Review | Super Smash Brothers: Ultimate - World of Smash

So here we are, Nintendo have released Super Smash Brothers: Ultimate, the latest in their smash-hit, company-wide fighting game series. The hype leading up to this game was intense, with this being billed as the definitive game in the franchise, with more stages and characters than ever before. This is also rumoured to be Sakurai's last go with this particular property, his swansong, as it were.

So whilst the Super Smash Brothers games have always been high-quality, does this particular title live up to the sheer amount of hype it generated?

Review | SoulCalibur VI - Honing the Blade

So here it it, the latest entry in the SoulCalibur series, part of a franchise that suffered some pretty devastating blows with the last couple of installments.  Now I ask myself, can this game restore the series to its former glory, or is it simply one last gasp before it disappears for good?  In this video I will attempt to find the answer.

Review | Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age

So, after more than two weeks after it was released, I finally get around to doing a video on the latest entry in Square-Enix's renowned RPG series.  A little late to the ball, but hey, better late than never!

So come, and let's see how this one stacks up!

Octopath Traveler | Review ... Sorta

Octopath Traveler is Square-Enix's latest RPG, and was recently released for the Nintendo switch, and actually had quiet a bit of hype behind it, at least amongst RPG enthusiasts.

So the question is, does it live up to that hype? Well, read on to find out...

One thing note before we begin properly, is that I haven't actually completed the game yet; however, I have sank more than a few hours into it, so feel that I am able to give an opinion. I might do a follow up post if my opinion changes once I reach the endgame, but at the moment I really don't foresee that happening. So for now, I guess you could consider this a provisional review if you wanted.

Tomb Raider Movie (2018) | Review

The Tomb Raider film franchise recently decided to give itself a reboot, in order to match the game franchise it's based on; with new cast, and a new story.

How does it fair, and how does it compare to the games?  Come along as I try to answer those very questions.

The Villainess - One Woman's Messed-Up Life

So, here's a film that came out earlier this year, and it actually seems like it might be worth a look.

The Villianess is a Korean action film directed by Jung Byung-gil, and staring Kim Ok-bin; two names that I guess don't mean much of anything to anyone outside of South Korea. However, The Villainess has drawn some comparisons to other action films such as The Raid, which had some of the most impactful action scenes in recent years. So it might actually have something going for it.

Shall we take a look, and see if it lives up to expectations?

There may by minor spoilers beyond this point.

Valkyria Chronicles - An Old War, a Little Bit Different

Copyright © SEGA

Sega announced a new Valkyria Chronicles game recently, so to celebrate I thought I'd do a review of the original game. The version I'm playing is the remastered re-release version that game out for the Playstation 4, and PC, with all the DLC included. Although, I don't expect there is any real difference to the original.

Since Valkyria Chronicles 4 is the first home console game since the original (with the others having been released on PSP), this will hopefully give me a little insight on what to expect from the upcoming game. Not to mention re-introducing me to a series that I haven't played for a good while. Does this game still hold up after almost ten years?

So without further ado, let's get started.

As always, this is just a small warning of possible spoilers before you proceed.

Justice League (2017) - The DCEU Needs a Hero

Here it is, Warner Brothers big DC Comics team-up, featuring some of the biggest name heroes in comic books; Justice League, which is a name that any fan of superhero comics should recognise.

The DC Cinematic Universe started poorly with the controversial Man of Steel and Dawn of Justice, but audiences received some in the shape of the recent Wonder Woman film. So the question is, can Justice League turn this into an upward trend, or is DC's leading lady still the only bright spot in this attempt at a shared universe?

As always, there may be some spoilers within. Although, I'll try to save them until the end this time.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Cyberpunk Security

This week I thought I'd do another retro review, and take a look at something that is often considered one of the hallmarks of anime; at least in the western sphere. So, today we'll be taking a look at Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, a series almost anyone who is into anime has probably heard of.

As usual, there may be some small spoilers beyond this point.

Parasite Eve II - Beneath the Skin

For our final entry into this Halloween horror show is another throwback to the yesteryear of video games. Not quite as famous as the Resident Evil or Silent Hill games, and not solely a horror game. However, it definitely has themes and trappings that fit the genre, and enough gore to satiate the thirst of most horror fans; albeit, in the low resolution graphics of the original Playstation.

I am speaking about Parasite Eve.

More specifically, I am speaking about the second one, Parasite Eve 2.

So come, and let us wake this ancient creature from its slumber.

Warning! Possible spoilers for both the Parasite Eve 1 and Parasite Eve 2.

The Visit (2015) - A Spooky House in the Country

The Visit is found-footage horror film by one M. Night Shyamalan, yet another in the long line stretching back to The Blair Witch Project. Once upon a time, those two things, when mentioned in the same sentence, would have sent a shiver down my spine.

You may recall that I previously did a review of The Last Airbender, the film that is widely considered the nadir of Shyamalan's filmography. However, in certain sections The Visit is considered a return to form for the once acclaimed director, and a pretty good film in it's own right. So let's take a look at it shall we?

Reader beware: There may be some minor spoilers within...

South Park: The Fractured but Whole - Insert Innuendo Here

The boys are back, and ready to jump on the hottest bandwagon of the last ten years; superheroes! Of course, with this being South Park, it's sure to be a very tongue-in-cheek look at the genre, that revels in the ridiculous.

So, can Ubisoft follow up the success of The Stick of Truth with another good licensed adaptation? Let's find out!

As usual, there might be minor spoilers beyond here.

Murder Princess - God Save the ... Princess

Copyright © Funimation

Time for another horror-themed review, in order to celebrate the month of everything macabre!

This month we're going to look at an anime, or more specifically an OVA, that was released ten years ago. The animation in question? A little show called Murder Princess. No, seriously, it it little; it's only six episodes long. So, if that sounds like it might be your kind of thing, then please, read on.

As always, tread carefully, for there may be spoilers beyond this point!

Grave Encounters (2011)

As we move into the second week of October, the spookiest month of the year, we also move on to the second entry in out horror-themed reviews; Grave Encounters. Will this film turn out to be a macabre masterpiece, or will it just be horrifyingly horrendous in all of the wrong ways. Well, there is only one way to find out!

Beware! For there may be (minor) spoilers beyond this point!

Project Zero - A Horror Classic or Terrifyingly Old?

It's October, the month of Halloween! Which means it's time for the obligatory look at things on the spookier end of the spectrum! As such I'll be spending this month looking at films, games, anime, and television shows with more of a horror theme.

I thought I'd start with an old game back on the Playstation 2; it was known as Fatal Frame in the United States, and Project Zero in the rest of the world. I'll be referring to it as the latter for the remainder of this post.

Beware! There may be some minor spoilers up ahead.

Princess Principal

The name's Ange … just Ange.

So this here is an interesting series that just finished airing in the summer anime season of 2017, Princess Principal. It's a steampunk, espionage thriller set in an alternate version of Victorian London. The Kingdom is anything but united however, as a recent civil war has split the country into East and West. What follows is a story of deception and betrayal, as spies from both sides attempt to root-out each other's secrets.

There may be some very slight spoilers within.

Metroid: Samus Returns

With the last two entries in the Metroid franchise being the controversial Other M, and the lukewarmly received (speaking generously) Federation Force, it seems fair to say that the franchise has been in a bad place for the last few years. So, can the newest entry in the series repair the damage, or is the franchise destined to remain its depression for a little while longer?

Metroid: Samus Returns is a remake of the simlarly named Metroid II: Return of Samus, which was released on the original Gameboy back in the early nineties, and for a time was seen as the worst in the series. Although, that wasn't such a high (or low) bar back then.

However, this reimagined version has had some touch-ups, to set it apart from the original. It does attempt to take advantage of the advances in the technology, to try to create a much superior version. Much as Metroid: Zero Mission did the same for the original Metroid back in 2005.

Warning:  Possibly some very slight spoilers beyond this point.

The Last Airbender (2010)

This week we take a look at another film adaptation of an originally animated property, one that has admittedly been covered before by more experienced critics, and one that is often cited as one of the worst adaptations of all time; The Last Airbender. The film that may well be eternally considered the nadir of M. Night Shyamalan's career, at least, I'd hope so.

Possible spoilers beyond here.

Death Note (2017)

Death Note, a Japanese manga written by Tsugumi Ohba, and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. Another western, live-action adaptation of a previously animated Japanese property, and those do not have a good reputation. So, can Netflix's one buck the trend?

However, first thing's first, a little apology. I'm more than a little late this week, but there is a reason for that this time. I did have a review all written-up last week, but I decided to scrap, as I felt I was being more than a little unfair. I felt I was holding to strictly to how it fairs as an adaptation, and not on its own merits. So, I decided to rewrite the review, and judge the film based on The other reason is because I legitimately struggled to get through this one.

(Edit:  On further review, I may have been harder than necessary on a second pass too.)

As usual, there may possibly be spoilers beyond this point.

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

A new Uncharted game, only without its possibly iconic main character, Nathan Drake. Does Uncharted: The Lost Legacy live up to the reputation of its predecessors, and can Chloe Frazer adequately fill Drake's shoes? In my opinion, the answer to both of these questions is mostly, yes.

Possible spoilers beyond this point.