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Why you should watch Lethal Weapon (2016)

Cristina Bogdan
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Why you should watch Lethal Weapon (2016)

This pilot season seems to be rife with reboots. From the soulless MacGyver to The Exorcist, it seems like old ideas are being recycled and adapted for a new audience. I kept wondering why that is. Is there really nothing new to be thought out in the world? Is our imagination dying? It just felt like a cheap way of drawing in an already build audience, more than anything.

But here’s the thing, it hit me that this is not, as most fanboys of days long passed, would put it, a destruction of their childhood, it’s a way of including people that were too young (or not even born) back then, into something that we all loved. However, the general desire of polishing up the old and sell it as new, with fresh faces and modern plot backfires more often than not. I’m looking at you, MacGyver. I’m looking at you. I really wanted to like you, alas… No.

However, in the sea of poorly thought out stories a little gem made it’s way to the small screen: Lethal Weapon. Perhaps I am biased, since I already came in with high hopes, based on how much I loved the films, but I was not disappointed and that is incredibly important.

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Now, without further ado, let’s get to why you should watch it as well and join me in fawning over it:

  1. It has the same major outline as the original, however, it is its own beast and it clearly has done a lot in the way of removing the references that worked so well some decades ago but are somewhat cringe worthy today.
  2. Martin Riggs is perfectly cast. Perhaps Clayne Crawford is not a familiar face to a lot of people, but he has Riggs down pat. You basically want to reach through your screen and give him a blanket, a cookie and a better therapist than the one he’s currently dealing with. (And a dog. Seriously. The man needs a dog.)
  3. Damon Wayans is still funny. I don’t think he ever stopped being funny, I just sort of stopped watching whatever he was staring in. He has a long way to have Danny Glover’s presence on screen – and I am still a bit hardwired to his old antics – but he’s trying and the chemistry he has with his ”psycho” partner and his on-screen wife is amazing. Keesha Sharp is amazing too, perfectly balancing their on-screen couple.
  4. It’s dealing with issues we can all relate to. Whether it’s the loss of someone dear and the long lasting effects of tragedy or mental illness, it definitely did its research. Things are not brushed under the carpet and the deterioration of Riggs’ mental health is a plot point that is not being ignored.
  5. Despite number 4, it still manages to be funny. I actually laughed out loud during the pilot and the second episode. Witty banter abounds, mixed with much darker topics from time to time, however, despite it all it’s just so damn catchy.

A downside of it not being a Netflix show is The wait. It’s still almost a whole week until the third episode comes out and I am already itching for more. What can I say, this fall season was too filled with disappointments for me not to cling to the one good thing it has to offer.

There is another downside, though. The show is produced by FOX. Anyone that has ever fallen for one of their shows knows what that means. The possibility of cancellation even when the audiences and the critics love a show is higher than average on FOX. The list of shows it axed before their time is too long to even make a dent in it, so I will let you all rummage through those traumatic memories alone.

However, until we know more…check out the official trailer below and get watching!

Geek Pride Animeniacs – Alderamin on the Sky

MrCraiggy
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Geek Pride Animeniacs – Alderamin on the Sky

Aloha! Craig here. It’s my turn on the good ship Animeniacs, following Daniel and Lianne‘s offerings to this new series of articles.

Now, I was torn as to which anime series I wanted to talk about in this review, because there have been a few that I’ve been watching recently which have really grabbed my attention. I managed to narrow it down to either Food Wars or Alderamin on the Sky, but Lianne has told me that her next review is going to be Food Wars (excited to read that one!) so Alderamin it is!

Our “Right and Left hands” of the show

Alderamin is a currently airing anime series which is on Crunchyroll‘s simulcast list at the moment, with new episodes every Friday. Initially, I have to say there wasn’t much appeal for me. I’m not usually a fan of military drama. However, it was described as being a fantasy setting and I had ran out of new episodes of Berserk to watch so figured I’d give it a try.

Needless to say, I was not disappointed.

Our first episode introduces our main cast of characters very nicely, including protagonist, Ikta Solork and his childhood friend Yatorishino Igsem. They’re all on their way to attend a military entrance exam via boat (Ikta wanting a nice, quiet life as a library assistant). Their boat sinks and our cast find themselves shipwrecked deep within enemy territory (there’s a war on, don’t you know!). Now, this is all well and good, but for reasons that I don’t want to spoil, one of the group is a little more than just the rank and file, shall we say.

Using Ikta’s strategic genius (one of the main focuses of the show), he and his friends manage to infiltrate their way through enemy grounds and return to their homeland to give a full report of the situation, finding themselves promoted and commended, leaving Ikta’s hopes of a cushy library job in the dust behind him.

The series has a wonderful flow to it and, with episode 13 being due for release this week, it’s still very easy to catch up with. But, we only talk about episodes 1-5 here and give first impressions, so:

The first five episodes of this series are more focused on the development and training of our team, finding their specialisations and how they bond as a unit. It feels a little slow going, but the character interaction is so rich and deep that I really didn’t mind at all as a viewer. Plus, there are plenty of dramatic and emotional developments to keep us captivated.

The characters are all wonderfully fleshed out, with Yatori and Torway both being from rival noble families and both reflecting this with their specialisations, Yatori being a literal melee machine and Torway being a top class marksman. Torway, I think, is my favourite character of this series. While he is very capable as a soldier, excelling at long range marksmanship and even developing the first sniper unit in their military, he is very humble and modest – a trait that infuriates Ikta, who sees Torway as a rival with his pretty boy looks and cool attitude.

Ikta and Torway first meet on the boat. Ikta disapproves of the pretty boy.

Matthew is a very doubtful character, from a noble family still, but of lesser repute than Yatori and Torway, so this has him constantly seeking approval and recognition, and striving to better himself as a soldier. He’s very endearing and I find it easy to relate to him as a character, often out of his depth but never giving up and always trying his hardest.

Haro is our tall, shy, kind hearted medic. Naive and beautiful, she is often the target of Ikta’s shameless flirting. I think that, within these first five episodes, it is Haro and Matthew who are developed the most and have their characters grow, both finding their roles and resolve, and growing stronger as a result.

Then we have our two main characters, Ikta and Yatori, childhood friends, with episode five being flashback exposition to them as children, growing up together. It’s a very beautiful and complex relationship, told wonderfully throughout the series, but especially in this fifth episode. Yatori often refers to herself as Ikta’s right hand, with him being her left. This really symbolises their closeness.

Overall, if I had to compare this series to anything,I would say that there is a close likeness to Code Geass, only without the superpowers or giant robots. Ikta shows a lot of similarities to Lelouch Lamperouge as a character, with his tactical genius, strategic and scientific approach to situations, and the ability to face heartbreak and loss with resolve and determination. They’re both very strong protagonists who face incredible hardships.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k9-KBNdFqw

I’m delightfully surprised at how a show which I initially dismissed as not for my tastes has absolutely pulled me in, kept me hooked and even had me in tears along with the characters at times. Definitely give Alderamin on the Sky a try if you enjoy military drama,  with a hint of fantasy and slice of life elements

Until next time, I’ve been and shall remain Craig, and I’m waiting patiently for episode 13.

Much love.

The Geek Pride Cast #MoralQuandary

Matt Geary
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The Geek Pride Cast #MoralQuandary

This week, Matt and Bev talk about being old, the end or Archer and Adventure Time, some great card games and Matt puts to Bev a Moral Quandary from an RPG he is playing.

Make sure you download us on Itunes

 

 

The Metronomicon

Joe McGuinness
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The Metronomicon

If there’s one thing I’ve noticed about the RPGs I’ve played recently, it’s been a total lack of oddly gyrating, human-sized cats to fight. Thank God then for The Metronomicon, the result of the unlikeliest of hybrids; a JRPG mixed with Dance Dance Revolution.

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In this foot-tapping adventure, you assume the roles of several newly graduated students of the “rhythmic combat arts” to investigate monster raves in the nearby countryside, and track down the mysterious source of the musical menace. Basically, it’s DJ Hogwarts. Imagine a parallel fictional world where Harry, Ron and Hermione studied body popping and dubstep instead of Transfiguration and Charms.

Aside from a few preparatory screens to change squad characters and their equipped items, the bulk of the action in The Metronomicon takes place on a vibrantly active battle screen, wherein your four characters dance off against a plethora of foes. Each of them has a class; it’s all fairly safe territory for RPG veterans with Warrior, Healer and Protector classes, among others. The real innovation here is the fusion of an Active Time Battle interface with the musical element.

Each character has up to three abilities equipped, and by chaining more beats you build up the power to activate the next one in turn. This ties in with the elemental system. Personally, I feel like they missed an incredible “Earth, Wind and Fire” reference but instead we get an admittedly more robust system of four elements – Earth, Lightning, Water and Fire.

So, if you’re fighting an Earth monster, and your Exploder has a Fire spell equipped to her second tier, you need to remember to keep chaining until that point. There are also status effects, buffs, and debuffs in true RPG fashion. In fact there are so many active elements at play during battles that beyond the opening levels I struggled to keep up with what the Mary J. Blige was going on.

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There are some fantastic background pieces in The Metronomicon, but just the same as when I play Rock Band, they’re almost wasted on the player – once the notes start streaming down the screen, you just don’t see anything else. The Great British Bake Off could have been playing in the background of some levels, and I would never know. But the few things I did spot were totally in keeping with the rest of the game – what’s that lurking in the background of the mellow house tune level? Of course, it’s a stoned sloth and a baked vulture.

The characters and plot are clearly there to support the premise of the genre mash-up, but there’s equally obviously been more than a token effort invested in the setting and the available characters, as well as some decent voice acting for the cast. There are several worlds to battle-dance through, as well as side quests and unlockables to collect in an Arena mode – so there’s plenty more than a gimmick here.

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Of course it goes without saying that a game like The Metronomicon lives or dies by its soundtrack, and there’s an extensive, diverse catalogue of tunes to battle against here. From electronic to synthwave, dabbling in a bit of rock, there are tons of fantastic indie tracks to delve into. The longevity of the title will naturally be extended if, like Rock Band, the developers go down the route of releasing song packs – though this remains to be seen.

There’s also reportedly full support for almost any gaming peripheral you can imagine, so dust off that dance mat and get it plugged in to your PC – The Metronomicon will support play with it. It’s more involved than Rock Band or DDR, and this might cause a barrier for The Metronomicon to be a truly great party game, but it’s still lots of fun all the same.

Star Trek at 50 – The Enterprises Ranked

trekkiemark
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Star Trek at 50 – The Enterprises Ranked

Starship-Enterprise-size-comparison-chart

 

Star Trek is 50 years old this month! To celebrate Geek Pride is bringing you a series of articles in recognition of one of the greatest science fiction franchises in history as well as exclusive coverage of Destination Star Trek, the largest Trek Convention in Europe this October.

We’ve ranked the uniforms now we’re going to do it with the famous ships that have ferried our valiant crews to the final frontier. This ranking is purely on aesthetics which is of course a purely subjective trait. If ranked on sheer power alone the E and the D would kick its retrospective predecessor’s asses.  Truth be told this was one of the hardest lists to come up with so I shall be travelling very close to the bone with some of these decisions but as we all know most lists are total nonsense.

11 – HMS Enterprise

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A holographic reproduction used for bizarre promotion ceremonies on board the holodeck which resemble a frat house hazing ritual. I would have liked to have seen Deanna Troi attempt that hat catch. The fact that this ship couldn’t go into space places this Enterprise firmly down at the bottom of this list. Useless!

10 – USS Enterprise CVN-65

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The USS Enterprise was one of the largest “nuclear wessels” (see what I did there) ever constructed and of reveled with its association to the Star Trek franchise. Featured in the 1986 movie The Voyage Home, Chekov and Uhura had to collect radioactive particles from the ships reactor in order to power up their stolen Klingon ship. Though the US Navy were happy to feature the ship in the film the actual one depicted was the USS Ranger as the real life counterpart was on maneuvers.

9 – Enterprise OV-101

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I had to include this Enterprise simply because of the real world Trek link. Interesting fun fact; a write in campaign to the White House actually prompted NASA to name their first space shuttle after the famous TV space ship. The cast of The Original Series were even invited to its roll out to the fanfare of the Star Trek theme. How cool is that? The Enterprise Shuttle was used for Approach and Landing Tests in late 1970’s to test the glider capabilities. Unfortunately the Enterprise was only a prototype and was never fitted out for space travel though there were nods to her on the Enterprise rec deck (ST:TMP) and Archers Ready Room (ST:ENT). She now lives in New York aboard an aircraft museum.

 

8 – NCC-1701-C

USS_Enterprise-C

The Ambassador Class Enterprise C only made one appearance in the Star Trek universe in one of the most memorable episodes of The Next Generation. Appearing through a rift in space time the C’s disappearance leads to disastrous consequences for the main timeline. Representing a step between the Excelsior class and the Galaxy class, the Ambassador is a classic starship design with saucer section and engineering hull. However its lack of screen time relegates it low down this list.

7 – NX-01

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The NX class was the first warp 5 ship in the pre federation Trek universe. The challenge of designing a ship that predated the Original Series ships was a tough one; the ship has the classic two warp nacelle layout yet lacked an engineering hull and looked quite like the Akira class ship seen in First Contact. It was argued that the Akira would have been homage of a classic design in the 24th Century. Yet fans weren’t as warm to the vessel as they were to the TV show hence it coming in at number 7.

6 – NCC-1701-D

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The Galaxy Class D was the ship the brought Trek into the 24th Century. With its plush interiors and fittings it looked like a intergalactic Marriot. Arguably this ship enjoyed more screen time than any of its sister ships across the franchise but familiarity breeds contempt in this Trekkie and the fact she had a rather ignominious end to a Bird of Prey (a freakin BIRD OF PREY!!!!) has left her off the top half of the table.

 

5 – NCC-1701-E

Sovereign

Sleeker, slimmer and brimming to teeth with weaponry, this was the ship to beat the Borg. The Sovereign Class is longer than her predecessor yet had a lot less volume than the Galaxy suggesting a move away from family orientated “city in space” explorer style starship. Whilst the principals of Starfleet had not altered by the late 2460’s the threats of the Dominion and the Borg had encouraged Command to design ships with a bit more bite e.g. the Defiant and Prometheus Classes. Overall the E is a looker in every aspect and her establishing shots in First Contact as well as her dramatic entrance to the Battle of Sector 001 is enough to earn her a place high up this list.

4 – NCC-1701 (Kelvin Universe)

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In at five is the new movie Enterprise which I feel is more than just a riff on a classic design. There’s been a lot of debate as to the size of this ship with sources pointing out that the scaling of the ship in comparison to the bridge and the shuttle deck puts her in league with a Galaxy Class. Like with a lot of things these days its go big or go home and this ship is a behemoth. What I do like about this ship is that its engineering areas look like engineering areas, rugged, tangible and more believable to the disco light warp core of the Next Generation. Thankfully Justin Linn toned down the lens flare in Star Trek Beyond giving us a real look at her bridge and interiors without getting blinded. Yes she looks like an flying iMac but the reimagining of the Kelvin Timeline Enterprise is imaginative and credible whilst mixing the touch screen with tactile controls. STB gave her many wonderful money shots at the beginning of the film as to heighten the loss when she is finally destroyed. The jury is still out on the new NCC 1701 – A from the alternate universe which has arched nacelle pylons. We’ll just have to wait and see what the next Kelvin timeline film has in store for us.

3 – NCC-1701

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The Ship that started it all. The good old Constitution class. Kirks other woman. With it’s cigar shaped nacelles and saucer hull seeing the original enterprise tugs on the nostalgic heartstrings. This was the ship that made us dream of the final frontier. In fact the original studio model is so venerated that it resides in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum alongside Apollo 11 and The Spirit of St Louis having been lovingly restored to full working order. How many fictional spacecraft can claim to hold that honour? Legend is oft overused but I think it applies to this starship.

2 – NCC-1701 Refit/A

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You’re probably wondering why the original NCC 1701 isn’t further down this list. How can you improve on a design classic? Its direct successor, the refitted Constitution Class Enterprise as made famous by the Trek movies, does just that. This Enterprise was centre stage at Trek’s most famous big screen moments such as the nebula battle with Khan and it’s tragic destruction in Search for Spock. But what bumps it up to the top spot has to be its premier appearance at the beginning of The Motion Picture. The slow mo reveal of the vessel in all its glory is catnip to starship aficionados, the detail in the livery, the running lights. Whilst the 60’s constitution class established the show and the franchise, it’s bright interiors and minimalist exterior have dated and leave many fans suspending their disbelief. The movie version is believable in every aspect. This is a fully living, breathing starship that can go to faster than light. For a ship that was designed in the late 70’s it still stands up there with the best of them. But what takes the number one spot?!?

 

1 – NCC-1701 B

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Though she had very little screen time, the B, which was captained by Cameron from Ferris Bullers Day Off, is simply a gorgeous ship. Taking the already existing Excelsior class studio model the designers modified the ship with two dorsal impulse engines to the rear of the saucer section, added the flying boat style flares to the side of the engineering hull and replaced the blue trim with a beautiful teal palate. Yes she had no tractor beam, photon torpedoes or medical staff (all arriving Tuesday apparently) but that doesn’t matter. It’s what on the outside that counts. It’s a stunning looking craft and one that should deserve possible future story time.

What a ship!

x5EEy

Don’t agree with me?!?! Come at me in the comments. Cue Amok Time music.

Archer Creator says show to end at Season 10

Becca Harper
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Archer Creator says show to end at Season 10

Brace yourselves because this is sad news indeed. Adam Reed the creator of the hugely popular series Archer, is planning to end it’s run at season 10. Over the last seven seasons the animated spy comedy has coined so many catch phrases, running jokes, is inundated geek culture references that when mixed with terrific comedy writing and outstanding voice talents, you have the perfect show. Archer has fast become a fan favourite and it will be hard to say good bye.

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But all good things must come to an end, during Reed’s appearance on the Mumur podcast he explained his plans..

“The plan is to end ‘Archer’ after Season 10, I don’t know that anybody has talked about that, but that is definitely my plan, is to do eight, nine, and 10 — and they’re gonna be each shorter seasons of just eight episodes — and then wind it up.”

It could be worse, we were nearly left with just one more series, but luckily for us Adam had a burst of creativity

“I was gonna end it after 8, but then I had sort of a brain explosion of a way that I could do three more seasons and really keep my interest up. So the three seasons that are coming up are gonna be pretty different from what has come before, and they’re gonna be different from each other.”

Over it’s seven season run Archer’s been through a lot of changes managing to keep the show from becoming stale. From spy agency to Miami vice style drug dealers to CIA contractors to Private Investigators. Fans are looking forward to finding out what format the show will take going forward given that S7 ending, right!? Fear not though, there is no need for tears just yet, we still have three more seasons – though shorter – before we say goodbye to the world’s greatest spy.

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Archer features the voice talents of H Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tyler, Jessica Walter, Chris Parnell, Judy Greer, Amber Nash and Lucky Yates. Basically, if you haven’t ever seen Archer you should really drop everything and go do that.

You guys bummed about Archer coming to an end? How do you think the next season will play out? What is your favourite catch phrase? Are you in the danger zone? COMMENT BELOW PEOPLE!

Supergirl meets Superman and John Williams

Andy Haigh
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Supergirl meets Superman and John Williams

Whilst CBS’ Supergirl didn’t exactly wow me with its first season, I stopped watching it after the first few episodes, Superman actually being in the upcoming second season (set to be portrayed by Tyler Hoechlin) instead of just awkwardly casting a shadow over the proceedings definitely adds some potential. The move to The CW, the home to numerous other DC comic shows, could help too.

One enterprising Youtuber demonstrated this rather brilliantly, and also the power of music, by splicing the preview of Supergirl’s upcoming second season debut (set to air October 10) with John Williams’ infamous Superman score and it’s nothing short of brilliant.

Check out the John Williams enhanced preview below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxrngeEuYh8&feature=youtu.be

Star Trek at 50 – The Starfleet Uniforms Ranked

trekkiemark
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Star Trek at 50 – The Starfleet Uniforms Ranked

trek-uniforms

Star Trek is 50 years old this month! To celebrate Geek Pride is bringing you a series of articles in recognition of one of the greatest science fiction franchises in history as well as exclusive coverage of Destination Star Trek, the largest Trek Convention in Europe this October.

It’s the single item of clothing that defines us as Trekkies! Distinguishable from a mile away and dripping with iconography, the Starfleet Uniform is a solid staple of pop culture. Go to any comic book convention and you are sure to spot your fellow lovers of Trek clad in their finest away team gear. It’s the one item of clothing that should be in every fans wardrobe.

But which series had the best look? Which era suits the more discerning fashionista Trek devotee? Who wore it better? I count down the worst to best! Whilst we could include dress uniforms and alternative (Mirror Mirror)/futuristic (All Good Things/Endgame)/game designs (Star Trek Online) I’m focusing on the uniforms that enjoyed the most screen time.  So here we go……

8 – The Next Generation Season 1-2

TNG1TNG2

Right off the bat, I despise these uniforms. They are one of many elements why I’m not a fan of Season 1 of TNG (including the stilted acting, cheapo music and overuse of certain Wesley Crusher as a “deus ex machina”). The uniforms are the space faring equivalent of a morphsuit; they’re just awful in every respect. You could see in some of the early episodes they were trying to evoke the Original Series with Troi’s “Cosmic Cheerleader” uniform. But the TNG unisex scant on men? “Shudder” The less said about this the better. Even Patrick Stewarts back hated them and according to the cast the spandex stank with BO under hot studio lights. Whilst they did establish the TNG era ranking system I was glad to see them evolve into something more sensible in the coming seasons.

7 – The Motion Picture Era

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Bland, beige and very 70’s, these uniforms only had one outing in the Trek universe. With confusing colour codes and a seemingly endless level of customisation left eagle eyed Trek fans wondering “who the heck does what” and “why does Spock get to wear a turtle neck” and “McCoy a disco style V-Neck?” Whilst I personally have a soft spot for them (they remind me of the ones on Space 1999) I know most fans don’t consider them a classic so much so I saw only ONE TMP era uniform at Destination Star Trek 2012. That said some of the elements of the TMP uniforms carried over into the dress uniform styles in the 2009 reboots. Kirks Admirals uniform does look quite dashing.

6 – Enterprise

ENT 1

Archer and Co were bedecked with uniforms that were more akin to the 21st century with their NASA like flight suits and mission patches. Only problem was that the navy blue overalls just blended in with the hull making everything look dull, much like most of the series. Bonus points are given for the cool bomber jackets and baseball hats. Made the show feel more relatable but somehow less connected to the Trek universe we all know and love.

5 – The DS9 (S1-5) /Voyager era

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These Starfleet uniforms were created to deliver a more distinctive look between TNG and the new overlapping series DS9. Whilst it enjoyed extended on screen time with the stranded crew of Voyager it was its use as the primary or secondary uniform of Starfleet that puzzles me. Sisko swapped between his DS9/VOY uniform to a TNG uniform whilst visiting Earth whilst it seems that not all the crew got the memo on the Enterprise D in Star Trek Generations that the uniforms were being modified. The behind the scenes explanation was that they were going to replace the TNG uniforms with new ones but I’m a sticker for continuity. A definite fan favourite all the same.

4 – The Next Generaion Movie /DS9 (S5-7) era

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Darker, edgier and more reflective of the more war torn Star Trek tales of late these new uniforms are more believable in that they swap out that questionable mauve turtle neck with the division colours. A more sober take on the DS9/Voyager era uniform these were designed to look good on the big screen. A solid effort.

3 – The Next Generation Season 3-7

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TNG got better when Riker grew his beard. It also got better when they changed the uniform. The turnaround in uniform design had to be brought about due to complaints from Patrick Stewart that the tight spandex from the previous uniform was misshaping his spine. The marked differences were the inclusion of the mandarin collar and the officers variant becoming a two piece top which had to be tugged down now and again (aka the Picard Manoeuvre). TNG’s best moments from The Best of Both Worlds, Yesterdays Enterprise (which has a slight modification) and Chain of Command would all feature our heroes in these outfits and long will they remain in Trek fans hearts and minds.

2 – The Original Series/2009 Uniforms

TOS 1 Kelvin 1

Iconic is a term that’s overused. But then again it most certainly applies to the uniforms of the Original Series. Designed by William Wear Theiss these Pop culture classics were simple, bright and instantly recognisable. The sight of Kirk, Spock and co in these uniforms are nothing sort of legendary. The mini skirts on the female members of the crew, so evocative of the 1960’s era, are remarkably risqué given the rigid censorship of the time. And it was of course this uniform that gave rise to the term “redshirt” for the unfortunately disposable members of the Enterprise. Interesting fun fact. Kirks famous command gold shirt is in fact chartreuse green! The colourisation of the film and the lighting only makes it look gold on the screen. The 2009 reboot did well not to tamper too much with the old uniforms, keeping the overall style and look of the originals whilst the latest from Star Trek Beyond added a mandarin collar and had a fetching survival jacket for away missions. But if this renowned uniform has only came in at number 2 what pips it to the post?

1 – The Star Trek Movie Uniforms

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The Monster Maroons. A design so popular even Zap Brannigan copied elements from it. But boy do they look great! Keen to move away from the unpopular TMP style uniforms (which the actors found it hard to go to the bathroom during long shoots) costume designer Robert Fletcher wanted a more regal, naval like dress uniform.

A holy grail of a costume for all Trek fans; decent replicas are hard to come by and quite pricy. But style fatigues will remain indelibly linked with some of Trek’s finest on screen moments in particular the Enterprises face off with Kahn, Spocks tragic death and their poignant send off at the end of The Undiscovered Country.

Agree or disagree?!? Let us know what you think. Remember it’s just a bit of fun.

Eight games to watch out for from EGX2016

Peter Ray Allison
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Eight games to watch out for from EGX2016

EGX has always been about promoting new games, and whilst the big game publishers often dominate the event (they can afford the floor space), much of the true innovation lies within the indie and left-field collections.

As such, here are eight games from EGX that gamers should watch out for in the coming months.

JCB Pioneer: Mars

One of the first games to interest me was JCB Pioneer: Mars, a collaborative exploration/survival game set on the red planet.  What made this game especially interesting was the fact JCB had been heavily involved in the design of the Martian vehicles within the game, adding to the realism.  If you had ever read Red Mars or watched The Martian, and thought you could do better, then this will be the game for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NrQBPnvQ7Y

The Fall: Unbound

The second in The Fall series, Unbound is a sideways scrolling adventure game, much in the style of Another World (AKA Out of This World) and its spiritual successor Flashback.  What made this game especially stand out was the involving narrative and excellent dialogue that added to the surreal nature of the game.

If you like games that invest you heavily in the character, then this adventure game will be for you.

The Bunker

The Bunker is quite different to many games out there, as it relies upon live-action footage rather than computer graphics to propel the story.  It many ways it shares similarities with the point-and-click adventure games from the nineties, which is both good and bad.  Whilst this mechanic works well, with the use of live-action footage, it is also a limiting feature as the narrative within the game cannot continue until the latest challenge/puzzle is resolved.  Despite this, The Bunker does something genuinely new with an emotive storyline within the game.

Krucer Parallax

Although only a month into development, Krucer Parallax will be the game to play for anyone who has ever wanted to lead a squadron of X-Wings, Starfuries or Vipers.  Unlike many games, the game universe is left deliberately vague, as it is designed for the modding community to build upon.  However, what there is, is a solid space fighter game that has an intuitive command interface that was a joy to use and soon had me switching the formations of my fighter wing.

Black and White Bushido

Black and White Bushido was a great little game that I came across with a neat stealth mechanic.  Viewed from the side and limited to a single screen that players jump around and lights that intermittently flicker.  So far, so Splinter Cell.  However, the Light side can only hide in the light and the Shadow side can only hide in the dark.  Black and White Bushido was easy to pick up, but takes ages to master.

Earth’s Dawn

Imagine Strider with the aesthetics of Metal Gear Solid and animated in the style of Chinese shadow puppets, then you have an idea of what the sideways scrolling action game Earth’s Dawn looks like.  It was swift, fun and intuitive to play, with a great visual style that was unlike a lot of games out there.  My only concern was that whilst the characters looked great, they were also huge, and hence much of the combat was less about dodging, but shooting them before they can shoot you.

Drive Drive Drive

Bored with bland boy-racer car games and fancy something different?  Then Drive Drive Drive is for you.  Unlike most racing games, where you drive a single car in a single race, here you are simultaneously driving multiple cars in races at the same time, and in order to win all of your cars need to finish first.  Imagine Stunt Car Racer in the world of Tron and you have an idea of what you can expect.

Outlast II

And finally, if you were not sufficiently scared by the first-person horror game Outlast, then the sequel ramps the horror all the way up to “11”.  Visceral and disturbing in equal measure, the player relies on the night-vision setting of a video camera in order to see (provided that his glasses haven’t broken).  Like the first, you also have no means to attack, but this time you also have no means to defend yourself (however much you may want to pick up a fence post, hammer – or anything – as some form of protection!)

 

EGX 2016

Peter Ray Allison
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EGX 2016

wp_20160924_15_59_29_proJust when you think that EGX cannot possibly become any bigger, it proves you wrong.  Whilst there were not any TIE-fighters from Star Wars like last year (instead we had a Lego version of Kylo Ren), we did have huge stands dominated by colossal images of robot dinosaurs (courtesy of Horizon: Zero Dawn).  EGX certainly felt bigger.

EGX, formerly known as Eurogamer, is the UK’s largest gaming convention, held every year in the Birmingham NEC.  Despite the focus being on video games, there was still a significant board game element presence, a sign of the interest in tabletop games that continues to escalate.

To say that EGX was packed was an understatement, as people were filling a hall just to enter EGX.  Nonetheless, despite the numbers of people – approximately 75,000 – it never felt claustrophobic and the atmosphere was always welcoming.

Final Fantasy XV, Dishonored 2, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Destiny and The Last Guardian were understandably the big names there, but there were also huge stands for Rise of the Tomb Raider (including a talk by senior community manager Meagan Marie) and Dawn of War III.

Queuing is to be expected at all conventions, and it was at these larger stands where the queues were the worst.  When there are signs stating to expect a two hour wait from this point, you know there is problem, and perhaps you can be doing something more fun with your time.

However, where innovation within video games lay (as well as the shorter queues) was in the Indie and Leftfield collections, where smaller companies are able to experiment more with their games and try something truly original.

In an effort to make EGX more family friendly, the organisers moved the more mature games (Battlefield 1, Gears of War 4, Outlast II, etc) behind 18-only screens.  The indie developers also checked with parents that their children were okay to play their games.

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There was a lot to take in at EGX, and in many ways a single day visit was not enough.  However, even if you were to spend two days, you would be unable to see everything, due to the number of talks and events taking place, such as the Destiny talk which saw a huge crowd gathered at the stand.

Cosplayers, as always, where there, but it seemed as if there were less than in previous years, although the standard was nonetheless impressive.  It was also great to see game developers attending EGX in costume to help promote their games, as this further added to the atmosphere.

For the more serious attendee who is actively interested in pursuing a career in the video game industry, there were the industry stands, the majority of which were from universities offering degrees in game development, but there were also stands from Creative Assembly and National Crime Agency.

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My other car is a JCB…
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