REVIEW: Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor (PS4)

Starting from today (well yesterday in fact) all videogame reviews and articles will be hosted on my Destructoid blog. My review of Shadow of Mordor can be found here and for the first time I've included a review score out of ten to match the usual format of a Destructoid review. I will still post a link up to my review, like this one, so feel free to still check here for updates.


"So, after initially ignoring this surpise sleeper-hit of a 'AAA' game, I've now pre-ordered, played and enjoyed Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor more than probably any other game thus far this year. It will certainly take something special released between now and the end of 2014 to dethrone this one. I highly recommend it, especially if you have one of the new consoles and are looking some something that has genuine "next-gen" gameplay ideas. I expect the 'nemesis' system to be copied for many years to come!" - 9/10

REVIEW: Gravity Rush (PSVITA)

It's interesting to watch the trends in video games develop and change over time, and I remember fondly the 16-Bit era when 'platform' games like Sonic and Mario dominated, so much so that there were hundreds of imitations on every system. The current trend, which started in the last console cycle but seems to be continuing stronger than ever, is focused on 'open world' games and there seems to be a zillion of them. I've played a fair few recently, ranging from the good-but-not-great (Watchdogs) to the incredibly fun but underrated (Infamous: Second Son) and so it takes something different to really grab my attention. Cue Gravity Rush for the Playstation Vita, a system that I've otherwise overlooked until now, which like the Infamous games places more of a focus on third-person action in an open-world environment, rather than being a straight up open-world game with all the myriad side missions and emergent quests. Gravity Rush is a very linear game in terms of narrative, but the gameplay it presents is anything but linear, its decidedly bat-s**t insane.

The main hook of Gravity Rush is the central protagonist Kat and her ability to control the force of gravity; this is achieved with the aid of her magical cat Dusty. I'm serious. This mystical kitty allows Kat to untether herself from the standard gravitational pull of the Earth and make any direction she desires the new source of gravity, causing her to fall at great speed in that axis until she reaches a surface she can stand on. I've played other open-world games where you are given super powers, including the ability to fly, but Gravity Rush feels very different and the sense of falling upwards and sideways creates a real sense of displacement; I was often unsure of which way was really up and down. Luckily your perspective can be shifted to reflect normality at any time with the tap of a face button, and Kat's scarf always hangs off her shoulders in the direction of the true floor. Things get even more hectic during combat with the otherworldly Nevi, as Kat's only weapon is to hurl herself at full speed against these monstrosities, with some attacks having a subtle homing aspect it means you're pushed and pulled all over the place. This is not a game for people who suffer motion sickness.

Graphically, Gravity Rush looks fantastic, and it has a faux-cell-shaded art style and employs liberal use of bloom lighting to render its dreamy abstract cities and more esoteric environments. The story is told through a combination of well choreographed cinematics (rendered using the game engine) and sections that look like an interactive comic book, with swipes across the touch screen turning the pages and tilting the Vita causing the layered images to shift and move. It's a great way to tell what feels like a very comic book tale, and the character designs are all very distinctive and stand out well from each other; for example Kat's nemesis Raven. Gameplay largely involves searching the city for the next mission to advance the plot, but there are some alternative activities to undertake such as fixing up the run-down neighbourhoods for its citizens, collecting purple-glowing power shards scattered about the place, or engaging in challenge activities like races and timed combat. All this additional content provides the necessary resources needed to level up Kat's gravitational powers, unlocking new toys and abilities to use in the main quests.

While the controls and the concept take some getting used to, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Gravity Rush, and since the game ends with a *load* of plot threads still dangling I'm now eagerly awaiting a sequel. If you're tired of the same old tropes in open-world games and have access to a PS Vita, check out this charming and supremely entertaining game.

REVIEW: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Anime)

During my long break from anime, where the only productions I really watched were a bunch of Ghibli films, I'd completely missed the first adaptation of Fullmetal Alchemist into a television series. Highly regarded as one of the best anime series of all time, this first adaptation did the unthinkable; it adapted a manga that was still in production and unfinished and did it well with a satisfying conclusion! If you've read my review of Berserk you'll know that this is as rare as unicorn poop. However, problems arose when the Fullmetal Alchemist manga was finished and people could read the story that could-have-been if the anime had just waited a bit and adapted the source material more faithfully, which in this case far surpassed the television series in terms of scope, depth and quality. Henceforth a second commissioned television series was born, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (to give its English title), which aimed to be as faithful an adaptation as possible not only in terms of plot and characters, but also aesthetically and stylistically. While many anime aficionados recommend that you still watch the first adaptation before the new one, I couldn't be bothered and jumped right in, so bear in mind this review comes from someone with no preconceptions and who knew nothing about the story of Fullmetal Alchemist.

Although Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has a very large cast of characters, the focus of the plot is still very much on the plight of protagonists Edward and Alphonse Elric and their quest to return themselves to normality. In this fictitious fantasy/steam-punk world there are many powerful alchemists, who assist people in their daily lives and who often sign themselves over to the government and work as 'State Alchemists', earning themselves more freedom and a large salary. The fundamental law of alchemy is 'equivalent exchange' which dictates that to obtain something, something of equal value must be given up; which ties in with other important laws and taboos such as trying to bring the dead back to life. After their father leaves the family, Edward and Alphonse study alchemy from an early age, and when their mother dies from the plague they break the taboo of 'human transmutation' and attempt to bring her back. It all goes horribly awry, and following the law of equivalent exchange Edward looses a leg and Alphonse his entire body (which roughly equals enough human matter to recreate their mother); heartbroken, Edward sacrifices one of his arms to bind Alphonse's soul to a suit of display armour. This is the basic set-up of the storyline, as Al trapped in a suit of metal and Ed with replacement mechanical arms and legs embark on their quest, to obtain a 'philosopher's stone', a powerful alchemical item that will allow them to regain their normal human bodies.

As I mentioned above, there is actually a *huge* cast in this anime series, and it really is testament to the amazing writing and direction that they're all given the time to develop and grow throughout the series. Most of the "good guys" are fellow state alchemists, such as Roy Mustang the 'Flame Alchemist' and his loyal band of soldiers, who all survived a horrendous and bloody war lovingly dubbed the "Ishvalan War of Extermination". This conflict, which was basically a large-scale ethnic cleansing, acts as the catalyst for pretty much all the main characters involvement in the storyline and is a large ugly stain on their past, which they're all struggling to come to terms with. One of the initial antagonists of the story is actually a survivor from the war on the losing side, the people of Ishvala, and his personal vendetta against the country that subjugated his people; you're never really sure who are (if indeed anyone is) the heroes. As the plot develops though, the true antagonists are eventually revealed, but I really don't want to spoil anything as Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is probably best viewed without knowing too much. The picture above shows one of these mysterious and incredibly threatening characters and the central "baddie" really is one of the strengths of the series, along with the incredibly complex and finely woven plot. While there are no cheesy twists or cliffhangers in-between episodes, there is a lot of development and multi-layered storytelling, which is very satisfying in the way it all comes together and is neatly wrapped up by the end.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is not a 'shounen' anime, but there is a fair amount of fantastically animated fight scenes, often between different alchemists as they throw spells at each other and transmute the environment around them. I watched this entire show on blu-ray in high definition and the animation looked absolutely *gorgeous*, rivaling anything you would typically see in a large budget feature film (in fact there are a couple of Fullmetal Alchemist films that apparently look nowhere near as good as this television series!). The production quality all-round is actually very high, as this is the same studio who made the original adaptation, giving them essentially a practice run before this series in which they obviously honed their skills. In terms of the soundtrack, the orchestral score is fantastic and perfectly fits the mood and action onscreen, while the openings are some of the best I've seen recently; especially the first one - I *love* the first opening! One thing I didn't expect though, in terms of production, was the art style and how close it is to the manga, including all the crazy faces and visual humour. I'll put a picture in the final paragraph to try and illustrate what I mean, but it's something that took a while to get used to and that I was not expecting given the dark and often violent subject matter in the majority of the series.

I've talked at length now about this series, and hopefully I've communicated with heavy use of hyperbole and superlatives just how much I enjoyed it; Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is one of the *very best* anime I've ever watched. This was the final show I started watching during my "animarathon" over the summer holiday this year, and it was a real cracker to end it all on. Along with Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, I've found a new personal favourite and it's going to be hard to move on to the next big thing. If you like fantasy/steam-punk settings, magic, lots of action, and incredibly deep and complex plots, you should definitely check out this definitive version of an amazing story. There are also four OVAs and a feature film set in the same universe as Brotherhood, so I might check them out, if I do I'll amend this review in the future to include them.

REVIEW: Transistor (PS4)

Since picking up my PS4 I've been after some good games to play on it, and aside from the usual Sony favourites (Infamous, Killzone, etc) there hasn't been a whole lot to pick up and enjoy. It was this vacuum of next-gen titles that lead me to pick up a few indie games knocking about on the PlayStation store, such as Child of Light (*excellent* game!) and Fez (couldn't get into it). Transistor was a new release at the time and despite a bit of buzz and some stellar reviews it had completely slipped under my radar, which is a shame because it is, in my opinion, probably one of the current flagship games on Sony's new console. I've not played the first game by the developer, Bastion, so can't compare this with that, but I can and will compare this to Diablo in that it feels like a "rogue-like" dungeon crawl in many ways. If this sort of thing appeals to you know that Transistor is also aesthetically equal parts Bladerunner and Tron, and if all those things float your boat then read on; I might have found the perfect game for you.

The protagonist of Transistor is nightclub singer 'Red', who has had her voice taken away from her (presumably her throat shot out) during a midnight bloodbath, after which she wakes up and vows revenge on the cadre responsible. To aid her in this quest is the eponymous Transistor, a large blade-like construct that absorbs the 'soul' of anyone it impales; starting with the poor man Red digs it out of. From then on, the Transistor doubles as your guide and all-purpose weapon for the remainder of the game, handily giving you tips and strategic advice delivered with husky-dry voice acting through the PS4's dualshock speaker. It's a very interesting concept and one made good use of during the game, as the Transistor chirps away filling in the backstory surrounding events and offering advice about what to do next, you can communicate with it as Red by visiting one of the many 'news kiosks' scattered throughout the world and typing on the keyboard. The world of Transistor is beautifully realised with gorgeous hand-drawn graphics in an evocative future-noir veneer; characters are designed so that they look like they've just walked out of a Philip K. Dick novel.

However, despite the interesting premise and cool visual trappings, it's the gameplay that really delivers the good stuff, and this is where Transistor really shines brightest. Differentiating itself from other rogue-likes, the game has a strategic-RPG element in which you can freeze the action and plan out a sequence of moves or attacks, depleting a time meter as you go, until they're unleashed upon your foes. Approaching combat this way means that you suffer a cool-down period afterwards whereby you can't attack or perform special actions for a few seconds, but it's a fair trade off against the standard real time hack'n'slash (also available if you want). These carefully planned 'turns' are one of the game's strong points, the other is it's amazingly deep upgrade system in which each unlocked item can be used either as a special power, a modifier to an already existing power, or as a character buff. This encourages constant fiddling as you stack upgrades on top of each other; the results feel quite limitless and probably beyond the bounds of a single playthrough. Indeed, as soon as I finished the game I made a mental list of all the things I'd like to try next time in 'new game plus'.

Another great thing about the game design is how it treats death and failure. If your health should fall to zero, rather than immediately throwing you into a continue-from-checkpoint scenario, Transistor simply carries on by stripping you of one of your special abilities. This is actually more devastating than it sounds as often the game would switch off the weapon I needed most and relied upon; Red can get the ability back however after registering at a handful of different save points. This system was ingenious and forced me to constantly swap out abilities and special powers, mainly because I "died" a lot. To further add depth to the already abyssal systems in place are 'limiters', which are actually downgrades of your character and abilities; the trade-off is that you level faster or get tastier more destructive rewards if you're victorious. I hope I'm communicating the sheer amount of control given to the player in this video game, and despite the isometric graphics this game feels *very* "next-gen" compared to all the safe triple-A games from the major publishers. Transistor is a great game, and one that is confidently executed by an indie studio that really knows how to make an interesting and deeply rewarding original experience.

REVIEW: The Last of Us (PS3/PS4)

Much like my favourite all-time video game (Shadow of the Colossus), The Last of Us is probably the swansong of it's parent system; in this case the PS3. Released in 2013, it was only a year later, and after receiving over two hundred awards, that it was 'remastered' onto the fledgling PS4 which at the time of writing is currently suffering a drought of new content. When it originally came out I wasn't in the mood for another third-person-shooter, or another "zombie game" and so passed it up vowing to pick it up later in a price drop. Eventually I got around to owning the game but that's where the PS3 version and me end our brief relationship, as shortly afterwards the remastered version was announced and so I traded it away without even loading the disc. It was only months later when I wanted to get the most from my next-gen system that I picked it up again at launch this time, for full price, on PS4 and this time immediately played it. While I don't regret the roundabout way that I eventually came to play The Last of Us, part of me now realises what an absolutely spectacular game I missed out on a year ago.

The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic survival-horror action-adventure game, which is quite different to how I expected it to be; if you combined The Road, Twelve Monkeys and 28 Days Later you'd end up with something not too dissimilar to what you'll find here. Also, notice that strictly speaking none of those references have "zombies" in them. In this video game, the human race has been ravaged by a mutated strain of cordyceps fungus, a parasitic infection that eats away at your brain and soft tissue until it kills you and turns you into a crop of spore spreading mushrooms! Those affected by the fungus display aggressive violent behaviour and the spores can also be spread through bodily fluids like saliva. Playing as Joel, an unhinged survivor of the apocalypse, you're tasked with escorting a young girl called Ellie through the overrun former civilization of mankind in order to find the "Fireflies", a terrorist cell looking to synthesize a cure. Along the way you'll encounter your fair share of cordyceps afflicted monstrosities, but the majority of the time it's the human element that is the true source of horror and I felt like of all the influences it was The Road which was felt the strongest.

This game does a fantastic job of actually making you feel as if you're trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world, and I spent a good portion of the game simply exploring the environment and scraping together whatever resources I could get to help Ellie and I stay alive. There is a fair amount of shooting/fighting in The Last of Us if you want there to be, but the game often presents you with sandbox environments allowing you to choose sneaking as a viable alternative if you're not into gunplay. This is felt strongest in the survival-horror sections of the game, as you crawl about in the dark, desperate not to make any noise and draw the ire of the "clickers" (heavily mutated final-stage hosts of the cordyceps). When it was originally released on PS3, this game pushed the aging hardware to its limits, and while it looked spectacular it didn't always maintain a steady framerate or completely do the vision of the design team justice. In it's remastered state, The Last of Us on PS4 looks great, with high detail models and environments and all running at a silky smooth 1080p 60fps, finally delivering the experience as intended. While it's not as breathtaking as true next-gen titles like Infamous: Second Son, it still looks and sounds fantastic. On the subject of sound, the game's music is also brilliantly atmospheric and moody, fitting the scenes and feel of the game perfectly.

Really though, all these things I've mentioned so far are the icing on the fungal cordyceps cake, and the reason this game received over two hundred awards is almost completely down to it's story and characters. While I've been swept away by stories in video games before, The Last of Us is probably the best written and realised use of this medium yet, finally rivaling books or films in terms of complex characterisation and storytelling; and without removing 'player agency' from the equation. The two leads of Joel and Ellie are so rounded and enriched by deep exposition that you really get a feel for how they'll react and experience events in the plot. The game has also been praised for its treatment of homosexuality, especially in the additional content included with this remastered release, and it really feels like an adult video game not just a "dude-bro" adult-rated but essentially juvenile tale. By the end of the meandering narrative, which takes our protagonists right across apocalypse-ravaged America, you will have had your heart-strings tugged on, yanked on, and severed before reaching what is one of the most *perfect* conclusions to a narrative I've ever seen. In fact, the story in this video game is so good, they immediately optioned a movie adaptation.

Don't wait for the film version though, the reason that The Last of Us works so well is because of it's strengths in this medium; a video game. To remove the player agency from this experience will be to diminish the connection that you, the player, has with the protagonists and really this is something that must be experienced not watched. One of the best games on the PS3, now one of the best on the PS4, and one of the best video games full stop.

SPECIAL: Top 25 PS3 Games!

With the release of the PS4 and the slowing-down of releases for the last generation (or cross-releases that are always better on the newer consoles), it's probably about time that I retired my PS3, and I can't see myself buying anything new for it in the future. However, it really has been one of the best video games consoles I've ever owned, with a massive and fantastic library of games, which I will certainly keep and perhaps dip back into from time to time! With this in mind, I thought I would make a list (similar to what IGN is doing at the moment) of my Top 25 PS3 Games. Now, the important things to remember are a.) this is my list and it reflects my personal tastes/preferences and b.) there are some games (such as The Last of Us) that are/were released on PS4 and so they won't be on this list as they're better on the newer platform. I'm going to count down from 25 and will try and keep text to a minimum as this isn't a load of reviews; I've also tried to create pictures that are framed in similar ways, just "for lolz".

25. Borderlands
See also: Borderlands 2
Genre: First-Person Shooter Role Playing Game (FPSRPG)
I remember picking this up on a whim because I had heard good things about it; weeks later I was still playing it and put a *lot* of hours into completing every mission and finding all secrets in the large open world.

24. Dishonored
Genre: Stealth, First-Person, Action
There was a lot of buzz about this game when it came out and it was very much justified. A fantastic mix of stealth and first-person combat, it was a challenge to play through the game without killing anyone or setting off any alarms. A great story and a fantastic alternate victorian-esque setting.

23. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
See also: Uncharted, Uncharted 3
Genre: Third-Person Shooter, Action/Adventure
The first game was good, but the sequel was just amazing in every way; graphics, characterisation, story, tight gameplay, etc. For a long time I considered this to be one of the best video games ever made. Brilliant!

22. inFamous 2
See also: inFamous
Genre: Open-World, Action
Another sequel that improved drastically over the first game (although I still *really* enjoyed the first one), this is one of the best and most fun open world games that I've ever played. This game really makes you feel like a superhero, or villain.

21. Dead Space
Also: Dead Space 2, Dead Space 3
Genre: Action Survival Horror
There weren't a lot of good survival horror games during the PS3 generation, but Dead Space was an excellent action-orientated sci-fi homage to films like The Thing, Aliens, Event Horizon and various other space-age scares.

20. Killzone 2
See also: Killzone 3
Genre: First-Person Shooter
I'm not into military shooters, but Killzone 2 was something different. The only game to make me feel like I was suffering shell-shock, this is a gritty, visceral and violent sci-fi invasion of a hostile enemy planet. You really feel like the whole world is against you.

19. Yakuza 4
See also: Yakuza 3, Yakuza 5, Yakuza of the End, Yakuza Kenzan, Yakuza Ishin
Genre: Brawler Role-Playing Game
I absolutely *love* these games, the characters and story are just some of the best on PS3. Gameplay is like Streets of Rage but set in an alternate Kabukicho, Tokyo. AWESOME!

18. Bioshock
Also: Bioshock 2, Bioshock Infinite
Genre: First-Person Shooter, Action/Adventure
The first game was amazing when it came out, just the atmosphere and art direction were enough to make it stand out from the crowd. Gameplay is deep and the story is amazing; that "twist" will stay with me forever.

17. God of War 3
Also: God of War HD Collections
Genre: Action/Adventure
On the PS3 you can play the full saga of the God of War games, but the best is surely the third, which takes the crown for the most *epic* game of all time. You feel like an absolute badass playing as Kratos as you tear the gods down from their holy mountain!

16. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
Genre: Open-World, Action  Role Playing Game
This game, and the built-in expansion, offers some of the best open-world role playing available for PS3. The combat is action orientated, and the story whilst slow to start has probably the best end-game ever; ensuring you plow hundreds of hours into this thing.

15. Little Big Planet 2
See also: Little Big Planet, Little Big Planet Karting
Genre: Platform, Level Creation
The second game had an improved graphics engine, and worked with all user-created content from the first game ensuring there were literally millions of levels to play through! Local multiplayer is hilarious, clever and fun!!

14. Batman: Arkham Asylum
See also: Batman: Arkham City
Genre: Stealth, Action/Adventure
Another game I was dubious about but utterly blown away when I played it. The first game is not as grand in scope as it's sequel, but the story is much better and the fourth-wall breaking scarecrow sections are unforgettable. You feel like Batman in this game!

13. Heavy Rain
See also: Beyond: Two Souls
Genre: Interactive Storytelling
Debatable how much of a "traditional" video game is here, but completely unrivaled in terms of atmosphere and cinematic presentation. The games of David Cage are utterly engrossing and unique in the medium, although they're divisive because of how they play.

12. Vanquish
Genre: Third-Person Shooter
A pure experience in third-person shooting, Vanquish is an incredibly difficult and challenging game, definitely in the realm of the "hardcore" and "old school". It's also one of the tightest and most well-designed games I've ever played, by one of the grand masters of game design; Shinji Mikami.

11. Limbo
Genre: Platform
There are lots of good 'indie' platform games (Braid, Fez, etc.) but my favourite by far is this one. The puzzles and routes through the levels are very clever, the expressionist artstyle (replete with flickery motion judder) is beautiful in its melancholy, and the story. Oh the story.

10. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
See also: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Genre: Open-World, Role Playing 
I actually prefer the story of Oblivion and the gameplay of Skyrim. Regardless, both of the PS3 Elder Scrolls games have consumed hundreds of hours of my life, as I've explored their vast open worlds and leveled up my character.

9. Portal 2
See also: Portal
Genre: First-Person Puzzle Game 
No combat or shooting things in the head here, just you and a friend, a portal gun or two, and psychotic science robots trying to kill you. Playing this game makes you feel extremely clever and the level design is ingenious!! Story is great too.

8. Red Dead Redemption
Genre: Open-World, Action/Adventure
This is the very *best* open world game ever made. Become a legend of the old west in this massive sprawling game, with a compelling story, well-developed characters and loads of things to do. Even the zombie expansion was just amazing!

7. Valkyria Chronicles
Genre: Strategy Role Playing Game
Only this first game was released on PS3 (and the third has never been released in the west), which is a crime! This strategic RPG is one of the best ever created; you will grow to love the characters and deep storyline, then twist in agony as you have to decide who will live and die on the battlefield.

6. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
See also: Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, Metal Gear Solid.
Genre: Stealth, Action
PS3 is the *only* console where you can play the entire Metal Gear Solid saga from start to finish, as this fourth entry is an exclusive. One of the BEST series EVER MADE. Ever.

5. Catherine
Genre: Horror, Puzzle
A very unique game, Catherine came from a complete left-field and completely hooked me with its story and gameplay. Core to the whole experience are the adult themes of fidelity and sexuality, which are unusual topics for a video game to tackle. It's also hard as nails, which I love.

4. Shadow of the Colossus HD
See also: Ico HD
Genre: Action/Adventure 
It's no secret that Shadow of the Colossus is my favourite game of all time, but PS3 is the platform to play it on. 1080p and silky smooth without any framerate drops, it seems as if this game was made for the platform and feels right at home here. Ico too.

3. Dark Souls
See also: Dark Souls II
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
The "Prepare to Die" edition of this game, with the Artorias of the Abyss expansion, is one of the most compelling stories and settings for a video game of all time. The game is challenging, tight and expertly crafted. One of the best games ever.

2. Journey
Genre: Adventure
The closest we've had to a new Team Ico game in years, Journey is a truly magical experience. Designers of this game spent years developing the complex social interactions with other players, the game design that does away with the usual concepts of conflict, death etc. Unique. Inspiring.

1. Demon's Souls
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
There's a reason why people are always calling for a sequel to this game. Dark Souls may be its spiritual successor, but this original game had a Gothic-horror atmosphere to die for, a difficulty level that was pitch-perfect, and some of the best boss designs in video game history. AMAZING.

REVIEW: Code Geass - Lelouch of the Rebellion (Anime)

A lot of anime that gets lauded by critics are shows that deviate from the established genres of the medium; such as 'mecha', 'shounen', 'harem', etc. This is probably because established and long-running examples of genre shows (like Naruto or Gundam) are fairly common and so an anime that serves up the same things is often lost in the ever-growing crowd; which is why it was a surprise to me to see Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion appear on pretty much every "must see" anime list I've read in the past few months. On the surface this is yet another show in the 'mecha' genre (produced by Sunrise no less - the production studio of Gundam): involving large military organisations, deep philosophical ramblings over the nature of conflict, protagonists in their late-teens, and large super-advanced robots duking it out to turn the tide of battle. It even has some of the established cliche character archetypes (the "white knight" good guy, female bespectacled scientists, etc.) and near-future setting. However, what makes Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion stand out from the crowd, aside from it's lavish production values, fantastic soundtrack and superb storyline, it its central character - an absolute megalomaniac sociophobe who will use and crush anyone to get what he wants - and is probably one of if not *the* best characters in anime!! Lelouch vi Britannia commands you to read on!

In the near-future of an alternative Earth, the massive and powerful empire of Britannia has conquered most of the globe, with its only rivals being the Chinese Federation and the E.U. It's most recent territorial acquisition is Japan, which has been stripped of it's national identity and renamed "Area 11" with the Japanese people relegated to a apartheid-like secondary status as "Elevens"; left subjugated, bitter and with no real power to fight back. Taking refuge in this country is Lelouch vi Britannia (under a false identity), the deposed and exiled prince who was 17th in line to the Imperial Throne, and his blind crippled sister. During a terrorist incident, some "Elevens" have stolen what they think is a chemical weapon to be used on the formerly-Japanese people who now live in ghettos and harbour terrorists, Lelouch comes in contact with a strange green-haired girl who "makes a contract with him" in exchange for a supernatural power called 'Geass' - the ability to make people obey your every command without question. Armed with this new power, along with his lethally sharp intellect and gift for strategy, Lelouch slowly assembles his own military force and begins his quest to rid the world of Britannian rule; and more importantly to kill his own father the Emperor. The plot that follows really is *fantastic*, and across the two series of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion there are so many dramatic twists and turns, and so many heart-wrenching cliffhangers, you simply won't be able to stop watching! There were many nights I tried to watch "a couple of episodes" and ended up binging until the small-hours, but aside from the great storyline, the characters are the real reason I just couldn't stop. Lelouch vi Britannia commands you to read on!

As I mentioned earlier, some of the characters fill the usual roster of archetypes that you normally see in 'mecha' anime, primarily amongst these is Suzaku Kururugi, who in any normal Gundam series would be our hero. Suzaku is an "Eleven" but has joined the Britannian military because he wants to change the system from the inside, and prove that the former Japanese can be honorary members of the Britannian Empire, deserving of equal status with their oppressors. He is a noble and good-natured character who fights to protect some of the weaker characters (who are pacifists) in his shining white mecha (in Code Geass these are called Knightmare Frames) named the 'Lancelot'. In other words, he is a royal pain in the backside for our true protagonist! Lelouch is a firm believer that the ends justify the means, and he will do anything and use/crush anyone to get what he wants! Asking your audience to identify with such a character could potentially cause problems but Lelouch is just so cool a character that it's easy to take his side in almost every situation. Almost. You see, Lelouch is extremely clever and his supernatural powers keep him at an advantage for much of the time, but he is still human and there will be many occasions when things don't go his way. It's compelling viewing to be rooting for someone with good intentions overall, but who continually goes about it in the most nefarious and underhand ways possible. By the way, do NOT under any circumstances read any articles or reviews of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion whilst watching the series, as there are just *too many* websites out there with minor and major spoilers, and a huge part of the appeal for this series are the constant surprises in the storyline (both exhilarating and utterly horrific). Lelouch vi Britannia commands you to read on!

There are loads of really fantastic set-piece battles and large scale conflicts in Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, all animated with visual flair and some great 'mecha' designs, you can tell that it's produced by a studio with a track record for this genre of anime. The character designs were done by a company called 'CLAMP' and they're in the stylised end of the spectrum, with long appendages, crazy spiky hair and large boobs; but all the characters are very memorable and stand out well from each other. This is also accompanied by some amazing voice acting, especially the Japanese actor for Lelouch (can you tell yet that I really like this character?). Music in this anime is absolutely *incredible* and I think is now one of my favourite original soundtracks of all time: it's brash, bombastic and fits the show perfectly! This unfortunately can not be said for the opening and closing songs - I really didn't like any of them! There seems to be lots of people who disagree with me, but I thought they were awful and skipped over them about 90% of the time. With two seasons to watch, the 50 episodes of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion takes a lot of viewing hours, but it's worth it as it succeeds where so many anime television series fail and provides a satisfying conclusion to the story. In fact, the ending has been a subject of much debate ever since it finished on Japanese television all those years back, because it is just so damn good! It leaves the show with the perfect mix of being all wrapped-up but with an open thread here and there allowing for a little interpretation over key events. It's genius and works extremely well for the story. Now go, Lelouch vi Britannia commands you to watch this series!

REVIEW: P.T. (PS4)

Released without much fanfare during a Sony press conference, P.T. (which stands for "playable teaser") is a free download from the playstation network, and is on the surface a viral marketing tool for a new Silent Hill game. However, within twenty four hours of its release it had become infamous across the internet, for several reasons. Firstly, it was never made clear from the start that this was a teaser for a new Silent Hill game; not to mention one that is directed by both Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid) and Guillermo Del Toro (Devil's Backbone, Pan's Labyrinth)! Great news as Silent Hill 2 is still one of my favourite games of all time, and I suggest you check out my review for why a Silent Hill game when done properly is an amazing experience. Secondly though, P.T. is a masterfully made and *utterly terrifying* experience in it's own right, and probably the most frightening video game for several years!! Thirdly, the game is cryptic and mysterious in the most interesting way, especially the final "puzzle" solution needed to reveal it's true purpose as a teaser for Silent Hills.

I'm going to try and avoid spoilers as you really need to experience P.T. fresh and unknowing for its full effect to be felt; so my advice is to go now and download it! The basic structure of the game is that you wake up on the floor of a locked room with cockroaches scurrying about and after a cryptic message saying something about "cracks in doors" being portals to another world. The door to your confinement opens and you're free to leave into a thin 'L' shaped corridor, filled with various cabinets, photographs, radios, telephones and other nick-knacks you would expect to find in the lower floor of a home. There is a news report playing on the radio about some grizzly murders that have taken place and various discarded cans of booze and pills lying about the place; clearly it's not a wholesome happy home. If you walk to the end of the corridor you begin the second "loop" of the game as you reenter the same stretch of rooms again and again and again, but each time there will now be something you need to look at or interact with to progress... and it'll get slowly and surely more disturbing and terrifying each time. Something supernatural and p***ed off is trapped in there with you!!

The graphics of P.T. are incredibly realistic, mundane because it's just a corridor in a house, but very immersive and they're also filtered through a sort of slow refresh-rate fuzziness with the sort of image retention you got from old video equipment. This obviously adds to the discomfort and slowly building sense of paranoia that comes from repeating the same stretch of hallway but with things subtly changing around you. After a few "loops" things really start to descend into gut-wrenching fear as you start to hear breathing, crying, and other unidentifiable noises surrounding you (a key moment in the narrative makes these bodiless sounds all too horrifyingly real). As I stated earlier, I don't want to spoil what happens but expect to be cowering with fear by the time you pick up a much needed flashlight, and spend the game thereafter crawling around in the dark just like in the old Silent Hills. I've played an awful lot of survival horror games over the years, even as the genre diversified to become more action orientated (Resident Evil 4, 5, 6, and the Dead Space games) and even though there have been some good old-school throwbacks (Siren: Blood Curse) that have given me the shivers, I'm pretty hardcore now and not easily scared. The atmosphere of P.T., with it's creeping sense of dread and occasional expertly orchestrated jump-scares, had me wanting to turn it off because I didn't know if I could continue; I was that terrified.

It really is crazy that the most fear-inducing video game to surface in recent years could be considered a "glorified demo" or "free sampler" of another potential game to come, but P.T. is just that. It's one of the best games I've played recently, and the few hours you spend with it you will be fighting the urge to soil yourself!!

REVIEW: Evangelion (Anime)

The anime reviews I have been writing recently have been for shows that are fresh in my mind, usually because I've watched them at least within the last few months. However, I wanted to review what is possibly still my all-time favourite anime, especially because it's in a unique sort of flux at the moment with a series of new films either replacing, complimenting or following up the original... depending on how you look at it. Originally created back in the late '90s as Neon Genesis Evangelion, it was the product of Hideaki Anno who had previously collaborated with the great Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli on another of my favourite fims, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. After further collaborations with Miyazaki, Hideaki Anno fell into a four-year bout of depression, as he felt that the creative control over his projects was slipping away from him and that the "otaku" lifestyle (basically being an extreme geek in Japan) was destructive and isolationist; it was Anno's belief that human beings find it difficult to connect with and really know each other due to being separate isolated individuals. Like my all-time favourite movie, Apocalypse Now, it was this unique boiling pot of circumstance and ideas that lead to the creation of an anime television series like no other.

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Neon Genesis Evangelion:
The initial basic plot of the series is similar to a lot of "classic mecha" anime, with giant robots and teenage protagonist pilots, but right from the start there are hints of something darker lurking beneath. In the near future the Earth is recovering from a cataclysmic event dubbed "second impact", which melted much of the polar icecaps and destroyed a pretty sizable chunk of all life in the world. We join our young protagonist Shinji Ikari as he arrives at Tokyo 3 at the behest of his estranged father, who rejected him very early on in his life and has been working top secretly on some sort of government project. As he arrives at the city borders, a colossal creature called an "Angel" appears and begins to attack the place. With the army frantically trying to fight it off, Shinji is rushed to meet his father Gendo and told that the reason he's been brought there is to pilot a large mecha (giant robot) called an "Evangelion Unit", and that this is the only way to combat the Angels. Thus begins the first part of the television series when there are lots of exciting and well animated, for the time, battles between the Eva Units and the Angels. As well as fantastic action-packed fight scenes, and compelling drama, there are also lots of very humourous encounters between Shinji and other members of the cast such as his new roomate (and commanding officer!) Misato and fellow Eva pilots; the enigmatic Ayanami Rei and feisty German redhead Asuka.

But, somewhere around the half-way point of the series, it all starts to take a dramatic change of direction away from all-out action and more towards a psychological and theological character piece. These elements are there from the very start of course, but Neon Genesis Evangelion lures you in with it's more approachable aspects before pulling the rug from underneath you, at which point you're already hooked and invested heavily in the characters. Speaking of which, I've already mentioned that Shinji is separated from his father, his mother is also dead and he finds it hard to bond with anyone else, being a bit of a sociopath and suffering from chronic depression. Ayanami Rei is an emotionless doll, a shell of a human being, who doesn't understand people's emotions or motivations, Asuka has "daddy issues" and a lack of self-confidence so extreme that she overcompensates with an extrovert persona and by lashing out at everyone... you get the picture. Pretty much everyone involved in saving Tokyo 3 from the Angel attacks is psychologically disturbed or imperfect in some major way and this has a massive impact on the plot of the series. With Shinji being our protagonist we are shown things from his point of view and eventually the show descends into long monologues from him, inside his head, as he falls deeper into psychosis and through the actions piloting the Evangelion Unit, into deep catatonic despair. This is *not* a happy story or a simple Gundam-like show.

The end result is something that, in terms of plot characters and themes, is so utterly unique in anime and still stands up to this day because of how different it is from the usual tropes and conventions of this medium. As the plot progresses there is a central theme of 'the instrumentality of man', which was seemingly a bit of a hot topic at the time as it is also dealt with in Serial Experiments Lain (another of my all-time favourites and something I'll have to write a review of at some point), but this is not really resolved until the follow-up films discussed below. Despite being shot on grainy and cheap 16mm film, the animation still holds up well against modern productions, and considering its age the first half of the series, and some parts during the second, still look great. This is a combination of Gainax, the production studio headed up by Hideaki Anno, really knowing what they were doing and also because they blew a *massive* amount of their budget early on to make the show looks special; which unfortunately resulted in them completely running out of funding before the show was even through! The last two episodes are discussed below, but suffice to say the animation becomes more basic and rudimentary as the series nears its infamous climax. The music for Neon Genesis Evangelion is fantastic, and I still find myself humming some of the battle music, or the series opening theme, to this day! Once you have watched this television show, you'll never be able to hear 'Fly Me to the Moon' in the same way ever again, I guarantee it.

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"Death" + "Rebirth" AKA:
 'The End of Evangelion':
If Neon Genesis Evangelion had just carried on being the awesome 'mecha' action show that it started out like, I've no doubt that it would have become one of the most well-loved and famous anime series of all time. But the direction Hideaki Anno took it in, and the effects of Gainax's financial situation, meant that by the end it was one of the most loved and *infamous* anime series ever made. The final two episodes of the television series are always spoken about with such controversy for good reason, as even today they stand apart from the rest of the series and it's as if the final thread, the last remnant, of a traditional linear story is pulled apart and destroyed. As the story hurtles towards its dramatic climax, the studio ran out of money, and so the apocalyptic events that finish Evangelion were shown through still images, supposedly the thoughts and fears of Shinji Ikari as "third impact" happens around him. After these two final episodes had aired on Japanese TV the fans of the show exploded in a mixture of astonishment and anger, the result of which was that Hideaki Anno received death threats and hate mail that sent him into a suicidal depression. But the cult following of Evangelion only grew because of these mysterious and enigmatic final moments, and amidst the angry voices Anno also received lots of support and eager questions from supporters about what happened in the story, to the characters, and what exactly was the "third impact" that ended the show. Gainax announced they would make two films to end the story of Neon Genesis Evangelion, and it seemed like the demands of fans and haters alike had been answered.

I'm not going to talk at all about the first movie Death & Rebirth because it's largely superfluous, being that it's really just a long "recap movie" to get people up to speed enough for the next film; but it's worth watching to help you remember important story beats as well as showing some of the original series animation but at a superior quality shot on 35mm film stock. The follow-up End of Evangelion movie is the *true* end to the television series and is even split into two, like a pair of episodes complete with title cards and points for an advert break. It's also 100% new never-before-seen footage shot on 35mm with the large budget of a motion picture. In terms of the story, Neon Genesis Evangelion made heavy use of symbology and ideas from ancient kabbalistic texts, the Book of Revelation, and most importantly the apocryphal Dead Sea Scrolls, and thus the show has always been filled with judeo-christian iconography. End of Evangelion however takes this to the 'nth degree and really ramps up this aspect of the plot, revealing what "third impact" is, the motivations behind some of the shady organisations in the series, and also resolving some of the mysteries and enigmas that were left hanging by the infamous final two episodes. It does all this with aplomb, sporting sumptuous animation and some of the most exhilarating action sequences in the whole of Evangelion, or perhaps ever committed to film! It also follows the television series structure in that while the first half is all action, the second half is all metaphysical abstract imagery and more importantly, the way that Hideaki Anno chose to end his masterpiece divided people more than ever!!

The important thing to remember from the start of this section is that following the end of the television series, Hideaki Anno was depressed, suicidal, and receiving constant death threats from "fans". It was in this frame of mind that he wrote and directed the End of Evangelion, and this shows in the final film. Anno read all of the brash requests made by angry fans and gave people exactly what they wanted, but in the most painful, gory and shocking ways imaginable. I'm unfortunately entering a bit of spoiler territory here, but be forewarned that every character you will have come to know and love in the television series will have the worst things ever happen to them, perhaps not always physically but certainly mentally or psychologically. The imagery here at the end of the story is the stuff of nightmares, and as the narrative begins to break down so does the film, with Hideaki Anno even splicing in some screenshots of the death threats and abusive letters that he received... presented in the End of Evangelion film itself. It's just the most beautifully done "up yours" ever, and as an end to Evangelion itself, it all works beautifully! There is resolution and conclusion here that was missing before, and combined with the last two episodes of the television series watched in tandem, it all provides enough information to answer most of the lasting questions; although a quick mooch about on the internet and a read through of some interpretation articles wouldn't hurt either. Special mention must go to the use of classical music in the film, which works superbly, and even some great licensed music as the whole thing comes crashing down. Watched as a whole, Neon Genesis Evangelion and the End of Evangelion, is an absolute masterpiece and something that will probably never be reproduced or emulated because of the circumstances that it was created in. Of course though, Hideaki Anno recovered from his depression, Evangelion continued to grow in popularity and infamy, and the unexpected happened; we got more.

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Rebuild of Evangelion:
The original Neon Genesis Evangelion television series was released on DVD a few times, with remastered 'platinum' and 'restored' versions sporting high quality transfers and cleaned up animation, but eventually the move had to be made to high definition formats like Blu-Ray. The problem was that Gainax had by this time closed down, the original animation cells mostly destroyed, lost or sold, and the original film prints of the series were on grainy 16mm film not ideal for high definition transfer. Even the two follow-up movies had seemingly been lost to time, as since the initial launch on DVD the End of Evangelion has never been remastered or reissued. Something had to be done and Hideaki Anno announced a complete fresh remake of the Evangelion story as four consecutive films, which were dubbed the Rebuild of Evangelion movies. At this time of writing I have only seen two of the movies, the third one is still not released in the UK and the fourth is not even complete, so no doubt I will be revisiting this topic at some point with some final thoughts on the success of these rebuild movies. However, of the two that are already released there are some interesting things to talk about, especially in terms of their context, which I'll discuss later. First up, it's worth mentioning that Evangelion 1.11 (originally Evangelion 1.0 in cinemas but given the 1.11 moniker to signify the home entertainment released that includes a bit of extra material) is almost a straight up retelling of the first five episodes of the television series. Some animation sequences are even lifted wholesale from the original show, but obviously reanimated in crisp high-definition, and barring some additional scenes here-and-there that flesh out the story in interesting ways, you could almost be excused for thinking it was just another stab at Death & Rebirth. But it isn't.

Evangelion 1.11 looks absolutely fantastic and seeing some of the key action sequences of the original story but done properly is fantastic. It obviously suffers from a lack of characterisation when compared to the original series though, due to the shortened time constraints, and this is similar to the Berserk movies (see my earlier review). Also similar to the Berserk movies, Evangelion 1.11 works better as a companion piece to the original series rather than a replacement, and it helps immensely if you already know the characters well and the general gist of the plot. However, it is also in this first movie that there is some deviation from the original storyline of Evangelion, and Hideaki Anno stated that with these Rebuild movies he wanted to retell the story in a different, more concise manner, and more accessible to a large audience. This is a strange proposition as with the rushed characterisation of the first film it almost feels less accessible to newcomers, and not only that but people began to get a sense that perhaps Rebuild was much more than a literal remake. There are clues scattered throughout the movie that what we're getting may in fact be a continuation of the Evangelion story, a sort of pseudo-sequel to the End of Evangelion, which I can't really explain without *massive* amounts of spoilers. One thing though, for instance, is that in the original series the ocean is blue like normal, only turning a blood red colour after the events in End of Evangelion... in the new Rebuild movies the ocean is already blood red, and completely devoid of life to boot. There are many more indicators that these movies could be continuing the story rather than remaking it.

In terms of the original story the next film, Evangelion 2.22, really went completely off course and basically establishes a completely new storyline, or an alternate timeline if you like, where events play out completely differently than before. This means that even for old veterans, Evangelion 2.22 is fresh new material, and keeps the established audience on its toes, and at the edge of their seats! Because of the new plot, characters are given a lot more space to breathe, and some delightful scenes really build up the new take on people's psychology, which is nowhere near the levels of mental illness as before, providing much more stable and relatable protagonists. This could be what Hideaki Anno meant when he said "more accessible", and the fact that our director is no longer a suicidal mess really shows; although it's all significantly less interesting, deep and complex than what came before. Evangelion 2.22 surprises right up to the very end though as the plot accelerates through the cataclysmic events, such as another devastating "third impact", which ended the original storyline; this effectively means that with the next two films we are in completely unknown territory and utterly in the dark. While the jury is still out as to whether these films will end up being a sequel to the Evangelion story, or if in fact they are a reboot with lots of teasing false information (or even if the next two will actually be any good!), for now we have two very accomplished and entertaining anime movies. I highly recommend them for any fans of Evangelion and I'm eagerly looking forward to Evangelion 3.33 and Evangelion 4.44 in the future. Just make sure you watch all the original television series and movies first.

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Evangelion Store:

So there we have it, my opinion of the mighty Evangelion story so far, and my high hopes for the future are that it will continue to deliver the good stuff. As an aside, when I visited Harajuku in Tokyo this year (2014), I found the Evangelion Store, which sold all sorts of awesome products from the original and rebuild stories. I'll leave you with this picture of me, chuffed to bits after buying merchandise from my favourite anime of all time; Neon Genesis Evangelion, End of Evangelion and the Rebuild of Evangelion. See you all in the future with my thoughts after it's all over and finished. Thank you Hideaki Anno.