I’ll say right from the off, strategy games aren’t usually my thing. Sure, I’ve played many, and some were even pretty good (Dungeon Keeper 2, although it’s not really hardcore). Generally, pass me good first person shooter or a football/cricket game and I’ll be hooked for days. So I found myself wondering why, after I loaded up Sins of a Solar Empire and played my first game, I had lost three hours of my life.
Tag: review
Battlestar Galactica – The Hub – Review
In-brief: Brilliant. In-depth: “Jump!” If I were a true cynic, I would say Ronald D. Moore and the Battlestar writing staff have set out on a mission to force me to swallow…
Doctor Who: Series 4: Forest of the Dead
In-brief: What a rush!
In-depth:
There are two stories being woven here; incredibly this episode builds upon its predecessor in all the right places, answers all of our questions satisfactorily, and resolves the mystery of the week.
Doctor Who: Series 4: Silence in the Library
In brief: Good – but definitely a part one…
In-depth:
It’s very hard being in love with a television show, because you absolutely want to love it all and give it the best possible score you can. Except that wouldn’t be fair.
That said, ‘Silence in the Library’ is another winner this year for Doctor Who.
Dexter: Season 1: Episode 1: ‘Dexter’ – Review
I’ve just taken to re-watching one of my favourite shows, Dexter. As I go through the series, I’ll write reviews. I may as well share my thoughts; it may not be sci-fi,…
Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Review
Perhaps the only disappointing thing about ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ is the realisation that once you leave the cinema, you are struck with the fact that it is not actually real. The gripping plot, incredible action and real sense of being a part of the action makes the final result a movie that truly makes you wonder why you aren’t chased by Russian women with guns, gold and the Order of Lenin.
Battlestar Galactica – Sine Qua Non – Review
Warning: Before reading, please be aware that this article contains spoilers for the episode ‘Sine Qua Non’ which has yet to air in the United States.
A few weeks ago, I wrote of my disappointment with Battlestar Galactica’s recent progress. I criticised a slow-down of pace, a lack of movement, and my fears that the show might fade to a whimpering finale…
Click here to read the rest of the review.
Times Unimpressed by Indiana Jones 4
Spoilers are contained herein. Today’s edition of the times features a somewhat negative review of Indiana Jones 4, giving the new Harrison Ford movie a mere 2 stars out of 5. According…
Indiana Jones Reviews Begin to Filter Online
/Film have posted a magnificent little round-up of all the latest Indiana Jones reviews filtering onto the Interweb. I’ve included the cream of the crop below. “I can say that if you…
Doctor Who: Series 4: The Unicorn and the Wasp
In-brief: Brilliant!
In-depth: And we’re back on form again! Quite simply, this episode was firing on all cylinders from the onset. I don’t know if it’s the period setting, the writers’ strength, the familiarity with the central historical figure, or just damn good comic timing, but this episode is another example of how I’ll be able to quite happily just watch one episode after another of this series when it is released on DVD.
Doctor Who: Series 4: The Doctor’s Daughter
In-brief:
Something to chew on… but not as much as it wants.
In-depth:
This is the first episode of series 4 I’ve had some serious doubts about. After last week’s cliffhanger of sorts, I felt sure that this week would prove to be a real fantastic romp of an episode.
But it’s hampered by an extremely slow start, an initially confusing design for an alien creature and the very title of the episode itself, is never really encapsulated upon to my tastes.
In nuWho, the Doctor is a solitary figure. He’s absolutely alone in the sense that he knows that he is the Last of his kind. So whenever he gets a whisper of possibility that their might be others’ of his species’ still kicking about, he gets very, very scared. And very protective.
But we’ve seen this before in the Master. Despite everything the Master did in the last three episodes of Series 3, the Doctor still found it within himself to grieve, to suffer, to cry, at his eventual death.
Or ‘death’. But that’s another story. On another forum.
Review. So if you’re going to tap into that idea of the Doctor not really being alone, you’d best do something damn different with it.
Doctor Who: Series 4: The Poison Sky
In-brief:
Wow.
(Very) In-depth:
I’m a little bit shocked actually. I just sat down and watched the second of a two-part episode of Doctor Who, and not only did it manage to build upon the first episode, with no stone left not fully unturned, it did so in a way that was, quite simply, brilliant.
Plot; Martha has been cloned, the Sontarans are flooding the world with somekind of poisonous gas, Donna’s granddad is being poisoned to death by said gas and the Doctor, and UNIT, stand helpless…
…but not for long.
Doctor Who: Series 4: The Sontaran Stratagem
In brief:
Someone’s back! Oh! And it’s good!
In-depth:
So far with this series, there has not been a single episode I wouldn’t want to go back and watch again. I’ve got the DVDs for Series 3, but quite frankly, I tend to skip the Shakespeare episode (I feel the need to point out I had to think for a few long moments before I remember what the second episode was…), skip the first 20 odd minutes of ‘Gridlock’… With this collection, I could quite happily just sit back, and let the DVD play all of them.
And this episode is no exception.
Plot! A mysterious academy looms and a journalist is thrown from the building, ranting about how ATMOS is somekind of conspiracy… her death by her car driving into a river with the doors locked, is seemingly arranged by the satellite navigation device in her car, the ATMOS previously mentioned.
Onboard the TARDIS, Donna learns how to pilot, and the Doctor receives a phone call. Except it’s not his phone. It’s Martha Jones’, and only one person promised to ring that number…
Doctor Who: Series 4: Planet of the Ood
In brief: Solid storytelling.
In-depth: Okay. Now this is a curious little Doctor Who tale.
I simply can’t fault how beautiful this episode looked; the CGI effects of the snow covered planet, the interior and exterior designs of the Oodsphere complex… it was an alien planet that looked and felt like an alien planet! The design team here did some fantastic work.
Back to the story though, as it transpires, the Ood were a docile race that humans found and decided to take of; to educate as one character within the episode calls it. We know something has gone wrong though from the opening scene where one of the humans running the Ood servants company is murdered by the Ood who serves him. One who has a familiar looking red colour to his eye… The Doctor and Donna arrive and quickly the Doctor determines that the Ood are somehow being controlled by an outside force again – it simply isn’t in their nature to kill.
Doctor Who: Series 4: The Fires of Pompeii
In-brief:
Better!
In-depth:
Ah. Now. This is tricky. I’m extremely tempted to call this an absolutely fantastic showing of what Doctor Who can be when it’s on top form based solely on the second half of this episode, but that would not be fair to the first half!
Doctor Who: Series 4: Partners in Crime
In brief:
Fun with good gut kick.
In-depth:
Russell T. Davies. I think what this man has done to Doctor Who, is absolutely nothing short of fantastic. He brought back to life a series which had been thought gone, and has helped to turn it into the powerhouse it is today with a strong guiding hand.
For that I am extremely thankful because it’s brought an element of fun to Saturday nights in front of the tv that hasn’t been there for a good while. All that said, I will freely admit I’m not entirely sure he’s the best person to write episodes of Doctor Who. I think, although he has brilliant ideas and themes, the execution gets a little bit mixed up sometimes.
Review: Stargate Ark of Truth
In Brief: Satisfying. But unfulfilling. Details: It’s been one hell of a ten years for the series Stargate: SG1. We’ve had the original movie back in 1994. Then the series followed. Then…