PREVIEW: WATCHMEN - THE MOVIE

When Watchmen graphic novel was released and I bought it, I was too young to fully understand it, but even so it marked me profoundly. As a comics fan, I was corrupted (or enlighten) by its deep story of intelligible people with real issues no matter the mask they wear. In fact, after Watchmen, I slowing lost my interest in comics, except for other disturbing and adult exemplars like The Dark Knight and Arkham Asylum.

Well (after what, twenty years?), the super-hero films are finally mature enough to allow this Watchmen Movie. I’ve been waiting and following all news for some years, but seeing the trailer impressed me like nothing since The Matrix. It still give me chills of excitement.

From the cast, the director to the art and music, it will be worth of the graphic novel. I’m dying to watch this movie.

To the trailers and other information in the official site.

Here are some images of the main characters:

Who watches the watchmen? – I hope everybody.

GAME REVIEW: MASS EFFECT

This game is the proof that console-born games could amaze an old PC gamer. It was responsible for 3 half-slept nights and tons of fun.

Pros

• The action. The combat system is flawless.
• The RPG. The interaction with the NPCs is great and the romance is stimulating. You will incorporate Commander Shepard through his epic destiny, being a virtuous hero or a bad boy.
• The graphics and art. The game is so beautiful (specially the cut scenes) that you fell like in an interactive film. A breathless interactive film, by the way.
• The story. Although it is basically a KOTOR without Star Wars, the story is very decent and solid. You will be hooked.
• Long. You can spend dozens of hours in the game without even notice.

Cons

• No multiplayer, which is unforgiving. Bioware had shown that is possible to conciliate cooperative multiplayer with the campaign in previous games (like Neverwinter Nights).
• Confusing inventory system.
• The AI should be more challengeable and unpredicted. Combats with the “Mako” APC are too easy.
• Repetitive quests and places. Some randomness would improve a lot the replay factor.
• You can’t skip some movies. This is not annoying when playing for the first time, but if you are planning to prove different characters, the beginning of the game (full of cut scenes) will test your patience.
• The quest logs don’t help much and sometimes you get lost and don’t know where to go.


Rate: 9/10
Conclusion: Buy it. Now.






Suggestions for MASS EFFECT 2

• Cooperative multiplayer.
• The places, enemies and enemies’ locations should change every time you play. Think in Diablo and you know what I’m talking about.
• More powers, more options, more customization.
• Additional storylines and plots besides the main story.

Mass Effect + multiplayer + randomness + extended content + more freedom = game of the decade.

DVD REVIEW: SOLARIS (2002)

Tonight I watched (for the second time) the movie Solaris. As a lover of science fiction, I was looking to remember what I didn’t like when I saw it for the first time (back in its release).

Solaris has a pretention to be the new 2001: A Space Odyssey and in some ways it achieves the objective. Like the other, it is slow, beautiful, heavily psychological and enigmatic. The plot is basically a love story, using the space and the (amazing) environment in order to catch the audience. But, to be honest, it fails.

I’m aware that this is a remake of an older version (“the Russian response for 2001”), but I never found it to watch. Looks like I will have to satisfy myself with the book.


Pros:

- The sceneries - beautiful as could be.
- The actors - Natascha McElhone is simply hypnotic.
- “And death shall have no dominion.”

Cons:

- The author should know that by the gender of this movie, it was going to be watched mostly by men, so why showing so much the Clooney’s ass?
- The movie is emotionally distant and you don't become enough involved with the feelings of the characters. Also, unfortunately, Steven never learned the secret of the climax and the kick-ass ending.


Rate: 7/10

Wow scene: when the dead wife is launched to space. Her eyes…

NEVER FINISHED PROJECTS – Part 3

WARCRAFT TCG


Percentage done: 40%

Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos is one of the greatest games of all times and I love the universe Blizzard created. Thinking in all that and influenced by the Battletech TCG I still played that time, I started to design a card game for WC3, down in 2003-2004.

The game follows the basic gameplay of the multiplayer mode. Each player starts with a settlement where he deploys building cards which, by their time, recruit units. The units can be used to gather resources (wood and food), attack the enemy settlement or make missions in the “world”, fighting against neutral creep units (controlled by the opposing player) to gain gold, items and “experience”. After each combat, the hero units can attach one “level up” card, increasing their power and adding new abilities.

After designing the most of the rules I got stuck in making the cards. Working by myself, with difficult to find someone to play test with, and at the same time busy with work and college, I left the project alone for some time. But the killing blow came with the announcement of the Blizzard’s official card game in 2005.

Here is the image of some card templates:


It would be a nice game if completed. :(

DVD REVIEW: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE

I just watched a movie called Across the Universe and it’s really a crazy experience. It’s a musical film, by the way – all constructed based on The Beatles songs.

From the excellent beginning to the more and more psychedelic scenes, the movie is a piece of visual and music delight. Although it loses its strength from the first half, becomes kind of predicable sometimes and lacks a proper ending, you need to watch it.






Pros:

- It leaves no doubt that The Beatles is the greatest band ever.
- Some interpretations are refreshing and sound even better (heresy!) than the originals (like "Hold me Tight", "I Want to Hold Your Hand", "Come Together" and "I'm the Walrus").

Cons:

- The second half is much inferior and predictable. Most of its scenes are just excuse for playing new songs.

Rate 8/10

Wow scene: “I Want You”