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ESA – 2020, the online event

Cristina Bogdan
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ESA – 2020, the online event

Each year the European Space Agency opens its doors to space enthousiasts from all over the world. The first Sunday of October is dedicated to those that are interested to learn more about space, about ESA’s recent missions and the impact each small action we take has on the world around us.

The event is normally held in Noordwijk, near Hague, in The Netherlands and it is amazing! You can interact with astronauts, with engineers, see the latest space rovers and plants that have travelled into outer space, learn about satelites and did I mention the artificial sun, already?

ESA - European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC)

This year, however, our dear friend Corona kept the event from being held as usual. Normally there would be thousands of people flocking through the halls of the ESA building, trying to keep up the pace to see and learn as much as possible, this time around, however, we all got to enjoy it from the comfort of our own homes.

ESA - ESA Open Day in the Netherlands 2019

This was back in the good old days (2019).

The theme was ‘ESA and the environment’ and, while the focus was split among different ‘rooms’ featuring different speakers, the underlying urgency of finding sustainable ways of energy and ways to prevent the further degradation of our ecosystem was key.

In their own words: Space professionals know the importance of sustainability: the finite resources of a space mission must be managed carefully to keep it running. The same is true down here on spaceship Earth.

While the content of each room is currently not available for viewing on ESA’s website, you can see a small presentation of the Space Agency below:

This year the whole experience was much shorter, but it was still as interesting as ever and there was definitely a sense of community as questions were answered live, by people that actually know what they are talking about, and the available chat did not stop for a second.

The next open day will not happen until 2021, however keep your eyes opened for updates on when you can register, as the spots fill up fast.

Until then, you can check out all that ESA has to offer on their website: https://www.esa.int/ and particularly on https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/ESA_Web_TV, their own tv channel, which features shows in several languages, to allow as many people as possible the chance to learn more about their activity, challenges and news about space, the final frontier. 

 

Dune postponed for late 2021

Cristina Bogdan
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Dune postponed for late 2021

The highly anticipated Dune (2020)  has suddenly become Dune (2021).

It was confirmed yesterday that Denis Villeneuve’s rendition of Frank Herbert’s Dune has been officially pushed back to late 2021. October 1st is seen as a tentative release date, however given the current situation and the lenght of time between this announcement and the release, that is subject to change.

Initially expected to make a December debut on the big screens around the world, Dune has succumbed to circumstances beyond the creators and promoters control – a global pandemic will do that –  and has joined the long line of movies that hope to have a larger cinema audience, if released next year.

The fact that it would have clashed with a movie from the same studio, with a December 25th release might also have something to do with that. Wonder Woman 1984 has, for the time being, not been pushed back.

Given that Dune has a lot of ground still to cover, a resounding box office success would ensure the sequels that are necessary to tell the whole story and, being pitted against an already established and beloved heroine, at Christmas, could have had a negative impact on Dune’s box office. While known to science-fiction lovers, Dune is still seen as somewhat of an outsider to Hollywood, so it might struggle to find an audience to sustain it.

Until 2021, however, we have only the trailer to contend with and some stills that had been previously released. If you do need your Dune fix, please keep in mind that the books, the original movie and the miniseries are out there to keep us going until October, 2021.

 

 

 

Vampire: The Masquerade – Night Road

Peter Ray Allison
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Vampire: The Masquerade – Night Road

With the release of the fifth edition for the iconic roleplaying game of personal horror Vampire: The Masquerade (reviewed here), there have been many video games adaptations that have been released and announced.  Much of the focus has been, justifiably some might say, on the sequel to Bloodlines, but there have been many other games based within the legendary World of Darkness.

Coteries of New York is one such example, which transformed the Vampire: The Masquerade experience with an interactive narrative experience.  Night Road takes a step further, with a text-based adventure set firmly within the World of Darkness.  Here, players take on the role of a vampire working as a courier for the Camarilla, one of the three vampiric factions vying for control within in the setting.

Parallels could be drawn with the 80 Days, the smartphone adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days, which presented the story as a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ style animated text adventure.  However, Night Road builds upon the established format to create something both new and original.

Rather than creating a character at the start, like in traditional storytelling games, the character’s statistics are generated based on the decisions a player makes when determining their background. For example, a background in marine recon will be vastly different to that of an actor.  Similarly, the clan determines which of the starting disciplines are available.  This eventually creates a character sheet akin to what you would find in the tabletop version of the Vampire: The Masquerade roleplaying game.

One thing that does stand out in this text-heavy narrative game is that the writing in this is superb.  The language and narrative tone of the story is a pitch perfect reflection of Vampire: The Masquerade.  This is not just in the words and phrases that are used, but in the tone and emotion that the writing evokes.  The world in which Night Road is set is much like ours, except the shadows are longer and the darkness far deeper.

One of the core differences between Night Road and Coteries of New York and other such games is that there is no artwork or ambient music to accompany the story.  A focus on the narrative and storytelling experience, but the lack of any artwork or ambience can leave the experience feeling somewhat bland at times.

Night Road is currently available on Steam, as well as Android and iPhone, and in many ways it feels optimised for the smartphone platform.  The ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ storytelling structure lends itself well to the style of play on the smartphone platform, where players can dip in and out of the story.  On Steam, reading a lot of text, can feel like work, especially if you already work from your home computer – which many of us are doing now.

Overall, Night Road a well written and presented horror adventure based on Vampire: The Masquerade.  Although the lack of images and ambient music can leave it feeling bland at times, this is still an excellent story to delve into and further explore the World of Darkness.

Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliot

Mark Canty
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Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliot

I’ll start off by admitting I’m a huge fan of space opera. Big space battles are awesome. Add in shenanigans, politics, betrayal, some star-crossed lovers, what’s not to love? Unconquerable Sun has all this and more.

Noble companions fight for honour and friendship, forbidden love occurs in spite of turbulent family politics – We even have some misunderstood villains. Who doesn’t love noble, misunderstood villains?

Unconquerable Sun

I’m pretty sure that not liking this book would have been impossible for me, on pretty much every level. Building an empire in the ruins of a huge, yet fallen empire that spanned the galaxy, Unconquerable Sun has almost everything I could want. I’d still love a few more space battles, but I’m greedy that way. Plus there are more books to come.

The Universe

Elliot‘s universe has lots going on, with a range of human analogues that were created and contained by a fallen galaxy-spanning regime. An eternal empire that was coordinated through a series of beacons/wormholes providing instantaneous travel between stars, they also had slower ships which travelled between the systems at relativistic velocities too. When the beacon network partially collapsed, sundering the empire into random chunks, the survivors picked themselves up and started again. They were protected, or left exposed, by the worlds they could reach, or be reached by, via the remaining beacons. Such opportunities, of course, after centuries of enforced peace, lead to bloodshed, bargaining and survival of the fittest from a roiling cauldron of chaos.

Our Hero

Princess Sun, is the daughter of the Queen Eirene, Ruler of the Republic of Chaonia, and has recently come of age. Her first assignment with the Republic’s military has seen her show promise, but this makes her a threat to some, and a boon to others. She seeks to chart her own course, however. Apparently based in part on the tales of Alexander the Great of Macedonia, it has a few modern twists on the characters and promises much for the future of the series.

A mix of Asian and European traits and concepts bind this militaristic society together from a number of families/groupings, each vying for power and status. The Empress, and her heir, are accompanied, protected and counselled by Companions, from various branches of each of the major houses. this system ensures that all have an interest in the continuation of the current regime.

Sun is her mother’s only heir, and her father is the Queen’s consort. Originating from a rogue tribe of a nomadic warrior culture (the Gatoi), he has broken with his parent culture to throw in with Chaonia. The Gatoi provides mercenary troops to the former occupiers of Chaonia, the Phene Empire. The Prince is smart, principled and Sun’s greatest supporter. He is also despised and untrusted by most of the Queen’s supporters, who fear he and his savage kin will turn upon them. They would rather pursue their own petty schemes and have the Queen to themselves, with a ‘pure’ heir. “Unconquerable Sun” is his nickname for his smart, principled and wilful daughter, who he tries to help to grow and learn – Primarily how to achieve things without necessarily driving over and through every obstacle wilfully and impulsively.

The Queen

A military hero and prodigy who fought for and achieved freedom for her home world, Eirene holds the Republic together through force of will. She takes counsel from those about her, while setting them at each other to leave her at their head. Everyone is vying for power, and Sun’s position can be precarious – While she is as talented as her mother, her moods are just as stormy and unpredictable.

Eirene seemingly begrudges Sun praise in any form, keeping her constantly on edge and off-balance. Is she trying to help her grow, or is she looking to supplant her with a more traditionally-sired heir?

The Story

We follow Sun as she, her father, and mother all try to navigate the machinations of enemies and allies (both abroad and internal). Not only do they seek to hold Chaonia together, but to push back the Phene still further.

We also gain insights into the Phene, and learn much about the different groupings, traditions and history of the universe, without being buried in exposition – A delicate balance. Friends die, alliances and new friendships are formed, and love and betrayal come in many flavours. Old skeletons refuse to stay buried but, through it all, the Republic continues and fights to defeat the more numerous Phene Empire and their (strangely) fanatically-loyal Gatoi.

The Verdict

The pacing is fast, and it drives you along, jumping between multiple viewpoints & throwing curveballs. You must figure out who works for who, who can be trusted, and where Sun (and her infuriating mother) will take things next – In spite of or alongside each other. (Don’t forget the inspiration of this tale)

As the first of a series it does, unfortunately, leave you wanting more, with many threads hanging. I guess we will just have to be patient.

Did I mention that I hate coming into a series like this when it’s just book 1? I’m awful at being patient, but Unconquerable Sun is worth the wait. I’m both elated and infuriated in turn.

I’d thoroughly recommend Unconquerable Sun but would REALLY like Book 2 soon… Please?

Enola Holmes. Review

Jonjo Cosgrove
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Enola Holmes. Review

Well, that was a good watch. When this film was first announced, I had my reservations. Even with the all-star cast, there was a bit of concern over Netflix delivering a great experience. I am happy to say I was wrong.

First off, Millie Bobby Brown really has a big career ahead of her. Taking the title role, she shines as the younger Holmes sister and easily takes the spotlight from her muscular brother Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and her other interfering sibling Mycroft (Sam Claflin). As Enola, Brown has got possibly her best role since Eleven in Stranger Things as the clever young lady who has her own mystery to solve.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

Starting on Enola’s 16th birthday, Enola finds that her mother has gone missing. Initially, she looks to her older brothers for help to find the missing matriarch (Helena Bonham Carter). Mycroft believes that Enola should be sent to a school to become a proper lady. Sherlock believes his sister is talented and encourages her natural gifts. The two brothers, while talking about their mother, inadvertently leads Enola to a clue about Mrs Holmes’ disappearance. This then sparks her own investigation which sees her head to London and become entwined in another story which tickles her sense of adventure and danger.

Enola, while only just starting her own journey, is forced to help the young Viscount Tewksbury. Who would have thought saving someone from death on a train could lead to this journey? Louis Partridge is more than a perfect foil for the rough around the edges Holmes sister. The duo hold some great chemistry which is missed when they are apart. The two have some similarities, but each has a unique personality that meld together. While Enola is determined to complete her mission, she proves to have Sherlock’s traits by not being able to walk away from an interesting case.

Throughout the film, Enola addresses the audience through the breaking of the fourth wall. While in some films this could be annoying, her good-hearted nature and fun presence make it a joy every time that Brown breaks away from the action. Like Deadpool, Enola can somehow get away with simultaneously interacting with the world around her and addressing the audience.

WHAT MAKES IT GOOD?

There is just a lovely amount of charm on show. Throughout the film, it is clear this is Enola Holmes’ story with Sherlock and the other well-known Doyle characters kept firmly in supporting roles. Lestrade is able to get in a few good quips, but never outstays his welcome. Mycroft is serious and strict, but creates a few laughs through his personality. Then there is Sherlock, Henry Cavill gives a more relaxed portrayal to the usual profile we see.

I can’t really say there is a bad performance in this film. Whether it is acting legend Frances de la Tour stealing the show or Torchwood star Burn Gorman doing a lot with very few words, this film is a great slice of British quality throughout. The acting compliments Jack Thorne’s script which layers comedy, drama, mystery and love so well. I should also mention Jack Thorne created the show’s Glue and The Fades, two shows I can highly recommend and a legacy of this great talent.

Millie Bobby Brown though is the one who owns this film. She leads with a high level of confidence and charisma. The young actress shows how well she can take on a new role after impressing us as Eleven in Stranger Things for the last four years. Some younger stars would struggle to lead such a film with many top names, but Brown proves she can run circles around everyone that tangles with her on the screen. Also, this girl can fight. I mean she can honestly topple a man twice the size of her and make it look effortless.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall, I really enjoyed this film. There are a few gripes I feel I need to address. The underuse of Helena Bonham Carter in a role which could really play to her more eccentric talents. Also, the ending purposely pushes for a sequel without really having a compelling lead in to it. Also, why doesn’t Henry Cavill get to fight anyone? This is minor when compared to the talent, heart and effort shown throughout the two-hour presentation.

I will be more than happy to see Millie Bobby Brown return as Enola Holmes. If a sequel is on the cards, it would be great to see Brown and Cavill maybe do more together and see what kind of team they can be when both working together. Also, who wouldn’t want to see more this “Deadpool for family audiences” get a second round. Ok, Deadpool may not be the best comparison, but it’s the best use of fourth wall breaks since then.

Funny, charming, action-packed and truly one of the best films in 2020 so far!

BAKE ‘N SWITCH. REVIEW

Jonjo Cosgrove
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BAKE ‘N SWITCH. REVIEW

Reviewed on: Nintendo Switch.

 

Oh boy, what just happened? I did go into this game relatively blind and with little knowledge of what Bake ‘N Switch was all about, but maybe that wasn’t a good way to go. But can this game, while looking rather pleasing to the eye, be something long term for your gaming library?

 

What is it about?

In the game, you are a chef who looks to collect the bun-like creatures and throw them into an oven and basically bake them! Yeah, you gotta grab the cute food things and sacrifice them by cooking them! By doing this, you build up your score and progress. If you “sacrifice” the wrong creature, then you will see your point tally drop.

I want to begin on a good note, the game looks rather nice and adorable. The characters all look distinctive enough to be their own person without being too complicated. The game does run smooth enough on Switch when in play and you aren’t too busy on screen, but more on that later. Overall, it plays nice enough for the average gamer, but that surely isn’t enough for a game.

Now I must sadly move to the negative. My first issue is the fact you can’t play this as a one player experience (though apparently this will be added later). I understand this is presented as a party title, but that isn’t always possible. Furthermore, I could not get online at any time to play the game. The character select screen is glitchy and at times crashed on me when I tried to choose my avatar, meaning I had to boot the game back up from the beginning.

As for the gameplay itself, it does become a little stale. As the game progresses, the levels do change how they operate and the variety on screen increases. Even with progression I just still couldn’t focus on this game enough. Even my player two was losing interest after a while. It is fun, but for around 20-30 minutes at best before moving on.

 

The Bottom Line

A good-looking title with some fun, but not one that will last long enough. But I will end this review with a slight positive. I am willing to try Bake ‘N Switch again in the future when I can do a one player mode and when the online play will connect fully so I can get a better experience.

 

Soaring Penguin launches Kickstarter for debut graphic novel, The Glass Wall.

Cristina Bogdan
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Soaring Penguin launches Kickstarter for debut graphic novel, The Glass Wall.

In a little over a week Soaring Penguin Press will be launching their Kickstarter campain for The Glass Wall, their upcoming publication. This move comes on the heels of the revelation that only 13% of creators earned their sole income from comics. Soaring Penguin Press want to reestablish the balance and provide content creators with a fair wage for their work.

This Kickstarter campaign will launch on Thursday, the 1st October at 13:00 GMT/08:00 EST, and will end on Tuesday, the 27th of October. To quote their recent press release, “The Glass Wall is a powerful and electric debut,” added co-publisher Tim Pilcher, “and this Kickstarter campaign’s success will not only provide substantial up-front payment for creators William Robertson and Yulia Lapko, but will help set the precedent that will allow Soaring Penguin Press to showcase new creators while paying them a fair wage. The more supporters there are, the more the creators make directly.”

The minds behind The Glass Wall are William Robertson and Yulia Lapko, who, united by their shared love of art decided to bring this comic to life, illustrating the daily existence of a millenial drifting through life. And we all know that feeling, don’t we? Below you can see a small sample of what you can expect when the comic is out.

We will keep you updated about the launch of the campaign, however, in the meantime, just know that among the available rewards, you can find original art by the artist Yulia, T-shirts, signed prints, and an original soundtrack album for the book recorded by the writer, William Robertson. For more information, click here http://spengu.in/GlassWallKs 

 

 

 

WandaVision – Huh?

Cristina Bogdan
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WandaVision – Huh?

Well, I don’t know about you, but this trailer really went for the ‘Let’s not give anything away!’ approach.

While I am all for preserving the mistery, I am not sure the trailer manages to reach its goal of actually being enticing. Maybe I am too used to being fed a bit more detail about what the show will actually include, but this left me quite cold.

I am of the firm belief that a trailer should give you enough information to know what you’re getting yourself into, without having to go out of your way to read conspiracy theories and assumptions online.

Then again, I know myself and I will be there, popcorn in hand, watching the whole thing like there is no tomorrow, because it is Marvel and I cannot kick this addiction, no matter how hard I try.

Plus Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen (can you blame me?).

Though admittedly, the Disney logo feels like it cheapens whatever drama the show will have. Why? Because my mind works in misteryous ways and it still associates Disney with cartoons and fun, not the death and destruction that are sure to follow Wanda and Vision in their Pleasantville utopia.

Dune 2020 trailer is finally out!

Cristina Bogdan
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Dune 2020 trailer is finally out!

For those of you who might not know, and I am sure there are many, I love Dune. It was my favourite book as a teenager and I have read it at least once a year since the first time my eyes feasted on its pages.

After 2 adaptations that had both good parts and not so good parts, Denis Villeneuve promises to deliver a new take on the old sci-fi classic. The trailer release was shrouded in mistery, but it has finally arrived:

Three minutes and 4 seconds of pure bliss. I admit I might have watched it more time than necessary and all my apprehensions about Timothee Chalamet as Paul and Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho had fled my mind. Also. The worm.

The visuals are spectacular and, while the scenes are shot in a way to avoid any major spoilers, the work put behind each move is obvious.

Let December come sooner, pandemic be damned! (Just kidding, wear masks, stay safe!)

 

 

 

Rebecca – the 2020 comeback trailer

Cristina Bogdan
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Rebecca – the 2020 comeback trailer

I don’t know about you, but I was a huge fan of Daphne du Maurier’s book Rebecca and seeing the Alfred Hitchcock movie of the same name, made in 1940 traumatized me for a very long time. I was young and impressionable, okay? But leaving that aside, I do suffer from Rebecca nostalgia so the new trailer for the upcoming Netflix release left me a little on the fence.

While I do not deny Armie Hammer as Maxim de Winter and Lily James as the young 2nd Mrs de Winter are both talented and have looks and charisma, I still cling to Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine, because to me they were absolutely stunning. And Judith Anderson has haunted my nightmares for a long time after watching the original.

Do we need a remake? That remains to be seen. Until the movie drops on the 21st of October, we have only the trailer to content with.

A much more colourful take, with a more modern look, Rebecca might be the thing to draw younger audiences into a (perhaps) somewhat forgotten gothic story. And Kristin Scott Thomas as Ms. Danvers is appropriately creepy, judging by the few scenes we see her in, so at least we’ll have that.

So have a look and let us know how this fits with your nostalgia, I’d love to hear I am not the only one questioning the need of remaking all the classics.

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