Search

Search only in certain items:

40x40

KalJ95 (25 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice in Video Games

Jan 4, 2020  
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
2019 | Action/Adventure
Fluid and fantastic combat system. (2 more)
Another FromSoftware Classic.
Best game of 2019.
DEMON. OF. HATRED. (0 more)
My first experience with a FromSoftware game was Bloodborne. I played fifteen minutes, and gave up due to its difficulty. Time and time again, I just couldn't get past its first area, but with perseverance, I conquered the mountain, and Bloodborne became one of my favourite games. Fast forward just over three years, I destroyed Dark Souls III, and obliterated Nioh. Challenging games had become an addiction I couldn't quit. Enter Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, FromSoftware's latest, very much story orientated entry in their catalogue of fine games.

First things first, Sekiro is most definitely a mountain to climb. If you don't grasp the rhythm of parrying and deflecting your opponents attacks, you are finished. Unlike previous FromSoftware entries, attacking is not the aim of this game. It takes time, but once you begin to understand the combat, the reward is so gratifying, especially with the boss battles, which will often want to make you throw the controller through a concrete wall.
Each boss is strategically different with how they plan to beat you, some opting to go all out attack on you, others playing the waiting game by throwing objects or firing arrows. Variety is key, and progressing and gaining new skills will help you beat each enemy as they come.

Sekiro also just happens to be one of the most beautiful games I've ever played. Its culture is rich, and its vibrancy through colour is breathtaking. While no modifications can be done with your Shinobi, it doesn't matter as you'll be too busy taking in each detail the world has to offer.

But nothing is without fault. Sekiro sometimes feels like certain boss fights are rigged in their favour, and that pure luck gets you to beat them, and that felt all too often with the infamous, Demon of Hatred. This certain boss felt so out of place, and I felt it didn't need to be included whatsoever. However, this never bogged the games standard down, as by this point the fluidity and grace of Sekiro had already confirmed what I was thinking two thirds of the way through;

Sekiro is 2019's best game.
  
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012)
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012)
2012 | Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi
In what can only be described as a failed attempt at a sequel, Nicholas Cage reprises his role as Johnny Blaze, and Blaze’s alter ego Ghost Rider.

In this follow-up chapter to the 2007 film that first brought Marvel’s Ghost Rider to the big screen, Cage’s character has left the States to run from the demon inside him. His attempts to control the Rider work best when he is far from people, but his plans are derailed upon the entrance of a young boy and his attractive mother. The boy is the object of desire for Mephistopheles (the demon who turned Blaze into the Rider). The film takes you on a wild ride while Ghost Rider attempts to prevent the devil from getting his claws on the boy.

Lets cut right to the chase: this is, bar-none, one of the worst films I’ve seen in at least a decade. It’s right up there with D-Wars. While the first film had decent acting (minus Cage), a well-thought-out script, and special effects that made sense, the sequel is a complete failure even when compared to its predecessor.

The complete lack of a coherent script, the terrible acting, and the nonsensical actions of the Rider (not to mention the extremely cheesy dialog) make it clear that this film is an extremely poor attempt by Hollywood to capitalize on the recent success of other Marvel/DC titles. Unfortunately, this movie was cobbled together with one liners and special effects that weren’t convincing enough to pass the test.

Being a long time Marvel/DC comic fan, I always approach these films with low expectations, so I can be surprised when they’re done well — and at the very least, enjoy it. Despite this, I still feel like the hour and twenty minutes of my life spent watching Ghost Rider is time I can’t have back.

The only moment of hope this film had was Christopher Lambert as the tattooed monk.

I encourage all of you who wish to see it, even after reading this review, to wait until it’s available for cheap home viewing.
  
Out of the Shadows (2017)
Out of the Shadows (2017)
2017 | Horror
Lots of jumping out of your seat
So the story is flimsy and it seems like a seriously low budget production, plus the documentary style horror has been done to death (excuse the pun) - so expect a lot of cheap thrills.

The premise of this film begins with a ghost hunter who was haunted by his mistake of leaving his friend inside of an asylum after being chased by ghosts. He is then approached again some years later to return to the scene of the crime to find out what happened there.

No doubt, I did keep having to distract myself with my phone in order to avoid keep jumping out of my seat. The main poltergeist /demon in question is more than slightly creepy but there was too much of a mish mash of horror stories. From Blair Witch, The Grudge to The Quiet Ones, all of which did a lot better with the genre. So if you want to see a life-changing film, this isn't it.
  
The Sunshine Sisters
The Sunshine Sisters
Jane Green | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
9
7.8 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased opinion.

From the very beginning of the book, we are told the outcome. Green uses the rest of the book to take us through the lives of the Sunshine sisters in relationship to their mother, Ronnie Sunshine.

I cannot suggest a "faster" way to get all the women to the point where they know the eventual outcome, but there was something disheartening about being just over 80% into the book when Ronnie tells her daughters why she has asked them to come home. At the same time, Green, in her ever present style, does a great job of wrapping all the pieces together up so there are no loose ends.

Green is very good, as an author, at reminding us that what the characters see/perceive is not always the case. What a person takes as neglect can, from the other character's viewpoint be an assumption of strength, for example. And when enough people are trying to survive the same demon, in different ways, it becomes easy to look out just for oneself.
  
Buffy the Vampire Slayer  - Season 4
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 4
1999 | Horror
The Gentleman (3 more)
Somthing Blue
Hush episode as a whole
Superstar
Riley (0 more)
Knocking on Windows
Whilst there are other series I love over this one, I have to give it a 10 star rating purely because of the episode Hush. Never before has a Tv series pushed the boundaries where a good per cent-age of the show there was no talking. Cine-graphically this episode is on a level above and beyond normal television programming. There are some great preformaces this series in this series in the form of Danny strong as Jonathan in Superstar. Giles turned into a Fyral demon. Buffy and Spike engaged in something Blue. Personally i wasn't a big fan of the initiative story arc or Riley but could see why others did.

"Can't even shout, can't even cry
The Gentlemen are coming by
Looking in windows, knocking on doors
They need to take seven and they might take yours
Can't call to mom, can't say a word
You're gonna die screaming but you won't be heard."
  
Watchers of the Fallen (Second Death, #1)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fallen angels were sent to kill Frank when he was a boy.
He’s been killing them ever since.
When a Watcher is gruesomely murdered, the Order suspects it’s one of the Fallen and tasks Frank with apprehending the killer. But nothing could prepare Frank or the Order for what he finds during the investigation:
Someone has used stolen magic to free Arraziel, a fallen angel who feeds on the life force of humans. Frank needs to stop Arraziel and find the killer before more of the Fallen are freed.
If he fails, the human race may not survive.

This is an amazing book!
It has loads of action and intrigue to keep you hooked to the end.
The plot was intriguing and exciting. It focuses on Frank, a watcher and Jessie, a girl who had a horrible life and is now in communication with a dangerous demon.
It's Angel vs. Demons in this series and I am so hooked and need the next book now!
Recommend reading!

I received this book free and this is my honest voluntary review.
  
Hunter of Demons (Spectr #1)
Hunter of Demons (Spectr #1)
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is my second book by the author, the other being [b:Widdershins|16128152|Widdershins (Whyborne & Griffin, #1)|Jordan L. Hawk|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1352121658s/16128152.jpg|21952704] which I really enjoyed.

With this, I was a little confused at the beginning. It all seemed a little haywire with the added viewpoint of Gray in the first couple of pages, without actually knowing who he was. I found it confusing anyway, up until they merged into Caleb's body. After that I was interested to see what would happen throughout the rest of the story.

I liked John. He seemed like a really great guy.

The hunt for Caleb's brothers murderer was quite fun reading with Gray being able to scent the demon behind it.

One thing that bothered me was the lack of romance until the last chapter and a half. Okay, they both kept getting turned on when they looked at the other but it was all secretive, not wanting the other to know.

Don't think I will be continuing the series.