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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.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Midsommar (2019) in Movies
Jul 5, 2019
I'm A Believer
Midsommar is a modern day folklore fairytale masterpiece that's traumatizing, intoxicating, stomach churning & deeply hypnotic. If you've seen Raw or the Witch & enjoyed them Midsommar is easily on par standard wise & comparability wise to them. A tale of love, passion, grievance, trauma, connection, communion, religion, celebration, purity & punishment. Filled with folklore, depth, symbolisum, metaphores & small visual clues Midsommar is one giant puzzle box & for everyone paying close attention there are entire multiple layers hidden in everything. Be it the pictures hung on the walls in the background, dialog, music cues, camera angles, subbtle special effects, screen transitions, facial expressions & props. Most people watching this film will leave wondering what strange horror movie they just saw & while technically it is a horror as the film played out I began to realise its intentions thus seeing its beauty & messages clearly. For instance like how if we all united as one unity & learnt to love rather than hate we could live in perfect harmony with nature. Acting is jaw dropping especially from the lead actress & sound design realises that creating tension doesn't necessarily need any sound at all. Visually its vibrant & striking with subtle effects like things pulsing & warping as if reality its self is an illusion. Midsommar made me feel quezy, disturbed, intreagued & so happy with chills going up & down my spine frequently as I also couldn't shake this feeling of dread the entire time. When violence hits it hits hard & sickeningly rough but as the last scene played out & the perfect ending hit I was smiling the most I have during a film in a long time. What an intelligent, thought provoking look at how a trauma in life can make us more susceptible & easily lead, how guilt/trauma manifests in us, how innocence & purity thrives above deceit & selfishness, but most importantly how we could all live way happier & more for filling lives as if we all respected each other & the world around us experiencing both pain & pleasure as one. Go see it sit in the front row & let Midsommar embrace & absorb you in the best experience of the year so far by far.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Each To Their Own in Books
Nov 12, 2019
When teenager Kayleigh falls to her death her de facto stepfather Dan is convinced that there has been foul play and sets out to discover the events that led to her death and also to find out why a couple of her college friends have not been seen since. When he meets a college friend who also has suspicions he becomes more determined to find out the truth. But just how far is Dan prepared to go and just who can he trust?
This book is told in the first person from the point of view of some of the major players in the drama. This works really well as it gives the reader a chance to see the other narrators as others see them and see how their actions, taken with consideration or not, can affect others. This also allows for the facts to be gently teased out by the reader - initially we know only that Kayleigh has died and very little of the circumstances. As the story goes on and each character discovers or reveals another clue to what has been going on it builds the story like a jigsaw puzzle. I found it very reminiscent of another great thriller author, Robert Goddard, who carefully controls the facts the reader has to work on.
The writing is terrific as are the characters, each with their own voice and personalities. Each has their own weaknesses that they are either unaware of or overlook and these add a great deal of depth and dimension. There are a number of twists to the plot, some quite sudden and shocking others more a realisation that things are not quite as they have seemed.
This book was a pleasure to read, the plot moving at pace as it switched between viewpoints towards the final climax and with a satisfying ending. The story would make for a terrific prime time drama on television.
My only criticism was that the world of Kayleigh felt a bit too small - things like Alice being an old friend of Dan but independently related to and involved in events. But that didn't really spoil the book.
Thoroughly recommended.
This book is told in the first person from the point of view of some of the major players in the drama. This works really well as it gives the reader a chance to see the other narrators as others see them and see how their actions, taken with consideration or not, can affect others. This also allows for the facts to be gently teased out by the reader - initially we know only that Kayleigh has died and very little of the circumstances. As the story goes on and each character discovers or reveals another clue to what has been going on it builds the story like a jigsaw puzzle. I found it very reminiscent of another great thriller author, Robert Goddard, who carefully controls the facts the reader has to work on.
The writing is terrific as are the characters, each with their own voice and personalities. Each has their own weaknesses that they are either unaware of or overlook and these add a great deal of depth and dimension. There are a number of twists to the plot, some quite sudden and shocking others more a realisation that things are not quite as they have seemed.
This book was a pleasure to read, the plot moving at pace as it switched between viewpoints towards the final climax and with a satisfying ending. The story would make for a terrific prime time drama on television.
My only criticism was that the world of Kayleigh felt a bit too small - things like Alice being an old friend of Dan but independently related to and involved in events. But that didn't really spoil the book.
Thoroughly recommended.
JT (287 KP) rated Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
With the impending Avengers flick due out in the summer this year, 2011 was all about wrapping up the the final film which would link yet another character into the superhero pack. If I’m honest I am pretty bored of the superhero genre of late, so this one was going to have to work hard if it was going to hold my interest. But, for the most part… hold my interest it did!
Evans starts off as a scrawny weakling, desperate to serve his country during World War II. You’ll have to look hard to realise that Evans’ appearance is a brilliant piece of CGI, no man could get to that size and back in such a short space of time.
He then gets himself accepted as part of an experiment to transform average soldiers into supreme physical beings. Rogers, now a beef cake becomes an American poster boy for the war promoting everything the American public should stand for.
Singing in chorus lines he longs to be part of the action, to get onto the front line and to help bring down HYDRA, and its main villain Johann Schmidt aka Red Skull.
The film moves through the gears, massive explosions and some great action set pieces. But you’d expect nothing less, director Joe Johnston injects the film with enough to tie over until a rather disappointing ending.
One of the bright lights however is Weaving, whose Red Skull is one of the more colourful villains we might have seen in recent times. His penetrating persona gives the film a lift when otherwise it was heading for the doldrums.
Captain America does what pretty much every other super hero film has done before it, starts as an origins story, throws some back history in along with a lot of action but ultimately fails on the big pay off.
We all know where the film is going though, as most will have seen all the trailers surrounding The Avengers, for me though this is just another missing piece of the puzzle that will lead onto a much greater film. After which Captain America will pretty much be all but forgotten.
Evans starts off as a scrawny weakling, desperate to serve his country during World War II. You’ll have to look hard to realise that Evans’ appearance is a brilliant piece of CGI, no man could get to that size and back in such a short space of time.
He then gets himself accepted as part of an experiment to transform average soldiers into supreme physical beings. Rogers, now a beef cake becomes an American poster boy for the war promoting everything the American public should stand for.
Singing in chorus lines he longs to be part of the action, to get onto the front line and to help bring down HYDRA, and its main villain Johann Schmidt aka Red Skull.
The film moves through the gears, massive explosions and some great action set pieces. But you’d expect nothing less, director Joe Johnston injects the film with enough to tie over until a rather disappointing ending.
One of the bright lights however is Weaving, whose Red Skull is one of the more colourful villains we might have seen in recent times. His penetrating persona gives the film a lift when otherwise it was heading for the doldrums.
Captain America does what pretty much every other super hero film has done before it, starts as an origins story, throws some back history in along with a lot of action but ultimately fails on the big pay off.
We all know where the film is going though, as most will have seen all the trailers surrounding The Avengers, for me though this is just another missing piece of the puzzle that will lead onto a much greater film. After which Captain America will pretty much be all but forgotten.
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