LOTRO 10th Anniversary: Remembering LOTRO Part 2
When reminiscing about LOTRO, there are many personal highlights for me to consider. Raiding in the Rift, completing the epic story in Shadows of Angmar, or even getting my first mount. Yet, if I had to pick a personal favourite experience, it would be the great charge across the River Anduin, into Mirkwood. This happened on Gilrain server on Monday 25th of Janurary 2010, the night before Siege of Mirkwood expansion was launched. An enterprising player by the name of Mikeemoo arranged the event via the forums and at the designated time a hundred plus players assembled on the Western bank of The Great River. Once the signal was given we swam en masse to the Eastern shore and swarmed up the bank into the woods. As the zone was not yet accessible the developers had placed NPCs in the vicinity; Mirkeves Fell Arrows that could one shot any player. However, due to the sheer number of players in the zerg and the resulting lag, many made it across. Eventually the server kicked everyone but it was immense fun while it lasted.
When reminiscing about LOTRO, there are many personal highlights for me to consider. Raiding in the Rift, completing the epic story in Shadows of Angmar, or even getting my first mount. Yet, if I had to pick a personal favourite experience, it would be the great charge across the River Anduin, into Mirkwood. This happened on Gilrain server on Monday 25th of Janurary 2010, the night before Siege of Mirkwood expansion was launched. An enterprising player by the name of Mikeemoo arranged the event via the forums and at the designated time a hundred plus players assembled on the Western bank of The Great River. Once the signal was given we swam en masse to the Eastern shore and swarmed up the bank into the woods. As the zone was not yet accessible the developers had placed NPCs in the vicinity; Mirkeves Fell Arrows that could one shot any player. However, due to the sheer number of players in the zerg and the resulting lag, many made it across. Eventually the server kicked everyone but it was immense fun while it lasted.
This anecdote in many ways encapsulates all that makes LOTRO so enjoyable. Teamwork, a sense of community, an environment that lends itself to more than just the scripted gameplay. This is why player generated events thrive in the game and why Standing Stone Games are wise to support such undertakings. Although over the years, the relationship between the player base and the development team hasn’t always been good and it’s fair to say that mistakes have been made on both sides. The transition to F2P was far from smooth for the European players and both Enedwaith and Dunland where hardly highpoints in the games ten-year journey. Then there was the introduction of the skills tree with Helm’s Deep which divided the player base. However, unlike other fickler communities, LOTRO players tend to take a more pragmatic approach to the ups and downs of gaming. They have rolled with the changes over the last decade mainly due to their passion for Tolkien’s work.
As soon as I had bought LOTRO in 2008, I started blogging about the game. In many respects, it was instrumental in my writing on a regular basis, as it tends to be a rule of thumb that you should write about what you enjoy. What quickly became apparent was that there existed a very dynamic and friendly blogging and podcast community associated with the game. Everyone was extremely welcoming and only too happy to help promote each other’s content. The LOTRO Combo Blog was an invaluable source of information, aggregating dozens of fan related sites. There was also a wealth of LOTRO related podcast and shows, all dealing with a unique facet of the game. But I think we can all agree that the jewel in the crown of fan related productions was “A Casual Stroll to Mordor” with Merric and Goldenstar. The show presented LOTRO related news and views each week with a healthy dose of enthusiasm and honesty. It very soon became indispensable listening among fans and in many ways, did a better job of informing players and promoting the game than Turbine.
On a personal note, one of the most agreeable aspects of playing LOTRO over the years has been the friendship that I’ve formed with fellow bloggers, podcasters and guild mates. The kinship system in LOTRO is a subtly different beast to comparable social systems in other games. It doesn’t offer the obvious items advantages of say Guild Wars 2 or STO. It seems to be far more of a labour of love. I have been in the same kinship since spring 2009 and it is a remarkably tight knit social group. Some players come and go but there is a core group that are the heart and soul of the kinship and they are always online, willing to help and blessed with a boundless enthusiasm. As LOTRO has finally reached the Black Gates and Mordor awaits via the next expansion, I’ve seen many a familiar faces return to the kinship roster. It’s amazing the way friendship just resume, as if time has no bearing on the matter.
Ultan Foebane. Holding his chopper and going nowhere since 2007.
In many ways Update 21 is a major crossroad for both LOTRO and Standing Stone Games. Finally, the central story goes beyond Tolkien’s work and it is incumbent upon the in-house writers to maintain the high standard that they have for the last decade. There is scope for this to be a major creative step forward. It could also go the other way. Yet, despite the importance of this transition, the community seems far from nervous about the matter. Good will abounds at present and the recent ten-year anniversary has been well received. Certainly, the transition from Turbine to SSG has repaired a lot of previously burned bridges and the developers seem to be far better at communicating and keeping players informed than they previously were. So, here’s to LOTROs future and years more of fun and fond memories. May the road continue to go on and on.
Godzilla (2014)
Gareth Edwards directing debut Monsters, was a clever, subtle and genuinely moving human drama that just happened to be set against the background of alien lifeforms in a quarantine zone. He also managed to imbue the monsters of the title with a sense of depth. They were intriguing with their bio-luminescent communication and curious vocalisations. They were not simply an arbitrary MacGuffin and hinted at something far more complex. I was therefore very surprised and pleased that he has managed to maintain these qualities in his second feature film Godzilla. Despite being a massive studio undertaking his reboot of the classic franchise has a depth of soul that you seldom find in such mainstream material.
Gareth Edwards directing debut Monsters, was a clever, subtle and genuinely moving human drama that just happened to be set against the background of alien lifeforms in a quarantine zone. He also managed to imbue the monsters of the title with a sense of depth. They were intriguing with their bio-luminescent communication and curious vocalisations. They were not simply an arbitrary MacGuffin and hinted at something far more complex. I was therefore very surprised and pleased that he has managed to maintain these qualities in his second feature film Godzilla. Despite being a massive studio undertaking his reboot of the classic franchise has a depth of soul that you seldom find in such mainstream material.
Ishirō Honda's original Godzilla movie in its uncut Japanese format is a tragic and melancholic tale, as well as a clever metaphor for the nuclear age. Garth Edwards maintain this theme but also adds an environmental element, as well as a philosophical concept with Godzilla being a "force of nature". This is more than an exercise in spectacle and the movie has a genuine sense of awe as it shows us an apocalypse brought about by the natural world, that we are powerless to deal with. The monsters in this movie are more than just caricatures. They are living, breathing entities with complex lifecycles. They are also very much part of the world, a theme that the author Clive Barker was always keen to explore.
The human elements of Godzilla are also handled in a different fashion to the standard formula. We are not saddled with heroes that have all the answers and who can miraculously save the world. As with Monsters there is a domestic drama being played out between Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston) a scientist grieving for his dead wife and his son Lieutenant Ford Brody (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) of the USN. Ford has to constantly bail out his Father from his conspiracy theory driven misadventures. This in turn places a strain on his own domestic relations with his Wife Elle Brody (Elizabeth Olsen) and their son. These simple narrative themes, work well against the catastrophic big picture.
Steven Spielberg has always been good at finding the right balance between the everyday and the incredible, both visually and thematically. There are traces of that approach here in Gareth Edwards directorial style. He elects to be extremely measured in what he shows, very much like Jaws, until the third act. This is a decision that I thoroughly approve of, although it will not be to everyone's liking. Some people have already complained that there is not enough Godzilla in the movie. However, I suspect they are more fans of spectacle and not necessarily interested in the director’s wider vision. I would also argue that the English dialogue version of many of the original Godzilla movies often robbed them of the finer plot points and simply focused on man-in-suit action, thus changing expectations of the US market.
Visually Godzilla is an outstanding experience. Seldom has such destruction been depicted with such gravitas. The movie takes a bleak tone so don't go looking for any witty quips or banter. It’s all played very straight faced. The visual effects give Godzilla an immense sense of scale as well as the M.U.T.O.S. This is one occasion when 3D does help the proceedings. There is also a tangible sense of the human cost to all the mayhem, without resorting to cliché. Furthermore, composer Alexandre Desplat has managed to craft the right sort of soundtrack for the proceedings. It has clear thematic influences from the original Japanese movies and is suitable sombre. Pretty much every aspect of this production seems to have been thought about in an intelligent manner.
Godzilla is a rare beast these days, in so far as it’s a blockbuster with a far greater amount of thought behind it. Not everything works. Sometimes the script follows the less interesting characters about and a few of them drop out of the proceedings without logical real reason. But the movie maintains a sense of integrity about its subject matter. Furthermore, considering that director Gareth Edwards has managed to produce a movie of this type, via the studio system and still managed to stamp his personal style upon it, is a major achievement. This is one of those rare times where I eagerly await a sequel, as long as it maintains the high standard that has been established by the first instalment.
Pacific Rim (2013)
At first glance Pacific Rim may appear to be yet another exercise in Hollywood excess. Another bloated, vacuous spectacle made by cynics who have no other motive than to part the unwary cinemagoer from their hard-earned cash. Fortunately, it is not one of those movies. It is big and certainly visually impressive but it also has a plot, likeable characters, a global overview and a sense of integrity regarding the genre it lovingly references. In every respect, this is a superior example of the summer blockbuster genre and it can all be attributed to the unique talents of Guillermo del Toro.
At first glance Pacific Rim may appear to be yet another exercise in Hollywood excess. Another bloated, vacuous spectacle made by cynics who have no other motive than to part the unwary cinemagoer from their hard-earned cash. Fortunately, it is not one of those movies. It is big and certainly visually impressive but it also has a plot, likeable characters, a global overview and a sense of integrity regarding the genre it lovingly references. In every respect, this is a superior example of the summer blockbuster genre and it can all be attributed to the unique talents of Guillermo del Toro.
Del Toro is a man of passion, intelligence and an inherent understanding of the subtleties of cinema. His diverse portfolio of work shows how he is equally at home with the cerebral and the spectacular. Pacific Rim is very much an example of the latter but it has far more substance than many movies of this kind. The director's clever nuances and flair for creativity are present throughout the movie. Although this a homage to the great Toho productions of the sixties and seventies, Pacific Rim is far from a conceit or an indulgence. It is a very public and accessible ode to a genre that shaped the director's childhood.
So, what makes Pacific Rim head and shoulders above the competition? The fresh perspective that Guillermo del Toro brings to the proceedings. It is not the US that saves the world but people from all nations. The focus of events has a very far eastern flavour and an international cast, all of whom have well developed characters and backstories (by genre standards). There is humour provided by two bickering scientists which not only entertains but is a clear reference to Japanese monster movie tropes. The visuals are both original and creative providing a genuine sense of scale and threat. Yet the Kaiju's still have Godzilla-esque quirks and mannerisms. Ramin Djawadi score also echoes iconic themes from the Toho glory days.
Pacific Rim also eschews the usual broad strokes of Hollywood. The female lead Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) is a far more interesting protagonist than we usually see. The cultural differences between East and West are touched upon but not in any clichéd fashion. As ever the director has a scene in which a small child is terrified and it is a very potent sequence. Yet it has significance to the plot and is far more sophisticated means of explaining motivation. Films so often these days simply think they can define a character’s actions in the most arbitrary manner.
Pacific Rim is not without some shortcomings and the biggest is possibly the length of some of the action scenes. Where younger viewers may delight in an unleavened diet of CGI, the more mature viewer may grow a little tired during the third act. However, there it can be argued that when you get a major studio to bankroll a project such as this for $190 Million, then there is a requirement to indulge them. The 3D process also impacts upon the elegance of Guillermo Navarro cinematography and at times darkens the image too much.
Simply put Pacific Rim puts the Transformers franchise to shame and shows them up for the disposable and hollow products that they are. The movie also showcases the powerful presence of Idris Elba and once again has an American lead character, played by a Brit (Charlie Hunnam). Del Toro regular, Ron Perlman, has an extended cameo and a lot of fun with a rather quirky role. Production designer Andrew Neskoromny gives a very convincing wartime feel to the movie, especially the Jaegers themselves. Under Guillermo del Toro's guidance all these strands come together to make a movie that is far more than the sum of its parts. I'm left pondering how different and potentially better The Hobbit may have been under his creative auspices.
The Expendables 3 Unrated Edition (2014)
The theatrical release of The Expendables 3 in 2014 was severely hamstrung by the producer’s decision to court a wider audience with a PG-13 rating. The film although profitable, still fell short of its predecessor’s box office taking. Many fans of the franchise subsequently looked to the DVD and Blu-ray release to provide a harder cut of the movie, similar to the previous R rated instalments.
Sadly, this was not the case. The Expendables 3 Unrated Edition does include some additional action content and one new expositionary scene but overall there is nothing that radically improves the film or makes it stronger in content than the theatrical release.
The theatrical release of The Expendables 3 in 2014 was severely hamstrung by the producer’s decision to court a wider audience with a PG-13 rating. The film although profitable, still fell short of its predecessor’s box office taking. Many fans of the franchise subsequently looked to the DVD and Blu-ray release to provide a harder cut of the movie, similar to the previous R rated instalments.
Sadly, this was not the case. The Expendables 3 Unrated Edition does include some additional action content and one new expositionary scene but overall there is nothing that radically improves the film or makes it stronger in content than the theatrical release.
What Unrated Edition of the movie offers is five minutes of extra material, including an additional scene of dialogue between the younger member of the mercenary team. It should be noted that it makes no significant difference to the film’s narrative. The remainder of new content consists of additional action sequences in the movie’s climatic battle. This is predominantly expanded knife work by Doc (Wesley Snipes) and Lee Christmas (Jason Statham). There is also a smattering of additional profanity throughout the proceedings. Although this new material would have pushed the movie into an R rating if it had been included in the theatrical release, it still wouldn't have made it comparable to the first two films.
So, to clarify the situation, the first two major action scenes in the The Expendables 3 Unrated Edition are the same as the theatrical release. The train rescue and the dock shootout remain relatively bloodless, although they are well constructed. I was especially saddened that nothing was added to the scene in which a steel cable was strung across the rail track. I was hoping for some decapitations and bisections but no such luck. It is not until about fifty minutes into the movie we get the first new content. An additional scene aboard the transport plane where the new team of Expendables discuss Stonebanks (Mel Gibson). It neither enhances nor detracts from the theatrical version and just reinforces the established group dynamics.
It is during the final battle in the ruined hotel, that the bulk of the new material is added. However this is mainly longer edits of fights and the use of alternative takes. For example there is a scene where Jason Statham uses a soldier as a meat shield that I don't recollect being in the theatrical release.
The changes to the various knife fights are as follows. There are more stabbings with an emphasis upon sound effects. Wesley Snipes knifes a group of soldiers in more detail and Jason Statham dispatches a particularly large foe by stabbing down into his shoulder with a large blade.
Other differences include more physical blows during the hand to hand combat and possibly more bullet impacts (although these remain conspicuously bloodless). Because the changes are so minor it is hard to tell without doing a direct side by side comparison between theatrical and unrated edition. I suspect there may be some nominal CGI blood spray and bullet holes added to the Mel Gibson's demise. I'm sure a more comprehensive analysis between versions will eventually appear over at Movie-Censorship.com in due course.
Sadly, The Expendables 3 Unrated Edition does not fundamentally change my opinion of the overall movie. It was a mistake by the film makers to make such a tonal shift and although the longer cut can offer some solid action entertainment, it lacks the bombast and excess of its two prequels. If a fourth movie is forthcoming let us hope it returns to a format that appeals to the core demographic.
Messing About in Boats
“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” Kenneth Grahame. The Wind in the Willows.
It's curious the way a simple aspect of a game can resonate with you and become a source of pleasure. Regardless of the availability of new content, I still like to log into LOTRO on occasion and just ride around Middle-earth. Similarly, the vast open world of Skyrim has a comparable appeal. Despite my lack of driving skills, even aimlessly cruising around Los Santos in GTA V can be a source of relaxation. I can lose hours indulging in these simple tasks, quietly reflecting on either the game or the real world. Recently I returned to another activity that can also be added to this list. Sailing in Two Worlds II.
“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” Kenneth Grahame. The Wind in the Willows.
It's curious the way a simple aspect of a game can resonate with you and become a source of pleasure. Regardless of the availability of new content, I still like to log into LOTRO on occasion and just ride around Middle-earth. Similarly, the vast open world of Skyrim has a comparable appeal. Despite my lack of driving skills, even aimlessly cruising around Los Santos in GTA V can be a source of relaxation. I can lose hours indulging in these simple tasks, quietly reflecting on either the game or the real world. Recently I returned to another activity that can also be added to this list. Sailing in Two Worlds II.
What I find strange is that this is the very sort of game mechanic that I usually balk at. In the past, I would usually view similar systems as an unnecessary embellishment. Plus, I am not inclined towards sailing in real life, having tried it a few times in my youth. I just couldn't get on with the sweaters, endless sea chanties and the smell of fish. So, it comes as a surprise to me how much I enjoy tacking around the archipelagos of Antaloor, listening to the in-game ambient music track, Sails and Journeys by Borislav “Glorian” Slavov and Victor Stoyanov.
Sailing in Two Worlds II is far from arbitrary and requires a modicum of skill. The mini-map shows the wind direction and one must steer accordingly to pick up speed. Naturally sailing in to the wind is impossible, so tacking is required when navigating in such a direction. Therefore, it requires some thinking to sail to a specific waypoint. Naturally, the game developers have not made this mode of transport mandatory. There is the option to swim or use the teleportation system to travel between locations. However, there is a something elegant about sailing to a specific destination. The games weather system as well as day and night cycle also add to the ambience.
It is often these minor facets of games that keep me engaged and playing them. When you consider the horse trading that goes on during the development process of any title, it's nice to see some of these low-key mechanics still make it into the finished products. I often find them a great way to relax and am therefore pleased to add sailing to my list of trivial activities to indulge in while gaming. The wearing of eye patches, is of course, purely optional.
The Unbelievers (2013)
If you are expecting the documentary The Unbelievers to be a strong and powerful argument for atheism, then you will have a disappointed. At most Gus Holwerda's film provides an interesting insight into the rigours of an international promotional tour, as he follows the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss around the globe. This acutely self-aware documentary fails to adequately explore the concept of atheism or the reason as to why these two scientists have embraced it. For such answers, you'd be better off reading the written works of Messrs. Dawkins and Krauss.
If you are expecting the documentary The Unbelievers to be a strong and powerful argument for atheism, then you will have a disappointed. At most Gus Holwerda's film provides an interesting insight into the rigours of an international promotional tour, as he follows the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss around the globe. This acutely self-aware documentary fails to adequately explore the concept of atheism or the reason as to why these two scientists have embraced it. For such answers, you'd be better off reading the written works of Messrs. Dawkins and Krauss.
There are times when the documentary does capture the passion and intensity of this pair of academics at the top of their respective scientific fields. They are awed by the beauty and complexity of the universe and their appeal to view the world around us in the clearest and most rational terms is compelling. The Unbelievers also captures some lighter human moments such as Richard Dawkins nodding off to sleep on a train and Lawrence Krauss taking time out after a public debate to interact with both fans and dissenters alike. But these facets are not explored in sufficient depth and many of the debates with clergy and theologians are edited down to the bone. It’s as if we're expected to already be familiar with both men and their province of expertise.
It is the directors style and approach that ultimately undermines The Unbelievers. His aesthetic foibles (think Koyaanisqatsi) and rather predictable use of music (including such bands as Radiohead and R.E.M.) somewhat trivialises the depth of the debate in question and taints it with an unnecessary veneer of hipster chic. There's nothing wrong with trying to present a subject in a modern idiom to engage a broader audience (as Cosmos: A Space Time Odyssey successfully did in 2014) but it is a fine line to tread. Valuable time is lost on Australian architecture and time lapsed cityscapes, instead on focusing on the two iconic subjects of the film.
The documentary opens and closes with a selection of celebrity talking heads, including Ricky Gervais, Sarah Silverman, Woody Allen, Werner Herzog, Ian McEwan, Cormac McCarthy and Cameron Diaz. They offer a range of pro-scientific views which range from well-conceived ideas to broad celebrity endorsements. Sadly, that pretty much sums up The Unbelievers; stuck somewhere between a discussion and a sound bite. It is simply too lightweight to constitute as a meaningful contribution to the ongoing debate, although it may well have something to say about how even academia is not free from the cult of celebrity. However, it doesn't do any harm either. It's lack of rigour may encourage viewers to find and more about both sides of the argument, which is a positive thing.
Star Trek Online: Summer Festival 2017
The Star Trek Online Summer Festival 2017 or Risa annual Lohlunat Festival to give it its proper name has been running for over a week now. It started on the June 8th and is available through to 20th July. Although many MMOs have festival and seasonal activities, STO’s Summer and Winter events are outstanding, being accessible, enjoyable and very rewarding. Not only are cosmetic clothing and pets available as barter items, the game also offers kit modules and bridge officer skills as rewards. Then of course each event always allows players to earn a new Tier 6 ship. This Summer it’s a Vorgon Ryn’Kodan Carrier.
The Star Trek Online Summer Festival 2017 or Risa annual Lohlunat Festival to give it its proper name has been running for over a week now. It started on the June 8th and is available through to 20th July. Although many MMOs have festival and seasonal activities, STO’s Summer and Winter events are outstanding, being accessible, enjoyable and very rewarding. Not only are cosmetic clothing and pets available as barter items, the game also offers kit modules and bridge officer skills as rewards. Then of course each event always allows players to earn a new Tier 6 ship. This Summer it’s a Vorgon Ryn’Kodan Carrier.
What I especially like about the Summer event in STO is it’s setting on the vacation resort Risa. Holidays are typically about, sun, sea and surf and Risa has that in spades. You can also dress accordingly with a variety of beachwear and other cosmetic items. The use of Floaters and Powerboards in several events is great fun. The addition of the Biathlon this year combines both in a single race. The transition from one mode of transport to the other can be quite challenging and there are still the odd bug to be worked out. I like the fact that despite being a “race” the winner is determined by the claiming of a flag. It helps level the playing field for those with slower internet connections. Half the fun is listening to players carp in chat about how they came first but overshot the flag and lost their placing.
Then there’s the Dance Party. Although it’s just a question of hitting the right emote when it’s called out by the Dance Instructor, the catchy music and the player interactions on the dance floor, really adds to the atmosphere. As for the contest itself, rather than click on individual emotes or type the necessary command in the chat window, you can simply pin the list of dance emotes to your UI for easy access. STO actually has quite a variety of dance emotes, the majority of which are available by default. Then there are a few extra that can be unlocked by specific quests or purchased using various barter currencies.
I’m sure that gamers may well claim that similar fun and larks can be had in other MMOs and that these also offer similar bespoke events. But STO has one remaining trump card up its sleeve that no other games can compete with. Gorns. Gorns in Bermuda Shorts. Gorns on Powerboards and Flaoters. Gorns tearing up the dance floor. Yes, Gorns in party mode are a thing of beauty as the gallery below shows. They are the embodiment of grace and style. So, if you have a STO account and haven’t played for a while, log in to the game and get your ass to Risa. Get out on to the dance floor and bust a move. Still not sold? Here’s the Dance Party tune, the Risa Calypso, for your edification.
How Not to Do Business Part 2: TopWare
I wrote last week about the surprise DLC for the seven-year-old RPG Two Worlds II and how I decided on a whim to buy it. Well yesterday was the official launch day for Call of the Tenebrae and yet, twenty-four hours later, I’m still not playing the game. So far, I have not received a Steam key for the game, despite the money being deducted from my PayPal account on the 5th of June. So naturally, I have made enquiries as to what is happening and have endeavoured to contact the publishers TopWare. Let it suffice to say that my attempts to resolve the matter have proved fruitless and I have discovered that TopWare are far from the embodiment of German efficiency.
I wrote last week about the surprise DLC for the seven-year-old RPG Two Worlds II and how I decided on a whim to buy it. Well yesterday was the official launch day for Call of the Tenebrae and yet, twenty-four hours later, I’m still not playing the game. So far, I have not received a Steam key for the game, despite the money being deducted from my PayPal account on the 5th of June. So naturally, I have made enquiries as to what is happening and have endeavoured to contact the publishers TopWare. Let it suffice to say that my attempts to resolve the matter have proved fruitless and I have discovered that TopWare are far from the embodiment of German efficiency.
I was initially surprised when I made my purchase last Monday week, that I didn’t receive a Steam key immediately. However not all games allow you to activate and pre-load content and as this is an older title I simply put it down to logistical reasons. However, as yesterday was the official launch for this DLC and I had not been informed of any delay, I went straight to my account at the TopWare store to see if a key had been added. Its absence was conspicuous. So, I decided to use the messaging facility linked to my order and sent a simple enquiry as to where my key was. The website curiously rendered my message into German and then back into English, so what I currently have in my chat timeline is not the exact message that I sent. As of writing this post, that message has not been responded to.
I next decided to see if I could find out anything further about the Call of the Tenebrae launch in case it had been postponed. TopWare delayed the release of Raven’s Cry several times at short notice, so they have form for such changes. After some checking, I soon discovered that TopWare were not exactly regular users of social media. They have three Twitter accounts (One US, One German and another specific to Two Worlds II) that have no launch day information. Previous tweets date back several weeks. There Facebook page is similarly devoid of anything other than press releases and woefully out of date. So, I opted to send an email via the default info email address. Again, thirty-six hours later I’ve had no response.
As I fast approach fifty, I tend not to get as irate as I did in my youth. That’s not to say that I’m not annoyed by this inconvenience but in the great scheme of things and especially within the context of my personal life at present, this isn’t such a big deal. So, I have decided to use this situation as a writing opportunity. I suspect that there will not be a quick resolution and I can see myself having to get PayPal to claw the cost of this game back from TopWare. In the meantime, it would appear the Call of the Tenebrae has launched on consoles and possibly on Steam. I have seen no feedback yet about the quality of the game itself but the inclusion of a cash store and microtransactions does seem to have caused a controversy. All I can add to the proceedings at present is that TopWare seem to be providing the gaming community with a text book example of how not to do business
Update:
I received an email from TopWare customer support on Sunday 18th June. It contained my serial key but there was no explanation or apology regarding the delay. I now have the game installed.
Pick Up Groups
Out of all my recent gaming, Sniper Elite 4 has proved the most entertaining. The engaging mechanics and stealthy gameplay have held my attention and kept me engaged. So far, I spent over seventy-two hours playing through the campaign and DLC. After watching several You Tube videos I was tempted to try the co-operative mode, something that I don’t always do in these sorts of games. Overwatch allows two players to work together as sniper and spotter respectively, to complete objectives within a custom map. It requires communication and co-ordination. It should also be noted that multiplayer in Sniper Elite 4, is dependent on peer-to-peer connection rather than dedicated servers, with the players hosting the games themselves.
Out of all my recent gaming, Sniper Elite 4 has proved the most entertaining. The engaging mechanics and stealthy gameplay have held my attention and kept me engaged. So far, I spent over seventy-two hours playing through the campaign and DLC. After watching several You Tube videos I was tempted to try the co-operative mode, something that I don’t always do in these sorts of games. Overwatch allows two players to work together as sniper and spotter respectively, to complete objectives within a custom map. It requires communication and co-ordination. It should also be noted that multiplayer in Sniper Elite 4, is dependent on peer-to-peer connection rather than dedicated servers, with the players hosting the games themselves.
So far, I’ve found that my enjoyment of co-op mode has been significantly less than that of the campaign due to the human factor. None of my Steam friends own Sniper Elite 4, so I’ve have been dependent on the grouping service built in to the game. You either host a game yourself and wait to be assigned a partner or join an existing game. Therein lies the proverbial rub. Pick up group mechanics have no scope for quality control. So far, I’ve grouped with players who have refused to communicate, have no concept of teamwork and who quit when things don’t go their way. Furthermore, if they’re hosting the game then you find yourself kicked back to the lobby with nothing to show for your work. It’s an old story. One that will be very familiar to anyone who has ever played an MMORPG and used the instance finder tool.
Pick up groups can often bring out the worst in human nature. You are randomly grouped with complete strangers who are anonymous and are driven by their own need for gain. Manners, decorum and social etiquette are purely optional as the system has no means to impose them. Thus, we encounter players that do not know how to play the instance they have joined, or those who are happy to just go AFK and wait for the end reward. Abuse and unpleasantness are common place in chat and if the group undertaking is unsuccessful, then blame is often thrown about. Even if your PUG manages to avoid these problems, they are often extremely soulless experiences. The auto grouping in Guild Wars 2 and the PVE queues in Star Trek Online simply facilitate tasks and require minimal or even zero social interaction.
Now some players will argue that the frictionless grouping that PUGs provide with no need to communicate directly, is a boon rather than a bane. I will concede that this really is a matter of personal preference. However, mechanics that allow you to abandon a game that you are hosting at the expense of others, or quit a group thus leaving the rest of the players in the lurch, are problematic. For Honor had a major problem with the this. If you or your team are losing then there is no imperative to stick around. There is often no penalty or sanction for abandoning an ongoing game that you may be hosting and no recompense for the other players. This is something I also regularly encounter in Overwatch, which seems to have more than its fair share of petulant and bellicose players.
Justin Olivetti referenced the group finding tool in LOTRO recently and discussed how compared to other MMOs, it was an underused facility. Group content seems to more driven by Kinships in that game so players tend to look directly to their colleagues and friends to run group content. Using the instance finder will seldom provide you with a group. STO has a similar problem. Featured group content or that which provides tangible rewards attracts players. However, older and less popular content doesn’t fair so well therefore you can spend hours looking for a group. I also think there is a particular type of troll in that game that delights in joining group queues and then waiting to the last moment to decline the launch invitation, thus consigning the remaining players back to the lobby again.
Sadly, many of the flawed mechanics we encounter in online games exist because they are the most practical way to address a logistical issue. Player hosted games negates the need for dedicated servers and their associated cost. Group finding tools do exactly that, yet offer no further options. The burden to police the group’s activities falls to the players themselves and there’s precious little they can do if things go pear shaped. But what are the alternatives? If grouping with other players is problematic, then bots are really the only immediate alternative. This is an option in games such as Overwatch, For Honor and some of the Call of Duty franchise. However, it is not necessarily an ideal solution as bots do not provide a comparable experience to human interaction. Their use also doesn’t address the root cause of this problem, namely human behaviour.
Like many things in life, the lowest common denominator disproportionately shapes the experience for the majority. Returning to Sniper Elite 4, although I did have some poor co-operative games due to bad grouping, I also had some thoroughly enjoyable interactions. It’s just a shame that PUGs are such a lottery. Ultimately, it is down to the developers of games to maintain community standards. What is the point of having strict terms and conditions if you have no intention of enforcing them? Furthermore, if I cannot enjoy aspects of a game due to others, I am effectively being excluded from experiencing the entire product. Considering the cost of premium titles these days, why should I pay the full price for a game I can only partially play?
Into the Storm (2014)
When I first saw the trailers for Into the Storm back in 2014, I was far from impressed. I thought to myself, I bet that's just a CGI FX show reel with some second-rate plot tacked on as an afterthought. So, I elected not to see the movie upon release and forgot about it. The other night I was in the mood for some easy entertainment. Nothing heavy, just something that would provide an amusing diversion for an hour and a half or so. I wasn't setting the bar particularly high. Then I remembered Into the Storm and as I’ve always had a weakness for the Disaster Movie genre, I thought to myself, that may do the trick. Sadly, it didn't. This is far from a dumb but fun, popcorn movie like San Andreas. Into the Storm is an insultingly stupid piece of cinema that left me feeling angry and slightly unclean due to watching something so crass.
When I first saw the trailers for Into the Storm back in 2014, I was far from impressed. I thought to myself, I bet that's just a CGI FX show reel with some second-rate plot tacked on as an afterthought. So, I elected not to see the movie upon release and forgot about it. The other night I was in the mood for some easy entertainment. Nothing heavy, just something that would provide an amusing diversion for an hour and a half or so. I wasn't setting the bar particularly high. Then I remembered Into the Storm and as I’ve always had a weakness for the Disaster Movie genre, I thought to myself, that may do the trick. Sadly, it didn't. This is far from a dumb but fun, popcorn movie like San Andreas. Into the Storm is an insultingly stupid piece of cinema that left me feeling angry and slightly unclean due to watching something so crass.
Usually I won't take the bait and allow my buttons to be pushed when confronted by such contrived film making. However, Into the Storm actually succeeded in making me angry. It is appallingly written, with a paper-thin plot, filled with the most singularly tedious stereotypes and clichés. There's a Father estranged from his sons, a Mother who may be putting her work before her daughter and a documentary film maker who'll do anything to get the scoop, yet ultimately sacrifices himself to save the day. Then we have a wealth of teenagers designed to represent all the various different subsets of youth culture. The film also includes a quota of "Red Shirts" characters that conveniently die at strategic points in the narrative. However, the jewel in the crown of Into the Storm has to be the pair of comedy Redknecks. They're excruciatingly embarrassing to watch.
What is so offensive about this movie is that fact that it’s obviously the product of a committee meeting, where a bunch of suits had a brainstorming session. Such people are devoid of any artistic creativity or personal integrity and to them film making is just a process. A means to an end, devoid of anything else other than a desire to make money. They have nothing but contempt for their audience, the same way drug dealers has nothing but loathing for their customers. Forget the apocryphal notion of a film being so bad, it’s good. Into the Storm is just an awful, cynical, crass piece of film making. Utterly hollow, soulless and devoid of any joy. Do not dignify this cinematic insult with either your time or money.
Caring for the Elderly: Part 2
In a previous post, written last summer, I mentioned my caring commitments and reflected upon the realities of being a carer. Since then my family’s circumstances have changed considerably and subsequently so have my own. In the UK, social care has become a major political issue and was a key area of debate for all parties in the recent election campaign. Although the UK has an aging population, then NHS broadly manages to deal with its needs. It is the social care that so often follows time spent in hospital, that causes a bottleneck. Too often, the local authorities struggle to find carers and have them in place when requested. This means that many patients are unable to be discharged and have to remain in hospital. Caring is a profession that seems to be greatly lauded and esteemed by politicians in principle but the reality is far different. Overall it is often a poorly paid job, with little or no employments rights or benefits.
In a previous post, written last summer, I mentioned my caring commitments and reflected upon the realities of being a carer. Since then my family’s circumstances have changed considerably and subsequently so have my own. In the UK, social care has become a major political issue and was a key area of debate for all parties in the recent election campaign. Although the UK has an aging population, then NHS broadly manages to deal with its needs. It is the social care that so often follows time spent in hospital, that causes a bottleneck. Too often, the local authorities struggle to find carers and have them in place when requested. This means that many patients are unable to be discharged and have to remain in hospital. Caring is a profession that seems to be greatly lauded and esteemed by politicians in principle but the reality is far different. Overall it is often a poorly paid job, with little or no employments rights or benefits.
My Father had two strokes last summer. To cut a long story short in the space of five months he went from being an active 87-year-old, who would go out shopping twice day, to a housebound invalid. He is now permanently nil by mouth and fed by a PEG tube in his adomen. Although his speech has improved he is no longer the eloquent academic that he used to be. He can’t do basic arithmetic and finds reading extremely taxing. His physical therapy has been as successful as it can be under the circumstances but he moves about the house with difficulty. He's not allowed to travel outside the home without a carer. Nurses call twice a day to give him his medication and he is fed synthetic liquid food, overnight via a pump.
Naturally a change of this nature has a major impact upon a patient and their family. There are many more matters to deal with beyond the immediate physical symptoms. Both my parents are no longer directly in charge of their day-to-day life and have become dependent on others. This upsets them greatly, as they feel “useless”, “a nuisance” and “redundant”. Both my sister and I have changed are daily routines considerably and although are happy to care for our parents, find the situation stressful and very saddening. The complete role reversal between parents and children is difficult to adjust to. I now manage every aspect of my parents lives, from their finances and running the home, to hair dressers appointments and visits from the chiropodist.
However, there are still many people who wish to help both the patient(s) and the carer. Every day, I encounter kind and compassionate people who do more than just their job. Practical help and the odd supportive words can come from the strangest of quarters. The receptionists at my local Doctors surgery are thorough and understanding. The local pharmacy staff have the patience of a saint and are so obliging. Shop staff will carry, fetch and hold open doors. Black cab drivers provide aid getting in and out of vehicles. The mobile library does more than lend audio books. They listen, chat and smile. As for the healthcare professionals, I simply cannot praise them enough. Their dedication is remarkable. For a somewhat jaded and cynical person such as I, these displays of genuine humanity are moving. And the reason why so many people are nice, often boils down to the fact that they’ve all experienced family illness. Everyone, sooner or later, needs the care of another.
In the last few weeks, life has gotten a little bit more challenging for my family and me. My “significant other” found out that she needs a triple by-pass. She is having surgery next week. Today, after a follow up eye examination, the consultant found evidence that my Mother may have had a stroke a month ago. As a result, she was admitted to hospital tonight. Once again, I will be relying on numerous carers to look after my nearest and dearest. Without them, my sister and I would struggle to cope. So as a sign of gratitude, I’ve been considering what I can do to repay all these peoples kindness. The only tangible thing I can do is write about the situation and promote the concept of “paying it forward”. It’s such a simple idea but small acts of kindness can have incrdibly positive effects.
Caring in the UK needs to remain squarely in the political agenda. It also needs to be a non-partisan issue. I shall be looking to add my voice to several charities that lobby with regard to this issue, in the weeks to come. We also need to change the public perception of caring. It may not require certain academic skills but that’s no reason to arbitrarily pigeonhole it and relegate its financial merit to minimum wage status. Caring is more than the physical and logistical sum of its part. It’s not something that everyone can do, despite what the DWP and the Job Centre may think. It requires, empathy, common sense and dare I say it, love. Considering how all our life expectancies are increasing, surely, we should be making sure there are sufficient resources, both human and financial, to deal with our collective futures?
The hectic pace of modern life, along with cultural taboo of dwelling on the future, means we often do not consider or put sufficient plans in place for our old age. We neglect our health, our pensions and very much live in the moment. Yet there is so much we can do now to improve things later, if we simply grasp the nettle and address things. Losing weight, quitting smoking, getting adequate sleep all pay dividends. Addressing coughs, joint pains and eye or ear problems when they happen can forestall other more serious issues later. Then there’s the thorny issue of the way we treat each other. Giving someone a lift to the clinic, checking on an elderly neighbour, or just being civil to a stranger you meet, make a real difference. You never know when someone is at their personal breaking point. The smallest kindness may lift someone from the deepest of despair.
Caring for our sick, elderly and vulnerable is all of societies responsibility. Yet we do not live in a country that fully understands or embraces such a concept at present. As a result many people go on looking after their own quietly, with great resolve and dignity. I spoke to a lady at the hospital tonight, broadly of similar age group to myself. She was also waiting outside the disabled toilets to ensure that a parent was okay. We made some small talk and then she candidly admitted “it’s tough isn’t it”. I agreed with her that caring was. “My husband has recently had a stroke” she said, “and Daddy has dementia”. “You have a lot to contend with” I replied. “Yes. It makes it difficult for me to fit in my Chemotherapy”. She had recently been diagnosed with Leukemia.
30 Days of Night (2007)
Every once in while an established genre will get a new interpretation that gives it fresh impetus. 30 Days of Night did exactly that to the Vampire mythos ten years ago and is a very good horror film as well. Based on a well-known series of graphic novels by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith, it tells how a remote Alaskan town falls under siege by a group of the undead, during the extended period of darkness that comes in winter; the thirty days of night of the title. Local Sheriff Josh Hartnett suspects something is wrong when the remote towns transport and telecommunications are sabotaged. Is the vagrant arrested for these crimes a lunatic or a “familiar” for more sinister forces?
Every once in while an established genre will get a new interpretation that gives it fresh impetus. 30 Days of Night did exactly that to the Vampire mythos ten years ago and is a very good horror film as well. Based on a well-known series of graphic novels by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith, it tells how a remote Alaskan town falls under siege by a group of the undead, during the extended period of darkness that comes in winter; the thirty days of night of the title. Local Sheriff Josh Hartnett suspects something is wrong when the remote towns transport and telecommunications are sabotaged. Is the vagrant arrested for these crimes a lunatic or a “familiar” for more sinister forces?
What is refreshing in this instance is the fact that the Vampires back story is left suitably vague. There is also a complete omission of any religious inference. There are no crucifixes wielded here. The human characters are also likeable. The themes of death and how we face it are explored with people you have sympathy for. The production also has some solid special effects. Be warned, there is a lot of brutal violence. Heads are hacked off rather than swept of the neck with a single blow. 30 Days of Night also attempts to join that exclusive cinematic club of showing a child killing on screen. However, as the child is a Vampire, it does not quite have the same impact.
I haven't enjoyed a film of this kind as much since Blade 1 and 2 and the seminal Near Dark, which is the revisionist vampire film by which all others must be judged. It is good to see the undead treated in a way other than the traditional Eastern European idiom with all the psycho-sexual connotations. No capes, no bats or camp accents. In this instance, they are simply a force of nature that needs to be endured like the winter nights themselves. Be warned, if you are a fan of traditional romantic conclusions, then you may balk at 30 Days of Night ending. The film is hard edged and doesn't pull its punches. Don't say I didn't tell you.
Classic Movie Themes: Coogan’s Bluff
Coogan's Bluff was the first of many movie collaborations between Clint Eastwood and legendary director Don Siegel. The film is a traditional “fish out of water” tale that still rings true today. Arizona cop, Coogan, is sent to New York to collect a prisoner. Unfortunately, he escapes, forcing Coogan to search through the weirdest and most dangerous place he's ever experienced; New York in 1968.
Lalo Schifrin's score for Coogan's Bluff, is a hip contemporary score (for its time) that has all the composer's trademark funk material. The music encompasses a variety of idioms from western to eastern, with elements of jazz, rock and funk. It really captures the mood of the times tapping into the sixties motif, with use of such instruments as tabla and sitar.
Coogan's Bluff was the first of many movie collaborations between Clint Eastwood and legendary director Don Siegel. The film is a traditional “fish out of water” tale that still rings true today. Arizona cop, Coogan, is sent to New York to collect a prisoner. Unfortunately, he escapes, forcing Coogan to search through the weirdest and most dangerous place he's ever experienced; New York in 1968.
Lalo Schifrin's score for Coogan's Bluff, is a hip contemporary score (for its time) that has all the composer's trademark funk material. The music encompasses a variety of idioms from western to eastern, with elements of jazz, rock and funk. It really captures the mood of the times tapping into the sixties motif, with use of such instruments as tabla and sitar.
One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is Coogan's visit to a night club. Nothing dates a film more than the inclusion of popular music or concert footage. Coogan's Bluff exemplifies this with its depiction of late sixties counter-culture. Viewers are treated to liquid light shows, psychedelic music, sexual liberation and drugs. The icing on the cake is the song played by the band, Pigeon-Toed Orange Peel. It’s a formulaic number that somehow manages to tread a fine line between cliché and satire, whilst still being devilishly catchy.
Thoughts on the 2017 UK General Election
Politics is a controversial and emotive subject. It’s also something that a lot of bloggers are very wary of writing about sadly, because it’s seldom debated with any wisdom or civility. You’ll find my thoughts on the poor state of UK politics in this previous post, so I don’t need to reiterate them here. On this occasion, I would like to venture a few opinions on the General Election that was held in the UK this week, the interesting results and the potential fallout. I’m not here to champion any party, ideology or dogma, as I’m a floating voter without any major affiliations. I just merely want to express what I have observed and some of my hopes for the future.
Politics is a controversial and emotive subject. It’s also something that a lot of bloggers are very wary of writing about sadly, because it’s seldom debated with any wisdom or civility. You’ll find my thoughts on the poor state of UK politics in this previous post, so I don’t need to reiterate them here. On this occasion, I would like to venture a few opinions on the General Election that was held in the UK this week, the interesting results and the potential fallout. I’m not here to champion any party, ideology or dogma, as I’m a floating voter without any major affiliations. I just merely want to express what I have observed and some of my hopes for the future.
First off, the election has cost the UK tax payer approximately £142million. Despite what the Prime Minister said regarding establishing a mandate from the electorate regarding Brexit, there was no pressing need to call this election due to the fix-term parliament act that was introduced in 2010 by the coalition government. Theresa May prior to June 8th had a working majority of 330 Conservative MPs, which although not substantial, broadly allowed her to push her party’s agenda through the House of Commons. The UK electorate were far from spoiling for another vote, as election fatigue and political exhaustion are very prevalent of late. Brenda from Bristol pretty much summed up a common sentiment when her vox pop with the BBC went viral in April. Theresa May was more interested in quashing dissent in here own party as she had been challenged by back benchers in recent months. The election was simply called out of hubris and party-political gain and had nothing to do with gaining mandates. The country is divided over Brexit so there is zero chance of getting any sort of majority consensus on the matter.
The Conservative election campaign was ill conceived and poorly run, opting for populist, lightweight TV appearances, rather than public debates and discourse. The Prime Ministers absence from any meaningful discussion with her political opponents just came across as arrogant and just plain rude. The latter is something the UK public still broadly abhors. The repetition of vacuous soundbites and meaningless buzz phrases has finally worn thin and is now being perceived as an insult to the electorate. Also, some of the Tory manifesto, seemed to strike at the very party faithful that usually unquestionably supports their party. The so-called “Dementia Tax” was a staggeringly short-sighted idea that bit the very hand that feeds the Conservative party. The shameless pursuit of UKIP voters over the traditional political middle ground was also a costly error.
Now I’m not saying that the other political parties ran perfect campaigns. Far from it. There were mistakes and faux pas from all quarters. However, the Labour party focused very much on mobilising grass roots campaigners and getting out on the streets and knocking on doors. Jeremy Corbyn was also very much front and centre in the run up to the election. His non-confrontational style and unsophisticated passion for his beliefs, actually seem to chime with those he meets. Furthermore, the continual barrage of petty and spiteful calumny from the UK tabloid press seems to have been rejected by a large share of UK voters. People are fed up being told what to think by a handful of newspaper editors with their own agenda. These papers have effectively made Jeremy Corbyn in to an underdog. We don’t like bullies in this country and it’s funny how the public will turn and champion a person or cause if they feel that spite and malice are involved against them.
The overall turnout for Thursday vote was 68.7%, the highest since 1997. Much has been made about the youth vote and I am very glad to see the young engaged and getting involved with politics. Democracy is something we live and breathe every day, not something that we briefly enthuse over for a few weeks. There is a very clear difference in mindset and political outlook between the old and the young in this country and although I have a lot of love and respect for the baby boomer generation, too many of its political and cultural imperatives are obsolete, born of a by gone era that will never return. Brexit has clearly highlighted this. In numerous comments sections of various news websites, I’ve seen regular statements about the young’s alleged lack of “wordly experience”. It’s a trite, ad hominem argument that doesn’t wash. Wisdom does not come with age by default. Plus, there is no universal life experience to be had. History shows us that the young have built nations. Their views deserve no less consideration than those of their elders.
Whatever your personal loyalties and views, I think it is fair to say that UK politics just got a lot more interesting in the last forty-eight hours. The electorate have been taken for granted for too long and many are fed up with the status quo. Perhaps we’ve moved on from simple protest voting and are now considering tangible and practical change. Look what happens when we do. Whether you wanted Brexit or not, it’s a reality that needs to be addressed. If it is the most challenging issue this country has faced since World War II then perhaps it should be tackled jointly by all parties. Perhaps it is also time to firmly reject the tabloid press and their shameless interference in UK politics. May be politicians need to cultivate some courage and actually engage with the average voter. If they’re not prepared to do so then show them the door. I sincerely hope that voters of all persuasion are finally going to demand more from the political classes. The tail does not wag the dog and on Thursday the electorate reminded the Westminster of exactly that.
Strange Brigade Reveal
Rebellion, the creators of the Sniper Elite series and the Zombie Army Trilogy, announced on Wednesday a new game called Strange Brigade. The trailer shows the game to be a four-player co-op third-person shooter. The rather droll video, shot as a faux newsreel, appears to show a story set in the pre-war era with a group of quirky characters indulging in Indiana Jones style shenanigans on behalf of the British Empire.
Rebellion, the creators of the Sniper Elite series and the Zombie Army Trilogy, announced on Wednesday a new title called Strange Brigade. The trailer shows the game to be a four-player, co-op, third-person shooter. The rather droll video, shot as a faux newsreel, appears to show a story set in the pre-war era with a group of quirky characters indulging in Indiana Jones style shenanigans on behalf of the British Empire.
Rebellion has been cagey about this title until now. In fact, no rumours or hints about this game existed before today. Frequently, the games press get wind of upcoming titles early in their development, often because of leaks from the developers themselves. Not so with this game so its announcement was pleasant surprise. Strange Brigade appears to be beyond initial production, with developers Rebellion aiming to show some gameplay footage at E3
I have to admit that I am a big fan of the Sniper Elite series, so the announcement of Strange Brigade intrigues me. The lead characters are at first look, unusual and diverse. The supernatural element and period setting also delight me. I hope they are as equally creative with the game mechanics, with each character having a bespoke role. I, unlike many others, actually enjoy the campaign mode in titles such as these, as online multiplay never quite lives up to expectations due to the "human" element.
Strange Brigade will be available on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, although Rebellion have not at present specified a release date yet. Since they are promising to showcase further footage at E3, hopefully more information will become available soon.
The Asphyx (1973)
The Asphyx (AKA The Horror of Death) was released in 1973, just as the as the horror genre was about to be totally redefined by The Exorcist forever. William Friedkin’s magnum opus moved the genre away from its traditional Gothic based, literate and low budget roots and took the horror movie into the realm of the blockbuster. Special effects and shock proved to be more bankable than the old school approach of studios such as Hammer. That's one of the reasons why The Asphyx was a box-office flop. Fondly remembered by a few as a "thinking man's horror film" this cinematic curiosity’s greatest asset is also its Achilles Heel. The movie is perhaps too plot heavy and cerebral, failing to give even the most patient of audiences the shocks that they craved. Since its release this film has been seldom seen on television and has often been poorly treated on home media.
The Asphyx (AKA The Horror of Death) was released in 1973, just as the as the horror genre was about to be totally redefined by The Exorcist forever. William Friedkin’s magnum opus moved the genre away from its traditional Gothic based, literate and low budget roots and took the horror movie into the realm of the blockbuster. Special effects and shock proved to be more bankable than the old school approach of studios such as Hammer. That's one of the reasons why The Asphyx was a box-office flop. Fondly remembered by a few as a "thinking man's horror film" this cinematic curiosity’s greatest asset is also its Achilles Heel. The movie is perhaps too plot heavy and cerebral, failing to give even the most patient of audiences the shocks that they craved. Since its release this film has been seldom seen on television and has often been poorly treated on home media.
The film’s premise is simple but intriguing. A nineteenth century British philanthropist and amateur psychic researcher embarks on a fateful quest for immortality. Sir Hugo Cunningham (nicely played by Robert Stephens) after experimenting with taking photographs of dying people, discovers the presence of a nebulous spirit of the dead, known in mythology as the Asphyx. It appears at the moment of an individual’s death and is only visible via photographic plate. Sir Hugo becomes obsessed with capturing his own Asphyx and thus ensuring his immortality, so he can pursue a life of science. However, this enterprise does not progress as Sir Hugo expects and there are consequences both for himself and his family.
With its verbose, literate script, well defined characters and fascinating themes, The Asphyx is the epitome of the low budget style and creativity that became passé in the early to mid- seventies. The chills are subtle but effective under the direction of Peter Newbrook and the widescreen cinematography by Freddie Young adds polish as well as elegance to the proceedings. Filled with fa oreboding atmosphere and an accurate period production design, this is an intelligently conceived horror film that relies more on story than shocks. There is little violence and the only visual effects are those of the screaming Asphyx as Sir Hugo attempts to capture it. These are simplistic and brief.
The plot and themes of this film reflect the thinking of many psychic researchers of this period. Vaguely similar ideas were explored in the film Flatliners, however, one cannot compare the two in any other fashion. The Asphyx has a creative plot that avoids some of the usual cinematic and genre clichés. The drama between the central characters is well conceived and holds the audience's attention. The final codicil is haunting, memorable and somewhat sad. Overall The Asphyx is a minor horror classic that deserves far wider recognition. I therefore wholeheartedly recommended it to more discerning viewers that prefer plot driven narratives over cheap scares.
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
As a sequel is due out in September, I thought I’d revisit Kingsman: The Secret Service. Contrary to the movies titles and the implied homage seen in the various trailers, the film is not as clichéd as the genre it's set in. Nor does it draw too heavily from its graphic novel source material. As with Kick Ass director Matthew Vaughn has managed to smooth over the rough edges of this films antecedents and create a rather unique, stylised and extremely entertaining hybrid. It is a somewhat niche market undertaking and won't appeal to all audiences but if you like all out action, knowing satire and a liberal dose of gallows humour then this movie is most likely for you.
As a sequel is due out in September, I thought I’d revisit Kingsman: The Secret Service. Contrary to the movies titles and the implied homage seen in the various trailers, the film is not as clichéd as the genre it's set in. Nor does it draw too heavily from its graphic novel source material. As with Kick Ass director Matthew Vaughn has managed to smooth over the rough edges of this films antecedents and create a rather unique, stylised and extremely entertaining hybrid. It is a somewhat niche market undertaking and won't appeal to all audiences but if you like all out action, knowing satire and a liberal dose of gallows humour then this movie is most likely for you.
Kingsman is an independent international agency specialising in the elimination of global terrorist threats; something they like to do with as much panache and class as possible. After the death of one of their operatives, Kingsman agent Harry Heart (Colin Firth) decides to replace him with a rather disreputable, unemployed youth called Eggsy (Egerton), whose father was in fact a fellow Kingsman. Thus, follows a fish out of water tale, as Eggsy has to pass the rigours of the Kingsman training program, while the agency has to counter the machinations of multi-billionaire entrepreneur Richmond Valentine (Jackson) and his obligatory plan for world domination.
Now this is all very contrived and certainly there's a lot of plot themes that we've seen before but the movie has an incredible sense of style and some of the most dynamic and fluid action scenes of recent years. Let me stress that this is really over the top gratuitous stuff, yet it works perfectly within its own internal logic. Colin Firth is a pleasure to watch playing against type and adapting to the material effortlessly. The set piece in which single handedly slays an entire church congregation that has become psychotic, is very impressive. Michael Caine, Mark Strong and Samuel L. Jackson also greatly elevate the proceedings. I thought that Taron Egerton as Eggsy would be the movie weakest link but he surprisingly makes the role his own.
Sadly, the movie does have a flaw running through it and it's based around the institutionalised sexism that has always been prevalent in this genre. Consider any Connery Bond movie and you'll get the idea. Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman strive to satirise this theme but it ends out having the reverse effect and somewhat derails the final act. The gag at the end of the film in which Princess Tilde gives Eggsy his “reward” is somewhat tasteless. It's a shame because I'm pretty sure that was not the intention but tonally this doesn't work. Yet this isn't an enough of a defect to spoil the entire movie, which in other respects has quite a moral undertone.
Kingsman: The Secret Service was a surprise hit for Twentieth Century Fox back in 2015. The film had a production cost of $81 million but saw a total box office gross of $414,351,546, which is a handsome return by Hollywood standards. Therefore a sequel was inevitable and so we have Kingsman: The Golden Circle hitting the UK cinemas on 29th September. The budget has now increased to $140 million but the writing and directing talent remains the same. Hopefully, audiences will be given a similarly stylised and satirical take on the international spy genre, that will prove as entertaining as the first. I’m happy to give the movie the benefit of the doubt, because after all “manners maketh man”.
The Objective (2008)
Daniel Myrick has experience when it comes to low-budget productions, having co-written The Blair Witch Project. The Objective offers a promising science fiction story set in contemporary Afghanistan, hinting at both supernatural and extraterrestrial plot themes. The spartan, low budget production along with minimal use of special effects allows the story to be the focus of the movie. As with Pontypool, many questions are raised throughout the course of the plot and the attentive viewer is required to listen and consider what is presented, rather than just blindly accept everything on face value.
Daniel Myrick has experience when it comes to low-budget productions, having co-written The Blair Witch Project. The Objective offers a promising science fiction story set in contemporary Afghanistan, hinting at both supernatural and extraterrestrial plot themes. The spartan, low budget production along with minimal use of special effects allows the story to be the focus of the movie. As with Pontypool, many questions are raised throughout the course of the plot and the attentive viewer is required to listen and consider what is presented, rather than just blindly accept everything on face value.
It is the ambiguity of the story (which mixes Djinn mythology, British colonial history with elements of Erich von Däniken) and the way the protagonists struggle to come to grips with the ongoing events that proves so intriguing. A re-occurring theme throughout The Objective is how one’s personal frame of reference can sometimes limit how you interpret and quantify any new experience. Director Daniel Myrick utilises a classic plot device, in which the establishment tries to suppress events, fearing they will cause social unrest, if made known to the general public.
Although far from perfect, with average performances, clunky dialogue and a rather artificial narration, The Objective still manages to absorb and entertain. The low budget works to the films advantage, with action scenes feeling more like news footage. Instead of shocks there is an increasing atmosphere of disquiet which builds well over the ninety-minute running time. The mixture of genres works rather well and the films conclusion is suitably open ended and will definitely provoke debate. Overall, it’s best to file The Objective under “interesting curiosity”.
Two Worlds II: New DLC After Seven Years
I bought a bundle of games in August 2014, which included the RPG Two Worlds II and its expansion, Pirates of the Flying Fortress. With such purchases, there is a tendency to adjust your expectations in accordance to your financial investment. However, I pleasantly surprised to find Two Worlds II a quirky and enjoyable role-playing game. The animations and combat are somewhat clunky but the loot system that allows you to break down every item into upgrade components, is useful. The game also boasts a customisable spell system, that utilises collectable cards as modifiers. It is quite an innovative mechanic and certainly allows players to create builds that suit their tastes. Two Worlds II benefits from a pleasing soundtrack and a standalone expansion that offers a superior story to the base game. Not every RPG can be a Skyrim or Witcher 3. Two Worlds II is an acceptable genre title to play between such releases.
I bought a bundle of games in August 2014, which included the RPG Two Worlds II and its expansion, Pirates of the Flying Fortress. With such purchases, there is a tendency to adjust your expectations in accordance to your financial investment. However, I pleasantly surprised to find Two Worlds II a quirky and enjoyable role-playing game. The animations and combat are somewhat clunky but the loot system that allows you to break down every item into upgrade components, is useful. The game also boasts a customisable spell system, that utilises collectable cards as modifiers. It is quite an innovative mechanic and certainly allows players to create builds that suit their tastes. Two Worlds II benefits from a pleasing soundtrack and a standalone expansion that offers a superior story to the base game. Not every RPG can be a Skyrim or Witcher 3. Two Worlds II is an acceptable genre title to play between such releases.
After playing through Two Worlds II and the subsequent expansion I deleted the game from my hard drive. After all, this was a title that was originally released in late 2010 and as far as I was concerned the game’s life cycle had come to an end. Turns out I was wrong. Not only about the games life cycle but in my assumptions about the franchises popularity. Because over the weekend I received a marketing email from publishers TopWare regarding new DLC for Two Worlds II. Here is some of the promotional blurb. “After the blockbuster success of Two Worlds II: Pirates of the Flying Fortress, TopWare Interactive and Reality Pump Studios have created a brand new chapter in the phenomenal RPG series! With an all new HD graphics engine, new enemies, weapons and a completely revamped alchemy system, Two Worlds II: Call of the Tenebrae will take you on yet another immersive adventure through the world of Antaloor! But the adventure doesn’t stop there for season pass holders! The Season Pass also includes the follow-up DLC, Two Worlds II, Shattered Embrace, which will launch during Q4 of 2017. Don’t miss out on the chance to continue the fight in Antaloor!”
The first thing that ran through my mind was “who resurrects a game after six years” but the more I thought about it, the more I realised that there are examples of this happening before. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 and Anarchy Online are two that immediately spring to mind. Then of course there is the vogue for "remasters" with older titles being given graphical overhauls. Modern warfare, Bio-Shock and Skyrim have all had such revisions made to them. Then there is the issue of sales and the dreaded “number of units sold”. It turns out that Two Worlds II has quite a following in Europe and has shifted over two million copies. North American and international sales add a further million to the total. As developers and publishers are not known for their charitable tendencies, one must assume that the new DLC has viable sales potential.
As I’m between RPGs at present and still mourning the end (for the immediate future) of The Witcher franchise, I decided that developers Reality Pump have sufficient goodwill in my eyes, for me to take a punt on the new content for Two Worlds II. So, I bought a season pass at the discounted price of €29.99 as I’m apparently such a “loyal customer”. Although I’ve read some marketing material, I’m going to try and dive in to this game relatively blind upon its release on June 15th. Hopefully the DLC will be as unusual and fun as the previous content. Furthermore, in light of this development, perhaps my hopes for a third instalment of the World War II co-op shooter, Hidden & Dangerous, are not as misplaced as I initially thought.
Wilderness (2006)
Independent British Horror films often showcase some of the best up and coming talent about. Neil Marshall was a prime example of this back in 2002 with his debut film Dog Soldiers. He has subsequently produced an interesting body of work in both cinema and television. Independent horror films offer a great deal of flexibility to writes and directors, affording them an opportunity to explore themes that larger studios simply will not touch. Happy endings, moral subtexts, glamorous leads are not de rigueur. In fact, they are potentially a hindrance. The genre is a platform for gritty and often unpleasant tales that explore the darker side of human nature. Michael J. Bassett's Wilderness falls squarely into this category, offering a grim but gripping story.
Independent British Horror films often showcase some of the best up and coming talent about. Neil Marshall was a prime example of this back in 2002 with his debut film Dog Soldiers. He has subsequently produced an interesting body of work in both cinema and television. Independent horror films offer a great deal of flexibility to writes and directors, affording them an opportunity to explore themes that larger studios simply will not touch. Happy endings, moral subtexts, glamorous leads are not de rigueur. In fact, they are potentially a hindrance. The genre is a platform for gritty and often unpleasant tales that explore the darker side of human nature. Michael J. Bassett's Wilderness falls squarely into this category, offering a grim but gripping story.
The somewhat lurid UK DVD packaging calls this film “Predator, meets Scum, meets Lord of the Flies” which rather succinctly breakdowns the story. There is also a major spoiler photo on the back sleeve which ruins the plot. However, considering the film features Sean Pertwee, an actor who always seems to meet a painful and unpleasant end in whatever he appears, may be this is not such a giveaway after all. The story follows a group of young offenders, with a list of unpleasant criminal traits, as they travel to a remote island for an outward-bound course and “team building” exercise. One by one they fall victim to a hidden homicidal manic. Is this merely a cruel chance of fate, or is there a more sinister motive behind these events.
On first look, Wilderness is hardly brimming with original ideas and director Michael J. Bassett treats us to numerous homages to famous genre films. However, what viewers do get as a bonus are some well-defined characters that you can actually identify with. So often these days we have to endure films exclusively populated by people we could not careless about. Not so here. The sociopath and the sex offender are particularly interesting roles with a surprising amount of depth. Performances are good all round and it’s that inherent British quality I mentioned earlier that gives this film a little more credibility and vitality. This is not a slick glossy production. Being so would be counterproductive. The stark quality to the production design means we focus on the narrative.
Be warned, this film has a “15” rating in the UK and it's a particularly strong one at that. The killer uses a crossbow, knife and hunting dogs to kill his prey. There is one death scene that stands out and may well make the casual viewer flinch. There is also some staged animal violence which may not be well received by dog lovers. The dialogue includes liberal doses of British colloquialism throughout the film but this is not out of step with the story or the characters. Wilderness is also well paced, balancing both plot exposition and shocks. Overall the one hundred minutes plus running time is used very well. It would also be remiss of me if I didn’t mention the excellent use of location photography in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
At a time when the US market seems incapable of making anything other than substandard remakes of classic films, foreign movies or just uninspired jump scare horror films; it is refreshing to find a British production that shows some creativity and difference. Yes, Wilderness is derivative in its basic premise but the formula provides an opportunity to present some valid characters and credible dialogue. It chooses to avoid arbitrary distinctions between good and bad, instead offering more nuanced ideas as to why people do terrible things. There is also a sincere approach to the entire film, showing the love of a genuine genre fan and not the cynical, contrived workmanship of a studio hack. Therefore, I would recommended Wilderness to anyone who enjoyed Dog Soldiers.