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Merissa (13319 KP) rated Undone (Vino & Veritas #18) in Books
Aug 13, 2021 (Updated Jul 17, 2023)
Have you ever missed out on a whole series, read one story, and then put the whole lot of the others on your TBR list? Because that's what I've done on the back of this one story by Leslie McAdam. UNDONE is book eighteen in the Vino and Veritas series, and I want more.
In this instalment, we meet Jason and Murph. Jason has a friends-with-benefits arrangement going on with Marnie that suits him just fine, and Marnie says she is happy with how it is too. Murph is his new roommate, and what an eye-opener he is! Murph is strong and confident but still has his own worries and concerns. What you get is a HOT slow-burn romance with lots of self-discovery and laughs along the way.
Oh, man. These two! They about killed me, they really did. Both of them are absolutely gorgeous inside and out and have so much to learn about themselves and each other. Watching Jason's jealousy when he had no idea what it was he was feeling was just wonderful. Murph has been seriously hurt before and is understandably wary of Jason when they do get together. Communication and acknowledgement of each other's needs wins the day though, and how fantastic was that?!
After a quick check on Goodreads, it appears this is the first book by this author I have read, but it certainly won't be the last. Leslie McAdam's writing style is warm, well-paced, and character-led. This story blew me away and I loved the bi-realisation aspect of it. I also loved how they got to know each other first. Of course, as far as Jason was concerned, Murph was just a possible friend. Their flirting, innocent as it was (or not in Murph's case!) was heartwarming.
I could go on, but I think I've waffled on enough. I have loved this new-to-me world of Vino and Veritas and will definitely be reading more. As for Leslie McAdam, well, she's definitely one to watch. Now, if you will excuse me, I've got an author's backlist to go through, plus a whole series.
Absolutely and utterly recommended by me!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 13, 2021
In this instalment, we meet Jason and Murph. Jason has a friends-with-benefits arrangement going on with Marnie that suits him just fine, and Marnie says she is happy with how it is too. Murph is his new roommate, and what an eye-opener he is! Murph is strong and confident but still has his own worries and concerns. What you get is a HOT slow-burn romance with lots of self-discovery and laughs along the way.
Oh, man. These two! They about killed me, they really did. Both of them are absolutely gorgeous inside and out and have so much to learn about themselves and each other. Watching Jason's jealousy when he had no idea what it was he was feeling was just wonderful. Murph has been seriously hurt before and is understandably wary of Jason when they do get together. Communication and acknowledgement of each other's needs wins the day though, and how fantastic was that?!
After a quick check on Goodreads, it appears this is the first book by this author I have read, but it certainly won't be the last. Leslie McAdam's writing style is warm, well-paced, and character-led. This story blew me away and I loved the bi-realisation aspect of it. I also loved how they got to know each other first. Of course, as far as Jason was concerned, Murph was just a possible friend. Their flirting, innocent as it was (or not in Murph's case!) was heartwarming.
I could go on, but I think I've waffled on enough. I have loved this new-to-me world of Vino and Veritas and will definitely be reading more. As for Leslie McAdam, well, she's definitely one to watch. Now, if you will excuse me, I've got an author's backlist to go through, plus a whole series.
Absolutely and utterly recommended by me!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 13, 2021
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Century Golem: Eastern Mountains in Tabletop Games
Apr 21, 2021
Before I buy any new games, I like to do my research. I watch play-through videos, read reviews, check out ratings, etc. Hopefully I’ll even get a chance to play the game before I decide whether or not I want it in my collection. But when Century: Golem Edition – Eastern Mountains came out, I did none of that. I just immediately pre-ordered it blindly, no research done at all. I love Century: Golem Edition, and had faith in the quality of the Eastern Mountains version. Was my faith misplaced? Or does this second game in the Century: Golem trilogy live up to its predecessor and keep me hooked?
The second game in the Century: Golem Edition trilogy is Century: Golem Edition – Eastern Mountains (referred to as just Eastern Mountains for the rest of this review). Players return to their roles as crystal traders, mining and trading crystals. You’ve achieved success in your home village, but now have decided to venture out into the mountains of Carvania, in hopes of creating a vast network of trade throughout the land.
Disclaimer: Eastern Mountains is a standalone game, but also comes with a ruleset for The Call For Adventure – with which you can integrate both Century: Golem Edition AND Eastern Mountains into one big game. This review is of Eastern Mountains only and does not delve into the gameplay for The Call For Adventure. When we add that additional content to Eastern Mountains, we will either amend this review or write a new post altogether! -L
Eastern Mountains is a game of point-to-point movement with a modular board in which players are mining/trading crystals to fulfill Village requirements and receive end-game VPs. Set up the game tiles as described in the rules, and each player receives a player board, wagon, and outposts in their chosen color. From the starting crystal options, players select and add their starting crystals to their player boards, place their wagon on any mountain tile, and the game is ready to begin!
Played over a series of rounds, players take turns moving their wagon and performing one action. To begin a turn, you may move your wagon to an adjacent tile for free. You can always choose not to move on your turn if you wish! If you want to move more than 1 mountain tile, you may do so, but you must place a single crystal from your player board onto each tile you leave. As long as you have crystals to pay, you can continue movement. If you end your movement on a tile with another wagon, you must pay each other wagon owner 1 crystal from your board. After you are done moving your wagon (or not moving), you may perform one of the following actions: Trade, Village, or Mine.
To perform the Trade action, you must first have an outpost on that tile. The cost to build an outpost varies by player count and number of outposts already on that tile. Outposts are paid for with crystals from your board. You then take the leftmost outpost from your board in the row that matches the trade symbol on the mountain tile, and place it on that tile. When building an outpost, if you empty a vertical column on your board, you may immediately choose a bonus tile to use for the remainder of the game. Once you have an outpost on a mountain tile, you may perform the Trade action. To Trade, exchange the crystal(s) listed above the arrow for those listed below the arrow. You may perform the Trade action as many times as long as you have the appropriate crystals to exchange.
Village tiles, placed on the four corners of the ‘board,’ each have 1 face-up VP tile atop them. If you move your wagon to a Village tile, and you have the appropriate crystals shown on that VP tile, you may perform the Village action by returning those crystals to the supply and claiming that VP tile. Draw a new VP tile to place on the village, and your turn is over. To perform the Mine action, you simply take 2 yellow crystals from the supply. This action can be performed from any tile. The end of the game is triggered once a player has claimed their 4th VP tile. The round ends as normal, and then VPs are tallied. You earn VPs from VP tiles, some bonus tiles, and for uncovered outpost spaces on your player board. The player with the most VP is the winner!
So, for pre-ordering Eastern Mountains blindly, with no intel about it at all, I am happy to report that it did not disappoint! Eastern Mountains takes everything I love about Century: Golem Edition and takes it to the next level. Let’s dive into strategy first. Eastern Mountains takes the strategic element of trading/upgrading crystals to the next level by adding a modular board. Instead of drafting cards to your hand, you have to physically move your wagon across the tiles to perform those chosen trades. And since you can only move 1 tile for free, you really have to strategize how to manipulate your crystals in the fastest ways possible to fulfill the Village tile VPs. Can you find a combination of tiles that can churn crystals out for you? Or are they scattered across the board, thus forcing you to adjust strategy to gain new crystals? With the modular board and random tile setup, every game is going to be different, and will require a different strategy for success.
The other strategic element that I love in Eastern Mountains is that all information is known by all players. You know what crystals (and how many) your opponents have, you know the trade powers in play, you can see where your opponent has built outposts, and you can see the VP requirements on the Village tiles. Obviously, you can’t read your opponents’ minds, but all of this public information could give you a glimpse into their strategy. And that could affect your strategy as well! You’re always thinking in this game, and I love that.
Moving on to components – high quality stuff! All of the mountain tiles are thick and sturdy cardboard, the wagon and outpost meeples are chunky and easy to handle, and of course the crystals are beautiful and fun to play with! One thing that really drew me to Century: Golem Edition was the colorful and awesome artwork. In Eastern Mountains, that artwork really doesn’t shine through as much. The theme is still there, but not as evident as in the first game. Overall, though, still a colorful and pretty game!
Plan B Games absolutely hit the mark with Eastern Mountains. It is extremely strategic, engaging, and entertaining. A highlight is the fact that it has a modular board. The setup possibilities are endless, and replayability is no concern for this game. Eastern Mountains is a wonderful sequel to Century: Golem Edition, and it was definitely a great investment for me. If you enjoy Century: Golem Edition, I highly recommend that you give Eastern Mountains a try. It might surprise you! Purple Phoenix Games gives Century: Golem Edition – Eastern Mountains an 11 / 12.
The second game in the Century: Golem Edition trilogy is Century: Golem Edition – Eastern Mountains (referred to as just Eastern Mountains for the rest of this review). Players return to their roles as crystal traders, mining and trading crystals. You’ve achieved success in your home village, but now have decided to venture out into the mountains of Carvania, in hopes of creating a vast network of trade throughout the land.
Disclaimer: Eastern Mountains is a standalone game, but also comes with a ruleset for The Call For Adventure – with which you can integrate both Century: Golem Edition AND Eastern Mountains into one big game. This review is of Eastern Mountains only and does not delve into the gameplay for The Call For Adventure. When we add that additional content to Eastern Mountains, we will either amend this review or write a new post altogether! -L
Eastern Mountains is a game of point-to-point movement with a modular board in which players are mining/trading crystals to fulfill Village requirements and receive end-game VPs. Set up the game tiles as described in the rules, and each player receives a player board, wagon, and outposts in their chosen color. From the starting crystal options, players select and add their starting crystals to their player boards, place their wagon on any mountain tile, and the game is ready to begin!
Played over a series of rounds, players take turns moving their wagon and performing one action. To begin a turn, you may move your wagon to an adjacent tile for free. You can always choose not to move on your turn if you wish! If you want to move more than 1 mountain tile, you may do so, but you must place a single crystal from your player board onto each tile you leave. As long as you have crystals to pay, you can continue movement. If you end your movement on a tile with another wagon, you must pay each other wagon owner 1 crystal from your board. After you are done moving your wagon (or not moving), you may perform one of the following actions: Trade, Village, or Mine.
To perform the Trade action, you must first have an outpost on that tile. The cost to build an outpost varies by player count and number of outposts already on that tile. Outposts are paid for with crystals from your board. You then take the leftmost outpost from your board in the row that matches the trade symbol on the mountain tile, and place it on that tile. When building an outpost, if you empty a vertical column on your board, you may immediately choose a bonus tile to use for the remainder of the game. Once you have an outpost on a mountain tile, you may perform the Trade action. To Trade, exchange the crystal(s) listed above the arrow for those listed below the arrow. You may perform the Trade action as many times as long as you have the appropriate crystals to exchange.
Village tiles, placed on the four corners of the ‘board,’ each have 1 face-up VP tile atop them. If you move your wagon to a Village tile, and you have the appropriate crystals shown on that VP tile, you may perform the Village action by returning those crystals to the supply and claiming that VP tile. Draw a new VP tile to place on the village, and your turn is over. To perform the Mine action, you simply take 2 yellow crystals from the supply. This action can be performed from any tile. The end of the game is triggered once a player has claimed their 4th VP tile. The round ends as normal, and then VPs are tallied. You earn VPs from VP tiles, some bonus tiles, and for uncovered outpost spaces on your player board. The player with the most VP is the winner!
So, for pre-ordering Eastern Mountains blindly, with no intel about it at all, I am happy to report that it did not disappoint! Eastern Mountains takes everything I love about Century: Golem Edition and takes it to the next level. Let’s dive into strategy first. Eastern Mountains takes the strategic element of trading/upgrading crystals to the next level by adding a modular board. Instead of drafting cards to your hand, you have to physically move your wagon across the tiles to perform those chosen trades. And since you can only move 1 tile for free, you really have to strategize how to manipulate your crystals in the fastest ways possible to fulfill the Village tile VPs. Can you find a combination of tiles that can churn crystals out for you? Or are they scattered across the board, thus forcing you to adjust strategy to gain new crystals? With the modular board and random tile setup, every game is going to be different, and will require a different strategy for success.
The other strategic element that I love in Eastern Mountains is that all information is known by all players. You know what crystals (and how many) your opponents have, you know the trade powers in play, you can see where your opponent has built outposts, and you can see the VP requirements on the Village tiles. Obviously, you can’t read your opponents’ minds, but all of this public information could give you a glimpse into their strategy. And that could affect your strategy as well! You’re always thinking in this game, and I love that.
Moving on to components – high quality stuff! All of the mountain tiles are thick and sturdy cardboard, the wagon and outpost meeples are chunky and easy to handle, and of course the crystals are beautiful and fun to play with! One thing that really drew me to Century: Golem Edition was the colorful and awesome artwork. In Eastern Mountains, that artwork really doesn’t shine through as much. The theme is still there, but not as evident as in the first game. Overall, though, still a colorful and pretty game!
Plan B Games absolutely hit the mark with Eastern Mountains. It is extremely strategic, engaging, and entertaining. A highlight is the fact that it has a modular board. The setup possibilities are endless, and replayability is no concern for this game. Eastern Mountains is a wonderful sequel to Century: Golem Edition, and it was definitely a great investment for me. If you enjoy Century: Golem Edition, I highly recommend that you give Eastern Mountains a try. It might surprise you! Purple Phoenix Games gives Century: Golem Edition – Eastern Mountains an 11 / 12.
Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated Gotham - Season 1 in TV
Jun 20, 2018
Cast (5 more)
Character development
Characters
Setting
Great Drama
Gripping storyline
Some of the more extreme comic book costumes (2 more)
Some of the characters
Certain plot elements that take away the drama (mostly if you've read or seen what happens next)
Imagine a Gotham without Batman....
Contains spoilers, click to show
When I first watched it when it first aired, I was sceptical and yet excited and then I felt let down. Gotham at first was a great cop show but what annoyed me was the fact that all these things that we knew to happen when Batman was around, were happening when Bruce Wayne was still a child and my brain couldn't wrap around the idea let alone get behind it, but at the same time I didn't know what I was expecting. Still I watched the first two seasons because I wanted to see some of my favourite villains and characters brought to life and I love Ben McKenzie as James Gordon!
However upon recently returning to watching Gotham I have come to see it in a new light and adore the show to pieces as I should have from the start. Gotham isn't about Batman, it's not about Bruce Wayne (not fully anyways). I see now that Gotham is a concept of a question:
"What if these villains we're here before Batman? Leaving only the police to deal with the extremity of Gotham most famous rogues!"
What makes this show so good is that we see a young, reckless and a little out of character Jim Gordon, who is even willing to bend the law to the point of breaking to get Justice. The drama is intense and you never can tell when Jim goes off on one, if he'll restrain himself to the law and doing things by the book. In a way there's a lot of Batman within Jim Gordon himself which makes the show even better.
Some of the characters annoy me at times. I liked Fish Mooney at first because she was dangerous and twisted, but when you bring a character back so many times you just lose interest and they're no longer a threat to the drama of their character development because you leave yourself with the only two viable questions: "will she ever stay dead?" And "when will she die for good?" I just don't seem to be concerned for her anymore like I did in the first season when she was double crossing Falcone. When everything was fresh and you didn't know if a stray bullet might hit her finally or if an Assassin was in her midst at all times waiting to strike. The drama for me didn't vanish but certainly lessened in later seasons.
The character development of characters like Bruce Wayne, Jim Gordon, Edward Nigma and Oswald Cobblepot are brilliantly written. With Bruce becoming a stronger minded young man in season two and Oswald's rise to power. I particularly loved Nigmas transformation into a killer because of the way it was set out, with the first murder being slightly on purpose, the second a complete accident, the third being to protect himself against discovery and the rest being a complete turn around into someone who discovers he enjoys the task of killing someone. The writers are excellent when it comes to development of characters and plot.
Can't wait for the new season and I hope they go out with a bang!
However upon recently returning to watching Gotham I have come to see it in a new light and adore the show to pieces as I should have from the start. Gotham isn't about Batman, it's not about Bruce Wayne (not fully anyways). I see now that Gotham is a concept of a question:
"What if these villains we're here before Batman? Leaving only the police to deal with the extremity of Gotham most famous rogues!"
What makes this show so good is that we see a young, reckless and a little out of character Jim Gordon, who is even willing to bend the law to the point of breaking to get Justice. The drama is intense and you never can tell when Jim goes off on one, if he'll restrain himself to the law and doing things by the book. In a way there's a lot of Batman within Jim Gordon himself which makes the show even better.
Some of the characters annoy me at times. I liked Fish Mooney at first because she was dangerous and twisted, but when you bring a character back so many times you just lose interest and they're no longer a threat to the drama of their character development because you leave yourself with the only two viable questions: "will she ever stay dead?" And "when will she die for good?" I just don't seem to be concerned for her anymore like I did in the first season when she was double crossing Falcone. When everything was fresh and you didn't know if a stray bullet might hit her finally or if an Assassin was in her midst at all times waiting to strike. The drama for me didn't vanish but certainly lessened in later seasons.
The character development of characters like Bruce Wayne, Jim Gordon, Edward Nigma and Oswald Cobblepot are brilliantly written. With Bruce becoming a stronger minded young man in season two and Oswald's rise to power. I particularly loved Nigmas transformation into a killer because of the way it was set out, with the first murder being slightly on purpose, the second a complete accident, the third being to protect himself against discovery and the rest being a complete turn around into someone who discovers he enjoys the task of killing someone. The writers are excellent when it comes to development of characters and plot.
Can't wait for the new season and I hope they go out with a bang!
Mothergamer (1592 KP) rated the PlayStation 3 version of Nier in Video Games
Apr 3, 2019
To say that Nier is dark filled with loss of hope undertones is like saying fire is hot. However, when my friend Gary was showing me the game, I had to admit that the game play looked interesting and I was intrigued. When I found out that it was a thinly veiled sequel to one of the endings in Drakengard, I definitely wanted to play it and test it out. Gary being the awesome friend that he is, loaned me his copy of Nier so I could try it out. It does take me some time to go through a game sometimes due to my hectic schedule, so I apologize to my friends who have been asking if I'm ever going to put into words my thoughts on this particular RPG.
Nier starts off strongly with a great opening scene and brilliant musical score, featuring a shell of a city and harsh winter weather in the middle of summer. After the initial introductory scene you learn that the glories of humanity have disappeared and the few humans that remain struggle to survive in a medieval existence with the threat of shades and a disease known as Black Scrawl and Nier's daughter has it. Nier (the hero), has sworn that he will do anything at all costs to search for a cure.
The graphics are beautifully done right down to the cinematic cut scenes. There is a clear objective to the game and there are plenty of side quests even farming to flesh everything out. The battle system is user friendly and the items and spells menu are quite easy to navigate.You play as Nier and you find yourself caring about this character as the story progresses. There are other interesting characters along the way on this adventure such as Grimoire Weiss, an ancient talking book. That's just for starters. You meet the rest of the companions at different intervals and because of how well written their back stories are, you find yourself caring about them as well.
Now, I know what you're thinking. What's the deal with that first sentence in this little review? Well, let's get down to it shall we? Overall, the game is good with user friendly controls and a solid battle system. The soundtrack is beautiful and they chose wisely with this musical score. However, there are flaws here and there with Nier. So I'll list the pros and cons.
Pros:
The graphics, scenery, and cut scenes are amazing. They stand out and you remember every one.
The musical score is fantastic and well thought out throughout the game.
The character development and writing for the support characters is genius. When you can have your audience genuinely care about the characters in the story, that's pretty great writing.
Their battle system isn't too difficult and the menus are easy to navigate.
While you could hurry to the end of the game, there are many side quests and even a fishing mini-game as well as the option to do some of your own farming to give you a break from slashing all the baddies.
Impressive boss battles capture your interest especially when they throw spell casting cut scenes into the mix.
The story is original and keeps you guessing. You never know what to expect and just when you think you know something, they surprise you with a different event altogether.
Cons:
There are times in Nier, where the pacing could be a lot better. At some points in the story, it drags a little bit and you find yourself wishing they would get on with it so you can move along to the next area already.
It can be a real downer. There are times where everyone is happy and celebrating a victory, only to have something absolutely horrible happen. Half the time it seems like more tragedies happen than good times. Hey, I'm not asking that we all hug a Care Bear and have a lovely tea party, but they really cashed in on that whole emo kid phase.
All the doubling back. You will find yourself revisiting a dungeon or town six times or more for certain quests or plot lines in the story. After a bit of that, it gets a little old and you find yourself sighing with frustration. A lot.
The fetch quests. This ties into the doubling back. There are quite a few fetch quests, where you have to get a certain number of items for various npcs and return to get a reward. They tend to blur together after a while because they are so similar. You'll find yourself just giving up on that whole thing because it's tedious and boring.
BAD CAMERA ANGLES. With all the technology we have in this day and age, it still kills me when a game has not one, but several bad camera angles that happen consistently throughout the game play. There were angles where you couldn't turn the camera enough to get a jump properly, or it would spin wildly turning a corner and you'd find yourself wanting to upchuck your dinner when the wave of vertigo hit you.
A final boss battle with eight boss fights with multiple endings. This one comes last because it is the one that pissed me off the most. Not only do you have eight boss battles to fight, but there is no save point in between them. So if you lose, you get to go through all of that all over again. Top that off with four different endings that you can not get until you play through the whole game again and you'll find yourself wishing you could find the developer who thought this was a good idea and punch him square in the throat. SPOILER ALERT: You have to do the endings in a certain order, because one of the endings actually erases all your saved game data. No you did not misread that. That's actually true.
Now with all of that said, while I don't hate Nier, I don't really love it either. There is good and bad with it, but because of the pros I listed, the game manages to be enjoyable to play. It's definitely not like anything I've ever played before and the supporting cast works well with the main character story wise. It did its job of keeping me entertained and managed to tell an interesting story while doing so. So while it's not a spectacular take my breath away kind of game, it's still a decent game that you could enjoy playing through at least once.
Nier starts off strongly with a great opening scene and brilliant musical score, featuring a shell of a city and harsh winter weather in the middle of summer. After the initial introductory scene you learn that the glories of humanity have disappeared and the few humans that remain struggle to survive in a medieval existence with the threat of shades and a disease known as Black Scrawl and Nier's daughter has it. Nier (the hero), has sworn that he will do anything at all costs to search for a cure.
The graphics are beautifully done right down to the cinematic cut scenes. There is a clear objective to the game and there are plenty of side quests even farming to flesh everything out. The battle system is user friendly and the items and spells menu are quite easy to navigate.You play as Nier and you find yourself caring about this character as the story progresses. There are other interesting characters along the way on this adventure such as Grimoire Weiss, an ancient talking book. That's just for starters. You meet the rest of the companions at different intervals and because of how well written their back stories are, you find yourself caring about them as well.
Now, I know what you're thinking. What's the deal with that first sentence in this little review? Well, let's get down to it shall we? Overall, the game is good with user friendly controls and a solid battle system. The soundtrack is beautiful and they chose wisely with this musical score. However, there are flaws here and there with Nier. So I'll list the pros and cons.
Pros:
The graphics, scenery, and cut scenes are amazing. They stand out and you remember every one.
The musical score is fantastic and well thought out throughout the game.
The character development and writing for the support characters is genius. When you can have your audience genuinely care about the characters in the story, that's pretty great writing.
Their battle system isn't too difficult and the menus are easy to navigate.
While you could hurry to the end of the game, there are many side quests and even a fishing mini-game as well as the option to do some of your own farming to give you a break from slashing all the baddies.
Impressive boss battles capture your interest especially when they throw spell casting cut scenes into the mix.
The story is original and keeps you guessing. You never know what to expect and just when you think you know something, they surprise you with a different event altogether.
Cons:
There are times in Nier, where the pacing could be a lot better. At some points in the story, it drags a little bit and you find yourself wishing they would get on with it so you can move along to the next area already.
It can be a real downer. There are times where everyone is happy and celebrating a victory, only to have something absolutely horrible happen. Half the time it seems like more tragedies happen than good times. Hey, I'm not asking that we all hug a Care Bear and have a lovely tea party, but they really cashed in on that whole emo kid phase.
All the doubling back. You will find yourself revisiting a dungeon or town six times or more for certain quests or plot lines in the story. After a bit of that, it gets a little old and you find yourself sighing with frustration. A lot.
The fetch quests. This ties into the doubling back. There are quite a few fetch quests, where you have to get a certain number of items for various npcs and return to get a reward. They tend to blur together after a while because they are so similar. You'll find yourself just giving up on that whole thing because it's tedious and boring.
BAD CAMERA ANGLES. With all the technology we have in this day and age, it still kills me when a game has not one, but several bad camera angles that happen consistently throughout the game play. There were angles where you couldn't turn the camera enough to get a jump properly, or it would spin wildly turning a corner and you'd find yourself wanting to upchuck your dinner when the wave of vertigo hit you.
A final boss battle with eight boss fights with multiple endings. This one comes last because it is the one that pissed me off the most. Not only do you have eight boss battles to fight, but there is no save point in between them. So if you lose, you get to go through all of that all over again. Top that off with four different endings that you can not get until you play through the whole game again and you'll find yourself wishing you could find the developer who thought this was a good idea and punch him square in the throat. SPOILER ALERT: You have to do the endings in a certain order, because one of the endings actually erases all your saved game data. No you did not misread that. That's actually true.
Now with all of that said, while I don't hate Nier, I don't really love it either. There is good and bad with it, but because of the pros I listed, the game manages to be enjoyable to play. It's definitely not like anything I've ever played before and the supporting cast works well with the main character story wise. It did its job of keeping me entertained and managed to tell an interesting story while doing so. So while it's not a spectacular take my breath away kind of game, it's still a decent game that you could enjoy playing through at least once.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water in Books
Jan 2, 2022
I will admit that I've been in a reading slump for awhile. However, when I read the synopsis for The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water by Erin Bartels, it sounded just like the book I need to get me out of my slump. Luckily I was right!
I thoroughly enjoyed the plot of The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water by Erin Bartels. It was definitely interesting to see how and why writers put a little bit of truth in their books. I was very interested in trying to find out what was truth and what was fiction in Kendra's life. I wanted to know if the bad thing was really as Kendra remembered it or if it was just something she had stretched the truth about. This book does have a few plot twists, and while I did predict one, I found myself guessing incorrectly at the other twists. The author does a fantastic job at typing up any and all loose ends by the end of the book. I must say that I also very much enjoyed the writing and language Erin Bartels used. Her descriptive prose put me right into the heart of the story. I was drawn in with every word, and once I started reading, it was hard for me to stop. Even though this book does deal with some heavy subjects, Bartels did an excellent job at writing about them with much care and sensitivity. (Be sure to read the author's note at the end of the book for a bit more insight into the novel. You won't regret it.)
The characters in The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water were written very well. I found myself really loving the character of Kendra. She seemed like the type of girl I could relate to and that I'd love to be friends with. I enjoyed getting to see a glimpse into her memories (even the horrible ones). Her back story was interesting with what she had been through. I wish we could have read more about Andreas' back story. He was a strong character, don't get me wrong, but I felt like I didn't really know him all too well. He was always shrouded in a bit of mystery. Tyler's back story was the most interesting (and a little heartbreaking). Even though I never really cared for Tyler as a person, he was still a very well written character. I wish he would have gotten in trouble for what he did, but just as in real life, not everything happens as it should. I also loved the character of Cami. Although she seems a bit selfish, what she had been through makes it a bit easier to see why she was the way she was. I'm not excusing her actions by no means, but I can see the reasoning behind it. I also loved Robert as Kendra's mentor. He was such a laid back and loving character.
Trigger warnings for The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water include some slight bullying, sexual harassment, molestation, rape (though not graphic), child prostitution, alcohol, mentions of drug use, death, and suicide.
All in all, The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water is a beautifully written book showing that even in the fact of tragedy and trauma, we can still rise above our circumstances. I would definitely recommend The Girl Who Could Breath Under Water by Erin Bartels to those ages 16+ who are after a book with great emotional depth.
--
(A special thank you to Revell for providing me with a paperback of The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water by Erin Bartels in exchange for a fair and honest review.)
I thoroughly enjoyed the plot of The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water by Erin Bartels. It was definitely interesting to see how and why writers put a little bit of truth in their books. I was very interested in trying to find out what was truth and what was fiction in Kendra's life. I wanted to know if the bad thing was really as Kendra remembered it or if it was just something she had stretched the truth about. This book does have a few plot twists, and while I did predict one, I found myself guessing incorrectly at the other twists. The author does a fantastic job at typing up any and all loose ends by the end of the book. I must say that I also very much enjoyed the writing and language Erin Bartels used. Her descriptive prose put me right into the heart of the story. I was drawn in with every word, and once I started reading, it was hard for me to stop. Even though this book does deal with some heavy subjects, Bartels did an excellent job at writing about them with much care and sensitivity. (Be sure to read the author's note at the end of the book for a bit more insight into the novel. You won't regret it.)
The characters in The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water were written very well. I found myself really loving the character of Kendra. She seemed like the type of girl I could relate to and that I'd love to be friends with. I enjoyed getting to see a glimpse into her memories (even the horrible ones). Her back story was interesting with what she had been through. I wish we could have read more about Andreas' back story. He was a strong character, don't get me wrong, but I felt like I didn't really know him all too well. He was always shrouded in a bit of mystery. Tyler's back story was the most interesting (and a little heartbreaking). Even though I never really cared for Tyler as a person, he was still a very well written character. I wish he would have gotten in trouble for what he did, but just as in real life, not everything happens as it should. I also loved the character of Cami. Although she seems a bit selfish, what she had been through makes it a bit easier to see why she was the way she was. I'm not excusing her actions by no means, but I can see the reasoning behind it. I also loved Robert as Kendra's mentor. He was such a laid back and loving character.
Trigger warnings for The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water include some slight bullying, sexual harassment, molestation, rape (though not graphic), child prostitution, alcohol, mentions of drug use, death, and suicide.
All in all, The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water is a beautifully written book showing that even in the fact of tragedy and trauma, we can still rise above our circumstances. I would definitely recommend The Girl Who Could Breath Under Water by Erin Bartels to those ages 16+ who are after a book with great emotional depth.
--
(A special thank you to Revell for providing me with a paperback of The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water by Erin Bartels in exchange for a fair and honest review.)
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of DOOM in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
I remember playing DOOM on my 486 computer back in 1995. I remember the first time I connected with a friend on a dial up and we played all night even though I had a day trip to Canada early the next day. I learned that there is no such thing as I will only play online for a little bit when the game grabs ahold of you.
Jumping forward to 2016, the iconic game is back and bigger, bolder, and more brutal than ever. The game effectively reboots the franchise and does not stray from the premise of the player being a solitary Marine on Mars who must battle an unending mass of demons from Hell.
There is more context to the story provided by a computer A.I. named Vega and a few key players who pop up to drive the story along.
The game is stunning to look at as the details of the Mars base are amazing. It is not just a series of Sci Fi themed corridors and rooms, but a real and fully functional base with labs, repair bays, tram systems, and so much more. I had slight nods to “Aliens” and “Total Recall” as I explored but the designs were breathtaking to behold at times.
The endless waves of enemies did not allow for much sightseeing, as they were abundant and diverse. All of the classic characters have been given an update and thankfully so have your weapons. The game allows you to upgrade your weapons and armor with various abilities based on skill points you earn or recover in game. This allows players to add new combat options such as turning your Chain gun into a multi barreled death dealer in alt fire mode.
You will need it as the game is filled with moments where you are confined to an area and must battle endless waves of enemies before you are allowed to progress. I understand that this is part of the DOOM series, but it did become a bit repetitive as it seemed every time I entered any area of size, the waves would come again and again.
The game is challenging and players will be happy to know they can adjust the difficulty settings in game, and yes, for those nostalgic for a blast from the past, there is a God mode for those who can use some help.
The game also has a fair amount of platform jumping which is not one of my areas of enjoyment, but it does it in a reasonable way that is in keeping with the tone and setting of the game.
Players will want to make sure their use their ammunition wisely as there is nothing worse than running dry in a Boss Battle with no way to load up, short of laying a solid attack on an enemy and hoping they drop some along with some health.
I also was thrilled to see the power ups such as haste, rage, and quad damage back, as well as the ability to graphically and brutally dispatch an enemy, no matter the size once you have weakened it. The chainsaw is also a nice inclusion and being able to cleave and shred demons never gets old.
The Boss battles are imaginative and challenging and with roughly 16 hours of playtime on the campaign, there is much to like.
The multiplay in the game is a bit retro as you have your Team Deathmatch, Warpath, Domination, etc. I enjoyed the mix of old and new but wished that the ability to co-op through the campaign was an option as it was an enjoyable part of DOOM and DOOM 2 back in the day.
The addition of SnapMap, an easy to use and powerful map creator is a very nice touch as I look forward to spending more time creating some maps and seeing what the community at large comes up with.
There were a few minor crashed along the way but the game has a very fair and practical save system based on checkpoints, so I never had to redo any significant portions of a map following a death or infrequent crash.
DOOM was not only a nice game to look at, but it kept my attention and interest throughout and I found myself immersed in the action and storyline.
While it would be easy to mention things the game did not include, what is included is a very deep and visually appealing game with plenty of challenges and action that keeps the franchise fresh and relevant. I for one cannot wait to see what comes next.
http://sknr.net/2016/05/18/doom-2/
Jumping forward to 2016, the iconic game is back and bigger, bolder, and more brutal than ever. The game effectively reboots the franchise and does not stray from the premise of the player being a solitary Marine on Mars who must battle an unending mass of demons from Hell.
There is more context to the story provided by a computer A.I. named Vega and a few key players who pop up to drive the story along.
The game is stunning to look at as the details of the Mars base are amazing. It is not just a series of Sci Fi themed corridors and rooms, but a real and fully functional base with labs, repair bays, tram systems, and so much more. I had slight nods to “Aliens” and “Total Recall” as I explored but the designs were breathtaking to behold at times.
The endless waves of enemies did not allow for much sightseeing, as they were abundant and diverse. All of the classic characters have been given an update and thankfully so have your weapons. The game allows you to upgrade your weapons and armor with various abilities based on skill points you earn or recover in game. This allows players to add new combat options such as turning your Chain gun into a multi barreled death dealer in alt fire mode.
You will need it as the game is filled with moments where you are confined to an area and must battle endless waves of enemies before you are allowed to progress. I understand that this is part of the DOOM series, but it did become a bit repetitive as it seemed every time I entered any area of size, the waves would come again and again.
The game is challenging and players will be happy to know they can adjust the difficulty settings in game, and yes, for those nostalgic for a blast from the past, there is a God mode for those who can use some help.
The game also has a fair amount of platform jumping which is not one of my areas of enjoyment, but it does it in a reasonable way that is in keeping with the tone and setting of the game.
Players will want to make sure their use their ammunition wisely as there is nothing worse than running dry in a Boss Battle with no way to load up, short of laying a solid attack on an enemy and hoping they drop some along with some health.
I also was thrilled to see the power ups such as haste, rage, and quad damage back, as well as the ability to graphically and brutally dispatch an enemy, no matter the size once you have weakened it. The chainsaw is also a nice inclusion and being able to cleave and shred demons never gets old.
The Boss battles are imaginative and challenging and with roughly 16 hours of playtime on the campaign, there is much to like.
The multiplay in the game is a bit retro as you have your Team Deathmatch, Warpath, Domination, etc. I enjoyed the mix of old and new but wished that the ability to co-op through the campaign was an option as it was an enjoyable part of DOOM and DOOM 2 back in the day.
The addition of SnapMap, an easy to use and powerful map creator is a very nice touch as I look forward to spending more time creating some maps and seeing what the community at large comes up with.
There were a few minor crashed along the way but the game has a very fair and practical save system based on checkpoints, so I never had to redo any significant portions of a map following a death or infrequent crash.
DOOM was not only a nice game to look at, but it kept my attention and interest throughout and I found myself immersed in the action and storyline.
While it would be easy to mention things the game did not include, what is included is a very deep and visually appealing game with plenty of challenges and action that keeps the franchise fresh and relevant. I for one cannot wait to see what comes next.
http://sknr.net/2016/05/18/doom-2/
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Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Siege and Storm in Books
Sep 11, 2017
First half is good, slows down in the second with the last 50 pages exploding
Contains spoilers, click to show
***Spoilers ahead, you have been warned***
You’d have to read Shadow and Bone to read and understand Siege and Storm. Otherwise you’d be pretty lost as events follow up right after the first book.
The first half of the book was at a great pace and filled with lots of action, bombs, explosions, fighting, magic, all sorts of goodness you would expect for the second book to follow up for an excellent start in the first. It slows down in the second half of the book where preparations for encountering The Darkling are made and you have this whole drama with Alina and Mal going on;
Okay I was wrong about The Darkling. I was torn apart when he ended up being jackalope of the year and I was holding a banner of love for Alina and Mal.
Then Nikolai steps in.
Handsome, charismatic, swashbuckling, people sway to his beat Nikolai. I loved reading about him whenever he came into the picture. It’s like when your school crush comes into the classroom and you realize you’re going to share a table with him. That kind of giddiness is what Nikolai brings to the book.
I saw the chemistry with Alina and Mal in the first one, and it just falls apart here in Siege and Storm - understandably so as the dynamics have changed a lot and Alina has climbed up in the ladder of importance and Mal has suddenly fallen off the grid and is just considered a lowly guard of Alina the Sun Summoner. Which is pretty good right? You’re near the person you love and care about, you’re standing guard and you’re close by.
No. Can’t be that easy right? First Nikolai steps into the picture and is suddenly looking like a much better prospect and the drama with Alina looking for the Firebird to amplify her powers even more - the point where she becomes obsessed with it changes her personality and makes her more darker, assertive, and she’s not the girl we all once knew in the first book. I really love this personality change in her. There’s a slight whiny voice to it but she really steps up and grows exponentially as a character.
So I can see the romance aspect of the book falling apart, but at the same time you ask yourself is it really necessary? I can see the attempt at a love triangle with Mal and Nikolai with Alina in the middle but from what I see, she gets along fine with both of them, but does she really need one or the other as a love interest? I don’t see the chemistry there with either of them.
Sure, Alina still cares a lot for Mal but everything’s changed and it just seems like she doesn’t need romance..not yet anyway. Instead, the attempt at the romance is seen as two whiny people who can’t get their own way and they take it out on each other by indulging themselves on the road to self destruction. Again, that’s a very human trait and good on portraying that. The whininess though, I could do without. It caused unnecessary drama in the book, and endless of pages in the second half where the plot doesn’t seem to be moving forward or anywhere. It feels like an unnecessary filler.
The last third of the novel though did pick up the pace (did not make up for the whiny drama though) and provided a lot of the explosions and action you had in the first half. Not really featuring a cliffhanger ending, but it’s making me look forward to what I have to see in the third and final book of this series.
PS: My heart bled for Genya.
You’d have to read Shadow and Bone to read and understand Siege and Storm. Otherwise you’d be pretty lost as events follow up right after the first book.
The first half of the book was at a great pace and filled with lots of action, bombs, explosions, fighting, magic, all sorts of goodness you would expect for the second book to follow up for an excellent start in the first. It slows down in the second half of the book where preparations for encountering The Darkling are made and you have this whole drama with Alina and Mal going on;
Okay I was wrong about The Darkling. I was torn apart when he ended up being jackalope of the year and I was holding a banner of love for Alina and Mal.
Then Nikolai steps in.
Handsome, charismatic, swashbuckling, people sway to his beat Nikolai. I loved reading about him whenever he came into the picture. It’s like when your school crush comes into the classroom and you realize you’re going to share a table with him. That kind of giddiness is what Nikolai brings to the book.
I saw the chemistry with Alina and Mal in the first one, and it just falls apart here in Siege and Storm - understandably so as the dynamics have changed a lot and Alina has climbed up in the ladder of importance and Mal has suddenly fallen off the grid and is just considered a lowly guard of Alina the Sun Summoner. Which is pretty good right? You’re near the person you love and care about, you’re standing guard and you’re close by.
No. Can’t be that easy right? First Nikolai steps into the picture and is suddenly looking like a much better prospect and the drama with Alina looking for the Firebird to amplify her powers even more - the point where she becomes obsessed with it changes her personality and makes her more darker, assertive, and she’s not the girl we all once knew in the first book. I really love this personality change in her. There’s a slight whiny voice to it but she really steps up and grows exponentially as a character.
So I can see the romance aspect of the book falling apart, but at the same time you ask yourself is it really necessary? I can see the attempt at a love triangle with Mal and Nikolai with Alina in the middle but from what I see, she gets along fine with both of them, but does she really need one or the other as a love interest? I don’t see the chemistry there with either of them.
Sure, Alina still cares a lot for Mal but everything’s changed and it just seems like she doesn’t need romance..not yet anyway. Instead, the attempt at the romance is seen as two whiny people who can’t get their own way and they take it out on each other by indulging themselves on the road to self destruction. Again, that’s a very human trait and good on portraying that. The whininess though, I could do without. It caused unnecessary drama in the book, and endless of pages in the second half where the plot doesn’t seem to be moving forward or anywhere. It feels like an unnecessary filler.
The last third of the novel though did pick up the pace (did not make up for the whiny drama though) and provided a lot of the explosions and action you had in the first half. Not really featuring a cliffhanger ending, but it’s making me look forward to what I have to see in the third and final book of this series.
PS: My heart bled for Genya.