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Wrigglezeus (511 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter in Video Games
Sep 15, 2020
First four detective cases (2 more)
Can skip mini games at risk of losing trophies / achievements
Graphics are great for what they had and voice work is great
Trail and error mini games and puzzles (3 more)
Poor level design
Loading times
A lot of backtracking
The great sleuth is just messing up and trying again
I love Sherlock, from the novels to the TV series and even those Robert Downey Jr Movies. I have even enjoyed previous games in this franchise. This however, was a joke.
Sometimes the mini games are unnecessary, with most out of place and just infuriatingly fiddly. Furthermore as a great sleuth a lot of the mini games seem entirely down to trail and error, results in Holmes’ death and many restarts of the puzzles. Including one during a case with moving tiles. In a world where everything is cleverly thought out, it seems these were not the case.
The storyline was somewhat decent with build up towards the end, with the four cases before hand being somewhat irrelevant towards the grand ending. As I pushed my way through this game it dawned on me that I was starting to get rare achievements, by the end of this game barely 10% of those who played it actually finished it. With around 20% only finishing the first case.
Further work needs to be put in place for this to be a true Sherlock experience, without the need to move the thumb sticks into a circle so I can eavesdrop or balance on a beam. Sometimes the quick time encounters worked amazingly well, including during an exorcism. Whilst otherwise. Awfully and out of place.
I would not recommend this game for even the truest of fans and to read up the plot online instead.
Sometimes the mini games are unnecessary, with most out of place and just infuriatingly fiddly. Furthermore as a great sleuth a lot of the mini games seem entirely down to trail and error, results in Holmes’ death and many restarts of the puzzles. Including one during a case with moving tiles. In a world where everything is cleverly thought out, it seems these were not the case.
The storyline was somewhat decent with build up towards the end, with the four cases before hand being somewhat irrelevant towards the grand ending. As I pushed my way through this game it dawned on me that I was starting to get rare achievements, by the end of this game barely 10% of those who played it actually finished it. With around 20% only finishing the first case.
Further work needs to be put in place for this to be a true Sherlock experience, without the need to move the thumb sticks into a circle so I can eavesdrop or balance on a beam. Sometimes the quick time encounters worked amazingly well, including during an exorcism. Whilst otherwise. Awfully and out of place.
I would not recommend this game for even the truest of fans and to read up the plot online instead.
David McK (3280 KP) rated The Dark Knight Rises (2012) in Movies
Jun 30, 2019
The final part of Christopher Nolan's Christian Bale starring Batman trilogy (after both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight) that takes a large part of its inspiration from the 1990s Knightfall series of graphic novels in introducing the character of Bane: the man who (quote unquote) 'Breaks the Bat'.
As portrayed by Tom Hardy, this version of the character is nothing at all like you might remember from the Batman and Robin abomination: there's no mention of venom (the drug) in this movie, nor is it overstuffed with villains like that earlier movie/portrayal of the character was.
Instead, we have Bane as the primary antagonist throughout, although - in the tradition of Batman Begins - he is later revealed to be but a pawn, with deliberate call-backs to that first movie. While Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow does make a return (in what largely amounts as a camoe) alongside Ra's Al-Ghul (again, largely as a cameo in flashbacks), there's no Joker this time round - probably as a result of the real-world death of Heath Ledger (although I might have preferred even a throw-away line saying why the character wasn't in this!)
We also have Anne Hathaway's take on Catwoman/Selina Kyle, here portrayed more as a cat burglar than the Michelle Pfeiffer version from Batman Returns, and the 'passing on' of the mantle of Gotham's protector to another very-familiar character (who doesn't use his given name until the very end).
As portrayed by Tom Hardy, this version of the character is nothing at all like you might remember from the Batman and Robin abomination: there's no mention of venom (the drug) in this movie, nor is it overstuffed with villains like that earlier movie/portrayal of the character was.
Instead, we have Bane as the primary antagonist throughout, although - in the tradition of Batman Begins - he is later revealed to be but a pawn, with deliberate call-backs to that first movie. While Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow does make a return (in what largely amounts as a camoe) alongside Ra's Al-Ghul (again, largely as a cameo in flashbacks), there's no Joker this time round - probably as a result of the real-world death of Heath Ledger (although I might have preferred even a throw-away line saying why the character wasn't in this!)
We also have Anne Hathaway's take on Catwoman/Selina Kyle, here portrayed more as a cat burglar than the Michelle Pfeiffer version from Batman Returns, and the 'passing on' of the mantle of Gotham's protector to another very-familiar character (who doesn't use his given name until the very end).
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Luca (2021) in Movies
Jun 22, 2021
Charming but Unspectacular
Usually, a motion picture premiere by PIXAR is a major event and (most of the time) the product premiered is one of the better films debuting in that year (regardless of whether they are animated or not). But…the past 2 PIXAR films have debuted directly on the Disney+ streaming service.
One can understand SOUL debuting on-line since the world was in the midst of a global pandemic. But with LUCA, one had to scratch their heads wondering why the brass at Pixar wouldn’t give it at least a cursory theatrical release.
But, now that I’ve seen LUCA, I know why.
Luca tells the tale of a sea monster named…you got it…Luca, who ventures above the surface of the water with a friend to the human world. As a premise for this film, the Sea Monsters turn into humans when their skin is dry (and turn back into Sea Monsters when they are wet).
As Directed by Enrico Casarosa (the director of the the wonderful 2011 short animated film LA LUNA), Luca is a charming, if unspectacular, film that wears its heart - and it’s message of inclusion for ALL, no matter their differences - on it’s sleeve in a pretty overt way that doesn’t aide, nor does it detract, from the film.
Playing the lead roles of Luca and Alberto are child actors Jacob Tremblay (ROOM) and Jack Dylan Grazer (IT) and they are just like this film - charming and unspectacular. They instill these characters with youthful zest and energy…but not much else. Rising above them (and this film, if I’m being honest) is the voice work of the wonderful Maya Rudolph and the always affable Jim Gaffigan as Luca’s parents, who end up looking for Luca in the human world. To be honest, I would have rather had a film focusing on these two looking for Luca, than the movie we got.
Director Casaroso has stated that he has been inspired by the works of the great Japanese animation Director Hayao Miyazaki and it shows in some of the scenes that are absolutely breathtaking to look at while the feeling of this film is light and airy and not too terribly deep.
This is the 3rd straight film from Pixar that I have found to be “just fine, nothing special”, which is just a bit disappointing in that Pixar films were once the gold standard of animated films.
While not a standout film, Luca is an entertaining diversion and certainly one where the younger ones in the family will find fun while their parents will be entertained…enough. I have to admit, that I was not engaged with the main characters throughout the film, but was caught up at the end and found myself rooting for our heroes, so I guess Casarosa did something right.
Letter Grade:B+
7 1/2 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
One can understand SOUL debuting on-line since the world was in the midst of a global pandemic. But with LUCA, one had to scratch their heads wondering why the brass at Pixar wouldn’t give it at least a cursory theatrical release.
But, now that I’ve seen LUCA, I know why.
Luca tells the tale of a sea monster named…you got it…Luca, who ventures above the surface of the water with a friend to the human world. As a premise for this film, the Sea Monsters turn into humans when their skin is dry (and turn back into Sea Monsters when they are wet).
As Directed by Enrico Casarosa (the director of the the wonderful 2011 short animated film LA LUNA), Luca is a charming, if unspectacular, film that wears its heart - and it’s message of inclusion for ALL, no matter their differences - on it’s sleeve in a pretty overt way that doesn’t aide, nor does it detract, from the film.
Playing the lead roles of Luca and Alberto are child actors Jacob Tremblay (ROOM) and Jack Dylan Grazer (IT) and they are just like this film - charming and unspectacular. They instill these characters with youthful zest and energy…but not much else. Rising above them (and this film, if I’m being honest) is the voice work of the wonderful Maya Rudolph and the always affable Jim Gaffigan as Luca’s parents, who end up looking for Luca in the human world. To be honest, I would have rather had a film focusing on these two looking for Luca, than the movie we got.
Director Casaroso has stated that he has been inspired by the works of the great Japanese animation Director Hayao Miyazaki and it shows in some of the scenes that are absolutely breathtaking to look at while the feeling of this film is light and airy and not too terribly deep.
This is the 3rd straight film from Pixar that I have found to be “just fine, nothing special”, which is just a bit disappointing in that Pixar films were once the gold standard of animated films.
While not a standout film, Luca is an entertaining diversion and certainly one where the younger ones in the family will find fun while their parents will be entertained…enough. I have to admit, that I was not engaged with the main characters throughout the film, but was caught up at the end and found myself rooting for our heroes, so I guess Casarosa did something right.
Letter Grade:B+
7 1/2 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Architecture in Archives: The Collection of the Academy of Arts
Book
The Akademie der Kunste (Academy of Arts) in Berlin has carried out its task of promoting the arts...
British Journal of Pharmacology
Education and Magazines & Newspapers
App
British Journal of Pharmacology, one of the leading general pharmacology research journals in the...
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated Gone / Mind Games in Books
Nov 19, 2019 (Updated Nov 19, 2019)
Get your psychopath fix here!!
The premise for this book was very ambitious and it started with a gripping bang. Following the exploits of psychologist and private detective Dr. Augusta Bloom as she and her partner Marcus Jameson are drawn into a dangerous game when they investigate a number of people who have gone missing. The only obvious connection they all disappeared on their Birthdays following receiving a mysterious card asking “Dare To Play?”
Both Augusta and Marcus are interesting characters with a good bit of chemistry and the book is undoubtedly a fast-paced page-turner that I raced through. We get a lot of psychologist talk looking at psychopaths (who doesn’t’ love a good psychopath tale!?!) and a very tangled web is weaved. The investigation is interesting and doesn’t let up however the book doesn’t quite reach the full promise of the early and middle sections and did end up being very obvious in its main twists.
A dark world was set up but not looked at in any depth and I wanted to know more. I understand there will be more adventures in the future with Dr. Bloom and I hope they touch on some of the world investigated in this book. I’m certainly keen to take another outing with Augusta, I see a lot of potential.
I read the book under the title Gone but I believe it has also been published as "Mind Games"
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Both Augusta and Marcus are interesting characters with a good bit of chemistry and the book is undoubtedly a fast-paced page-turner that I raced through. We get a lot of psychologist talk looking at psychopaths (who doesn’t’ love a good psychopath tale!?!) and a very tangled web is weaved. The investigation is interesting and doesn’t let up however the book doesn’t quite reach the full promise of the early and middle sections and did end up being very obvious in its main twists.
A dark world was set up but not looked at in any depth and I wanted to know more. I understand there will be more adventures in the future with Dr. Bloom and I hope they touch on some of the world investigated in this book. I’m certainly keen to take another outing with Augusta, I see a lot of potential.
I read the book under the title Gone but I believe it has also been published as "Mind Games"
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Feral Hearts (Feral Hearts #1)
8.0
Rate It
Book
Alex isn’t a traditional alpha—he’s gentle, awkward, and caring. He also has no desire to...
MM Paranormal Romance Urban Fantasy
Game of Greed (Francis Scott-Wren Series Book 1)
Book
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed. Breathtaking...
crime thriller Swedish fiction Game of Greed Francis Scott-Wren
EmersonRose (320 KP) rated Knight of The Dead III: Fortress in Books
Nov 20, 2019
Knight of the Dead III: Fortress continues the adventures of Ronan and his family as they struggle to survive in the Zombie Apocalypse. The third book is a non-stop action-packed adventure as Ronan really starts to build up his fortress in a school building, slowly growing his kingdom. He has finally saved enough people that there really starts to be some interesting dynamics between the survivors and a look to the future can begin to happen. In this book, the stakes are raised as the zombies continue to change and seemingly become smarter and more dangerous. With the stakes raised, his family finally in a stable situation, Ronan sets out full force to save as many others as he can.
Without a doubt, my favorite part if this series is the unique take at apocalypse fiction by throwing in medieval fighting. This book does not disappoint as there are thrilling action scenes, plenty of training sequences, and the knight continuing to become a legend in the modern world. This unique touch simultaneously gives the story a fun and engaging layer while also somehow adding to the believability of the world that author Ron Smorynski has created. With the detailed fighting knowledge, and the time spent on gathering food, training, getting water, and fortifying the school, as a reader you can believe that they would have survived this long.518hheXuwoL._SY346_
This book focuses more on rescue then the previous books and as the cast of characters continues to grow there is less time spent one on one with people. This decreases the amount of individual tension between characters, but there is still tension as Ronan is the dictator and continues to push his Christian values on everyone within his fortress. This dynamic makes sense in the situation, but I like the moments when Ronan gets to be humanized more in small moments. A hug with his wife or children, a cute moment with him and the children, his appreciated a moment of laughter. These moments are very sweet in the otherwise horror-filled world they live in, and Ronan gets to relax the least as a leader.
Pet peeve of mine in apocalypse fiction is the idea that you are completely alone in the world. That although you survived no one else on the planet could have. Smorynski does not fall into this trap. He acknowledges the bigger world, although his characters have very little contact with it. And there is a good balance between the characters feeling alone and being alone. Many people have died in the month of the apocalypse, but they are still finding survivors. There are other people who are holding on. This makes the series more exciting for me and also keeps me excited for the books to come as I enjoy watching the growing community of survivors.
This series is exciting and gripping from beginning to end. Smorynski does a good job of justifying the risks that his characters take and ups the stakes and consequences as the book progresses, making the danger feel read from beginning to end. If you like zombie stories or apocalypse fiction, then I would highly recommend checking this series out. I cannot wait to see where the story goes from here!
Without a doubt, my favorite part if this series is the unique take at apocalypse fiction by throwing in medieval fighting. This book does not disappoint as there are thrilling action scenes, plenty of training sequences, and the knight continuing to become a legend in the modern world. This unique touch simultaneously gives the story a fun and engaging layer while also somehow adding to the believability of the world that author Ron Smorynski has created. With the detailed fighting knowledge, and the time spent on gathering food, training, getting water, and fortifying the school, as a reader you can believe that they would have survived this long.518hheXuwoL._SY346_
This book focuses more on rescue then the previous books and as the cast of characters continues to grow there is less time spent one on one with people. This decreases the amount of individual tension between characters, but there is still tension as Ronan is the dictator and continues to push his Christian values on everyone within his fortress. This dynamic makes sense in the situation, but I like the moments when Ronan gets to be humanized more in small moments. A hug with his wife or children, a cute moment with him and the children, his appreciated a moment of laughter. These moments are very sweet in the otherwise horror-filled world they live in, and Ronan gets to relax the least as a leader.
Pet peeve of mine in apocalypse fiction is the idea that you are completely alone in the world. That although you survived no one else on the planet could have. Smorynski does not fall into this trap. He acknowledges the bigger world, although his characters have very little contact with it. And there is a good balance between the characters feeling alone and being alone. Many people have died in the month of the apocalypse, but they are still finding survivors. There are other people who are holding on. This makes the series more exciting for me and also keeps me excited for the books to come as I enjoy watching the growing community of survivors.
This series is exciting and gripping from beginning to end. Smorynski does a good job of justifying the risks that his characters take and ups the stakes and consequences as the book progresses, making the danger feel read from beginning to end. If you like zombie stories or apocalypse fiction, then I would highly recommend checking this series out. I cannot wait to see where the story goes from here!