Ancient Texts

Currently Playing…

• BSG Final Season

  Like The Matrix this, hitherto one of the most fantastic sci-fi shows that ever there was, kinda exemplifies how difficult it is to justify the Heroes Journey to a modern, secular audience if you refuse to treat death as a metaphor or justify predestination in a non-mystical fashion. Dissatisfying, even if cleverly having the plot literally devolve into literal Deus Ex Machina was deliberate.

  09/03/10

• Final Fight: Double Impact (360)

  A pointlessly accurate (ie it wants to regularly gobble up your credits rather than provide a balanced and enjoyable playing experience) realisation of the mind-numbing arcade machine. Grab WGens and hunt down the MegaCD release which is superior in just about every way, not least because it doesn’t have Magic Sword included.

  06/20/10

• Serious Sam HD (360)

  Serious Sam is an FPS that exists in direct contrast to the floating-head galleries opined by Gillen. Unfortunately the replacement mechanic — the twitch-inducing spawning of enemies all around you — requires the immediacy and scope of mouse/keyboard control, hence the game feels somewhat ill at ease on Xbox.

  06/18/10

• Have One On Me (J Newsom)

  I know of no other recording artist so deeply and consistently touched by genius as Ms Newsom — it’s really quite amazing how effortless a listen this triple(!) album is. Just lovely.

  05/02/10

• Wanted (Timur Bekmambetov)

  There’s a spot in Wanted’s convenience store scene where, for one glorious moment, it looks like Angelina Jolie might have a gun that fires guns. She doesn’t, but don’t go thinking that the actual plot is any less ludicrous, the level of sanity on show exhibiting an inverse correlation to Bekmambetov’s directorial vim. Lovingly realised cobblers.

  04/14/10

• Vantage Point (Pete Travis)

  Apparently this has been criticised for over-egging the “alternate perspective” approach to storytelling but I thought it dumped the technique, sagely, just as it started to wear out its welcome. Neat idea, intriguingly laid out (oh and on the evidence presented here, Dennis Quaid shoulda replaced Harrison Ford for Indy IV).

  03/14/10

• Batman: Arkham Asylum (360)

  My first impressions will have to stand as my parting comments as it only took 3 evenings to dust off. Greater than the sum of its parts, innit.

  03/13/10

• Persona 3 FES (PS2)

  It remains to be seen whether the slow narrative pace and impetus to nurture social links will grate on my nerves in the long term but, an hour or two in, the battle system seems full of promise. And the way Personas are summoned… just, wow.

  03/12/10

• Plants vs Zombies (iPod)

  I wish I’d thought of this!

  03/12/10

• Soul Calibur III (PS2)

  Namco’s continuing struggle to match the fluidity of Soul Calibur (Dreamcast/XBL) is hella pretty – just check out that rolling sea on the Pirate Raid stage – but the balance is undeniably off. Mistakes so often lead to being mercilessly hammered that matches can feel all too random and some opponents seem to almost necessitate button-mashing. It’s better than 90% of the genre all the same, but it’s no Soul Calibur.

  03/12/10