9 out of 10
Wow. Brilliant, just a few minor hiccups for developers Rocksteady to polish up next time. The best Batman game ever, the best comic book game ever, one of the best third-person action adventures ever.
Not only is this a good Batman game, it's actually a good piece of Batman fiction for any medium. It goes slightly wonky at the end, a bit too 'gamey' but it's forgivable, since it is actually a game. In fact it's one of the few disappointments in this amazing product - that it so strictly follows the conventions of gaming and doesn't push beyond them very often.
It does have the odd moment of stepping outside convention and when it does, it's brilliantly done, so I hope there's more structural innovation next time.
Fortunately, it executes gaming's conventions absolutely brilliantly. A huge amount of care and attention has gone into polishing every single aspect of the game. Everything it tries to do is done flawlessly. The combat is simple to get into but has enormous subtlety and depth to it (as you will learn when you play the Challenge Mode levels) - enough to make you want to replay to see what would happen armed with your new knowledge of the systems. Characterisation, writing, voice acting (mostly) are excellent. It's also the first game I can remember where dying was actually enjoyable, such is the quality and imagination in the death screens.
It really feels like Batman. He's the world's greatest detective (the game contains a variety of optional mysteries to solve) and he's also totally awesome at kicking ass. Nothing rattles him, he dominates his environment and his enemies, spreading fear as he goes. This crucial feeling of being the Bat is totally nailed. It's therefore a slight disappointment that you can't use the shadows the way you can in a Splinter Cell game.
This is one of those rare games where the environment also feels like a character. Arkham comes alive, beautifully realised, completely coherent and intriguing. There are only a couple of bits where it feels constructed for a game, otherwise it is organic and convincingly old.
And this brings us to another problem with the game. Maybe it's not a problem but it feels like one to me. There's a 'detective mode' that lets you scan your environment for enemies and it is so useful and so well executed that there's rarely any reason to switch it off, meaning you end up playing the whole thing in a schematic x-ray view and miss all the beautiful artwork. It puts a little bit of a barrier between you and the game world, which is a shame. I think it needs solving somehow next time.
Overall though, this game is utterly fantastic. With a slight rethink regarding detective mode, a bit more playing fast-and-loose with genre conventions (particularly with regard to boss battles) and some thought about how to use light and shadow, the next game could be something very, very special indeed.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Sunday, July 05, 2009
'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' - Game review
8 out of 10
I haven't seen the film that this tied in with but if every film licence resulted in a game as good as this one we should all be very happy. I assume it follows the film fairly closely, since everything ties in with the little I know from trailers and previews.
It's not that important though because the main thing is that this is an extremely good game about being Wolverine. It feels like Wolverine, staying very true to the character and really conveying the raw power and speed of the savage beast within.
It's a bit too graphically violent, which I don't think is strictly necessary, but it certainly makes you feel cool when you slice an enemy into three and it shows it lovingly in slow motion. The game will probably feel repetitive to some people, being the same basic combat over and over and over again. But it's executed so well, and liberally sprinkled with show-stopping one-off set pieces, that I was never bored.
Great fun if you like the film, the character, or just scrolling beat-em-ups in general. The best movie-licensed game for some time.
I haven't seen the film that this tied in with but if every film licence resulted in a game as good as this one we should all be very happy. I assume it follows the film fairly closely, since everything ties in with the little I know from trailers and previews.
It's not that important though because the main thing is that this is an extremely good game about being Wolverine. It feels like Wolverine, staying very true to the character and really conveying the raw power and speed of the savage beast within.
It's a bit too graphically violent, which I don't think is strictly necessary, but it certainly makes you feel cool when you slice an enemy into three and it shows it lovingly in slow motion. The game will probably feel repetitive to some people, being the same basic combat over and over and over again. But it's executed so well, and liberally sprinkled with show-stopping one-off set pieces, that I was never bored.
Great fun if you like the film, the character, or just scrolling beat-em-ups in general. The best movie-licensed game for some time.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
'Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan' - Film review
8 out of 10
An inspirational story of finding love in unlikely places. A TV reporter from Kazakhstan dreams of the world beyond and resolves to go to America to help find a better life for himself and his village. Along the way he encounters intolerance and various other hardships but his faith and love of a special woman keep him going.
I found this to be very moving, deconstructing the American dream while also giving deep insight into a little known culture. I understand that many viewers find Borat to be a figure of ridicule and end up laughing at him. I found him to be sincere, honest and inspirational. His open-mindedness should be an example to us all.
An inspirational story of finding love in unlikely places. A TV reporter from Kazakhstan dreams of the world beyond and resolves to go to America to help find a better life for himself and his village. Along the way he encounters intolerance and various other hardships but his faith and love of a special woman keep him going.
I found this to be very moving, deconstructing the American dream while also giving deep insight into a little known culture. I understand that many viewers find Borat to be a figure of ridicule and end up laughing at him. I found him to be sincere, honest and inspirational. His open-mindedness should be an example to us all.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
'Transporter 3' - Film review
7 out of 10
Look, I know this film is rubbish. I know some of the sequences are physically impossible. I know there's limited requirement for acting or dialogue. But who cares?! Jason Statham fights 10 people at once, drives a big Audi with a lovely engine, rides a bike through a factory, jumps around a lot, fights some more people, uses his clothes as weapons, all without descending to the puerile level of Crank... Awesome.
There aren't any stand-out moments to match the fight on the oil-slick floor from the original Transporter movie but I was still applauding by the end. If you care about things like plot and whatever then don't bother. I you just want a laugh with some kick-ass stupidity, reminiscent of Jackie Chan movies at their best, I can heartily recommend this whole series.
Look, I know this film is rubbish. I know some of the sequences are physically impossible. I know there's limited requirement for acting or dialogue. But who cares?! Jason Statham fights 10 people at once, drives a big Audi with a lovely engine, rides a bike through a factory, jumps around a lot, fights some more people, uses his clothes as weapons, all without descending to the puerile level of Crank... Awesome.
There aren't any stand-out moments to match the fight on the oil-slick floor from the original Transporter movie but I was still applauding by the end. If you care about things like plot and whatever then don't bother. I you just want a laugh with some kick-ass stupidity, reminiscent of Jackie Chan movies at their best, I can heartily recommend this whole series.
'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor' - Film review
3 out of 10
Despite starting strongly with Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, Rob Cohen's Hollywood career is littered with fairly inept dross. The Mummy series is not exactly complex entertainment but it has always at least been entertaining. However, even this simple formula is not impervious to Cohen's ham-fisted handling. Most the ingredients are there (no Rachel Weisz and technically not actually a mummy...) but almost every aspect is executed with no more thought than "Hey, a vomiting Yak would be funny!" Nobody really looks like they want to be there or know what they're meant to be doing, with even Jet Li and John Hannah just going through the motions for their pay cheques. I've nothing against brain-off entertainment (as you'll see in my next review) but not when it seems like the people who made it had their brains switched off as well.
Despite starting strongly with Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, Rob Cohen's Hollywood career is littered with fairly inept dross. The Mummy series is not exactly complex entertainment but it has always at least been entertaining. However, even this simple formula is not impervious to Cohen's ham-fisted handling. Most the ingredients are there (no Rachel Weisz and technically not actually a mummy...) but almost every aspect is executed with no more thought than "Hey, a vomiting Yak would be funny!" Nobody really looks like they want to be there or know what they're meant to be doing, with even Jet Li and John Hannah just going through the motions for their pay cheques. I've nothing against brain-off entertainment (as you'll see in my next review) but not when it seems like the people who made it had their brains switched off as well.
Monday, June 08, 2009
'Hancock' - Film review
7 out of 10
A very unusual super hero story. A flawed, human character who is also anything but human. The whole film hangs on Will Smith and Charlize Theron, but that's fine because they're both great in most things they do. Unfortunately the same can't be said of the bad guys, who are pretty rubbish playing against such big stars.
The film tries to be an interesting story of loss and redemption and almost manages it, but just in case it's not working it makes sure to spend enough time with Will Smith being funny and Charlize Theron as eye candy to keep all sections of the audience happy. Worked for me.
A very unusual super hero story. A flawed, human character who is also anything but human. The whole film hangs on Will Smith and Charlize Theron, but that's fine because they're both great in most things they do. Unfortunately the same can't be said of the bad guys, who are pretty rubbish playing against such big stars.
The film tries to be an interesting story of loss and redemption and almost manages it, but just in case it's not working it makes sure to spend enough time with Will Smith being funny and Charlize Theron as eye candy to keep all sections of the audience happy. Worked for me.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
'Letters from Iwo Jima' - Film review
7 out of 10
I could pretty much have folded this review into that of Flags of our Fathers, its companion film. I had the same overall feelings.
However, there are some things of special note here. It's rare that anybody outside Japan tries to show the Japanese view of WWII events. For Hollywood to take up the baton and do a very good job of it is really very unexpected. This is an extremely good, well researched, sympathetic film. It does a great job of showing that people are just people, the world over. There are good and bad in all walks of life.
I did find it a little odd though that the sympathetically portrayed characters are also the least Japanese in their thinking. It's the radical free thinkers that we are made to care most about and the old traditionalists are shown as being the least human and least humane. In particular, the Imperial Headquarters are made to look like idiots.
It seems clear that the message of the film is that thinking of "honour" before people is wrong. I guess I can't disagree with that. The fact that the film made me wonder about this, and consider where the truth may lie, is an undoubted strength. The film makers should be congratulated for taking this on and taking it so seriously. But I came away thinking that maybe Hollywood still isn't really ready to get underneath the skin of the old enemy and try to understand in any great depth.
I could pretty much have folded this review into that of Flags of our Fathers, its companion film. I had the same overall feelings.
However, there are some things of special note here. It's rare that anybody outside Japan tries to show the Japanese view of WWII events. For Hollywood to take up the baton and do a very good job of it is really very unexpected. This is an extremely good, well researched, sympathetic film. It does a great job of showing that people are just people, the world over. There are good and bad in all walks of life.
I did find it a little odd though that the sympathetically portrayed characters are also the least Japanese in their thinking. It's the radical free thinkers that we are made to care most about and the old traditionalists are shown as being the least human and least humane. In particular, the Imperial Headquarters are made to look like idiots.
It seems clear that the message of the film is that thinking of "honour" before people is wrong. I guess I can't disagree with that. The fact that the film made me wonder about this, and consider where the truth may lie, is an undoubted strength. The film makers should be congratulated for taking this on and taking it so seriously. But I came away thinking that maybe Hollywood still isn't really ready to get underneath the skin of the old enemy and try to understand in any great depth.
'Flags of our Fathers' - Film review
7 out of 10
A technical marvel, with some stunning scenes (I particularly liked the brief shots from inside attack planes). We've come to expect this from Spielberg and a lot of the film seems to speak of him as producer rather than Eastwood as director. However, there's no denying that Clint Eastwood is a great director and ably handles both the bombast and the smaller, personal scenes extremely well.
Maybe it was because I watched it in a couple of sittings but I found that large parts of this film didn't grip me. The progression of events was pretty obvious (even without knowing the real history very well) and the middle of the film really labours a few simple points.
The beginning and the end are great though. Very affecting and absorbing. However, I would still recommend that if you want to see brilliant portrayals of the horrors of World War II, watch Schindler's List and Band of Brothers.
A technical marvel, with some stunning scenes (I particularly liked the brief shots from inside attack planes). We've come to expect this from Spielberg and a lot of the film seems to speak of him as producer rather than Eastwood as director. However, there's no denying that Clint Eastwood is a great director and ably handles both the bombast and the smaller, personal scenes extremely well.
Maybe it was because I watched it in a couple of sittings but I found that large parts of this film didn't grip me. The progression of events was pretty obvious (even without knowing the real history very well) and the middle of the film really labours a few simple points.
The beginning and the end are great though. Very affecting and absorbing. However, I would still recommend that if you want to see brilliant portrayals of the horrors of World War II, watch Schindler's List and Band of Brothers.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
'The Mercy Seat' - Book review
A fairly standard thriller but set in Newcastle and written rather better than something like a Harlan Coben. It's also rather more violent than I'd expect from what is essentially airport bookshop fare. If you can stomach it then it is really rather enjoyable and I'm sure I'll read more books from this series in future.
The Mercy Seat on Amazon
The Mercy Seat on Amazon
'Prince Caspian' - Film review
7 out of 10
I'm a Chronicles of Narnia fan and this is rather different from the book, but not in any way I objected to. It cares more for battle and spectacle than personalities but that's okay, it's a Hollywood blockbuster so it's understandable. It's the same reason they're missing out the less box office friendly books from the series.
It tries a little bit to be Lord of the Rings and fails, but succeeds with less ambitious targets - i.e. simply providing 140 minutes of fun. Most of the characters are well portrayed, though Reepicheep is my favourite character in the book and has the least justice done here.
Ignoring any literary considerations, this is a fun family blockbuster and kept me entertained throughout. Roll on Dawn Treader, I say.
I'm a Chronicles of Narnia fan and this is rather different from the book, but not in any way I objected to. It cares more for battle and spectacle than personalities but that's okay, it's a Hollywood blockbuster so it's understandable. It's the same reason they're missing out the less box office friendly books from the series.
It tries a little bit to be Lord of the Rings and fails, but succeeds with less ambitious targets - i.e. simply providing 140 minutes of fun. Most of the characters are well portrayed, though Reepicheep is my favourite character in the book and has the least justice done here.
Ignoring any literary considerations, this is a fun family blockbuster and kept me entertained throughout. Roll on Dawn Treader, I say.
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