Author: torstenvblog

Writer of the strange and everything; lover of horror, literature, comics, and the alien is my spirit animal

I, Robot

I robot

I’ll be the first to say I don’t trust machines: Terminator, Ultron, the Working Joes, the Geth, etc. We give machines an obscene amount of control over our lives, and with there capabilities growing and growing, it’s a matter of time before we are castaway like we do the outdated technology we accrue. So, enough of the philosophical and let’s talk about a Will Smith movie.

Del Spooner is a detective in future Chicago where robots live among us, serving and protecting us but never harming us due to the 3 laws governing over them. Spooner doesn’t buy it and hates them. When one of the premiere scientists of U.S Robotics is found dead, Spooner is on the case. The evidence points to a new kind of robot, one with emotions and humanity to it, uninhibited by the 3 rules. Sonny, this special machine, is the culprit but Spooner begins finding a deeper plot as the machines start turning, but no one believes him…

I found myself thinking it was going to be a fluffy action movie but I was genuinely surprised how many questions it asks and how much I got involved in it. The cast is really good but Alan Tudyk steals the show as Sonny, giving a memorable performance as a machine discovering humanity.There is a good mix of high concept sci-fi and action with good effects that have aged but not poorly as to significantly hurt the movie. What I was surprised about were the badass fights and the couple of times I felt the feels hardcore. The pacing of the movie is pretty quick so it’s a easy watch. In the end, I, Robot is a fun watch that is pretty deep and heartfelt that I highly recommend. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Far Cry 4

far cry 4

So Far Cry 3 was a tremendous breath of fresh air for me as a gamer so when the next installment was around the corner, you bet your ass I had my seat reserved on the hype train. Sadly I had to settle for the PS3 version and not the PS4 version, so keep that in mind here as we see what adventure is in store for us.

Ajay ventures to the Himalayan region of Kyrat to scatter his mother’s wish, her final wish to have her ashes scattered at her homeland. Ajay knows she fled the country and went to America but doesn’t know about the bloody civil war developing. He’s captured by a lunatic named Pagan Minh. After escaping the upcoming dictator’s hold, Ajay finds himself thrust into the resistance, which is facing a split itself. Can Ajay survive the madness of a country divided?

Far Cry 4 is a strange case. The gameplay is solid and doesn’t change too much from 3 but the new changes like being able to lure animals into enemies and being able to tame elephants is pretty damn awesome. It’s not everyday when you raid a camp on a elephant’s back, going postal with a grenade launcher. The story, while good, is way shorter than 3 and in many ways feels repackaged. In fact, much of this game feels repackaged. Pagan is a fun villain and honestly I liked him more than any of the good guys. What the game does have is a lot of different endings with a lot of different outcomes so you can get multiple playthroughs. The locale is beautiful. There are a host of badass animals to hunt and fight off; don’t screw with honey badgers yahl. There is co-op this time around as part of the game, rather than its own separate thing. In the end, it’s a damn fun game you can finish quick but can get a few good playthroughs of I’d recommend. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

 

The Spongebob Squarepants movie

spongebob movie Are ya ready kids?

Ok, I won’t burst into song. Many are likely wondering, ‘Torsten, why are you talking Spongebob after a string of violent comics and video games’? Well, the answer is simple dear reader: I’M A GOOFY GOOBER!

Spongebob Squarepants is just a happy go lucky fry cook down under the sea in the underwater town of Bikini Bottom.he loves his job at the Krusty Krab, loves his friends, and loves jelly fishing. The Krusty Krab is about to open a second restaurant, spelling certain doom for Plankton and the Chum Bucket; after hundreds of failed ploys to take down Mr Crabs and the Krusty Crew, he has finally  come up with the perfect diabolical plan. He swipes King Neptune’s crown which hides his baldness, and Neptune freezes Crabs out of anger. It’s up to Spongebob and his best friend Patrick to find the crown and bring order to Bikini Bottom before Plankton takes hold…

Kids movie or not, I laughed my ass off with this movie. I always had a soft spot in my heart for the lovable yellow bastard. If you love the show, the movie won’t disappoint. I love how batshit the movie gets like Spongebob getting wasted on ice cream or him and Patrick riding on top of the Hoff’s ass; it’s easy for adults with a WTF sense of humor to enjoy but its still a clean movie for the kids. It’s a colorful movie and a pretty good soundtrack including a badass Twisted Sister cover at the end. In the end, this is one of those rare times a movie can be enjoyed by young and old and its worth checking out. May the gaming gods bring you Krabby  Patties.

Resistance: Fall of Man

Resistance_Fall_of_Man

What if the horrors of WWII wasn’t a product of man but what lead to man’s downfall? Enter the Chimera, grotesque aliens that came to Earth in the early 1900’s and by the time WWII would’ve been ending, the Chimera are well on there way to domination. Can Sgt. Nathan Hale survive the war against these monstrous aliens and there impressive technology?

This was one of the PlayStation 3’s first games and in some ways it shows like the gimmick of having to shake the controller when a Chimera grabs you or the graphics that aren’t too distant from PS2 but it’s a damn solid debut. The story is a good looking apocalyptic war story that does has a nice, grim tone and feels surprisingly grounded. The Chimera are pretty creepy and fairly intelligent so they feel like a threat; while the human weapons are solid, the alien weapons are badass and a blast to use. Hale is a bland, generic protagonist but he’s serviceable. A mild issue I have is the environments are dull to look at and thankfully, the sequel has a bit more color. In the end, it’s a solid game that is worth playing if you want a solid FPS that you don’t have to  heavily invest in. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Elder Scrolls Online: GreyMoor, Dark Heart of Skyrim launch cinematic

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m a total casual here when it comes to Elder Scrolls Online but seeing a return to Skyrim was nice. I love the focus on werewolves in the trailer, which were some of my favorite parts of Skyrim. In the end, it’s a cool trailer and I hope the expansion lives up to it. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Far Cry 3

far cry 3

You what I find annoying as hell about the FPS market? The fact that a majority of the genre is divided into either military C.O.D/ Battlefield fashion or a standard paranormal shooter. Far Cry is a series like no other for me because 1 game stole my heart and only one in the series, so I ask you, do you know the definition of insanity?

Jason Brody and his friends are a bunch of  young yuppies partying in the islands, celebrating the return of Jason’s brother from the army. It was a wild time and a roaring blast…until the pirates came, armed to the teeth and watched over by crazed enforcer Vaas. Jason and his friends are captured. Escaping, Jason’s brother is killed and his friends are separated. It’s up to Jason to embrace new ways of life and the savagery of a warrior as he takes on nature and a pirate army while fighting to not lose himself in the jungle.

When I played Far Cry 3, I didn’t know what to expect but I was seriously blown away. I was insanely enamored by the scenery, exotic animals, and how by the end I felt like I went through a genuine journey and transformed. The story takes many a twist and turns, going into some true WTF territory, and Vaas is indeed a legendary gaming villain who should have been the main bad guy. What I like a lot, is the tight balance between stealth and full on gun combat, both means are supported and flushed out perfectly well for your play style. Having an tattoo on your arm that develops after you level up is also a nice touch I admired and made me want to push myself to see the final vision. What I will say as a downfall, the last quarter of the game feels flat without Vaas and Hoyt goes down pretty quickly and isn’t that great of a final villain; alongside of that, both endings to the game aren’t spectacular and pretty generic. In the end, Far Cry 3 is a damn awesome experience I highly recommend but don’t expect a great ending. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Emperor Quill

gotg emp quill  The Guardians of the Galaxy have reformed after losing Star Lord to his new responsibility as the new leader of Spartax and Gamora falling out with Quill. Kitty Pryde, once Shadowcat of the X men and fiance to Quill, has taken his mantle of Star-Lord while Rocket Raccoon takes position as leader of Drax, Groot, Agent Venom and the Thing formerly of the Fantastic Four. Bored as hell of formal leadership, Quill can’t stand his new job until a viscous attack finds his way to Spartax and he’s forced to reunite with Gamora to face Hala, a vengeful Kree accuser who wants to destroy both Spartax and Earth in exchange for the Guardians failing to save the Kree homeworld. If that wasn’t enough, Yotat- the Destroyer of Destroyers has tracked them to Spartax with a grudge he has against Drax. Is it just the Guardians’s signature bad luck or is there someone else behind the scenes?

While I love the Fantastic 4 and I’m still not entirely sure why Kitty decided to call herself Star-Lord, this book is pretty entertaining. The Thing is a unexpectedly welcome addition to the team and fits right in and Kitty does add a unique dynamic as well. Quill has a good story arc and Hala puts up a epic fight, along with some fan service I appreciated. The artwork is well done and the writing is easy to follow and enjoyable. While it’s the first volume of a new story arc, it stands well on its own. The only issue I can see is the length which is short and sweet but may not be worth the expensive cost you will likely be faced with (because Marvel/ Disney) so I recommend definitely reading it just try to get a good price. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Tenet trailer 2

I haven’t been so glad to see the sentence “coming to theaters” in my life. During Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn we got a special IMAX sneak peek of Tenet and like many Christopher Nolan features, it’s a awesome time and a great treat after months of quarantine.  I can’t wait. May the gaming gods bring you glory.