I enjoyed this film, and I think mostly because it was a new twist on an old tale. I thoroughly enjoyed the musical score, and the raw sense of a brutal, almost uncivilized England (both in climate and the peoples that lived there). I am not saying it is accurate (because I have no idea whatsoever), but I found it tasteful and entertaining. I was intrigued by the inner battles that Arthur had to fight, the war between his faith and his intuition. More climatic was the struggle with the Roman Church and common sense. I like the gravity that Lorenzo De Angelis added for Alecto's character, although I felt he was a bit too wise beyond his years. But someone had to say what he did. I like how Keira did Guinevere; I do not recall Guinevere being such a warrior, or even Woad for that matter. I also found it interesting that they scripted Merlin as such a... almost normal person; I did not see any magic, nor special powers or anything, just a savage leader of a savage people.
There were some things I did not like. Galahad and the other kid seemed a bit too young. I mean, Clive Owen is 11 years older than Hugh Dancy, yet somehow their characters are supposed to both be finishing their 15th year of service at the same time? Also, all the Church people, with the exception of Alecto, seem hell-bent on Crusading and visiting the punishment of sin everywhere. Come on, aren't there a few other bishops who are not quite as brain dead? Finally, the point where the Knights escort the caravan across the ice; what idiot is going to lead such a heavy load out into the middle of the ice, especially when you hear it cracking beneath you?!? Duh, where is the ice the thinnest?
Overall, a good movie. Not perfect by far, but entertaining. I almost blacklisted this movie because I do question how much replay value it has, but I think the film might have "it".
30 August 2007
Matchstick Men, 2003 movie
Within the first few moments of this show, I had a nagging feeling it was familiar. Then the second time I saw the ceramic dog where Roy Waller stores his money, I knew I had seen this movie before. I should keep a record of which movies I see so I do not see repeats....
This movie was utterly forgettable; dull, slow and dry. It has some humorous moments, and Roy's daughter brightens the screen a little. But I was not exactly digging Nick Cage's style for Roy. I could not even stand to watch the whole movie this time.
This movie was utterly forgettable; dull, slow and dry. It has some humorous moments, and Roy's daughter brightens the screen a little. But I was not exactly digging Nick Cage's style for Roy. I could not even stand to watch the whole movie this time.
29 August 2007
Fantastic Four, 2005 movie
I had heard that this movie was not so great, and I have finally confirmed the rumors. Yes, there were some good points, and I will briefly cover them. Ready?
The car wreck on the bridge was riveting and fun to watch. The plot line stayed mostly true to the comics (with some notable exceptions). Some of the special affects were well done (Sue Storm's force field) and the accompanying eye candy was ... candy.
What was wrong with the movie? Well, even for the above pros, there were many things that detracted. Chris Evans' Johnny Storm was a bit immature and testosterone-pumped; I think Evans did a good job portraying someone's idea of who Johnny Storm was, but I have a hard time understanding why Stan Lee was gushing all over him. All the actors for that matter. Alba's Sue Storm was a bit too sexy; the comics made her out to be a little more conservative which is what I wanted to see. Some of the special affects were just plain bad. Many of the scenes when Reed was stretching were just too cartoonish for live-action; at one point when he was restraining Ben Grimm (aka "Thing"), you could see his shoulders and arms and it did not present a cohesive picture. The CG for the Torch and Invisible Woman/Girl were dated; is that the best we can do with today's technology? Silver Surfer is going to be exactly the same thing, unfortunately.
I expected Reed's lab to be a lot more hi-tech. The comics made Reed out to be unbelievably advanced and perhaps set the bar a bit too high. Reed's lab in this movie looked too much like a stage filled with props. Michael Chiklis did an excellent job acting as Ben Grimm, but the suit he had to wear was ridiculous. Please! I wanted something that looked more like a stone golem, not a fat suit with rubber ridges.
And Von Doom, the guy we love to hate, and sometimes hate to love. I think Julian McMahon is probably a good role for that guy. However, I did not realize that Doom had a metalic-based power-plant body. Where did that come from?
I do not have a good feeling about the Marvel movies. It will be interesting to see if the rest are worth it or not. I feel saddened by the previews of Silver Surfer; while they look cool (can't beat passing through objects like that), it simply is not the Noran Radd of the comic fame. And what about Galactus?!? =)
The car wreck on the bridge was riveting and fun to watch. The plot line stayed mostly true to the comics (with some notable exceptions). Some of the special affects were well done (Sue Storm's force field) and the accompanying eye candy was ... candy.
What was wrong with the movie? Well, even for the above pros, there were many things that detracted. Chris Evans' Johnny Storm was a bit immature and testosterone-pumped; I think Evans did a good job portraying someone's idea of who Johnny Storm was, but I have a hard time understanding why Stan Lee was gushing all over him. All the actors for that matter. Alba's Sue Storm was a bit too sexy; the comics made her out to be a little more conservative which is what I wanted to see. Some of the special affects were just plain bad. Many of the scenes when Reed was stretching were just too cartoonish for live-action; at one point when he was restraining Ben Grimm (aka "Thing"), you could see his shoulders and arms and it did not present a cohesive picture. The CG for the Torch and Invisible Woman/Girl were dated; is that the best we can do with today's technology? Silver Surfer is going to be exactly the same thing, unfortunately.
I expected Reed's lab to be a lot more hi-tech. The comics made Reed out to be unbelievably advanced and perhaps set the bar a bit too high. Reed's lab in this movie looked too much like a stage filled with props. Michael Chiklis did an excellent job acting as Ben Grimm, but the suit he had to wear was ridiculous. Please! I wanted something that looked more like a stone golem, not a fat suit with rubber ridges.
And Von Doom, the guy we love to hate, and sometimes hate to love. I think Julian McMahon is probably a good role for that guy. However, I did not realize that Doom had a metalic-based power-plant body. Where did that come from?
I do not have a good feeling about the Marvel movies. It will be interesting to see if the rest are worth it or not. I feel saddened by the previews of Silver Surfer; while they look cool (can't beat passing through objects like that), it simply is not the Noran Radd of the comic fame. And what about Galactus?!? =)
Fun with Dick and Jane, 2005 movie
I enjoyed this movie, but the reason I am blacklisting it is because I do not want to see it again; once was enough.
One of the big reasons is that Jim Carey is being ... too Jim Carey, if that makes any sense. His over-the-top comical side needs a breath of fresh air. It was fantastic when Carey first awed us, but now years later it gets kinda old. To a slighter degree, I could say the same thing about Téa Leoni, but her style is a little more enduring (and bearable).
But I like the way the show was scripted and directed. It was entertaining and flowed along pretty well. You do not see many wives like Jane Harper who stick with their hubby through thick and thin, rain or shine. That in itself was refreshing. Of course, the fact that they (and other recently unemployed GlobalDyne couples) take up the darker side of capitalism is not exactly endearing of virtuistic morals, but the comedy was good. And darn it, they try really hard to do the Right Thing, and I give them all kudos for that.
One of the big reasons is that Jim Carey is being ... too Jim Carey, if that makes any sense. His over-the-top comical side needs a breath of fresh air. It was fantastic when Carey first awed us, but now years later it gets kinda old. To a slighter degree, I could say the same thing about Téa Leoni, but her style is a little more enduring (and bearable).
But I like the way the show was scripted and directed. It was entertaining and flowed along pretty well. You do not see many wives like Jane Harper who stick with their hubby through thick and thin, rain or shine. That in itself was refreshing. Of course, the fact that they (and other recently unemployed GlobalDyne couples) take up the darker side of capitalism is not exactly endearing of virtuistic morals, but the comedy was good. And darn it, they try really hard to do the Right Thing, and I give them all kudos for that.
28 August 2007
Get Shorty, 1995 movie
I picked this up last night, just to give it a whirl. I did not have any expectations, but it was entertaining. Even though I thought it was good, I also thought it was forgettable as it had no "WOW" factor.
Some big names on the screen, and they all bring something different. I have never really been a big Danny DeVito fan (for some reason, he always seems over-the-top), but I enjoyed the roll he played. Travolta's Chili character was good; my only complaint is that I wish Travolta would stop holding his cigarette in such a dramatic way. You could see the ending a mile away, but nonetheless, I appreciated the build up. Dennis Farina ("Bones") does a good job, except when Travolta bangs him up, then he acts like a little girl which is totally messed up.
Entertaining once, but not twice.
Some big names on the screen, and they all bring something different. I have never really been a big Danny DeVito fan (for some reason, he always seems over-the-top), but I enjoyed the roll he played. Travolta's Chili character was good; my only complaint is that I wish Travolta would stop holding his cigarette in such a dramatic way. You could see the ending a mile away, but nonetheless, I appreciated the build up. Dennis Farina ("Bones") does a good job, except when Travolta bangs him up, then he acts like a little girl which is totally messed up.
Entertaining once, but not twice.
21 August 2007
Warcraft III, 2003 PC game by Blizzard
I have always enjoyed Blizzard's stuff. And the Warcraft series is no exception. I played it a little back when it came out, and decided to buy it 4 years later. While I like the game, I forget how 4 years of technology moves on and that it has no chance what-so-ever to compete graphically with any current titles. Oh well.
After playing the earlier Warcraft games and Starcraft, I have noticed some obvious trends in the way the games are laid out, trends I wish I could change. For instance, does this sound familiar; "Ultra-high tech race is wiped out by savages; ultra-high tech race comes back with 1 hero, builds an army, wipes out savages; savage hero escapes and haunts ultra-high tech race." Whatever. Another annoying thing is that there is so much similarity across the Blizzard universe; peons gather resources (some form of money, and some form of combustible), there are always 2 or 3 unit-producing strutures, 1 or 2 town defense structures, and about 8 different unit types ranging from the guy who sticks his finger up his nose to the guy who shoves a stick of TNT up yours. Also, you are limited to selecting (and thus grouping) about 8 units at once, and the max number of units is usually around 100. "Total Annihilation" was a game from the 90's and was never encumbered by such immature obstacles (but it had other problems).
I do like how the Blizzard team threw in some twists. The Hero unit is a nice addition, able to carry items and gain experience. I wish all the units gained experience. In addition, some of the special Hero abilities have some nice eye-candy, and some abilities are actually quite useful in battle (Invincibility, Blink, Storm of Blades, summon creatures, etc). I appreciate how there are different races that try to alter the "status quo" a little; the Burning Legion and Night Elves let you assign 5 peons and basically soak up the gold without traveling back and forth; the Night Elves structures are mostly all mobile (and can attack!), and the Naga are water-based (but amphibious). I am still finding it hard to shake off that feeling that this is Warcraft 1 just in prettier clothes.
After playing the earlier Warcraft games and Starcraft, I have noticed some obvious trends in the way the games are laid out, trends I wish I could change. For instance, does this sound familiar; "Ultra-high tech race is wiped out by savages; ultra-high tech race comes back with 1 hero, builds an army, wipes out savages; savage hero escapes and haunts ultra-high tech race." Whatever. Another annoying thing is that there is so much similarity across the Blizzard universe; peons gather resources (some form of money, and some form of combustible), there are always 2 or 3 unit-producing strutures, 1 or 2 town defense structures, and about 8 different unit types ranging from the guy who sticks his finger up his nose to the guy who shoves a stick of TNT up yours. Also, you are limited to selecting (and thus grouping) about 8 units at once, and the max number of units is usually around 100. "Total Annihilation" was a game from the 90's and was never encumbered by such immature obstacles (but it had other problems).
I do like how the Blizzard team threw in some twists. The Hero unit is a nice addition, able to carry items and gain experience. I wish all the units gained experience. In addition, some of the special Hero abilities have some nice eye-candy, and some abilities are actually quite useful in battle (Invincibility, Blink, Storm of Blades, summon creatures, etc). I appreciate how there are different races that try to alter the "status quo" a little; the Burning Legion and Night Elves let you assign 5 peons and basically soak up the gold without traveling back and forth; the Night Elves structures are mostly all mobile (and can attack!), and the Naga are water-based (but amphibious). I am still finding it hard to shake off that feeling that this is Warcraft 1 just in prettier clothes.
The Bourne Ultimatum, 2007 movie
I heard a lot of good things about this flick, and a friend who is almost over the tipping point of being fanatical, highly recommended it. I quite enjoyed it. There were a lot of good things, and then...
First off, the drama part of the story (Jason Bourne has no idea who he is, looking for his identity) is intriguing. For me, it helps the story move along through the series. One downside is that even though he finds little bits of pieces here and there, you never get the sense that Mr. Bourne is quite satisfied with what he has found. Even when you find out his name, there is no "Aha!" moment.
The action scenes are spectacular! I do not know if Damon did all his own stunts or not, but I impressed with the ones that were obviously him. I even believed that Damon would be sweating after going hand-to-hand with one of his foes, breathing heavy; I believe that as an actor, it was a hard, demanding scene to do.
On the downside with all those action scenes, Bourne just becomes more and more unbelievable. He is shot, banged up, car wrecked and clubbed alongside running, driving recklessly, running, fighting and running. And has the finesse to make calm-voiced, calculated phone calls and somehow take showers throughout? *grin*
Where does Julia Stiles' character fit in? I felt like they just threw her script in at the last second, with some mysterious forbidden romance to help make it a little more palatable. I think Stiles is a good actor, but her part was wimpy.
I am glad I saw this on the big scree; big sound, lots of action, good stuff. I have heard that the books are really good as well. Do I trust Ludlum? Guess we will find out.
First off, the drama part of the story (Jason Bourne has no idea who he is, looking for his identity) is intriguing. For me, it helps the story move along through the series. One downside is that even though he finds little bits of pieces here and there, you never get the sense that Mr. Bourne is quite satisfied with what he has found. Even when you find out his name, there is no "Aha!" moment.
The action scenes are spectacular! I do not know if Damon did all his own stunts or not, but I impressed with the ones that were obviously him. I even believed that Damon would be sweating after going hand-to-hand with one of his foes, breathing heavy; I believe that as an actor, it was a hard, demanding scene to do.
On the downside with all those action scenes, Bourne just becomes more and more unbelievable. He is shot, banged up, car wrecked and clubbed alongside running, driving recklessly, running, fighting and running. And has the finesse to make calm-voiced, calculated phone calls and somehow take showers throughout? *grin*
Where does Julia Stiles' character fit in? I felt like they just threw her script in at the last second, with some mysterious forbidden romance to help make it a little more palatable. I think Stiles is a good actor, but her part was wimpy.
I am glad I saw this on the big scree; big sound, lots of action, good stuff. I have heard that the books are really good as well. Do I trust Ludlum? Guess we will find out.
14 August 2007
The Children of Húrin
I really love Tolkien's universe; the mythology is so rich, complex, vast and comprehensive. It simply blows my mind that J.R.R. Tolkien thought up all these characters, languages and places, not to mention the hierarchy and history.
The Children of Húrin is really good, in that it is another piece in the "Middle-Earth" puzzle. It takes place during the "Second Age" (before we even get wind of Hobbits, Aragorn, etc), and tells the story Húrin's doomed family, mostly concentrating on Túrin. I think Christopher Tolkien did a great job bringing the vast amount of partial texts into one flowing, continuous story.
The Children of Húrin is really good, in that it is another piece in the "Middle-Earth" puzzle. It takes place during the "Second Age" (before we even get wind of Hobbits, Aragorn, etc), and tells the story Húrin's doomed family, mostly concentrating on Túrin. I think Christopher Tolkien did a great job bringing the vast amount of partial texts into one flowing, continuous story.
02 August 2007
The Last Mimzy, 2007 movie
Another "children's" movie. As I feared, all the special effects were shown in the trailer (well, mostly). I wanted more sci-fi and was disappointed it was not that all. I had a hard time getting into the plot. Especially since the whole thing revolves around a stupid little stuffed rabbit. That was a bad move. I do not even remember what the Mimzy (the rabbit) was sent back in time to collect. The little, hi-tech AI thingamabob got a tear from little girl empowered with telekinesis and somehow telepathically coerced the little gee-whiz kids to use their combined super-powers to send it back into the future. Yes, I realize that is sci-fi. It was a very unbelievable brand, with very little eye-candy.
Some of the hi-tech gadgets were kinda cool. The generator was so abstract that you never really knew what it was supposed to look like, other than a glob. I liked how they branded Intel at the nanotech level in the rabbit (the only good thing the rabbit had going). I didn't quite get the iridescent flash card, other than that it helped the kid teleport a can of pop. I think it helped him see other-dimensional lines, but it was not well used.
All in all, a forgettable movie.
Some of the hi-tech gadgets were kinda cool. The generator was so abstract that you never really knew what it was supposed to look like, other than a glob. I liked how they branded Intel at the nanotech level in the rabbit (the only good thing the rabbit had going). I didn't quite get the iridescent flash card, other than that it helped the kid teleport a can of pop. I think it helped him see other-dimensional lines, but it was not well used.
All in all, a forgettable movie.
Bridge to Terabithia, 2007 movie
I was interested in this movie from the fantasy angle. Unfortunately, there was not much fantasy involved; kicked in at the end, but little else besides. Overall, I thought it was a good movie, but nothing to write home about (funny how we write everything in blogs, though, right).
The children actors did a great job. The scene were the main character gets really upset at his little sister comes across a bit canned, unbelievable. Other than that, I think his interactions with his father were excellent, portraying a very clear passion for his father's love and attention, yet almost spurned, withering under the expectations of being the eldest. The girl playing opposite him was interesting; I think there was a combination of over-acting or over-confidence on her part, but also the director and script writer making her character a little too big, too good, too smart. Hence, I had a hard time believing her. Also, the bully was a mixed-case as well. I think she did a good job, but her part was a bit too extreme, swinging from being overly bad (in a very unrealistic way, IMHO) to overly emotional. However, her character was useful to help show how the fantasy realm tied in and made it more relevant.
I liked how the story portrayed an imaginative place where fears, doubts, hopes and dreams could be dealt with in a constructive and more physical format. This is something we all do in one form or another. I was hoping the movie would dive into that place a little more forcefully, especially earlier, but alas.
The children actors did a great job. The scene were the main character gets really upset at his little sister comes across a bit canned, unbelievable. Other than that, I think his interactions with his father were excellent, portraying a very clear passion for his father's love and attention, yet almost spurned, withering under the expectations of being the eldest. The girl playing opposite him was interesting; I think there was a combination of over-acting or over-confidence on her part, but also the director and script writer making her character a little too big, too good, too smart. Hence, I had a hard time believing her. Also, the bully was a mixed-case as well. I think she did a good job, but her part was a bit too extreme, swinging from being overly bad (in a very unrealistic way, IMHO) to overly emotional. However, her character was useful to help show how the fantasy realm tied in and made it more relevant.
I liked how the story portrayed an imaginative place where fears, doubts, hopes and dreams could be dealt with in a constructive and more physical format. This is something we all do in one form or another. I was hoping the movie would dive into that place a little more forcefully, especially earlier, but alas.
30 July 2007
Vlad Taltos series, by Steven Brust
Steven was given a number of comparisons to Zelanzy, whom I also enjoyed very much. His enduring protagonist, Vlad Taltos, is the Han Solo of sword-weilding, magic-throwing, dual-jhereg and accomplished ex-Thief. I like the mix of characters, and how Steven has built up a world that is quite believable in some aspects, yet wholly alien in others, with a variety of different races, each race playing a role in society whether they like it or not. I like the enigma of Vlad's past, how he is mysteriously connected to powerful characters like the Kieron's. I have enjoyed the development and unraveling of the "master" god-like race, and learning little bits and pieces of another of the elder races. And Vlad is just enjoyable as he is.
While I am not always satisfied by Steven's individual books (you can't please everyone), there are a few that have stood out. I liked the last one ("Issola") but really wanted more meat out of it, instead of the appetizer that it was. Steven has also written in a completely different style (following in the footpaths of Dumas?), for which I respect. While hard to read, the tale is amusing and true to Steven's universe.
Even better, Brust has been spotted in forums and blogs, which tells me he is keeping his ears to the ground and listening to his fans. Kudos!
While I am not always satisfied by Steven's individual books (you can't please everyone), there are a few that have stood out. I liked the last one ("Issola") but really wanted more meat out of it, instead of the appetizer that it was. Steven has also written in a completely different style (following in the footpaths of Dumas?), for which I respect. While hard to read, the tale is amusing and true to Steven's universe.
Even better, Brust has been spotted in forums and blogs, which tells me he is keeping his ears to the ground and listening to his fans. Kudos!
28 July 2007
Transformers, 2007 movie
I had high hopes for this movie, so decided to throw down some big bucks (all of 6) to see it on the big screen. What a waste!
Probably the killer is that the whole movie is shot in digital. This really sucks for dark scenes. Really. The dark scenes were so grainy that the pixels were probably the size of quarters. I was disgusted.
Next up, there are some really cheesy sequences. To make the dark scenes even worse, there is a sequence that is filmed at the young hero's house, and these 20-foot tall, 20-ton, super-high-tech robots are stamping around in a garden acting like clowns trying not to be discovered by said hero's parents. Dumb.
The dialog leaves a lot to be desired. The action sequences near the end of the movie start making up for the vast hole the movie has dug for itself, but the nails are in the coffin and there is no escaping. I appreciate that they had the ILM folks base the fights off martial arts, and during the daylight, the scenes are crisp and the CGI is quite good, even to the point that artists who did the CGI detailed the robots with intricate moving parts, making it look like a well-engineered marvel that it is supposed to be.
While the movie had some obvious tie-ins to what we grew up with in the 80's (the voice acting for Optimus Prime brought back memories), I could not help but groan when the Transformer-patented transformation sound byte kicked in; it is superimposed over some other machine sound affects, and it just comes out being awkward and not well choreographed.
In the end, I do not even know how the good guys won. Other than Optimus's plasma knife, all the Autobots seemed vastly inferior to the Decepticons.
Probably the killer is that the whole movie is shot in digital. This really sucks for dark scenes. Really. The dark scenes were so grainy that the pixels were probably the size of quarters. I was disgusted.
Next up, there are some really cheesy sequences. To make the dark scenes even worse, there is a sequence that is filmed at the young hero's house, and these 20-foot tall, 20-ton, super-high-tech robots are stamping around in a garden acting like clowns trying not to be discovered by said hero's parents. Dumb.
The dialog leaves a lot to be desired. The action sequences near the end of the movie start making up for the vast hole the movie has dug for itself, but the nails are in the coffin and there is no escaping. I appreciate that they had the ILM folks base the fights off martial arts, and during the daylight, the scenes are crisp and the CGI is quite good, even to the point that artists who did the CGI detailed the robots with intricate moving parts, making it look like a well-engineered marvel that it is supposed to be.
While the movie had some obvious tie-ins to what we grew up with in the 80's (the voice acting for Optimus Prime brought back memories), I could not help but groan when the Transformer-patented transformation sound byte kicked in; it is superimposed over some other machine sound affects, and it just comes out being awkward and not well choreographed.
In the end, I do not even know how the good guys won. Other than Optimus's plasma knife, all the Autobots seemed vastly inferior to the Decepticons.
Oblivion, PC game
At first, I was extremely put off by the first-person perspective; my one biggest pet peeve for first-person is the lack of peripheral vision. There is a view that is a few feet back and a few feet above, looking forward and down on your character which I tend to use a lot, but it does not do the trick wholly.
But then I got into the game. Wow, it is amazing! The graphics are gorgeous, and the game is so open-ended that you could easily just hike trails to see the amazing views; spectacular sun sets, towns that sprawl beneath a realistically snow crowned mountain, forests that hum with the life of the occasional breeze and flitting butterflies. The amount of detail is.... outstanding! There are hundreds of side quests apart from the main story-line; in fact, I often found myself forgetting what the main story line was, just to pursue my interest of the day. This is by far the most immersive and mesmerizing game I have ever played.
There are some draw backs, of course, as no game is perfect. While the leveling system is quite unique (in a good, breathe-of-fresh air way), one can easily find oneself poorly equipped to handle subsequent fights due to the fact that everything in the game levels along with you. I think this can be especially disappointing if you are a warrior class and have accidentally gimped yourself by the choice of major and minor skills, and how you use them. Fortunately, I decided early on to read about character creations and to focus my attention on having an extremely well-balanced character, even to the point where I spend 15 minutes of wall-clock time shooting arrows to increase Marksman, or running willy-nilly and jumping off cliffs to increase Athletics and Acrobatics.
Another downside is that after a while, even though there are vast quantities of NPCs, each with a different role in life and a real schedule that they can follow (including eating and sleeping), they start to aggregate into a small set. You start to recognize voices from one NPC to the next, the bodytypes start to blur together, and they all seem to get the same rumors from the same source. I have to admit that the game attempts to address by introducing new topics as you progress (folks rumor about things you have done) and that the NPCs talk to each other just like real people would.
I am also a big believer in that if you are a master or expert at something, it should really stand out. When meeting other characters, the fighters, thieves and assassins stand out. For instance, the Morag Tong Assassin; you probably don't see much of him, right? =) And the Imperial soldiers seem quite adequate to handle threats on the road from bandits and highwaymen. But the mages and wizards all seem vastly underpowered. I have a hard time finding a game where magic users can stand on their own. I liked "Dawn of Magic" because it is all about using spells to progress, and you can actually take down enemies with that alone. I laughed when, in Oblivion, I was fighting in the Arena and my "coach" warns me about a high elf I am facing. When I fought this supposed wizard, he pulled out a dagger and tried to run me through. What's up with that?!? My character has a strong focus on using magic (currently, all my magic attributes and skills are maxed), but I still find that I go through mana like crazy when casting big spells. It would be nice if you could hotkey a mana potion or a Welkynd stone. Unfortunately, I find the eye-candy in spellcasting a bit wanting, and the group affect spells never seem to do enough damage. Yes, you can soften them up with weakness spells, but dang it, I am the Arch-Mage for crying out loud. *grin* Additionally, I would love to see a blademaster and other expert fighters actually look like they have practiced for hours and hours on end; I want to see more moves, more technique and more style. The 3 or 4 "moves" that one attains when progressing through the various levels are quite unflattering, and not always effective; the side-step power attack when you become a journeyman is useless when you get it, and takes a long time to get right.
The game is great! I have already put a lot of time into it, and I can tell I still have a long way to go. This is mostly because of the myriad quests that one can uncover by talking to various folks and doing various actions; one will find that a particular action may open up a line of discussion with a previously "unknown" character, which may lead to a quest which takes you across the country and back, meeting new people... and it grows. The creativity and ingenuity behind the numerous quests are both extremely satisfying and quite successful of breaking the tedium of a hack-n-slash focus.
But then I got into the game. Wow, it is amazing! The graphics are gorgeous, and the game is so open-ended that you could easily just hike trails to see the amazing views; spectacular sun sets, towns that sprawl beneath a realistically snow crowned mountain, forests that hum with the life of the occasional breeze and flitting butterflies. The amount of detail is.... outstanding! There are hundreds of side quests apart from the main story-line; in fact, I often found myself forgetting what the main story line was, just to pursue my interest of the day. This is by far the most immersive and mesmerizing game I have ever played.
There are some draw backs, of course, as no game is perfect. While the leveling system is quite unique (in a good, breathe-of-fresh air way), one can easily find oneself poorly equipped to handle subsequent fights due to the fact that everything in the game levels along with you. I think this can be especially disappointing if you are a warrior class and have accidentally gimped yourself by the choice of major and minor skills, and how you use them. Fortunately, I decided early on to read about character creations and to focus my attention on having an extremely well-balanced character, even to the point where I spend 15 minutes of wall-clock time shooting arrows to increase Marksman, or running willy-nilly and jumping off cliffs to increase Athletics and Acrobatics.
Another downside is that after a while, even though there are vast quantities of NPCs, each with a different role in life and a real schedule that they can follow (including eating and sleeping), they start to aggregate into a small set. You start to recognize voices from one NPC to the next, the bodytypes start to blur together, and they all seem to get the same rumors from the same source. I have to admit that the game attempts to address by introducing new topics as you progress (folks rumor about things you have done) and that the NPCs talk to each other just like real people would.
I am also a big believer in that if you are a master or expert at something, it should really stand out. When meeting other characters, the fighters, thieves and assassins stand out. For instance, the Morag Tong Assassin; you probably don't see much of him, right? =) And the Imperial soldiers seem quite adequate to handle threats on the road from bandits and highwaymen. But the mages and wizards all seem vastly underpowered. I have a hard time finding a game where magic users can stand on their own. I liked "Dawn of Magic" because it is all about using spells to progress, and you can actually take down enemies with that alone. I laughed when, in Oblivion, I was fighting in the Arena and my "coach" warns me about a high elf I am facing. When I fought this supposed wizard, he pulled out a dagger and tried to run me through. What's up with that?!? My character has a strong focus on using magic (currently, all my magic attributes and skills are maxed), but I still find that I go through mana like crazy when casting big spells. It would be nice if you could hotkey a mana potion or a Welkynd stone. Unfortunately, I find the eye-candy in spellcasting a bit wanting, and the group affect spells never seem to do enough damage. Yes, you can soften them up with weakness spells, but dang it, I am the Arch-Mage for crying out loud. *grin* Additionally, I would love to see a blademaster and other expert fighters actually look like they have practiced for hours and hours on end; I want to see more moves, more technique and more style. The 3 or 4 "moves" that one attains when progressing through the various levels are quite unflattering, and not always effective; the side-step power attack when you become a journeyman is useless when you get it, and takes a long time to get right.
The game is great! I have already put a lot of time into it, and I can tell I still have a long way to go. This is mostly because of the myriad quests that one can uncover by talking to various folks and doing various actions; one will find that a particular action may open up a line of discussion with a previously "unknown" character, which may lead to a quest which takes you across the country and back, meeting new people... and it grows. The creativity and ingenuity behind the numerous quests are both extremely satisfying and quite successful of breaking the tedium of a hack-n-slash focus.
The Star Wars books
At one point, I was on a kick of reading Star Wars books. I even included the originals. I found the experience interesting, but was soon jaded (no pun intended, for those that are fans of The Right Hand). My last book was one of the New Jedi Order, where one of the Solo Jedi kids are killed in action.
As I read a book here and a book there, I enjoyed seeing different species and different ways of handling things. You get some that are overly aggressive, some that are pathological, and some that are extremely charitable. While I find the Yuuzhan Vong (everyone needs an impossible, unconquerable, evil antagonist, right?) a little far-fetched at times, I think the powers that be have done a good job at making them fit in the Star Wars Universe. It is sorta fun keeping up with all the old heroes, but sometimes they just seem really stupid for all the power and responsibility they possess. And for the Jedi Masters, especially Luke, I find it unbelievable that they find themselves in such pickles.
As I read a book here and a book there, I enjoyed seeing different species and different ways of handling things. You get some that are overly aggressive, some that are pathological, and some that are extremely charitable. While I find the Yuuzhan Vong (everyone needs an impossible, unconquerable, evil antagonist, right?) a little far-fetched at times, I think the powers that be have done a good job at making them fit in the Star Wars Universe. It is sorta fun keeping up with all the old heroes, but sometimes they just seem really stupid for all the power and responsibility they possess. And for the Jedi Masters, especially Luke, I find it unbelievable that they find themselves in such pickles.
Ally, by Karen Traviss
I enjoy works that explore other sentient species. It is unfortunate that most aliens are limited by the author's creativity (no way around that *grin*), but you get some interesting inventions. Karen's multi-species, universe-spanning, gamut-running story does a good job of painting a civilization that is technologically superior, the Wess'har. I found it strange that they focus on "balancing" things, making sure one life-form does not wipe out lots of others (including lower forms of life); for an alien superpower billions of miles away, they sounded a bit too American.
But I liked it overall; I enjoyed the varieties of species that are introduced and how they interact. I did not really care for the parasite that was obviously introduced in an earlier book. A parasite that makes its host nearly immortal by repairing the host from any sort of damage and equiping it for any sort of environment, in mere seconds. Come on.
I may go back and read one of her earlier books. The one prior, Matriarch, may be good for getting some background and the center-stage women. We will see.
But I liked it overall; I enjoyed the varieties of species that are introduced and how they interact. I did not really care for the parasite that was obviously introduced in an earlier book. A parasite that makes its host nearly immortal by repairing the host from any sort of damage and equiping it for any sort of environment, in mere seconds. Come on.
I may go back and read one of her earlier books. The one prior, Matriarch, may be good for getting some background and the center-stage women. We will see.
Light, by M. John Harrison
Sometimes when looking for a new author, I do judge a book by its cover because I get a mental block and I cannot decide on any other limiting factor. This was the most un-sci-fi looking book (a big white cat on the cover with a pair of unique dice).
But I was quite disappointed with the book. Way too much swearing and sex; it really detracts from the story, of what little there is. If this were a movie, it would probably be a porno fest with some CGI spaceships thrown in and a bunch of murders. Quite distasteful. The reviews on the book were so misleading. How in the world did it get such great reviews!?! Reading the comments on Amazon are humorous, and those that thought the book was awesome... just plain sad. I will never read a M. John Harrison book again; it is horrible stuff.
The only aspect of the invented universe that I appreciated was the K-tech, and the concept of the space-faring craft being multi-dimension and using integrated intelligences (human and otherwise).
But I was quite disappointed with the book. Way too much swearing and sex; it really detracts from the story, of what little there is. If this were a movie, it would probably be a porno fest with some CGI spaceships thrown in and a bunch of murders. Quite distasteful. The reviews on the book were so misleading. How in the world did it get such great reviews!?! Reading the comments on Amazon are humorous, and those that thought the book was awesome... just plain sad. I will never read a M. John Harrison book again; it is horrible stuff.
The only aspect of the invented universe that I appreciated was the K-tech, and the concept of the space-faring craft being multi-dimension and using integrated intelligences (human and otherwise).
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