Weekly Recommendation - Week #003 - Recent Discoveries

Hey you, sorry for last week's lack of recommendation. You can safely leave your cocoon now, we have returned (figuratively). This week, or last week;s, whatever, is recent discoveries. [I apologise as far in advance as possible for the quality]

Ergo Proxy – Manglobe (Series) – Author: Darren

Ergo Proxy is a philosophical dark science fiction (think [philosophy reference here] combined with Blade Runner. It's visually impressive and the character designs are fitting. The character portrayals are also fantastic but can occasionally come off as missing the mark. I don't have a lot to say as I haven't finished the series but, as implied by the title, I recommend it.

The Device – Tupper Ware Remix Party (Music) – Author: Darren

So, Tupper Ware Remix Party. They're crazy Nova Scotian “spandex clad groove-crusaders”. The like to wear traffic cones and masks. If neither of these things have turned you away, read on.

Self described as “The band that sounds like Daft Punk vs Iron Maiden and looks like the Power Rangers playing keytars.”, Tupper Ware Remix Party are fantastic and weirdly enthralling. I recently found out about them and am already hooked. I'm not doing the best job here but if you like them you can buy their album at the fantastically low price of whatever you want right here [http://twrp.bandcamp.com/album/the-device-ep]

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon – Ubisoft (Game) – Author: Darren

Don't get of that synth train yet, we have one final stop. It's that wonderful world of 80's sci-fi injected straight into the Far Cry 3 engine. It's as fun as it sounds, a crazy neon dinosaur fighting adventure sandbox. You play as Rex Powercolt, a cybernetic commando and model patriot. A great synth music 80's roller-coaster for all your rampage needs.

Well, I kept that short and shit. If you have and comments, criticism or recommendations of your own, leave them in the comments.

Weekly Recommendation - Week #003 - SDCC 2014

As I'm sure some of you are aware, these weekly recommendations take place on Sundays. Due to being stuck in the internet-less void that is a plane for 11 hours last Sunday, no recommendations were made. To make up for that, you are going to get two recommendations today, you lucky sausage.

Snowpiercer - Bong Joon-ho (film) Author: Chris  


So let's kick off with a film I watched whilst during comic con, entitled Snowpiercer. In the future times, a man made attempt to stop global warming ends up bringing an ice age, wiping out almost all of humanity. The few survivors live on a perpetually moving train entitled (you guessed it) Snowpiercer. Of course an extreme class system is in place, so the rich live at the front whilst the poor "live" at the back. The film is about the back, led by Chris Evans, attempting to take the train. It's a very stylish film, full with moments of pure surrealism. For those looking for such a film in a really interesting location, look no further than Snowpiercer.

NSFW - Ninja Sex Party (music) Author: Chris

If you know me or Darren, you will be very aware of the fact that both of us love Ninja Sex Party, and now I have an excuse to recommend them. Why you ask? BECAUSE I SAW THEM LIVE AT COMIC CON LORD I'M STILL HYPED ABOUT THAT. Anyway, I recommend their first album, NSFW. As you can guess from the album name (as well as the band name), their music is very mature (well immature), with every other lyric referencing dicks or fucking or something along those lines. They are what you would call a comedy band, and are great to sing along to. Provided you aren't in public.

Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes - Kojima Productions (game) Author: Chris

I shook Hideo Kojima's hand. I just want to put that out there. It's also the reason I'm recommending his most recent addition to the well know franchise Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes. It's a prequel to the main 5th (well 5th in terms of games with a number in the title) game, Phantom Pain, and it gives the player a taste of what to expect from that game. It's a very small taste with re-playability, but it's a taste I love. The stealth mechanics work wondrously, the gunplay feels great (despite the fact you shouldn't have to resort to this), and it looks and runs beautifully. If you are a fan of the series, do not miss this, if not, maybe wait until it has dropped in price, but check it out anyway.

So there you go, three things related to things I did at comic con. Can that even be considered a theme? Probably not, but hey, it helped me write and I guess that is what counts.
See you back in the UK next week.
Chris

PSA - No Weekly Recommendation Today (20/07/2014)

Hello there, this week, unfortunately, the weekly recommendation will be late due to some foreseen and unforeseen things.
Sorry, Darren (and I presume Chris is sorry, too)

Weekly Recommendation - Week #002 - Personal Favourites

Hey people, this week's recommendations are our personal favourites. It's a very emotional list (if you're some sort of weird emotionally crippled sociopath) and, as always, purely subjective. You're free to leave your own in the comments below.

Cowboy Bebop – Sunrise (Series) – Author: Darren

So, this week my pick is Cowboy Bebop. Now, if you've ever heard of anime, you've heard of Cowboy Bebop. It's lauded as a benchmark for quality by critics and consumers alike.

You probably want to know more, right? Well, I'll oblige. Cowboy Bebop is about a crew of bounty hunters aboard a ship named Bebop, struggling to make ends meet. It takes place in the year 2071, when space flight and habitation are possible thanks to hyper space gateways. A fair chunk of the action seems to take place on Mars (think today's big cities) with some pretty nifty space travel and a few jaunts to Earth.

The characters themselves and their relationships are what makes this show what it is, but in my opinion, it's main character: Spike Spiegel's arc that is the most compelling, Faye Valentine's arc is fantastic in it's own right as it offers a healthy dose of juxtaposition to Spike and Jet's stories.

If story isn't your thing, or even if it is, there's no denying that both the music and art style,as well as animation and voice acting, come together to create a truly unique experience that simultaneously entertains and tackles mature subject matter such as existentialism, the affects of the past, existential ennui and loneliness.

All in all, if you like compelling characters, science fiction, jazz, blues, deep stories and satisfying conclusions (I mean, who doesn't like a satisfying conclusion?) then this is your kind of thing. Even if, like me, you're not huge on anime. One thing I will say is that, reading reviews, Is that it's suggested to watch episode five, then one to four. I didn't and I still enjoyed it but some of you may find it slow to start.

Before you move on, I would like to say that my love for Cowboy Bebop doesn't come from nostalgia or any kind of anime bias, the first time I watched it was roughly three months ago (from time of writing) and I'd never watched an anime in my life. Yep, you read it right, no DBZ, no Bleach, no Naruto. I went in blind to anime and I loved it.

Kimono My House - Sparks (Music) - Author: Chris

As I recommended both the film and the game last week (well, Darren and I both picked the

game, we just used my write up), it is now my time to select the music, and boy did I think

about this one. I have so many favourite albums, it was hard to pick just one. Surprisingly, I

managed, and even more surprisingly, it wasn't a Talking Heads album. It have chosen

Kimono My House by Sparks. Where do I even begin with this album? Well for starters, I think

the energy this album creates is phenomenal, I just want to get up and dance to every song

(it's a sight to see for sure), not only that, but the lyrics are fantastically bizarre.

"As twenty cannibals have hold of you, they need their protein just like you do." Have you

made a ridiculously upbeat song with lyrics about not judging cannibals? Didn't think so.

It is truly a smashing album, and I promise you that you will have to listen to it from

start to finish. Every single fucking time. Whoops, I accidentally flipped back to side A.

Dragon Age:Origins – BioWare (Games) – Author: Darren

Video games. They're fun. One I found particularly fun (and better than congealed shit) is Dragon Age:Origins (DA:O)

The reason I picked DA:O is because I do occasionally prefer the vast green fields of fantasy to the the ever expanding blackness of space. Sometimes. During these times (pseudo medieval times, to be exact), I like to take a trip to Thedas, Ferelden to be specific where the elves are kept poor and the mages in (metaphorical) chains while the humans look on with scorn. Oh yeah, and the dwarves stay tucked away underground.

What I like about this series is the dynamic between characters in your party. Yes, it's one of those, a traditional party based RPG. The mechanics are solid, the story decent and the music ok. Like I said, it's the characters and the world they inhabit that makes this game what it is.

I know it doesn't seem like it, but I love this game. It can be tedious and there are some bad points (the Fade) yet I can't describe the way it makes me feel, I can only say it's good. Also, this game has some fantastic DLC but that's neither here nor there as it doesn't ship with the base game. If there's enough interest (or if not, you can't stop me) I will compile some sort of list or piece on my favourite DLC for any game.

Do you agree? Either way leave it below. We will read it, we may not care, but we will read it. In all seriousness though, thanks for the reading.
Lots of #buttsex from Darren and Chris.

The Wolf Among US: More Than the Sum of Its Parts

A review of The Wolf Among Us as a whole.

The final episode of Telltale's The Wolf Among Us, Cry Wolf, was released recently and provides a fitting conclusion that neatly (or messily, depending on your choices) wraps up the ongoing murder investigation conducted by protagonist, Bigby Wolf. With that in mind, I though t now would be the best (and only) time to offer my thoughts on the series as a whole.

Before I begin properly, I must first say that I love the art style and the music. Both of which aid the overall neo-noire atmosphere of the game. What really brings to life the atmosphere, to me, is the character and environment designs which create the perfect feel of a city's seedy underbelly and the colourful cast of characters that allows.

A logical place to start would be with Episode One: Faith (but I didn't). Episode one does a good job of introducing the main characters while leaving enough mystery hanging to bring us back for Episode Two. The characters themselves are fairly fleshed out and have a slew of existing relationships that make the story feel that much more human. This could be a product of the source material, I've not read it though, so I can't say. What I can say is that the voice acting is excellent and remains consistent throughout, especially Adam Harrington and Erin Yvette, the voices of Bigby and Snow White, respectively.

Aside from kicking off with a nice action sequence and some introduction to the way Bigby's personality is shaped through dialogue choices, Episode One starts the investigation off quite quickly in a high stakes fashion. This also neatly bookends the episode as things intensify in preparation for Episode Two.

Episode Two: Smoke and Mirrors kicks off with Bigby being interrogated a Mundy (normal human) police officer. This is followed by a moral dilemma in which it gradually becomes harder and harder not to choose the 'bad' option. The good thing about this, however, is that it presents the options a neither 'bad' nor 'good' and is, instead, left to the player to decide based on their own morals. Another part of this scene, which provides an excellent example of subtle labelling when it comes to moral choices, is by having an, for want of better word, arsehole, try and push the player into committing the 'bad' action. One thing that must be said about Episode Two is that it throws a huge curveball at you relatively early that I can't reveal lest I spoil it. This episode also introduces a new antagonist, Georgie (of girl kissing fame) who runs the Pudding and Pie, a strip club operating as part of a prostitution ring. Episode Two gives us another huge plot thread to follow in future episodes and sheds some light on a rather perverse fantasy held by one of Fabletown's citizens.

The third episode: A Crooked Mile, the one that I discussed with friends the most, did it's job remarkably well. It's job was to follow up on Episode Two's finale and to introduce new characters and plot points. The episode kicks off after the discovery of some pretty damning evidence. This is followed by a funeral for a recently deceased Fable which is promptly interrupted due to the ongoing investigation. This is the first of the two fantastic action sequences in this episode but not the one that left me talking about it for days. No, that was the concluding sequence that I can only describe as intense. One thing against it, which is quite petty of me, is that there's a character who hides their appearance and I immediately caught on. Unfortunately, I had to play along as the dialogue choices wouldn't allow me to call them out on it which left me feeling somewhat impatient and impeded the pacing a little. On the more positive side of things, the decisions made in this episode can be tough and have a lasting impact on the story and, presumably, far beyond its conclusion.

Now for the black sheep, as it were. Episode Four: In Sheep's Clothing isn't as good as previous episodes or its successor when compared to them. On its own, it's fine, it's OK, mediocre is a fair word (and far less vague). You see, the problem is that it has to follow an intense previous episode and set up for the finale, which doesn't allow it to really do much. My main issue with it was a result of this and that's the characters. New characters are introduced but there's not enough screen time to create any level of emotional investment from the player. This doesn't extend to existing characters as Episode Four has a strong focus on the theme of Friendship vs The Rules, which adds a level of depth and highlights the conflict between Bigby's past and present.

Ah, I've been waiting for this one. Episode Five: Cry Wolf, my favourite of the series. Not only does it open to a tense scene but it carries that through to the end. The episode kicks of exactly where Episode Four left off and provides a non stop ride of tough decisions, important dialogue and one mind blowing, intense, fight sequence that will leave you dumbfounded. Tie this in with the amount of closure and the tying up of loose ends in masterful, artistic way and you have yourself one of the most satisfying endings to a murder investigation that you'll ever experience (unless, you know, you're part of a real one). The ending answers the overarching mystery but leaves a new one in it's place, revealed by a KotOR-esque flashback of events and snippets of dialogue. Still though, my favourite episode.

Overall, the story is fantastic, the music great, the atmosphere spot on, the cast (for the large part) engaging and the art style superb. I heartily recommend you buy it now (as it's on sale right here: [http://store.steampowered.com/app/250320/]). To the lads and lasses at Telltale, well done, to you the readers thanks for sticking with this review.

Thanks, Darren

Killing Floor: Hell Hath No Fury Like a Cockney in the Apocalypse

In my experiences in the world of gaming, I can safely claim that there are a lot of video games on this earth; some great, some average, some bad, and Ride to Hell: Retribution. Seriously, fuck that game. But we are not here to talk about my overall experiences (Or Ride to Hell, maybe shelf that one for another time), but another game, which I personally think is not a game that should be missed (even more so considering it's on sale right now: http://store.steampowered.com/app/1250/?snr=1_7_15__13). That game is Killing Floor.

Now you may be asking, "Killing Floor, what has the floor ever done to deserve such a cruel fate?" To that I say "stop stealing my jokes." Killing Floor is a game in which up to 6 players survive a set amount of increasingly difficult waves against various monsters, some easy, some hard as dicks, until you get to the final wave, in which you have to fight the boss. Sounds a little bit generic right? Well admittedly it does, but it has a hell of a lot of personality to it.

First of all, the protagonists. There are a lot of characters to choose from, including, but not limited to, generic soldiers, steam-punk types, some very stereotypical British folk, and even the Pyro from Team Fortress 2. There are also three voice sets, cockney man 1, cockney man 2, and cockney woman. Whilst that doesn't seem like much variety for so many characters, it's quality not quantity, and the voice acting is outstanding for one simple reason: it's terrible. So terrible that you will fall in love with it. I know I did. Take a listen for yourself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCDPsA9wrCc   

"But why is every one Cockney?" you ask. Well you see, dear reader, the game is primarily set in Britain. It is a map based game, rather than a standard campaign, so you can visit all the famous UK locations whenever you feel like it, such as West London, a Farm in the countryside, some offices somewhere, Aperture Labs, and the moon. Yep, all those famous UK locations. The game also has steam workshop support, so you can essentially go where ever you want, as long as some one has made it.

Another question rolls through your mind, "But who will I be murdering in all these glorious locations?" Well a variety of creations, entitled specimens, brought to you by the lovely folk at Horzine Biotech. There are nine different types of enemy, as well as the boss character. Some are quite basic and fight in large numbers, others have a lot more interesting qualities, such as the husk, who has a fireball launcher lovingly stitched to his arm, or the fleshpound, who only attacks if he is aggravated, and believe me, you don't want to aggravate him. They are all led by The Patriarch, who appears after the final wave. He has a minigun, a rocket launcher, he can heal himself, and he can go invisible. He is a barrel of laughs for sure.

"What on earth will we be using to fight these things?" You question. You sure ask a lot of questions. Well you start with a pistol obviously, because why would a trained military unit bring good weapons to a fight? (look you've got me asking questions now). As you fight the specimens, some mysterious deity pays you for each kill, until the wave ends. Once it does, you have a set amount of time (depending on the difficulty) to get to the shopkeeper, and buy weapons and armor. You then go out and murder more. Rinse and repeat. The weapons vary from melee weapons (axes, swords, chainsaws etc), conventional firearms (shotguns, machine guns, rifles etc) and extremely unconventional firearms (rocket launchers, crossbows, laser rifles of death etc). You can also buy grenades, in case you get bored of trying to be strategic and accurate. As well as these tools of murder, you are given tools of life. You are given a healing needle, which can heal either you or a friend (healing friends gives more health per injection), and then has to recharge, and a welder, which can weld doors open or shut, to allow for temporary breathers, or to slow the enemy down.

So I think I have covered all the essentials. There are obviously more details I could cover, such as what each enemy type can do, and how violent the game is (spoilers: extremely), but I don't want this to turn into a complete guide. They have a wiki for that: http://kf-wiki.com/wiki/Main_Page. Now we get to the big question. Why do I recommend this game? Quite simply, it is extremely fun, lots of shooting, lots of tense moments, lots of violence and lots of stupid cockney comments. Get this game, and get your friends to get it as well, it's a lot more fun with people you know, rather than complete strangers. Trust me, it's worth it. I wouldn't have made this so detailed if I didn't think that.
-Chris  

Weekly Recommendation -Week #001 - First Creations

Hello there potential reader (I assume you are reading this) and welcome to the very first Sunday recommendation by Darren and I, which we don't actually have a name for yet. Each week we shall both be making 3 recommendations: a movie/series, and album/song, and a game, with the occasional piece of bonus content. Today, as it was our first (and extremely late) piece, we decided our selection had to consist of director's/artist's/game designer's firsts. So please, read away, and come back each Sunday for more recommendations! - Chris

The Evil Dead - Sam Raimi (Film) - Author: Chris

The Evil Dead (Sam Raimi's original, not the recent remake) is about as B movie as you can get, containing ridiculous physical effects, bucket-loads of fake blood, and Bruce Campbell. Now that last point is vitally important, for you see, without the wonder of Bruce, this film would just be like any other "cabin in the woods" story. He is truly the master of B movie acting, and is a joy to watch and listen to. Check this film out, and then watch Evil Dead 2 and then watch Army Of Darkness. You will be quoting Bruce for years.
You can find this glorious piece of cinema right here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Evil-Dead-Full-Uncut-Version/dp/B000GL18J0/ref=sr_1_5?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1404684580&sr=1-5&keywords=evil+dead
and the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdjqDiugXfM

Level One - Miracle Of Sound (Music) - Author: Darren

Ah music, that thing that we  listen to and some of it's shit and some isn't. In fact, some of it transcends the category of 'not shit' to the lofty heights of 'pretty sweet'. This week I'm recommending Miracle Of Sound's first album, aptly titled Level One.
Miracle of Sound, or Gavin Dunne, is an Irish musician popular for his gaming and movie songs. These songs cover a wide variety of genres from metal/rock to the more cinematic stuff, a personal favourite of mine from his first album is Normandy, which is based on Mass Effect (probably my favourite game series).
If you're interested, or even if you're not (that's the point of this thing), give his first album a listen here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxv4zcAiKGaLH_AFqsjVLiz8kGvxv7RZp 
Or buy it from one of these places: http://miracleofsound.bandcamp.com/album/level-1-the-2011-collection
http://www.amazon.com/Level-1-Miracle-Sound/dp/B006OQ7NMW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1404511613&sr=8-4&keywords=Miracle+Of+Sound
https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/level-1/id491253649

The Republia Times - Lucas Pope (Game) - Author: Chris

Republia Times was the first game created by Lucas Pope, who is well known for his most recent game, Papers Please. You are assigned the role of editor-in-chief for the Republia Times, a government run newspaper, and have to layout a paper each day to entice readers and keep your glorious leader happy. Did I mention they were keeping your family whilst you work? It is a very simple game with very similar themes and morals to Papers Please, so if you like them short yet morally complex, you'll love this. Best of all it's free, which is more than can be said for the protagonist. You can play it for free right here: http://dukope.com/play.php?g=trt

So there you have it, three things for you all to try out. We hope you enjoy our selections for this week, and that you enjoy the blog.
-Chris