The World According to Pinwarp

Dead Island Review: Terrifying, or Terrible?

2011-09-25T19:33:00.000-07:00

I can hear them behind me, their screams echoing through the abandoned, trash covered streets; closing fast. Thunder booms above, as the sky opens up and rain from the coming monsoon soaks the streets, the wind whipping up discarded newspapers. I round the corner of a dilapidated stucco building, its doorways and windows boarded up, to see a pack of the Infected feasting on...something. One of them sees me and screams, sprinting past a wrecked car at me. The others are not so fast, but they follow.

I quickly turn down a dark alleyway, hoping the turned over garbage cans and tight corridors will slow my pursuers. I glance back breifly, and see that there are at least 7 of those monsters behind me, and they are gaining! I turn back, and flick my flashlight on to see my hopeful path of escape. My heart sinks as I see a massive wall with barbed wire blocking my way. It is designed to quarantine the street beyond, but the only purpose it serves now is to trap me in with these bloody things. I turn, and quickly toss a molotov. It ignites a few of them, who continue running at me a bit before crumpling. The rest of the horde carries on, trampling the charred corpses in front of them in their eagerness to reach me. I count 8, with a huge Thug behind them. Back to the wall, I pull out a sturdy baseball bat, which I modified early with some heavy nails to create a wicked mace, and steel myself. This is going to get a little messy.

This is a typical scenario when playing Dead Island, developed by Techland and published by Deep Silver. The game is a first person action-RPG set in an open-world, zombie infested tropical paradise. Gameplay heavily leans toward melee combat, although some ranged weapons do show up later. There are loot elements (with random weapons, modifiers, crafting recipies and components to find, etc), and a level up system, with emphasis on exploration and visceral combat. Stealth really isn't an option in this game, although many zombies you can simply outrun (but why would you want to? Killing them is fun, grants loot and XP!). There is a main storyline that focuses around 4 survivors trying to find a way off the island, and helping the various inhabitants who are besieged by the undead; although side-quests abound that offer good rewards in the form of Cash, XP, Loot, and weapon schematics.

Graphically, the game is gorgeous, with weather effects, amazing shadows and lighting, and fluid motion. I didn't notice many graphical issues, except for a few minor clipping issues when an NPC would come up against a wall or barricade. You won't find a lot of life in the environments however. While the vegetation looks really nice and lush, there isn't anything to be found as far as animals, birds, or insects. Facial animations on NPCs are a little wooden as well. If you have the computer to be able to crank up the settings, you will find many breathtaking views and environments here.

The sound is good, but not great. Combat noises and the screams and grunts of the undead are done well, and the music is appropriately atmospheric. However, it does get fairly repetitive, and the voice acting is mediocre, and at times, very cheesy. Overall it does a servicable job, and fits the tone of the game.

Gamplay is fun, and combat is fluid. There are new moves, and supermoves you can unlock as you level, which keeps things fresh. There are a TON of weapons to use, and more you can craft yourself, provided you have the right diagram and components. One thing that irked me was constantly having to repair weapons, even after only a few fights my weapons would be broken and useless. I got used to it, and it becomes less of an issue with proper skill point investment and finding better/rarer weapons with more durability, but initially expect to be tossing away a lot of broken crap.

The AI of the enemies is good. Zombies shamble slowly, and trip up on small obstacles, while faster enemies can pathfind much better, as well as climb and leap. The enemie variety is good, however at times combat can be repetitive. Most enemy types have weaknesses, and once you learn the combat strategies, and have better weapons and skills, the game can become a bit easy at times.

Multiplayer is fine, with a drop in and drop out feature that makes it easy to find players at the same stage of the game as you. There are some issues with the auto save checkpoint system, but overall the fun increases as you add players in.

After sinking about 50 hours into my first playthrough, I have to say that this one is a winner. It is like a combination of Dead Rising, Fallout, and Borderlands. I would recommend picking this one up. Final scores below:

Graphics: 8/10
Sound: 6/10
Gameplay: 8.5/10
Multiplayer: 8/10
Overall: 8/10.

Reviews! Justice League #1 and Action Comics #1

2011-09-24T14:42:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm slowly catching up on my DC titles. Hopefully this coming Wednesday, September 28th, I'll have all the issues that I missed due to my local comic store selling out.

That said, I've gotten my hands on a few of the titles I'll be watching, and I have to say, I'm rather impressed by the relaunch so far. For the purposes of these reviews, I'll be talking about the following areas: Cover and Inside Art, Writing and Plot, and my overall impressions and thoughts. This week, I have 4 reviews for you. Next week will be busier however!

So, without further Adieu, lets hop into the comics, shall we? WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #1

Cover and Art: Jim Lee and Scott Williams knocked this one outta the park. A beautiful shot of the entire lineup. Superman, Batman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, and Cyborg. This one grabbed me immeadately, showing the whole team leaping into action. Likewise, inside delivers, especially in the depiction of Green Lantern. Beautiful colors! 9/10.

Writing and Plot: Geoff Johns does a good job here. While the book relies heavily on the art to tell the story at times, the dialogue is well done. I especially enjoyed the banter between Batman and Green Lantern (Hal is wickedly arrogant and confident in his abilities). I loved how incredulous GL comes across as when he discovers Batman has no special powers. Tracking down Superman, and Supes big reveal were great...I can't wait to see how the next issue handles the situation. One thing I'm not totally on board with for this lineup is Cyborg being on the team...he never struck me as JL material...I was hoping for Manhunter. In this issue, we see Cyborg in a pre-cyborg state. I think my acceptance of the character will really depend on how they handle his transition from man to machine. 8/10.

Overall, I give this issue 8.5 out of 10. It seems like more of an introduction to the team (well, half the team, as Aquaman, Flash, and Wonder Woman are nowhere to be found). This is fine, but I'm hoping the next few issues are more than just introductions, and we get a good villain right out of the gate.

Action Comics #1

Cover and Art: Rags Morales chose a classic high speed action shot of the Man of Steel, evoking a golden age feel for me...a 'what's that in the sky?' shot. The rest of the art is good, however I found supermans jeans and boots distracting, much prefering his Justice League look. I'm hoping he makes the transition shortly. Overall, I like the modern look with a golden age feel to the city. 8/10.

Writing and Plot: Grant Morrison shines in this book. He's done Superman before, and he knows the character well. All the staples are here, with Lois and Jimmy and Lex written perfectly. The story assumes that Clark has just lept onto the scene, and is new in his career. No super powered threats in this one. For me, it was classic Superman, however it may be a bit TOO familiar. I was happy with the book, but eager for Morrison to take the story in some new directions. 7/10.

Overall, this one gets a 7.5 out of 10 for me. It was good, but nothing groundbreaking. Time will tell if this one lives up to its legacy or not. Overall a sold, if familiar, effort.

Tune in shortly for my reviews for Detective Comics #1, and Suicide Squad #1.

Let me know what you think of these issues and my reviews. Did they live up to your expectations? Oh, and like this, follow me on twitter as well! Share with your friends! Ok, i'm done now.

Bitten by the Travel Bug!

2011-09-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

It is hard to describe the feeling that came over me as I stood on a rocky outcropping hundreds of meters above the bustling city below me on that windy day near the end of September last year. It was a mix of elation, awe, and a serene calm; and a feeling I can only describe as...weight.

I had just hiked up hundreds of roughly carved marble and granite blocks that formed a snaking staircase up to the massive plateau, stairs that in places were nothing more than large, smooth blocks; in other places carefully reconstructed. The ancient monuments that dominated the plateau were oddly juxtaposed next to modern steel handrails and fencing. Side by side stood a colorful tourist information board, and a millenia old sculptured wall.

Winded from the climb, me and my fiance could only stare at the historic surroundings. Ahead of us, surrounded by a throng of tourists snapping pictures, was the massive Parthenon. This collosal structure was one of the primary reasons we had flown half-way around the world, and seeing it towering before me brought up a rush of emotions; it was a sense of acomplishment that can only be felt when one completes a goal that has so long eluded them.

For most of my life, since I was young, I had always had a love for the ancient Mediterranean world. I read stories of Troy, of Marathon, of Hercules and his 12 great labors. I had leafed through pictures of the ancient world. In University, I had studied ancient Egypt, Greece, and the Rise of Rome. To be standing here, upon the Acropolis, was the culmination of a journey concieved so long ago. It was in this moment, on my first real international trip, that I knew I would have a life long love for travel. Even now, I dream of the day I will again walk the winding markets of the Plaka in Athens, or stroll along the beaches of Corfu. Greece is a beautiful land, with amazing history, people, art, and culture.

Experiences like this are the main reason I will always want to travel. Discovering the secrets of the past, visiting the ancient monuments of those great men and women that existed before us, and seeing the change and evolution of great nations and cities, is a thrill that can only be described as addictive. I will always want to see more, to do more, and to visit more places. Already my fiance and I are thinking of a trip to Hawaii next year, and in a few months we are heading to Las Vegas for a week of fun with some friends.

We wandered the ruins, and soaked in the atmosphere. We were quite fortunate that day, as the crowd was rather thin, and we were able to enjoy the area at our own pace, and take quite a few amazing photographs. The weather was beautiful, around 20 degrees celsius, with a light breeze that carried the salty scent of the Sea with it. My only regret is that we didn't have more time in this great city.

Overlooking that 360 panoramic of modern day Athens, one thought resonated within my mind, and has left me with a longing for more: I will be back.

So, for those of you following my Blog, I want to ask a question. Have you ever had an experience like I've described in your travels? Where was it, and when? Do you have a place you really want to visit, but haven't? Let me know.

I will be posting some pictures and video of my trip in the future, as well as some reviews of the hotels, restaurants, excursions and more. If you enjoy this kind of thing, let me know, and share with your friends!

DC Relaunch, Titles I'll be reading and reviewing.

2011-09-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

The New 52 are upon us this month, from DC Comics. The relaunch marks the beginning of a brand new, coherent universe for DC, and has many readers excited. I have a healthy optimism for the relaunch, as many titles are getting a needed revamp.

This isn't the first time DC has done a massive continuity cleanup (See Crisis on Infinite Earths, or Identity Crisis for a couple examples), but it does mark the first time the publisher has reset every title back to Number 1. This means it is an excellent time for new readers to come aboard, or for long time fans to get back into their characters.

For myself, I had not read or collected comics for about 12 years (a few graphic novels excepted), and even then I was always a Marvel Fan (Spiderman, Xmen and related books). But, I had always loved some of the DC characters, had watched DC's movies, and tv shows. When I heard about the relaunch, I thought (like many) that it was the perfect time to get back into it. Of course, I had to pick and choose which titles to follow. I decided on my top 10, which I have listed below. I will be reviewing each of these titles as I get them.

My initial reviews will be a bit late, as my comic shop had to backorder my issues (curse my not preparing in advance!!) but, I should have most of them by the end of the month, and then on release going forward. Without further adieu, I present you my 10 picks for titles to read (not in any particular order).

1. Justice League. Of course, the best of the best of the DCU, and this title will be the focal point, and keystone for many. Can't pass up the opportunity to see all my favorite DC characters in one place!

2/3. Action Comics, and Superman. I have high hopes for these, as Superman has always been a great character. Being the resident power house of the DCU, Supes can be a hard character to challenge and write compelling stories for. I'm hoping they power him down in this incarnation, and create a deep and engaging storyline, without becoming 'darker'. I like my Supes as a beacon of light, not an edgy dark character, so we'll see how it goes.

4/5. Detective Comics, and Batman. Speaking of Dark and Edgy, Batman is of course on the list. I'm not picking up the tertiary books for the Batverse. I'm hoping Detective Comics focuses on convoluted mysteries and storylines (y'know, make Bats earn the "greatest detective" title), and Batman has more action.

6. The Flash. Since Flashpoint caused this whole relaunch/reboot, I'm really interested in seeing how the worlds fastest man fits in now. Will he remember what he has done? Is Zoom really toast? As long as he doesn't fight The Turtle, I think this will be good. I've always liked Flashes Rogues Gallery, so hopefully this will showcase it. Please stay away from the Time Travel tho, that just gets confusing.

7. Aquaman. Yeah yeah, a man who talks to fish right? But, with the politics of Atlantis coming into play, theres a lot of potential here. Aquaman has evolved as a character, and I really think this one is going to be a hit.

8. Green Lantern: New Guardians. I had to choose a GL book, and I decided to go with Kyle Rayner. I've always liked him as a character, and the concept of having one of each coloured Ring on one team seems interesting. Besides, I'm sure I'll be able to read GL and GL: Corps.

9. The Savage Hawkman. No JSA book? Strange, but Hawkman seems like a good bet for a standin. I'm hoping we see more of the JSA through this book, if not the team, then at least the characters. I really hope we see Hawkgirl as well (I mean, how can we not?). I don't know a huge amount about this character, and i'm hoping he lives up to his "savage" name.

10. Suicide Squad. Harley? Deadshot? King Shark? Sign me UP!!! This one looks like a good one, starring villains trying to earn their freedom by taking on suicide missions for the Government. They promise that no character is safe from death, and a revolving cast. You never know which rogue will show up next, and that has me pumped.

Notable mentions: I'm not collecting these, but keeping my eye on them: Green Arrow, JLA: Dark, Deathstroke, and Teen Titans. If they look promising, I may add them to my list.

First reviews and impressions will be posted in the future, as I read and digest them!.

So, are any of you excited for the DCU relaunch? What books are you getting? Any characters you wish had books but didn't? Lemme know!

Travel, News, Video Games, Comics, Movies? 10 Topics for a Blog, now with MORE Topics!

2011-09-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

Well, the time has come for me to join the Blogosphere, and toss my opinions into the ring, to be devoured by the masses. I had thought a while about doing a Blog, but for some reason never got around to it. I'll chock that up to my rampant procrastination. Now that I've decided to start a blog, here is what you can expect, broken down into a nice list for easy consumption.

1. Travel. I love travelling. Me and my wife have traveled a bit, and I have been to a few amazing places in my life. I will focus on Travel tips, general impressions, my thoughts and reviews on where I stayed, what I ate, and what I saw. When travelling, I will try and keep an updated travel journal. Photos, and videos will be posted as well.

2. General News. If something in the headlines catches my eye, I will probably toss out an opinion blurb on it. By no means will this Blog be news focused, but occasionally, I will want to voice my thoughts on a particular story, or issue.

3. Thoughts on Life. You know, Bloggy type stuff. I'll post some updates on my life, and how its going, and what I've been up to. Once in a while, I'll just give a general update. A journal type deal. "Dear Diary, I made a blog, wheres my medal? I mean, WTF, it was a lot of effort here, I should get something."

Reviews! HA, you thought the list wouldn't be broken, but it is!

4. Video Games: I'm a gamer, I love games. PC, PS3 are my platforms of choice, primarily PC. Whenever I try or buy a new game, I'll let you know my thoughts on it.

5. Movies! I tend to watch quite a few movies. I'll post my reviews as I watch them.

6. Comics! I'm super excited about the New 52 relaunch of DC Comics, and will be following around 10 or so titles each month. I'll post my reviews shortly after reading them, and let you know which ones are worth reading, and which are not.

By this point, you are probably realizing I'm somewhat of a Geek. I embrace your mockery! *casts level 4 flame ward*

7. Science and Technology news. I try to keep up to date with the latest in science news from a variety of sources, and will voice my opinion and showcase some topics I thought were interesting.

8. Web site recommendations. If I find a neat website, I will post about it. Anything could go here, but I'll try to stick with fun stuff.

9. Videos and photos. This can be a lot of different things, but I'll try and post and give my thoughts on visual media whenever it crosses my path.

10. Discussion, and Random topics/requests. If anyone would like my thoughts on anything, or would like to discuss one of my posts, I will be happy to write about it.

So, that's the plan. I'll try and stay up to date, and post often. Hopefully, you find what I have to say interesting, or informative. If so, let me know! I welcome any and all suggestions and criticisms. If you like what you see, feel free to tell your friends! Oh, and if you follow me on Twitter @Cory_A_Walton you will always know when a new post is up!

Now then, what to tackle first?