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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Shadow Fall (Shadow Fall, #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Rating 1.5 stars
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
For almost a decade, dystopian literature has become mainstream amongst the young adult community, and it appears set to stay as another debut author joins the bandwagon. <i>Shadow Fall</i> by Audrey Grey encompasses ideas from popular series, such as<i> The Hunger Games</i> and <i>The Maze Runner</i>, to create an original apocalyptic story. In barely more than a fortnight the Earth is doomed to be destroyed by a passing asteroid, only a handful of humans can survive. The question is who?
Maia Graystone, a fugitive, has been given the opportunity to win a place on Hyperion space station – a castle in the stars – and safety from the asteroid, Pandora. However in a game of life and death it is not going to be easy to get through the trials. Posing, quite literally, as the Lady Everly March, Maia hopes not to be recognized by the tyrannous Emperor, nor by the mother who abandoned her. Yet Maia’s supporters have an ulterior motive – kill the Emperor.
To be brutally honest, <i>Shadow Fall</i> was a rather tedious book to read. Granted there was a lot of action – mostly unnecessary, bloodthirsty murder – however the confusing storyline, rude characters and the inability to evoke a visual idea of the setting, resulted in a painstakingly uninspiring story.
With so many dystopian novels to compete against, it is going to be hard for a new writer to stand out from the crowd. Audrey Grey used a lot of Greek mythological references as the basis of her ideas, something that appealed to me, but may be lost on other readers.
On the other hand,<i> Shadow Fall </i>contains a couple of scenes that will conjure emotion up in the majority of readers, and mildly excite and engage. Yet, for me, this was not enough to save it from a negative review. I really wanted to like this book but I struggled to get into the story and appreciate the author’s hard work.
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
For almost a decade, dystopian literature has become mainstream amongst the young adult community, and it appears set to stay as another debut author joins the bandwagon. <i>Shadow Fall</i> by Audrey Grey encompasses ideas from popular series, such as<i> The Hunger Games</i> and <i>The Maze Runner</i>, to create an original apocalyptic story. In barely more than a fortnight the Earth is doomed to be destroyed by a passing asteroid, only a handful of humans can survive. The question is who?
Maia Graystone, a fugitive, has been given the opportunity to win a place on Hyperion space station – a castle in the stars – and safety from the asteroid, Pandora. However in a game of life and death it is not going to be easy to get through the trials. Posing, quite literally, as the Lady Everly March, Maia hopes not to be recognized by the tyrannous Emperor, nor by the mother who abandoned her. Yet Maia’s supporters have an ulterior motive – kill the Emperor.
To be brutally honest, <i>Shadow Fall</i> was a rather tedious book to read. Granted there was a lot of action – mostly unnecessary, bloodthirsty murder – however the confusing storyline, rude characters and the inability to evoke a visual idea of the setting, resulted in a painstakingly uninspiring story.
With so many dystopian novels to compete against, it is going to be hard for a new writer to stand out from the crowd. Audrey Grey used a lot of Greek mythological references as the basis of her ideas, something that appealed to me, but may be lost on other readers.
On the other hand,<i> Shadow Fall </i>contains a couple of scenes that will conjure emotion up in the majority of readers, and mildly excite and engage. Yet, for me, this was not enough to save it from a negative review. I really wanted to like this book but I struggled to get into the story and appreciate the author’s hard work.
Nadia (1 KP) rated A Court of Thorns and Roses in Books
Aug 16, 2018
Beautiful characters (1 more)
Interesting fantasy world
Falling back in love with fairies.
When I first picked up this book, I was expecting it to be just another book about a teenage girl falling in love with some irresistible fairie. Although I didn't expect much as I haven't really enjoyed many YA novels about fairies in a few years, I fell in love myself with the protagonist, Feyre, and many of the other characters.
Feyre's character reminds me of Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games. She is strong and independent with clear motivations and her progression towards a softer, more gentle character throughout the book never takes away that strength. My favourite thing about her character is that she finds love but she never stops relying on herself.
Leading on from that, the main romance in this book is very believable and real, developing over time, with Maas presenting Feyre and Tamlin as equals, helping each other to grow. This is a refreshing change from many YA romances, where a man swoops in to save a damaged woman from all of her problems. Plus, there are many non-romantic relationships that really lighten up the novel. An example of this is Feyre's friendship with Lucien which, although purely platonic, is just as inspiring and lovely as any romance.
My only criticism of this novel is that it could have been longer. I really enjoyed the final part of the story, where Feyre goes through a lot for her relationship, because it really showcases her strength. However, it felt slightly rushed at some points, considering it is meant to take place over around 3 months. The final confrontation near then end seemed to be very quick and I can see how this makes sense with the story but I still would have liked to have a bit more to read.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes YA fantasy with romance, politics and magic. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
Feyre's character reminds me of Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games. She is strong and independent with clear motivations and her progression towards a softer, more gentle character throughout the book never takes away that strength. My favourite thing about her character is that she finds love but she never stops relying on herself.
Leading on from that, the main romance in this book is very believable and real, developing over time, with Maas presenting Feyre and Tamlin as equals, helping each other to grow. This is a refreshing change from many YA romances, where a man swoops in to save a damaged woman from all of her problems. Plus, there are many non-romantic relationships that really lighten up the novel. An example of this is Feyre's friendship with Lucien which, although purely platonic, is just as inspiring and lovely as any romance.
My only criticism of this novel is that it could have been longer. I really enjoyed the final part of the story, where Feyre goes through a lot for her relationship, because it really showcases her strength. However, it felt slightly rushed at some points, considering it is meant to take place over around 3 months. The final confrontation near then end seemed to be very quick and I can see how this makes sense with the story but I still would have liked to have a bit more to read.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes YA fantasy with romance, politics and magic. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in Video Games
Aug 20, 2018
Still one of the best
Mario Kart is one of the classics. Despite now on its 8th iteration, it’s still as good as it ever was and is one of the best games out there to play. No matter which version of Mario Kart I’ve played, I never really have a bad word to say about it, and 8 is no different.
The graphics are fantastic, and a great step up to those I was previously used to on the last version available on the Wii. The gameplay is as you’d expect from Mario Kart and this isn’t a bad thing. Why fix what isn’t broken? I also love the fact that you can now play this online properly against anyone in the world - it’s such a great feature and brings a whole new level of fun to the game. It can get a little dull and predictable if you’re playing locally as a couch co-op (or at least that’s what my other half says as I always win ?), but being able to play online multiplayer is so entertaining and we can play it for hours. Yes it is very frustrating, as sadly real players are a lot more ruthless than the computer players you’re up against locally, but it’s still a lot more fun.
My only criticisms about this game are that whilst it has quite a lot of levels/courses, for me it still isn’t enough. They’re not exactly long races and you can get through them all fairly quickly, and there’s only so many times you can do the same courses. And the only other criticism relates specifically to online play. Online play gives you points, but some players have a lot more points than others (i.e. 5k+, 10k+) which indicates they’ve been playing for a lot longer. The online match ups take no account of points and you can potentially end up playing against players with a huge difference in skill and points level. It’d be nice if they could try and match players together within a certain points, as it might make it more of a fairer race and a little more challenging if players are all similarly matched.
The graphics are fantastic, and a great step up to those I was previously used to on the last version available on the Wii. The gameplay is as you’d expect from Mario Kart and this isn’t a bad thing. Why fix what isn’t broken? I also love the fact that you can now play this online properly against anyone in the world - it’s such a great feature and brings a whole new level of fun to the game. It can get a little dull and predictable if you’re playing locally as a couch co-op (or at least that’s what my other half says as I always win ?), but being able to play online multiplayer is so entertaining and we can play it for hours. Yes it is very frustrating, as sadly real players are a lot more ruthless than the computer players you’re up against locally, but it’s still a lot more fun.
My only criticisms about this game are that whilst it has quite a lot of levels/courses, for me it still isn’t enough. They’re not exactly long races and you can get through them all fairly quickly, and there’s only so many times you can do the same courses. And the only other criticism relates specifically to online play. Online play gives you points, but some players have a lot more points than others (i.e. 5k+, 10k+) which indicates they’ve been playing for a lot longer. The online match ups take no account of points and you can potentially end up playing against players with a huge difference in skill and points level. It’d be nice if they could try and match players together within a certain points, as it might make it more of a fairer race and a little more challenging if players are all similarly matched.
Sheridan (209 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Shadow Of The Tomb Raider in Video Games
Sep 27, 2018
Graphics are incredible (2 more)
Gameplay is flawless
Story is engaging and interesting
A Visual Masterpiece
I'll do my best not to gush too much, but holy mother of - this game, you guys - this game is utterly phenominal. The graphics, oh wow! The trees, the water, Lara's hair! It's all totally on point. Amazing all round, I spent the first ten minutes just looking around because let me tell you the graphics are just beautiful. The gameplay is similar to the other two Tomb Raider games but with a few new interesting ideas, the skill tree gives you a bunch of great perks that *really* help when you get further into the story. The collectibles are interesting and at some stages challenging to find, I honestly can't remember whether or not Rise of the Tomb Raider had the GPS caches but they've done away with that idea in SotTR and gone with Survival caches which are great for upgrading. They've also got a new idea where you find monoliths which give you a rare survival caches if you can solve the riddle ;) Another new feature are Crypts which are like mini challenge tombs, once you complete it you recieve an outfit which you restore at your base camps, and wearing those gives you extra game perks (they're also pretty which is fun too). The challenge tombs are great fun and give you perks in your skill tree, you can't get unless you complete them, so it's worthwhile doing them. Once you've finished the game, you have the option to have another crack at it in New Game +, you keep all your skills, outfits and weapons (at the moment I'm a bit of the way through this with the game on 'One with the Jungle' which is the hard setting). The story is really interesting and based on Mayan legends, which I won't spoil for you, needless to say it's fantastic :) TL;DR: It's f**king phenominal, get it, you won't be disappointed :)
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Splatoon in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Nintendo continues their recent impressive run of exclusive titles with the quirky and addictive Splatoon which combines the color and fun of Paintball with a customizable shooter.
Playing either solo or multiplay, players compete in various arenas to battle it out for control of key locales and to score more points that the other team. That sounds simple enough, but when you factor in the ability to turn into a squid to hide yourself in one of the many paint puddles you can create or to scale a wall, then you have something entirely new.
Splatoon also offers a campaign mode where players go through a training course as well as get to enjoy leaping from one launch point to another to battle enemy forces. Clever trimming can be required as there is not an infinite supply of paint, so gamers will have to reload which is key when you’re laying down your colors in an effort to control and area.
I especially liked the paint bombs you could throw at an enemy as the colorful nature of the game is really one of the most unique action shooter elements in recent memory.
The multiplay matching was fast and in no time I found myself on a team battling it out. The motion control aspects did take some getting used to as tilting the control up, down, left, and right to aim while using the control sticks to move did take some adjustment and this is not a game you want to play standing for long periods of time, as the action is fast.
The social area of the game allows players to customize their characters with new clothes and weapons so players have an incentive to do well in their games for more than simple bragging rights.
While the graphics will not set new standards, they are in keeping with what players expect from Nintendo and the action and fun of the game makes Splatoon a must own for Wii U owners and one that any shooter fan, especially those with younger gamers will want to experience.
http://sknr.net/2015/10/21/splatoon/
Playing either solo or multiplay, players compete in various arenas to battle it out for control of key locales and to score more points that the other team. That sounds simple enough, but when you factor in the ability to turn into a squid to hide yourself in one of the many paint puddles you can create or to scale a wall, then you have something entirely new.
Splatoon also offers a campaign mode where players go through a training course as well as get to enjoy leaping from one launch point to another to battle enemy forces. Clever trimming can be required as there is not an infinite supply of paint, so gamers will have to reload which is key when you’re laying down your colors in an effort to control and area.
I especially liked the paint bombs you could throw at an enemy as the colorful nature of the game is really one of the most unique action shooter elements in recent memory.
The multiplay matching was fast and in no time I found myself on a team battling it out. The motion control aspects did take some getting used to as tilting the control up, down, left, and right to aim while using the control sticks to move did take some adjustment and this is not a game you want to play standing for long periods of time, as the action is fast.
The social area of the game allows players to customize their characters with new clothes and weapons so players have an incentive to do well in their games for more than simple bragging rights.
While the graphics will not set new standards, they are in keeping with what players expect from Nintendo and the action and fun of the game makes Splatoon a must own for Wii U owners and one that any shooter fan, especially those with younger gamers will want to experience.
http://sknr.net/2015/10/21/splatoon/
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated The 5th wave (2016) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Films about invaders from space have been a staple of film and television since the golden age of cinema. Playing on many Cold War fears in the aftermath of W.W.II, aliens bent on destruction has been an enduring staple of cinematic culture.
In the new film “The 5th Wave” which is based on the book of the same name, Chloe Grace Moretz plays Cassie, a teen who has her entire life turned upside down by the arrival of a mysterious craft. A few days after the arrival of “the Others” as they are known, a pulse wipes out all electronics on the planet. This is soon followed by tsunamis and earthquakes as well as disease and death.
Cassie along with her father and brother find shelter but their community is soon disrupted by the arrival of the military who say that the invaders are now amongst them and posing as humans.
The military under the leadership of Colonel Vosch (Liev Schreiber) has a plan to train the children to spot and defeat the alien invaders thus setting in motion the main conflict of the film. The secondary story consists of Cassie attempting to reunite with her family and her relationship with a mysterious stranger named Evan (Alex Roe).
The film is clearly aimed at a young adult market and as such I was able to spot the big twist in the film a long ways off as the clues were blatantly obvious to me. That being said, the film is better than you might expect and being the first chapter in a trilogy of books does set up the possibilities of sequels.
The dialogue and acting is pretty groan inducing at times, but again, remember the target audience, the film should entertain and it is nice to see Moretz deliver a solid performance in what in many ways could have been a limited role.
While it is not going to make you forget “The Hunger Games” anytime soon, the film is still a decent escape for those willing to overlook the flaws.
http://sknr.net/2016/01/22/the-5th-wave/
In the new film “The 5th Wave” which is based on the book of the same name, Chloe Grace Moretz plays Cassie, a teen who has her entire life turned upside down by the arrival of a mysterious craft. A few days after the arrival of “the Others” as they are known, a pulse wipes out all electronics on the planet. This is soon followed by tsunamis and earthquakes as well as disease and death.
Cassie along with her father and brother find shelter but their community is soon disrupted by the arrival of the military who say that the invaders are now amongst them and posing as humans.
The military under the leadership of Colonel Vosch (Liev Schreiber) has a plan to train the children to spot and defeat the alien invaders thus setting in motion the main conflict of the film. The secondary story consists of Cassie attempting to reunite with her family and her relationship with a mysterious stranger named Evan (Alex Roe).
The film is clearly aimed at a young adult market and as such I was able to spot the big twist in the film a long ways off as the clues were blatantly obvious to me. That being said, the film is better than you might expect and being the first chapter in a trilogy of books does set up the possibilities of sequels.
The dialogue and acting is pretty groan inducing at times, but again, remember the target audience, the film should entertain and it is nice to see Moretz deliver a solid performance in what in many ways could have been a limited role.
While it is not going to make you forget “The Hunger Games” anytime soon, the film is still a decent escape for those willing to overlook the flaws.
http://sknr.net/2016/01/22/the-5th-wave/
RavenclawPrincess913 (253 KP) created a post
Jan 31, 2019
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Condemned: Criminal Origins in Video Games
Oct 24, 2019
Scary Spooky
Condemned: Criminal Origins (known in Europe as Condemned) is a first-person survival horror video game, that is very good but underrated.
Condemned: Criminal Origins places an emphasis on melee combat and puzzle solving, including searching for fingerprints and gathering evidence. Lets talk more about the crime scene's, and gathing evidence.
Condemned directly involves the player in crime scene investigations, offering the ability to, at the press of a context-sensitive button, call upon a suite of forensic tools to find and record evidence. The player character is linked to an FBI lab via his mobile phone throughout the investigation, allowing (almost immediate) remote examination and analysis by his support worker, Rosa. Crime scene evidence can be used to solve puzzles, allowing the player to pass previously impassable barriers, and provide clues to the overall mysteries of the story.
Examples of evidence include fingerprints, footprints, fibers, fluids (such as blood or chemicals), particles, residues, markings/etchings, material, imprints, wounds, small objects, documents, and body parts.
The player character is gifted with the instinctual ability to detect when forensic evidence is nearby, allowing players to bring up the detection and collection tools when appropriate. However, the "instincts" of the character only vaguely highlight the area in which the evidence resides; it is up to the player to methodically sweep the scene and catalog any findings.
Lets talk about the plot: Condemned: Criminal Origins is set in the fictional American city of Metro. The player takes on the role of Ethan Thomas, a crime scene investigation agent with the FBI's Serial Crime Unit, as he traverses the seedier sides of the city. His journey takes him through a number of condemned buildings as he searches for the one who framed him for murder, the evasive Serial Killer X. Along the way, Ethan must use his investigative intuition and technology to examine evidence left behind by SKX, all the while fighting off the violently psychotic denizens of Metro City, who seem to be driven to such madness by a mysterious, yet seemingly extraneous force.
Their are two different ends: but really its the same ending.
If you do like psychological, crime solving horror games than you will like this one.
Condemned: Criminal Origins places an emphasis on melee combat and puzzle solving, including searching for fingerprints and gathering evidence. Lets talk more about the crime scene's, and gathing evidence.
Condemned directly involves the player in crime scene investigations, offering the ability to, at the press of a context-sensitive button, call upon a suite of forensic tools to find and record evidence. The player character is linked to an FBI lab via his mobile phone throughout the investigation, allowing (almost immediate) remote examination and analysis by his support worker, Rosa. Crime scene evidence can be used to solve puzzles, allowing the player to pass previously impassable barriers, and provide clues to the overall mysteries of the story.
Examples of evidence include fingerprints, footprints, fibers, fluids (such as blood or chemicals), particles, residues, markings/etchings, material, imprints, wounds, small objects, documents, and body parts.
The player character is gifted with the instinctual ability to detect when forensic evidence is nearby, allowing players to bring up the detection and collection tools when appropriate. However, the "instincts" of the character only vaguely highlight the area in which the evidence resides; it is up to the player to methodically sweep the scene and catalog any findings.
Lets talk about the plot: Condemned: Criminal Origins is set in the fictional American city of Metro. The player takes on the role of Ethan Thomas, a crime scene investigation agent with the FBI's Serial Crime Unit, as he traverses the seedier sides of the city. His journey takes him through a number of condemned buildings as he searches for the one who framed him for murder, the evasive Serial Killer X. Along the way, Ethan must use his investigative intuition and technology to examine evidence left behind by SKX, all the while fighting off the violently psychotic denizens of Metro City, who seem to be driven to such madness by a mysterious, yet seemingly extraneous force.
Their are two different ends: but really its the same ending.
If you do like psychological, crime solving horror games than you will like this one.
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled in Video Games
Jul 9, 2019
Rev Your Engines
Rev up your engines as your favorite gaming Marsupial is back with Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled. The game is a remastered version of a prior release and like the amazing N Sane Trilogy; gives a new life to the game by taking advantage of the better graphics and framerates offered by the new systems.
Playing in a campaign or online mode, players can pick which character they wish to use and unlike the previous release; are not locked into completing a series with that character as they can change up as they wish.
Players must win a track in order to move on to the next track which is accessed by driving a portal located on an island which also serves as a practice area and a way to access Boss Races and other areas when key objectives have been reached.
The tracks are very detailed and great fun. From an intense sewer track to some exotic locales and temples; there are plenty of locales for everyone to enjoy.
If you have played a racing game before you will soon get the hang of the controls and mechanics of the game. Of course there are plenty of traps and obstacles for players to deal with and there are power ups with weapons and other enhancements to give player an edge which will be needed as the competition is intense; even on the lower difficulty settings.
There are also crates of fruit which can be collected and will allow players to customize their vehicles beyond cosmetic changes which will be needed as player’s progress.
The multiplayer aspects of the game were great as it was very easy to connect and play and aside from some loading screen waits, the game moves fast and looks and sounds amazing.
If you are a fan of Crash Bandicoot and love a good racing game then this is simply a must own as it is not only fun to play; but is one of the most entertaining and enjoyable games in
the genre.
http://sknr.net/2019/07/09/crash-team-racing-nitro-fueled-2/
Playing in a campaign or online mode, players can pick which character they wish to use and unlike the previous release; are not locked into completing a series with that character as they can change up as they wish.
Players must win a track in order to move on to the next track which is accessed by driving a portal located on an island which also serves as a practice area and a way to access Boss Races and other areas when key objectives have been reached.
The tracks are very detailed and great fun. From an intense sewer track to some exotic locales and temples; there are plenty of locales for everyone to enjoy.
If you have played a racing game before you will soon get the hang of the controls and mechanics of the game. Of course there are plenty of traps and obstacles for players to deal with and there are power ups with weapons and other enhancements to give player an edge which will be needed as the competition is intense; even on the lower difficulty settings.
There are also crates of fruit which can be collected and will allow players to customize their vehicles beyond cosmetic changes which will be needed as player’s progress.
The multiplayer aspects of the game were great as it was very easy to connect and play and aside from some loading screen waits, the game moves fast and looks and sounds amazing.
If you are a fan of Crash Bandicoot and love a good racing game then this is simply a must own as it is not only fun to play; but is one of the most entertaining and enjoyable games in
the genre.
http://sknr.net/2019/07/09/crash-team-racing-nitro-fueled-2/
mmb02191 (81 KP) rated the PC version of Kingdom Come Deliverance in Video Games
Jan 24, 2019
Story (3 more)
Skill Tree
Historical accuracy
Characters
New favorite game
This game, right from the beginning, is beautiful, immersive, and really freaking hard (but in the best of ways).
You start out as Henry, and you suck. At everything. I fell off my horse a couple times, can't read, died immediately when trying to fight a soldier. It was great.
This game isn't your usual game where you're a hero expected to beat some evil force. Truth is, you're a peasant, and no one outside of Skalitz (your home town) really likes you all that much.
You don't know how to really do anything, from the obvious like swordfighting (you're a peasant...) to things like reading and even speech (convincing people of things)
This game has such a realistic leveling up system. You get better at skills the more you practice them, just like in real life.
At the beginning, Henry barely knows how to hold a bow, it going all over the screen and the arrows going definitely NOT where you want them to go. It would take my 20 shots to kill a stationary rabbit....
But you get better. You improve. Henry learns through hard work and sweat. His hand steadies, his aim improves (with help from you of course!) and soon you're catching plenty of (illegally poached) animals.
Unlike many games, fighting is not always the answer. Sometimes you have to be creative with your solutions to issues instead of just swinging a sword. Maybe persuade the guard to let you go, or bribe him.
Another mechanic that is very realistic, you have to make sure Henry takes care of himself. He needs to eat and sleep, but shouldn't overeat or drink, or he will feel sluggish. If you're in a fight and covered with blood, people aren't going to trust you, and are going to freak out a little. Make sure you keep Henry clean! There are water troughs that you can find to splash some water on yourself, or go to a bathhouse for a more thorough cleaning.
Overall, this is the best game I have ever played. There is always something to do, and once I am playing, I can't stop.
You start out as Henry, and you suck. At everything. I fell off my horse a couple times, can't read, died immediately when trying to fight a soldier. It was great.
This game isn't your usual game where you're a hero expected to beat some evil force. Truth is, you're a peasant, and no one outside of Skalitz (your home town) really likes you all that much.
You don't know how to really do anything, from the obvious like swordfighting (you're a peasant...) to things like reading and even speech (convincing people of things)
This game has such a realistic leveling up system. You get better at skills the more you practice them, just like in real life.
At the beginning, Henry barely knows how to hold a bow, it going all over the screen and the arrows going definitely NOT where you want them to go. It would take my 20 shots to kill a stationary rabbit....
But you get better. You improve. Henry learns through hard work and sweat. His hand steadies, his aim improves (with help from you of course!) and soon you're catching plenty of (illegally poached) animals.
Unlike many games, fighting is not always the answer. Sometimes you have to be creative with your solutions to issues instead of just swinging a sword. Maybe persuade the guard to let you go, or bribe him.
Another mechanic that is very realistic, you have to make sure Henry takes care of himself. He needs to eat and sleep, but shouldn't overeat or drink, or he will feel sluggish. If you're in a fight and covered with blood, people aren't going to trust you, and are going to freak out a little. Make sure you keep Henry clean! There are water troughs that you can find to splash some water on yourself, or go to a bathhouse for a more thorough cleaning.
Overall, this is the best game I have ever played. There is always something to do, and once I am playing, I can't stop.