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Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Conversations With A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes in TV
Mar 3, 2020
The third of these was the most powerful for me. It was Confessions of a killer: the Ted Bundy tapes. I mean… I had no idea. His name was in my imagination somewhere as a candidate for pure evil, but I had no notion of the level of media hype and drama behind and before this. Which is why I recommend this absolutely comprehensive 4 part series as the best in this dubious category I have yet to see.
With the benefit of at least some hindsight, we can see in this case the epitome of such terms as “serial killer” and “sociopath”. Looking at it in pure terms of an idea worthy of dramatic exploration, then this is it! And, interestingly, to this date, besides the Zac Efron misfire, it is a story beyond worthy of correct telling, the basis of which should be the real footage. Because nothing is more bizarre than the real man and what he not only attempted to do, but actually did.
Take the basic idea that one individual is capable of murdering 30 plus women and girls over a period of two decades… then accept that he systematically went back to the corpses and committed acts of necropholia and decapitation without ever skipping a beat in what he perceived as his true persona as a competent lawyer in his own right, and you have the stuff of true nightmare. Add to that the fact that he escaped custody twice, and defended himself in court to such a charming extent that the judge himself admitted an affinity with him, and you have the recipe for something that transcends fact and becomes myth. Don’t believe me? Watch for yourself.
Do I agree with these cases being shown as entertainment? No, I don’t. Essentially. Because they are rarely told from the victim’s point of view. We have a fascination with an unsolved mystery and grim death that is undeniably curious. The cult of personality pervades, and we should be wary of why we get involved with this stuff. As addictive TV it is undeniably going to continue. Please be careful of the line between understanding and entertainment. God forbid I would give these shows a rating, as if it were a thing worthy of encouragement. It is the most undeniable yet horrific side effect of our media growth imaginable. Watch at your peril. But watch discerningly with interest.
With the benefit of at least some hindsight, we can see in this case the epitome of such terms as “serial killer” and “sociopath”. Looking at it in pure terms of an idea worthy of dramatic exploration, then this is it! And, interestingly, to this date, besides the Zac Efron misfire, it is a story beyond worthy of correct telling, the basis of which should be the real footage. Because nothing is more bizarre than the real man and what he not only attempted to do, but actually did.
Take the basic idea that one individual is capable of murdering 30 plus women and girls over a period of two decades… then accept that he systematically went back to the corpses and committed acts of necropholia and decapitation without ever skipping a beat in what he perceived as his true persona as a competent lawyer in his own right, and you have the stuff of true nightmare. Add to that the fact that he escaped custody twice, and defended himself in court to such a charming extent that the judge himself admitted an affinity with him, and you have the recipe for something that transcends fact and becomes myth. Don’t believe me? Watch for yourself.
Do I agree with these cases being shown as entertainment? No, I don’t. Essentially. Because they are rarely told from the victim’s point of view. We have a fascination with an unsolved mystery and grim death that is undeniably curious. The cult of personality pervades, and we should be wary of why we get involved with this stuff. As addictive TV it is undeniably going to continue. Please be careful of the line between understanding and entertainment. God forbid I would give these shows a rating, as if it were a thing worthy of encouragement. It is the most undeniable yet horrific side effect of our media growth imaginable. Watch at your peril. But watch discerningly with interest.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order in Video Games
Apr 7, 2020
I don't have much negativity to direct at Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, it's a pretty solid single player adventure that expands on Star Wars lore to a competent degree, and had me absorbed for the most part.
For a start, the game looks amazing. The settings are full of colour one second, and then harsh and cold the next, as you traverse forest planets like Kashyyyk, before navigating through Empire facilities.
The game is set between Episodes 3 and 4 of the movie canon, and borrows asthethic elements from both the original and prequel trilogies. It's interesting to be in the middle of a universe that has recently seen the destruction of the Jedi Order.
The gameplay is also great. The exploration and parkour elements are reminiscent of the Uncharted series, but adds enough Force stuff to make it not feel stale, and the combat is thrilling. JFO is genuinely challenging at times, especially during boss battles. You have to approach each encounter with patience and some sort of plan, or you'll find yourself struggling. It's not to dissimilar from Dark Souls in that respect.
By the time I had finished the campaign, and went through areas again in my pursuit of Platinum, I had unlocked all skills, and combat became easier, at times, really giving you the feel of a Jedi Knight.
You can also build and edit your own lightsaber, which is a nice touch.
The story is ok, largely about finding a McGuffin to help restore the Jedi, but this is one of those games that is all about the journey. The characters you meet along the way are all fleshed out to an acceptable degree, and BD-1, your droid companion for the campaign, is endearing and feels essential to the way the story pans out.
My main criticism is that it didn't have a huge amount of replay value once I was done. After finishing the campaign, it didn't take a massive amount of time to mop up everything else, and that was that, but it's forgivable considering how tight and polished the rest of the game feels.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is another shining example of how important single player games are in an age where multiplayer games reign supreme. Go and play it.
For a start, the game looks amazing. The settings are full of colour one second, and then harsh and cold the next, as you traverse forest planets like Kashyyyk, before navigating through Empire facilities.
The game is set between Episodes 3 and 4 of the movie canon, and borrows asthethic elements from both the original and prequel trilogies. It's interesting to be in the middle of a universe that has recently seen the destruction of the Jedi Order.
The gameplay is also great. The exploration and parkour elements are reminiscent of the Uncharted series, but adds enough Force stuff to make it not feel stale, and the combat is thrilling. JFO is genuinely challenging at times, especially during boss battles. You have to approach each encounter with patience and some sort of plan, or you'll find yourself struggling. It's not to dissimilar from Dark Souls in that respect.
By the time I had finished the campaign, and went through areas again in my pursuit of Platinum, I had unlocked all skills, and combat became easier, at times, really giving you the feel of a Jedi Knight.
You can also build and edit your own lightsaber, which is a nice touch.
The story is ok, largely about finding a McGuffin to help restore the Jedi, but this is one of those games that is all about the journey. The characters you meet along the way are all fleshed out to an acceptable degree, and BD-1, your droid companion for the campaign, is endearing and feels essential to the way the story pans out.
My main criticism is that it didn't have a huge amount of replay value once I was done. After finishing the campaign, it didn't take a massive amount of time to mop up everything else, and that was that, but it's forgivable considering how tight and polished the rest of the game feels.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is another shining example of how important single player games are in an age where multiplayer games reign supreme. Go and play it.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Final Fantasy VII Remake in Video Games
Apr 28, 2020
Like many of you, Final Fantasy VII is my favourite game, ever. It was the first FF title I played all the way back in 1997, and have since played it through a silly amount of times in the years since.
The prospect of a remake was cautiously exciting to me, but any doubts I may have had were completely blown away withkn the first hour or two of play.
Final Fantasy VII Remake looks absolutely stunning. It plays on nostalgia in all the right ways as it brings characters and locations from the original straight into the modern times, and a few texture issues aside, it's one of the best looking games available.
The combat mechanics are superb as well. Fairly similar to FFXV in style, with some elements taken from XIII, make for an easily addictive play style, and one that has buckets of replayability.
There has been a lot of concerns raised about the decision to release the remakes in parts - this game is based on the first 5-6 hours of the original. Remake however, is a fully fledged gaming experience in its own right. After finishing the main story, my play time had clocked in at a respectable 42 hours, and this isn't taking into consideration endgame content, and new game plus mode. It's hefty for sure.
Nobuo Uematsu's beloved score from the original has had and incredibly crafted upgrade as well. The music score is just phenomenal, and elevates the whole thing to bigger and better heights.
This isn't to say that Remake is flawless, because it's not. The main issue that people have taken seems to be with the story (no spoilers, don't worry). A lot of the new stuff added to pad out the game is genuinely great, however, there are some big changes made to the original, which is bound to piss off die hard fans. Personally, I'm ok with it at the moment, but I do have some concerns about how it will effect future installments.
Some of the exploration is very linear, but honestly, it's something that didn't impact my enjoyment too much, especially with the likely hood of part 2 being more open.
All things considered, Remake is above and beyond what I thought we would get. It's a fantastic reimagining of a stone cold classic, and part 2 can't come soon enough. My heart is full.
The prospect of a remake was cautiously exciting to me, but any doubts I may have had were completely blown away withkn the first hour or two of play.
Final Fantasy VII Remake looks absolutely stunning. It plays on nostalgia in all the right ways as it brings characters and locations from the original straight into the modern times, and a few texture issues aside, it's one of the best looking games available.
The combat mechanics are superb as well. Fairly similar to FFXV in style, with some elements taken from XIII, make for an easily addictive play style, and one that has buckets of replayability.
There has been a lot of concerns raised about the decision to release the remakes in parts - this game is based on the first 5-6 hours of the original. Remake however, is a fully fledged gaming experience in its own right. After finishing the main story, my play time had clocked in at a respectable 42 hours, and this isn't taking into consideration endgame content, and new game plus mode. It's hefty for sure.
Nobuo Uematsu's beloved score from the original has had and incredibly crafted upgrade as well. The music score is just phenomenal, and elevates the whole thing to bigger and better heights.
This isn't to say that Remake is flawless, because it's not. The main issue that people have taken seems to be with the story (no spoilers, don't worry). A lot of the new stuff added to pad out the game is genuinely great, however, there are some big changes made to the original, which is bound to piss off die hard fans. Personally, I'm ok with it at the moment, but I do have some concerns about how it will effect future installments.
Some of the exploration is very linear, but honestly, it's something that didn't impact my enjoyment too much, especially with the likely hood of part 2 being more open.
All things considered, Remake is above and beyond what I thought we would get. It's a fantastic reimagining of a stone cold classic, and part 2 can't come soon enough. My heart is full.
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