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Posted on March 30, 2016 by Fame — Leave a comment

Batman v Superman: The Review

Batman V Superman, the mother of all match ups finally did its Superhero landing this past Friday. And what a landing!

The movie seems to be critically panned by most yet is set to make mega moola.

So how did it really fare?

*super minor spoilers ahead*

Firstly the darkness of the movie was a breath of fresh air compared to all the humour we get from Marvel (don’t get me wrong I love the Stark/Banner Banter but too much one thing can be detrimental fro ones health ) but I also feel that they drenched it in darkness when a good soak was all that was needed. A little more humour would have balance it more.

The movie did feel cluttered at times but with Snyder having to manages 3 heroes and world/franchise building I can let that slide which is more poor editing than bad direction. But like I said before the shared universe has that effect and it’s a symptom we will have to live with if we want this multi-verse to continue.There were some obvious plot holes that may be done on purpose and this shall only reveal itself in future instalments or could be just poor story telling.

The film is well cast ( more on that later) and for the most part well directed. There are some camera angles that seem less that courteous to the scene at times. Visually it is stunning, but with such a long development period I would expected nothing short of spectacular. The score felt right and my favourite was that of Wonder Woman in the final act.

Moving on to the cast, Batfleck seems to have nailed the Dark Knight but falls a little short on Bruce Wayne as there are times when it feels they are the same character and it shouldn’t, but time will heal that wound and IMO he has earned his seat as a worthy successor to Bale. His relationship with Alfred is captured beautifully and a key moment was him making old Al a cup of coffee. A scene that clearly defined there relationship is more than what appears on the surface.

Cavill seems to be settling into his role well and his second outing is an improvement, even his physique is larger. His romance with Lois felt a little fast tracked but again nothing one cant get past to enjoy the film. Ms Lane’s character is served well as one can but visually she looks a bit old for Clark but who am I to judge what Supe’s into these days.

Wonder Woman is a scene stealer in the best sense, her beauty, her strength and charisma shines through and will surely cement success in her solo outing. The only negative is that we never have enough of her.

Lex I must admit shattered all my fears of Eisenberg playing the role. His malice is unmatched (until a certain new green haired freak makes his début ) and his genius is on point. While others may say his eccentric was over the top, I applaud it and felt it was what would be in his youth in this time. He is so full of himself as only a Luther can be.

Snapping back to the film itself, I felt it delivered, adapting key Batman and Superman stories write out of comic book history and blending them together to create a cohesive story. So yes the movie is flawed is some ways but it certainly didn’t deserve the global panning which will probably hurt its box office returns.

This movie isn’t made to win over critics, it isn’t made to collect Oscars, it was made for the fans. It was made as fun popcorn blockbuster that brings together the holy trinity. And in that regards it succeeds.

All in all it is a solid entry into DC’s cinematic universe and even warrants a second viewing.

Lets give it a hard earned 4/5

As always BRING DA MAYHEM!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Fame — Leave a comment

Deadpool Review

I am not going to lie, I have been waiting for this movie for almost a decade so maybe my view maybe a little skewed, but then again when it comes to Deadpool you kinda need a skewed view to truly appreciate him.

In a world now filled with superheroes and world building, we get the refreshing enema in the form of Wade Wilson, the fan favourite Merc with a Mouth (and thank God it aint sworn shut).

The movie lives up the the well marketed hype and then some, even the opening credits reminds you, you aint in Kansas no more Dorothy.

The movie keeps the plot simple, while some might find that a bit boring for a Deadpool movie I felt it was necessary otherwise it would have distracted the average movie goer from the oddity (shout out to my boy ) of the movie itself. and that’s what Tim Miller has done well here, stayed true to the core character without alienating the general audience. But that’s not only what he and star Ryan Reynolds do well. They show us they can do X-Men better than X-Men, case in point Colossus. Never has the character been better depicted, from the thick Russian accent to the physique and his humble persona.

I will admit the villains were pretty underdeveloped but the movie makes you forget that with the well placed wit and humour… oh the humour, always the right dosage, always the right time.

In short Deadpool is a fun filled ride that’s the perfect break from all the intense franchise and their sometimes convoluted shares universe. You don’t need to catch up on 7 movies to know what is going on, you don’t need to buy a mountain load of back issues to understand the character. All you need is a barrel of popcorn and large soda and you will get your moneys worth.

The movie gets a slightly biased 5/5 simply for being totally original when the only options where dark or light. Being grey has never been so colourful. Oh and to my Deadpool fans….

Posted on November 23, 2015 by Fame — Leave a comment

NEED for SPEED PS4

Need For Speed

I remember what seems a life time ago, putting in that CD into the ROM and installing the original Need for Speed via DOS and no matter how frustrating it was the joy of playing such a detailed game was well worth it. I still can vividly remember the hot real car videos. And then came the sequels which seem to improve every time… until Underground which took the arcade racer and changed the rules. Gone where the exotic supercars and instead we got everyday tuner cars which could be tricked out in every way imaginable, from engine mods to stylized body kits and crazy body paint. This game was crazy nuts like nothing before and spawned a sequel that amped up the antics in all the right ways. Then came Most Wanted which kept a few key elements but changed up the core factor and that too was fantastic… after that it all went wrong, every instalment since then has felt like a cash grab and put together all the wrong elements. So when it was announced that a reboot was in the works with focus on Underground’s game DNA I was excited. And here we are a week or two after the games release…

Let’s start with the pros, the game has a lot going for it. Beautiful next gen graphics where you get to see the city come alive. The cars a spectacular, nowhere near GT levels but that’s not what they were aiming for anyway.

They gameplay focuses over 5 different styles or modes all of which can be obtained via just cruising around or any race. They are Speed, Style, Build, Crew and Outlaw. The first 3 are pretty self-explanatory while Outlaw is all about out running the five-0 (so some most wanted thrown into the mix Nice ) and crew is well you and your mates.

The game is an online game, which mean you have to be online to play, and a cool feature is you have real players dropping into your city which you can race.

The customizing is back with real body kits, rims and parts and with the vinyl editor the results are endless… ( or is it? more on that later)

The cut scenes are cheesier than ever with first person fist bumps, like I mean it’s so bad daytime soapies be like huh?

And the bad?

Well I have been at the game for 2 weeks and not in the hardcore, come home from work and burn till 1am but more a relaxed play a few races, mod a little and explore the city but I have picked up a lot of issues.

The snap shot doesn’t work, and I mean like never ever. Which is a shame as I had some cool photos I would have loved to upload.

But the biggest problem I had was the mods, yes those cool mods are cool but not when you save up enough to buy that second car and it’s a classic mark 1 Golf (what can I say the Indian in me… ) and you go to mod it and you can’t slap some big ass bumpers on it. Then there’s the vinyl editor which is super cool but doesn’t have a mirror feature which means what you do on one side you have to do manually on the other side which means it doesn’t come out just quite right. I am sorry but the perfectionist in me just can’t handle that especially as a mirror option would have made it so simple.

The car selection isn’t that great either, now unless they planning to have DLC’s for car packs then this is very weak selection as any tuner head knows the fun is in the classics and yes it’s great to have the exotics but if you can’t trick them out with mad kits and insane rims then what’s the point? And how about an option for deep dish rims?

Verdict?

Well as it stands the game is not a good as I expected, it has a lot of shortcomings but as I pen this very article news has crossed my way of fixes to the current faults and flaws. All errors will be addressed with the next update and there will be DLC’s for more cars and kits and vinyls, all of which will be cost free. Yep, EA vows no micro transactions… ever. In this light I give the game a 3.5 (for now ) for the listening to the fans and trying to put out a game we want. Yes it still needs work but it’s on the right road and if they can pull of the next few updates and DLC’s as perfect shifts then we are going to be playing this well into 2016.

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Fame — Leave a comment

Hot Toys: Iron Man Mark 43 Die Cast edition

Well it has finally arrived…

My first Hot Toy… and Man did I make the right choice or what.

The figure is stunning, the slight battle scars rendered on the smooth metallic paint over the delightfully heavy body work really is something to behold. Maybe its just the excitement of owning an exclusive for the first time or maybe the figure is that good. I took my sweet time deciding which Iron Man to get and lets be honest we are spoilt for choice.

Just look at that Downey detail, those crisp clean cut grooves into the armour, and with some great articulation.

and the lights… ooh the gorgeous lights

Bottom line this maybe as good as it gets when it comes to action figures, it has inspired me to add to this amazing piece.

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Fame — Leave a comment

Ant-Man The (micro) Review

Ant-Man…

In the spirit of Ant Man I will keep this review as small as possible :-)

What on odd choice for a big screen adaptation, why choose ants when you can have the X-Men or Fantastic 4… oh right….

But honestly this is a fun movie, and very refreshing.

The choice was originally a coin toss between mission impossible and this and I am glad it won the toss.

Paul Rudd is loveable as the protagonist, as his charm shines through a pretty standard script. Don’t get me wrong the premise is original, a heist superhero movie (Guardians of the Galaxy doesn’t count as it set in outer space <thinly veiled sarcasm>).

The movie moves at a healthy pace with decent character development, and laced with plenty of humour similar to GOTG and just like the space adventure has that unique obscurity that helps it feel different from previous Marvel films.

There is the long haul to the end of the film to see any real action but the journey there is filled with some interesting shots of the microverse.

Rudd’s charm is perfectly suited for this picture and Eff (from the Strain) shows us his other half as the bad guy.

In short this is a good but not great film, nothing really light you on fire and the Avengers tie in feels a bit forced. I doubt this will light the box office on fire but its Marvel so…

3.5/5

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Fame — Leave a comment

Terminator Genysis

Another late review…

Due to circumstances I was not able to watch this on its initial release, which to me was a great loss as I thought that this instalment had great promise.

After watching it I still stand by that statement.

The movie is actually entertaining, which an idealistic mix of humour, action and science fiction. It would have had suspense of a good twist too had the trailer not blown away its best surprise so early.

The movie isn’t T2 quality but I suppose nothing ever will be, what it is though is spades better than T3 which was like a poorly made remake or it predecessor and Salvation which had such promise but kinda folded on its self.

This movie is a great popcorn flick and adds to the terminator universe. Acting might be a little wooden and the relationship between Sarah and Kyle feels more forced than Arnie’s smile. But the mythology is given a nice addition and if the sequel gets green lit could make for an interesting trilogy.

Seriously go out and watch this if you get a chance… still a better watch Fanlastic 4 (sorry couldnt resist)

Posted on July 26, 2015 by Fame — Leave a comment

F1 2015 – PS4

F1 2015 PS4 -REVIEW

With the current well under way it was inevitable that Codemasters drop a new title….

While I am a confessd F1 nut, I have’nt always picked up the games and often opted for the GT road instead. But with the later lacking in the next gen format I had a need for speed that had to be quelled.

The game is instantly playable as it has modes from Beginner (or as i like to call it the Maldonado Mode) where all the assists are on and you basically a navigator, to the highly advanced Elite which has all assists off. Needless to say Elite is insanely difficult. I went for the medium Amateur Mode which has some assists off but is a decent challenge, at least while finding your feet.

The Graphics are superb and takes you into the weekend, with amazing attention to detail, but in retrospect any half decent PS4 game out now can safely say claim that. What helps F1 stand out a little more is the drivers faces and the crew, the crew as any F1 junkie knows is a fundamental force in the sport. I am glad this games shows that. The tracks are nothing short of spectacular, I swear I could smell the ocean at Monaco. The cars are beautiful as they are in real life.

So how does the gameplay go, well menu wise everything is compact and not in a good way, its very stripped down. The is very few modes available, the is a choice between two seasons, namely 2015 and 2014 which is stupid to say the least. I get that this is called F1 2015 and that is the primary focus but I remember older instalments having the function to drive older circuits and cars which was super cool. Not only are we restricted to 2 seasons but we stuck with a crap progression system. Any gamer will tell you progression and unlocks is where its at. Here all you can do is win a championship. What about testing, new parts. Where’s the interview’s? (that was in previous versions)

I think Codemasters missed a gear here, there was much more this game could have been. Dont get me wrong its a great game, but if you not a F1 fan then you going to be bored very quick. There is the Pro Season which works like a proper weekend including actual times which means no 20 minute races, tyre degradation and fuel issues and thats something to aspire to.

However when it comes down to the way the cars drives and feels, the game is on point ans it feels precise and fast (God its Fast), the corners rush you like a good racing game should and over taking is far from easy. The various views add the extra dimension. The ability to fine tune you car in setup up mode is very detailed and does make a difference when you start taking of the assists and helps give you the edge.

The multiplayer seems fun… pity i could test it out as it takes for ever and I am led to believe its 1 on 1. I mean really? Another missed opportunity, what could have been better that having a live track of 18 real drivers representing the teams and duelling for the crown? And not even split screen option, so fun with friends in lounge is a no no.

All in all its a great game, but could have been much better. Would I recommend buying the game?

I suggest waiting for a price drop, its a great game but I just feel short changed (but I just came of playing Arkham so my expectations are quite high). This game is for the purists.

Score 3.5/5

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Fame — Leave a comment

Arkham Knight: PS4 Game Review

This review is well overdue… I know… but in my defence the game took me in and never let me go, I mean really. Man what a roller-coaster.

Let’s kick off with the graphics or visuals, Rocksteady have really used the next gen console’s capabilities as best as one could. From the way the rain slicks of the cape to the landscaping of the city. The city is what I believe Gotham should look like on screen. There is so much to take in, one can just take the time to go sightseeing, however considering the use of the Batmobile the streets could have been made a little more sensible. But there is plenty to explore.

purrrrr

“Oracle… the time is off on the Watchtower”

The Story…

This is what a Batman story should be, the odds stacked up against him in every possible way and a multitude of villains doing everything to compound those odds. This game was equal parts comic, movie and gameplay. The plot twists had me stunned as the game took Batman characters to places we never expected. This game is rich with character development, which is just as vital as stunning visuals. There is so much I just want to blurt out here, but I have been spoiler warned by the powers that be, so its zip lips for now.

Fast and Furious

The Batmobile

This is one of the biggest draws of the game, how often does one get to throw the Batmobile around the streets of Gotham. The car is a nice combination of Nolan’s Tumbler, the forthcoming variant from Batman V Superman and pure comic book insanity. Don’t expect GT like handling this isn’t a racing game or simulator but there are plenty of races one can undertake. The car has 2 modes which one can switch up anytime. The first is the normal car mode where you have speed and minor weapons and there is the battle mode which essentially makes you a tank. The car is fun to use to get around the city but I still prefer gliding around.

Surprise!!!

Gameplay

The controls are easy to learn but can feel loose at times especially during close combat, the Batmobile as I mentioned is pretty basic car control with nice power slides and a afterburner turbo boost but the battle mode has decent manoeuvrability, the targeting feels off and never precise. Gliding is easy to pick up but takes some mastery for those moves and precision landing. If you have already played any of the previous titles then it’s like riding a bike and if not then just give it some time. The default settings are fitting, I know there were some arguments that its best to set your own style but I felt they hit it spot on (or maybe my style is default setting 1..LOL) Again is pretty responsive and nothing negative to report that will hamper your experince

2 Guys, a girl and one crazy b….

Botox, a must for the modern super villain

Villains

Err…almost every villain makes an appearance in the final instalment of the trilogy. By now we know it will be focused on Scarecrow and the Arkham Knight, but fear not many other fan favourites have sizeable roles to play in this game. Sadly 2 of mine never even show face, namely Bane and Mr.Freeze but hey I only completed the main story so far and may be surprised yet. The villains are designed superbly mixing elements of realism and pure cartoon madness.

Pokemon… Gotta catch ém all

Problems?

Well firstly was the day one patch which meant I had to wait at least 20mins before starting as the 2GB plus patch installed (no bandwidth isn’t that fast, but PS4’s play as you download start is awesome). Then games difficulty starts of mild but then starts to intensifies very quickly, while the upgrades help to kerb some of them, it does get a bit frustrating. Then there are the weird glitches, like the one that occurs when you smack in the middle of a fight and the screen distorts and you in limbo. Riddler’s challenges will make you question (pun intended) you very capability as a gamer, when I say they hard, they friggin hard. The season pass (I opted out for now) is a joke, almost R600 for a six month pass? I would be happy to pay that extra for a premium version that has that included but these season passes are a joke, especially when they let us down so bad for the Batmobile version and threw some cheap skins on our face.

shots fired

Verdict

This game now resides as the second best title of the PS4 of all time (so far), GTA 5 still holds on to that Number 1 spot. The game succeeds not because of the superb graphics or the use of the Batmobile or gameplay or what not, it succeeds because it does one simple thing, it makes you feel like you are the Batman, jumping roof tops and gliding around a gothic metropolis (too much?). Be the Batman? Indeed!

But really how good is this game, well put it this way, I intended to write this review after 10% story play, I am now 100% complete on the core story. Yeah its that good.

Yo Affleck… catch! You it!

4/5

Posted on June 28, 2015June 27, 2015 by Fame — Leave a comment

Arkham Knight Action Figure Series

The highly anticipated game is here, and with it comes the merchandise. The good thing is Arkham takes as much pride with their merchandise as their game development. The Action series in particular has always been stellar. Even now the original Arkham Asylum Joker is highly sought after.

The first wave has already been released and I have already picked up 2 (should have gotten the Batman too darn it!). Harley Quinn and Scarecrow.

Gone is the old blister packs, and now we have gorgeous boxes (great for those who keep their figures in packages). The figures have really evolved from the Asylum days and the detail is far superior to anything in its prices range. I love this rendition of Harley as it makes her look real while still preserving her craziness and sex appeal. Scarecrow is scarier than ever and looks the part as one half of the games central villain.

This is the first wave with the second coming soon, Arkham Knight seems to be the elusive one from the entire series, so grab it if you have the chance. I very rarely collect or attempt to collect an entire series but I think this has earned that.

It is very well priced and detailed as i stated earlier. I will be updating this article as more of these pieces make it to my hands. I do hope they maximize the amount of characters they release and if this is the final game then bring them all.

PS: game review will be live later this week.

As always bring the MAYHEM!!!

Posted on June 17, 2015June 26, 2015 by Fame — Leave a comment

Jurassic World Review

Jurassic World

I will take you into this review the way I was taken into the movie…..

It was all ho hum until the monorail started approaching the gates and you see the doors “Jurassic World” and the open with the theme music softly playing in the background.

Needless to say it sent shivers down my spine (o-saurus?)

The plot slowly manifests itself as it establishes the core characters, while giving you a nice tour of the theme park. And what a tour, the 3D work on this movie is breathtaking.There are scenes that truly take in, and then scenes that have something coming at you. And it isn’t forced, like hey this is the 3D part and something just flew at you. Its sometimes little things,but mostly just feels polished.

The action is amped and plenty, however the thrilling suspense building isn’t as great as the first one was. Speaking of the first, there is plenty homage to it, some direct and some not to direct, but it doesn’t feel forced. It feels right. I do warn you though if you walk in looking to emulate that feeling you got when you first saw dinosaurs come to life then you will be left disappointed. The movie pays tribute and brings some of the original magic back but also puts its own stamp on it. It iconic water in a cup-tremor tool that used to signal the distant yet closing approach of the large and in charge villain dinosaur is gone. But that’s a good thing, some things are better left untouched, a statement ironically itself the underlying theme of the movie.

The effects again are nothing short of spectacular, but we all knew it would do that. The acting… well… I mean everyone loves Chris Pratt, but this isn’t Star Lord and there is only a few well placed puns or jokes. I for one am glad as its now adds an extra dimension to his action star credibility. The kids acting is generally poor, “there is no quivering spoon”. The rest of the cast ranges from wooden to mediocre but then again the real stars are the prehistoric divas so we can let it slide.

I was genuinely concerned about the hybrid dino, but trust me it makes sense and falls into place… in the context of crazy DNA movie science.

Bottom line this is a great popcorn flick, in fact the best sequel to the original to date and gets 4 out of 5 mega bites.

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