The Emperor Ing Blog

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D - Review

2011-09-16T20:02:00.000+01:00

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

System: Nintendo 3DS
Developer: Nintendo/Grezzo
Publisher: Nintendo
Year: 2011

In 1998, Ocarina of Time was released to a critical reception, gaining it a hotly disputed title of greatest game of all time. Here on the 3DS in The Legend of Zelda's 25th Anniversary year, Nintendo promised to deliver an upgraded version without the niggles that were present in the original. Have they succeeded?

Firstly, it would be silly to have 3D in the title and not have great 3D effects. As soon as you get into the game it is at first quite astounding how good the 3D compliments the shiny upgraded graphics. Orbs of light fly at you and swirl around you as you explore the Kokiri Woods and sparkles fly off Navi as she whips around Link's head. It's a good example of how subtle 3D effects just alter your perception a tiny bit, making it much sharper and deepening your immersion in this beautiful fantasy world. However, it is by no means a fault of the game but a fault in 3D in general, that as you play the game more the 3D effects are pushed into the background and you don't notice them as much. But still, as long as you are aware of them, it really heightens key moments when needed, such as pulling the Master Sword from its pedestal in The Temple of Time.

Those shiny upgraded visuals themselves are very welcome when looking back on the low polygon character models and flat plain textures of the original. Practically everywhere has had a touch of paint. The first time you notice this is Inside the Deku Tree, where the walls actually look properly defined than brown and green smudges. Shops in both past Hyrule Castle and future Kakariko now have their own unique shop fronts, which as well as making it easier to see which shop you need to go to - the bloke's face for general items like bombs and arrows and the potion bottle for potions and fairies - they also give each shop its own unique character. This continues throughout the game, from wall carvings in Goron City to light streaming in through the stained glass windows in Ganon's Castle. The character models have also benefited, with detailed faces and clothing - even though Link still remains expressionless in the main gameplay. It's great to see that it has been given all this care and attention, which carries on through to one of the major problems of the original.

For most Zelda players, the mere mention of Ocarina's Water Temple sends a wave of fear through them - said to be the most annoying dungeon in the series, it required you to access the rotating menu screens constantly to remove and put on the iron boots - an upgrade that allows you to sink in water. Ocarina of Time 3D completely eliminates the problem by featuring touch screen menus and the fact that every main item can be assigned to one of four instant access slots. You have your standard X and Y button assignment, plus two touch screen icons, replacing the four C-stick directions. Your Ocarina has a separate icon, leaving room for the items you need on the buttons. It's definitely one of the best features in this remake, allowing easy access to whatever items you need, be it those iron boots or a quest item.

Speaking of quests, the main game is exactly the same, although you get Master Quest bundled in as well as a boss attack mode. The former can only played after you have finished "normal" mode once, while the latter is accessible when you reach a certain point in the game. The main game is around 25 to 30 hours long (to complete it 100%), so you're getting double that playtime with the remixed, more difficult dungeons of Master Quest. The boss attack mode is a good distraction if you want to take a break from the main adventure and just want to get some action in.

The main story itself has not been touched and is still presented in its glorious original form. This can be seen both ways. For one it recognises how good the game was in the beginning, which is brilliant for the younger player who didn't experience the game first time around. However, if you're a Zelda veteran you're essentially playing the same game you bought almost fifteen years ago if you played it on N64, and around eight years ago if you played either the Wind Waker or Collector's Edition re-release. In this instance additional content to the actual game could have benefited long-time players, such as the challenge dungeon in Wind Waker.

The game also makes use of more of the 3DS' tech by adding in some gyroscopic controls. These are mainly for items like the slingshot, bow and boomerang, and when you're using the first person view. They actually work better than expected, often offering a precise method of lining up that vital shot in the shooting minigames. There is a conflict with the circle pad however, as if you're using both, the next time you use the gyroscopic controls they won't be in exact alignment with Link, and can often need recalibrating. Nevertheless a very useful addition to the control mechanics.

Finally, you have to commend Nintendo on how well it handled the game's launch as well as promoting the 25th Anniversary in general. The soundtrack CD was an excellent bonus to those that pre-ordered, presenting the glorious soundtrack mostly in full. This leads me to the final nice touch of Ocarina of Time 3D, using a fully orchestrated presentation of the main theme for the final credits. If you're a core Zelda fan be sure to play the end in private, as that powerful music is very emotional.

No matter if you've played it before or if you haven't, Ocarina of Time 3D is still the exhilarating classic it has always been and the current must have title on 3DS. Best Zelda game of all time? It comes close, but Wind Waker is still the king.

9/10

ONM Forum's Top 100 Non-Nintendo Games

2011-09-13T20:15:00.000+01:00

In a recent mass free poll, the members of the ONM forums were asked to name their top ten non Nintendo titles (of which were not exclusive to a Nintendo platform) to create ONM's top 100 non Nintendo titles.

Each vote gave the game a number of points going from 25 for the first choice down to 1 for the last choice. Points were added up for each game and the list was determined. Re-releases and remakes were not counted as separate games.

The following long list contains some interesting titles. It's separated into brackets where games obtained the same amount of points. Click read more to view.

#101-#100
Heavy Rain
Psychonauts

#99-#87
Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII
Gran Turismo 2
Higurashi When They Cry Kai
Klonoa 2
Loco Roco
Mirror's Edge
Ninja Gaiden Black
QWOP
Resident Evil 2
Secret of Mana
Super Meat Boy
Tales of Symphonia
Total War: SHOGUN 2

#86-#85
Cthulu Saves the World
Metal Gear Solid 2

#84-#82
Burnout 3
Crash Bandicoot 3
Rayman 3

#81-#79
Crash Bash
FIFA 11
The Sims 2

#78
Ratchet and Clank 2

#77-#76
Crash Bandicoot
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3

#75-#74
Beyond Good and Evil
Rock Band 3

#73
Gran Turismo 3

#72-#68
Age of Empires 2
Demon's Souls
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
Jet Set Radio Future
Simpsons Hit and Run

#67-#66
Grand Theft Auto Vice City
Spyro the Dragon

#65-#62
inFamous 2
Jak and Daxter
Sonic the Hedgehog
Uncharted Drake's Fortune

#61
Doom

#60
Persona 3

#59-#58
James Bond 007 Nightfire
LittleBigPlanet

#57
Cave Story

#56-#55
Banjo-Tooie
L.A. Noire

#54-#53
Bayonetta
Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep

#52-51
Final Fantasy VIII
Valkyria Chronicles

#50
Halo Combat Evolved

#49
Battlefield Bad Company 2

#48
Portal

#47-#46
Crash Team Racing
Doom II

#45-#43
Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare
Jak 3
Rollercoaster Tycoon

#42
Grim Fandango

#41
Burnout Paradise

#40-#38
Deus Ex
Sonic Adventure 2
Tetris

#37
Half-Life

#36
Grand Theft Auto San Andreas

#35
Crash Bandicoot 2

#34
Street Fighter IV

#33
Fallout New Vegas

#32-#31
Bioshock
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

#30
Timesplitters Future Perfect

#29
Metal Gear Solid

#28
Spyro 2 Gateway to Glimmer

#27-#26
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
Kingdom Hearts

#25
Mass Effect

#24
Sonic 3 & Knuckles

#23
Final Fantasy X

#22
Borderlands

#21
Spyro: Year of the Dragon

#20
Assassin's Creed II

#19
Halo 3

#18-#17
Fallout 3
Resident Evil 4

#16
Halo Reach

#15-#14
Final Fantasy IX
Timesplitters 2

#13
Metal Gear Solid 3

#12
Okami

#11
Team Fortress 2

Taken from http://forums.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=85605

Something stirs...

2011-09-13T19:10:00.001+01:00

Yes, once again after another gap I'm posting a couple of new things. I've been spending the break playing what I'm about to review, so it's going to be worth it. Coming up this month are reviews of Ocarina of Time 3D and Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty, as well as the summer anime season review as it ends, and the autumn anime preview as the new autumn season begins. Then there'll probably be a break up until Christmas, where the should be plenty of first impressions and (depending on how quickly I progress) some sort of Skyward Sword feature.

Stay tuned for those two incoming reviews!

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Season 2 Collection - Review

2011-07-25T20:29:00.001+01:00

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Season 2
(Includes Volume 1 of Melancholy of Haruhi-Chan Suzumiya and Nyorōn Churuya-san)

Studio: Kyoto Animation
UK Distributor: Manga Entertainment
Episodes: 13 + 19 mini episodes
Aired: 2009
Released: 2011

It was a sunny summer day in 2009, however something was off. I had no interest in playing Pokemon in front of me. I yawned as I called a day on EVing a Mudkip. I turned the computer on, thinking "Haruhi should be on." As I waited for the stream to load, it felt as if I knew what was going to happen.

Why have I started this review like that? Well, it shall all become clear very soon. So then, the second season of Haruhi has finally been released by Manga UK, after a long two year wait.

First off, technically this isn't a true second season. Like the original light novels, the content is mixed in with the original series; mostly building on stories we've already seen. As such, these episodes were broadcast in a rerun of the original series, however this time in chronological order (remember that the original Japanese airing was out of order.) So it actually makes sense to revisit it and watch this new set in between as was intended. Truth be told, this kind of format is not going to bring in many new viewers - but it'll certainly drag the fans of the original series back for more.

The first episode of the second season is the only stand-alone, but also what I consider to be the best of the stories included here. It's tanabata, and Haruhi gets everyone to do their wish cards in the hope of something exciting happening. Mysteriously, Mikuru tells Kyon to hang back after everyone has gone, and they travel back in time to tanabata three years ago, where Kyon finds himself drawing the mysterious symbols on the grounds of Haruhi's middle school at her request. This is a nice throwback to the first episode; but the most interesting thing about all of this is that it's all a paradox. And believe me, I love my paradoxes - and this is what so attracts me to this episode.

Kyon and Mikuru pay someone a visit

Next comes the most controversial move in a popular anime such as this. The Endless Eight arc does exactly what it says on the tin and repeats the same episode eight times, with slight variations in between. When it comes to Endless Eight, it completely divides Haruhi fans whether they love it or hate it. Myself, I love it; but it has a bigger impact on first viewing, as you try to pick out clues in each episode to find out how Kyon will break the SOS Brigade out of the endless last two weeks of summer. By the time we get to repetition ichiman gosen gohyaku sanjuuni (15532 to you) and the ultimate climax - it turns into a "what the hell" moment, as the mundane conclusion draws the arc to an anticlimax.

Endless Eight was very unpopular in Japan, however it does show great detail, in how the studio changes the gang's costumes every episode (including plenty of fanservice from the various swimsuits and bikinis for the girls). My only qualm is that even with the massive range of activities that the SOS Brigade did in those two weeks, Kyoto Animation kept showing those exact same events. If they'd varied it around and shown some of the other stuff Endless Eight would have been an absolute cracker.

Mikuru discovers a disastrous situation

One thing I do like about this arc is another hint into Kyon and Haruhi's relationship. In a certain scene, Koizumi suggests Kyon to "whisper 'I love you' in her ear", which Kyon refuses to do. Both characters deny any feelings, however, as we see throughout the whole series, Kyon and Haruhi are so a couple. There's many things to suggest this, including an upcoming scene in Disappearance; but it's emphasised by the true bond of trust that exists between them. As a fan this would be a perfect matchup, but with Kyon eyeing up the other ladies, I wouldn't put it past the author of the novels, Tanigawa, to have a surprise up his sleeve somewhere. Although in my mind if he pairs Kyon with anyone else, he's out of his mind.

Haruhi introduces Kyon to a pair of lolis

Our last story in the main part of season two is The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya, which is déjà vu in itself. The Sigh arc takes place during the school's cultural festival, of which we already have the ultimate ending of in Live Alive, and the inclusion of The Adventures of Mikuru Asahina in the first season. Chronologically, these episodes should be watched before The Adventures of Mikuru Asahina, as it shows how the SOS Brigade's movie was created.

...not a cosplay store for sure!

This arc is interesting, as we get shown a lot more of Haruhi's powers in action, which bring about some very close calls in Haruhi realising the truth, Kyon's life, and Kyon and Haruhi's relationship. As Haruhi gets more and more into making the movie, it's Kyon's job to somehow remind her that it isn't real, producing the immortal words at the end credits of the movie which fans will already know. Sigh is a fun romp of a story, and very much a sigh of relief after Endless Eight.

Also included in this boxset is the first volume of the spin off series The Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya and Nyoron! Churuya-san, each showing half of their respective series.

Yuki plays some eroge while Mikuru makes tea

Haruhi-chan is a hilarious take on the main series, and features chibi versions of the SOS Brigade getting up to all sorts of mischief. The characters are genuinely more funny as well - the best being that Yuki has become an eroge (Japanese erotic games that are usually visual novels) addict. We also see the "resurrection" of Ryoko Asakura, but with a small twist. She's literally tiny. Yuki decides to take her into her house, where Ryoko becomes Yuki's plaything. The banter between them is hilarious and one of the main highlights. Other stories include events as yet unfeatured in the proper series, like Valentine's and Halloween. The former producing a hilarious episode where Kyon and Koizumi cosplay as pretty boys.

Haruhi-chan is absolutely fantastic, and its a shame that they are only typically five minute shorts.

Nyoron! Churuya-san is more of an oddball addition, focussing on an alternate version of Tsuruya-san. Churuya is fantatical about smoked cheese - of which her search for it spawns the catchphrase "Nyoron!" While still highly amusing, they lack the appeal of Haruhi-chan. Each episode is basically a 2 minute gag with a smoked cheese related punchline. Definitely worth watching, but it seems to be more of an extra to Haruhi-chan than its own series.

Smoked cheese is food of the day

The season two extras themselves are pretty top-notch. Along with the usual textless openings and endings (both for the main series and Haruhi-chan), we get two multi-part featurettes.

The first of these is an on-location shoot at the real school and the surrounding area that inspired North High and other settings in the anime. We follow the crew and one select cast member around the school as they get shots for the main locations in the anime. We see the massive climb up the hill that the actual real life students have to endure, (they must be fit!) as well as the school's grounds and interior. Particular attention is paid to the roof for the scenes that take place there in Sigh. We also get to see other locations used in Sigh and Endless Eight, including the park, temple and shrine which were all featured. Another nice thing to see in this featurette is the return of the legend that is Minoru Shiraishi (who voices Taniguchi). Shiraishi has become a legend after his excellent performance in Lucky Star, and he does entertain some in the featurette, with a sadly weak attempt at one of his Lucky Star routines. He was out of practice, so we can forgive him for that.

A new opening sequence for a new season

The second featurette is a look at the production of the PV for the fantastic opening single, Super Driver. For such an immense song, I have always thought that the PV was a bit cheesy, featuring Aya Hirano in a fairly old style blue sportscar, backed with various cartoony CG work. The song itself is brilliant, with an awesome guitar line and really fast tempo. Try running along to this - seriously, it's magic. Anyway, the actual featurette shows how it was made and how Aya does certain shots. It's not until the final part, where it shows the actual launch and the subsequent chart result where you can truly appreciate this immense piece of music which fits so well with the series.

There is one sadly negative point to end on however, as this release only has the mono Japanese audio track after a blunder by Kadokawa. When it was first confirmed, a lot of people where heavily disappointed, however it has not had the impact I thought it would have. On your standard stereo TV speakers, the Japanese sub sounds absolutely fine, and you can't really tell that it's only mono. It is something to be aware of, but I don't see Manga UK doing anything to correct this in the future.

Overall, while Endless Eight could have been so much better and the mono audio issue did give the initial launch some bad press; the other stories and the extras make up for it, and then some.

8/10

Slight Blog Changes

2011-07-19T08:46:00.000+01:00

As you know, I make slight changes to my blog every once in a while. With what I'm calling version 3.1, I've made links red so they stand out better, created a new image for the main header, and I'm revamping the videos section to include any videos I've posted. In the meantime if you want to watch videos, head to my YouTube.

In other news, my anime feature is now finished, which you can see here, and I'm about to start reviewing Haruhi Season 2.

Pokémon Battle Revolution Wi-Fi Battle #26 - Taking Out The Threat

2011-07-18T16:28:00.000+01:00

This match was all about one move, as you'll see later. Nice match, but I don't know why he didn't switch out to a more effective Pokemon against my Crobat, which I was predicting at the start with my use of Toxic. Video commentated on live by myself.

[Feature] Summer 2011 Anime - Updated > Mayo Chiki!

2011-07-12T19:09:00.013+01:00

We're just launching into a new season of anime, coming off the back of a quite successful spring season in my opinion. By the time you read this, at least most of the second episodes should have been aired over in Japan.

We do have an interesting range of stuff this season, from loli basketball anime all the way up to teenage girls slaying demons. So here's my opinions on what to watch in the Summer 2011 anime season, be warned though - there are some spoilers.

--------------------------------------UPDATES-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12/07/2011 - Added Hanasaku Iroha, Blood-C, Ro-Kyu-Bu!
14/07/2011 - Added Kamisama Dolls, R-15
16/07/2011 - Added Usagi Drop
17/07/2011 - Added YuruYuri
18/07/2011 - Added Kamisama no Memochou
19/07/2011 - Added Mayo Chiki! Feature completed.

Hanasaku Iroha
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Rating: 8

Hanasaku Iroha is a continuing anime from last season, being upped to 26 episodes. It follows a sixteen year old girl, Ohana, as she works in her grandmother's ryokan (traditional Japanese inn). It's a coming-of-age show that puts the colourful cast through a series of events as they grow.

The first "season" as it were, mainly focussed on Ohana getting used to her new surrounding after moving from Tokyo, and her relationship with her family, new friends, and her potential boyfriend Koichi.

So coming off the back of a highly emotional episode, we jump into the typical beach episode, with fanserice-y bikini and bath scenes. The main part of the plot of this episode is the girls' school staying at a ryokan, which provides an interesting insight to how Ohana and one of the other main girls, Nako, is putting so much into their work at the inn.

The quality of the animation is standard top-notch stuff, while the music adds to the atmosphere. The voice actors provide very convincing roles, especially those that voice the main girls.

What I like about it is the whole thing about character development and how they change as the series goes on.The character's experiences do change them, and in a sense its the overall plot of the anime, as the girls' main goal is to simply become better people.

Hanasaku Iroha is a show I've been enjoying watching, and I'm sure others will enjoy it too. Hopefully we'll get this nice piece of animation licensed for a UK release in the future.

Blood-C
Streaming: NicoNico Douga
Rating: 8

Blood-C, the newest re-imagination of the Blood series, from CLAMP and Production-IG, is one of the first series to be streamed on NicoNico Douga, who seem to be really pulling out all the stops with streaming lately.

My only experience prior to this was the OK live action movie based on the series; which has got me interested in it I have to say, as I've been wanting to get into the proper stuff for a while now. So, when this was announced I knew I had to give it ago.

And I can report that I was pleased with the first episode. Saya is portrayed as a clumsy shrine maiden, who lives alone with her father. She's often late for school, as she gets distracted by a multitude of various things on the way, be it a cat or helping an old granny. She seems to be friends with the owner of the local café next to the shrine, going there as both she and her father can't cook. Saya's classmates seem to be a weird bunch, and from one guy's glances, he either knows something about her or fancies her - one or the other. The character design for the teacher surprised me a little; with the long white coat, miniskirt and long legs, she would be more at home in a hentai OVA.

That aside, we also see Saya attempting to take down a demon. Thinking of how the plot of the first episode progresses, we may be looking at a monster-of-the-week show here, a format CLAMP have visited before in one of their staple series, Cardcaptor Sakura, although the first series was more card-of-the-week - anyway, same kind of thing.

Visually, the fight scenes contain a lot of blood - when it starts flowing, oh boy does it flow. Still, a most enjoyable fight scene at that.

Additionally to all of this, there's a little bit of a mystery going on around Saya, and a mystical light in her dreams. What could this light be and what does it hold for Saya? We'll have to watch to find out.

Blood-C is shaping up to be a very enjoyable series, with insane action and a little bit of mystery even though the first episode was slightly light on plot details.

Ro-Kyu-Bu!
Streaming: Unavailable in UK
Rating: 6

Ro-Kyu-Bu! seems to be a typical sports anime, using lolis to seemingly increase the audience base. Yup, it's all loli-tastic here; firstly with the details that the main character, Subaru, was on the high school basketball team - until it got disbanded because the captain was alleged to be a lolicon. Obviously disgruntled that he can no longer competitively play a sport he is so passionate about, and shocked by the fact the captain was a lolicon, he decides to give up basketball. That is until his aunt signs him up to coach the girl's basketball club at an elementary school - of which she is the advisor.

I've seen two episodes of this now, and I think it's decent enough to watch. I actually like the opening theme to this one - it's really quite a catchy song sung by the voice actresses of the girls. You can check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk-Fl4WE-F0

Tomoka, the pink haired girl pictured, is the female lead and a young basketball ace, whose brilliant skills saw her doing a Michael Schumacher in taking all the glory for herself, which earned her a lot of bad peer reviews. When we meet her however, she's realising that you can just play for fun, as the other girls around her teach her that it's not just about winning and losing.

I get the feeling if these girls were older and not lolis, there would be a love thing going on between the two leads, who both love the sport beyond belief. Indeed, that's what I thought in a scene in episode 2, which involved bringing the girl round to his house for some basketball practice.

With some interesting characters with plenty of room for development, this is going to be an interesting one to follow, but don't expect it to be the best thing ever - although it is quite a fun show.

Kamisama Dolls
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Rating: 8

From the initial opening sequence of Kamisama Dolls, you may be slightly confused due to the plot of things - I know I was - but thankfully you get to know why we seem to have huge monsters destroying stuff in a few moments.

The series seems to revolve around the titular dolls, which can be summoned by "Seki", special people who control them. They are said to be gods, but to me they resemble legendary Pokémon. They remind me most of the Regi trio from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald. From the opening episode, we can see they have huger power that is difficult to control; and in the wrong hands they can be deadly.

Our protagonist is Kyohei Kuga, who has come from a small village to study at a Tokyo university. As a character, he seems to have the potential to become a strong protagonist, keeping various secrets about his past that start to come to light when an old adversary comes to call. He's actually quite typical of any anime hero, with a younger sister to protect, a love interest, and a mysterious guy from his past who perhaps wants him dead.

Both his sister and said mysterious guy are seki, having the ability to control the mysterious kamisama dolls. Out of the two, I myself am more interested in the mysterious guy - just who is he in relation to Kyohei, and what is his overall motive? I don't know yet, but I can't wait to find out.

Kyohei's sister, Utao, seems to be the one we'll be seeing the mistakes and peril from, as she's still in training. Indeed, there a couple of incidents in this first episode that I found quite thrilling to watch.

Kyohei's love interest, Shiba, seems like she's going to be a key character in the series, as she is in someway affiliated with all the stuff going on around the Kamisama Dolls, however distantly. She also introduces some light comedy, as it is obvious Kyohei has a thing for her, and his fumbling around is hilarious to watch. She also fits the big breasted archetype if anyone is interested in that.

So that's Kamisama Dolls. It seems to be a very interesting series, with quite a lot of sci-fi elements, so I'll be recommending this one for people to pick up on.

R-15
Streaming: Unavailable in UK
Rating: 5

R-15 is probably the maddest series on this season in my opinion, and while hilarious in places, it's not the best of what's on.

The plot concerns Takuto Akutagawa, a first year high school student who is a genius writer; however he doesn't write your average science fiction, fantasy or horror - but erotic fiction. Yes, the young lad's a porn author, and as a result does not have the best of relationships with people. Most people call him a pervert and expect him to start fondling their breasts or something - which is in fact mostly true, as when his fantasies take him, even classmates aren't spared their modesty.

You can see why I said this was mad. Avoid watching this with parents or younger siblings around, as the first episode opens with a full on (and thankfully censored) teacher to schoolgirl hentai scene. Well, that certainly got my attention. What normal anime would start with a bloody hentai scene? So it's safe to assume this show is NOT normal.

Anyway, the show itself follows the boy's life in this academy for geniuses school, where the brightest pupils study and I guess do whatever they are geniuses at. Notable characters are the lad who's a maths god, the lass who's a photo fiend, and perhaps the most important of all, a lass who who whistles out lively tunes on her clarinet or whatever she plays.

And so far so typical - we have the love interest of the show, the pink haired clarinet playing girl who has a major affect on our lead male. Instead of writing about sex and rape and whoever knows what, when she's near him he has the most passionate urge to write something clean. This comes as a surprise for our camera holding girl, who assumes the lad is ill or something and strangely rages at him for not writing porn instead of complimenting him for writing something clean for once.

Our leading man's antics are fun to watch, but with the plot in hand this is going to appeal to a rather restricted audience. Although if you enjoy the thought of watching a pervert write porn, go ahead and give it a go.

Usagi Drop
Streaming: Anime on Demand
Rating: 9

So, we next come to Usagi Drop, the series that's up for the best this season. Does it deliver? Oh yes, definitely.

The first thing you notice when you start watching Usagi Drop is the art style. It takes a more artistic approach, similar to what Wandering Son did - and it looks absolutely beautiful. The backgrounds are colourful and detailed, while the characters are well drawn. Definitely the best looking this season. even the opening just screams "Look at me, I'm gorgeous!" It features an extremely colourful scrolling wheel world, various animals, including the all important bunnies of the title. The song is Sweet Drops by the epic J-Pop duo Puffy (aka Puffy AmiYumi), and it just so fits everything about the show.

The first episode is a slow paced introductory one, giving us the main background to the story, and introducing the main characters. the story concerns hard working thirty year old Daikichi Kawachi, whose grandfather has passed away, leaving behind an illegitimate child, the six year old Rin Kaga. Towards the end of the first episode, Daikichi decides to take care of Rin, who he has bonded with considerably throughout this initial episode.

Rin herself seems to be a quiet, shy girl, who seemed to know her father (Daikichi's grandfather) very well; shown in her refusing to place the flower given to her in his coffin, going outside to pick bluebells instead, our dead guy's favourite flower, and Rin's namesake.

Seeing our two main characters bond through this is quite touching, as it seems that Daikichi is the only one who truly connects with the girl. The other family members were actually in favour in sending her to a children's home rather than take the girl in.

Usagi Drop looks like it is going to be a great series, combining beautiful animation and a touching story to be the best thing to watch this season.

YuruYuri
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Rating: 5

And welcome to yet another schoolgirl club anime, on the back of epics lie Haruhi and K-On! How does it match up to those two great shows? Not that well to be honest.

YuruYuri concerns four middle school girls who use the school's tea ceremony club room as the clubroom for their own "Amusement Club". The main character of the tale is Akari Akaza, who serves up the first few laughs before we get stuck into the main character and plot introductions, where not a lot really happens.

The main humour in this opening episode comes from Akari's older sister, who has stopped letting Akari into her room recently. A wander in from one of Akari's visiting friends shows us why - Akari's sister has some sort of lolicon/incestuous/yuri/whatever you wanna call it thing for her. Now we know who's been stealing Akari's pantsu!

That aside, we head off to school for the usual round of intros, where we are introduced to the previously mentioned Amusement club, ran by Akari's two childhood friends we have just seen, Kyouko Toshinou and Yui Funami. The thing about the club is that members can do whatever amuses them, from lazing around to reading. Akari is discontent with this however, feeling that a club without an aim is boring. However, things turn exciting when the traditional mascot moeblob character appears.

A girl in Akari's class walks in halfway through wanting to join the tea ceremony club, and ends up getting involved with the amusement club until the tea ceremony club gets more members. Chinatsu Yoshikawa is a cute pink haired girl who fascinates one of the older girls, as she reminds her of one of her favourite manga characters. This premise seemingly would set her up to be the cute club mascot, very much like Mikuru in Haruhi. However, luckily she dodges her way out of doing cosplay for the moment.

While having a decent sounding voice cast and good looking animation, an average first episode for YuruYuri hopefully doesn't mean it's not going to improve, however it doesn't set high hopes either.

Kamisama no Memochou
Streaming: Unavailable in UK
Rating: 8

Kamisama no Memouchou has been said by some to be Gosick in a modern setting. In a sense that is what it is, as it's the similar kind of show.

The story follows a seemingly ordinary high school boy, Narumi Fujishima, who somehow finds himself joining up with a gang of NEETs, headed by the mysterious Alice - a highly intelligent hikikomori girl who solves mysteries sitting on her bed looking at an endless wall of monitors.

The first episode shows our protagonist once again settling in to a new school, as his family move around a lot due to his father's work or something. At school, he becomes the sole member of the computer club, until he meets Ayaka Shinozaki, who is the sole member of the gardening club. She also works at a local ramen shop, and has a few interesting friends. She introduces Narumi properly to the bunch of NEETs that he actually met earlier on, when he witnessed the events that would see him being the key to the first case. We have ex-boxer and heavy gambler Tetsu, military otaku Shōsa and the other guy Hiro.

Narumi is somehow roped into an argument over who would take up a bowl of Ramen to this "Alice" who lives above the ramen shop, and of course, it's him - and this serves as his introduction to the girl, who thanks to access to all of his records, knows everything about him. She then proceeds to rope him into this case as her assistant.

The content of the first episode is actually pretty shocking. Being set in the modern day allows for modern day mysteries, and for one that does lie close to Japan's heart. I'm determined not to give too much away on this one due to its shock factor, but as you can probably guess from the first few minutes, this first episode centres on teenage prostitution.

Ending with some shocking revelations that does become obvious after piecing stuff together through the episode, the opener of Kamisama no Memochou ends on a high. If it continues like this, it'll have me watching until the end of this season.

Mayo Chiki!
Streaming: Unavailable in UK
Rating: 5

Mayo Chiki! is a rather bizarre romantic comedy type thing. The plot revolves around Kanjirou Sakamachi, a high school student who has a phobia of women with a reaction commonly seen in ecchi series, but used here for a different reason: he gets nosebleeds whenever he's touched by anything remotely female, stemming from abuse from his wrestler mother.

After getting such a nosebleed, Kanjirou heads to the guy's toilets where he meets Subaru Konoe in the strangest of manners. Subaru is a fantastic butler who serves the beautiful, rich and "I'll wear a different dress to all the rest" Kanade Suzutsuki. The guy is handsome and has tons of fans, the most fervent establishing their own Illuminati style cult around him. However, in the guy's toilets, Subaru's deadly secret is revealed - she's actually a girl, and now has to kill Kanjirou for finding out, as she'd lose her job otherwise.

This is where Kanade steps in and groups the two together so that the secret can't be revealed.

The premise of the story would actually set it up to be an interesting show, however the opening episode is just so dull it's hard to not switch off or just ignore the rest of the series. There are some good moments, such as the battle between Kanjirou and Subaru, but most of it just falls flat on its face.

The second episode did seem to be better however, being more funny and actually fulfilling the romance part, with Kanade seemingly trying to develop a relationship between Kanjirou and Subaru, while Kanjirou's sister (who doesn't know Subaru is a girl) sees her dressed as a girl; at first thinking of Subaru as a cross dressing pervert and her brother gay, somehow comes out as saying she's in love with Subaru five minutes later. Like, how did that happen?

A distinctly average series with various plot holes and unexplained developments, don't come here looking for a great romantic comedy - but as a standard ecchi series with a crossdressing character, at least it'll appeal to someone.

Lucky Star Complete Collection - Review

2011-07-08T19:51:00.001+01:00

Lucky Star Complete Collection

Studio: Kyoto Animation
UK Distributor: Beez Entertainment (Anime Legends label)
Episodes: 24 + 1 OVA
Aired: 2007
Released: 2011

Earlier in 2011, we finally got to get our hands on the complete series of Lucky Star, Kyoto Animation's next big thing after Haruhi. Indeed, it seems to come off the back of Haruhi with a bang, with quite a few of the Haruhi cast featuring, as well as a Hare Hare Yukai tribute later in the series.

Lucky Star centres around the life of general otaku and gaming ninja Konata Izumi and her group of friends; showing a variety of everyday conversations and events. The other members of the gang are fraternal twins Kagami and Tsukasa; the former being a tsundere, and the latter being an unreliable airhead; and Miyuki, Lucky Star's moe queen, with glasses, clumsiness and other typical moe traits all being ticked.

As a general slice of life series, there's no over-arcing plot as such, except for showing the girls progressing through their high school lives. You can see this from the very first episode, of which most of it is spent talking about food, and in particular the correct way to eat a chocolate cornet.

The content ranges from the rather mundane to the bizarre as we go through the series; the wackiest of these being the Cinderella and Sgt. Frog parts of the OVA. Mainly, the girl's antics are typical of this kind of show that you'll find familiar if you're any kind of anime veteran; festivals, sports day, Christmas, and the obligatory bathing scene are all in there. You may feel a bit "been-there-done-that" however it's the characters that bring it all to life, especially with interaction with Konata. Perhaps one of the best examples of this, without spoiling too much, is the constant battle the manager of an anime store has to get Konata to buy something.

If that doesn't sound too appealing, I can guarantee you won't be switching it off, as the immersion factor is high. You'll find yourself listening in closely to the conversations, as you find out what the girl's get up to.

One of the interesting things the show does get up to is using Konata to include tons of references to other anime, manga, and even games. The previously mentioned Sgt. Frog (Keroro Gunso) seems to be a popular one, as well as references from Tekken, Street Fighter, Gunbuster, Gundam, Initial D and more. The most obvious one however is Haruhi, with various references, including a parody of the famous Hare Hare Yukai dance. Others are harder to spot, and are sometimes impossible to know without having seen the source material first. In an interesting move, probably to avoid licensing issues, where things are referenced explicitly, they're bleeped out like an expletive. It is kind of jarring at first, but you do get used to it, and can typically at least guess at what it is from the context. The majority are done cleverly too, so it's not just a blatant copy of something.

Lucky Star provides something different with its opening and ending sequences that makes it stand out from the crowd of other similar shows. The excellent opening theme "Motteke Sailor Fuku", is actually embedded into the anime itself in more ways than one. Let's just say its origins are explained later in the show.

The endings are different firstly for the five minute "Lucky Channel" segment, hosted by fictional idol Akira Kogami (voiced by Hiromo Konno), and her assistant, the real life voice actor Minoru Shiraishi. While not really the main part of the show, in some cases they do steal the attention, as these segments are often the most hilarious and outrageous. Akira has some sort of dual personality disorder; of which her darker side comes out often, lashing brutally into Shiraishi as her mood steadily worsens. You do feel sorry for Shiraishi, but they are very funny moments.

There are then two different styles of credits for each half of the series. The first half has the girls in a karaoke booth, singing a host of songs from a variety of media. These segments will raise a smile if you've ever done "proper" karaoke; and the purposely bad singing is quite humorous. The second half has Shiraishi in various real life locations singing songs either modified or created by himself. While rather odd, they are absolutely brilliant, and I encourage you to get into the extras and watch the "Adventures of Minoru Shiraishi" making of clips, that show just how they were done. Whoever came up with this idea is just a genius - seriously, they're that good.

The key thing to note that the best way to get the most out of Lucky Star is to watch the subtitled Japanese version. While the dub uses the same Bang-Zoom voice actors we know from their decent Haruhi dub, the Japanese cast just bring out the characters so much more. The way Aya Hirano presents Konata's voice is so drastically different to Haruhi, the role most people know her for, you'll be surprised it's even her at times. Actually having seen the sub first online, the dub just doesn't seem as fitting for the characters as it should; therefore I'd recommend watching the dub first if you want to compare the two, otherwise just go straight to the sub, which is a more rewarding experience.

Generally, Lucky Star is a highly enjoyable show with a great set of characters who'll suck you in to their daily lives. It's gorgeously presented and laugh out loud funny, and you won't be disappointed if you pick this up.

8/10

Let's Play Metroid Prime Part 07 - VS Flaahgra

2011-07-07T06:30:00.000+01:00

Right, In order to get to Flaahgra, we first have to complete a runic scan puzzle, but once that's done, we come face to face with the ruthless plant boss of the Chozo Ruins, where we
obtain the Varia Suit.

Let's Play Metroid Prime Part 06 - The First Artifact & Item Hunt #1

2011-07-07T06:26:00.001+01:00

So it's time to do our first item hunt; going around picking up quite a few missle expansions and a handy energy tank, as we prepare fro our assault on Flaahgra. We also make the visit to the Chozo Temple over the Impact Crater, and pick up our first artifact.

Apologies For Lack of Content

2011-07-07T06:23:00.000+01:00

Yes, not very good of me to not do anything for this; as it's something I want to keep going, but I've just been doing other things.

I'm posting another set of videos, then I'll get back to working on some reviews.

Let's Play Metroid Prime Part 05 - VS Incinerator Drone

2011-06-19T13:51:00.000+01:00

Let's Play Metroid Prime Part 04 - Charge Beam

2011-06-19T13:48:00.002+01:00

My First Team Fortress 2 Replay Clip

2011-06-17T16:18:00.000+01:00

So, after being away from TF2 for ages, I go on for a bit to experiment with the replay function, which allows you to save a replay of your previous life; and edit it into a short video clip. Essentially its a shorter version of the demo file feature, without the hassle of processing all of the frames afterwards. Anyway, here's what I came up with.

Let's Play Metroid Prime Part 03 - Beetle Infestation

2011-06-17T16:14:00.001+01:00

Part 03 of my LP:

Let's Play Metroid Prime Part 02 - First Steps On Tallon IV

2011-06-17T16:11:00.002+01:00

Here's the second part of my Metroid Prime LP.

So, What's Going On

2011-06-17T16:10:00.000+01:00

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I've been making an effort to put some game time in before I knuckle down hard with some programming. That's the reason I haven't updated much.

I've been crunching through my Date campaign on Total War Shogun 2 and trying to make an attempt at finishing Final Fantasy XIII, and then what happens? Ocarina of Time 3D comes along!

All will be resumed soon though, stay tuned.

Let's Play Metroid Prime Part 01 - Frigate Orpheon

2011-05-18T15:58:00.000+01:00

Hey guys, this is the first part of my first ever LP! To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Metroid, I'm doing this LP of Metroid Prime. As you can see, this is the Trilogy version of the game.

This is the first part of the game on the Space Pirate frigate.

Alright Troops ^_^

2011-05-18T15:56:00.000+01:00

Hi all. Been a while hasn't it? Well, it's time to get this show back on the road. I'll be doing more stuff on my blog now that there's nothing to do. I'll be posting more videos from my YouTube, and I plan to have more reviews along the line.

That's it for now, I'll update more later on. For now I'm posting the first part of my Metroid Prime Let's Play.

PBR Wi-Fi Battles #18, #19 & #20

2011-02-08T07:35:00.000Z

Hi guys, I should have really posted these up before, but here they are now: my latest PBR random Wi-Fi battles.

#18 & #19 - Same Guy Twice!

#20 - GEEEEEEE GEEEEEEEE!! (Live Commentary)

Donkey Kong Country Returns - First Impressions

2011-02-08T06:45:00.000Z

I first ordered Donkey Kong Country Returns at the end of December, but thanks to Royal Fail, I've only just got it last week. So, I've played through the first few levels, so I thought I'd give some first impressions on the game.

After all the waiting around I did for it, I have to make my initial statement of: "It's awesome!". It was definitely worth waiting for, and it'll tide me over the next couple of weeks before the next big game I am after: Marvel vs Capcom 3; arrives.

Oh, and just to warn you now, this does contain some minor spoilers that may ruin the epicness of the game's opening sequence. So you have been warned.

The game opens with a nice little cutscene which gives the overall background to the story. There's this huge volcano that suddenly decides to erupt, where creatures from the Tiki Tak tribe spew out from. They then proceed to hypnotise the island's wildlife to steal all the bananas. There's a funny moment when they try to hypnotise Donkey Kong, but they fail; and the cutscene leads directly onto the first level.

I was impressed by this approach, and I just find it works really well to getting you into the game.

The things that jump out at you first are the lovely backgrounds and awesome music. I never played the original Country games, so after hearing the Donkey Kong music in Smash Bros. it was nice to actually give that music some proper meaning.

The graphical style is well-chosen and is really colourful and lively, and really brings each level to life.

So, you begin moving Doneky Kong, and the controls feel perfect. There are two control schemes for this game; using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, or using the Wii remote horizontally. With the game being a platformer, I opted for the NSMBWii style horizontal option.

The usual stuff is in there, move using the D-pad and jump with 2; with 1 being the button to grab things and run. Shaking the wii remote pulls off Donkey Kong's ground pound move, which stuns nearby enemies. I was expecting this to feel clunk, but it actually feels really natural, even when doing it for the first time.

Holding the 1 button and shaking the Wii remote gives you a blow move which can be used on certain objects. There's these plants with propeller things on them that when blown give bananas and sometimes a puzzle piece.

Holding right or left and shaking performs the roll move, which isn't as bad as it sounds. In fact, I find it rather helpful if you're rushing through a level and you want a way of taking enemies out quickly. You can just roll through them and kill them all. Awesome stuff.

Of course, rushing through a level is only the goal in time attack mode; normally when progressing through a level you have to explore to find the collectible items: the four KONG letters, the x amount of puzzle pieces you are required to find, and the more frequently occurring banana coins, which can be used to buy items from a shop owned by Cranky Kong.

The KONG letters are easy enough to get, but to get all the puzzle pieces you have to explore a level carefully, as a lot of them are pretty well hidden,

Diddy Kong also makes an appearance. After breaking him out of the DK barrels, her rides on Donkey Kongs back and adds some extra jumping distance with his jetpack. I think he does other things as well, but I haven't dicovered them yet.

Where Diddy Kong really comes into play is the inclusion of a 2 player co-op mode, which is fun if you've got the required two people to play it. It's a nice inclusion, where player two can control Diddy Kong with his peanut popgun and player one controls Donkey Kong in the usual way.

So far I'm pretty impressed with Retro Studios' modern re-imagining of the classic Donkey Kong Country titles, and I'm looking forward to continuing on.

See 3D! Tomorrow! The 3DS Conference is Almost Here...

2011-01-18T13:54:00.003Z

Well, so we're almost here at last. The 3DS is just around the corner. Tomorrow we should find out the release date, price and launch games at the 3DS conference being held in Amsterdam, hosted by Johnathan Ross.

Nintendo are running a live stream of the event, which I shall be watching (as long as my internet holds up -seriously, the amount of downloads I've done the past 2 weeks for my laptop is astounding). The live stream will be available at http://live.nintendo3ds.nintendo-europe.com/ at 2pm GMT.

I'll try to provide a roundup of all the news tomorrow evening, whe we can look forward to placing our pre-orders of what is sure to be a killer gadget.

2011's List of Anticipation

2011-01-15T18:53:00.001Z

So, now we're in 2011, I'm looking ahead to some of the awesome stuff that is coming our way this year. You thought 2010 was good? 2011 will blow you away!

1. Doctor Who Series 6

I proclaim myself to be the biggest Doctor Who fan in Sunderland, and so it's without a doubt that the next series of Doctor Who is at number 1. With the Christmas special now out of the way, we can fully get hyped for series 6a/6b, as I shall call them. Remember that this series has been split into two, with one half due to be shown in the Spring, and the other due to be shown in the Autumn.

Judging by the trailer, we've got some great surprises in store, including the return of the Ood, River apparently naked, the discovery that Stetsons are cool, and some mysterious symbols on Amy's face...

Finally, we may get some answers to last year's finale and discover the true meaning of the TARDIS exploding and those haunting words... Silence will fall.

2. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Season 2 and Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya

When Manga Entertainment announced they picked up the licenses for Haruhi, I jumped for joy.

I've been waiting for series 2 since it was originally aired in Japan in Summer 2009. Yes, I watched every single episode of Endless Eight, coming back every week hoping that it would end; and also trying to figure out how it would end. May people were disappointed with series 2, but I thought it was good enough. Not as brilliant as the first series, but still highly entertaining.

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is the real jewel. Originally, I wasn't going to watch it via a stream, but last summer I gave in and watched a cinema recording. Yes, the quality of the recording was rubbish, but the quality of the film was pure gold. This is my recommend must watch anime release of 2011.

3. Nintendo 3DS

Ah, the 3DS. We'll soon get to hold in our hands Nintendo's re-entry into 3D gaming, which should hopefully be a roaring success. I've been looking forward to this since it's E3 2010 announcement, and especialy some of the hit titles it promises to deliver. I'll definitely be pre-ordering it soon enough, hopefully with enough cash to spare for a game to go with it.

4. Shogun 2: Total War

As you should all know by now, I love Total War. So when a new Total War release comes about, what do I do? I stand up and shout about it of course! Shogun 2 is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Shogun: Total War,which focusses on the Sengoku period of Japanese history. I have been waiting for an update for the game that started off the series for a while now, so I simply can't wait. I am planning on buying the Collector's Edition, which comes in a replica bamboo box, with art book, figurine and the limited edition version of the game.

The only thing is, I haven't yet finished Napoleon and I now have Empire after it was on Steam for half price, so these Total War games are just stacking up for me to finish.

5. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

And so at number five, we come to Skyward Sword, the next epic addition to the ever expanding legend that is The Legend of Zelda. This was the biggest game at E3 last year for me, even if there was too much interference for the on-stage demo. Still, I'm loving the beautiful visual style, and I am looking forward to seeing this in my hands by this Christmas. If they stop delaying it further, that is.

6: A Memory of Light - Book Fourteen of The Wheel of Time

I know the release date for this has been pushed back from it's original November 2011, but I'm still putting it in here, for it deserves a mention as one of the great things to come in late 2011/early 2012. Some of you may know that I'm a big fan of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series of epic fantasy novels, and so would understand my anticipation for the final novel in the series.

As I write this I'm around half way through Towers of Midnight, and enjoying every second of it.The Trolloc hordes are smashing into the Borderlands, while Matt has to prepare to face the Aelfinn and Eelfinn in the Tower of Ghenjei; with Perrin facing the horrors of his past, and Rand opening himself up at last, and seemingly beginning to right some of the wrongs he has made.

And that's all I should spoil really, I won't go into anything more, but for sure when I've finished reading it, I will await A memory of Light with great anticipation.

7. Pokémon Black and White

I still continue to play Heart Gold, but after not giving it as much attention as I should have, Black and White should be what I need to make me play Pokémon a lot of the time for the next year.

After not buying both games for the fourth gen, I'll be back to doing it for the fifth gen; due to the greater reliance on version differences these upcoming games.

I still stand on my opinion that they should not have changed Isshu to Unova. They haven't needed to localise the region name before, so I don't think it particularly needed to be done. however, it is supposed to be a New York style region, so I guess they do have at least some legitimate reason to pull it off. the localised Pokémon names I'm pretty happy about overall, they seem to be keeping them in line with previous generations at least.

With the new region, Pokémon, and online random battles, Black and White should be blast.

8. Portal 2

"I'm still alive." yeah, you better be GLaDos, or else we wouldn't be seeing Portal 2. I never actually played Portal until last Summer, but I really enjoyed playing around with the Portal mechanic. Hopefully valve can give us a game that just doesn't feel like a reiteration of the first game, and it's looking like it won't be with quite a few new puzzle elements that they've added in. It's a game I'm really lookign forward to, although I'm not sure if this will be a release day purchase or not.

9: Torchwood: Miracle Day

It'll be good to see Torchwood back when it hopefully returns for a fourth series sometime this year. Previously known as New World, Miracle Day will see Torchwood's biggest story yet, spanning from the US to Wales and to Shanghai. I won't give anything away here, but if you want the plot, head over to Doctor Who Online.

10: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

Finally, we come to the 3DS reworking of Ocarina of Time. The game supposedly has a few fixes of certain frustrating elements of the original, for example the menu screens, and judging by the screenshots, it's looking quite a bit better than it's N64 original, with much better textures, which you can evidently see when you look at the dungeon walls.

I loved playing the original, even though it was the Wind Waker bonus disc version. I didn't 100% complete it however, as I was missing about three heart containers or something when I went off to defeat Ganondorf. But still, it's an awesome game and one I'm looking forward to replaying, this time in 3D.

Tatsunoko VS Capcom Local Multiplayer Battles #1

2011-01-03T17:13:00.000Z

And so we come to the first video of 2011. It's something amazingly new! I present the first local multiplayer battles I had on Tatsunoko VS Capcom.

Pokémon Battle Revolution Random Wi-Fi Battle #17 - Just Taking A Quick Nap

2010-12-29T10:58:00.000Z

Okay, we're starting the videos right off the bat with the latest PBR random Wi-Fi battle.

Return of the Emperor

2010-12-28T18:06:00.000Z

The chill wind broke upon the thick mountainside, brushing the snow beneath its wings. It swirled down towards a man, standing looking at the dim lights of a town far below.

"At last, " he murmured to himself, "At last I return to strike doom upon this world once more!"

Yes, I'm back! Considering that my last post was on the 30th September, it's been far too long. Still, busy first semester; but hopefully I'll be able to at least one post a week from now on.

So, what can you expect in the future?

The finished versions of the reviews I never finished including The Lovely Bones (film) and Metroid: Other M.
Each new video moments after I upload it.
Doctor Who news and trailers.
Games news and trailers
More reviews

So, that's all for now, but basically expect more updates from now on. And next time, I'll post when I'm putting the blog on hiatus again.

---emperor ing---

3DS News Round-Up

2010-09-30T19:50:00.000+01:00

So, Nintendo have had their 3DS conference. "When's it coming out?" you scream while being roasted over slow burning coals. Well, March 2011 is the answer you'll be wanting to hear. If you have any ears left that is. Cackle!

Anyway, I thought I'd do a quick round-up of the major news stories and stuff.

Firstly, expect to pay around £189.99 for the 3DS, going off the Japanese price of 25,000 yen. Yes, one eight nine. It is slightly more than I was expecting, and it certainly isn't cheap. Even I only have the money to get the console itself, never mind the awesome games that will be arriving throughout the year. It's a good point to remember that it could be a different price though, and fate forbid it to be more expensive.

Oh, and to get you even more excited, the handheld Virtual Console is here at last. That's right, and you'll be expecting to play classic GB Series games such as The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and Super Mario Land, just two confirmed titles for the service that will surely grow and grow like the Wii Virtual Console. I'm hoping that they'll stick the Zelda Oracle of games on there as well as the elusive Metroid 2.

I better touch on the use of Miis, which was first spotted at the initial unveiling before E3. Mii Studio comes as one of the pre-installed pieces of software and lets you create your own Miis, as well as creating them automatically by taking a photo of yourself, family member or friend.

The other pre-installed software is the bog standard stuff similar to the DSi. You've got 3DS versions of the Camera and Sound software to play around with. Remember that the 3DS Camera software allows you to take 3D photos with the two external cameras. The final piece of software that has been announced (although there's still more on its way), uses one of the new features of the 3DS, StreetPass.

StreetPass is a new connectivity feature (well, I say new, it's been around since Nintendogs), where your 3DS connects to other 3DSes via the local wireless and shares data. The pre-installed software that uses it is StreetPass Mii Plaza, which allows you to view the Miis of other 3DSes that you have passed. Other games are set to utilise the StreetPass feature, like Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition and more than likely Nintendogs + Cats.

The second connectivity feature is SpotPass, that uses Nintendo Zone hotspots and Download Stations to download interesting stuff like news and demos while your 3DS is in sleep mode.

We also have Augmented Reality (AR) games that are activated by showing special cards to the 3DS's cameras.

So when you get your shiny new blue or black 3DS, what's in the box? Well, you should expect to find the console (it'd be hard to play it if it wasn't in the box), a new recharging cradle, similar to iPod docks and such, the usual AC adapter, a telescopic stylus (it retracts for storage), and six AR cards. Plus, in the Japanese version at least, you'll get a free SD card. Whether we'll get that here remains to be seen, but I'm doubtful, as SD cards are the type of thing that you expect to pay extra to buy separately.

The 3DS is fully compatible with the DSi, meaning that all your DS games will work, and hopefully we'll have the Wi-Fi settings transfer feature as well so those who don't want their friend codes being replaced can keep them. Also, you have a limited set of DSiWare transfers, the amount of which has yet to be revealed. Some DSiWare may not be transferable, however.

And it's important not to forget the new handheld's main selling point: the games. We don't know the actual launch games yet, but a lot of the games announced at E3 are looking in some stage of readiness. Hopefully we'll get Mario Kart soon after launch, as well as Street Fighter, Nintendogs + Cats for the casual types, and Lylat Wars 3D for the core crowd.

Be sure to check out some of the trailers below.

Source: ONM

Software Line-up Trailer

3DS Features Trailer

Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition Trailer

University - Land of the Free Bees

2010-09-21T10:53:00.001+01:00

How's THAT for a pun! Well, uni has now started, even though teaching doesn't start 'till next week. This week is just welcome and induction, so got some stuff to see and that's it.

This only really warranted a post as I cam home yesterday laden with freebies. No complaints from me of course, I love some good freebies; as can be seen by my free pen collection and my stealing of the free biscuits at York St. John last year.

With the stuff I got, it's a haul of ups and downs. There's a couple of good things, but a lot of random leaflets and stuff. Which will of course get chucked out very soon. So, the good stuff was the free Kit Kat and Pringles. The Pringles do sound a bit, well, battered though. Still, should be OK. Also got a free bottle of cider, and I somehow picked up a random bottle of Vitamin Water.

Overall, yesterday was quite a good first day. My seminar class hasn't got many people in it, and the guys I was going round with yesterday seem OK. So, I'm now looking forward to actually learning something. The timetable at the moment isn't as good as I'd like with two 9am starts, but you can't have it all your own way. So here's to a hopefully epic 3/4 years. =D

Metroid: Other M - First Impressions

2010-09-02T18:43:00.000+01:00

[SPOILER WARNING]

Explosions fill the skies above Zebes as Samus Aran faces Mother Brain. The baby Metroid shrieks its last, giving Samus the use of the Hyper Beam. "Mother, time to go!" and Mother Brain is blaster into a million mothery-brained bits.

That's just the opening cutscene of Other M, retelling the end of Super Metroid. It is quite a spectacle to watch. Of course, here for the first time Samus has voice acting. To be honest, her speech could flow better, but in a way it fits her as the mysterious figure we've been playing as for years.

Continuing with another cutscene, the game moves on to the Galactic Federation where we take control of the game properly. The game's initial tutorial acts as a free playground. You're given a few enemies to blast away to show the Federation guy your moves. The controls, which I had doubted over for so long, feel quite good. Jumping is done with 2 while shooting is handled by 1; just like the old A and B combo of old. Holding the 1 button charges the charge gauge, which is an extra little meter underneath your energy bar. When this is full (and it takes only a few seconds to do so) you can unleash your charge beam.

Also coming into play are new additions to Samus' physical arsenal for Other M. The Sensemove is a great feature that gives you the ability to evade attacks. It actually works much better than I expected, as long as you keep a good view of what is happening on screen. Lethal strike can only be used on stunned enemies, however you do get a chance to use it in the tutorial. With just one use I can't say much about it at the moment. Overblast is a great move that allows a more powerful attack. Jump on an enemy's back and pump some arm plasma into it, making the charge gauge fill. When full you can blast them to hell. I prefer charging the gauge before jumping however. Be warned that the use of this depends on the enemy you face.

Switching the Wii remote to vertical activates first-person, what they call Search View. In this view you are able to look around by holding the B button. This is Team Ninja's combination of Prime's combat and scan visors. You move your cursor around the screen pushing to the edges to rotate around. You are fixed on the spot, however. Moving your cursor onto an enemy will activate lock on, at which point you can launch missiles. There are also the scanning parts, where you identify a point of interest and the game locks on to that point, giving you information or trigging a cutscene.

This is the case when you first land on the Bottle Ship. However, with no initial indication of what you are looking for, being told to examine with B, you'll find yourself going over the whole screen before you get the GF logo on the side of the ship. This frustrated me somewhat in that there was no clue to what you were looking for. This would have flowed much better if the cutscene had carried on past the one that shows Samus landing on the Bottle Ship. The Prime Trilogy's landing theme has vanished, but the music to that cutscene is rather drowned out by the sound effects anyway, so it's no real loss.

A nice touch that has remained from Prime 3 however, is that Samus exits her ship from the bottom instead of the top. It's just a touch, but it's nice to see that some touches from Retro Studios have been kept by Team Ninja.

Progressing on, we meet straight away the GF team, introducing the player to Anthony Higgins and Adam Malkovich. From what I have seen so far they are voiced really well, reflecting on their backgrounds. To help the team progress, the player is required to blast open a door with a missile. The thing is, this smacks of tutorial as well with the tool tips that keep appearing in the bottom right. I feel that this section would have been more suited to the tutorial stage, letting the player progress onto the Bottle Ship and into the action quicker.

Plodding through the steel foreboding corridors that are famously tied with the Metroid series still feels just as good. However, with the agility Team Ninja have given Samus, it's not plodding: it's sprinting. Musically, Other M so far stands five galaxies away from the Prime Trilogy; being reduced down to atmospheric dark tones, letting the scenery and the sound effects do the talking. Yes, the main themes are still there, but not in the main gameplay sections so far.

Finally, we meet our first boss. I raise my eyebrows knowingly as it is the purple creature seen in a few of the game's trailers. Interestingly, it's made out of a great big plague of outer space insects. Here you have to avoid it's attacks while bringing into play the Search View, using your missiles on its eye, triggering a mid-battle cutscene where Adam allows the use of freeze guns. With the help of the Federation troopers ice, you can use your missiles to smash it into bits.

The recharge system that Team Ninja has gone for involves sticking your Wii remote in the air and pressing the A button. You'll discover this at this point after being given permission to use your missiles. Doing so leaves you open to attack, and if you are you stop recharging energy and ammo. At this point when it's still easy it's not that bad, but I do fear it's going to become an annoyance in trickier sections.

During this part of the game we also experience the first cutscene exploring Samus' backstory. Unlike the various people who dislike the game's cinematic feel; I love it. It makes Samus so much more Human, connecting you to her with her epic tale.

From that battle, you're now under the command of Adam who quickly sends you to restore the ship's power, which gives you a good opportunity to pick up a couple of upgrades on the way. It's important to note that missile expansions in this game only give you one extra missile, unlike the Prime Trilogy.

With power back on, being told to go to Sector 1 brings back memories of Metroid Fusion, where each of the game's areas were identified as sectors. It seems a similar thing has gone on here, and it ties in quite neatly with its chronological sequel.

So, not too far in, but there's a lot I like about the game's new direction, and only a couple of bits that I don't like. And I'm sure as hell looking forward to what's going to come next.

The Final Judgement - A Level Results

2010-08-19T14:27:00.000+01:00

C'est tout. That's it. My two years at college is over at last. Why is that? Because I'm into uni dude! After blood, sweat and tears, I've been accepted into Northumbria doing Games Programming. Thank goodness for that. However it wasn't all plain sailing.

Tension

This morning it was very tense times. I was on Twitter as soon as I got up, where the good @Lanithro was musing about his entrance into Hull. Good luck to him, he pulled off great things. Anyway, when I finally got my PC on and got into my emails, I met my results with a pleasing smile and surprise. The pleasing smile was that I had done as expected in computing, while massively improving on my AS Physics. Surprise on the other hand that I had somehow failed Core 4. Interesting, for at the time of the exam I was sure that I'd pulled up enough to get a D at least. So, I was very tense as my university place at Northumbria was now looking very unsure with a BCD.

UCAS Website = Epic Fail

I moved to my Windows 7 PC after my Windows XP one crashed and attempted to load up the UCAS website. Now, I knew I was going to have some problems as the UCAS twitter service had said that the website was under a lot of strain. However, I did not expect to wait 45 minutes to see if my place was confirmed. And what an agonising wait it was. After 10 attempts to get in I finally logged in.

"Victory In Your Name, My Lord"

What greeted me was this very pleasing screenshot.

All that hard work had not been for nothing. Even with one failed maths exam, I was still into Northumbria University. Wow, so that makes me a proper uni student, almost! So I was quick to spout my victory all over the net. After a long while during which I passed out various congratulations, I decided to make my way into college at about 10 to pick up my results.

When I got to college the results weren't out yet. So I popped into the ILC to see if I could find anyone. There I found Coatesy, Luby and Emma, who have all done well. Coatesy missed out on one grade he needed but still got into Manchester.

After a while 11 came around and we all picked up our results statements.

What a Result

So, I can now confirm my results.

AQA Computing - B
COMP1 - B
COMP2 - B
COMP3 - B
COMP4 (Project) - A

AQA Physics A - C
PHYA1 - C
PHYA2 - B
PHYA3T (Practical) - A
PHYA4 - D
PHYA5 - C
PHYA6T (Practical) - D

OCR Mathematics - D
Core 1 - C
Core 2 - C
Statistics 1 - C
Core 3 - C
Core 4 - U
Decision 1 - C

AQA English Language and Literature A [AS] - A
ELLA1 - B
ELLA2 - A

AQA Extended Project Qualification - A

Overall I'm pretty happy. It's not too bad. Nice getting the C in Astrophyiscs although I didn't improve in unit 4. I think that the Core 4 result is definitely uncharacteristic of me. Mixed bag with the people I know. Some did very well while others didn't do that good. Oh well, as long as I'm in Uni it doesn't matter. And I am, so there!

I may set up a video blog for this even though I didn't get any interviews off people, but I'm unsure. Anyway, congratulations to all of those who get into the chosen university and commiserations to those who missed out or totally failed. For now this is emperor ing signing off!

Random Update To Join In the Fun

2010-08-14T15:53:00.003+01:00

Hi all you readers, it's personal message time!

As you may know, next Thursday is results day. Oooooh. So there will definitely be some sort of post here on that day detailing my emotions. Also, there may be that results day video I promised in my Final Days video blog. We'll see about that one.

I do have sort-of deadlines for stuff, but due to gaming I've been missing some of them, so just expect posts whenever. However, if I get everything I want done by Monday, expect no posts until Thursday due to preparing stuff for the worst. Seeking phone numbers, getting letters etc... ready. You know, all that rubbish.

And I have just noticed that blog wasn't in Google Chrome's default dictionary, so pop! In it goes! Haha!

Anyway, I've been thinking of what to do with my blog in terms of reviews and that, and this post was basically just to say what's happening. So... I have just uploaded the first Visual Basic 6.0 tutorial. I've actually decided, for purposes of not overloading anyone who is going to view my tutorials, to split it in two. I was going to include input boxes with my first tutorial but now I have put it in the second, which is basically a continuation of the first.

The next big thing is gearing up for the release of Metroid: Other M on the 3rd September. I am now just about to start a feature looking back at previous Metroid titles. This should be up on Monday or Tuesday and will be my last post until Thursday.

For Monday 30th August I plan to have done a review of Clannad ~After Story ~ to complete all the Clannad stuff.

However please note that anything after results day may come at random times due to certain events. However my aim will continue to be one review on the Monday or Tuesday of every week.

What follows are planned reviews. The plans below may or may not happen.

[GCN] Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
[Wii] Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
[DS] Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
[GCN] The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
[Anime] Death Note - Complete Series [ON HIATUS UNTIL I WATCH THE SUB]
[Anime] Strawberry Panic
[Wii] Mario Kart Wii
[Wii] Super Smash Bros. brawl
[360] Final Fantasy XIII [Don't expect this until Xmas 2010/early 2011]
[Wii] Metroid: Other M [Don't expect this until I've finished the game, which may be around Xmas 2010/early 2011]

Visual Basic 6.0 Tutorial #1 - Hello World!

2010-08-14T15:33:00.000+01:00

Level: Beginner

In this tutorial you'll learn:

How to start a project
How to display text using form printing, and text boxes
How to use the toolbox

Introduction

In my first tutorial, we'll be doing the classic Hello World! example. This example is a common tutorial which acts as a starting point. It requires very little coding and lets you see your output on screen almost immediately. It's also strangely satisfying to get those two little words up on screen. After you have done so you can even play around and make up silly things.

Your First Project

Start by loading up Visual Basic 6.0. You'll find the shortcut in your programs list or on your desktop (if you decided to put one there). When it has loaded, you'll should see this lovely little screen which gives you options which defines what type of program you want to make.

Simply select "Standard EXE". This is the most common type of application that is developed in Visual Basic 6.0. As you can see by the other options, it does plenty of others as well.

I have yet to use any of the other options, and I suppose it all depends on what you are actually coding.

The user interface will then fully appear and you will be presented with a project in the form of, well... a form! This is shown in the screenshot below.

On the left of the main screen you have the toolbox, which I'll go into in a moment. In the centre you have your main design interface where you control your forms and do your coding in the code box. On the right you have your project browser, which shows all of the main forms in your project as well as any additional modules. (Modules are just self-contained pieces of code that aren't linked to a form.) On top you have your toolbar which contains the common options plus very important tools you will need later on.

The Toolbox

The toolbox is your design hub. Everything you place on your forms comes from the toolbox. Hovering over each item will display a tooltip of what each one is. For example, the capital A is a label. This is like your standard text box in Word, or a label in Access.

The button to the right of that is the text box, which gives a box where users of your program can enter text.

The button underneath the text box button is for command buttons. Command buttons can be used for all sorts of things, like changing forms, performing functions, or displaying data. When users click on command buttons, an event is triggered that sets off the code you have placed behind the command button. In most VB6.0 applications, the command button is one of the most commonly used and vital form features.

There are many other tools in the toolbox, but for now we only need these three.

Printing Text Onto Forms

To begin, we'll explore Visual Basic's print statement. The print statement can be used to simply print a piece of text to a form. First of all simply click the command button on the toolbox. Hovering over the form, your cursor will change to a crosshair. Click and drag out a command button to an appropriate size.

Note that it doesn't matter about what the button says at the moment. Double click it to view the code box.

Of course, you'll see this box a lot. This is where you type your code. For this example, type in the code shown underneath Private Sub Command1_Click().

Form1.Print "Hello World!"

Notice I have used the tab key to indent the piece of code. Indenting your code and creating a layout is very important, as it makes your code easier to read. It's horrendous looking through chunks of code with no indention or breaking up to find something when you have a very large program.

When you have done this, press the play button on the top toolbar to enter debugging mode. You can also press F5 on your keyboard. When debugging large programs, it can be useful to use the "Start with full compile" method (Ctrl + F5). This compiles the full program before running it, which helps identify any errors that are in the code.

When the program runs, click the command button that you placed on the form earlier. The program then should print the text "Hello World!" at the top of the form, as shown here.

You have now learned how to use the print statement to print text on a form.

Using Text Boxes

You can do the same thing using text boxes. To continue, stop your program from running by pressing the stop button. Now, find the text box button on the toolbox. It's the one to the right of the capital "A". Do the same as before, dragging out your text box to a suitable size, like in the screenshot.

Now, as you'll see the text box currently reads "Text1". We want the text box to be blank however. To do this we must use the Properties panel on the right hand side.

This panel is very useful for working with any sort of item on your form. You should explore it yourself for when you want to do something different.

For now, click the text box and scroll down the properties until you find "Text" and delete "Text1" from it. This will make the text box blank. It's important to note that this is the main difference between text boxes and labels. To clear a label it is the Caption property you want. You can also use this property on command buttons to change what they say. You can try this now if you want.

Now the text box is blank we can work on putting the code behind the command button. The code here involves using your first data type, the string.

There are many different data types, but the most commonly used ones are string (for holding text) and integer (for holding numbers).

With the code editor open, delete "Form1.Print "Hello World!". Now type "Dim Text As String". This method is called declaring a variable. "Text" is your variable identifier. A key point to note is to always use identifiers that you or anyone else looking at your code can understand. Here we are just displaying some text, so "Text" is fine.

On the next line, type "Text = Text1.Text". Here we are storing whatever is in the text box in the variable Text as a string. Reading from right to left, the equals sign means store the right side in the left side.

Finally type "Form1.Print Text". This is exactly the same as what we done before except now you're taking text from a text box.

Check that your code is the same as mine and press F5.

Type anything into the text box and click the command button. This should print what you entered into the text box onto the form. For example I entered "inevitable excuses".

You have now learned how to use text boxes and command buttons to perform operations.

And that's it for this tutorial! We have covered a couple of things you can play around with.

In the text tutorial I will aim to expand on this tutorial with input boxes and message boxes.

Pokémon HGSS Wi-Fi Battle #1 VS AndrewHarfield (Twitter)

2010-08-13T12:51:00.000+01:00

Doctor Who Soundtracks News Update

2010-08-10T18:45:00.001+01:00

With big thanks to Doctor Who Online, I can report the track listing of the Specials soundtrack, which is due out on the 20th of September. Also, it has been confirmed that the series 5 soundtrack will be released not long after in November. Finally, after all that waiting loads of brilliant things come at once!

The Specials OST opens with Vale, a cutdown version of Vale Decem, the tenth Doctor's regeneration theme. Vale Decem itself is on the second disc, which is entirely devoted to the blow-out two parter The End of Time.

Here's the track listing, courtesy of DWO.

DISC 1

1. Vale

The Next Doctor

2. A Victorian Christmas
3. Not the Doctor
4. A Bit of a Drag
5. In the Sea of Memory
6. Hidden in the Closet
7. The Wonder of Balloons
8. A Forceful Intelligence
9. The Greats of Past Time
10. The March of the Cybermen
11. Goodbyes

Planet of the Dead

12. A Disturbance in the Night
13. The Cat Burglar
14. Alone in the Desert
15. A Special Sort of Bus
16. Stirring in the Sands
17. Lithuania

The Waters of Mars

18. Letter to Earth
19. By Water Borne ...
20. The Fate of Little Adelaide
21. Altering Lives

DISC 2

The End of Time

1. We Shall Fare Well
2. A Frosty Ood
3. A Dream of Catastrophe
4. All in the Balance
5. A Ruined Gaol
6. Wilf’s Wiggle
7. Minnie Hooper
8. The End Draws Near
9. Gallifrey
10. Final Days
11. The Council of the Time Lords
12. The Master Suite
13. The Ruined Childhood
14. A Chaotic Escape
15. The World Waits
16. A Longing to Leave
17. A Lot of Life Behind Us
18. Dealing with the Menace
19. Speeding to Earth
20. The Time Lords’ Last Stand
21. The Clouds Pass
22. Four Knocks
23. Song for Ten (Reprise)
24. Vale Decem
25. Vale
26. The New Doctor

So that's 47 tracks of Doctor Who goodness. Shame that The Waters of Mars gets so little tracks in there, but as long as they have the music from the scene where Adelaide shoots herself (which I presume will be track 20 or 21), I will be pleased. It's also nice that they've grouped it by episode, similarly to the Torchwood Children of Earth OST.

Source: Doctor Who Online

Visual Basic 6.0 Tutorials - Introduction

2010-08-10T16:18:00.001+01:00

Welcome to my Visual Basic 6.0 tutorials. I've started doing these to pass on what I have learned about VB6.0 and to give my blog something worthwhile to have.

Why VB6.0?

As I learn different programming languages I'll stick tutorials for those up as well, but Visual Basic 6.0 is where I have started on my path of programming. The Basic language has been about introducing programming to beginners since its inception. Due to the advancements today, it may be better off learning Visual Basic .NET, the post 2003 versions, but VB6.0 is still in use by many programmers today, and many businesses who still have older program may have those programs built in the language.

What is VB6.0?

Visual Basic 6.0 is an event based language. This means that the programs that are built operate by using commands from users, or events. Just think of any operating system. When something is clicked on, something happens. This is the event based principle.

VB6.0 is an older language that can't do some of the sophisticated things that are done today; but it can provide good stable form based programs and applications that work on common things, like performing calculations, file handling, text storage, data output; and most commonly, databases.

Is It Worthwhile Reading These Tutorials?

Of course! There are some other good tutorial sites out there, but some were hard to follow. With this I'm trying to create some programming tutorials that are easy to follow and can help you pick up the language quickly. In short, these tutorials would have been the ones I wanted to follow when I began learning. Of course, you can't actually buy this language now, so those who will be reading will be ones who have managed to get it in some way, which will most likely be students getting into programming for your first time. The most important thing to remember is that once you've learned one language it's easier to learn another as the same computational principles will still apply. Also, don't forget to have fun and be creative!

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood - Preview

2010-08-09T17:42:00.000+01:00

With a subtitle that would fit a Noel Clarke movie, Fullmetal Alchemist bursts back onto DVD with its second series.

For those who don't know of the plot, the series is focussed on alchemy, the science of constructing and de-constructing matter. The Elric brothers, only kids, look into their father's books and begin teaching themselves the art of alchemy. After their mother passes away due to a fatal illness, the brothers perform the taboo of alchemy: human transmutation. Their alchemic reaction goes wrong and Ed loses an arm and a leg while Al loses his entire body. In a last moment of desperation, Ed bonds his younger bother's soul to the infamous suit of armour. They vow to repair the damage done and get their bodies back. To do so they need a powerful object that intensifies alchemic reactions: the philosopher's stone.

I first saw the original series back when the now defunct TV channel AnimeCentral aired it, so I am familiar with the characters and the main cast of voice actors. Almost all of the voice actors take up their old roles, with the only replacement being Maxey Whitehead for Aaron Dismuke as Al. To be honest you can't really tell the difference between the two. The dub itself is OK, although I've always thought it as slightly fuzzy, if you get my meaning, even in the first series. The voices just don't sound as clear as some other anime series I have seen. The sub seems to be fine, with the subtitles easy enough to read and they make sense with what is going on on-screen.

The original series diverted from the manga at a certain point, but this series stays close to Fullmetal Alchemist's original form.

The first episode basically acts as an introduction to all the main characters; Al, Ed, Mustang and the Fuhrer himself. It's pleasing to watch, and introduces the viewer to the main concept of alchemy if they haven't seen it before. The final scene also shows a shot of the mysterious hommunculi, who will no doubt be a key part of the series. The second episode is told through an episode-long flashback, with the present Ed and Al on a train. It covers the death of their mother and the acting out of the taboo which lost them a body and a bit. So we have the intro and the back story, setting everything up for what is to come.

From what I have seen of these two episodes and the original series, this series seems to mix in more humour, with Edward going into a rage over the jokes that point out the height difference between him and his younger, armoured brother. It certainly does lighten things up a touch.

I'm really liking the first opening for Brotherhood, featuring the song again by YUI. The song really fits with the animation and I think the song is pretty decent, quite rocky. The ending is good as well, with it being animated in more of a sketch style. The ending song isn't shabby either.

After seeing the first two episodes, this is a series I'm really looking forward to after never purchasing the original. By the look of it, this is going to be a great series that will do it's original material justice, just like the original anime did even though it diverted from the manga.

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood - Part 01 is released on DVD and Blu-Ray 23rd August.

Hentai in HMV

2010-08-09T11:39:00.001+01:00

Randomly in Sunderland's HMV today I was quite surprised to find some hentai in the anime section. Never seen any in before, hence my surprise. The item in question was the box set of The Darkness Series, three hentai OVAs.

Basically, these are three hentai OVAs about tentacle rape (yum yum); Alien of Darkness, Idol of Darkness, and Mission of Darkness. As you can see plainly on the box a naked lass getting tentacle raped, which was what caught my eye in the first place.

It was quite an intriguing thing at first glance as it is the first time I have seen stuff like that in there. All I could think of was, "Tentacle hentai?? In HMV??? WTF?" So yeah, moral of the story is always keep an eye out for something expected, you never know when a tentacle or a pedobear could be waiting just around the corner to rape you ;)

Review - Clannad

2010-08-07T13:14:00.001+01:00

Clannad

Studio: Kyoto Animation
Licensor: Sentai Filmworks
Distributor: ADV Films [Import Only]
Episodes: 23 + 1x24min OVA
Year: 2007/2008

Clannad is the anime adaptation of the visual novel of the same name, developed by the renowned Japanese visual novel studio Key, who also produced Kanon and Air, which have both also been given anime adaptations, but before Clannad.

Clannad basically tells a love story between its two protagonists. Tomoya Okazaki is a delinquent student who is forever skipping school with his best friend Youhei Sonohara. Tomoya's mother died when he was young, leaving his father to care for him. However his father took his mother's death badly and turned to drink and gambling, which resolved to fights between father and son. In one fight, Tomoya's father breaks his son's shoulder, and the two become virtually estranged. You could say this is part of the cause of Tomoya's dark attitude towards life. This begins to change however when he meets a girl at the bottom of the hill.

Nagisa and Tomoya, the series' protagonists.

Nagisa Furakawa is a frail girl who is repeating her final school year after being ill for most of her first attempt. She adores theatre and has a fascination with the anime's cuddly mascots, the Big Dango Family (in Japanase Dango Daikazoku). Even though she's practically a year older than Tomoya, she does seem very childish, as she is easily upset, but when she does she shouts out one of her favourite foods to cheer herself on. Indeed, when we first meet Nagisa in the opening episode, she shouts "Anpan!" (Anpan is a bread roll filled with sweet bean paste.)

Dango Daikazoku, as seen in the ending animation.

Nagisa's love for drama forms the main focus for the first season. Her main goal is to reform the school's drama club and put on a production at the culture festival. Her determined nature to do this is what draws Tomoya to Nagisa, who proceeds to help her in varying situations throughout the series.

Fuko in her starfish trance

However, you do have several different plot arcs that fill a big gap between the beginning and end. The first of these is what I call the Fuko arc. This merges in from episode 2 until its conclusion in episode 9. It concerns what seems to be a freshman girl who has a fascination with carving wooden starfish. Fuko Ibuki is one of the best characters in the series, providing some excellent funny situations, as well as a troubling situation. I won't go into the troubling situation for spoilers, but whenever she appears throughout the story you find yourself laughing as Tomoya attempts to get her out of her moments of ecstasy where she goes into her own world after hearing something to do with starfish. Her situation is very saddening, and it's this contrast between that and the happy girl we see that provides such a great character.

The second arc, or the Kotomi arc, is still quite emotional; which is really the word that describes both this and even more so the second series. Kotomi Ichinose is a genius girl who is the daughter of two well-renowned scientists. When we first meet her she is a very shy girl who sits in the library reading books instead of going to lessons. When Tomoya sees her, his compassionate side comes out once again and he decides to help her find friends and get her out of her introvert shell. As the arc progresses, we see her becoming ever more integrated into the cast of secondary characters.

The secondary characters themselves interact well with the two main protagonists, Tomoya and Nagisa. We have Sonohara, who I mentioned before, joined by the Fujibayashi twins, Kyou and Ryou, who interestingly both have their eye on Tomoya; Tomoyo Sakagami, who used to fight crime in her spare, and as a result features hilarious stand-offs between Sonohara and herself, which always results in Sonohara being pummelled; and Yukine Miyazawa, who looks after the second library where old books that nobody reads are kept, and is the go-to source for any type of (mostly helpless) advice.

Early on, we are also introduced to Nagisa's parents, Akio and Sanae. They could be considered key characters in the series, as they appear various times throughout. Her father, Akio, is very much the comic relief in the story, with almost every episode Akio and Sanae are in featuring a very comedic situation where Akio insults Sanae's bread, which causes her to run off crying. Akio then pursues with bread in his mouth crying "I love 'em!". Oh, I should explain that Nagisa's parents own a bakery, which like everything in Clannad, has a tragic story to plunge into.

The actual animation is of a very good quality, with well drawn backgrounds and great character expression. Colours are well defined, with the use of bright daytime environments in scenes with happy vibes, and night or rain for the some of the more sad scenes. The use of fire in one particular is episode also gives a great effect, especially when contrasting with the dark rooms of the night scene.

The audio is absolutely fine, featuring what I would say is typical incidental music that does not get in the way of any particular scene and can heighten any particular feeling of emotion that needs to be portrayed. The first series' opening song, Mag Mell (Megu Meru) by Eufonius is taken straight out of the visual novel. It's a song that in my mind fits the series perfectly due to what I believe is the song's rather bittersweet nature. The ending theme is the series' infamous song Dango Daikazoku, which is in itself a theme for Nagisa.

From what I've heard, if you are going to watch Clannad it is advised that you avoid the recent dub. People have said that the dub is terrible, but as I own the subbed import collections I have never heard it. The subbed version is great, and once you hear the characters as played by their voice actors it is hard to imagine anyone else voicing them. This is due to the voices in the sub totally fitting each character's personality and actions. The lack of a decent dub however may restrict viewers who aren't keen on reading the subtitles.

The Hidden World

As we progress to the end of the first season, we unravel more about Nagisa and her family, and learn of events that will ultimately seal her fate in the second season. Throughout the entire thing however, mainly in the pre-titles scenes, we are slowly told a story of a young girl who is in another world all alone. She collects junk and crafts it into a doll, which mysteriously comes to life. As you progress through the first season, I guarantee it won't really connect with you. But we can say that the girl does look very similar to Nagisa... The world itself is filled with bright orbs floating up into the sky. These orbs will eventually have a direct influence on events in the second series, but here we are introduced to the myth about the happiness orbs. For it is said that if you catch one your wish will come true.

You'll also notice the final episode is an OVA. Each of Clannad's two series ends with an OVA in the same style that portrays events in a parallel world. In that sense it shows Tomoya going after a different girl other than Nagisa. The OVA carries over all the themes from the series and is a great way to finish things off.

Clannad is an emotional tale intercut with great humour. It's lively characters and great atmosphere will have you cracking smiles, laughing, and may event make you shed a tear. It's a great series that everyone should watch at least once, as long as you avoid the dub. If you stay 'till the end, I'm sure you'll be satisfied and be wanting more from the second season.

+ Emotional sequences pull you into the story
+ Very funny in all the right places
+ Great animation quality
+ Fantastic cast of characters
- Mediocre dub, but of course you won't listen to that

9/10

Doctor Who Specials Soundtrack Confirmed For Release

2010-08-05T08:23:00.001+01:00

Just a small Doctor Who news update, the Specials soundtracks has finally been confirmed for release, with the 20th September the apparent date. This comes from the soundtrack's appearance on Amazon which was subsequently confirmed by the publishers of all the Doctor Who and Torchwood soundtracks since Doctor Who's 2005 return, Silva Screen. No track list is available, but we are sure to hear fan favourites such as Vale Decem. The soundtrack is confirmed to be a double album featuring music from The Next Doctor, Planet of the Dead, The Waters of Mars, and The End of Time. There is no news yet on a series 5 soundtrack, which I fear may not see a release now until 2011.

Sources:
http://gallifreynewsbase.blogspot.com/2010/08/doctor-who-specials-cd.html
http://doctorwhotv.co.uk/specials-soundtrack-incoming-8142.htm

SoulCalibur IV - Review

2010-08-04T18:54:00.000+01:00

SoulCalibur IV

System: Xbox 360 / PS3
Developer: Namco
Publisher: Namco Bandai / Ubisoft
Year: 2008

With the second game in the series being the game that got me into fighting games, I sure like SoulCalibur. So when I got my 360 I jumped at the chance to get the latest console appearance for the series.

From the outset, everything looks rather familiar, with the menu options that are typical on any fighting game. Let's see what SCIV has to offer.

Going It Alone

The first things you'll spy out are the single player modes. There are four things to tackle by yourself here. The standard arcade mode does what it says on the tin. It offers a quick blast of arcade fighting here you can battle though the eight consecutive stages with any of the numerous characters. Arcade is a great way to get things going and get to grips with learning (or relearning) the game.

After a couple of blasts in arcade however, you might fancy giving the story mode a go. However, this is the main feature where the game really disappoints. In its essence, the story mode in SoulCalibur IV is a glorified arcade mode, where you get to read small scrolling text before you're launched into a series of five consecutive stages. In each stage you fight against AI-generated custom characters, along with the standard characters from the game. On the harder difficulty using a character you're not so good with, it can be a challenge, especially when you come up against one of the hidden characters in the third stage,; however, like arcade, there's only so much of repeating similar battles that you can take, so unfortunately this gets boring quickly.

The only positives from story mode are the hidden characters that you can unlock, as well as money and the second set of weapons for each character. There are also some fancy cutscenes for each character, and do flesh out each of their individual stories.

Myself, coming from the days of SoulCalibur II and it's almighty Weapon Master mode (for those who didn't play it, think of an RPG style world map, where each location has various battles), find this part of the game lacking in comparison. You could play countless hours on that thing, but here with the fourth game, story mode shouldn't take too long for a typical gamer to complete.

The single player challenge in this iteration lies in The Tower of Lost Souls. This sets you up in a tower where you can start at the bottom and ascend floors in groups of two or three, or begin at the top and fight your way down to the bottom. This mode starts off pretty easy, but then gets progressively harder as you climb or descend further. The fights are pretty varied with different character styles coming into play, and each stage usually has an extra condition that can benefit the enemy. Each set of floors also ends with a boss, usually in the form of one of the game's main characters. This mode is an enjoyable challenge that will test your skill with the game and your favourite characters.

The final part of the single player experience is your standard training mode, where you can practice with any character with as much as you like to practise different moves, etc... It's pretty solid and a good feature if you seem to be struggling grasping a particular combo.

This Game's Got Character

Visually, SoulCalbur IV is a very nice game. The character models and weapons are structure well, looking quite realistic. Most of the stages in the game are quite vibrant, although there are a couple which suffer from bland, single-colour designs.

The audio stands up too, with the game's orchestral score setting the medieval fantasy atmosphere up perfectly. The characters are voiced well, and still sound the same from previous titles; and the voices or the new characters fit perfectly.

Heading on to the actual character roster, this game features Yoda, Darth Vader and the Apprentice as guest characters from the Star Wars saga. A good idea on paper, but in the game not so much. Yoda and Darth Vader are "exclusive" to the 360 and PS3, while the Apprentice is unlocakable on both games. However, each of the "exclusive" characters is available to the other console via downloadable content. The three Star Wars characters are quite unbalanced with the normal roster. Yoda is very small, and so is virtually immune to grabs. The Apprentice is phenomenally powerful compared to the other characters. I have no experience with Darth Vader however. Each Star Wars character has an extra feature, a force gauge. Some of each characters attacks utilise the force, which depletes said gauge. When depleted, the character is stunned for a moment, allowing the opponent to get a decent attack in. This I assume was meant to offset their unbalanced nature, but sadly has not worked that well. I actually find the standard characters better to use than the Star Wars guests.

There are also a fair few new characters that have been added to the game, which all seem to be fairly balanced. each new character does bring a little extra to the game, and I do enjoy using the hidden characters which are unlocked in story mode.

Battle Joined

In the end, fighting games have always been about the multiplayer experience no matter what game you play; this, Street Fighter, Tekken, Smash Bros.; they all have a focus on that all important multiplayer. SoulCalibur IV does multiplayer very well, even though it hasn't got all the features of the benchmark second game in the series. For local you just have your basic one-on-one bouts, playing with the character skills either on or off. It's in the multiplayer mode where you can see the full scale of the maps that SoulCalibur IV has to offer, and it offers quite a variety, including two Star Wars themed stages that come in with the Star Wars partnership for this game.

Playing online is a very solid experience. There are two ways to play, ranked or unranked. Unranked matches are great for the non-serious kind of person who just wants to have fun with the online side of the game. However it loses one of the ranked's benefits of skill levels. On ranked, you begin with a skill level of 1 that increases as you win fights. You can jump quickly into a battle, browse for suitable matches, or create your own set up. When matched, you can judge whether to fight the person or not by his/her level. Obviously if you're on level 1 you're not going to want to fight a guy on level 50-something. The ranked battles are a more serious affair and both sides of the online are a great way of extending the game's life once you've finished all of the single player stuff.

Get Creative

In one way, it may be best to leave the multiplayer to last, as it can rely on one of the key (and most enjoyable) aspects of the game. Character customisation. SoulCalibur IV's customisation option is one of the best that I have ever seen for a fighting game. It offers full customisation of the main characters (which sadly excludes the Star Wars, hidden characters, and the game's boss Algol; however you have control over these characters skills and weapons) of which you can customise costumes, weapons and skills. You can also start from scratch and create your very own characters, using any one of the main characters' fighting styles as a base. Fancy a female Seigfried or a male Taki-style ninja? It's all possible.

It's all very easy to use; after choosing your fighting style, you will be given options for the AI to create a character for you that you can use as a base. You can specify their armour, skill dispersal (i.e. whether you want the character to be defensively or offensively oriented) and allegiance (good, evil or none). After the AI has generated the base, you can customise the character fully by choosing the different parts of the costume, change the head model, hair, voice, and alter the character's weapons and skills. You obtain further clothing items and weapons by clearing specific parts of the single player mode. Unfortunately, each item must also be bought, but gold is easy to come by on any of the main three single player modes. Each different clothing item that you choose will give a set number of points to a skill value, plus will contribute towards your character's statistics, like HP, attack etc.... When choosing skills, you may not exceed this number of points for each skill type. Weapons also contribute to skill points, as well as giving you additions to your character's statistics. Extra weapons are earned by completing the game's story mode for each character, as I mentioned previously; and these are usually more powerful than those that are available at the start of the game. I would question it if they weren't, actually.

Big Bank Bonuses

After all that you also have some interesting but typical bonus content. There's a large image gallery where you can purchase the character art and such similar items. There's a video gallery where you can watch cutscenes from the single player mode, as well as the game's opening and trailer. There's also the Chain of Souls, where you can view the relationships between each of the characters. In this section you can also view your achievements / trophies depending on what version you're playing. The bonus content is very typical of a fighting game, but it does give something that the completionists and the hardcore SoulCalibur fans will definitely appreciate.

A Tale of Souls and Swords, Eternally Retold

Let's make it clear, SoulCalibur IV is not the pinnacle of the series (in my mind that goes to SoulCalibur II), but it does continue the series on very well. While the story mode is a disappointment, the Tower of Lost Souls is a great challenge, and multiplayer is fun and highly addictive. The character customisation is probably the best feature, which will definitely keep the game fresh and amusing. Overall, a decent fighting game for this console generation.

+ Great character customisation
+ Great single player challenge in Tower of Lost Souls
+ Multiplayer is a blast
- Story mode is glorified arcade
- Some characters are hideously unbalanced

7/10

Review - The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - Series 1

2010-07-27T18:02:00.000+01:00

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - Series 1

Studio: Kyoto Animation
Distributor: Beez Entertainment
Volumes - 4 + Complete Box Set
Episodes - 14
Released: May 2008

Since The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya was aired in Japan back in 2006, the series has become a global hit, and has since spawned various character singles, games, a second series, and a movie.

The series is based on the Haruhi Suzumiya light novels by Nagaru Tanigawa, originally published in the Japanese light novel magazine, The Sneaker.

Kyon, the narrator of the series, is just your normal average high-schooler. Having once believed in aliens, time-travellers and espers, he has come to realise the harsh reality of the world that none of these exist. But all this changes when he meets Haruhi Suzumiya, a girl who is anything but normal. Haruhi is only interested in aliens, time travellers and espers, and has varying eccentricities.

Indeed, all of her classmates from junior high know of this, so when Kyon successfully converses with her on a regular basis, those classmates start to get curious. After confessing that she found all the school's club activities boring, Kyon pushes her to create her own club, the now infamous SOS (Spreading excitement all Over the world with Suzumiya haruhi) Brigade, which Haruhi creates as a means to seek out the mysteries of the universe.

And so, the first volume concerns with the setting up of the club. Don't think that it's just a long-winded set-up, oh no, for there's plenty of excitement to be had. Don't worry, I won't spoil it for you, but rest assured when you meet that *ahem* moment in episode 2, you're sure to be laughing out loud.

And what a bunch of misfits the club seems to be. We have the eccentric and excitable Haruhi, the extremely normal Kyon (whose name is actually a nickname - we never find out his real one), the former one-and-only literature club member Yuki Nagato, the undeniable cute and well-endowed Mikuru Asahina, and Itsuki Koizumi, the mysterious transfer student.

Each character is defined well with their own personality, even if they are, well, anime staples. The characters do change over the course of the series, with Kyon, so sceptical about his situation at the beginning, gradually accepts the way the world works. And even though Haruhi says she isn't interested in that stuff, there are a couple of hints in the series that indicate a future romantic relationship between the two characters. Although anything like this is hidden by the fact that Haruhi "chose" Kyon, who she relies upon and trusts the most. This is said many times by Koizumi, Yuki and Mikuru.

The quality of the animation itself is top notch and very well presented, with almost always something happening in the scene. Still frames are kept to a minimum, but when used they are used effectively, for example allowing you to concentrate on Kyon's narration on an important point. Human movements are natural and smooth, which makes everything that much more believable.

The second volume continues on the main "Melancholy" arc, and contains some stunning sequences. I did first watch this online, and seeing that sci-fi-esque battle scene blew me away. The conclusion to episode six is pretty stunning, and also refers to an earlier point, which I can't directly reference due to spoilers. Episode 7 then gives a kick of comedy, but the threat from the previous episode is still very much present.

Even when we approach the more stand-alone episodes, there is never a dip in quality. And it's in the final volume of this series where we can really have some fun, with the SOS brigade playing the computer club's self-devised game, and then getting to experience Aya Hirano's impressive vocals (in the subtitled version) in Live Alive.

Indeed, the music from the series has proven very popular; and contributes some my personal favourite opening and ending songs from any anime. The ending theme, Hare Hare Yukai, is certainly a cultural phenomenon, with many convention goers performing the infamous dance which goes with the song. There have been opening and ending singles released for both series, as well as numerous character singles, showing how popular the music is.

The dub is very decent, one of the best dubs I've heard in my opinion. Wendee Lee actually comes very close to the tone that Hirano uses for Haruhi. Typically the character voices in the dub are very close to that of the sub, so it's up to you which you watch. I'd say try the dub first as it is easier to focus on the animation, then try the subtitles, which are fairly decent also. They do make sense and follow what is going on, but I can't comment beyond that as I obviously can't speak Japanese.

The plot of the whole thing goes along at a fair pace that keeps you entertained, and finishes off with the slightly calmer Someday In The Rain written by the original creator Tanigawa especially for the anime. Still, it's a nice point to finish off on that will leave you feeling satisfied but at the same time wanting more.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya doesn't give anything new, but it doesn't need to. It takes what is already available and puts them all in a highly entertaining package. Hilarious, exciting and gripping, this is one fantastic anime series that is well worth picking up.

+ Superb animation that is well presented
+ Voice acting is excellent in the sub, very good for the dub, and subtitles seem OK
+ Characters are well built and show good progression over the course of the series
+ Great mix of comedy, fanservice, adventure sci-fi etc...
- Possibly too eccentric at times for newcomers

9/10

Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver Review

2010-07-19T19:12:00.000+01:00

Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver

System: Nintendo DS
Developer: Game Freak
Publisher: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company
Year: 2010

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver are the 2010 remakes of the classic Pokémon games Gold, Silver and Crystal. Just like Red and Blue (Green) were re-released back on the GBA, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have done the same for the second generation of Pokémon games this Spring on the Nintendo DS.

Welcome To The World of Pokémon!

For those of you who have never played a Pokémon game before, the series is an RPG game where the player roams about the world collecting the titular Pokémon to train and battle so that the player can become the champion of the region that each particular generation (set of versions, e.g. Diamond, Pearl, Platinum) is set in, while beating off a set of baddies set out to conquer/destroy/recreate the world. After doing so, the main goal of the game becomes to catch all of the currently available 493 Pokémon (although this number is set to dramatically increase with the release of Black and White this September in Japan).

The battling style is turn-based, where each player takes turns to attack/use items and so on. In between fights you can explore the world, catching 'em all and talking to people in towns to find out interesting bits of information, or to advance the story. As you progress more features are made available, including trading and battling with other players, either locally or via Wi-Fi.

New Name, Same Old Game

The new games follow the same plot as the old ones. You start out as a new Pokémon trainer, who after being given a Pokémon from the local Pokémon expert, Professor Elm, have to go out to see Mr. Pokémon, who has made an interesting discovery. And so begins your journey.

However, these remakes aren't as similar from the old games as you would think. New areas have been added to the land of Johto that increase the game's length and certainly increase your enjoyment.

The first thing you will encounter is the Pokéthlon Dome, situated in the vicinity of National Park. The Pokéthlon is a range of mini-games that you can play to earn points to buy certain items, such as evolution items and other rarities. Although they do feel sort of tagged-on, they can provide small distractions, and the items you get out at the end are certainly worth it, and much more convenient than trawling through the battle frontier for hours on end.

Each Pokémon now has extra statistics especially for the Pokéthlon, which can be boosted by using Aprijuice. Aprijuice is made from Apricorns (those things you give to Kurt to make special Pokéballs from), and can be bought or made yourself by putting Apricorns in the new ApriBlender item. If you want to put more effort into the Pokéthlon than just randomly accumulating enough points to get items, then I'd recommend spending time with Aprijuice. In effect, with the lack of the contests introduced in Ruby and Sapphire, the Pokéthlon has replaced the old contests.

About half way through the Johto league side of the game, you will encounter the Safari Zone, located to the west of Cianwood City. This is a brand new upgraded version of the Safari Zone never seen in any Pokémon game before. This new Safari Zone is made up of six different areas, based on different environments. As you progress through the game, you gain the ability to swap these environments for others, arranging them in any order you like with the Area Customiser. This gives a much larger range of Pokémon available in the Safari Zone than ever before. Later on, you will gain the ability to place items in the Safari Zone, which, when a certain number of items are placed in each area, change the Pokémon that area holds. This is a great way of expanding the usefulness of the Safari Zone, but I wish more Hoenn/Sinnoh Pokémon had been included in there than has been.

The Battle Frontier, as seen in Emerald and Platinum, makes a welcome return. For those new players, the battle frontier is like a theme park of sorts for battling, made up of different buildings. Within each building, the rules of battling are different, giving you a challenging extension to the game.

All of these changes are great, but there is one I haven't been keen on. Due to EU laws on gambling, Game Freak were forced to completely change the game corner from previous games. What we are left with is Voltorb Flip, what I think of as a Pokémon version of Minesweeper. To earn coins, you must flip over all of the tiles on the board without a Voltorb on their reverse side. Hit a Voltorb tile however, and it's game over. When you clear all of the tiles, the game will level up and get harder. As a player who just used to buy coins from the old games, I feel that the game corner has changed for the worse, as this is now not possible. And with Porygon only available though the Game Corner in these versions, I can see many resorting to the GTS instead of ploughing through Voltorb Flip for a good few hours.

Pal Park also returns from Diamond, Pearl and Platinum; and is situated where the old Safari Zone used to be in Fuschia City. I suppose they had to include, but with dropping the Game Boy Advance cart slot from the DSi, as in most games which used GBA features, they are now redundant unless you're playing on a DS Lite.

A Legendary Challenge

For those who played the original games, all of the challenge and nostalgia is there, along with references to previous (and upcoming) versions. This includes legendary 'mon from previous games, such as Groudon, Kyogre and Rayquaza from Ruby Sapphire and Emerald, and Dialga, Palkia and Giratina from Diamond, Pearl and Platinum. It's great that Game Freak have given us the opportunity to catch these again, whether you're new to the series or want duplicates for trading or battling.

Due to this, there are two other new areas that should be mentioned. The first is the Embedded Tower, located just to the south of the Safari Zone. After you have finished the main adventure and beaten Red, you will obtain one of the orbs from Ruby and Sapphire, depending on your version. However, for the third orb, you need both Groudon and Kyogre from the Embedded Tower. And once again we are forced to buy both versions or use Wi-Fi trading to get all three Hoeen legendaries. I guess this isn't too bad, but when you want to replace your fully trained ones for online battling, it becomes a slight pain finding and arranging trades
.

The other area is the Sinjoh Ruins, which holds the three Sinnoh legendaries, complete with their special items, which can be found by trading an event Arceus onto your game. This was a great option that they included as people who didn't opt to buy Platinum haven't been left out of the alternate formes (why they misspell forms is beyond me) of Giratina, Shaymin and Rotom.

Interact With Your Face

The user interface also has had a make over, with the game now having menus that are totally touch screen controlled. Going back to Diamond feels rather odd when you've become accustomed to moving your Pokémon in their boxes around with the stylus. It freshens the game up a bit and makes everything quick and easy to access.

The Pokémon menu is the same style as Diamond and Pearl, albeit in a different colour scheme. The amp screen on the Pokégear also shows "roaming" Pokémon, like on the Pokétch in Diamond and Pearl.

The Pokédex has also received its best ever overhaul, and is very easy to navigate with a simple slider on the side instead of the gimmicky rotating Poké Ball thing in the other DS games. The Pokemon are laid out in a grid, and each 'mon's entry is displayed on the top screen when you select it on the bottom.

The Pokégear then is exactly the same as it was in Gold and Silver, however you can now store unlimited number of other trainers in your phone book. I would have liked to see a fusion of this and the Pokétch, but what we have with the Pokégear is perfectly fine.

Walking on the Pokémon Side

The obvious extra plastered all over the box, and the reason for it being a large cardboard thing, is the Pokéwalker. Consider it a cross between a Tamagotchi and a pedometer and you've got the idea. You transfer a Pokémon to the Pokéwalker and then go for a walk in real life. The Pokéwalker will then count the steps you do. The gadget contains technology to tell if you're cheating, but as always there's methods to do it.

As you walk, you'll convert so many steps into watts, which you can use to play mini-games as well as unlocking new routes for the Pokéwalker. There are two mini-games in which you can catch Pokémon and find items.

The Pokémon battles are nothing like those in the actual main game due to the limit of the technology and such. You get three options: "Attack", which attacks, "Evade" which makes your Pokémon avoid an attack and perform an attack of their own, and "Catch" which attempts to capture the wild Pokémon. Health is depicted by four bars, and each attack reduces health by one bar. Obviously the lower a wild Pokémon's health the moire likely you are to capture it.

When you use the itemfinder, you are shown a screen with so many pieces of grass. You have two chances to select the right piece, however on the first go if you don't get it it gives you a hint by telling you if "it's near" or if "it's far away". You can store up to 3 Pokémon and 3 items before you need to return your Pokémon to your DS.

It could be considered a daft gimmick, but using the Pokéwalker is actually fun, and takes just a couple of minutes to set up. Once you've clipped it onto your belt (via the included belt clip) or have it safely stored in your pocket, you'll forget about it until you get back where you have th option of playing some mini-games.

The only unnecessary thing about the Pokéwalker is that your Pokémon will level up by one level each time you use it. the Pokémon in question will not learn a move that it learns at that level or evolve, so be careful when using the gadget. As different routes have different bonus types where you cut down then umber of steps needed for the rare Pokémon and items, I find it useful to keep a select few Pokémon in my box just for the Pokéwalker.

This is Johto!

With both Johto and Kanto to explore and all 493 Pokémon to catch, HeartGold and SoulSilver are the best and perhaps longest of all Pokémon games that have been released so far. Using Gold and Silver as a base, then adding in some of the best bits from all the games since this is an epic game which will have you busy for hundreds of hours. And when you think you're finished, there's always a Battle Frontier record to be broken or battling over Wi-Fi. And if this is your first Pokémon game, you're in for one of the best gaming experiences of your life. Some said that Pokémon was just a passing craze, but it's more than that. Pokémon is a series that when it grips you, it'll keep you buying each new iteration. Until Game Freak really run out of ideas, the series won't be dying any time soon.

+ Biggest and best Pokémon so far
+ Improved and new areas add to game's extensive life span
+ Pokéwalker is a fun distraction
- In it's essence it's the same game we've been playing for over 10 years
- Rubbish game corner replacement

9/10

Blog Blasts Back from Big Bang 2.0

2010-07-08T14:10:00.004+01:00

Hi guys.

A little personal blog post from myself here. Soon I will be posting again after months of inactivity. Isn't that great?

Unfortunately there has been stuff in the past that I haven't had time to finish, but that may be finished some time, I dunno.

Anyway, stuff to look forward to, dependant on when I get game/books etc.. finished.

GAMES

Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver

BOOKS

The Magician's Apprentice by Trudi Canavan

ANIME

Death Note

Clannad + Clannad After Story

The above is what is definitely coming, but there are others I'm considering. Plus stay tuned for AN EXCLUSIVE VIDEO BLOG which will be here when I've uploaded all the parts to YouTube (it's almost an hour long).

Plus, the blog is getting a redesign, complete with *gasp!* a page menu in the sidebar and a header banner! This will become what is the 5th generation of The Emperor Ing Blog, with this being the 3rd gen on Blogger (each major redesign is a generation).

Until then, see ya!

Doctor Who UK Tour 2010 - Sunderland

2010-03-31T14:40:00.003+01:00

Yesterday I visited Sunderland Uni for the Doctor Who UK Tour 2010, and frankly, it was marvellous. I thought I'd do a blog post to tell the world about the fun times had by the true fans, not those kids sitting watching The Eleventh Hour (bless them).

Arrival, Confusion, and Joy

When I arrived it was between 5 o' clock and half past. I wandered around (and I thought of Matt's face [get it?]) until coming to the Prospect building. I was told that it was a closed event, and I asked "The whole thing?" as that didn't sound right, but one bloke said if you go round the back you'll see them come in. So, I thought "Oh, right. *facepalm*" as that made sense and made my way round the back, where I found a gathering of fellow Who fans. Now that was a joyous moment, to find I wasn't alone.

The Wait For The Doctor To Appear

And so I met people who shared the same passion for this awesome show as I have. And thus began the long wait. The first feature of amusement was the awesome Jack bear:

The bear, owned by the awesome Abi Sanders (who is also responsible for some of the photos you see on here) would go on from that silent vigil to stand next to the Doctor himself, but more on that later.

So, we fans chatted for a bit and had some fun. After getting into a conversation about sex on the TARDIS and playing around with Sonic Screwdrivers, we were all too eager for their arrival.

Matt and Karen Materialise

Getting close to 6pm, the people in the Prospect building started hyping the kids up. Random Doctor Who music was playing (at a much louder volume than any of our phones could manage). We guessed that the Doctor's arrival was imminent, and some of us scurried closer to the river to see if there was anything.

I think it was just after 6 they came round. All of us outside were waving enthusiastically; Matt waved back. They passed us and went inside to a glorious heralding. Then the waiting game began again (yes, you just lost the game).

All I managed to get was a far-shot of their approach, but once again credit to Abi Sanders for the latter photo:

Left Out in the Cold, Scurrying After The Doctor, and Fun with a Bus

And so, with Matt and Karen now inside, we were left waiting again. After a while, a few of us took a trip round to the tour bus, and had fun taking photos with it. However, as we made our way round to it, we saw Matt and Karen walking on the outer walkways of the building. Oddly ,it seemed as though we were following them on the outside. Anyway, bus photos:

Look North To The Skies

And so we came back round and waited again. After a while we saw Matt and Karen come down to do the Look North interview. So, there we all were trying to peer in through the window from a distance. It must have been in between calls or something that Matt and Karen were walked around to the rear entrance with the broken doors, right near to where we were. We took the opportunity to wave at the first moment and Matt duly wove back. He did seem to be on his phone most of the time though, most likely something to do with interviews and stuff that the official website mentioned.

What! These Guys Again?

During the Look North stuff, one guy came out and handily told us where to be to get our best chances of seeing Matt and Karen and getting autographs before they leave. After the weather ,we hurried round to the main square to get a glimpse of them on their way to the David Puttnam Media Centre. Of course, they walked straight by us! We didn't get any decent photos but it was still awesome.

We all then scurried around to the back of the building where we waited for them coming back out to the bus. On the way there we were given posters, which hinted at things to come.

While we stood waiting, we amused ourselves with more chat, anxiety, the awesome Jack bear, and everyone pointing up to the security camera shouting "We are coming!" in a Torchwood tribute. Even the police were getting involved. Photos below provided once again by Abi Sanders.

Moment of Destiny: Meeting the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond

Then it came to the destined moment, when Matt and Karen emerged and happily got stuck in signing autographs. Karen looked beautiful and was absolutely lovely. She even asked to borrow my pen to do someone else's poster before even doing mine. Of course I let her, 'cos she's awesome, (I'm never getting rid of that Sharpie now!).

Matt was truly epic and did not disappoint. He let one kid standing next to me get hold of his sonic screwdriver (what a moment!) before getting stuck in with autographs. Going around just like the Doctor would signing away, everyone giving a resounding "Thanks, Matt!") when they received it. He then got stuck in doing photos as well, of which you can see below. Thankfully, one of the lasses there got her dream and had that photo with Matt right next to her. This is also the photo I'm in, which I managed to jump in with my head above Matt's shoulder =D ) Matt also had a photo with Jack the bear. it was all over too quickly and before we knew it, it was time for them to leave. We stood there and waved them off, not knowing the historic moment that was about to happen.

The New Titles, first seen in... Sunderland.

As they left, the new titles came through to Matt, Karen, and executive producer Beth Willis. So they witnessed the new titles as they left my home town. What an awesome thing to happen.

What An Awesome Evening

So, after walking the long way round and meeting back up with everyone, I talked a bit with them and one awesome guy. As they all took the Metro/whatever back to wherever they were staying, I walked across the Wearmouth bridge overjoyed, signed poster and postcard in hand.

Pokemon DP Wi-Fi Battle #10 VS bayern fc (Smogon) [OU] [Narrated]

2010-02-27T18:18:00.003Z

Pokemon DP Wi-Fi Battle #9 VS mango11 (Serebii) [UU]

2010-02-27T13:24:00.003Z

Nintendo Media Summit 2010 Round-up

2010-02-25T17:03:00.004Z

As promised, here is a round-up of the news from Nintendo's Media Summit 2010. Courtesy of ONM.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

We have a confirmed UK release date of 11th June. That's only a couple of weeks after the American release of May 23rd. We also have a new trailer, which you can see below.

Metroid: Other M

Unfortunately, we only have a vague UK release of the next Metroid game as Q3 2010. Those lucky Americans get it June 27th. See new screens over at ONM.

Sin and Punishment 2

The second Sin and Punishment game has been given the spectacular subtitle of "Star Successor". See the trailer below and new screens at ONM.

WarioWare: Do It Yourself

The next WarioWare game will be seen in the UK on the 30th April. The new game features over 90 microgames and the ability to create your own. It was confirmed that Nintendo will hold contests for designers to show their talent to a particular theme. Also in the game are options to create your own four-panel comics and also music. These can also be shared. The DS game will be able to link up with A Wii channel WarioWare: DIY - Showcase, with more microgames and the ability to play your creations on the TV. An unlockable multiplayer mode has also been included. See the trailer below or go to ONM for screens.

Monster Hunter Tri

Monster Hunter Tri will be free to play online when it is released on the 23rd April.

DragonQuest IX

DragonQuest IX will be published by Nintendo when it is released in the summer.

Photo Dojo

Now this one could be an interesting title. Photo Dojo is a first party side-scrolling beat-em-up for DSiWare that will utilise the DSi camera. You must pose for 13 pictures and input 10 sound effects before launching into the game as the main character or going against a friend. See the trailer below.

Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver

We have two new trailers for Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver, which you can see below.

FlingSmash

FlingSmash is a new WiiWare game being developed by Artoon, the creators of Yoshi's Island DS. Wii MotionPlus is used to fling a blob around 2D side-scrolling levels. The aim is to find medals in the stages to unlock more stages. Smash stuff up and defeat as many enemies as possible to grab those high scores.

Nintendo Media Summit 2010 (UK)

2010-02-25T07:24:00.000Z

As you should know, Nintendo's 2010 Media Summit comes to the UK today, and with what has been revealed at the Australian and US summits, we should expect a firm UK release date for Metroid: Other M and Super Mario Galaxy 2. I'll post a round-up of all the news this evening, courtesy of ONM.

What's This? More Changes?

2010-02-25T07:22:00.000Z

Yeah, more changes to my blog folks. With the addition of the categories menu, I have decided to drop the bracketed information things from future blog post titles. So for example, if I posted a review it would be Thing Review - Thing Being Reviewed. Just makes more sense really.

[Dr. Who] New Series Trailer

2010-02-21T09:26:00.008Z

Below is the new trailer for the brand new series of Doctor Who, which starts Easter this year. Courtesy of BBC. For best viewing hit play then view full screen.

[Feature] My Top Ten Anticipated Games of 2010

2010-02-18T13:21:00.008Z

After reading Noodle Link's blog (http://noodleblog-noodle.blogspot.com/) and seeing his, and also Shiekah_Link's and SteveTheDuck's anticipation features, I was inspired to do one of my own. So, a great thanks to Noodle Link and co, and let's set our sights on the games I am waiting for in 2010.

10. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver (DS)

Yes, it's the new Pokemon games; but it's the DS remakes of the best Pokemon games in the series. Released at the end of next month and given a healthy review score by ONM, this is going to be a title that sucks the hours from under my feet.

I remember back in 2002, when I got Silver for my birthday, and I was astounded by the improvements from Yellow (I never owned Red or Blue); and I was never off it until Christmas, where I also recived Gold. I then played the two games in tandem, completing both up to the point of getting past the Elite Four for the second time. And I then went on just to play Gold.

Now eight years later, I can't wait to return to Johto, now using the Platinum graphical engine, and it's certainly a game I'll be playing until the fifth generation of Pokemon games is released.

9. Final Fantasy XIII (360/PS3)

An odd choice, you would say, for a top ten anticipated games list, but for me, this will be my first proper Final Fantasy game, and I hope that this will serve as a main introduction to the series. I have played the DS spin off of XII, Revenant Wings, but that was an RTS.

As my first true Final Fantasy game, I'm expecting it to be a little difficult to get into it, but as I'm quite getting into RPGs now, and being an avid reader, it shouldn't be too much trouble. However, I'm just hoping that when I play it I feel that the gameplay does hold up in between the lengthy cinematics that have been reported by PSM.

Overall though, I'm expecting it to be a good experience, and I'll be very surprised if I don't go off and buy the better Ds reamkes of the earlier titels after playing this.

8. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)

Only number eight for the sequel to one of the best games on the Wii? Yeah. I did love the original Galaxy, but I seem to have fallen out of love (metaphorically of course) with my Wii at the moment. This means that for me, Nintendo's main series has taken a back seat to my 360.

All that aside, I am expecting Galaxy 2 to be a great improvement over the original. The inclusion of Yoshi and all new galaxies should provide a fresh twist and hopefully not make the game feel like Galaxy all over again. I'd love to see that orchestral music put to good use, and hear more classic Mario tunes in this one. For example, have a galaxy with a certain theme, but have the music very similar to a classic Mario tune.

Surely great things will come of this, but I'm starting to get slightly worried now about where Nintendo will take Mario's 3D adventures from here.

7. No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle (Wii)

No More Heroes was an absolute corker of a game, even though it did have a very lonely feel to it. With all the improvements that have been mentioned for its sequel, No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle should be a great game. Gone, supposedly are the empty streets, with a lot more generic NPCs walking around Santa Destroy. The new weapons look ace, and more imiginative than those in NMH. Dual lightsa... beam katanas that can be weilded? Yes please. The new bosses that have been revealed so far also look amazing, and much more challenging than at lest some of the earlier ones in the first game. The fact that you have to get to the top from around a rank of 50 something was a great idea, as the player will now have to face multiple bosses in boss battles, which I can see being pretty intense.

So I can see this being one of the Wii's last epic mature games, and I just hope it isn't drowned in the sea of casual games like other recent mature efforts.

6. Sin and Punishment 2 (Wii)

Hands up if you have the original on VC and found it great but hard. That you as well? Ok then, we are on the same ground. The original was mainly my purpose for actually going and buying a Classic Controller Pro to use in the stead of my old GameCube controller, and due to my 360 I haven't been able to play it yet, but I will do. But from my limited playthorugh of the original N64 title on the VC, I can say I just want Sin and Punishment 2 to be bigger and bolder.

To be fair, this one could be hit and miss. It's definately the right time for a new version of the game to be released, with as good as graphics can get on the Wii and superb controls; but with all the news that on-rail shooters are fairing poorly on the Wii, this one could be doomed to sell very little. Of course, I will get it, but seeing as though it's more going to be a birthday or Christams present, I just want the game to be available by December.

Fingers crossed for this one then, as this is looking to be one of the best on-rail shooters that the Wii has to offer.

5. Okamiden (DS)

After the release of the Wii version of Okami, we get heralded with the coming of Okamiden, a sequel to Okami. Okamiden will revolve around the son of one of the main characters in the first game, and will have you controlling Chibiterasu, which if I remember right is literally "little Amaterasu". The game will be controlled in a similar way as the DS Zelda games, and will bring the vibrant Okami version of Japan to the DS' small screens (or the DSi XL's bigger screens if you will).

After loving the first game, this is just one I can't wait for. Call me a weaboo but I do have an interest in Japanese culture and all, which is what first attracted me to Okami, and I was rewarded with a great game. Some people did go against it, but I think the original was a Zelda-esque gem, and hopefully the sequel will be the same.

You can read my review of Okami right here on The Emperor Ing Blog. http://emperoringblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/rev-games-okami-wii.html

4. Red Steel 2 (Wii)

I'll probably get shot for saying this, but I liked the original Red Steel. Yes, it wasn't groundbreaking or really that intuitave, but it was a start for the FPS genre on Wii.

Red Steel 2 is lookigng to go beyond all other FPSes when it is released though. It aims to do right what the original was heavily criticised for - the swordplay. In the original, for those who avoided it, had boss battles where you got out your great big katana and flicked the Wii remote around to slice and dice. To be fair, it worked with the limitations of the Wii remote at that point. Sure, the controls were imprecise, but I never felt there was a moment where you had to be precise. Red Steel 2 looks to set this on its head and create a flowing swordplay mechanic with a myriad of moves and tricks available.The key to this will be the integration of Wii Motion Plus, giving players the accurate control that they need for the sword. The switching between the gun and the sword is also an improvement, as I would have loved to just go roaming about the levels of the original Red Steel with my huge katana. Now my dreams have been realised. However blindingly stating the obvious, there'll be an appropriate time for using each weapon.

From ONM's preview I can tell the story is shaping up to be a cracking one, and although they say it gets off to a slow start, I think once the game really heats up, it'll be a fantastic experience.

3. The Legend of Zelda (Unknown Subtitle) (Wii)

A.k.a Zelda Wii, the new console Legend of Zelda game, is set to appear by the end of the year. Again taking the realistic style, this is designed to be a comeback after the Ocarina-again feel of Twilight Princess.

Of course, just being a Zelda title is enough to get people excited; hell, even I am. However, I'm throwing in a bit of caution just to be on the safe side. Hopefully, the Wii Motion Plus integration can blow all that caution out of the window, and let me just go round with Link hacking things to pieces and just generally saving the world.

Since E3 2009, there have been tantalising hints issued from Nintendo; the concept art at E3, and just recently the announcement that the internet specualtion was correct about the image.

Hopefully, we will see some solid footage at E3 2010, and then we'll get to grips with the true Wii Zelda by Christmas.

2. Napoleon: Total War (PC)

I'll confess and say I'm a huge Total War fan. I have been there since the beginning with Shogun, and after missing out on Empire, I'm looking to get back on the warpath with The Creative Assembly's latest effort.

Set in the Napoleonic Wars, the game will see you controlling the armies of Napoleon, or the armies of his enemies in whole new campaigns. For this game, The Creative Assembly have said that they wanted to focus more on the history of the period, rather than keeping to Empire's rough interpretation. There will ceratinly be other improvements over features in Empire, but sadly I can't really identify these as I haven't played Empire.

But, in the end, that's one of the main reasons I want Napoleon. Just because I haven't played Empire, and Napoleon is supposed to be a better experience than Empire.

And I'll soon know for sure, for Napoleon: Total War is released at the end of the month as a standard edition and as a collector's Imperial Edition. If you can afford the extra ten quid, the Imperial Edition offers extra units for you to play around with, along with a smexy cover to boot. Different retailers are also offering different pre-order bonus units, so snap them up while you still can.

Once thing is for sure though. I will be playing this for a long timne after its release.

1. Metroid Other M (Wii)

If it's one series I enjoy more than any other, its Metroid. Heck, you'll probably guess that from my username on various sites, and of course, the name of this blog. There's just something about the over arcing storyline of the series that I love. Samus, the Space Pirates, the aliens, and the Galactic Federation.... Ooh, I love it all.

Other M is set between Super Metroid and Fusion and is set to reveal more of Samus' backstory. We already know about the Space Pirate raid on her home and how she was brought up by the Chozo; so I eagerly await what revelations will come about from this new title.

Partial voice acting has been in the game since Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. Corruption exapnaded and had voice acting for everyone but Samus. This time we have full voice acting. That's right. Samus speaks at last.

From the E3 2009 trailer, Other M looks to be a fusion of the recent Prime Trilogy with the classic 2D titles. There's 2D style platforming and shooting action, but we also see the first person view from prime and some (hopefully) awesome cutscenes.

So, if there's one game I must play this year, it's Metroid Other M. Coming off the back of Metroid Prime Trilogy, this seems to be the next true step of the Metroid series. Let's just hope Team Ninja can do it proud. If you can't wait, check out the teaser site at www.metroid.jp.

______________________________________________________________

So, there you have it. That's my top ten anticipated games for 2010. For a reason, I did not include games that have already been released, or the likes of Bayonetta and Tatsunoko VS Capcom would be in there. You'll notice that most are Wii titles, and you'll notice that I said that I have fallen out of love with my Wii. Well, hopefully later in the year these games can entice me to get off my 360 and get down to some solid Nintendo gaming.

[Rev.](Games) Forza Motorsport 3 (360)

2010-02-10T17:27:00.003Z

Forza Motorsport 3

Developer: Turn 10 Studios

Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios

Year: 2009

For many years, the console racing sim crown has been held by Gran Turismo; but no longer can it hold its crown outright, for Forza has really upped its challenge with this latest entry to the Forza series.

Forza 3 was all about creating an accurate simulation, while not alienating the more casual players; but providing a great customisable experience for hardcore race fans. From my own experience, Forza 3 gets all of this right.

From the flexible difficulty system, I could set the game up to race my own mother - who usually hates full blown race sims - and by tweaking the assists for each player, it was challenging enough for me while being easy and fun enough for my mam.

The customisable experience has also been a big hit for me; being able to do my own paint and decal jobs on a game that doesn’t have Need for Speed plastered all over the front is quite a relief; and I’ve spent quite some time fiddling around with my cars. If you only have fifteen minutes, it’s a great time waster and can give you something aesthetically pleasing to look at in races.

The customisation also goes into real depth when you try the tuning setups. Of course, first you have to have the adjustable part upgrades on your car, but when you do, you can create and perfect a race setup. Like all tuning parts of racing games, many of the options look rather daunting, and many of the casual players I feel will never touch this feature.

If you don’t have the skill or the time however, and have Xbox Live Gold, you can just pop into the Forza Storefront, where you can buy vinyl designs, race setups, and even full car designs that other people have created. You can also find photos and movies on there, and you can obviously upload your own stuff. There are quite a few gems to be found on the storefront too. It’s a great addition to the game and provides a strong sense of community.

However, all of this would be for nothing if the gameplay and controls didn't hold up; but rest assured, they do.

The main gameplay focuses on the season mode, where you race in fantasy championships utilising real life circuits, where you earn experience and credits. As you go through each season you unlock better cars as you gain a higher driver level, and discounts off upgrades as you gain car levels. The credits you earn can be used to either upgrade your cars, buy new cars, or make purchases in the storefront.

There is also an event mode where you can play through each championship race by race. The event mode is easy to navigate and lists all the championships in a grid view, and indicates by colour if your current car can race, a garage car can race, or you have no cars that can race. For the latter, the championship will be greyed out.

Cars themselves are grouped into different classes based on their performance index (just a number to indicate the car’s performance). The classes range from F to A then S, R1, R2 and R3, with the Rx cars being powerful supercars and racing cars.

Each car handles differently; and you will be challenged in your control of them, especially if you are driving a powerful car with the normal Xbox controller. For the best experience, I would recommend buying suitable wheel and pedals, although the game seems to work fine with the Xbox controller.

The difficulty of the main game in my opinion is perfectly gauged. It starts off easy in an attempt to gradually lead in the amateurs, and then by season three the game launches you into a couple of challenging races in A class cars. The main barrier that any casual players may face is learning the actual tracks, especially ones with a lot of different layouts. Fortunately for these players, there aren’t many tracks, but that is one of the game’s main flaws. It is true that there is a possibility of expansion through DLC, but there just isn’t enough variety in my opinion.

Turning now to the visuals, they are very pleasing. As shown in comparisons by other media, they aren’t as good as GT5, but when the game plays so well, would you have sacrificed this for pushing the 360 to its limits? I would think not. Still, they are good anyway, and the racing HUD is perfectly laid over the top, like icing on a very delicious cake. Accessing the telemetry view while racing can be a bit fiddly; having to reach over to the D-pad, but after a while this also becomes unobtrusive.

The music however is another matter. I found the in-race music quite distracting, and although turned on by default, this can easily be muted in the options. The menu music sounds modern and relaxed and does, however, enhance the Forza experience.

This experience is then brought to a full circle with the online modes; of which the words that could sum it up would be “very very fun”. However, make sure you learn the tracks at least to some degree, or, to put it lightly, you will get owned. In one way, it doesn’t help that the game does not match you to people of your skill level. In my online test, in around 90% of races I was matched against a player with at least a Pro level. Still, even though I was finishing last, it was still a good experience; and racing online or even just spectating gives you a chance to see where the perfect lines and braking points are. Therefore, if you are a Xbox LIVE Gold member, it’s worthwhile to peek into the online at least once in a while.

Overall, Forza Motorsport 3 is an excellent pick up and play racing simulator, packed with so many cars you’ll be spoilt for choice. The gameplay is perfectly paced, with the addition of a fun online mode. If you are a racing fan, this is one game you shouldn’t be without.

+ Excellent gameplay

+ More cars than a car dealer

+ Strong multiplayer

- Lacking in tracks

- Unbalanced online matching

9/10

[YouTube Vid] DP Wi-Fi #8 VS Pokemon Postmon (PokemonWorld Vs ONM JAW R2) [Narrated]

2010-02-10T08:25:00.001Z

Here's my round 2 battle against Pokemon Postmon in the PokemonWorld VS ONM Journey Across W-Fi Tourney.

[Info] Blog Restarting Soon

2010-01-18T12:08:00.000Z

Hey everyone who reads my blog. I'll soon be starting with new reviews after the winter exam period is over; this will include my first anime and 360 reviews, of which are Clannad and Forza 3. Stay tuned.

BBC One Christmas Indent

2009-12-04T08:18:00.001Z

Good news Doctor Who fans; this year’s BBC One Christmas indent features the Doctor himself. Shows that The End of Time is going to be the BBC’s main thing this Christmas, similarly to Wallace and Gromit last year. You can see it via the kind people at Blogtor Who.

[Rev.] (Games) rFactor (PC)

2009-12-03T18:43:00.003Z

rFactor

Developer: Image Space Incorporated

Publisher: Image Space Incorporated

Year: 2005

Most of today’s racing simulators are a similar affair, and it is rare that you get something different. But, different is the approach that 2005’s rFactor attempted to take.

What makes it so different is the game’s focus on online. Almost all tracks and cars must be downloaded from the internet, with the game initially supplying only a few. Doing this avoided a lot of the fuss about rights for the tracks and cars, giving the developer more time to perfect the other factors of the game.

This move also seems to have paid off for the player, with large online communities being born around rFactor, with some accommodating other race sims. Some of these communities have become essential for the rFactor player, offering independently developed modifications for cars, tracks, and car skins. This is certainly a good thing, as it enables the player to utilise the online racing option in the game; which is a very good experience.

Of course, this implies that the game plays well, and I will explicitly say that it does. For the majority of mods, cars will handle as you would normally expect, and the more powerful vehicles will take many races to master. The physics engine is the same as used in other PC race sims, such as Simbin’s Race series; and performs beautifully, as you can ‘feel’ the tarmac beneath you, and instinctively can learn how each car handles and performs. This also means that mistakes are costly, with trips over grass and gravel slowing you down dramatically, and impacts with the barriers causing heavy damage to your car.

There are also quite a few different race options to customise your experience, If you want to take it easy, why not lower the AI aggression and turn on the driving aids? Fancy a challenge? Turn off the driving aids and bump up the aggression. Be warned if you do the latter, for keeping up with the CPU (and even online) competition is very difficult if you are not using a wheel. This also applies to more powerful vehicles; for when using a gamepad or keyboard, they become impossible to control. However, don’t be put off by this, as there’s plenty of digital input friendly mods.

Want even more customisation? If you just shouted yes you’ll be happy, for there’s also tons of work to be done with race setups and pit stop strategies. Practically every main part of a vehicle can be fine tuned for maximum performance, although most mods will come with a default ‘perfect’ setting, so you can just jump straight in, only having to think about the pit stop strategy, which is a must in longer races.

Graphically, the game comes down to your PC’s graphics card, with more powerful cards obviously producing better results. However, don’t be fooled that this is a game that requires a good PC, for the game’s compatibility is perhaps its greatest strength. I have it running fine on a 2001 build Windows XP machine with only 512MB of memory and an nVidia GeForce 3 graphics card. So don’t worry if your PC is a little old, it’ll still run fine. However, I did have some installation problems using the DVD version of the game, but this was easily fixed by downloading a patch from the official website.

The actual game does have some problems, but luckily do not detract much from the true experience. One problem comes from the nature of the games’ design. This is the fact that it is quite basic in the depth of gameplay options. For single player, you have the options of testing, a race weekend, or a race season; and this has been done in most racing sims, so here it feels a bit dated. The fact then remains, that in its essence, rFactor is a multiplayer game, and those looking for a healthy single player experience will be disappointed. And, even though it is a multiplayer game, rFactor only offers online multiplayer, and no local multiplayer; which is a bit of a shame, as I feel local could have been a fun distraction.

The only other problem i could find was with the AI of the CPU cars in single player. it is good, in that they overtake, fall back, and make errors, but they never feel like human opponents. Also, when just starting out with the game, you find that most of the CPU cars are miles ahead of you on lap pace, even on minimum aggression and with you seemingly doing perfect laps for your level. This does dint the player’s confidence slightly, but is rectified with some simple practice.

All of the problems i have mentioned are not present on the online side of the game, which then becomes a refreshing, challenging experience; as long as you can find someone to race.

Overall, rFactor is a fantastic, well built online multiplayer racing game that all racing fans will enjoy; but it’s not a game for single players. i would certainly recommend it, even though a sequel is said to be in production.

+ Runs on anything built in the past eight years

+ Plays exactly like a racing game should

+ Very strong online gameplay

+ Mods add longevity

- Local split-screen multiplayer is missing

- Over balanced towards online multiplayer

9/10

Young Enterprise North East Engineering Challenge 2009

2009-12-02T20:24:00.001Z

Today was the 2009 Young Enterprise North east Engineering Challenge, which saw Sunderland sixth form centres competing to design and construct a worthy bridge. And I can proudly say that the winners were: my team: The Bede Beats! Apart from winning first prize on the points table, we also won the best bridge award and also the best financially economical bridge award. There were other prizes on offer, and went to other sixth form centres. So congratulations to my team, and a hearty thanks to all involved!

[Rev.](Games) The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS)

2009-11-20T08:24:00.003Z

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo

Year: 2007

With Spirit Tracks just around the corner, it makes sense just to have a brief look back at Phantom Hourglass, the game that was seen as the next logical step for the Zelda series. I would say that it was, but it wasn’t the best Zelda experience.

Setting the problems aside for the moment, let’s look at what makes Phantom Hourglass great.

First is the controls. When I picked up the game I did doubt that the controls would actually work; but my doubts were unfounded: the controls work like a dream. Sliding the stylus about the screen to move Link feels fresh and intuitive, and there is never a point where it feels intrusive. Enemies can be attacked by just touching them, with Link performing simple slashes, which is all well and good on simple enemies, but on harder ones you want something better. And here is where the controls work perfectly; draw a circle to initiate the classic spin attack. The forward roll also returns, but is slightly tricky to master.

Using the touch screen for items feels really natural, especially for items like the boomerang and grappling hook, where all you need to do is draw a line on the screen. It’s also nice to see the return of a particular item that was sadly missing from the GameCube prequel.

The touch screen also comes into its own with the new note function built into the map screen, handy for solving puzzles and noting where items are in the dungeons; of which there are eight and some see you exploring places not really seen in a Zelda title before. And they all connect with the story really well, which is an absolute corker.

Picking up directly from Wind Waker’s spectacular ending, it sees Link sailing the high seas once more , and although I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t played the game, I will say that it is a great setup with a brand new series villain. Like any other Zelda game, the story sucks you in with danger, charm, and gallantry, and never lets up. The characters are funny and charming, while the boss battles really build in the DS hardware, using both screens; and I couldn’t imagine not using the touch screen for some of them. There’s also plenty of side-quests to divert you from the main adventure, including treasure hunting at sea, fishing, and the useful spirit jewel side-quest.

Puzzles also require more thinking, which is designed to work hand in hand with the note function. From remembering symbols to hitting switches in the right order, there’s quite a bit to work out.

And let’s not forget those visuals. With the same graphical style to Wind Waker, they are perfectly suited to Nintendo’s handheld. Sure it doesn’t look as smooth, but the lack of extra polygons really has no effect on the quality of the game, and it’s not until you’ve seen the vastness of the Great Sea can you truly revere the game’s beauty.

And through all this beauty I have only two problems; it’s too short, and its too easy. Phantom Hourglass is one of the shortest Zelda games, and will not have you on for forty to fifty hours collecting everything like in Ocarina of Time or Twilight Princess. There are the ship parts and treasures to collect, but do you really want to be salvaging in the sea for hours on end? Also cutting down the length is the exclusion of heart pieces, with you being rewarded with full heart containers after completing certain in-depth side-quests. But all except one, these aren’t challenging enough; and neither are the bosses and dungeons. Usually it would take me a couple of tries to beat the final boss, but in Phantom Hourglass I done it first time, and in a quick time for a Zelda game too.

My only other gripe with the game is that first dungeon, which you visit multiple times throughout the story. This wouldn’t be too bad if you started where you left, but you have to go though the entire thing again and again. After the second visit it becomes a chore, and it takes a lot of effort to get to that final boss at the bottom.

Indeed, Phantom Hourglass seems aimed at newcomers to the series, which is a shame, as it sets a dampener on a hugely enjoyable Zelda adventure. If only it was harder, longer, and didn’t have the repetitive dungeon, we would have a perfect game.

+ Excellent use of the DS controls

+ Graphical style works really well

+ Great storyline

- Seems aimed at newcomers – too easy and too short

- That repetitive dungeon

8/10

[Rev.][Games] Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City (Wii)

2009-11-06T09:12:00.002Z

Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo

Year: 2008

Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City is the latest update to the Animal Crossing series, and I say update, as this is roughly 90% the same game as it’s two prequels. I guess this would be Nintendo’s equivalent of releasing an expansion pack, for that is all this seems to be.

For the newcomer to the Animal Crossing series, this is the best version out of the three, using its basic principles introduced in the GameCube and combining them with the features of DS’ Wild World.

You begin the game as a small human character moving out to your own town, with a promise of new life, new friends, and new scenery. After been greeted on the bus by Rover, the friendly cat who sets up your name, town and settings, you’ll find yourself in your new town. You are then tasked to choose a house from those dotted around the town. Once you’re set up, prepare to get down to business, for there’s a price to pay and it doesn’t come cheap. Fortunately, as in previous versions of the game, you find a job with Tom Nook, the local racoon entrepreneur. Working in Tom Nook’s shop acts as the game’s tutorial and introduces you to all the major aspects of the game, such as gardening, giving gifts, sending letters, and chatting to the game’s animal characters.

This is the part of the game where Animal Crossing veterans will feel bored and eager to get on with the game, but thankfully the tutorial does not last long. It would have easier if there had been an option to skip this section, but you are forced to go through it.

After the tutorial you are then free to explore the Animal Crossing world, and there’s certainly a lot to do. With fishing, bug catching, fossil digging; there isn’t enough time for everything. Thankfully then, the game has no set endpoint and can theoretically continue for years. And newcomers to the series should definitely experience a whole year to see all the different events in the game.

Here it’s nice to see some of the events from the original included in this version after they were missed out of Wild World, plus some new ones. For example, the Christmas event is back with Jingle the Reindeer, as well as a an Easter event with Zipper T. Bunny.

The core gameplay is still the same, collect things, sell them to earn money which you use to pay your mortgage and upgrade your house. This time round however, there is a greater focus on donating to the town fund, which will upgrade your town by adding another bridge, a fountain, and either a windmill or a lighthouse.

The only big difference with this game and its prequels is the addition of the titular city. Well, it isn’t really a city, but more of a plaza where different services are placed for easy access. Almost all of these come from the previous games, but unlike its predecessors, Wild World has them available every day, instead of just at certain days. Crazy Redd, Gracie and Katrina all gain their own permanent shops, while Shampoodle moves out of Tom Nook’s and into the city. Shampoodle now offers haircuts from the offset, but with a twist, as you can use purchase a makeover to use your Mii’s face in the game, which adds a nice personal touch. Also available is an auction house, where players can auction items and bid for new ones, and a theater which houses Dr. Shrunk, the comedian from Wild World who will give you emotions to use in the game.

The city is a welcome addition as it makes many of the game's services easier to access, and in my opinion is the best addition in the game.

The Wi-Fi features are also enhanced from Wild World, and use the Wii’s online capabilities well. Post can be sent directly to Wii message boards, and screenshots can be taken and saved onto an SD card using the camera function. Wii Speak, the wide range microphone that is bundled with the Wii Speak versions of the game, can be used to great effect online, and now there is no need to type out those frustrating on screen messages. I don’t have Wii Speak myself, so I don’t know how good the microphone is, but I’m sure if you are going to use the online features often it will be a great asset. The friend code system is still in place like in every other Nintendo Wi-Fi enable game, which keeps your town secure from strangers, but limits the people you can interact with.

Nintendo are also giving out downloadable content for the game, which has seen many different items through its first eleven months. They often tie the DLC in with certain releases, such as the Pikmin hat and the DSi chair. This downloadable content keeps the item collection element of the game fresh, and you’ll often find yourself eagerly awaiting the next piece of content.

For those who have Wild World, you can also import your DS character onto your Wii version along with most of your catalogue items, saving you a lot of time and enabling you to jump straight in to the game. Your collections aren’t imported however, and you’ll have to catch all those old fish and bugs again, along with some new additions.

Essentially, Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City is the same game that was on the GameCube, only with a fresher look, and with better organised and implemented features and Wi-Fi. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but this has lead to many Animal Crossing veterans to leave the game after a few months.

If you are a newcomer to the series, this is an essential purchase that will take up many hours of your time as you manage your town, upgrade your house and complete your collections. However if you own either or both of the previous games you will find little to hold your attention past the fifth or sixth month.

+ The city is a great new feature

+ Combines the best bits from the previous two games

+ You’ll be playing for months on end

+ Downloadable content keeps you coming back

- Not enough to hold old fans

Score: 7/10

[Rev.](Books) The Lovely Bones

2009-10-30T16:27:00.003Z

*Yes this is a repost of the review i posted back in April, but as I did it in Word (noob error) and copied it over, it’s not working in the editor.*

The Lovely Bones is the bestselling novel by US author Alice Sebold. The novel is about a 14 year old girl, Susie Salmon, who is raped and murdered by her neighbour; after which the novel focuses on the effect that Susie’s death has on her friends and family.

Susie acts as the narrator for the novel, giving the reader a first person account of the events that occur in the book. However, by using a narrator, the book falls down a touch. Susie is in Heaven, looking down upon the events that happen, but she can observe people’s thoughts, feelings, and actions that would normally not be possible just through sight.

Another part where the book falls down is its lack of continuity. It never seems to follow one standard chronological order and tends to jump around a lot, also missing out whole years of the family’s life.

This book is also insanely depressing, as it shows the pain that is felt by Susie’s family, but also leaves you with a good feeling at the end of the novel, where things start to turn around for them.

Perhaps the most bizarre thing in the novel is the climax, where Susie comes back to see her “might-have-been”, Ray Singh. This scene does involve a girl who can see dead people, though, so it’s definitely not realistic.

The novel is a bit more realistic when it comes to the effects on Susie’s family, showing a rift between her parents, her sister grieving alone, and with her brother never fully understanding why Susie died. Through the family, the reader gets a sense of how it must be when one of your family members are murdered, and presents them in a realistic way.

I feel that the first chapter of the novel is the best, as it gives a horrific account of Susie’s murder, and juxtaposing Susie with her killer through their heartbeats. It really gives the killer a sense of maliciousness and evil, especially when he gets his knife out, and also before he kills her saying “It’s after dark”, bearing in mind the connotations that come with that utterance. However, the rest of the book never lives up to the high standard presented in the opening chapter.

A great device that Sebold uses is comic relief, which is represented by Susie’s “out of time” grandmother, who obsesses with beauty and frequently consults with alcohol. Grandma Lynn has suffered a traumatic event, using humour and wit to cover that pain, which brings comic relief for the reader in this otherwise serious and depressing novel. Another good thing about this particular character is how she sort of becomes a foster mother to the remaining Salmon children, so their life is as “normal” as it could be.

Overall, this book does have a lot of faults and could be improved upon, but I personally feel that it is a good read. If you can last through the murder, depressing sorrow, the lack of continuity, and some of the more disturbing scenes, you will receive a massive reward at the end.

+ The end is very rewarding

+ Most characters are well thought out and realistic

+ You can actually feel the sorrow that the Salmons experience

- Lack of continuity

- Some parts of the book are very unrealistic or disturbing

- Feels as though the author ran out of plot threads after the first half of the book

Rating: 6/10

[Info] Changes to EIB Review Ratings – Clear Rate System

2009-10-30T12:44:00.003Z

Due to confusion about my review ratings expressed by some readers, I have opted to change my review rating scores from stars to an out of 10 system I have affectionately called my Clear Rate System.

1-2/10 = Abysmal - Stay well away

3-4/10 = Poor - A bad idea. Just don't buy.

5-6/10 = Average - Not bad, but not good either. Best for dedicated fans

7-8/10 = Good - A good product that should definitely be looked into.

9-10/10 = Excellent - An absolutely outstanding product. You have not lived until you have experienced this.

This system provides more clear scores, rather than the confusing stars system I brought over from my video blog (which I felt was easier to use for that format). Review scores will be gradually updated for the things I’ve reviewed prior to this change.

Also look out for the +/- points which provides a quick summary of the best and worst features of an item.

[DW] Waters of Mars Airdate Confirmed

2009-10-30T12:36:00.001Z

In an exclusive interview with GMTV, David Tennant this morning confirmed the airdate of the eagerly awaited “The Waters of Mars” to be Sunday 15th November at 7:00pm on BBC One.

This will be followed by a preview of David’s final Christmas special on this year’s Children in Need.

[Rev.][Games] Metroid Prime Trilogy (Wii)

2009-10-29T13:01:00.010Z

Metroid Prime Trilogy

Developer: Retro Studios

Publisher: Nintendo

Year: 2009

The Metroid Prime Trilogy comprises of three highly acclaimed games on one single disc. And it is certainly one of the best compilation discs around.

So, what do you get in this package that warrants a purchase, even if you bought the original three games? Well, we have the European box, which comes in a shiny sleeve, pictured above, and the box itself is a standard Wii game box, but the insert card just has the box art and logo without any text (bar the PEGI logos). Inside, you get the prized disc, plus an art booklet that contains art from the games as well as giving you background to the entire Metroid Prime story, and the instruction booklet is for all three games. The bonus content from all three games is now neatly packaged up in the bonus menu on the disc too.

I must warn you now though, that similarly to SSBB, Metroid Prime Trilogy comes on a dual-layered disc, which means if your Wii disc drive lens isn’t totally clean, you won’t be able to play the game. However you can cheaply buy the official lens cleaning kit from online retailers, which certainly does the job, or send your Wii off to Nintendo for them to clean it.

The Wii controls from Corruption have been successfully brought over to the GameCube games, with each one working perfectly with the Wii remote and nunchuck. Visor swapping is still done with the minus button as in Corruption, and beam swapping is now done in the same way using the plus button.

So now what about the games? Do they still live up to their greatness? They certainly do.

Metroid Prime

The original Prime is the one most often said to be the best game out of the trilogy, and looking back it’s easy to see why: it’s FPS style combat system combined with first-person adventuring is a perfect combination, offering intuitive control.

The game’s story is well developed, and when playing through you get a real sense of the Chozo’s peril at the coming of the meteor (which through Corruption we now know to be a Phazon leviathan).

The areas in the game’s world are still some of the best I’ve seen. Landing on Tallon Overworld in the first half hour is a sight to behold, with Samus’ ship soaring over the treetops, and the rain falling onto the ground below. But this compares nothing to the snowy wastes of Phendrana, which is renowned as a sight that wows gamers.
The music, composed by Kenji Yamamoto, is amazing too; with some themes such as Magmoor Caverns taken straight out of Super Metroid, but with stand-out themes such as Phendrana’s Edge, and the battle themes.

Metroid Prime is a perfect start to the trilogy, and it’ll make you want to play the other two games before you’ve considered them.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Metroid Prime 2 is the darkest out of the three Prime games, and does a good job following on from Prime; and is certainly the toughest of the three.

First you have Dark Aether, a poisoned and distorted variant on the main world featured in the game, Aether. It has been seen by some gamers as a pain to trek through, especially with the game’s ammo system; but I personally find it an exciting challenge, which in parts feels very much like a survival horror. The Hunter Ing you find once you reach Dark Torvus still give me a sense of foreboding.

The ammo system has also been criticised, but I myself found it no burden, and in several playthroughs on the GC, and my recent MPT playthrough, I have never run out of ammo.
Some of the bosses can be tough, such as the boost and Spider Guardians; but Echoes features some of the memorable bosses such as the giant Quadraxis and the grotesque Chykka.

Echoes is certainly a good game, and certainly doesn’t let down on the first game, and when you get to the end I’m sure you’ll be very satisfied.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

After the first two games, Corruption doesn’t feel as good or polished to my opinion. Corruption takes a more action-based route, foregoing some of the exploration of its prequels, and is in a way let down by that, as it omits some of the emersion and the “one alone” feeling.

However, it still attains the quality of the series, with stunning landscapes, challenging enemies, and a mind-blowing storyline.

One of my criticisms of the game is that the music (not including the opening theme here) is at times too removed from the previous two games. For example, the Galactic Federation themes, and the Berserker Lord and Ghor themes just seem a bit too action based for my liking – I prefer the vibrant alien sounding themes like those used for Rundas, Gandrayda, and Dark Samus.

Still, it comes up better on its prequels when looking at the beautiful visuals, especially in places like Bryyo or Elysia.

The Wii controls are fully utilised in the game with certain objectives requiring those precise hand movements, which is refreshing after all the mindless shooting of Space Pirates in Norion. I quite like the Hypermode feature; which (for those who haven’t played the game) allows you to become invulnerable for a limited amount of time, but you also have to manage that power so that Samus does not become totally corrupted. The return of the stackable beams was a good addition, even though it was mainly for control reasons (no button available for visor swapping). Although it takes an element of strategy away from the game, it makes combat more fluid.

I don’t deny that Corruption is a fitting end to the Trilogy, but I would have liked to have more exploration and less focus on action.

Metroid Prime Trilogy – Overall

Overall, Metroid Prime Trilogy is the best value compilation package since the XBox 360’s Orange Box. Three fantastic games for the price of one isn’t an offer that should be passed by. Playing the three games back to back is an experience that deepens your knowledge of the series, and the Trilogy package provides an excellent presentation to do so.

For Metroid veterans, you’ll enjoy the adventure all over again, as well as gaining all the bonuses, which include cut down soundtracks for all three Prime games.

For newcomers to the Prime Trilogy or the Metroid series, prepare for one of the fullest and most enjoyable experiences you’ll ever get on any console, for even though it’s not perfect, it’s definitely one of the best games around.

Scores

Metroid Prime Trilogy – 9/10
Metroid Prime – 9/10
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes – 8.5/10
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - 8/10

[Info] Ratings Explained (Repost)

2009-09-19T16:21:00.002+01:00

Now that I'm getting back to my blog and that this was posted ages ago, I'm re-posting the explanation of my review scores. I review things in stars with 5 being the best and 1 being the worst, as shown here:

* = Abysmal - Stay well away

** = Poor - A poor idea badly implemented. Forget it, move on.

*** = Average - Not bad, but not good either. Best for dedicated fans.

**** = Good - A good product that should definately be looked into.

***** = Excellent - An absolutely outstanding product. You have not lived until you have experienced this.

[Rev.] [Games] Okami (Wii)

2009-09-19T15:10:00.020+01:00

OKAMI (Wii)
Developer: ReadyAtDawn
Publisher: Capcom
Year: 2008

For the Wii release of Okami, Capcom billed it as "The best game you've never played", and while it may not be THE best game you've never played, it certainly is one of them.

Okami is a Zelda-like adventure game, whose plot is based on traditional Japanese mythology. You play as the wolf incarnation of the Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu. The game's story revolves around the dreaded nine headed beast Orochi, who 100 years ago before the start of the game terrorised Kamiki Village by choosing a maiden from the village to dine upon. But Orochi was defeated by the sun goddess, who gave up her life to save the village. 100 years later however, Orochi rises once more and spreads a veil of darkness over Nippon; cursing the land and killing off all of its natural beauty. just before Kamiki Village was truly taken, the wood sprite of the village's cherry blossom tree awakens Amaterasu from an old statue, and thus the game begins.

One of the strongest points about Okami is its traditional Japanese art style; making it a gorgeous game to look at, even though the Wii has very limited graphical power (very similar to the original PS2 version). The colours are crisp, with the image being very vivid on the screen.

The music is a joy to listen to as well. Traditional Japanese themes accompany you as you wander the land, and main characters have their own distinct themes. The ending song: (which you must shift through the Jukebox in the extras for) "Reset" ,sung by Ayaka Hirahara, is a very heartwarming song which makes you feel like you have reached the endpoint of a journey.

So you've got a good story, good art, and good music; but does it play well? The answer is yes. For the most part, Okami is an easy game, and most experienced gamers should have no bother, even with the final few bosses. The core element of the game; the Celestial brush, which you use to activate techniques learned throughout the game, is used to great effect, and is the most accessible weapon and tool in the game.

However, this is where the strain starts to show on developer ReadyAtDawn; the game often struggles with the Wii Remote controls, failing to recognise what you have drawn on the screen, even if you have done it perfectly. This is mainly found on techniques such as cherry bomb, bloom, and crescent. I myself had particular trouble with crescent, as to activate it I found a squiggle worked best and not a crescent shape.

Apart from this, the Wii controls are used to good measure and are easy to master; flicking the Remote will make Amaterasu perform a dash, which can be used to clear things in your way, or speed up when going though an area. Also, a flick of the Nunchuck will perform a dodge in battle once you have learned the Fleetfoot technique.

Enemies are shown as "demon scrolls" in the main area, where if you touch them, you are enclosed in an arena for battle. Each demon has a certain weakness to a celestial brush technique, and this weakness proves to be useful when you want to quickly move through areas in later stages of the game. Boss battles are a Zelda like affair, where you are confined to a certain room in a dungeon and face off against a giant monster. However, once you know the strategy for beating a boss, they become all too easy.

Usually, defeating a boss will provide you with a new weapon, of which there are three types; reflectors (mirrors to bash enemies with), rosary beads (long distance weapon), and glaives (big meaty swords). You can have a main weapon and a secondary weapon equipped at a single time, with each type offering different attacks depending on where you have them equipped.

You can also upgrade Amaterasu's abilities within the game by completing certain tasks which award you with Praise. When you have accumulated enough praise, you can upgrade your health, ink (so you can draw things more often), and astral pouches (lives). You can also upgrade your weapons with a specific item.

Just like any adventure game, there's also a collect-a-thon element with the Stray Beads. These beads are hidden in certain locations and when you have found them all will give you a special technique. However, I feel that the stray beads are there just to lengthen out the game slightly.

Overall, I think ReadyAtDawn done a pretty good job converting Clover Studios masterpeice. the only thing stopping this game from getting full marks is the controls,and the sad lack of the game's credits at the end, which had to be removed as they featured Clover Studios' logo and they were not part of the development for the Wii port. Which is a shame for the credits are beautiful, especially with "Reset" as the ending song. Thankfully, the song is included in the extras when you beat the game, and you can easily find the credits on YouTube.

I still highly recommend this though; it's a beautiful game with an epic story, and it deserves a place on every gamer's shelf.

+ Excellent story
+ Art, graphics and sound are phenomenal
+ Plenty to do

- Celestial brush controls are slightly broke
- Too easy for the seasoned gamer
- No end credits

Rating: 8/10

[Games] Metroid Prime Trilogy

2009-08-29T16:45:00.002+01:00

So, Metroid Prime Trilogy is released this coming Friday; and I'll be buying it for sure. There's been a lot of confusion over what we Europeans will get concerning the steelbook box. Nintendo of Europe hasn't said anything, and ONM's review last month didn't give any true indication, but I sure hope we get it. Well, I'm looking forward to going through those three brilliant games again. I'll try to put up my first thoughts next Saturday when I have the game.

[Info] AS Level Results

2009-08-29T16:43:00.002+01:00

Yeah, I know I'm a bit late; but there's been a ton of stuff going on lately. Anyway got ABCD for my AS results. Pretty good eh?

Again I know I'm now getting rubbish with the promised posts but I will do some when I get the chance.

[Info] A new post! Wow!

2009-08-17T11:16:00.003+01:00

My first new post in a while; been busy doing other things than blogging. I know I mentioned stuff that I would put up, and I will eventually. The blog is going to restart soon. Yays! Anyway, expect another post on Thursday when A level results are released :)

[News] Firefox 3.5 Is Here

2009-06-30T16:06:00.003+01:00

Yup. it's just been released. And the Mozilla site has already crashed. Luckily I got it just as they updated the site; so yippee! I'm already seeing an improvement. It loaded faster, everything is much smoother and I can actually access my bookmarks now. So head to the Mozilla site if you can and download it now!

[Anime/Manga] Haruhi Makes Triumphant Return

2009-06-25T11:53:00.003+01:00

If you didn't know it yet, you soon will: Haruhi is back. Currently in Japan, the first season of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is airing in chronological order inter cut with brand new episodes. The first two new episodes have already aired, with the third apparently airing today. The first new episode "Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody" sees the SOS Brigade take on Tanabata festivities, only for Mikuru and Kyon to get stuck in the past! The second, "Endless Eight" sees the SOS Brigade doing tons of summer activities in the last two weeks of the summer break. Both are very good and stick with the high quality of the previous series.

The new series also sees a new opening and ending, which are excellent, but not as fresh and iconic as the first series (what can beat the Hare Hare Yukai??).

So, I'm watching this online currently at the moment, but I'll be getting them on DVD as soon as they come out in the UK, most likely next year.

'Till then, keep the Haruhiism faith!