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Andrea (28 KP) rated Vampire Academy in Books
Aug 18, 2017
Passes the Bechdel test on the first page. (2 more)
Primary relationship is a friendship
Strong female protagonist
Other books in the series are stronger, so keep reading (1 more)
Don't judge a book by its movie
Not about vampires, and that's a good thing.
This series represents some of Mead's strongest writing. While this isn't the best book in the series (I save that distinction for #2, #3, and especially #6) it does give the necessary set up for everything.
The primary relationship with the friendship and devotion between Rose and Lissa. Both women have their own stories through the series and the book easily passes the bechdel test and many others. That isn't to say that the male lead isn't worthwhile; he will most likely become one of your fav "book boyfriends" but his role become bigger later in the books.
While the series contains vampires and is set in a vampiric world (practically no humans in the series) I wouldn't call it a typical vampire book. The vampire setting serves more as a way to introduce a discussion on class structure and politics. We seem more and more of this later in the series.
One thing of note: the primary romantics relationship in this book is between a student and her mentor/instructor. Also, while she is above the age of consent in Montana (where this is set) she is under 18 for half the series.
The primary relationship with the friendship and devotion between Rose and Lissa. Both women have their own stories through the series and the book easily passes the bechdel test and many others. That isn't to say that the male lead isn't worthwhile; he will most likely become one of your fav "book boyfriends" but his role become bigger later in the books.
While the series contains vampires and is set in a vampiric world (practically no humans in the series) I wouldn't call it a typical vampire book. The vampire setting serves more as a way to introduce a discussion on class structure and politics. We seem more and more of this later in the series.
One thing of note: the primary romantics relationship in this book is between a student and her mentor/instructor. Also, while she is above the age of consent in Montana (where this is set) she is under 18 for half the series.
Die With Glory
Games and Entertainment
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Die with Glory is an epic adventure game where your goal is to die in glorious fashion. You must...
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993) in Movies
Feb 28, 2021
On the surface, Return of the Living Dead III may seem like another zombie crawling splatter fest from genre favourite Brian Yuzna, but underneath the copious amounts of gore, is a tragic and often melancholy story about forbidden love, and hiding ones true nature. Sort of like the principles of King Kong, masquerading as a gory zombie flick, with a dash of Romeo & Juliet.
This wouldn't work quite so well if it wasn't for an equally menacing, touching, and occasionally emotional performance from Melinda Clarke, playing a character who is wrestling with her urge to consume flesh after being bought back to life following a fatal motorbike accident. Watching her humanity slowly vanish whilst her boyfriend (J. Trevor Edmund) tries to protect the woman he loves is genuinely sad. The rest of the cast are fine, but Clarke is the glue that holds everything together, whilst giving us an incredibly memorable horror anti-hero.
The effects work done on the various creatures and the subsequent gore is great. All done practically, and when it comes to the more visceral moments, this movie doesn't fuck about. It also builds up as it goes on. The last 20 minutes are absolutely nuts in almost every way.
ROTLD3 came highly recommended to me as a horror fan, and I would pass on that recommendation wholeheartedly. A hugely bloody film, with a whole bunch of heart.
This wouldn't work quite so well if it wasn't for an equally menacing, touching, and occasionally emotional performance from Melinda Clarke, playing a character who is wrestling with her urge to consume flesh after being bought back to life following a fatal motorbike accident. Watching her humanity slowly vanish whilst her boyfriend (J. Trevor Edmund) tries to protect the woman he loves is genuinely sad. The rest of the cast are fine, but Clarke is the glue that holds everything together, whilst giving us an incredibly memorable horror anti-hero.
The effects work done on the various creatures and the subsequent gore is great. All done practically, and when it comes to the more visceral moments, this movie doesn't fuck about. It also builds up as it goes on. The last 20 minutes are absolutely nuts in almost every way.
ROTLD3 came highly recommended to me as a horror fan, and I would pass on that recommendation wholeheartedly. A hugely bloody film, with a whole bunch of heart.
David McK (3684 KP) rated Murder on the Orient Express in Books
Dec 27, 2021
As a general rule, I'm not really big into murder mystery whodunnits, generally finding them boring, (sometimes) obvious and just, well, generally a little bit stale.
That may be why I'd never read perhaps Agatha Christie's most famous murder story before, or even had any interest in which any of the (numerous) films, TV series or plays based around the same.
Which is a long way of saying that I came into this 'cold', as it were, knowing little beyond the fact that it was a Hercule Poirot mystery (thanks to the 2017 Kenneth Branagh movie, which I hadn't seen), and that the murder was on a train (d'uh!) just as it ran into snow whilst on a journey.
Now that I've read it, I have to say: I found little to cause me to revise my opinion of murder mysteries in general.
That's not to say that it is bad, per se, just that it never really hooked me all that much: indeed, at times it felt more like a chore to read than something enjoyable. Indeed, I'm sorry to say, the reveal of just who carried out the crime also completely failed to elicit any form of surprise or emotion at all from me: not that I saw it coming but just that, well, it almost felt like a relief when it did.
All I can say is: sorry, any Poirot fans!
That may be why I'd never read perhaps Agatha Christie's most famous murder story before, or even had any interest in which any of the (numerous) films, TV series or plays based around the same.
Which is a long way of saying that I came into this 'cold', as it were, knowing little beyond the fact that it was a Hercule Poirot mystery (thanks to the 2017 Kenneth Branagh movie, which I hadn't seen), and that the murder was on a train (d'uh!) just as it ran into snow whilst on a journey.
Now that I've read it, I have to say: I found little to cause me to revise my opinion of murder mysteries in general.
That's not to say that it is bad, per se, just that it never really hooked me all that much: indeed, at times it felt more like a chore to read than something enjoyable. Indeed, I'm sorry to say, the reveal of just who carried out the crime also completely failed to elicit any form of surprise or emotion at all from me: not that I saw it coming but just that, well, it almost felt like a relief when it did.
All I can say is: sorry, any Poirot fans!
Kelly (279 KP) rated Bird Box (2018) in Movies
Jan 7, 2019
Enjoyable
Contains spoilers, click to show
I had been eager to watch this for some time after reading reviews, and was not disappointed. Having never read the book in which the film is based, I did not know what to expect. I knew that the film was a horror, but am not easily shocked or scared, so was not expecting much from this point of view, however I did find the film enjoyable in terms of the storyline.
The story is based around a reluctant mother, played by Sandra Bullock, who finds she has to raise the child she never wanted as a result of an apocalyptic event. The general premise of the story is that there are creature, which if you see, result in impending insanity and suicidal thoughts. Malorie, the main character seeks refuge in a house with other survivors (who predictably don’t make it to the end of the story) in order to ride out the apocalypse. Realising that her position is not stable, the story also flashes to the future, showing Malories escape towards a safe haven with her son and the child of one of the other survivors. The path to the safe haven is taken blind folded (to avoid looking at the invisible threat), aided by a small box which contains birds, who can sense the presence of the evil. Having seen a fair few horrors, I am pretty desensitised to the use of fear in the movie - basically, I didn’t find it too scary, however I did feel that the story was intriguing.
One of the most interesting aspects of the film was the story of the relationship between Malorie and her children. The reluctant mother never named the children formally until the end, and we see the relationship and her feelings towards them both evolve over the course of the movie.
I felt that this was one of the better roles Sandra Bullock has played, and she acted well throughout the movie, her scenes that portrayed uncertainty and fear were believable and she evolved the character well as the story line develops.
Would I lose sleep after watching this, no- the film was not that scary, but ultimately I found it an enjoyable story with a sweet twist at the end. I look forward to reading the book next.
The story is based around a reluctant mother, played by Sandra Bullock, who finds she has to raise the child she never wanted as a result of an apocalyptic event. The general premise of the story is that there are creature, which if you see, result in impending insanity and suicidal thoughts. Malorie, the main character seeks refuge in a house with other survivors (who predictably don’t make it to the end of the story) in order to ride out the apocalypse. Realising that her position is not stable, the story also flashes to the future, showing Malories escape towards a safe haven with her son and the child of one of the other survivors. The path to the safe haven is taken blind folded (to avoid looking at the invisible threat), aided by a small box which contains birds, who can sense the presence of the evil. Having seen a fair few horrors, I am pretty desensitised to the use of fear in the movie - basically, I didn’t find it too scary, however I did feel that the story was intriguing.
One of the most interesting aspects of the film was the story of the relationship between Malorie and her children. The reluctant mother never named the children formally until the end, and we see the relationship and her feelings towards them both evolve over the course of the movie.
I felt that this was one of the better roles Sandra Bullock has played, and she acted well throughout the movie, her scenes that portrayed uncertainty and fear were believable and she evolved the character well as the story line develops.
Would I lose sleep after watching this, no- the film was not that scary, but ultimately I found it an enjoyable story with a sweet twist at the end. I look forward to reading the book next.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Out of the Furnace (2013) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
The holiday season is upon us and with that the end of the movie season for 2013. This is the point where studios release
The last blockbusters of the year. It’s also the time when they release what I like to call ‘hidden gems’ of the year. The ones you never see coming or fly under the radar and don’t get the credit they deserve.
Today’s selection for your consideration, definitely qualifies as one of those films the ‘flies under the radar’ but is definitely one worthy of recognition and more than worthy to be seen.
The thriller “Out Of The Furnace” will hit theaters on Friday December 6th. Starring Christian Bale, Woody Harrelson, Zoe Saldana, Willem Dafoe, Forrest Whitaker, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard and directed by Scoot Cooper ‘Out Of The Furnace’ tells the story of Russell Blaze (Bale) and Rodney (Affleck).
Two blue collar brothers from Pennsylvania who, along with their Uncle Red (Shepard), care for their sick father. Russell works at the local steel mill until an impossible string of random events sends him to prison. Meanwhile, Rodney, a recently returned Iraqi war veteran unable to find work is lured into less than legal means of earning income in order to help provide for the family. Upon his release, Russell’s life takes an even more dramatic turn as he is forced to choose between justice for his brother or his freedom.
‘Out Of The Furnace’ is not exactly a holiday film. It’s a tale of revenge. It’s a story that follows a hard-working American family who by no fault of their own, were overcome come by outside elements that they could not be prepared for or never anticipate.
It’s a tragedy reminiscent of Shakespeare combined with a powerful cast.
It’s methodical, shocking, and heartbreaking. Not for the faint of heart. It shows that even in the end, no matter what choices you have standing in the shoes of Russell Blaze you can still lose. The movie starts off slow and certain aspects like the fate of Uncle Red get lost in the mix but all in all I’d say this movie is definitely one worth seeing and I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if it doesn’t get talked up for a few awards.
The last blockbusters of the year. It’s also the time when they release what I like to call ‘hidden gems’ of the year. The ones you never see coming or fly under the radar and don’t get the credit they deserve.
Today’s selection for your consideration, definitely qualifies as one of those films the ‘flies under the radar’ but is definitely one worthy of recognition and more than worthy to be seen.
The thriller “Out Of The Furnace” will hit theaters on Friday December 6th. Starring Christian Bale, Woody Harrelson, Zoe Saldana, Willem Dafoe, Forrest Whitaker, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard and directed by Scoot Cooper ‘Out Of The Furnace’ tells the story of Russell Blaze (Bale) and Rodney (Affleck).
Two blue collar brothers from Pennsylvania who, along with their Uncle Red (Shepard), care for their sick father. Russell works at the local steel mill until an impossible string of random events sends him to prison. Meanwhile, Rodney, a recently returned Iraqi war veteran unable to find work is lured into less than legal means of earning income in order to help provide for the family. Upon his release, Russell’s life takes an even more dramatic turn as he is forced to choose between justice for his brother or his freedom.
‘Out Of The Furnace’ is not exactly a holiday film. It’s a tale of revenge. It’s a story that follows a hard-working American family who by no fault of their own, were overcome come by outside elements that they could not be prepared for or never anticipate.
It’s a tragedy reminiscent of Shakespeare combined with a powerful cast.
It’s methodical, shocking, and heartbreaking. Not for the faint of heart. It shows that even in the end, no matter what choices you have standing in the shoes of Russell Blaze you can still lose. The movie starts off slow and certain aspects like the fate of Uncle Red get lost in the mix but all in all I’d say this movie is definitely one worth seeing and I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if it doesn’t get talked up for a few awards.
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*** Winner Macworld Best of Show 2013 *** *** Winner Macworld Best of Show 2012 and Mac Observer...
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Enola Holmes (2020) in Movies
Oct 4, 2020
Millie Bobby Brown - a confident raw talent (1 more)
Henry Cavill as a new take on Sherlock
The unsinkable Millie Bobby Brown
Sherlock Holmes never had a sister. But if he did, what adventures would Enola Holmes get up to? That’s the premise behind this Netflix feature. starring rising star Millie Bobby Brown.
Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) thinks she’s been named as such because it spells “alone” backwards. (But then, she admits, that it doesn’t seem to follow for either kcolrehs or tforcym!)
Enola has been brought up by her dearest mother Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter) to be a strong and confident woman, free of the normal 19th century rituals of ladylike husband-seeking niceties: for her, it’s all mental gymnastics and martial arts. But when on her 16th birthday her mother vanishes, Enola sets out on a quest to find her. But Eudoria is a Holmes, and knows the value of clues and how to cover her tracks.
Of greater concern to Enola is her brother and ward Mycroft (Sam Claflin), who is intent on packing her off to the Victorian finishing school of Miss Harrison (“Killing Eve’s” Fiona Shaw). But while trying to escape from her brothers – not a trivial matter when one is the famous detective Sherlock (Henry Cavill) – Enola encounters a Marquess on the run (Louis Partridge) and adventure, intrigue and murder are on the cards.
Filming in this “Fleabag” style – where the lead is constantly breaking the fourth wall – requires a confidence in delivery that many young actors would struggle with. But not Millie Bobby Brown. Her asides and camera glances – while not quite as skillful as the astonishingly accomplished Phoebe Waller-Bridge – are nonetheless impressive and constantly entertaining. An underwater wink at the camera was particularly enjoyable.
So… actress – tick!
But perhaps more impressive to me was that the 16 year old – most famous for her role in “Stranger Things”, which I still haven’t watched – was also a PRODUCER of this movie. Which makes me think she is a serious person to watch in the movie business (if there ever is a movie business left after 2020). I read that she is the youngest person ever to appear on the annual list of the “world’s 100 most influential people” by Time magazine: so others agree!
The supporting case are a broad array of British acting talent, with Henry Cavill being particularly appealing as Sherlock, Burn Gorman at his slimy evil best as a murderous henchman, and Sam Claflin being as anonymous as I always find him. (That’s a compliment by the way: whereas I see some actors and think “oh, there’s <<Tom Hanks>> again”, I never recognize Claflin until the credits role… he is a chameleon of the acting world).
But acting the socks off everyone else for me is Frances de la Tour as the Marquess’s grandmother. A deliciously twinkling and charming performance from an old dame of the screen.
The similarities with “Fleabag” are not coincidental, since the director is Harry Bradbeer; director of all of the episodes except the original pilot. But it’s unfortunate in some ways that the style has been interpolated into the Holmes story. Since, of course, this approach was previously done by Guy Ritchie in the two very entertaining movies featuring Robert Downey Jnr and Jude Law. And for me, that’s a shame. Since although the styles are markedly different – here we have a lot of Paddington-style cardboard animations – the “feel” of the films is the same. As such, it doesn’t feel as novel as it should do. Why couldn’t she have been someone else’s sister? Houdini perhaps? Or Oscar Wilde?
As two hours of entertaining escapism, Enola Holmes worked well for me. Brown is eminently watchable, and given the Netflix response to the movie, a sequel would be – I expect – on the cards.
(For the full graphical review, please visit the One Mann's Movies review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/10/04/the-unsinkable-millie-bobby-brown/. Thanks.)
Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) thinks she’s been named as such because it spells “alone” backwards. (But then, she admits, that it doesn’t seem to follow for either kcolrehs or tforcym!)
Enola has been brought up by her dearest mother Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter) to be a strong and confident woman, free of the normal 19th century rituals of ladylike husband-seeking niceties: for her, it’s all mental gymnastics and martial arts. But when on her 16th birthday her mother vanishes, Enola sets out on a quest to find her. But Eudoria is a Holmes, and knows the value of clues and how to cover her tracks.
Of greater concern to Enola is her brother and ward Mycroft (Sam Claflin), who is intent on packing her off to the Victorian finishing school of Miss Harrison (“Killing Eve’s” Fiona Shaw). But while trying to escape from her brothers – not a trivial matter when one is the famous detective Sherlock (Henry Cavill) – Enola encounters a Marquess on the run (Louis Partridge) and adventure, intrigue and murder are on the cards.
Filming in this “Fleabag” style – where the lead is constantly breaking the fourth wall – requires a confidence in delivery that many young actors would struggle with. But not Millie Bobby Brown. Her asides and camera glances – while not quite as skillful as the astonishingly accomplished Phoebe Waller-Bridge – are nonetheless impressive and constantly entertaining. An underwater wink at the camera was particularly enjoyable.
So… actress – tick!
But perhaps more impressive to me was that the 16 year old – most famous for her role in “Stranger Things”, which I still haven’t watched – was also a PRODUCER of this movie. Which makes me think she is a serious person to watch in the movie business (if there ever is a movie business left after 2020). I read that she is the youngest person ever to appear on the annual list of the “world’s 100 most influential people” by Time magazine: so others agree!
The supporting case are a broad array of British acting talent, with Henry Cavill being particularly appealing as Sherlock, Burn Gorman at his slimy evil best as a murderous henchman, and Sam Claflin being as anonymous as I always find him. (That’s a compliment by the way: whereas I see some actors and think “oh, there’s <<Tom Hanks>> again”, I never recognize Claflin until the credits role… he is a chameleon of the acting world).
But acting the socks off everyone else for me is Frances de la Tour as the Marquess’s grandmother. A deliciously twinkling and charming performance from an old dame of the screen.
The similarities with “Fleabag” are not coincidental, since the director is Harry Bradbeer; director of all of the episodes except the original pilot. But it’s unfortunate in some ways that the style has been interpolated into the Holmes story. Since, of course, this approach was previously done by Guy Ritchie in the two very entertaining movies featuring Robert Downey Jnr and Jude Law. And for me, that’s a shame. Since although the styles are markedly different – here we have a lot of Paddington-style cardboard animations – the “feel” of the films is the same. As such, it doesn’t feel as novel as it should do. Why couldn’t she have been someone else’s sister? Houdini perhaps? Or Oscar Wilde?
As two hours of entertaining escapism, Enola Holmes worked well for me. Brown is eminently watchable, and given the Netflix response to the movie, a sequel would be – I expect – on the cards.
(For the full graphical review, please visit the One Mann's Movies review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/10/04/the-unsinkable-millie-bobby-brown/. Thanks.)
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021) in Movies
Apr 16, 2021
Spasmodic biopic anchored by an astonishing performance by Andra Day
It's the late 40's in the US. We follow the distressing story of Billie Holiday (Andra Day) through her period of fame and drug addiction, while constantly pursued by Harry Anslinger (Garrett Hedlund) of the FBI. The reason? Holiday kept repeatedly singing the song "Strange Fruit" at her concerts, seen as being incendiary in support of the emerging civil rights movement. While surrounded by exploitative men, can she escape the destructive cycle and find true love with her "soldier boy" Jimmy Fletcher (Trevante Rhodes).
Positives:
- Andra Day. My word! What an acting performance from the lady. Apart from a small role in the Chadwick Boseman movie "Marshall", this is her live-action feature debut. Talk about knocking it out of the park! This is a raw and very brave performance (in terms of the degree of passion and nudity required. And that's even before you take into account that she is rendering all of Billie Holiday's songs in pitch-perfect fashion. Astonishing. With a Golden Globe win under her belt, it could be an interesting battle for the Oscar between her and Frances McDormand later in the month.
- There is zero sugar-coating on this version of Holiday's biopic. Various scenes in here, especially a drug-induced retelling of the alleged origins of "Strange Fruit", are harrowing and leave a lasting impression. For the second time in a week (the other being "The Mauritanian"), I am left angry about the racism and injustice present in the US systems of government. (An astonishing caption at the end of the film - regarding a 2020 senate bill - left me speechless). Much of the movie's content is based on truth: there is a nice "fact vs fiction" summary here on collider.com.
- Elements of the story are very moving. A love-making scene (very much as opposed to a sex scene) between Billie and Jimmy is sensitively handled: like seeing an abused dog finally being shown some kindness. (Well - I was moved anyway).
- Production design for the movie (by Daniel Dorrance) is fabulous, with sets such as the Café Society brimming with 40's style.
Negatives:
- Sadly, for all of its positives, the overall concoction is a bit of a muddle. Nothing flows terribly well, and the script hops around all over the place. This left me - while never totally disengaged - feeling a bit bored and restless at times.
- I KNOW that it was common parlance at the time, but the excessive use of the "N-word" throughout the film is bound to upset some watchers.
- The movie is just SOOOO gritty and downbeat, that it left me feeling angry and upset after watching it.
Summary Thoughts: As a biopic, it comes across as jerky and spasmodic. It has moments of genius, particularly in some of the musical performances. But there are also spells where it fails to fully engage. If I was rating this purely on its content, it would probably be a 5/10. But you just can't ignore the quality here of Andra Day's performance. So for that reason, I have added 2 extra stars into the rating.
(For the full graphical review, please check out the One Mann's Movies review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/04/16/the-united-states-vs-billie-holiday-strange-fruit-hangin-from-the-poplar-trees/. Thanks.)
Positives:
- Andra Day. My word! What an acting performance from the lady. Apart from a small role in the Chadwick Boseman movie "Marshall", this is her live-action feature debut. Talk about knocking it out of the park! This is a raw and very brave performance (in terms of the degree of passion and nudity required. And that's even before you take into account that she is rendering all of Billie Holiday's songs in pitch-perfect fashion. Astonishing. With a Golden Globe win under her belt, it could be an interesting battle for the Oscar between her and Frances McDormand later in the month.
- There is zero sugar-coating on this version of Holiday's biopic. Various scenes in here, especially a drug-induced retelling of the alleged origins of "Strange Fruit", are harrowing and leave a lasting impression. For the second time in a week (the other being "The Mauritanian"), I am left angry about the racism and injustice present in the US systems of government. (An astonishing caption at the end of the film - regarding a 2020 senate bill - left me speechless). Much of the movie's content is based on truth: there is a nice "fact vs fiction" summary here on collider.com.
- Elements of the story are very moving. A love-making scene (very much as opposed to a sex scene) between Billie and Jimmy is sensitively handled: like seeing an abused dog finally being shown some kindness. (Well - I was moved anyway).
- Production design for the movie (by Daniel Dorrance) is fabulous, with sets such as the Café Society brimming with 40's style.
Negatives:
- Sadly, for all of its positives, the overall concoction is a bit of a muddle. Nothing flows terribly well, and the script hops around all over the place. This left me - while never totally disengaged - feeling a bit bored and restless at times.
- I KNOW that it was common parlance at the time, but the excessive use of the "N-word" throughout the film is bound to upset some watchers.
- The movie is just SOOOO gritty and downbeat, that it left me feeling angry and upset after watching it.
Summary Thoughts: As a biopic, it comes across as jerky and spasmodic. It has moments of genius, particularly in some of the musical performances. But there are also spells where it fails to fully engage. If I was rating this purely on its content, it would probably be a 5/10. But you just can't ignore the quality here of Andra Day's performance. So for that reason, I have added 2 extra stars into the rating.
(For the full graphical review, please check out the One Mann's Movies review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/04/16/the-united-states-vs-billie-holiday-strange-fruit-hangin-from-the-poplar-trees/. Thanks.)
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated World War Z in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
While the cinematic follow up to the movie “World War Z” has been in developmental hell and likely not happening anytime soon with the recent cancellation of the proposed sequel; The developers at Saber Interactive have brought an exciting new chapter to the series.
Played from a third person perspective; teams of four players either human or A.I. battle hordes of undead as they attempt to survive and complete various tasks. The game is set in four chapters, New York, Jerusalem, Moscow, and Tokyo, and each segment allows players to select from four new characters to play during the various segments of each locale.
Players start with a primary and secondary weapon and will have the ability to pick up more along the way. Weapons include various machine guns, rifles, grenades, pistols, crossbows, and heavy weapons which have a limited use but pack a big punch.
Players also have bladed weapons which can be used to slash their way through hordes but this needs to be used sparingly as players can become overrun in no time.
Players can also find useful items such as machine gun emplacements, electrical traps, and other weapons which can be deployed in certain areas to help stem the onslaught of undead.
Missions often detail searching for items, activating or deactivating items, escorting an individual, and so on but do keep up the intensity and the highly detailed maps are very engaging.
The enemies consist of standard Zombies, a Bull Zombie who rushes and can do great amounts of damage, a Lurker that hides in the shadows and pounces. There is the Screamer who lets out tons of noise and attracts large crowds of Undead, and the Gasbag which releases a toxic gas when shot.
Players can use health kits to heal themselves and others and ammunition and supplies can be found in chests as well as Breaching Charges which allow players to enter locked areas.
The biggest issues with most of the enemies is that they have a similar look and tend to just mass and rush straight at you. It is funny that you will see characters looking like they are dressed for the New York Subway running around Tokyo, Jerusalem, and Moscow while the playable characters are clearly dressed for and specific to the locale they are in.
The game also features a multiplayer function but to me this was a real disappointment. Hit detection was bad as emptying a full clip in an another player seemed to do nothing yet they could kill you with a single shot. There were also numerous Spawn Campers who picked off players whenever they entered the map. I am sure it will be adjusted in time but I was so disappointed with it that I spent the majority of my time playing the campaign which to me was a far superior experience.
The game retails for $39.99 which makes it a real bargain and new content has been promised to arrive at a future date which will extend the enjoyment of the game.
While the gaming community eagerly hopes and awaits for a new Left 4 Dead game, World War Z is the closest to the fun and excitement of that series as getting your friends or being matched with others online to take down legions of Undead is a real thrill and one that this game has really captured where so many other recent efforts have failed.
http://sknr.net/2019/05/05/world-war-z-the-best-co-op-zombie-game-since-left-4-dead/
Played from a third person perspective; teams of four players either human or A.I. battle hordes of undead as they attempt to survive and complete various tasks. The game is set in four chapters, New York, Jerusalem, Moscow, and Tokyo, and each segment allows players to select from four new characters to play during the various segments of each locale.
Players start with a primary and secondary weapon and will have the ability to pick up more along the way. Weapons include various machine guns, rifles, grenades, pistols, crossbows, and heavy weapons which have a limited use but pack a big punch.
Players also have bladed weapons which can be used to slash their way through hordes but this needs to be used sparingly as players can become overrun in no time.
Players can also find useful items such as machine gun emplacements, electrical traps, and other weapons which can be deployed in certain areas to help stem the onslaught of undead.
Missions often detail searching for items, activating or deactivating items, escorting an individual, and so on but do keep up the intensity and the highly detailed maps are very engaging.
The enemies consist of standard Zombies, a Bull Zombie who rushes and can do great amounts of damage, a Lurker that hides in the shadows and pounces. There is the Screamer who lets out tons of noise and attracts large crowds of Undead, and the Gasbag which releases a toxic gas when shot.
Players can use health kits to heal themselves and others and ammunition and supplies can be found in chests as well as Breaching Charges which allow players to enter locked areas.
The biggest issues with most of the enemies is that they have a similar look and tend to just mass and rush straight at you. It is funny that you will see characters looking like they are dressed for the New York Subway running around Tokyo, Jerusalem, and Moscow while the playable characters are clearly dressed for and specific to the locale they are in.
The game also features a multiplayer function but to me this was a real disappointment. Hit detection was bad as emptying a full clip in an another player seemed to do nothing yet they could kill you with a single shot. There were also numerous Spawn Campers who picked off players whenever they entered the map. I am sure it will be adjusted in time but I was so disappointed with it that I spent the majority of my time playing the campaign which to me was a far superior experience.
The game retails for $39.99 which makes it a real bargain and new content has been promised to arrive at a future date which will extend the enjoyment of the game.
While the gaming community eagerly hopes and awaits for a new Left 4 Dead game, World War Z is the closest to the fun and excitement of that series as getting your friends or being matched with others online to take down legions of Undead is a real thrill and one that this game has really captured where so many other recent efforts have failed.
http://sknr.net/2019/05/05/world-war-z-the-best-co-op-zombie-game-since-left-4-dead/