unity but this is mainly due to how disappointed number three made me. The inclusion of co-op does little to appease this. Similarly my feelings towards the announcement of Crackdown 3 and based on how the first had failed to hook me and the sequal passed me by in the same way I wasn't very impressed.

Project Spark stood out to me however, by suggesting it would allow gamers to create and share games of their own creation. On the face of it this sounds amazing. However I fear it is rather over ambitious idea; and the fact that most of what was shown was little more than a CGI movie did little to abate these fears. I will reserve my excitement for this game when actual game play is shown. The same for both Scalebound and Phantom Dust, games which had no actual game play footage, so whilst looking rather cool and stylish I can't really make a judgement on whether I think they will be any good.

I love that Conker the Squirrel will finally return through Project Spark,
but can't help but wish he would get his own game again.

My highlight of Microsoft's conference was the trailer for Dragon Age: Inquisition, it showcased a return to Dragon Age: Origin's focus on beautiful open landscapes and an epic story line. The trailer left me feeling excited for its release and worried about the state of Fereldon (the world it is set in). I can't wait to get my hands on it, and experience the conclusion to the trilogies story.

Overall Microsoft did impress me, with their focus returning back to the games. I did notice a certain lack of Kinect related games and with the announcement of a Kinectless Xbox One package, suggests that perhaps they have finally stopped trying to push what many gamers like myself don't want.

EA

EA's press conference seemed to focus a lot on their sporting games, the Sims 4 and of course Battlefield 5. None of these really peak my interest. They gave some very bare details about both Mass effect 4 and Star Wars Battlefront, two of their games I had hoped to hear about. However, they seem to be a long way off and still very much in development. I do like that they emphasized Mass Effect 4's story which will feature new characters and locations; so at least fears of them trying to rehash Shephard's story from the original trilogy are eased for now.

Ubisoft

Ubisoft did little to enthuse me, but considering a large part of their efforts centered around Assassins Creed: Unity this is of little wonder as to why. Their trailer for The Division was cited as the highlight of their presentation, this looked a lot like a combination of The Last of Us and Homefront. It didn't look bad but with no gameplay shown it is hard to judge as I have mentioned earlier. They gave us a good look at Pagan Min, the lead bad guy in Far Cry 4, as I enjoyed the last game  I looked forward to this one. However the new villain feels very similar to Vaas, Far Cry 3's insane bad guy. Whilst Vaas was what made the game enjoyable I don't believe copying the character is a good way to go, after all if I wanted to see him again I'd just replay it. Still it isn't often a game will allow me to ride war elephant, so my interest has been caught somewhat. Lastly racing simulator The Crew suffers the same problem as Forza Horizon 2, that it looks like any other modern racer with little innovation apart from a shinier setting.

Pagan Min looking both stylish and insane!

However, any good feelings I could have had towards Ubisoft was lost when they made a statement concerning a yet to be released Wii U exclusive. A game that whilst complete, they refuse to release until the Wii U sells more consoles. They justify this action as they need to make the marketing financially viable, to me this just sounds petty and downright dirty. I understand that they need to ensure that a game will be able to at least break even and that sometimes this means being tactical in its release. But then why tease a game with minimal details and say it won't be released until a console sells better. To me this just seemed like a bit of a dig towards the Wii U and a bit unprofessional.

Sony

The last presentation of the night came from Sony and I have rather mixed feelings towards this one. It did not look good at first, as they opened with a trailer for Bungie's newest game Destiny. It looked a lot like a mix of Halo and Mass Effect, which whilst should sound good I think I'd rather see something that looks innovative. This feeling wasn't helped by the trailer for Uncharted 4 which showed Drake once more at a seemingly low point of a new expedition. It repeated the line 'one last time' a few times which I found ironic considering I believe that Uncharted 3 should be the end of the series. Then there is Little Big Planet 3, which also looked rather the same as past iterations; except with the introduction of three new characters. I admit that I do like how it will be backwards compatible with levels created from the first two, and that the new guys do indeed look cute.

What wasn't cute was the trailer for Dead Island 2, which I can assume was meant to be a funny look at the beginning stages of yet another zombie apocalypse. Instead it just looked gross and rather samey. Considering how I quickly grew bored of the first Dead Island I doubt I'll show much interest here. The gore only got worse with Let it Die a game that from the trailer looks like disemboweling people in the most vicious ways possible. The only thing I can see resulting from this one is yet more fodder for the media's hate towards Video games. I honestly felt ill watching this one and can't imagine myself going near it.

Then there was some great looking concepts that emerged. For instance, The Order: 1886 the upcoming Sony exclusive steampunk game, which from the trailer seemed now to be taking a survival horror approach. It showed a man walking the dark corridors of an asylum before taking on what I believe to be a werewolf. Werewolves themselves don't appear much in games so that is a different idea at least. Also looking rather different was Abzu, an underwater exploration game from the makers of Journey. This looked visually beautiful although I can't imagine it will have much storyline which is something I always want in a game.

Let it Die looks too grim and gore related for me

My two biggest highlights were the announcement of No Mans Sky and the remastering of Grim Fandango. The first from the trailers looks amazing; as we were shown game play footage of both planet exploration (with dinosaurs) followed by hoping in a spacecraft and flying through space. They seemed to suggest that the game would be different for every player with the the world being 'procedural generated'. This means to me that the game creates itself as you play, which if it becomes a reality is an awesome concept. The second whilst being the most removed you can get from a new idea still interests me. As Grim Fandango is a game I have always wanted to try, so now seems to a good time to.

Sony's presentation left me feeling rather mixed, they showed some games that didn't interest me, some that really interested me and the one that made me feel ill. However, I still think that between the PS4 and Xbox One I would buy a PS4 first. This isn't really as a result of E3 so far; as Microsoft impressed me this year more than Sony. Instead my choice comes from the exclusives already out for PS4 Although on principle I hate the idea of exclusives they do clearly have an impact.

I'm still holding out for Nintendo's digital event and really hope they give me something good, especially after the Ubisoft statement.

What have you seen that has interested you? I want to  know below!

Kevin Spacey image from the verge, Project Spark image from gameinformer, Pagan Min image from gamepur, Let it Die image from gamereactor,

Electronic Entertainments Expo 2014

In just a few short hours the Electronic Entertainments Expo (aka. E3) 2014 will be opening in Los Angeles. For those of you unaware, this is one of the biggest annual events in the gaming calendar. It runs for four days giving companies the chance to announce, show off and generally create hype for the games they have lined up for release in the year ahead. Unfortunately, as a poor student living in the UK I am unable to attend. However, I am going to keep myself updated using various live streams, and will be posting my thoughts on the announcements soon after they go live.

I am actually excited for this year's E3. The last few have passed me by as I felt little to no enthusiasm towards them, mainly because they seemed to be focused more on the consoles than the games. I was initially looking forward to the next generation console announcements, but these turned out to be a let-down in my opinion so I lost interest. To make matters worse, these events showcasing what could well be the next ten years or so of gaming seemed to be poorly organised. The PR handling and fan responses left me with a bad taste in my mouth. If I am honest I still feel disdain towards the Xbox One and the PS4. Sony and Microsoft are trying too hard to create entertainment systems with glitzy graphics, rather than fun and enjoyable games. My attention is rather captivated once more by Nintendo and a few other third party publishers who I believe are making games that are fun rather than visual spectaculars.

E3 begins with Microsoft's press conference on Monday the 9th of June at 4.30PM GMT. They will be followed by EA, Ubisoft, Sony and then Nintendo. This year I hope that because the new gaming consoles have now been released they will go back to focusing on games. I have checked their website to see what is on display and found a list with some promising titles.

A list of games confirmed to be shown at E3 can be found here.

These are the titles that are of great interest to me:

• Batman Arkham Knight
• Disney Infinity 2.0 (Childish I know, but come on. Who doesn't want to see Captain America get owned by Maleficent?)
• Dragon Age: Inquisition (The last part to yet another awesome Bioware made trilogy)
• Hyrule Warriors (The Legend of Zelda series given a Dynasty Warriors Twist)
• Kingdomhearts 2.5 and 3
• Legend of Zelda Wii U
• Mass Effect 4
• Pokemon Omega Ruby/ Alpha Saphire
• Super Smash Bros. Wiiu/3DS
• Warhammer 40K: The Eternal Crusade
• X (Monolith's WiiU game)

Where will Mass Effect go now Shephard's story is done?

And these are the ones that I'd like to keep an open mind for:

• Sonic Boom
• Star Wars Battlefront
• Tales From The Borderlands
• The Order: 1886
• The Evil Within

There are also some that I really don't want to see. For instance, both Halo 5 and Gears of War 4; two series that I loved, yet I think both should have ended by now. I don't want new installments as I feel that both have already had their most gripping story arcs completed. Of course, there is also Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Battlefield 5,  I loathe the fact that yet more is being added to what I believe to be already stale franchises.

I can't help but wish that Master chief
would ride his Arbiter into the sunset.

Lastly, I really hope there are some surprises in store from E3. Although due to many 'leaks' that have occurred it seems like we have a good picture of what is being showcased. This is a shame in one respect as I do like a good surprise, but at the same time discovering what is being shown has also drawn my interest. One of my biggest secret wishes is that Nintendo gives me some real hope for the future of the Wii U.

E3 can be watched live from their website Here, and a list of games being displayed is here.

What are you looking forward to from E3 2014? Let me know in the comments!

Mass Effect image from the fuse joplin, E3 logo from gadgety news, Halo image from jujukind on Tumblr

Nintendo's Death Knell?

It feels like I’m standing in an intensive care unit staring down at a beloved friend who lapses in and out of consciousness. The experts have told me that there is nothing more they can do; that my friend brought it on themselves with the choices they made recently. I can’t believe their opinions myself. After all, my pal’s been with me for most of my life and I feel I know them better than the experts. This isn’t the first time I’ve been standing here, only for them to jump up as though nothing phased them and carry on.

Perhaps I’m overdramatizing slightly (almost certainly). The friend I speak of is Nintendo, and if the opinions of ‘experts’ are to be believed the release of the Wii U is Nintendo’s death toll. But I can’t quite see it myself. As I mentioned, I have been a strong supporter of all things Nintendo for much of my life; I own almost all of the European released consoles. My fondest memories are of playing Super Mario Bros with my brother on our NES, always waiting patiently for his death so that I could step up to the mark and try to prove myself (ironic that I was always Luigi). Whilst I do agree that Wii U sales are worryingly low, I am keen to point out that it’s just a continuation of the trend Nintendo sticks to upon releasing consoles.

Out of context, yes it does look like Nintendo have made a grave error.
But the console wasn't released until Q4 of 2012 anyway!

I can think of numerous times when it has seemed like my choice in buying a console at launch was a mistake. I was an early adopter of the Gamecube, Wii, 3DS and, hell, even the DS, snatching them up close to day one. Each one, I admit, had terrible launch titles which led to bad sales and dreadful reviews. Each generation the gaming experts would point out that Nintendo had made another grave error by including some new ‘gimmick’ in the console. Yet, with each they ended up setting a trend that the other companies followed. The Wii had motion control, which was accused of being too focused towards casual gaming. Fast forward and the Xbox has Kinect and PS3 has Move. The DS introduced touch pad and again it was seen as an unnecessary, yet now our society runs on prodding tablet and phone screens in our palms. If anything, the Wii U’s tablet controller is now behind the times.

The lack of sales, declining projections and increasing number of third party publishers refusing to show support for the Wii U does upset me. There was also a time when I regretted buying the Wii U and not waiting for Sony and Microsoft to show their next gen consoles. At launch and for the first year or so all I really had was ZombiU, and whilst fun, I soon grew tired of repeatedly bashing zombies’ heads in. What I needed was titles that made me proud to own a Wii U; something that I could use to defend my Nintendo fanboy status with. Well, with the launch of Mario Kart, Windwaker HD, Wonderful 101 and the announcement of Super Smash Bros Wii U, I finally have evidence to back my purchase up. Just one example of Nintendo releasing a console early, then drip-feeding us big hitters. Some of the Wii’s greatest titles came mid or late generation cycle - think of Super Mario Galaxy and Xenoblade Chronicles. Both are seen as prestigious games, yet if Wii critics had been believed they shouldn’t exist. Whilst this makes it apparent that the console is in need of more strong games, I prefer this to having mass-released games that I’ll never get around to appreciating.

This chart screams,
 'Have faith we know what we are doing'
,well, to me it does anyway...

The announcement of other contenders just reaffirmed my choice. Microsoft seemed eager to enforce their one-box entertainment system idea (which was more expensive by far compared with buying other entertainment systems separately), before further alienating gamers with various anger-inducing features. The lowest point came at the announcement of tying each disc to your account, which meant lending to friends was out of the question. The handling of such criticism was met with back treading or responses along the lines of ‘deal with it.’ This made me sigh and generally left a bad taste in my mouth. It has reached the extent where I feel dirty upon booting up my Xbox 360, let alone considering buying the Xbox One (or XBone). As for Sony’s PS4, I don’t really have any major qualms apart from the painfully high price and as of yet the games lack appeal to me. Maybe in time I’ll buy it (like a good little hypocrite), but for now I’m happy. Although, the lack of backwards compatibility across all three is beyond belief - have these guys not heard that we enjoy playing all of our games on one box (irony), rather than having to keep multiple consoles for necessity?

Can this playful summer turn the Wii U's fortunes?
If its opening weekends anything to go by then... Yes!

No, right now I am happy with my Wii U – tempted, yes, but happy nonetheless. I would like to make it clear that I don’t think the Xbox One and PS4 are bad, and I am not trying to start yet another console war. I merely point out that my own preference is for the Nintendo and that it upsets me when people dismiss it so easily. For once, show them a little love and support and you’ll be rewarded like we have been before. Although, what were you thinking with the 2DS? I mean, seriously?


(Statistic picture from Statista, Mario Kart 8 image from Kotaku, Nintendo console chart from OldGen)

Ringu Review

So, this could well be my last post. I fear for both my life and the possibility of winning shortest blog run in 2014. For in seven short days, I may be dead. I’ve watched a certain tape; if myths are to be believed the phone should spark into life very soon to signal my impending doom. I am referring to The Ring, or rather the Japanese original Ringu.

They both tell the tale of a reporter who watches a cursed video tape that will kill anyone who sees it within seven days. The reporter then embarks on a journey to discover the cause of the curse, in an attempt to break it and save her life.

 

Except, if I’m honest, I’m not terrified. Just vaguely unsettled and a tad disappointed. I’ve been looking forward to watching this for a while now, partly in my quest to find a horror film that will horrify me, but mostly out of respect for the impact this film has had on modern horror culture. When something reaches our shores by achieving such cult status, I want find out the cause of its popularity. So, when I finally found a copy of Ringu, and a fancy collector’s edition at that, I leapt at the chance. I relished the thought of a terrifying date with a ghost girl waiting only for my funeral suit to be finely pressed for the occasion.

Here is my awesome collectors edition... Shiny

I bet when I mentioned 'ghost girl' you all had the same image in your head: a fragile woman clothed in white with long, dark and greasy hair. This image is one many will recognise, yet do not know the origins of. Sadako, (known as Samara in the American remake), is based upon a Japanese urban legend concerning the souls of long-departed wronged women, called Yurei, intent on revenge. The idea has sent chills down spines for decades and, after the popularity the film gathered, the spine-chilling spread to the West. Ringu gained a following that sparked a resurgence in Hollywood for ghost stories and cursed items, which continues today. Unfortunately, not many can pull it off quite as well as Hideo Nakata, director of Ringu, and we end up with the likes of Sinister (eugh). However, the novels the Ringu films are based upon are a fusion of cultures themselves. The antagonist Sadako, as I mentioned, is based upon the Japanese Yurei legends. But the seven-day curse idea comes from American urban legends and draws inspiration from the film Candyman. With a horror heritage like that it is little wonder that both the American Ring and Japanese Ringu franchises gained such strong fandoms.

 

Yet, after watching it myself I can’t help but feel a little let down. I felt uneasy, yes, and there were points which pricked my senses. But alas, no feelings of genuine terror. Perhaps I built it up too much and expected to be shocked; modern horror films have got us used to reoccurring jump-scares and effects that create unimaginably graphic images. Neither occur here. The film had a low budget-feel and the famous antagonist only appears a handful of times. This helps to create a better story experience, whilst not scary as such. The grainy quality and lack of sound create a sensation of real tension. Often, films today have no moments of absolute silence - think about it. Even without dialogue or soundtrack there is still some form of background noise. But in Ringu there are moments of silence, and these moments become almost unbearable. However, I would more think of it as a mystery/thriller than as a horror. Much of the film focuses on the main character hunting through past occurrences; in a desperate attempt to trace the curse to its source.

This Yurei looks quite peaceful,
which just adds to the danger she poses.

I hope to watch the American remake soon and the many other spin offs, at which point I’ll look a little more in-depth at the story and the differences. For now I will mention that I feel as though much of the film is set up. The big reveal as it were, which is indeed a powerful and chilling scene. Heightened by the use of disjointed chords and a terrifying use of something as mundane as a television (no spoilers). Unfortunately, I had already witnessed said scene online out of impatience, and the effects show their age a bit meaning that the payoff was a little lost on me. Overall though, I really did enjoy it as a piece of entertainment and it is clearly different from other 'run of the mill' horror films too dependent on cheap thrills. I can understand why it has achieved such cult status; however, this status has been built up my own high expectations. Hopefully the sequels will shock more as I have less knowledge as of yet. I applaud it as both a piece of cinema, and as a piece of Asian culture.

If you don’t hear from me in a week's time than assume I have fallen foul of the dreadful curse.

(Yurei image from Pandemonium in Paradise)

My first post

A big hello and a warm welcome to anyone who finds this site!

So, what is the purpose of creating yet another life blog? Well the main purpose this blog will serve to be a record of day-to-day thoughts and feelings I have as a wordy nerd trying to make his way in the world.

I will be filling many pages with experiences I have; ranging from stories of exciting travels I go on, to things that happen to me that seem noteworthy. I will review many things with a focus on books, games and film; although the odd tasty food review won't out of the question. 

Who am I? Well that’s probably best answered in some kind of about me page you’ll see above. If you want to find out more then take a look and stick around for future posts.

I want to appeal not only people like myself, but also to someone that may stumble upon this with little or no knowledge about things I talk about and that it may ignite the flicker of a thought in them.

If you have any questions or thoughts you would like to send my way then comment below, tweet me Here or email me at: joshuafrancis93@gmail.com

Thank you for reading and hope to see you soon.