Thursday, 10 November 2016

I'm late to the party - but I finally finished Journey on the PS3

Journey has been a game that has been sitting on my PS3 for years, begging to be played but never quite slotting into my life at the right time. Throw a newborn daughter, a new job, renovations and a PS4 into the mix, and booting up the PS3 to play Journey slowly crept down my to-do list... until recently. One glorious afternoon a few weeks ago, my wife and daughter were out for a brunch, I'd finished some work on the house and no other tasks were beckoning that I took advantage of the few hours to play journey through.

Of course I'd heard the hype around Journey, and had already finished Flower, so I knew I was in  for a good experience. For the first few hours, I was impressed but it felt familiar, somewhat of a Flower 2.0, but as the game grew darker and the journey became more arduous, I came to see why this game deserved a 92 on Metacritic - no simple task!

For one of the easiest to play games of recent eras, where it is impossible to die it sure is brutal. The final quarter of the game sees the main 'character' trying to fights its way to the top of a snow capped mountain, through blizzards, thick snow, and mystical creatures -  and the pain and suffering hit me as hard as the introduction to The Last of Us.

I won't go on too much more, as everything that can be said, has been said - but it is a truly awe inspiring game worth playing by anyone with a copy!

Tuesday, 3 May 2016

Ratchet & Clank PS4 - My Game of the Year (so far)

I've recently been working through Ratchet and Clank for the PS4, and I have to say that thus far it is my game of the year. I know it's only early but its been a long time since I've had this much fun with a game so I will not be surprised if at the end of 2016 it is still a contender for my top slit! It's part remake, part reboot, part movie tie-in, and for something that could have came out as a complete disaster - it is absolutely spectacular.

The gameplay is pure, unadulterated, fun. It's simple, addictive and rewarding - with great controls, interesting enemies, and best of all - a huge selection of unique weapons. This game also looks amazing - the screen shots are of actual footage and it honestly continues to blow my mind. It is hands down the best looking game I have ever played.

The story is also great though nothing revolutionary, but it ties in nicely to the movie of the same name (in cinemas now), and features some really sharp, witty dialogue with humor that had me laughing out loud more than a few times.

All in all, I cant recommend this enough. I am not finished quite yet - still  a few hours of game time to go, but it has thus far been one of the best gaming experiences of recent memory!








Tuesday, 16 February 2016

Meta is garnering some high caliber praise - but what is it?

On my walk to work this morning, I was listening to a great local podcast (I'm in New Zealand) called the NZ Tech Podcast. If you are from New Zealand or even abroad, and want to listen to some great tech commentary - check it out.

Anyway, during the podcast there was some brief speculation about a new product called Meta. I hadn't heard much about the product so did some quick research and expectantly, ended on the official website - https://www.metavision.com. So what is Meta? From what I can gather, it is an augmented reality headset, which sounds like it has capabilities somewhat similar to Microsoft's Holo lens. The things which really surprised me though, and the commentators of the NZ Tech Podcast, was the caliber of commentators discussing the revolutionary nature of the product. See the video below and you will see what I mean.


Now, I am used to reading about tech products that are going to change the world, but more often then not things over promise and over-deliver. A good example seems to be the holo-lens, which whilst still not in the hands of consumers, has been shown to only have a very limited viewing area which will be augmented. Is the Meta something similar but with a more impressive viewing plane?

Only time will tell (and not long to wait) - but I am thinking something along those lines will not be too far from the mark - particularly considering that the company has publicly demoed earlier iterations of the product in the past. The big question for me, is what is so revolutionary about the imminently to-be-released headset? I'm looking forward to finding out!

Saturday, 13 February 2016

Silicon Valley - Season 3 Teaser Trailer

Silicon Valley is probably my favourite show at the moment, with Season 1 and 2 being some of the most hilarious, though nuanced satire to ever hit the small screen. With season 3 now on it's way, sit back, relax, and enjoy this very brief teaser!

OK GO - Upside Down & Inside Out - filmed entirely in zero gravity

OK GO are responsible for some of the best music videos over the last decade. Whether it be treadmill choreography, elaborate Rune Goldberg machines or dancing on motorised scooters - you know it will be something special when a new video is released.

Their latest work, Upside Down & Inside Out could be their most impressive yet, filmed entirely inside a zero gravity jumbo jet (they do the steep climbs then descents, giving short bursts of weightlessness). It's impossible not to smile in awe as you watch this!



Hello, Dear Ones. Please enjoy our new video for "Upside Down & Inside Out". A million thanks to S7 Airlines. #GravitysJustAHabit
Posted by OK Go on Thursday, 11 February 2016

Friday, 12 February 2016

House of Cards - Season 4 Trailer

House of Cards is almost back! Here's to hoping that season 4 improves on Season 3, which I feel was a bit of a mess. It looks promising, though still lacking the laser focus of the first season. Thoughts?


Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Official Final Trailer

I already thought that too much footage of the upcoming Batman v. Superman had been revealed, but it obviously wasn't enough, with a brand new trailer now out in the wild. The "official final trailer" has plenty of new content, including an extended scene of Batman infiltrating a building, and of Batman and Superman having a variety of hand to hand (or gun) encounters.

The more I see the more I am worried about this film. In this new golden age of TV, it honestly feels like there's simply too much content to fit into a 2 hour film. I really hope I'm wrong!