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Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Spider in the Web (2019) in Movies
Jun 15, 2020
Lacking of All Entertainment Value
An aging spy goes on one last mission of redemption. His mission: Make a horrible movie that you watch once and once only.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 1
Characters: 0
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
Conflict: 3
Entertainment Value: 4
Memorability: 1
Pace: 4
Plot: 6
The story is one of the best things about Spider in the Web. However, that’s not saying much. At its base, it still manages to get bogged down with confusion, not just with story but with character motivation as well. I spent just as much time successfully following along as I did scratching my head at some of its more confusing moments.
Resolution: 3
I think a huge part of why I hated the ending was because I was still lost by the time I got to it. What are the stakes? Why should I care? These are two simple questions that can make or break a movie if not answered correctly.
Overall: 40
Don’t let that 75% Rotten Tomatoes score fool you. In fact, you would be better served looking at the audience score. Spider In the Web is bad. Real bad. Not All About Steve bad, but enough for me to say it’s a total waste of almost two hours to sit through it.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 1
Characters: 0
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
Conflict: 3
Entertainment Value: 4
Memorability: 1
Pace: 4
Plot: 6
The story is one of the best things about Spider in the Web. However, that’s not saying much. At its base, it still manages to get bogged down with confusion, not just with story but with character motivation as well. I spent just as much time successfully following along as I did scratching my head at some of its more confusing moments.
Resolution: 3
I think a huge part of why I hated the ending was because I was still lost by the time I got to it. What are the stakes? Why should I care? These are two simple questions that can make or break a movie if not answered correctly.
Overall: 40
Don’t let that 75% Rotten Tomatoes score fool you. In fact, you would be better served looking at the audience score. Spider In the Web is bad. Real bad. Not All About Steve bad, but enough for me to say it’s a total waste of almost two hours to sit through it.
Lindsay (1774 KP) rated Where the Wild Things Are in Books
Jun 15, 2021
I bought a classic book for the family. I did not read it while growing up. However, I have heard of it. It's called "Where Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak. I knew about this book and heard of it. Why I never read it is beyond me. I have not read it and reviewed it now.
It is adventurous and playful. Max travels to a faraway place that has Wild Things. I wonder if this book plot is imagination or something that lets the little boy discover what it is like to be lonely after a while. Also, learn that loved ones still care even if you have to wait. The food will still be hot when you return.
I am not sure. However, the pictures are well done. I do enjoy the images. I do not get the plot of this story; that might be me; it is a cute book nonetheless. Will Max have fun with the wild things, or will he return home to his bedroom?
Some children will enjoy these books, and parents will want to read and reread this classic book for their children. You may like this for your child's bookshelves as well. The images are superb and colorful, that is for sure.
It is adventurous and playful. Max travels to a faraway place that has Wild Things. I wonder if this book plot is imagination or something that lets the little boy discover what it is like to be lonely after a while. Also, learn that loved ones still care even if you have to wait. The food will still be hot when you return.
I am not sure. However, the pictures are well done. I do enjoy the images. I do not get the plot of this story; that might be me; it is a cute book nonetheless. Will Max have fun with the wild things, or will he return home to his bedroom?
Some children will enjoy these books, and parents will want to read and reread this classic book for their children. You may like this for your child's bookshelves as well. The images are superb and colorful, that is for sure.
A Rage for Falcons: An Alliance Between Man and Bird
Helen Macdonald, Stephen Bodio and Jonathan Wilde
Book
Thus begins the tale by Stephen Bodio, a lover of birds and nature, of the incredible connection...
The Scent of Dragon’s Blood ( The Tattered Realm book 1)
5.0
Rate It
Book
When the Knight in shining armor needs saving, you send in his hybrid monster girlfriend. . . and...
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated On The Ice ( Stick Side '#1) in Books
May 14, 2018
kinda creeps up on ya!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Mitch is working two jobs to put himself through college, and get himself in the NHL league. He puts on a front for everyone and anyone who pays him any attention. But Alex sees Mitch, like SEES him, as he really is and Alex wants more. But both young men are fully aware that coming out might jeopardize both the positions in the league.
I made a new shelf, just for books like this! It's title?? Kinda-creeps-up-on-ya!
Because that is just what this book did! It creeps along, slow, slow, fast, fast, slow. The emotions build along the same, and then, THEN?? I ran out of book!
You get sucked in so far, you can't see a way out, except to keep on going and see how it all turns out!
I loved Mitch, with all his fronts and faces he presents to everyone else. I loved that Alex saw, immediately, past those fronts and faces. Loved that Alex makes it clear to Mitch, while he finds him attractive, there can be nothing between them without the EMOTIONAL connection. And Mitch would rather take the nothing, and have Alex in his life, than just the sex, and lose Alex along the way.
I find myself: me, a middle aged English woman, connecting with Alex on a much deeper level than I expected to. Alex is demisexual: he loves people, not genders. But he won't have sex with just anyone, he needs that emotion connection that Mitch is chasing with Alex. And I think THATS what I connected to, the fact he needs that emotional connection.
I did love the epilogue! Loved that, even though these guys could have lost their league places, they followed their hearts!
There is a little bit in the front of this book, that tells you Mitch and Alex pop up in another book by Aislin. They are already married for 6 years in that book, and this is the story of how they got together. I'd like to read that one too.
From what I can see, the first I have read of Aislin, another new to me author who blew me away.
5 stars, that creep up ya!!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Mitch is working two jobs to put himself through college, and get himself in the NHL league. He puts on a front for everyone and anyone who pays him any attention. But Alex sees Mitch, like SEES him, as he really is and Alex wants more. But both young men are fully aware that coming out might jeopardize both the positions in the league.
I made a new shelf, just for books like this! It's title?? Kinda-creeps-up-on-ya!
Because that is just what this book did! It creeps along, slow, slow, fast, fast, slow. The emotions build along the same, and then, THEN?? I ran out of book!
You get sucked in so far, you can't see a way out, except to keep on going and see how it all turns out!
I loved Mitch, with all his fronts and faces he presents to everyone else. I loved that Alex saw, immediately, past those fronts and faces. Loved that Alex makes it clear to Mitch, while he finds him attractive, there can be nothing between them without the EMOTIONAL connection. And Mitch would rather take the nothing, and have Alex in his life, than just the sex, and lose Alex along the way.
I find myself: me, a middle aged English woman, connecting with Alex on a much deeper level than I expected to. Alex is demisexual: he loves people, not genders. But he won't have sex with just anyone, he needs that emotion connection that Mitch is chasing with Alex. And I think THATS what I connected to, the fact he needs that emotional connection.
I did love the epilogue! Loved that, even though these guys could have lost their league places, they followed their hearts!
There is a little bit in the front of this book, that tells you Mitch and Alex pop up in another book by Aislin. They are already married for 6 years in that book, and this is the story of how they got together. I'd like to read that one too.
From what I can see, the first I have read of Aislin, another new to me author who blew me away.
5 stars, that creep up ya!!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
*＊✿❀ Maki ❀✿＊* (7 KP) rated Sword Art Online: 1: Aincrad in Books
May 3, 2018
I don't know why I did this to myself. I knew I wasn't going to enjoy it. I suppose that in my mind, I thought of it as reconnaissance work, to try to better understand where all of the "Kirito" and "Asuna" clones suddenly flooding the few MMOs I played were coming from.
<img src="http://i1321.photobucket.com/albums/u556/kotonemaki/For%20R%20Purposes/12.29.12%20If%20SAO%20was%20Real_zpsjsrg8fz5.jpg"/>;
I enjoyed the premise of the light novel - the whole "being trapped in a video game until you beat it and if you die in the game you die in real life" thing. I also liked the idea that once in the game, the players were stripped of their anonymity. They were forced to play as themselves, rather than the avatars they had created to represent themselves.
And it's nice that the novel/anime/manga have managed to carve out their own space in the "virtual reality gone wrong" genre, and give .hack// some competition.
But I really, <i>really</i> did not like Kirito.
Maybe I'm a bit prejudiced against the character because of the flood of people naming themselves Kirito in MMOs who made the games obnoxious to play for months on end, since a good portion of them had no idea what they were doing. They all chose to play tanks (of course) and completely ruined it for people looking for a tank who knew what they were doing, or made it harder for actual tanks to get a party, because nobody trusted anybody to know what they were doing in those dark years after the anime first came out.
Maybe it's because Kirito (the actual character) was such a complete special snowflake, without any real redeeming qualities, other than the fact that he managed to luck into his power. That, and his relationship with Asuna are all that really define his character.
I've heard that their characters and the build up of their relationship are handled better in the anime, and doesn't come across as so insta-love. But to be honest, I've got no desire to watch the anime just to get character development when it should have been handled better in the novel that the anime was based on in the first place.
<img src="http://i1321.photobucket.com/albums/u556/kotonemaki/For%20R%20Purposes/12.29.12%20If%20SAO%20was%20Real_zpsjsrg8fz5.jpg"/>;
I enjoyed the premise of the light novel - the whole "being trapped in a video game until you beat it and if you die in the game you die in real life" thing. I also liked the idea that once in the game, the players were stripped of their anonymity. They were forced to play as themselves, rather than the avatars they had created to represent themselves.
And it's nice that the novel/anime/manga have managed to carve out their own space in the "virtual reality gone wrong" genre, and give .hack// some competition.
But I really, <i>really</i> did not like Kirito.
Maybe I'm a bit prejudiced against the character because of the flood of people naming themselves Kirito in MMOs who made the games obnoxious to play for months on end, since a good portion of them had no idea what they were doing. They all chose to play tanks (of course) and completely ruined it for people looking for a tank who knew what they were doing, or made it harder for actual tanks to get a party, because nobody trusted anybody to know what they were doing in those dark years after the anime first came out.
Maybe it's because Kirito (the actual character) was such a complete special snowflake, without any real redeeming qualities, other than the fact that he managed to luck into his power. That, and his relationship with Asuna are all that really define his character.
I've heard that their characters and the build up of their relationship are handled better in the anime, and doesn't come across as so insta-love. But to be honest, I've got no desire to watch the anime just to get character development when it should have been handled better in the novel that the anime was based on in the first place.
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated Trusting a Warrior (Loving a Warrior #3) in Books
Nov 26, 2020
Hansen can grab you, by the heart strings, and drag you kicking and screaming through every single emotion known to man
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 3 in the Loving A Warrior, and I STRONGLY suggest you read both books one, Loving A Warrior, and book 2, Keeping A Warrior, before you read this one. There is much referenced here that is not fully recapped. And you know, cos I said so! Both are 5 star reads.
As is this one!
Lani meets Geo on possibly the worst day of her life. Geo's ain't much better. Together they begin to navigate a relationship, while dealing with a huge amount of grief at the death of their loved ones.
Hansen has a knack of roping you in, pulling you close, and not letting you go. She can grab you, by the heart strings, and drag you kicking and screaming through every single emotion known to man, and then expect you to write a coherent review after!
I mean, I loved this book, I really did. It carries some difficult story lines, but again, Ms Hansen delivers them in a way that you cannot fault. Grief is a fickle thing, and everyone deals with that differently. I know, my sister and I dealt with my mother and father's death very different, but there is no right or wrong way. Here, Lani's grief is a decade old, but she still suffers. Geo's is much fresher, and it's HIS pain that hit me the most.
I have no personal experience of war, or those who serve. I can only imagine the horrors that are presented on a daily basis. It's to be expected that some will struggle with that, but put on a "brave face" The way Hansen describes Geo's grief and his own spiral downwards is heartbreaking, it really is. Only his relationship with Lani saves him.
I loved how the others in this series; Matt and Shane and Rhys and Devon, play a huge part here. I loved that Devon and Lani become such good friends, even if Lani is Rhys' ex.
What I want to know now, Ms Hansen, is this! Will we be privvy to want happened in Keeping A Warrior, and here, to Matt and Shane?? Cos let me tell ya, I does NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED to know! We get an inkling of what Matt suffers here, but not enough. So, please, write a followup!
Love, love LOVED the epilogue! And I loved Bosch, Geo's military dog.
I can't, in any honesty, give this book any less than. . .
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 3 in the Loving A Warrior, and I STRONGLY suggest you read both books one, Loving A Warrior, and book 2, Keeping A Warrior, before you read this one. There is much referenced here that is not fully recapped. And you know, cos I said so! Both are 5 star reads.
As is this one!
Lani meets Geo on possibly the worst day of her life. Geo's ain't much better. Together they begin to navigate a relationship, while dealing with a huge amount of grief at the death of their loved ones.
Hansen has a knack of roping you in, pulling you close, and not letting you go. She can grab you, by the heart strings, and drag you kicking and screaming through every single emotion known to man, and then expect you to write a coherent review after!
I mean, I loved this book, I really did. It carries some difficult story lines, but again, Ms Hansen delivers them in a way that you cannot fault. Grief is a fickle thing, and everyone deals with that differently. I know, my sister and I dealt with my mother and father's death very different, but there is no right or wrong way. Here, Lani's grief is a decade old, but she still suffers. Geo's is much fresher, and it's HIS pain that hit me the most.
I have no personal experience of war, or those who serve. I can only imagine the horrors that are presented on a daily basis. It's to be expected that some will struggle with that, but put on a "brave face" The way Hansen describes Geo's grief and his own spiral downwards is heartbreaking, it really is. Only his relationship with Lani saves him.
I loved how the others in this series; Matt and Shane and Rhys and Devon, play a huge part here. I loved that Devon and Lani become such good friends, even if Lani is Rhys' ex.
What I want to know now, Ms Hansen, is this! Will we be privvy to want happened in Keeping A Warrior, and here, to Matt and Shane?? Cos let me tell ya, I does NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED to know! We get an inkling of what Matt suffers here, but not enough. So, please, write a followup!
Love, love LOVED the epilogue! And I loved Bosch, Geo's military dog.
I can't, in any honesty, give this book any less than. . .
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated Where It All Began (Manx Cat Guardians Prequel) in Books
Jul 21, 2018
best book of the three!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I am incredibly frustrated about this book! Not WITH the book, ABOUT this book. Let me try to explain.
Reading books one and two, I was left with questions. Lots and lots of questions, mostly about how the Manx Cat Guardians came to be. I had high hopes that THIS book would answer those questions.
BUT!!!
While there IS a brief mention of why they were created ( The King of the Otherworld created them to counteract the rise of the new religion, Christianity, and it's belief that same sex couples were against nature and therefore abhorrent) the book is more about Maximillian, the big white cat who arrived on the island, along with Aadan, to help Stuart and Joe. And how Maximillian became the bearer of not one soul, but two.
So the questions I had were mostly NOT answered. And I'm still left with questions. This is where I get frustrated. Because I KNOW my mind is not happy, and that it still has questions, but I also know that I can't figure out what those questions are!! And if I don't know what those questions are, how is an author supposed to answer them, hmm??? So, once I got over my spit-your-dummy-out, throw-your-toys-out-the-pram and I'll-scream-and-scream-and-scream-until-I'm-sick kind of tantrum, here's what I thought about this book.
I found THIS book, is, in my opinion, the best of the three! Viking Olafr (I've been pronouncing this Olfa) has feelings for Magnus, a lowly servant. He knows he shouldn't but he cannot fight them any longer and for one glorious night, Magnus is his. What follows is extremely painful reading. Not because of the writing but because you feel Olafr's pain. You feel every single heart wrenching torment, his decision, and what he has to do. It's exceptional writing, when you can feel so much pain. I cried for Olafr and Magnus I really did. I'm being vague, I know but I work hard NOT to give spoilers!
Olafr and Maximillian have the majority voice, along with a young Aadan, when he was a child. Magnus does not have a say though. I did want him to, but when THAT happened, I'm so glad he didn't. That would have been too much, on top of Olafr's pain, I think.
It gives you a little bit more about when Aadan and Maximillian landed on the island, and what the cat felt at finally coming home. It gives me an unhealthy need for book three! At least I hope there is book three, about Aadan and Greg, who appears in book two. Because, given the way I read that bit, and the way my mind ran away with itself, I have a feeling that book ( I beg, PLEEEEEEEEEEEEZE let there be another book!) will be a far emotional and heart wrenching than the other two, and they weren't a picnic in the park either!
The author's skill at her craft is growing, and it shows!
So, even though I had a hissy fit, even though my (unvoiced) questions were not answered, and even though this is a MIGHTY painful read . . .
5 stars.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I am incredibly frustrated about this book! Not WITH the book, ABOUT this book. Let me try to explain.
Reading books one and two, I was left with questions. Lots and lots of questions, mostly about how the Manx Cat Guardians came to be. I had high hopes that THIS book would answer those questions.
BUT!!!
While there IS a brief mention of why they were created ( The King of the Otherworld created them to counteract the rise of the new religion, Christianity, and it's belief that same sex couples were against nature and therefore abhorrent) the book is more about Maximillian, the big white cat who arrived on the island, along with Aadan, to help Stuart and Joe. And how Maximillian became the bearer of not one soul, but two.
So the questions I had were mostly NOT answered. And I'm still left with questions. This is where I get frustrated. Because I KNOW my mind is not happy, and that it still has questions, but I also know that I can't figure out what those questions are!! And if I don't know what those questions are, how is an author supposed to answer them, hmm??? So, once I got over my spit-your-dummy-out, throw-your-toys-out-the-pram and I'll-scream-and-scream-and-scream-until-I'm-sick kind of tantrum, here's what I thought about this book.
I found THIS book, is, in my opinion, the best of the three! Viking Olafr (I've been pronouncing this Olfa) has feelings for Magnus, a lowly servant. He knows he shouldn't but he cannot fight them any longer and for one glorious night, Magnus is his. What follows is extremely painful reading. Not because of the writing but because you feel Olafr's pain. You feel every single heart wrenching torment, his decision, and what he has to do. It's exceptional writing, when you can feel so much pain. I cried for Olafr and Magnus I really did. I'm being vague, I know but I work hard NOT to give spoilers!
Olafr and Maximillian have the majority voice, along with a young Aadan, when he was a child. Magnus does not have a say though. I did want him to, but when THAT happened, I'm so glad he didn't. That would have been too much, on top of Olafr's pain, I think.
It gives you a little bit more about when Aadan and Maximillian landed on the island, and what the cat felt at finally coming home. It gives me an unhealthy need for book three! At least I hope there is book three, about Aadan and Greg, who appears in book two. Because, given the way I read that bit, and the way my mind ran away with itself, I have a feeling that book ( I beg, PLEEEEEEEEEEEEZE let there be another book!) will be a far emotional and heart wrenching than the other two, and they weren't a picnic in the park either!
The author's skill at her craft is growing, and it shows!
So, even though I had a hissy fit, even though my (unvoiced) questions were not answered, and even though this is a MIGHTY painful read . . .
5 stars.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
365Flicks (235 KP) rated Cute Little Buggers (2017) in Movies
Nov 20, 2019
What the hell exactly did I just watch? Now where will I start with Cute Little Buggers, apart from fact that its the coolest movie title I have seen in a long time.
Cute Little Buggers… Hmmmmm
Cute Little Buggers…
Right okay. Let me start by saying that there is a movie here, A pretty decent one at that. When this movie knows exactly what it is and can be, it is great (a guilty pleasure if you will) when this movie shoots for the stars and trys to be what it wants to be it falls just short for me, however if there is one thing I love and can get behind, its when a director and his crew do what they can with what they have.
Let’s crack on with the pitch… We open up this very, very, very British horror movie in a small town in the south of England that is full of your typical small town England movie characters. Characters like the put upon farmer whose son left town to make it big and for the purposes of story-line has returned this very day. Then we have said prodigal sons old flame who is with the local village asshole now but the candle still burns bright. Local law enforcement, yes you guessed it, as dumb as a box of rocks. Then of course all your regular locals. One other thing, everyone seems to be a bit of a sexual deviant. We are about to spend a day and night with these crazy madcap zany characters as Aliens (Yes I said Aliens) have come to town and are going to use Rabbits (Yes I said Rabbits) to infiltrate and kidnap the women of earth… Oh shit nearly forgot heres the trailer…
I know right the movie is as mental as this trailer looks. I was completely sold for the first half of this movie, Director Tony Jopia was taking his time to build up these characters and every member of the cast knew what kind of flick they were making (a sort of crossover between Hot Fuzz and Critters) so while you could see they were having a bit of fun it also helped the chemistry flow. My god did the movie need that chemistry so we could up the laugh-ability and like-ability factor because on an estimated budget of 25k, the digital on the scares (Tentacle Bunny Things) were pretty laughable. Now as I said I give credit to any director who goes out and makes his passion so I don’t blame Jopia for one second, it was a budget thing and he absolutely made up for it everywhere else by casting well and having a pretty solid script with some cracking one liners. Just the effects left me feeling MEH. We just wont mention the Alien cut scenes on this review.
For me this is a recommend but its a pretty weak one as you may have guessed. That cast all play there parts and they do play them well on just the other side of bonkers and in some cases crazy beautiful. Tony Jopia as a director definitely has something, I dunno maybe with a bit more of a budget but I will say again there is a movie here.
Cute Little Buggers… Hmmmmm
Cute Little Buggers…
Right okay. Let me start by saying that there is a movie here, A pretty decent one at that. When this movie knows exactly what it is and can be, it is great (a guilty pleasure if you will) when this movie shoots for the stars and trys to be what it wants to be it falls just short for me, however if there is one thing I love and can get behind, its when a director and his crew do what they can with what they have.
Let’s crack on with the pitch… We open up this very, very, very British horror movie in a small town in the south of England that is full of your typical small town England movie characters. Characters like the put upon farmer whose son left town to make it big and for the purposes of story-line has returned this very day. Then we have said prodigal sons old flame who is with the local village asshole now but the candle still burns bright. Local law enforcement, yes you guessed it, as dumb as a box of rocks. Then of course all your regular locals. One other thing, everyone seems to be a bit of a sexual deviant. We are about to spend a day and night with these crazy madcap zany characters as Aliens (Yes I said Aliens) have come to town and are going to use Rabbits (Yes I said Rabbits) to infiltrate and kidnap the women of earth… Oh shit nearly forgot heres the trailer…
I know right the movie is as mental as this trailer looks. I was completely sold for the first half of this movie, Director Tony Jopia was taking his time to build up these characters and every member of the cast knew what kind of flick they were making (a sort of crossover between Hot Fuzz and Critters) so while you could see they were having a bit of fun it also helped the chemistry flow. My god did the movie need that chemistry so we could up the laugh-ability and like-ability factor because on an estimated budget of 25k, the digital on the scares (Tentacle Bunny Things) were pretty laughable. Now as I said I give credit to any director who goes out and makes his passion so I don’t blame Jopia for one second, it was a budget thing and he absolutely made up for it everywhere else by casting well and having a pretty solid script with some cracking one liners. Just the effects left me feeling MEH. We just wont mention the Alien cut scenes on this review.
For me this is a recommend but its a pretty weak one as you may have guessed. That cast all play there parts and they do play them well on just the other side of bonkers and in some cases crazy beautiful. Tony Jopia as a director definitely has something, I dunno maybe with a bit more of a budget but I will say again there is a movie here.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated NieR: Automata in Video Games
Oct 2, 2017 (Updated Oct 25, 2017)
Well developed characters, with a good amount of depth. (3 more)
Character motivations are clear and logical.
A visual feast.
A stunningly effective score.
A Genre Bending Masterclass In Game Design
There have been a good number of excellent games this year and before I played Nier it was difficult to choose my favourite game of the year so far. It is now extremely obvious.
This is one of the best games I have ever had the pleasure of playing through and it has pushed the boundaries of what I thought action RPG's could do. I had heard a lot of amazing things about this game before picking it up and I was sceptical that it was going to meet my expectations. I am happy to report that not only did it meet my expectations, but it greatly exceeded them.
The characters in this game are so well crafted. You will form an immediate opinion on each of the characters when you are first introduced to them, but be prepared to have your opinion changed multiple times. Initially likeable characters will commit despicable acts and the character you thought was a cold machine, will do something genuinely heart-warming. Even though these characters are prone to committing acts that don't necessarily match their character type, character motivations are always understandable, which is a mark of great writing.
The visuals in this game are incredible, not only in the graphical sense. The way that certain shots are framed, the way that lighting is implemented in certain environments, the fluid animations, the vast, lush natural environment; all of it is utterly stunning. Combat looks incredible, cutscenes are well timed and effective, character design is fantastic, all of this adds to the impressive visual flair of the game overall.
The audio is also significant during your playthrough, the soundtrack is so effective and well implemented. The tone is complimented by a different piece of music in each area of the game to the point that the music alone could tell you what area of the game that you are in without having to look at the screen.
The only negative feeling I have towards the game after finally completing it, was the exhaustion I felt towards the game's ending. Without spoiling anything, this game ends multiple times, each of them emotionally draining and leading to another even more complex layer of the game's overall story, to the point that finishing the entire thing feels like an endurance test and I'm not even anywhere near earning the platinum trophy! I didn't know exactly what I was getting into when I started the game and that is how I would recommend most players go into this game because you will truly be blown away, but you should know how much of your life this game is going to demand from you. If you don't have between 60-100 hours to spend, (depending on what completion rate you are aiming for,) then this will probably be too vast of an experience for you. And after finally completing the game in it's entirety, I feel exhausted and I'm not in any hurry right now to go back to the game to tackle the remaining sidequests. I feel that I have earned some time away from the game, at least for a few weeks. Normally I relish an epically long adventure, but even this pushed my limits of what a lengthy saga should be. This is the only thing that keeps me from scoring the game a perfect 10.
There is no denying that this game is very close to being a masterpiece and for those that do regard the game to be a perfect 10, I can see your point. There aren't any flaws within the game itself, mine is more of a personal problem and is proof to me at least, that you can have too much of a good thing. However, this doesn't disregard what I said previously in any way, this game does so many unique things and it does all of them impressively well. This is definitely Platinum's best game and I am glad that this fantastic experience is receiving the high level of praise that it deserves.
This is one of the best games I have ever had the pleasure of playing through and it has pushed the boundaries of what I thought action RPG's could do. I had heard a lot of amazing things about this game before picking it up and I was sceptical that it was going to meet my expectations. I am happy to report that not only did it meet my expectations, but it greatly exceeded them.
The characters in this game are so well crafted. You will form an immediate opinion on each of the characters when you are first introduced to them, but be prepared to have your opinion changed multiple times. Initially likeable characters will commit despicable acts and the character you thought was a cold machine, will do something genuinely heart-warming. Even though these characters are prone to committing acts that don't necessarily match their character type, character motivations are always understandable, which is a mark of great writing.
The visuals in this game are incredible, not only in the graphical sense. The way that certain shots are framed, the way that lighting is implemented in certain environments, the fluid animations, the vast, lush natural environment; all of it is utterly stunning. Combat looks incredible, cutscenes are well timed and effective, character design is fantastic, all of this adds to the impressive visual flair of the game overall.
The audio is also significant during your playthrough, the soundtrack is so effective and well implemented. The tone is complimented by a different piece of music in each area of the game to the point that the music alone could tell you what area of the game that you are in without having to look at the screen.
The only negative feeling I have towards the game after finally completing it, was the exhaustion I felt towards the game's ending. Without spoiling anything, this game ends multiple times, each of them emotionally draining and leading to another even more complex layer of the game's overall story, to the point that finishing the entire thing feels like an endurance test and I'm not even anywhere near earning the platinum trophy! I didn't know exactly what I was getting into when I started the game and that is how I would recommend most players go into this game because you will truly be blown away, but you should know how much of your life this game is going to demand from you. If you don't have between 60-100 hours to spend, (depending on what completion rate you are aiming for,) then this will probably be too vast of an experience for you. And after finally completing the game in it's entirety, I feel exhausted and I'm not in any hurry right now to go back to the game to tackle the remaining sidequests. I feel that I have earned some time away from the game, at least for a few weeks. Normally I relish an epically long adventure, but even this pushed my limits of what a lengthy saga should be. This is the only thing that keeps me from scoring the game a perfect 10.
There is no denying that this game is very close to being a masterpiece and for those that do regard the game to be a perfect 10, I can see your point. There aren't any flaws within the game itself, mine is more of a personal problem and is proof to me at least, that you can have too much of a good thing. However, this doesn't disregard what I said previously in any way, this game does so many unique things and it does all of them impressively well. This is definitely Platinum's best game and I am glad that this fantastic experience is receiving the high level of praise that it deserves.