Blacksite: Area 51
Greetings, Blacksite: Area 51 is the 2007 sequel to the 2005 video game Area 51. I really enjoyed the original, which I had played several years ago and picked up Blacksite in an effort to regain some of the old magic that the first one had. Unfortunately very little of it was recaptured and it was mainly towards the end that I felt the game was related to its successor. It is not however, a bad game at any measure, rather a solid attempt with a variety of environments to keep the player entertained.
The plot isn’t very complicated and revolves around five main characters. It begins in Iraq where the leading individual, a soldier known as Pierce as well as his two team mates, Logan Sommers and Grayson are searching a hidden bunker for Weapons of Mass Destruction. While on the mission they encounter two other members, Ambrose and Dr Noah who assist them in their search. Once inside they encounter what appear to be mutations of men, after killing them and believing that they are experiments, they move deeper into the facility.
At one point, Peirce, Summers and Noah find an extraterrestrial crystal. Logan touches the crystal that knocks his leader unconscious. Peirce is dragged out of the room by the doctor as Summers fights off several aliens, the door shuts leaving the soldier to his fate. Three years later, the team a reunited, with the exception of Logan, to fight of a militia calling themselves the Reborn. It becomes apparent that the two events where linked.
There are only six weapons in the game, two of which are based on alien technology. The team members when not really adding much to the plot are nice to have around, except when they get injured. This causes the morale monitor to goes down, which makes them less effective fighters. When the metre is higher due to good performance the squad will fight to a higher quality. So overall it is a decent game, don’t expect too much from it but it is a worth a go if you want a short first person shooter to pass the time. The tenth chapter of Team X Paranormal Division is up at Warehouse 17.
Plot=7/10
Characters=8/10
Graphics=7/10
Overall=7/10
Quote of the day
Of course I have. Have you ever tried going mad without power? It's boring, no one listens to you.
Cargill
The Simpsons movie
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Greetings, Sherlock Holmes: A game of Shadows is the sequel to the 2009 film starring Robert Downey Jr. I enjoyed the original film although found the successor to be less intelligent in terms of plot and mystery but entertaining, none the less. This story line allows for the introduction of Sherlock’s brother, Mycroft, played by Stephen Fry and Moriarty has a larger role since his small appearance in the first movie.
The plot is quite simple for a Holmes adventure, Sherlock finds himself in the middle of a large conspiracy, in which entrepreneurs all over the world are dying under suspicious conditions. Meanwhile the world is tearing itself apart and on the verge of war, as certain European minister’s are assassinated and important buildings are destroyed in an attempt to set up the commencing of the conflict. Holmes tries to discover what it all means and who is behind it.
The actors portrayed their characters well, and it is visual pleasing, especially during scenes of confrontation but as I stated before the mystery is toned down in exchange for the action themes. Due to the villain being identified early on, I found it less interesting as one of the aspects I like most of the detective genre is to find out who was behind the crime and why, or how they did it as was with the plot of the original film.
Overall, it is not a bad movie by any means but I still prefer the original. There is a good use of whimsical humour throughout it, which helps to lighten the mood and mixes nicely with the serious elements. So I would encourage you to watch it if you were a serious Holmes fan, but if you wish to see a well thought out detective movie, you would be better with something else. The ninth chapter of Team X Paranormal Division is up at Warehouse 17.
Plot=7/10
Characters=8/10
Special effects=9/10
Overall=7/10
Quote of the day
Mr. Salieri sends his regards
Vito
Mafia 2
The Last Templar
Greetings, the Last Templar was written by Raymond Khoury who also developed a sequel named The Templar Salvation. It has two stories which are interlinked with each other, one being set in the times of the Templar and the other in modern day New York. The Templar’s are in the novel for only a short time in comparison with the current adventure.
The plot begins in the New York Metropolitaon Museum which is holding a special exhibition of artefacts that have never been seen by the public. Archaeologist Tess Chaykin visits on the opening night when the museum is attacked by four horsemen dressed as Knights Templar, an organisation that had fallen several thousand years beforehand.
The leader of the thieves steels a rather unordinary device that appears to lack the high quality of the other items. After the raid an FBI agent called Sean Reilly investigates the crime. Once the archaeologist, Tess is able to help reach an expert in the Knights Templar named Bill Vance, she herself becomes personally involved in the case. During the following days, three of the horsemen are killed by an assassin who goes by the name of Plunkett and is also seeking out the organiser as well as the device he stole.
Overall it is a solid book but towards the end it does become rather dull before it picks up slightly at the climax. Also, several theories were suggested as to what the device did and the one that the writer had chosen became less appealing after the massive build up throughout the novel. It is a decent adventure but it isn’t a classic. The eighth chapter of Team X Paranormal Division is up at Warehouse 17.
Plot=7/10
Characters=7/10
Wording=8/10
Overall=7/10
Quote of the day
Do you really think you have a chance against us, Mister Cowboy?
Hans Gruber
Die Hard
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2
Greetings, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2 is the second game in the Modern Warfare trilogy. Players take up new character roles as the S.A.S soldier Roach, Ranger Ramirez and CIA agent Allen. Some members of the original cast are in the sequel, for instance Soap has a prominent role in the plot. I found as with the first game, that the British individuals such as Ghost or Roach are more charismatic, have more distinct personalities and therefore more likeable than their American allies.
The story begins with a CIA operative known as Joseph Allen going under cover as a Russian terrorist with one of the main antagonists, Makarov to expose him. This leads to a mission, which can be skipped, where the terrorists and the infiltrator kill innocent passengers at a Russian airport. However Makarov knows of the agent’s identity and kills him at the scene of the crime. This incident forces Russia and America to be at war with each other.
It is quite a short game in terms of campaign but it relies heavily on its online gaming, which contains various activities to play through, such as free for all and capture the flag. There is also another element of game play, called Special Ops and requires the player to play through various maps not related to the plot. The third game promises to be a brilliant one or so the conclusion of Modern Warfare 2 implies. The seventh chapter of Team X Paranormal Division is up at Warehouse 17.
Plot=8/10
Characters=8/10
Graphics=9/10
Overall=8/10
Quote of the day
See ya in another life brotha.
Desmond
Lost
The adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Greetings and welcome to the first blog update of 2012. The Tintin film is based on three books of the original Belgian comic book. I knew relatively little about it except its Belgian origins and two of the main characters, Tintin and his canine companion, Snowy. I didn’t even realise that the people behind it were directors, musicians and actors that I liked due to their earlier performances, such as John Williams and his work in Star Wars. The movie is beautifully animated down to the last detail, and uses motion capture to portray the actor’s expression. This is one of the reasons I really enjoyed it.
The story follows a young reporter Tintin and his dog, who buy a model of a ship named the Unicorn. Shortly after the purchase a man by the name of Ivan Sakharine attempts to buy the ship off the journalist but the main character refuses and brings it home. At his residence Snowy chases a neighbouring cat around and accidentally destroys the mast of the ship which reveals a scroll of paper which hold the secrets of the Unicorn. The plot itself is very well thought out as well as intricate but is amusing and it links the characters together nicely.
Tintin is a great movie and was definitely one of the best of 2011 as all parts of it were carried out excellently. It is an imaginative and also whimsical film. I would encourage anyone to watch it even if they don’t know anything about Tintin. The sixth chapter of Team X Paranormal Division is up at Warehouse 17.
Plot=9/10
Characters=10/10
Special effects=10/10
Overall=9/10
Quote of the day
Good news first. The world's in great shape. We've got a civil war in Russia, government loyalists against Ultranationalist rebels, and 15,000 nukes at stake.
Gaz
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Happy New Year, 2011 review
Greetings, this is the last update for Falcon’s blog this year and so I am holding a short review of 2011. Over the course of it, this year has been perhaps one of the most memorable years in recent times, natural disasters such as the Japanese flood, revolutions spreading across the world including protests in the United Kingdom, deaths of celebrities and dictators, as well as a Royal wedding of William and Kate.
For me personally, it was my first time in Dublin and I touched an 800 year old corpse of a Knights Templar...supposedly. In entertainment there was a vast range of brilliant films including the King’s Speech, Sherlock homes: A game of thrones and Super 8. Hopefully 2012 will be as great a year as 2011 was. Finally I wish everyone a Happy New Year! The fifth chapter of Team X Paranormal Division is up at Warehouse 17.
Quote of the day
Do you have any...self-respect?
Sam
Sam and Max: Season one
