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Star Wars Identities at The O2

joshkingofgeeks
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Star Wars Identities at The O2

“the force is strong in my family. My father had it, I have it, my sister has it, you have that power too.”

Recently we were invited to a special viewing of the new Star Wars Identities Exhibition at the O2 and so with anticipation, loaded up my YT-1300 freighter, did my calculations and headed for London.

Luckily I was accompanied by my fellow scoundrel and equally as hairy friend John who was more excited about this exhibit than a child on Christmas morning. Inside the O2, we went through metal detectors and bag searches to venture up three escalators to our final docking and entrance of the Identities interactive walk-through.

The outside entrance was decorated with large decals of the popular characters but rendered in an artistic way; for example: C3PO was illustrated by incorporating  all the languages he could speak into his picture and Yoda was designed with Dagobah making up his portrait.

As we entered we were faced with a large Gift shop containing all kinds of Star Wars merchandise, and a lot that had me straining to keep my wallet from jumping out; we both stayed strong. We were then outfitted with ear pieces and some form of alien sensory that was hanging from our necks via a lanyard and we were taken in 10 at a time.

Inside was an interactive wonderland with some fantastic props and sculptures used and designed for the Star Wars Saga. From Stormtrooper suits and helmets to full scale replicas of R2D2, BB8 and C3-PO. The Scale props of the Star Ships was something to behold and made the kid in me very envious especially of the one ship I’ve loved since seeing episode 4…the YT-1300 Corellian freighter we know as the Millennium Falcon,

it was also amazing to see up close the intricate detail on the jedi robes that were used by Luke, Anakin, Mace Windu and Obiwan Kenobi. For any cosplayers out there should be a must as it answered a lot of questions about their designs and also how they fit on the respective actors.

The models are all outstanding and presented extremely well, they give the viewer an easy 180 and sometimes even a 360 degree viewing just to make sure you get that all over glance. The one thing it lacks, and I’m surprised by this, was that there wasn’t much in respect to photo opportunities, You couldn’t pose with Darth Vader or place yourself inside a cock pit of an X-wing fighter just to give it that extra touch of an Identity, This being said it is an exhibition and I guess, like art, you look and don’t touch.

While you make your way through the exhibition you can interact with the exhibits on show and answer a few questions and choices to find where you fit inside the universe George Lucas has created. I found that I would be happily set inside the Jedi Circle with a jungle Planet as my home, which suits me fine seeing as I’m from New Zealand. Many found themselves as Bounty hunters, Scoundrels, Sith even Wookie’s.

As interactive, new, shiny and amazing as it all seemed, the use of space wasn’t really thought out and it looked, in part, a bit empty. Yes its all well and good pushing a few buttons and answering multiple choice questions, but where was the feel, where was the imagination behind it?

On top of this, and this was something that came into my mind as i walked around was that the experience is definitely sensory acute but what if a person is deaf, or blind or has some other disability? Thankfully I am none of these but part of me felt that maybe some effort should have gone into this to help our disabled brothers and sisters; or at least provided for a more immersive experience for them too.

Other than that, I have to admit it was a great exhibition. Not worth the 80 to 120 return train ticket I may add but its definitely worth going to see,

For more information you can find all at the web address below.

www.starwarsidentities.com/…..

Calculate the jump to lightspeed! Punch it Chewie!!

 

The Geek Pride Cast #Porngifsandchill

Matt Geary
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The Geek Pride Cast #Porngifsandchill

This week treachery runs abound and our stoic team talk red carpet events and a revolutionary alternative to Netflix and Chill.

Don’t for get you can listen to us on Itunes!

Nerd Block Classic: December 2016

xdustineflx
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Nerd Block Classic: December 2016

Alright, it’s time for the last Nerd Block Classic of the year, and the theme for this month is Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which you might remember from last month’s review. I was pretty excited about this due to my love of Star Wars (and the fact that Rogue One was just magnificent. If you haven’t seen it, get off your arse), so I didn’t wanted to be disappointed like last month. Fortunately, Nerd Block didn’t let me down. Let’s get into it.

Up first is the only non-Star Wars item in the box, but it’s still a great choice.

Simple, but clean looking design featuring the Decepticons logo from Transformers. Nothing fancy, but I like it. The colour splash looks good behind the logo.

Now, onto the first of four Rogue One items.

We’ve got a lanyard featuring a Death Trooper insult and charm. The outside of the lanyard says “Protect the Galactic Empire” while the inside features the Empire logo in green. I don’t have much use for lanyards throughout the year, but it’s definitely nice to have your own when convention season rolls around. They give them out at the conventions as well, but they’re usually generic. Someone in my family will definitely be getting some use out of this come June/July.

Item number two is a set of coasters.

Nothing exciting, but they look cool and are practical, especially in my household. Plus, they’re surprisingly heavy-duty, so they should last quite a while. We’re on a role here this month.

Item number three: a Death Trooper coin bank.

It’s small (about the size of a softball), but goramnit if it doesn’t look cool. And it’s definitely useful. We save change all year around (a good chunk of our DCC adventure this year was paid for with loose change saved over a year), and you can never have too much storage if you save change like we do. It’s also made of a hard plastic instead of vinyl or PVC, so it’s got good durability as well.

And now, onto the last item of the month. And I’ve saved the best for last.

A brand-new mug for the collection, perfect for a nice cuppa brown joy. Let’s get a better look:

THAT is a beautiful mug. I would have been fine with a matte black one, given that it’s Darth Vader’s helmet, but the chrome finish is superb. Really makes it stand out. My wife wanted to fight me for this one, but we’ve agreed to share it (it is dishware, after all). I almost don’t want to use it, but at the same time, it’s probably the coolest mug we own (sorry, Venom), so it’s definitely getting used come tea time.

******

Last month, it was no secret I was pretty disappointed with the lot I received. Thankfully, Nerd Block more than made up for it this time around. Every item was a win, so you’ll hear no complaints for me. Great box all-around.

That’s it for this month. Next month, we ring in the new year with a Stark Industries-themed box. Let’s see if we can get two perfect boxes in a row.

Batman: The Telltale Series

Callum Tyndall
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Batman: The Telltale Series

Telltale’s Batman is an awkward proposition for me, struggling on a core divide. You see, I absolutely adore the world of Batman but I really do not gel with the mechanics of Telltale’s games. Batman is hands down my favourite superhero, possibly my favourite fictional character full stop, and the chance to inhabit his world through the medium of a video game is basically the ideal in terms of format matching content. We’ve certainly been lucky with that match as well, with Rockstar’s Arkham trilogy really showing off what it felt like to be the Batman, convincingly portraying the world of Gotham and the characters that inhabit it.

So, in theory, Telltale’s game, given their reputation for storycraft and the possibilities of applying that talent to characters I love should be instantly appealing to me. Unfortunately I find that the mechanical aspects of Telltale’s products are almost unbearable. The combination of point-and-click with QTE events does nothing so much as annoy me and the fact that it is all underpinned by an engine that, somehow, clearly cannot handle the events occurring is absurd. I played through The Walking Dead Season 1 but I ended up watching playthroughs of Tales from the Borderlands and Wolf Among Us. Going into Batman was thus somewhat of a tentative prospect for me.

Mechanical Mishaps

For something that is so focused on story and immersion, there is something very distracting about suddenly being thrown into awkward point-and-click gameplay or quick time events that constantly display Telltale’s distinctive hitch between scenes/frames. Batman particularly suffers from these distractions. Despite supposedly running on a new engine, there are still a lot of technical issues. I was fortunate not to have issues to the level that some have experienced, I never had a full crash for example, but there were way too many animation glitches and the classic Telltale half-second of lag between scene changes continued to be prominent.

Now admittedly, the mechanics didn’t bother me as much as they did in some games, Telltale are fairly creative with how they make use of their traditional gameplay to fit with Batman’s style. The detective bits are a nice nod to an element of the character that isn’t always that well portrayed although they do feel a little clunky and could reasonably just be done with a cinematic in which I see Batman do the work without any involvement on my end. More effective is the way in which you can plan out your attacks in several scenes, allowing Telltale to do more than just QTE while actually playing into the idea of Batman’s tactical side.

Overall however, I remain unconvinced of the mechanical underpinnings of Telltale’s games. For gameplay that’s reasonably simplistic they encounter way too many technical issues, even if usually fairly minor, and there is just an excessive amount of the action which I would have preferred to just see happen rather than have to occasionally swipe in a direction or press a button.

A Tale of Two Gothams

Story-wise, Batman is a different experience entirely. Well, almost. Broadly, the game manages to tell a story that is both distinctly Telltale’s own but also fits within the mythos and expectations of a Batman tale. The problem is that, as a major Batman fan, there are several changes and fresh takes on the characters and relationships that don’t quite hold true for me. While others are better played, there are what feel to me like marked flaws in certain character choices.

Without delving too much into spoiler territory, the way the main villain’s story is handled feels very reliant on a twist that doesn’t play quite right while also avoiding explaining key parts of how that villain came to be. The origin reveal in particular felt almost tacky to me in how much it relied on being a surprise and not actually having much of substance behind said twist.

Established characters aren’t spared somewhat dodgy characterisations either. Although stalwarts like Alfred and Lucius land on the money, I felt like Harvey Dent had a far too drastic divide drawn between his two halves with Two-Face reaching levels of psychosis that I never really thought of him having. He’s certainly crazy but in Telltale’s version, at least in my playthrough, he felt truly off the rails.

However, that is not to say that all is doom and gloom. The Penguin undergoes a rather distinct transformation in regards to backstory and ideology but it works. It feels like a far more natural change that works within the context provided and the way in which I imagine the Penguin operating. Perhaps it’s because he’s a slightly less defined character in my mind, beyond certain basics, and so feels less sacred in regards to changes.

It is Catwoman though who possibly comes off best. Wonderfully played by Laura Bailey, this is possibly the truest portrayal of the character from comic to game. The interactions as both Selina and Catwoman with Bruce/Batman are wonderful and perfectly capture the playful relationship that I want between the pair. There’s a reasonable amount of sway in how that relationship can play out but I felt compelled by the performance to get as much of that classic entanglement as possible.

This is not necessarily a Selina Kyle that will surprise you but it is certainly one that will satisfy you. Equal parts strong-willed, sassy and capable, this is a Catwoman that takes no nonsense but is plenty happy to lead you into a whole mess of trouble. In essence, it’s exactly the Catwoman I always want to run into whether in the comics or in any other format. It’s a blessing of a performance and some on point writing.

Man Behind the Mask

There is, of course, one character we really need to talk about. The man himself, the Bat. Writing a Telltale game can’t be easy, particularly for a character that has to encompass decades of different writers and characterisation. To give them their dues, they do an admirable job for the most part. There’s a fair range of Batmans you can play here, whether it be the raging brute of The Dark Knight Returns or something more akin to Scott Snyder’s recent take on the character.

The greatest strength though is probably the duality between Bruce and Batman which the game handles particularly well, often offering you the choice of who you wish to enter a situation as. The fact that our lead is played by the ever wonderful Troy Baker probably goes some way towards selling the range of the character quite so well as the game does. Full credit though to whichever writers had to work out every possibly facet of Batman that might need to play into this story.

It must be noted however that, as much as they did manage to get in and as hard as I’m sure it is, I felt several times that I didn’t have the option to make a choice the way I see my Batman handling the situation. It’s perhaps a minor, and quite possibly niche to me, gripe but I felt like more than a couple of decisions were taken out of my hands to force me to make less than ideal decisions. Arguably this is in order to hype up the dramatic element of certain scenes but it still kind of grated.

Conclusion

Telltale’s Batman is a very mixed game for me. The story, for the most part, is brilliantly told and though it may not necessarily gel on all levels with the way in which I see Batman and his world, I admire the bold choices that Telltale make with their presentation of the characters. Some of the twists and turns worked, others didn’t quite hit, but it’s important to respect that this isn’t a slavish homage to other portrayals and that it does try to do its own thing.

I am madly in love with a couple of the performances in here and there’s a lot of simmering potential in others. Distracting from these performances and a generally well crafted story are the mechanical failures that, while generally just irritating rather than catastrophic, continue to be unacceptable. Overall however, while the technical flaws are frequent distractions, they can’t quite detract from what is a great Batman experience. I may not like the Telltale gameplay, but I respect the hell out of their storytelling.

All images courtesy of Telltale Games

RIP Carrie Fisher, 21/10/1956 to 27/12/2016

Mark Canty
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RIP Carrie Fisher, 21/10/1956 to 27/12/2016

It was announced today that, 4 days after her heart attack while on a flight from London to Los Angeles, actress Carrie Fisher had died. She had been in a stable condition in hospital until 8:55 this morning, LA Time.

The daughter of actress Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, Carrie is also survived by her brother, Todd, her daughter, Billie Lourd and her French Bulldog, Gary.

Known to millions for her role as Princess Leia Organa in the Star Wars films starting at the age of 19, Carrie Fisher had recently revisited the role as General Organa, in Star Wars Episode 7, The Force Awakens, and was shown digitally as the younger Leia in Rogue One. She was also known for her roles in The Blues Brothers, The Man with One Red Shoe, Hannah and her Sisters, Shampoo, When Harry Met Sally, The ‘Burbs, Drop Dead Fred and the first Austin Powers film. She also had several books published, and had a large number of credits for screenwriting (Mainly as a Script Doctor and Rewriter). Carrie had written, and performed in a number of theatre productions over the years as well.

Carrie Fisher had survived, and embraced her survival of issues with substance abuse, and was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in 1985. She subsequently became an outspoken advocate on Mental Health issues and support for those suffering from Mental Health problems.A strong and forceful woman, she was known as a passionate friend to many, and an inspiration to more. Later in life, she acted as friend, host and confidant to former soldier James Blunt, during the period he wrote his album, Back to Bedlam.

I hope you’ll join all of us here at Geek Pride in sending our condolences to her family and friends at this difficult time, and in thanking her for the passion and pleasure she brought with, and to her work over the last 60 years. She will be greatly missed.

And a final goodbye, with Princess Leia’s Theme by John Williams.

Assassin’s Creed

Daniel Delargy
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Assassin’s Creed

Video game adaptations have come and gone, and unfortunately more often than not have left a sour taste in the back of many a movie-goer’s mouth, and there are high hopes for Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed. From Doom to Warcraft, we have seen many titles come and go – promising excitement and world-building which ultimately fails to appease the critics but are well recieved by fans of the series. So, did they manage to succeed where many have failed?

Is this film a ‘Leap of Faith’ in the right direction for video game adaptations?

Assassin’s Creed wipes the slate clean by putting the focus on original character Callum Lynch, played by Michael Fassbender. As far as the narrative goes, it is very much a close adaptation of the initial source material – the Templars are searching to control humanity, and Abstergo are using the power of science to see into the past via the Animus to find out what the Assassins have done with the powerful artefact known as the Apple of Eden.

Assassins in their natural habitat – rooftops.

First of all, let’s start off by addressing what works for the film. The choreography was definitely one of the best features of the film, placing a lot of emphasis on the adaptability of the Assassins. In fact, stuntman ‘Damien Walters’ re-enacted the iconic Leap of Faith from the game through 125 feet freefall, a feat which was described as “one of the highest freefalls performed by a stuntman in almost 35 years”. We have a plethora of references and Easter Eggs hidden throughout the film for fans of the series to find; from a soldier falling from a great height into a cart of hay, to the Abstergo Artefact Room which is littered with iconic weapons from protagonists across the games, to the small but noticeable Assassin’s mark on the back of Fassbender’s neck made by the Animus device as it connects to his brain.

Speaking of which, this brings me onto one of my favourite redesigns done for the movie – The Animus, which is transformed by from a Matrix-style reclining chair into an entire room which immerses those watching with the past that Callum is reliving. As Callum sees the world through the eyes of Aguilar (his Spanish counterpart), he mimics his every movement – from fighting fierce battles, to free running across the city. The Templars are able to see everything that Callum sees as it is projected around the room to create a virtual environment for them to document.

Finally, we have the visuals – an aspect which is arguably one of the main draws of Assassin’s Creed series. The vast and visually spectacular scenery which you are able to experience through the eyes of the long-deceased assassin is so immersive and inviting, that you can’t help but be spellbound as the assassins make their way through whatever they come across in the dusky settings of 15th century Spain – from dusty villages surrounded by arid landscapes, to the bustling and conveniently-accessible city. Even the dialogue adds to the whole geography, as the entirety of the script is spoken in Spanish, which culminates in a beautiful pay-off as it adds to the immersion.

A classic story of boy meets girl, girl proposes to utilise boy’s genes in order to peek into the past in exchange for his freedom, boy agrees after declaring it’s FUBAR

In fact, Assassin’s Creed is so faithful to its original counterpart that unfortunately it reflects one of the more tiresome parts of the game; the drab and grey lifeless rooms which seem to dominate the majority of Abstergo in the present day. Each time you break away from the high-octane action to return to the present, there is an irritating slowdown which unsettles the viewer.

This break would be palpable if a majority of the characters had a bit more dimension to them. Despite the fact we share a part of Callum Lynch’s childhood – seeing his mother be murdered to protect the creed – the audience always feels distanced from the main protagonist to the extent that it feels like the film just wants you to empathise with as he’s thrust into a scenario which makes no sense to him at all – but ultimately he feels quite two-dimensional, as he ticks all the ‘outsider’ tropes like they were his winning numbers on bingo night. Hey, at least he gets a musical number – if you can tolerate a man hysterically singing Patsy Cline’s ‘Crazy’ after battling with illusions brought on by the use of the Animus.

Even Jeremy Irons, playing CEO of Abstergo Alan Rikkin, feels slightly deflated as he glares with a distinct lack of emotion at the progression of Callum towards finding out about the Apple of Eden – except for irritation that he might not be working fast enough for his liking. The problem is though, we never get to know much about him…no details on his wife, his relationship with his daughter (aside from the fact that he is a glory-hog), there is nothing much to do with his character aside from the title of ‘villain of the film’.

In fact most of the characters ultimately fall into the trap of boring clichés save for Marion Cotillard’s Sophia Rikkin, daughter of Alan Rikkin and leading scientist of the Animus project at Abstergo. Even though she is often at times seen as almost passive and glassy-eyed, she shows the most development as she wrestles with her duties to the Templars, and her duties to the principle that science holds the key to bringing about peace. It also is notable that rather just appearing as a love interest, the film plays on her struggles to prioritise her duties, written as a compassionate and well-meaning foil for her stone hearted father. As her character continues to develop, it leaves the audience guessing whether she will turn her back on her father and the Templars – and whether Callum can truly trust her as she displays a continued interest in ‘pacification’ in the name of science and for the benefit of humanity – until the final scene, which ultimately sets her character up for big things in the future…should a sequel be made.

If only we got to explore you more…

Unfortunately, one of the film’s biggest failings is its plot. Wholly unoriginal and ripped straight from the first video game, the only difference is that Abstergo seem to make the mistake of allowing all the descendants of the assassins to commune with each other in spacious environments. Where Desmond was isolated in the first game, nothing can stop the subjects from bonding together and plotting their escape, which seems a huge oversight on the departmental side.

The plot also seems to be contradictory to the existing canon – whereas it seems that this Abstergo has been chasing this single Apple across decades, in the games it is revealed that there in fact multiple Apples existing in the world which have even found their way into the hands of the Templars…however, none of these artifacts are referenced or addressed in the film.It seems bizarre that

Putting another confusing spin on things is that according to director Justin Kurzel, this film takes place in the exact same universe as the games. However, neither the changes to the Animus, the use of the Animus on multiple subjects (including Desmond Miles) are ever referenced. Whilst this may be good for newcomers to the series as it simplifies the plot substantially, those familiar with the series may be left a little confused as to how the Templars have come to the decision of “Ah well, can’t control them all” despite being so interested in it in the games that they built a giant satellite to broadcast the power of a single Apple worldwide.

The ‘Bleeding Affect’ is a nice touch, leaving Callum wondering if he’s going mad as he gains his own personal stalker.

Does Assassin’s Creed manage to break away from the curse of the adaptation? Unfortunately not entirely, with a couple of moments leaving me a little perplexed and a little disappointed. However, there are moments where the film looks and feels absolutely beautiful – Aguila and fellow assassin Maria fleeing across the city, scampering across rooftops and leaping between banners in-between fighting for their lives is certainly one of the film’s best moments and certainly not one which should be missed. Hopefully if sequels are made, they will spend more time utilising the history a bit better in their ‘historical’ fantasy setting.

If we’re lucky, they’ll take inspiration from the video games and develop a character as likeable and iconic as Ezio. One can only hope.

Assassin’s Creed is released 21st of December in the US and on the 1st of January in the UK

Trailer for Blade Runner 2049 has landed

trekkiemark
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Trailer for Blade Runner 2049 has landed

The long awaited first look teaser trailer for Blade Runner 2049 has been finally released by Warner Brothers.

The short teaser shows Harrison Ford, reprising his role as Deckard squaring off against Ryan Gosling accompanied by the Vangelis inspired synth soundtrack.

Produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Denis Villeneuve, is the follow up to the Phillip K Dick adaptation having had fans of the cult sci fi noir film waiting 35 years for a second film.

Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think in the comments.

Blade Runner 2049 will hit cinemas in 2017.

Review: Professor Elemental And His Amazing Friends

xdustineflx
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Review: Professor Elemental And His Amazing Friends

I am a big fan of Professor Elemental, aka “The Gentleman Rhymer”, and have been ever since discovering him by accident while reading an article on Cracked.com. I love his style, which is a blend of hip-hop and humour, with a healthy dose of steampunk thrown in. It’s a very underappreciated genre, and one that he shines quite brightly in thanks to smart lyrics, good beats and more nerd/geek references than you can shake a Sonic Screwdriver at.

Over the last year (give or take), I’ve gotten to talk to Paul, the man behind the rhymes, via social networking, and as luck would have it, I happened to be online at the right time, as he offered me a review copy of his brand-new album, Professor Elemental And His Amazing Friends, a record that is heavy on the Elemental but, as you would expect from the title, is a collaborative effort with Elemental’s close friends, including representatives from the Gentleman’s Club and Special School. I jumped at the chance to review the new tracks. Overall, it’s a very enjoyable audio experience.

Now, I have never reviewed an album on Geek Pride before, so I decided to go through it track-by-track and give you readers thoughts on each one. Alright, here we go.

1. “Intro”-A very short track, but it does exactly what it needs to and introduces listeners to the album and tells them what they’re in for. Even with being so short (33 seconds), it’s got a good beat and is a fun track.

2. “More of What You Asked For”-The first real song on the album. A blend of steampunk charm and Elemental’s aggressive-but-friendly rap styles set to a faster beat than most any of his other songs. A good, high energy track.

3. “Bare Witness”-Easily the best track on the entire album. The song stands out thanks to being set over the beat of “Super Bon-Bon” by Soul Coughing and a bit more aggression on the lyrics. Catchy lyrics and beats, and I especially appreciate the shots taken at Ed Sheeran and Kanye West.

4. “All You Can Eat”-A short song set to an upbeat piano number. Some catchy lyrics, where the Professor talks about things he likes/wants. Nothing special, but a fun song.

5. “Cotton Club (interlude)”-More of a sketch than a song, something regularly featured in the Professor’s library. I’m not a big fan of the sketches, but I know a lot of his fanbase are, and you gotta try to appeal to everyone.

6. “BeeGees Ain’t Got Nothin’ On Me”-A fun disco/hip-hop hybrid track with some funny lyrics and a great beat. You might find yourself singing the chorus in short order.

7. “All in Together feat. Nick Maxwell (GnT Remix)”-I’m a little torn on this song. Remixes can be hit-or-miss, and this one is something of a miss for me. It’s not that it’s a bad song; it’s that the original is one of my favourite songs in the Professor’s entire library and one of my current favourite songs overall, and I honestly think it’s perfect the way it is. The lyrics are still in-tact here, but the beat seems to fast to me. It just doesn’t fit the song as well as the original.

8. “Mechtoria”-Heavy on the steampunk for this track, where the Professor talks about the fictional titular world. I like the lyrics, but much like the previous track, the beat is just a tad too fast for my taste.

9. “Inn At The End Of Time (remix)”-While the first remix on the album was not my cuppa brown joy, I really dig this one. The beat is great with some outstanding lyrics. Basically a love letter to time travel, the song features just about every time travel pop culture reference you could think of, including Back to the Future, Doctor Who and Time Bandits, to name a few. Probably my second-favourite track on the album.

10. “101 Questions”-The Professor asks the tough questions we all want answers to over a hip-hop backdrop. Simple as that. Great track.

11. “I Had A Hat”-More of a sketch than a song, where the Professor asks various people if they’ve seen his hat.

12. “Put Up Your Dukes”-Heavy on the steampunk for this track, where the Professor talks about all the people in his fictional world who want to challenge him to a fight. A light, enjoyable tune with a good melody and some funny lyrics. Any time the Professor makes songs about fighting, you’re in for a good time (See: “Fighting Trousers”).

13. “Sweet Sue”-A quick musical interlude, nothing more.

14. “Laughing Gas (skit)”-A sketch featuring dialogue from an old movie or TV show (I’m not sure which, as I’m unfamiliar with the dialogue). I’ll have to ask him sometime where some of these clips come from.

15. “The Wages of Gin”-A bit of a slower hip-hop song than others on the record (or other records in his catalog, for that matter), but a decent track about the Professor’s crazy experiences when imbibing in a spirit or two.

16. “Theme Music (Extended version)”-Pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It’s the Professor’s own idea of a theme song for his character as if it were a superhero, and sounds just as appropriate. An enjoyable track. Recommended for comic book fans.

17. “Outro”-a brief song featuring the same beat as “Intro” to close out the album. No lyrics this time around, though.

******

Overall, a fun album to say the least. Enjoyable, entertaining lyrics set over great beats, with at least two superb tracks in there. I didn’t enjoy everything featured, but that’s okay. What I did enjoy, I enjoyed immensely, and what I didn’t, I’m sure appeal to other fans of the genre. There’s a lot of variety on this, and definitely something for everyone who is a fan.

******

I would personally like to thank Paul Alborough, aka Professor Elemental, for giving me the opportunity to check out the new album, as well as giving me the opportunity to interview him for a future article. If you’d like to learn more about his music, hobbies and all things Elemental, visit his official website, his official Facbook fanpage, or follow him on Twitter (@prof_elemental).

Review: Festivus for the Rest of Us

xdustineflx
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Review: Festivus for the Rest of Us

201700011408

I am a big fan of Seinfeld as well as board/tabletop games, so I was excited when I found out a game had been made based on one of the show’s most iconic episode “The Strike”, aka the Festivus episode. A Festivus for the Rest of Us is said board game, which my family and I acquired this past week. After our initial playthrough, the game feels a bit like the show’s finalé: something of a letdown.

happy-festivus-game-board

The game is extremely basic, both in its rules and its presentation. Each person chooses a different colour Festivus pole and moves around the board. The spaces are Festivus cards, Airing of Grievances, Safe Zones and Airing of Grievances. The Festivus cards play similar to Chance/Community Chest cards in Monopoly in that you just read them and follow the instructions (nothing more complicated than moving back spaces or losing a turn, too), Safe Zones are spaces where literally nothing happens, the Airing of Grievances are exactly how they sound, in that you complain about other players (and also have no actual point in the long run of the game), and Feats of Strength are physical challenges you engage in with other players.

feats-of-strength

The Feats of Strength are the meat of the game. Every time you land on the spaces around the board, you engage in a Feat of Strength with another player. Other players can volunteer to challenge you. If more than one wants to challenge you, you get to choose your opponent. If no one wants to challenge you, you automatically win. The Feats of Strength are decided by the players prior to play (thumb wrestling, staring contests, etc. You can choose whatever you like), and if you land on a space and then win the Feat, you win a ticket. If you lose, you just lose; no one else collects the ticket. Collect four tickets, and you move to the center of the board, where you compete in one final Ultimate Feat of Strength, which you get to choose from the agree-upon list. If you win, the game is over. If you lose, the game continues and you have to try again.

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From there…well, actually, there is no from there. That’s how simple this game is. The rules are covered on a single page, and there is very little to the game overall. Depending on how many are playing, you are likely to finish the game in under an hour. The Airing of Grievances, as I said, offer absolutely no point overall to the game. They don’t affect who wins or loses, change the structure of the game, nothing. They’re just there. This potentially could be fun if you’re with a bunch of friends and want to really lay into each other (or get it turned into some kind of drinking game, if you imbibe), but it’s very poorly executed.

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As far as the pieces go, nothing special. The poles are plastic, dice are standard, Festivus cards are standard card stock, the Feats of Strength tickets are a thick paper and the Feats of Strength/Airing of Grievances pads are basically Post-Its without the glue (Oh, that’s another thing: the Airing of Grievances are supposed to be stuck to the other players, but there’s no glue on the backside, so you’ll essentially just collect them in a pile).

And really, that’s it. Overall, it’s not the worst game I’ve ever played, but it’s pretty disappointing overall. It feels like it was rushed to market, despite the fact that board games have had nearly 20 years to make a Festivus game. You may really like it, but it’s nothing I’d recommend you go out of your way to get.

Edgar Allan Poe invites you to…

Cristina Bogdan
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Edgar Allan Poe invites you to…

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A few months ago Shipwrecked Comedy started airing on their YouTube channel the above mentioned Murder Mystery Dinner Party. Eleven webisodes of authors getting brutally murdered, with a strangely comedic twist. Personally, I was late to the party – some pun intended – a bit more than it’s usually fashionable, however once I got there, I devoured every episode in less than three hours.

Fans of classical literature are in for a treat, which is not to say that non avid readers will be disappointed (though some literary puns might just pass them by). The series – short, but somehow perfectly contained – was funded through a Kickstarter campaign and chronicles Edgar Allan Poe’s attempts at impressing the lovely Annabel Lee (Mary Kate Wiles) by throwing a dinner party for all of his friends. The whole thing turns murderous and the plotted mystery comes to life, more or less.

With the murder that sets the whole plot into motion, everyone becomes a suspect, each episode serving at moving the characters up or down on the list, however, the killer is not so easily found and the plot thickens. But before you write the series off as some procedural, please keep in mind this comedy is the gift that keeps on giving.

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Sean and Sinead Persaud wrote the script of the eleven episodes – plus the lovely epilogue that brought much needed closure to the show’s fans (I know I needed it) – and also starred as Edgar Allan Poe and Lenore, respectively. Some other authors that pop up for Lenore’s delicious soup are: George Elliot (Laura Lopez), Oscar Wilde (Tom DeTrinis), Charlotte Bronte (Ashley Clemens), Agatha Christie, H.G. Wells (Blake Silver), Mary Shelley (Whitney Avalon), Louisa May Alcott (Tara Perry), Fyodor Dostoievsky (Clayton Snyder) and Ernest Hemingway (Joey Richter). Strangely I have the feeling I forgot someone…Amelie? Emma? Oh! Emily Dickinson (Sarah Grace Hart)

There are some cameos as well from famous authors, however anachronistic they might be – because clearly the invite list above is perfectly compliant with each author’s historical period.

The series is a perfect blend of comedy, a dash of drama and more puns than should be allowed in the span of a 10-15 minute long episodes, however it works. Each actor is on their A game and they manage to keep a straight face, despite the silliness that ensues on the screen. I have seen the blooper reel, I know it was an almost impossible task.

Have a look at the trailer below and do yourself a favour – watch the whole thing. It will be two hours well spent. If you are also curious about the process that went into making the series, check out the prologues as well. It will simply add another layer to the already amazing series.

Happy watching!

 

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