Mafia 2

Greetings, Mafia 2 follows the adventures of Vito Scaletta and his best friend Joe Barbaro. The game is set in the middle of the 1940’s to the early 1950’s.  It starts near the end of the Second World War when Joe attempts to retire Vito from the war by faking documents to a false injury. His connections work and Scalletta leaves the conflict. However the two both start committing crimes, the main character Vito, steals to help his mother and sister pay of their debt. His father was killed before the events of the game and was the one who left his family in considerable debt. Eventually the need for money drives Vito to do more daring jobs for Mafia leaders.

The storyline itself, is more complicated than the original as there are three families who have major roles in the plot. It has similar styles to Mafia, including friendship and betrayal.  However it still contains likeable characters and a thrilling experience in terms of story as well as action scenes, much like the original. The game has improved the fighting and driving controls, which in the first one I thought was a little ridged in the beginning. A lot of driving takes place which means that there are plenty of old songs spread over three radio stations to listen to. I found it helped make some of the travelling to destinations situations less tedious.

Overall, it is a great game and one that I would thoroughly recommend. It adds a worthwhile title to the Mafia series and well lived up to the expectation that it was held up in high regard to. Despite this, you may want to complete its predecessor first as there is a twist from the original in the second game. The fourth chapter of Team X Paranormal Division is up at Warehouse 17.

Plot=8/10

Characters=9/10

Graphics=9/10

Overall=8/10

Quote of the day

Dreams feel real while we're in them. It's only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange.

Cobb

Inception

Reel Steel

Greetings, Real Steel is a 2011 film starring Hugh Jackman as the main lead. His character is called Charlie Kenton, an ex-boxer who is out of luck as he is experiencing a losing streak and is in a vast amount of debt. This movie has only one other individual I know due to her performance in Lost, the actress, Evangeline Lilly. It is by no means a ground breaking film in the terms of plot. Some of the themes that run throughout the film include the bonding between father and son as they come to know each other. The development of the characters, especially Charlie and it is a typical underdog scenario.

The story takes place in the near future, where there is robot boxing instead of the original human sport. Charlie Kenton finds out near the beginning that his ex-girlfriend has died leaving him in custody of his young son, Max, who has not seen for the majority of his life. The ex-boxer does not want to care for his son, as he is experiencing enough trouble of his own at that time.

However relatives intend to look after Max and Charlie sees his chance to exchange his offspring for the money to pay of his debt. The relatives pay half of the debt and where to pay the rest as well as take his son after their holiday which would take several months. This means Kenton has to care for Max during the time period, which begins an awkward relationship as the son is hostile to his father for not being there for him.

It is quite a good movie but there are no unexpected turns or twists and it is rather simple to understand where it will end up. None the less, it is an enjoyable and a feel good film that is one of the better ones this year. I would encourage you to see it, especially if you are a fan of boxing. The third chapter of Team X Paranormal Division is up at Warehouse 17.

Plot=7/10

Characters=8/10

Graphics=8/10

Overall=7/10

Quote of the day

You go for a man hard enough and fast enough, he don't have time to think about how many's with him; he thinks about himself, and how he might get clear of that wrath that's about to set down on him.

Rooster Cogburn

True Grit

Team X Paranormal Division Ch 2 and the Quiz part 3

Greetings, the second chapter of Team X Paranormal Division is up in Warehouse 17. I hope you are and continue to enjoy it. In other news this update brings back the Quiz, which I am thinking of making an annual event, I would like to know your opinion on that. Similar to its two predecessors it has 10 questions, most of which are on various forms of entertainment and the answers are on the bottom of the page.  The second chapter of Team X Paranormal Division is up at Warehouse 17.

1. What is the name of the main character in Half-Life?

      2. Who said this?-“The game is afoot"

      3. How many countries are in the European Union?

4. George Best played what sport?

      5.  What is the name of the television series about a time traveller by that goes by the name of the Doctor?

      6. How many Austin Powers movies are there?

      7.  What is the name of this character?

       8. Who is the primary antagonist or villain in the original BioShock?

       9.  Life on Mars is set during what time period?

       10.  Who provided the voice for Darth Vader?

Spoilers!

Answers

1.       Gordon Freeman

2.       Sherlock Homes

3.       27

4.       Football

5.       Doctor Who

6.       Three

7.       The Joker

8.       Frank Fontaine

9.       The 1970’s

10.   James Earl Jones

Quote of the day

I know I'm human. And if you were all these things, then you'd just attack me right now, so some of you are still human. This thing doesn't want to show itself, it wants to hide inside an imitation. It'll fight if it has to, but it's vulnerable out in the open. If it takes us over, then it has no more enemies, nobody left to kill it. And then it's won.

MacReady

The Thing

Team X Paranormal Division

Greetings, Team X Paranormal Division is the sixth novel in the Lutionn Collection. It introduces some new characters while developing others mentioned before in the previous books and follows on from Unforgotten Rivalry. This adventure opens up the setting and locations for the seventh novel. The plot of the seventh book was originally intended for the eighth but I switched them around as I believe it will flow better. I m not sure how the genre of the seventh,  will be viewed by you but in recent times I have heard of support for fantasy, by the likes of positive reactions to Lord of the Rings and the Elder Scrolls.  It is set in the times of Pangea, so it shouldn’t involve the main thread of the Lutionn story much. Well I hope you enjoy it. The first chapter of Team X Paranormal Division is up in Warehouse 17.

Quote of the day

This is what happens when you leave home. You meet... people.

Phileas Fogg

Around the World in 80 Days

Unforgotten Rivalry ch 14

Greetings, the fifth novel of the Lutionn collection ends with chapter 14 of Unforgotten Rivalry and brings us to over halfway of the series. I hope you have enjoyed it, as I have enjoyed writing it. The characters will be back for the remaining adventures of Lutionn. There is a short prequel planned, which was originally to be a Writing Challenge entry but I figured the scenarios would be too complicated for those who hadn’t read it. It is set before the events of the Secret Battle for Earth and involves the characters, Earl Baker, Rosette, William Litt and Wallace Spencer as well as other people. It is about the group’s friendship before they are driven into hiding their abilities from Omega and it will not be released until after the sixth Lutionn novel due to spoilers .The fourteenth chapter of Unforgotten Rivalry is up in Warehouse 17.

Quote of the day

I appear to have burst into flames!

Spy

Team Fortress 2

The last of the Untouchbales

Greetings, the last of the Untouchables is written by Oscar Fraley and Paul Robsky. It follows the true story of the team that tackled Capone syndicate during the Prohibition era in Chicago and who came to be known as the Untouchables. The story begins in 1929, shadowing mainly one member of the group, Paul Robsky and to a lesser extent his colleague, Joe Leeson. The other members of the team are also mentioned during the novel but their roles aren’t emphasised very much. 

It is a short book but one I really enjoyed. At the start I wasn’t sure if I would like it but when Paul joins the Prohibition department and starts shutting down breweries, the novel becomes much more entertaining.  I find it interesting that the majority of the team refused to take bribes or respond to threats by the Mafia, and the fact that many of them stuck to their moral codes, earning the title the Untouchables.  Particularly as Capone had a lot of influence through bribery and violence, meaning very few have the courage to stand up for themselves.

The 1987 film the Untouchables has very little in connection with the events that actually occurred as revealed by the novel. For instance, the heroes are a team made up of about eleven men and there are only four in the movie, based on the real individuals. However the general story remains the same, particularly the ending. Overall I would encourage you to read this if you are into the Mafia genre or are interested in this period of history. The thirteenth chapter of Unforgotten Rivalry is up in Warehouse 17. 

Plot= 8/10

Characters=9/10

Wording=-8/10

Overall=9/10

Quote of the day

I don't blend in at a family picnic. 

Batman

Batman Forever