Here we go again, another Metal Gear game.. yes, but I can’t get enough of them, especially if it’s a sequel to Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

Peace Walker was said to be the missing link in the Metal Gear saga, and while it does answer some questions plot wise, this game is really all about giving you a ton of stuff to do instead of having long expositions of characters talking about nothing – it all pays off in the end.

Positives

• Tried and tested stealth gameplay, a lenghty campaign and numerous side missions with an army / base management system in place, there’s alot of variety and fun to be had.
• Replay value, it’s interesting how the biggest game in the franchise is only available for the smallest of the systems. I’ve already sunk 30 hours in to it and I still feel like a have a long way to go.
• Well paced story, the plot doesn’t slow down the gameplay and the cutscenes are quick (relatively speaking) wich keeps the game moving at a breakneck pace.
• From the in-engine graphics and music to the comic book style cutscenes, Peace Walker feature some of the more impressive visuals and sound on the PSP.
• Co-op!

Negatives

• No proper character boss battles, Peace Walker doesn’t make use of the excellent boss fights and their respective backstories, unlike previous games in the series.
• No second analog stick, damn you PSP!!

Conclusion

Peace Walker puts the gameplay in the front seat, this game’s got a ton of content that will please anyone looking for a good stealth game, and a good time sink. It doesn’t rely too much on the saga of the series either, wich is good for newcomers or those not to fond of the previous games heavy emphasis on story. Definitely worth the purchase of a PSP solely for this game.

Useful links

• Official website • Wikipedia • Trailer

As someone who has spent a good chunk of time playing Burnout Paradise I consider myself pretty spoiled with DLC, there are very few games that receive the amount of post release content like this racer right here.

Burnout Paradise is indeed a fantastic title and every time Criterion release new content I keep eating it up and continue to play the game, this time around they released an whole extra island for us to jump, crash and race around on.

Positives

• Freedom, instead of being confined to specific roads like in the rest of Paradise City, you are now free explore most of the island without getting wrecked as soon as you leave an open road.
• Air and verticality, there are alot of jumps and tracks that lead to high places leaving you with alot of possibilites when doing stunt runs and so on.
• Dust Storm buggy is an amazing stunt car, probably the best one in the entire game.
• Island itself looks amazing, very colorful and visually appealing.

Negatives

• Only one of the eight cars in the DLC is actually brand new.
• Lack of freeburn challenges, with an island built for stunts it’s a shame it doesn’t have more of them.

Conclusion

Big Surf Island is a fantastic addition to Burnout Paradise and it is also relatively cheap wich makes it hard to resist. The main content are the island and the new car itself though, you will probably fly through the new events pretty quickly but none of that really matters as the appeal lie in the multiplayer.

Useful links

• Official website • Wikipedia

I can’t really say I’m an oldschool fan of Watchmen, I only read the book two years ago or so. Everyone will tell you that it’s one of the best graphic novels of all time, I can’t argue with that.

When the first trailer for the movie adaptation was released I was pleasantly surprised with how close they stayed to the source material but also afraid that alot of the storytelling that was so great about the book would get ruined because of the limited time you have to work with in a feature film.

I know that I’m a bit late on the subject but I finally went and saw the movie yesterday, here are my thoughts on it.

Positives

• Great visuals and design, it’s a joy to watch the things you saw in still panels come to life.
• Jackie Earle Haley plays an excellent Rorschach and steals the show.
• Faithful to the comic book with little change.

Negatives

• Narrative and characterizations got lost in translation, I’m not sure if I care about these characters or their planet.
• New ending isn’t as in-your-face as the original version and doesn’t work as well.
• Uneven storytelling, hard for newcomers to understand the plot and history.

Conclusion

Watchmen by large comes across as a okay film and while it is faithful to its roots, it also fails on delivering its own perspective. Go watch if you want to see a decent superhero flick but don’t expect the film to make an impact like the book did.

Useful links

• Official website • IMDB • Wikipedia

My relationship with the Street Fighter franchise is weird one, on the one hand I can look at tons of match videos and read about in-depth strategies and combos but when it all comes down to it I’m not terribly good at them, especially not at Street Fighter II.

I do love Street Fighter III 3rd Strike though, there’s just something about the presentation and gameplay style that clicks with me. When Street Fighter IV was announced I had my doubts about the game going back to the classic gameplay of Street Fighter II, but over the course of the last year the game grew on me and now that I’ve been playing it for two weeks I can give you my thoughts on it.

Positives

• Great art direction, the step from 2D to 3D feels natural with expressive characters and good looking Ultra moves.
• Classic gameplay remains true to its roots but still manages to feel fresh, mostly thanks to the focus attack.
• Original eight characters make a return.
• Decent balance, no character is completely useless.
• Solid netcode, I’ve only had a few instances of really bad lag, still not as strong as GGPO though.
• Good feature list with a nice set of game modes, many unlockable icons and titles for you to show off online.

Negatives

• Network play can be an unfriendly enviroment because of disconnects, counter picking and connection problems.
• Lack of Street Fighter III characters, some bad roster choices and designs (ie Rufus).
• Ultra moves rewards players for taking damage.
• Forgettable music, the main theme is horrible.
• Uninspired stage design.

Conclusion

Despite some of it’s flaws, Street Fighter IV is a really solid game that should appeal to any of fan of the genre. It’s not going to change anybodys opinion about fighting games though, so if you’re one of those people who didn’t like them from the beginning – don’t bother.

Useful links

• Official website • Wikipedia

Hulk Vs is a direct to video animated film featuring two movies of the Hulk fighting Wolverine and the Weapon X program in one, and Thor with all of Asgard in the other.

Usually I just pass on these types of releases, I had no interest in the previous films released by Marvel Animation. However this time they brought in two of my favourite writers to work on the film, Craig Kyle and Chris Yost, the current writers on X-Force and previously New X-Men.

Hulk Vs was said to be an action packed film so initially I expected nothing else but I was pleasantly surprised, especially with the Wolverine feature.

Positives

• Great use of established stories, good writing.
• Classic characters are wearing their original costumes.
• Action and violence, limbs flying off and people being stomped on – good stuff.
• Art direction is simple and the animation is solid, the outdoor backgrounds are beautiful.
• Good music and voice work.
• Deadpool!

Negatives

• Hulk / Bruce Banner is the title character and yet his story isn’t touched upon at all.
• Fight choreography isn’t very impressive.
• Thor comes off as weak and slightly annoying.

Conclusion

These two movies are definitely made for the fans and while they are entertaining, I think most of that value comes from knowing the characters and stories and then seeing it all in motion. On the other hand, if you are just looking for a good action flick this might be for you.

Useful links

• Official website • IMDB • Wikipedia

I’m a long time fan of the Metal Gear series and consider MGS1 as one of my top three games of all time so it might not be hard to understand why I was on board the Metal Gear Solid 4 hype train long before the game came out. What I loved about the first game was the underlying tone of pacifism and threat of nuclear weapons, but also the crazy ways Kojima decided to adress the player in the game.

MGS2 and 3 where fine games but the plot and narrative sort of went overboard, I still love them though. Going in to MGS4 I thought there was no way they could finish the story and tie together all the loose ends, here are my thoughts on the game.

Positives

• Excels in visuals and cinematic presentation, some of the best set pieces you will ever see in a video game.
• Provides a fitting conclusion to the series that answers questions instead of asking them.
• Nostalgia overload, there are a ton of moments that will tickle the fanboy in you.
• Refined control scheme and gameplay make the game a joy to play.
• A pleasure to your ears, great sound effects and music score.

Negatives

• Cutscene lenght, I know I’m beating on a dead horse here but I for one can’t stand 30 minutes of soliders lining up to fire their guns.
• Shoots itself in the foot at the end story wise.
• Awkward dialogue and acting will make you want to mute the sound at times.

Conclusion

If you’re a long time fan of the series MGS4 will provide you with an amazing experience, if you havn’t played any of the previous games you’re out of luck as the game relies heavily on your knowledge of the Metal Gear universe.

Useful links

• Official website • Wikipedia

This latest Spider-Man show is an excellent example on how to use a well established franchise and bring it to a new audience while still proving old fans with a fun experience. The first season finished airing a couple of days ago, here are my thoughts on it.

Positives

• Reimagining of classic characters and stories feel fresh and exciting but still remains true to the original.
• Great writing with a good mix of drama, comedy and action.
• Character development is done simple but engaging, the relationship between our hero and his friends is arguably the best thing about the show.
• Episodes are individual but do provide an overarching story, it’s easy to jump on at any point.
• Animation is smooth and good looking. Character design isn’t as realistic as older cartoons but not as cartoony as some of the latest shows either, a perfect blend. The action scenes are alot of fun.
• Addictive main theme!

Negatives

• I can’t think of any

Conclusion

Some people have claimed that Spectacular Spider-Man is on par, if not better than Batman: The Animated Series and that should tell you a whole lot about the quality of the show. Anyone with a remote interest in Spidey should definitely check out this series, it is the best Marvel cartoon to date.

Now, if only Marvel could create a consistent animated universe within the same continuity.

Useful links

• IMDB • Wikipedia

I have alot of fond memories of the first two GTA games, me and a couple of friends would take turns in causing as much insanity as we could with unlimited ammo until the military finally arrived and sent us all to hell. And while I do love causing all sorts of mess and destruction, there has to be something else there to keep me playing through a game these days.

Some time after GTA3 came out I really thought that there was no way Rockstar could outdo themselves with a sequel but I think Vice City pretty much proved everybody wrong. San Andreas had an insane scope and scale but the Vice City setting really hit the mark for me. Going in to Grand Theft Auto IV I really didn’t know what to expect, but it certainly isn’t like one of the old games.

Positives

• Liberty City is full of life, the attention to detail in the world is very impressive.
• Excellent writing and dialogue.
• Realistic approach to the series makes the story come to life in a new way.
• A fun and interesting cast of characters.
• Modern shooting and driving controls has a nice weight to them.
• Multiplayer mayhem!

Negatives

• Protagonist sort of becomes an asshole towards the end.
• Multiplayer filtering options are nonexistent.
• “Hey Nico! It’s me, your cousin Roman. Let’s go and have a beer!”

Conclusion

Grand Theft Auto IV is a must buy for anyone who enjoys a good long action game. Alot of the wackyness found in the previous games isn’t here but what you get is a more serious tone and story, wich in the end, provides a far more enjoyable experience than working as a pizza delivery boy or riding a jetpack.

Useful links

• Official website • Wikipedia

Time for an update (or whatever you choose to call it), I havn’t been updating this blog for about a year or more so I figured I should write something. I’m not sure what I want to do with this little site yet but maybe I’ll think of something in the future, I decided to write in english as well so that’s why I erased all of the previous posts.

I’ve made a name change, got the name from the lyrics to a Pillows song (namely the ending credits to FLCL) – sounded fun so there it is. Again, not decided what I want to with this blog but I’m sure there’ll be something here in the future. So till next time, see ya!