Star Trek Generations

star trek generations

Probably one of the better trek movies, not for its story or any other particular reason beyond getting to see Picard and Kirk together. The story tho happens to be pretty great. The movie starts out 30 years after the last Enterprise was decommissioned. A new Enterprise with a new crew is about to leave space dock and Kirk, Chekov and Scotty are going for the native voyage. After receiving a distress call they are off to save some people. Of course they save some, but Kirk is in the section of engineering that is damaged and he happens to get sucked into something called the Nexus. Unfortunately others got out of the nexus and 1 man is obsessed with getting back inside of it since it is a place of complete happiness where time has no meaning and people live forever. In order to return he starts blowing up stars to get back in since you can’t simply fly a ship into it, you have to be in its path.

Aside from getting to see two iconic captains in one movie the highlight for me is to see Data with an emotion chip singing about loving scanning for life signs. Be that as it may, it is still a great movie most people would probably enjoy. As always thanks for your time, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Just Cause 3

just cause 3

I was never really tried  this series and since it is free in the month of August on PlayStation plus I obviously needed to try. And outside of some major connection issues that don’t actually mess with game play anyway. The controls aren’t great, shooting isn’t very accurate and any car you drive handles like a tank. It also gets a bit repetitive but it is still fun. The ability to grappling hook yourself into the air switch to your chute to gain altitude then switch to a wing suit to fly is absolutely amazing.

The story is quite vague at first but isn’t bad, but I can’t deny the vast amount of my time was spent screwing around which I am not convinced isn’t the point of this game in the first place. While not the best game I have played recently it was without a doubt a fun experience, one i hope many of you will enjoy. Remember, while you are out there, may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Star Trek 6

star trek 6

Star Trek 6 the undiscovered country from 1991 is the story of the destruction of the Klingon moon that threatened to destroy their home world that resulted in the Klingon empire and Federation making peace. Well one of the times. They fight a lot. This time the crew is in a hurry to save Bones and Kirk from being killed for assassinating the Klingon High Council. While not the best in the series its also not the worst. The usual statements are true here, acting visuals and sound are all where they should be. The movie however is pretty unremarkable. I had forgotten I had even seen it  until I started watching it.

The scenes with the ice prison was pretty well done, and i’m glad it wasn’t a rip off of Hoth from Star Wars tho i don’t doubt many will attempt to make the connection anyway. Once again, may the gaming gods bring your glory.

 

 

Mount and Blade: Warband ps4

mount and blade

Every so often I see a game and I want to try it, but I don’t know enough to risk the money. Normally $20, I got it for $8 this week on sale since admittedly I have blown more on worse endeavors. Maybe its because its not much money that despite the faults of this game, which there are quite a few. The controls are clunky, shooting an arrow is difficult to aim and swinging a sword or staff is basically the prototype for For Honor from Ubisoft. Its stiff and not as well done, but its functional. The visuals are outdated even when it released on PC back in 2008 and while the PS4 version is improved that is not saying much.

With all the negatives out of the way I must admit greatly enjoying this game. See as a guy that loves swords and elves and shit, this game is sort of like a holy grail for me. You get a short tutorial on how the combat works it drops you into the game, alone and with one pretty short mission to get you started you are left on your way to make a name for yourself. Unlike most games you are not a chosen one or even any one of note. You simply are. From here you can hire mercenaries to protect you as you trade, or raid villages and castles or even if you want to attempt to marry a rich woman with land of her own. That being said these options all exist for women, there is even trophies dedicated specifically towards playing as a female character.

The main draw of this game for me is that its a wide open and unforgiving much like earth hundreds of years ago. One wrong move and your army is gone and you are left to start again if you survive. One right move however, and the world is your for the taken. So to you that join me, may the gaming gods bring you glory. And to those that do not, may they bring you even more glory.

Star Trek 5

Star_Trek_V_expanded_soundtrack_cover.jpg

Star trek 5 is another one many have mixed feelings about but I really enjoyed. It also had a serious tone with comedic moments to it. The crew is pulled from shore leave to go help 3 captives on a planet of peace that has been taken over by terrorist.

With a ship not quite ready for voyage they set off and attempt to sneak into the base and secure the hostages only to be betrayed by the captives themselves being lead by no other than Spocks half brother looking for Vulcan heaven shakari ( allegedly its a pun oun on the name Sean Connary whom was supposed to have a part in the show)

The visuals and sound are once again top notch for its time, 1989 and the acting is the same ass all the other shows and movies staring the original series cast. If you are a fan of Star Trek you by all means should watch. And if you aren’t you should still give it a shot. As always thanks for joining me, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Harbinger Down

MV5BMTQ4NDYyNzM5M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDI0MjY0NjE@._V1_UX182_CR0,0,182,268_AL_.jpg

Harbinger Down starts off great. Its got a ship in the arctic, a couple of cute college girls, a pretty nice looking Russian woman, a bad ass captain and a great premise. It looks nice sounds solid and the acting is pretty great. The story starts off strong with them crabbing at night and during the day tracking some whales. Not long after they discover a frozen ball that the whales were attracted to it. This is around the time the story turns to hell. Apparently the Russians infected a cosmonaut with something that is never really explained except that it was made from water bears. (Google what they are, quite interesting really) and it somehow creates a creature that can change its DNA as well as anyone it eats. It can also turn to liquid and grows some weird tendrils type things to kill. Oh and did i mention it can be frozen but is also immune to fire and ice? Yea it goes like that. I can’t think of another movie that went from great to total shit storm so fast. Still could have been worse tho. As always thanks for your time, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Blackest Night

blackest night

It all starts with a question, ” why can some of us defy death while others can’t escape it’s grasp?” The heroes of the DC Universe are no strangers to the deaths of each other as well of cherished loved ones. Everything has been building up the Blackest Night, when death’s darkness would destroy life’s light throughout the universe and secrets would be unearthed. Many have died: Batman, Aqauaman, Martian Manhunter; others came back: Hal Jordan, The Flash, Superman, Green Arrow…but how, but why? Hal and Flash discuss this very thing at Bruce Wayne’s grave when suddenly they are attacked from an old friend, the rotting blackened corpse of Martian Manhunter. Across the DC Universe Black power rings are bringing the dead back to life, imbuing them near invincibility and restoring there meta abilities, filling them the desire to kill and destroy the light; and in some cases taking back the stubborn ones who beat death. These Black Lanterns are being led by The Black Hand (formerly William Hand) a disturbed villain obsessed with death and there entity Nekron. The Guardians are taken down by one of there own, infected by Nekron’s madness. Ganthet manages to activate the emergency protocol in all of the rings to copy themselves and find temporary deputies which gives us some interesting picks like Red Lantern Mera, Blue Lantern Flash, Violet Lantern Atom, Pink Lantern Wonder Woman, Orange Lantern Lex Luthor, and and Sinestro Corps Scarecrow. Jon Stewart has to band an army of lanterns to defend earth with Flash and the duputies while the Green Lantern Corp fights to keep Oa in one piece from the Black Lantern Battery, The Anti-Monitor. All of this while Jordan, Sinestro, Carol Ferris, Atrocitus, Larfleeze, Saint Walker, and Indigo-1 must put an end to the war of the corps and band them all together for the final attack and try to summon the white light of Life before Nekron murders the universe…

Holy shit this saga was amazing. It’s seven books, which I will list for you at the end, but my recommendation is definitely read the first three to get the massive scope of it all. This series introduced me to Green Lantern and it’s a great take on zombies while also a great character study of many of our lesser known DC heroes and baddies. Also, just gotta say, Parallax and  the Spectre- one of the most epic comic battles ever. The writers are at the top of there game. Definitely check these books out if you love DC or zombies. May the gaming gods be with you and beware Green Lantern’s light…

Blackest Night book list (in order): Blackest night, Blackest Night: Green Lantern, Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps, Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps vol1 and vol2, Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns, and Blackest Night: Tales of the corps.

 

Star Trek 4 The Voyage Home

Startrek41.jpg

Star Trek 4, The Voyage Home (1986) is, in my humble opinion, is the best of the original series movies.  The plot is pretty simple. A probe comes to Earth with a message that starts boiling the ocean and destroying the world, and as Spock points out only human arrogance would assume the message was for them. As the crew quickly discovers the now extinct humpback whales are the only one that can answer them and save the planet. So Spock does some calculations no human can understand and their stolen Bird Of Prey is flying back in time.

Of course they quickly discover a pair with a pregnant female. Now that is basically the quick version. The movie looks good for its time and the acting is what you would expect from Star Trek. This one while my favorite is by many sort of the black sheep. While most people agree the odd numbered movies suck, this one is greatly argued by many. Usually it comes down to this or Wrath of Kahn and honestly neither answer is wrong. Voyage is a far less series movie and many would prefer while Kahn is an instant classic with one of the best space battle scenes in history. With that being said id recommend watching both. As always thanks for the time, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Books of Blood (vol 1)

barker

I’m a huge fan of macabre horror writer Clive Barker; the books of blood are a good place to start for any new writer who wants to jump into the genre. Books of blood are collections of very strange and gruesome short stories, most commonly found in volumes 1-3 and 4-6. I have to say I have personally only read through volume 1 so far but I can tell you wow. The stories in volume 1 include The Book of Blood, The Midnight Meat Train, The Yattering and Jack, Pig Blood Blues, Sex, Death and Starshine, and In the Hills, The Cities. Of these stories, I think Pig Blood Blues was my favorite: a haunting story of a home for wayward boys and the farm of evil pigs that is causing them to disappear. Barker is a master of disturbing imagery, whether it’s a subway train of skinned, upside down bodies or giants made of tied up people that come together in the hills and fight each to the death. The only story I’m not to fond of is the titular story Book of blood, in my opinion it felt a little too descriptive and bloated somehow but not obscenely so. The final moments are creepy. If you have a strong stomach and a dark imagination i highly recommend The Books of Blood; the best compliment I can give is the imagery I get from these stories manages to stick with me for months, even years after in the case of his famous Cenobites or the giants from In the Hills, The Cities, and that is the sign of a true master.

The Haunting of Silver Falls

haunting_at_silver_falls_feat

The Haunting of Silver Falls is a typical horror movie in every sense of the phrase. The basic plot us a girls parents die, moves to a small town with her Aunt and uncle meets a guy goes to a party. Of course the cops come everyone scatters and the girl finds a mysterious object blah blah blah. The ghost are semi creepy looking and the twist ending is nice and actually unexpected. The acting is well done and unlike most movies I have seen lately the pacing isn’t bad. It does a good job setting everything up but moves along fast enough to stay interesting. On the downside there is very little excitement to the movie, but its never really boring either. If anything the movie suffers from being far to standard and basic, I’m talking white chick at a Starbucks wearing Uggs basic. As always thanks for joining me, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.