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    Toca Life: Office

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    Ever wonder what grown-ups really do at work all day? In Toca Life: Office, you get to tell stories...

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    Ace Fishing: Wild Catch

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    Journey to the world's most beautiful destinations and fish for real in paradise! Jump into...

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Lee (2222 KP) rated Frozen II (2019) in Movies

Nov 25, 2019 (Updated Nov 25, 2019)  
Frozen II (2019)
Frozen II (2019)
2019 | Adventure, Animation, Fantasy
Just as enjoyable as the original
I'm sure you don't need me to tell you how big a hit 2013 movie Frozen was. For a long while after it was released, you couldn't go on social media, or even turn on a TV, without seeing mention of Frozen in some form. And you couldn't really avoid hearing somebody bash out their rendition of 'Let It Go', arguably one of the biggest and most recognisable songs of this decade. Frozen became the highest-grossing animated film ever and a sequel was always inevitable. But, with any sequel, there's always a high chance that they'll fail to live up to the original, simply coming across as nothing more than a cash grab. Frozen 2 had a lot to live up to!

Following the events of the first Frozen movie, Arendelle is once again a calm, happy and carefree place. Elsa and Anna are close sisters once more. Anna and Kristoff are a couple, although in a running theme throughout the movie, Kristoff is now keen to try and propose to Anna. Meanwhile, some magic from Elsa means that Olaf now has a permafrost, no longer needing his own snow cloud and able to freely go around without fear of melting. He's also extremely keen to learn - becoming more thoughtful and aware of the world, asking existential questions, and sharing new found facts with his friends.

An early scene shows a young Elsa and Anna being told a bedtime story by their parents. The story involves an enchanted forest and their grandfather, who went to the forest as king in order to make peace with it's inhabitants, the Northuldra, and to sweeten the deal by building them a shiny new dam. But a betrayal caused the elemental forces of the forest - air, earth, fire and water - to become angered, resulting in a fierce battle and the entire forest being sealed for all time beneath a magical shield of mist. Clearly this story is being told in order to set the scene for a major plot point in this sequel, so it's not long before present day Elsa begins to hear voices - a mysterious siren, beckoning her with a beautiful melody. And when the terrifying elemental spirits strike the town of Arendelle, forcing its residents to flee for safety, she remembers the story we've just heard and heads off to the enchanted forest to look for answers and a resolution, closely followed by Anna, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf.

What follows is an epic adventure involving all of the main characters as they work together, or separately at times, to try and regain order and peace to this expanding world we're being introduced to. It becomes a quest to uncover the sisters ancestry and an attempt to undo damage caused by past generations with each character deals with their own personal transformation and growth. It's all beautifully animated, as you'd expect, full of peril, action and fun. And Olaf still manages to generate big laughs in pretty much every scene he's in!

Once again, Frozen 2 boasts an impressive soundtrack of songs. At least one is extremely powerful and catchy, knocking loudly at the door of 'Let It Go' in terms of memorability (admittedly, I've already listened to it a few times since leaving the cinema!), and there are more fun songs for Olaf to sing too. Kristoff comes up short though, getting dealt the worst of the songs, but that's not to say they're not still enjoyable.

Like Toy Story 4 earlier this year, Frozen 2 is a sequel that wasn't really necessary. But, as with Toy Story, it is still wonderful to be back in the company of such great characters. Having re-watched the original Frozen the day before seeing Frozen 2, I can honestly say that the sequel for me was just as enjoyable and entertaining as the first. Highly recommended.
  
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of Outriders in Video Games

Apr 10, 2021  
Outriders
Outriders
2020 | Action/Adventure, Shooter
Once Patched: Outriders Is A Fun And Engaging Adventure Which Provides Plenty Of Action
With the Earth deemed unsalvageable and with mounting natural disasters, humanity plans to send colony ships to the distant planet of Enoch in an effort to save humanity. After 86 years in space, an elite unit known as Outriders land to pave the way and soon finds themselves under attack by rival security forces and a deadly and bizarre storm that has decimated the Outriders.

Seriously injured the player character is put in stasis and is awakened 31 years later to find what is left of humanity engaged in a violent Civil War with the player being their best chance for survival.

Thus begins Outriders; an ambitious game from People Can Fly and Square Enix which looks to combine action, combat, loot, and Science Fiction into a bold gaming experience.

Players can customize the look of their characters and must select a class such as Trickster, Pyromancer, Devastator, and Technomancer. The classes have specific abilities which as players gain experience, unlocks and allows them to select and use devastating powers as it seems the exposure to the storm has given the player character God-like abilities and has earned them the title of “Altered”. I selected the Devastator class and enjoyed being able to suspend and reflect incoming fire, add a protective barrier, produce spikes to impale enemies, crush enemies with a gravity-based attack, dash and smash, and my favorite; a propelled leap that reduced all in my landing area to a pulp. Each power has a cool-down timer after use but as the game is very customizable; players can unlock and assign new perks which can increase damage, duration, and more for their powers, weapons, and such.

The game had an extensive demo available pre-launch and this allowed me to get to know the screens to equip, modify, swap, or deconstruct gear as there is a huge variety of armor and weapons for players to use and modify.

While the menu system at times was confusing at first in terms of what the main mission was and what were numerous side missions and such; I was able to get things up to speed and with strategic capture points; players can always jump back to various locales.

Since the early missions involved being around the main base filled with trade and other options; I had figured it would play into the game going forward. However, as I went deeper into the game I found it easier to simply deconstruct or not gather loot that I did not want and simply equip better gear and weapons as they came my way.

The progress I had made in the demo also carried over onto the main game so long as you use the same platform for release that you did in the demo. This was great to experience as I did not have to replay the lengthy intro and setup nor the early missions.

With a crew of NPC characters along for the mission, the player will journey into dangerous zones each with their own unique biosphere and dangerous creatures and enemies who come at you in waves and can be overwhelming even with the ability to set the game difficulty.

Outriders is setup to be played with a party of characters and much has been made of the rough launch for the game which included server issues, cross-play problems, missing HUD Displays, and such hampered gamers. I was able to connect with a player I found in the forums for the game and he helped me through some battles that I could not figure out how anyone could be expected to complete on their own at the skill level they originated at.

Players can randomly join a party but did not have a clue where they would be in the story progress or how many were in a party, but it was very easy to resume a campaign where I left off should the party I joined be further ahead of or back of where I wished to be.

I did jump into a game that is done randomly and was able to get some higher-level gear and weapons which helped when I returned to my campaign, but in time I again found myself in need of help. One player had issues with getting in my game and then being booted as an example. The HUD display would vanish often which required a return to the lobby, sometimes multiple trips; to get it back. While it seems like no big deal and I worked my way through at times without it; not being able to see a mini-map, health, and if your powers were recharged does make it difficult.

The game offers lavish locales from snow-covered mountains to a jungle, desert, temples, and more. The enemies can be very challenging as I found the ones with guns to be easier at times than the wildlife which came in waves and could take all I had to bring down.

The graphics of the game are solid and the combat mechanics reminded me of a mix of Gears of War and The Division series as from a third-person perspective; players could take cover and shoot from a shelter, or wade on into the oncoming enemies and use the vast arsenal of pistols, machine guns, shotguns, and sniper rifles to win the day.

The numerous cut scenes dive the story forward and upon completion of the story; there is a mode where players can work to retrieve items. It was humbling to have weapons that reduced powerful enemies to mush do little more than annoy the enemies I encountered as it was clear that this mode was best suited for advanced gamers in a party.

A new patch arrived yesterday which seemed to resolve the issues I had with matchmaking, server connections, and the missing heads-up display. I was able to match up with another player where I was in the game and the two of us powered through the main missions as well as some side missions to complete the game. We did not have any in-game chat/communication but we were able to work well as a team. I would suggest using Discord or a similar service if you are looking to play with friends on PC or chat with console users.

While the launch was rough due to the numerous issues; they were addressed and the final result once patched is a deeply enjoyable action game that provides plenty of fun and challenges. Some may say waves of wildlife and enemies may become repetitive but the vast array of them as well as the varied locales, weapons, and powers had me hooked from start to finish.

I was a big fan of People Can Fly’s Bulletstorm game and have longed for a sequel ever since that game arrived. Here is hoping that Outriders will become a new franchise and we will see more content in the not too distant future.
  
A Study in Charlotte (Charlotte Holmes, #1)
A Study in Charlotte (Charlotte Holmes, #1)
Brittany Cavallaro | 2016 | Mystery, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.2 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
If you’re a fan of re-tellings then you will love A Study in Charlotte, a contemporary novel that follows the lives of a new generation of Sherlock and Holmes. Jamie Watson’s life is turned upside down when he is sent to a boarding school in Connecticut that just so happens to be close to his father’s house. The same man that got remarried and Jamie hasn’t spoken to in years. Despite his protests Jamie finds himself at this new school and longing for London. The one bright spot? Charlotte Holmes, whose accent makes him feel like home and won’t give him the time of day. As the only Holmes around his age, Jamie has been dreaming about Charlotte since he learned her name. He wonders what she looks like and imagines blonde hair, creating fantastic stories in his head of their crime solving adventure and friendship reminiscent of the original Sherlock and Holmes. His dreams aren’t exactly grounded in reality and it turns out that she has dark hair, but he’s not fazed. He manages to become friendly, if not friends with Holmes.

Charlotte and Jamie are wonderful, contemporary versions of their counterparts with familiar attributes while still being their own unique characters. Charlotte has a problem with narcotics, plays the violin and can usually be found with her beakers and test tubes (hopefully not blowing anything up). Jamie wants to be a writer, is a decent rugby player (despite what his scholarship might lead you to believe) and is braver than he thinks. Their best-friendship is appealing and realistic, despite Charlotte’s unique outlook on how to treat other human beings. You fall in love with the characters, whether you relate to Charlotte, Jamie, a little of both, or maybe one of the other supporting characters – you’ll find yourself enjoying this novel.

Each character even has a well thought out backstory that we learn more about throughout the course of the novel. What events and mistakes lead to Charlotte being sent to a boarding school in Connecticut when she should be in England? If a Moriarty and narcotics are involved, then you know it’s going to be intense – especially when the famous crime family isn’t particularly forgiving. Jamie’s story is less thrilling but no less important to his character. Not everyone is as they appear, some have secrets, some don’t always make the best choices, but it all drives the story forward. The book is full of poison, explosions, spying, chases and other staples of great mysteries.

The book has a lot of nods to classic Sherlock and Watson adventures and sometimes outright mentions them. As a huge Sherlock fan, from the classic novels of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to the modern BBC creation – this book was perfection. I loved how it felt like a new story featuring some of my favourite characters and it kept you guessing until the end. The action and plot were well paced, allowing the story to unfold like a mystery should. Don’t worry, Moriarty’s were included in the writing of this story.

Highly recommended to young adult/teen fans of mystery, contemporary, or the classic Sherlock Holmes novels. I fell in love with this series and can’t wait to see where it goes from here.
  
Refuge (Relentless, #2)
Refuge (Relentless, #2)
Karen Lynch | 2014 | Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
O.M.G.!!! It's been a while since I read Relentless and now I've got a major urge to read it again, just so I can immerse myself in Sara's story right from the word go.

This is one of those books that I bought immediately after I finished Relentless, but just never got the chance to read before life got in the way. Let me just say, that since I've finished this, life isn't going to get a chance to get in the way as I am starting Rogue straight away!!

In Refuge, Sara is living in a 'military-style compound' where she was dumped by Nikolas. Let's just leave it at he is not her favourite person right now. She is struggling in training as she fears losing control of her Mori demon. She hasn't really made new friends, instead stays in phone contact with Roland, Peter, and of course, Uncle Nate.

There is too much to give you a rundown of this book, and seriously, why on earth would I do that? That's what the synopsis is for!! Suffice it to say, Sara has a big learning curve in front of her. With her magic, she is learning new 'tricks', as well as receiving her very own early warning vampire radar.

So many bits made me smile, so many bits made me frustrated for Sara, but most of all, I can't wait to see where it will go next. With one heckuva cliffhanger that really Nikolas should have seen coming a mile off knowing Sara (remember, I'm writing this before reading Rogue so I have no idea if he realises or not!)

If you want a paranormal romance that is full of Mori demons, the fae, griffins, Alex the wyvern (love him!), hellhounds, vampires, shifters, absolutely gripping, full of action and adventure, romance, and 'real-life' reactions, then look no further. I really can't recommend this highly enough!!!

* Verified Purchase on Amazon *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 7, 2016
  
R(
Resilience ( Rise of Iliri book 6)
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
4 of 235
Kindle
Resilience ( Rise of Iliri book 6)
By Auryn Hadley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Auryn Hadley's sixth action-adventure in The Rise of the Iliri fantasy series asks how far mankind will go to protect their pride. Because it seems they'll guard it at the expense of all else. Reminiscent of a futuristic Lord of the Rings, this epic fantasy romance traces not only the personal journey of its heroine and her family - a reverse harem made up of nine indomitable warriors who comprise an elite military force called the Black Blades - but also the liberation of a people and a new way of thinking for the whole world. For the source of iliri power is not domination, but connection. They seek it, cultivate it, and use it to defeat their enemies.

It's the iliri - now a rising, formidable race of underdogs - who must decide whether to risk their lives for the ungracious human race. Unbeknownst to humans, their fate lies in the capable hands of the iliri leader, the powerful Salryc Luxx. And she's no longer willing to be yanked around at any price.

Sal and the Black Blades have been summoned to a meeting with Parliament representatives of the Conglomerate of Free Citizens. But this time, she's not serving as their slave. Nor is she about to be captured and brought to trial again. Now the ruler of all iliri in her adopted country of Anglia - and de facto queen - she knows she has the upper hand.

The enemy Terrans have besieged Eastward, engaging in brutal guerrilla tactics throughout the country - hitting without mercy and killing all in their path. The world of humans is desperate.

"Tell me why I should send my brothers and sisters to die for humans that care so little for us?" Sal asks. The answer she's searching for comes from a frail iliri servant, whose telltale snow-colored skin is almost as light as Sal's: If she leaves the humans to die by the Terrans, war and enslavement will continue. History will repeat itself. But if it's the iliri and their allies who manage to defeat evil, perhaps humans can learn to respect them.

She knows she isn't finished fighting. Iliri warriors haven't yet "done enough." Not while so many of their brothers are still enslaved.

Alongside her faithful friends and leaders--and the tireless Black Blades - Sal must choose whether to surrender to her role as their leader and contend with The Emperor's murderous army - as well as the treacherous pride of the human race.




!!! Has a spoiler for book 5!!!



Every time I pick one of these books up I say it’s the best one yet and yes I’m saying it again! After the tears at the end of Book 5 we catch up with Sal and the blades dealing with the aftermath of losing Blaec and finding her feet with her new role and new male. This is non stop from the first word to the last. Brilliantly written it has to be one of my favourite series. Highly recommended for the fantasy readers!