Review: Rayman Origins
It’s been a while since Rayman has appeared on a home console. The last time we saw the fist swinging hero on our TV screens was in Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc which appeared on a whole host of platforms including the PS2, Xbox, Gamecube and PC; his last title releasing on the Gameboy Advance in 2005. As the 6 years have flown by, has the wait been worth it? Find out in this review.
Rayman’s storyline has always been pretty straight forward, even going back to the original PS1 title, where the plot revolved around saving the Electoons, captured in cages by Mr Dark. Save some captured friends and save the day. As the games have progressed in the series, I’ve found the story lines to get a little more muddled, especially the games that appeared on the PS2, Xbox and Gamecube. Now, when players talk about Rayman you will rarely hear any one say “that was a great story” because frankly it wasn’t, but the PS1 titles focused all on gameplay. When development shifted to the PS2, Gamecube and Xbox, Ubisoft seamed to focus more on the storyline instead of the gameplay. This has changed in Origins, and it is a change for the better. The plot is very simplistic and suits what Rayman is best know for… Gameplay. It starts a little like this, Rayman is in the Glade of Dreams, a world created by the mysterious Bubble Dreamer….
Rayman and his beloved friend Globox, along with a collection of other characters, manage to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Rayman and his pals manage to be attacked by an Old Granny?! (..I know an old Granny!). The Old Granny sends an army of the nastiest creatures, bringing some Darktoons to the fight as well. It’s time once again for Rayman and his friends to rescue the Electoons, defeat the evil creatures and set everything right. The plot is as I said ‘simplistic’, just like the original. No ridiculous twists or random occurrences that ruin the experience, just classic Rayman platforming action. It seems that Ubisoft have taken the correct route and listened to fans of the series. It’s a shame Rayman’s competitor Crash Bandicoot hasn’t also followed in Rayman’s footsteps.
Looking to the gameplay side of things, Rayman is back on form with some charming humour and is back in a side-scrolling platformer. A feature that I didn’t except was the ability to team up with local players for four player co-op, featuring drop in and out capabilities at any time. Whle I don’t feel that this is the main focus of the game….. It doesn’t ruin the gameplay experience either. If anything, it’s a nice alternative to 2009′s New Super Mario Bros Wii, which saw the same feature set implemented into the gameplay. It’s surprisingly nice to see couch co-op featured in the game, as many recent titles rely on the Internet for Multiplayer experiences, though this will mean you’ll need four controllers and a big couch, as opposed to just a headset, adding to it’s retro flavour. The Co-Op gives players more options when playing, allowing for a gameplay experience which fits everyone’s preferences. If you do decide to drop into the four player experience you can choose from four playable characters; Rayman, Globox or two Teensies, and s you progress, you’ll begin to unlock additional costumes.
Playing either alone or with friends, you’ll have to complete each level to progress through the game. Throughout each level, you’ll be up against a variety of different enemies, all while having to save captured Electoons. Your progression is also tied to your range of abilities that you can use, and these new tools add to the gameplay, keeping it fresh and interesting. The abilities you can unlock include being able to run up walls, gliding in midair after jumping and shrinking in size, allowing you to reach hidden areas. This isn’t all though, as the variety in each level, as well as across the entire game is a huge plus for the game, allowing you to jump on a mosquito and fly through some segments in-between the standard platforming gameplay. I was impressed by how well these different levels fit together, and when I was nearing completion of the game, I never got bored and actually wanted more even after the credits rolled. You will face many different obstacles and gameplay mechanics in the levels, inclduding some old Rayman tropes with spikes, floating platforms, platforms that disappear, platforms that move, platforms that fade in and out, and even some trampolines to bounce you around. Many of these platforms will catch players off guard and will require some practice, otherwise you may often be heading down many of the games bottomless pit.
Now, if you’re like me and tend to die a lot in the game, expect to see Rayman turn into a bubble and float away. As you may have guessed from the basic plot, Rayman is in the “Bubble Dream World”, and this bubble world dictates a lot of the elements in the game. Enemies also turn into bubbles and can be used to jump to higher places as they don’t pop until you jump on them, though be quick, or else they veer of screen and you will be out of luck with your 100% attempt. If you can’t handle this one hit death situation, you’re in luck, as there are random hearts placed through out the levels which allows you to take an extra hit. You can only carry one heart at a time though, and if you loose your heart and end up still getting hit again then you will be returned to the nearest checkpoint. During each level you will also want to be the lookout for gold-coloured Lums. Lums affect your overall ranking at the end of each level, rewarding you with a medal according to how many lums you have collected. If you manage to find a King Lum you will earn double points during a short period of time, forcing you to collect the floating Lums before they disappear.
If you’re familiar with the Rayman games, the general progression will be what you expect, since the more Electoons you save, the more of the story you will unlock. This is much easier said that done however, as some of the Electoons are hidden away and can only be freed by completing a puzzle. Some of the puzzles were a little frustrating to complete though, definately giving a challenge to veterans of platforming titles, but will be a little too tough for some. As you save Electoons, you will be able to unlock special treasure levels that give you the opportunity to earn “teeth” rubies. The gameplay has so much going on in it’s 2D environment, styled very much to the art of the original, and the platforming gameplay also bears a close resemblence, though there are of course a whole lot of upgrades and changes which work really well, so well in fact, that I have to say that this is the best Platformer title I have played this year. Sorry Mario.
The art design of the game is stunning, and is definitely one of the best looking games to come out this year. The 2D platforming with the layered 3D backdrops look beautiful and vibrant. The colours are mesmerising and stand out, elevating it above its competitors. Even the animations in the scenery looks extraordinary, and I was very shocked to see how many colours could ever be put into a game and work cohesively together. The levels themselves are amazing, from the icy mountains to the sandy deserts, implementing so many different shades of colours, making the game look rich. If you’re looking for a game that is oozing with colours and amazing 2D design then this is perfect for you. However, if you are easily distracted by pretty colours and ‘rainbow-like’ objects, then the design may lead to many deaths. There are some minor design elements that cause some issues, especially where the obstacles and backgrounds can blend together a little too well, again leading to some lost lives. This could also be caused by the fact that there is a lot going on in the levels, though sometimes maybe a little too much.
So far, with all the talk of the art style and platforming mechanics, I haven’t even touched on the soundtrack. Again, just like the other elements, it adds greatly to the game, slotting in nicely to enhance the already stunning looking (and sounding) title. I have nothing bad to say about the music at all, especially since I fell in love with its charming jazz themed songs instantly. The music is exhilarating and the combination of art and sound is top notch, overall, it’s an amazing mix and fits beautifully.
Overall
Rayman Origins is one of the best platforming titles I have played since Super Mario Bros 2. The gameplay features a lot of interesting elements which feel fresh and unique, and even though the local multiplayer feels a lot like Super Mario Bros Wii, there are many fundamental differences. The overall experience of the game was one which I won’t forget. Ubisoft choose four player local co-op instead of online functionality and it works really well. The design and sound are also worth picking up the game for. It seems Rayman is back, and let’s hope Ubisoft keep Rayman in this amazing form.
Game was reviewed on the Xbox 360.
Film Review: The Twilight Saga – Breaking Dawn Part 1
There has never really been anything approaching franchise deterioration or diminishing returns in the adaptations of Stephanie Meyers’ flagship series. In fact, the quality of the films seems to follow an inversion of the ‘Star Trek rule’, in which every odd numbered film is the weakest. Here the adequate Twilight was followed by the tiresome New Moon, which was in turn redeemed by the satisfyingly violent Eclipse. Breaking Dawn however fits the ‘even-numbered-equals-bad’ model of The Twilight Saga, with the elimination of Rachelle Lefevre/Bryce Dallas Howard’s Victoria the film has no core antagonist beyond a morally ambivalent werewolf clan. Bella Swan’s much hyped pregnancy renders the film as a pro-life/anti-abortion allegory that could only be described as ‘thinly-veiled’ if the veil in question barely registered on a subatomic level.
Beyond the standard gripes regarding Meyers’ rendition of vampires as walking icicles, the film is not without its sweet moments. The wedding reception speeches will incite giggles and the use of Iron & Wine’s ‘Flightless Bird, American Mouth’ at the altar (echoing Bella and Edward’s dance at the prom) will have Twi-hards weeping into their Team Edward/Jacob apparel. Other than momentary sparkles there is little to be excited about, even for devoted fans as the film plunges headlong into the moralistic soap we all feared from the beginning, so much so that the supernatural elements appear to disappear entirely. Stranger still, for a film in which a vamp and his newly shackled ball and chain honeymoon in Rio, Eddy (we can call him Eddy can’t we?) never sparkles once. Elsewhere we get an arbitrary anecdote from Edward that he used to feed on human men (the gay metaphor here seems to descend into self-parody, given Meyers’ staunch conservative stance) and what appears to be stock footage from The Fellowship of the Ring spliced into the opening montage.
The potential pregger-body horror of the proceedings is derailed efficiently by all the political posturing, Meyers’ could have melded symbolism with the monstrous but instead we are bludgeoned with sentiment without the integrity of storytelling. The story is troubling in that a foetus that is brutally killing our heroine is extolled, the bipolar ethics blurred more so by Bella’s bizarre choice to sacrifice herself whilst the surrounding characters debate abortion incessantly. Meyers’ problematic notions of unwanted childbearing won’t go rest well with rationalist thinkers, sentimentality may yet see baby ‘Renesme’ embraced as a miracle by the converted pro-lifers the film may yet convert.
The first Twilight now looks like an edgy, handheld, bleach-bypassed indie-shocker in comparison to its locked-off, neutral hued soap sequels. Any genre credibility will hopefully return in the odd-numbered final instalment, but given that the last shot of this film (regardless of its shameless pinching of an all too similar shot that closed Avatar) acts as more of a genuine climax than a cliff-hanger, you will begin to wonder if there is any more story to tell.
Review: Professor Layton & The Spectre’s Call
The Professor is back, and this time with a new female colleague by his side. This is Level-5′s 4th installment of the Professor and we are still yet to receive the Professors first 3DS title that launched in Japan for the 3DS. If you haven’t checked out our Professor Layton and the Lost Future review then click here to check out our rating.
Story
The story takes place three years before Professor Layton and the Curious Village, making it a prequel to the previous titles. The game takes place in a fictional village going by the name of Misthalley. The story is based around a legend known as specter who rose from the mist to defend the village whenever the Specter’s Flute was played. Now the spectre is known to be causing havoc in this little village which catches the Professor’s Eye to go and investigate. The story begins with a cut scene showing a woman named Emmy Altava, who mentions she has met the Professor before but the Professor insist’s he hasn’t. Emmy who is hired to become Professor Layton’s Assistant at the Gressenheller University where the Professor works. As the story progress Luke get’s brought into the story and helps with the hunt for the Spectre. The story this time around appealed to me so much more than the other titles. I think probably for the fact that you don’t start the game off with the Professor and Luke so the variety of characters before the orignal storyline open up and you see how the Professor was before Luke helped him with his adventures.
Gameplay
If you have played previous Professor Layton titles then the gameplay style of this wont come to a shock. This installment continues to play as a puzzle game, with a mix of adventure presented with the story line and gameplay elements. Throughout the game you will not only play as Layton as there are three protagonists . The game is set in a village called Misthallery. During the game you will notice that the Professor has a new assistant known as Emmy Altava, and don’t worry Luke returns. As you progress you will take control of these three characters and aim to solve the mysteries of the village and progress further in the main story. The village Misthallery sets the story into separate sections, and you will have to complete a certain section before the other parts of the game can be accessed. Throughout the game you will be able to find hidden collectibles, investigate objects and unlock more parts of the dialogue, hint coins and hidden puzzles. The gameplay is solid like the other Professor Layton titles and starts of easy for new players unlike the other titles. I however found that some of the puzzles wern’t interesting enough and felt a bit repetitive compared to the previous titles. There is a lot of new puzzles and some will cause some issues for previous players of the series, if you like a challenge then this title will pack a punch. At first I didn’t enjoy the puzzles as I found them to be a bit to full on, but as I actually sat there thinking about them more I felt proud that I accomplished the puzzles. My brain and I slept well once we completed the game. If you are struggling however don’t forget there are hint coins to give you hints on how to complete that puzzle, I recomend saving them for the harder ones as you may need it.
Some players may not notice whilst playing but there is another feature that grabbed my attention and this was caused by the new small mini-games that are playable in the main game, which come available by selecting them from the Professor’s Suitcase, which you can play whenever you are moving across the town. However you will have to progress far enough in the main game before being able to play the mini-games. The mini-games included are a Toy Train, a Fish, and a Puppet Theater. After progressing far enough into the story, you will also be on the hunt for mice in Misthallery to earn “mouse badges” and gain access to another minigame, known as “Mouse Alley.”
Design
The design still follows the same artistic vision the previous titles have, there haven’t been any noticeable upgrades with the graphical detail with the game, this isn’t an issue at all as the game has always looked amazing. The story location actually makes this Professor title stand out amugst the previous trillogy. The cutscenes still remain to look like a brilliant animated film, keeping animations smooth and looking how we want the Professor to look. I always have wondered however… Does he sleep in that suit?
Soundtrack
The soundtrack in the game made me just sit there with my DS on playing these amazing songs. The theme of The Spectre’s Call welcomed me to the game with open arms and I just wanted to hug the musical notes that were being played. I couldn’t. I would even recommend just picking up the title just to experience the soundtrack for yourself. It makes the game almost perfect and makes it easy to forget it’s flaws. Heck, even Square Enix Music rated the soundtrack an 8 out of 10.
Overall
Professor Layton in the Spectre’s Call is probably one of my favourite titles for the story line, for some reason I just enjoyed the presentation in this title much more than the others and this is one I will revisit to find the hidden gems the game has to offer. The soundtrack makes the experience an even more enjoyable one, with the puzzles still putting a challenge on who ever dares to adventure into the Spectre’s Call.
Retro Review: Luigi’s Mansion Video Review
Daniel, James, and cjszero01 aka Cameron (who edited the video) give you their thoughts on Luigi’s Mansion for it’s 10th anniversary. Luigi gets his first big lead role (not counting Mario is Missing because no one cares about that) and is used to launch what was Nintendo’s new amazing console back then. People were rather shocked that Mario didn’t appear instead. Is Luigi’s Mansion a worthy substitute or did they really need Mario for this one?
Find out in our review.
Average Score: 4/5 = 9/10 In The Push-Start ratings.
Let us know what you thought about Luigi’s Mansion in the comments below.
Saints Row The Third (Video Review)
Wanted to know if Saints Row : The Third is worth picking up? Well with this Honest Games Review you shall find your answer.
Keep checking back on the site for the full indepth written review.
Film Review: The Future
During one of the early moments of Miranda July’s latest (and belated), a little girl in an animal adoption home reveals that ‘my mommy left me, she’s a free spirit’. The following sentence would naturally permit a correlation between the aforementioned child and a similarly estranged audience. But the truth is that the film – even for a film with such an avid knit-cap hipster core demo – isn’t remotely bad or irritating enough to level such a delightfully cruel invective upon. What is surprising however is that for film in which the director/star also puppeteers and voices a neglected cat named Paw Paw, that it never forces the quirk that other hipster hacks like Wes Anderson or his chum Noah Baumbach revel in. The strangest sensation running through The Future is the fact that you begin to miss it.
Indeed, the film revels in melancholy. Failure is the order of the day for the central couple played by July and similarly mop-headed co-star Haimish Linklater, a pair of regret sodden thirtysomethings. During the film they will fail to perform thirty dances in a month, maintain their commitment, sell trees and adopt a cat. Yet, there is something endearing about the two of them. Their antics (or lack thereof) are sweet natured enough, but then that is symptomatic of the overall problem with the proceedings. What is the point to anything if nothing has any point? The conclusion has no catharsis, apparently supernatural events take place without any real rhyme or reason and aren’t even treated whimsically enough to justify them. It is impossible to be emotionally invested in characters who wallow in their despondency, certainly there is a truthfulness to the fact that we will all look back and wonder ‘where it all went wrong?’ The difference is however that life doesn’t stop there, The Future here ironically grinds to a halt. Possibility is thrown asunder and complacency holds sway in the closing moments of the film. Rendering the proceedings meaningless, or otherwise unsympathetically apathetic.
All complaints considered, July is undeniably imaginative and inventive in what she is keen to show us. With the medium of film she finds a unique outlet for her own brand of performance art, from being stalked and encapsulated by a stretchy yellow t-shirt with a life of its own and of course the personification of Paw Paw himself. She also demonstrates a flair with sound, even silence seems to have its own unique identity at times. It’s a shame that she isn’t more capable in conjuring a story as equally open to invention, in fact, one suspects that a collaboration between her and DIY music video whizz Michel Gondry is just what the doctor ordered.
Retro Review: Halo: Combat Evolved
To kick-start this series of retro reviews, we have picked a special one just for you power hungry Xbox fans. Remember the day the original Xbox was released. I do. I also remember the first game I got on that Xbox; Halo: Combat Evolved. This game changed me in a special way. I never really enjoyed shoot-em games, as the only one I ever played was Goldeneye on the N64. This game put my faith in these types of games back into perspective. It also helped shape the way I looked at fantasy games as well as shoot em ups. I am an avid Zelda fan and will continuously play those games, but with games like Halo, which constantly grasp the audience and the viewers so well with the ever growing universe that holds these rings, I couldn’t just say no, could I?
Back in the day the graphics were top notch. Everything about the look and stylistically was amazing. We could see a brand new world that no one had ventured through before. Of course as with every game this had it’s fair share of glitches, but I shall not dwell on that. This was a beautiful game. The music accompanied the scenery to ut-most perfection and brought together Halo. Of course we had the aliens to, who didn’t look horrible or scary, just like normal aliens. They were a nuisance and you had to fight the Covenant for power over Halo, a ring with magnificent power. Of course there is more to this than meets the eye. This is later explained in the next installments of the game, as the series becomes more popular and popular amongst the fans themselves.
When we look at the soundtrack we can see that there are a few tracks that stay with us for a while and maybe still to this day. The title music is the most gripping, with the choir singing their part, the soft back up of classical musicians and the lead into a rockier, heavier sound, which brings out the fight in all of all. Of course as the game progresses we begin to recognize where the music is to be played and which bits make sense and so forth. The music throughout the game is constant and Martin O’Donnell has done an amazing job bringing together such an amazing soundtrack, which I myself still listen to at this moment of time.
The story involves a character that makes even Chuck Norris cringe. You take control of Master Chief, one of the last Spartans alive due to a previous war. Spartan number 117 and perhaps the greatest of them all, Master Chief sets out to stop the Covenant and Halo from gaining control and power over the universe. The mission of this game is to assemble human survivors after the Pillar of Autumn crashes and find Captain Keyes. This also follows on to finding a new enemy named the flood, which are a very old race. I won’t go too much into the story there are many who have not played this game and should experience this to it’s full extent. Of course they will be able to do this with the current remake of this game, which features Reach’s multiplayer experience.
Multiplayer was a big part of this game, as two of you could go through the main storyline together and/or just battle against each other on various maps, with up to 16 people. This game has been rated as one of the greatest multiplayer games created and still lives on with that title today! There may have not been many maps shipped with the game, but when you consider how well the maps were laid out and the thought of trying to kill your friends on maps that are still considered very large in comparison to some of the Reach maps.
Of course, one big thing about this game is its weaponry. The Halo 1 pistol is considered as one of the most powerful weapons. Ever. In the Halo franchise, there has never been anything as powerful as this one. The other weapons are standard, even though I do still have fun with the rocket launcher and still hate the sniper. The addition to pick up Alien weapons also adds to the games fun factor, but I can’t shack the feeling that they are not as great as the human weapons.
Overall this game is Nostalgic. One of the most perfect games out there and you can’t generally ever get better than this. Pick this up before the new remake and experience the way the game played before the 360. It will guarantee the satisfaction you desire!
Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary is released tomorrow on Xbox 360!
Film Review: Wuthering Heights
Literature is open to interpretation, as are its icons. Batman & Robin screenwriter Akiva Goldsman even defended his nippled, butch-camp iteration of The Caped Crusader as what icons needed, to be reworked and redefined. However, where is the threshold that limits this? When is far enough truly enough? Conventional wisdom is frustrating, clearly a sentiment at the heart of Andrea Arnold’s (director of breakout Indie Brit-drama Fish Tank) apparently unorthodox rendition of Emily Brontë’s classic novella. It already host to multiple adaptations (imdb.com lists 15 adaptations in the past century and decade) so naturally Arnold has set out to carve out a niche for her version, the carving implement however is a blunt one.
As someone who accepted the Oscar for her short film Wasp by declaring it (before a bemused crowd of Academy voters) ‘the dog’s bo****ks’, Arnold isn’t known for her subtlety. Her now trademark use of 4:3 aspect ratio, coupled with volatile close up handheld camera (obviously reverse engineered from the Dardenne Bros’ Rosetta). Arnold is conscientious of the typical sweeping orchestral score of costume drama; by abandoning it the sound design is forced to take its place. The environment is loud, pounding and wearing. The camera is furious, close up and turbulent. The editing darts from sequence to sequence, frantically infusing the existing scenes with extreme close ups of the muddy surroundings. That 4:3 aspect ratio in this case, rather than immersing the viewer vertically (akin to IMAX aspect ratio) simply tightens your view. The sound pummels you whilst the film constricts around you: an audio-visual bottleneck.
Arnold seems hell-bent on declaring every facet of the Yorkshire landscape erotic. Mud is fondled, ravines are ogled like vaginas, shrub is tugged and groped in euphoric bursts. Arnold even goes so far to juxtapose a ‘dogging’ couple with a pair of frolicking dogs. With such an assaultive and crass arrangement on display, conventional wisdom states that the film should be unbearable. Thankfully there is enough reverence to the source material to justify the sturm and drang. The story at its core isn’t the romance we expect, but a revenge narrative closer in fact to Shelley’s Frankenstein. Brutality begets retaliation and misery indeed made Heathcliff- the young gypsy adopted by a Yorkshire family- a fiend. Arnold here depicts Heathcliff as black and directs the animosity toward the character as purely racial, something evident in part in Brontë’s source material. Consequently, the antagonist Hindley is now painted in broad strokes as the buzz-cutted racist, working class white man. The dialogue has now been infused with strong profanity (notably the ‘f’ and ‘c’ bombs) and one particular racist epithet (begins with ‘n’, sounds like ‘digger’ etc). None are anachronistic given that examples of f**k date as far back as the 1500’s, but the impression gained is that Arnold seems to think these choices are arch and bold. They become more distracting than they ought to, the thematic justification does exist however.
It’s a shame that Arnold’s methodology has no time to take in idiosyncrasy or nuance. James Howson makes for a more than acceptable older Heathcliff, his shortcomings in characterisation appear to lie more in the writing and direction of his role. We can’t appreciate the performances as they are shrouded in a blur, wrapped in bluster. There is intent amongst this piece, Arnold is certainly in a dialogue with the material, but she is reacting against existing versions by extrapolating the aggression of the story aesthetically. Compared to the other recent Brontë adaptation of Jane Eyre (featuring Mia Wasikowska and the always excellent Michael Fassbender), that adaptation was indeed conventional but it was a piece that can be remembered as an effective whole. Jane Eyre is the better film, Wuthering Heights is the more honest adaptation however. Arnold aims toward anarchy in her rendition of Wuthering Heights, unfortunately she very nearly ends up out-shouting previous versions. That said Brontë fans will find plenty to admire thematically, in that respect, one can’t help but wonder whether or not the film’s blur of fury was actually its greatest success all along.
Film Review: Immortals
Workaholic commercials director and sporadic filmmaker Tarsem Dhandwar Singh (as he’s credited this time) is a tough nut to crack. Part haute couture fetishist, part mainstream proto-auteur. For someone with only four films to his name to far including upcoming Snow White adaptation Mirror, Mirror (due in March 2012) and the little seen curio The Fall (as well as the J-Lo cyberpunk oddity The Cell), he’s certainly been gaining momentum in the past few years. Although that would depend on how you gauge his identity as a filmmaker, even with three films on release (two on the shelves, one in theatres) is he really so unique? Arguably Judy Taymor already popularised sculptural headwear and flaky bodypaint, Zhang Yimou has already had his way with swathes of boldly coloured armies and Ken Russell paved the way before them with his stylised production design for The Devils. Immortals doesn’t necessarily represent a leap for Tarsem, the film itself represents the work of someone familiar with the ins and outs of mainstream movies and yet able to sell his OTT aesthetic hard enough to the Hollywood machine.
As a work of entertainment however, it’s a mixed bag. Tarsem can certainly command us through the narrative visually, we know who the good and bad guys are: a good start there (elementary though it may be) and he certainly doesn’t skimp on the bone cracking (if generic) slow-mo infused action. Though he loses his way in regard to how to ground his story. Zeus and co may be bright gold, but their mortal counterparts often look as divine. Such stylisation blurs our reaction to the onscreen events and we become disconnected. Not helped by the simplistic character donation; the Theif, the Oracle and the Old Man etc. Made worse by the fact many characters appear to go unnamed or the fact that we are expected to know who many of them are, sure we recognise Poseidon with his spear but this won’t mean squat for the uninitiated. A little geography would have helped as well, characters travel far and yonder and yet we never know where their enemies are in relation to them. Minor quibbles for any other film, but with storytelling this simplistic it begs for clarity. Even a silent movie would have at least shown us a map.
The performances don’t offer anything above adequate nor unremarkable; Henry Cavill is serviceable as Theseus although one wonders how exactly he is going to fare as the Man of Steel. For the moment however, he’s no Chris Pine in the charisma stakes but he’s thankfully no Hayden Christensen either. We’ll wait and see in regard to his future. Steven Dorff is underused, Freida Pinto has nothing to do beyond appear. Mickey Rourke growls and executes an unlucky henchman in every scene, only Luke Evans as Zeus is able to maintain any gravity among the weak supporting cast. In fact, for a film called Immortals it is odd that the film isn’t about them rather than the mortals. Certainly, Tarsem clearly set out to make a pop video-fable about the nature of belief (give him credit, he’s brainer than Zack Snyder) but when the predicament of the mortals is so dull (how many revenge motivations are we on now?) the infighting and animosity amongst the Olympians becomes the most compelling of the entire movie.
The film to its credit does share the intriguing idea of gods killing each other, as well as a refreshingly bleak outlook on Greek mythology missing from previous renditions (Clash of the Titans etc) and much closer in tone to the original stories themselves. Admittedly, Clash had a better soundtrack and 300 was more coherant. Visually there is little to fault (outside of clearly rubber breastplates and paint peeling off shields in one particular scene) and the cast isn’t terrible. 3D-wise, for a post-production conversion will give your money’s worth with little to complain about. What’s missing is any significance, it is as hollow as you’d expect from something so ornate. Perfunctory but hardly stupid, that said you’d expect better from something so excessive.
Review: RAGE
Step into the beautiful and terrifying world of Rage where you must fight every second to survive within this deathly post-apocalyptic environment. Be it from the unspeakable horrors that lurk in the darkness to the psychotic murderers that terrorise the wasteland, you will find yourself running, shooting and driving to the point of insanity in order to save yourself and the rugged survivors that you encounter throughout your perilous journey.
A terrible catastrophe has befallen the planet which has resulted in global fallout. During the golden age of civilization where the human race revelled in their technological advancements and marvelled at the infinite possibilities, a lone asteroid dubbed, Aphophis, completed it’s long journey towards the solar system crashing into the moon and finally impacting with Earth obliterating cities, drying up lakes and oceans and ultimately wiping out the majority of the human population and creatures alike. Before the meteor fell however, scientists came up with a plan they named the Eden Project where they had advanced Ark facilities built deep underground holding hundreds of cryogenic stasis pods in a hope to preserve human life and all its history, which now takes us to the present day.
106 years has passed since impact and the world has finally begun to settle, unknowing if it will ever truly heal. Remnants of the human population have been found holed up in make-shift towns where new civilizations have been brought to life and new lives have brought new opportunities to once again make the world a sustainable environment to live. As one of the few survivors of Apophis you have now awoken from your stasis to find yourself alone in a dead post-apocalyptic setting where towering buildings sit in ruin, monstrous creatures roam in solitude and tribes of savage men battle one another in the endless wastes of the desert. But monsters and savages aren’t the least of your troubles. The highly dangerous Authority who act so as their name states, are a ruthless group of soldiers who despise all other life and aim to turn Earth into their ideal world where they are the supreme rulers. As an Ark survivor you instantly become their top priority, as their unending thirst for knowledge (history) has driven them across the world for your kind and will likely dispose of you if they can’t take from you the knowledge of the past. During the past few years however, Authority have increasingly expanded their influence upon the various human settlements of the wasteland which has no doubt ignited many fuses, giving rise to the rightfully named Resistance, a band of wasteland survivors who fight only for freedom, and being the person you are, you may be just the person to help them obtain it.
As soon as you start up the game you find yourself dropped into the world without a great deal of knowledge or purpose and with such a huge environment to engross yourself within, it can be easy to become a little lost. However id Software has done a great job to combat that and have implemented a number of ways to keep you on the beaten track. As the main story goes, you are pretty much the main centre of attention which will keep you on your feet as you will have people from all corners of the game asking you to do all sorts of odd jobs for them which can sometimes get in the way or at least remove you from the compelling narrative. However the same thing goes for the storyline which will also features a huge variety of colourful and bland character (depending on how you see them) to interact with and gain their trust which will of course then have you running errands in order to further the story.
That said, the open world of Rage isn’t there for you to simply trek around in, shooting bandits in the face but for you to blast around with your dune buggy, taking out other four wheeled psychos with your mini-guns and rockets. And with so much off road terrain to race around in there will no doubt be some awesome jumps to gain some height from. Not only do the jumps provide you with some quick and simple fun but they each ask for a certain amount of speed to reach the hovering nodes that float close by waiting for you to smash through them. There is also some fun to be had in the multiplayer modes which will pit you against a number of other competitive drivers all itching to blow each other to bits while you race around the selected maps, unlocking various new weapons, upgrades and vehicles. While cruising around the wasteland you will notice that your car isn’t invincible and that it will soon start losing parts or even set aflame if you’re not careful. Luckily this can be combated with the help of some friendly locals who will gladly fix up your wheels and even let you buy upgrades depending on your racing skills. In certain towns you can participate in competitive combat races and time trials which if you win, you will be rewarded with certificates that you can exchange for upgrades such as extra boosters, larger engines or even a nice change of paint if you’re feeling in the need for some change.
It’s too bad there aren’t as many customisation features with the weaponry as there are others, but with so many different weapon types I’m sure that factor will soon leave your mind. Not only are there a heap of guns and other ranged weapons to pick up but each of them have their own selection of ammunition, each carrying their own perks such as the explosive shotgun shells or the humorous exploding arrows that will have your foes running around in despair moments before they become mince meat. There are also other helpful ammo types that do more than peak your destructiveness such as the electro bolts that can silently remove multiple enemies at once, working more effectively if they’re standing in water of course. Additionally Rage will have you constructing various objects to help you during your journey that can to help reach new areas or just give you that extra firepower if you’re in a tight spot. No wonder you are prompted so early on to pick up everything in sight since each material you find can be used and combined to create certain items such as lock grinders, sentry turrets or even explosive RC cars that will no doubt give your enemies a fright once they see it rolling in beside them.
The combat system utilized throughout the game is simple, easy and downright fun which only helps to make the game an even more enjoyable experience no matter how many times you play. The enemy encounters have been designed very well to provide you with memorable battles throughout while almost showing off to you what the game can really produce. The bulk of the game revolves around the intense firefights which is an area that id Software have truly poured their expertise in as every time you find yourself blasting metal at your foes you honestly feel like a part of the game simply because every time you pull the trigger or send a grenade flying, you immediately see and understand the cause and effect factor that has been perfectly implemented within the game’s mechanics.
It’s no mystery to why Rage asks for so much memory on any console but I’m positive it is the same reason that makes this title so amazing. The detail id have injected into Rage is beyond measure, sure there may be some texture popping here and there and only for a second or two but all of that quickly fades from memory once you gaze open-jawed at the stunning beauty that thrives within every inch of the game. Everywhere from the loneliest dusty alleys of Wellspring to the towering and decayed buildings of Dead City can you find layers upon layers of colour and detail that drench the landscape in fascinating elegance, giving the game its own sense of personality that only pulls you deeper into the narrative. The character animations featured throughout have also been implemented and infused with great detail as each and every survivor, savage and mutant you come across carries their own demeanour within the game and whether they are fighting or just conversing with one another it makes them feel like a substantial part of the story. And with a range of great voice acting roles such as actor John Goodman, you feel like you are there with them, acting as you would in the various situations you are presented with.
As amazing as the game looks, we must also give equal praise to the deep and engaging soundtrack that plays a massive part within the game from start to finish. Each environment the game places you in holds its own theme and background that can easily transform a cautiously peaceful trek through the wasteland into an intense fight for survival as each score that plays cunningly describes your journey with great detail and accuracy. Some of the most memorable parts in the game come from the soundtrack alone as the tranquil towns scattered across the wasteland make you feel at home with the warm and inviting music that makes you almost forget about the reality of the wastes or even the eerie abandoned cities that continuously put you on edge as the music shifts and changes to imply caution or danger around every corner.
As you may have guessed, Rage isn’t just your standard run of the mill fps, with its huge selection of rich open world themes, intense firefights and fast paced pedal to the metal driving, the various action-adventure aspects pose as a constant reminder of the overall direction id Software were taking with the game, providing us with more than just a genre focused title but a dynamic and diverse experience that persistently expands allowing for different play styles and preferences that help make the game a hugely immersive experience all together. While many of the characters found in the game provide you with the opportunities to continue your journey, they don’t always make a huge impression on you and therefore seem to fall a little shy of expectations. That said, when Rage wants to impress – it will – as everything from the various combat features to the open world car battles to the elegant detail consuming the landscape, all truly shine with brilliance which will no doubt have players coming back time and again for more of this stunning and professionally crafted game.
