Welcome to the Forgotten World

Music is life, without it we wouldn't be the people we are. Video games and comics keep me from rotting away from the sheer amount of boredom. I try my hand at writing reviews for things I'm interested in.

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Top 5 Albums of the Year So Far

This year, to me, is one of, in not, the greatest years for albums ever. So many great bands have or will be releasing their new albums this year, and it's exciting and quite overwhelming. We are only in July and I already have a sure no.1 album. Insane. So, because I excited about the music, I'm going to list my top five albums of the year so far. I'll do a top ten at the end of the year to see how it differs from this one. 5. LOST - Recreator A friend of mine told me about this band during a conversation about Crossfaith. I had never heard of these before, and when I finally heard them I wasn't a fan; the vocalists singing voice is quite high and it ended up putting me off. However, I felt like the songs were good, so I kept on listening and finally his voice clicked with me. Shortly after, my friend sent me their latest album and I instantly connected with it. 4. Deafheaven - Sunbather Beautiful. Black metal is always something I've enjoyed, with its vicious vocals, low-fi guitars and atmosphere up the ass. So when I heard word of a black metal album making noise on some sites, I took notice. I wouldn't say it's 100% a black metal album because there's enough shoe-gaze and post-rock entwined within it to make Explosions in the Sky fans to take notice. It's a beautiful and honest album. 3. Bring Me The Horizon - Sepiternal This surely divided fans of the band. I liked them before this, but was never a major fan, as the only other album of theirs I like is There is a Hell... Sempiternal embodies of their previous album and expands on the electronical and mellow side of the album. The opener Can You Fell My Heart is as far way as anything they have done before - it is a signal of rebirth, they more mature and skilled musically now that they can make the album to show who they really are. The lyrics on some songs are still quite melodramatic, and that is one of the only downsides. 2. The Dillinger Escape Plan - One of us is the Killer It's Dillinger, you know it's going to be good. The opener, Prancer, is standard Dillinger, but that doesn't stop it from being a great opener. This record has a lot more clean singing on it than their last release, and I personally enjoy it as I find Greg Puciato to be a fantastic singer.  1. letlive. - The Blackest Beautiful This album. This bloody album. After listening to Fake History in 2010, I fell in love with letlive. and told everyone I knew about them. It was my album of the year in 2010. Once word dropped that the follow up to Fake History would be released this year, I was so excited and nervous at the same time. I was worried it wouldn't be as good as their last album, and so were some other people. However, once they streamed the album online and gave it as listen, I loved it. I've listened to it in full many, many times already and I could listen to it many, many more. There isn't a bad song on the album, and I'm not just saying that. And honestly, I can't listen to Fake History anymore as it seems dull and lifeless compared to The Blackest Beautiful. Album of the year for me. Anticipated albums: Crossfaith - APOCALYZE Excited level: 10/10 Touche Amore - Is Survived By Excited level: 9/10 Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks Excited level: 7/10 Trivium - Vengeance Falls Excited level: 8/10

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Dillinger Escape Plan and letlive. Manchester tickets bought! Will be my second time seeing letlive. cannot wait. Will be my first time seeing Dillinger, and holy crap am I excited. Missed them at Download 2010, finally get to the chance to see them again. New album is killer, too!

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DmC: Devil May Cry Demo Impressions

The demo is out, the verdict is in: It's actually pretty darn good. If this upsets you, please do us all a favour and get attacked by a prehistoric beast, thank you kindly.  So, where do we begin? Dante: No (permanent) white hair, no (permanent) red coat and no sexy posters. Despite all these things the 'fans' hate, Dante is still, and always will be despite appearance, a cool mother effer. He's pretty cool and funny to boot. Definitely a likable character from Ninja Theory.  Gameplay: FAST, FAST FAST. It's pretty fast. Fun too. The combos are fun and simple to pull off, and the flow is still there so don't you worry your pretty little head about it. The animations are fluid and the controls are responsive, though I do have one problem: jumping/gliding. I find the gliding quite cumbersome, as there are parts where you have to jump and then press L2 and X to glide, but sometimes he'd just jump and fall instead. Not the best in that department, though not a game-breaker. Graphics: Very colourful and lively, while both character design and textures are nice. It's a very nice looking game, with all the colours and words fading in and out of the world, I'd say it looks very nice. A nice treat for the eyes. Boss: We were treated to two levels 1) a regular level filled with enemies and platforming sections, and 2) a boss level, which was nice. The boss is quite fun because you have to attack this gross slug-lady-demon-thing with all your might, but you always have to watch out for the vomit she throws up onto the platform you're on, and when she does this you have to hightail it out of there by using you sword-whip to gain access to another platform. I found to be quite fun, I look forward to facing her and kicking her ass for real when the game is released. All in all, I enjoyed this demo a lot. I'll definitely be picking it up when it launches in January, no doubt about it. If you're a 'hater' of this game because you don't like the team developing it, or you simply just don't like how Dante looks, I say forget all about that and just give the game a shot, you may like it.  

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Gallows - Gallows (self-titled) Review

Gallows were able to survive the loss of their powerful frontman in Frank Carter and actually gain another frontman in Wade Macneil of Alexisonfire fame. But how does the Canadian Wade fit into the in-your-face-spit-on-your-grave British hardcore outfit? Quite well, actually. Firstly, this self-titled record is not a Gray Britain sequel so don't go into it expecting so. Now, what this album actually is, is an onslaught of battery, raw aggression and power. Wade Macneil has actually melded into his new surroundings quite well; spitting venom comes naturally to the big bearded man, surprisingly. The band has created some bangers on this album ranging from cathy to pure raging venom, which is what we all wanted. Wade's vocals fit well with the British group, ranging from gnarly to melodic.  One thing I wasn't hopeful about would be their lack of songs. I mean, their Death Is Birth EP left a sour taste in most peoples mouths when it dropped, because it was dull as a hipster's conversation and the songs... they weren't there. Well, sure there were songs, but they weren't good with the exception of True Colours. However, I'm happy to say that the self-titled album is crammed with killers. Song after song, hook after hook. The album is the host of some great songs - songs that'll slay live; the crowd will be on them singing each and every word back in Wade's bearded face. All in all, I really enjoyed this record very much. It appears as though Wade Macneil and the band get along swimmingly well which, luckily for us, means we're treated to albums like this. While the war still rages on about who's better - Frank or Wade - I'm sure this album will make the Frank Carter group warm up to Wade. Favourite songs: Everybody Loves You (When You're Dead), Last June, Outsider Art, Vapid Adolescent Blues, Depravers, Nations / Never Enough. 

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The Wii U and Bayonetta 2

"The Wii U SUCKS. I hope it bursts in flames on launch day! Nintendo, they suck. They only have kiddy games, and they're GARBAGE! Nintendo will stop making consoles after this Wii U monster. Hopefully then we can get Mario and Zelda on PS3/360. :3" However, unknowingly to them, an announcement would soon be made which would change their ever so sour tone. "WAIT.... Bayonetta 2 has been announced... and it's a Wii U exclusive? OH, NINTENDO, YOU'VE REDEEMED YOURSELF. Iwata, I could give you a big sloppy kiss right now." This was pretty much the internet today. I've never seen so many people turn it around and begin to praise Nintendo's next home console after all the hate they were spewing. It's funny how quick people change their tone.  Now me personally, I am ever so please Bayonetta 2 is actually going to be released, because I absolutely love the first game and have wanted a sequel for the longest time now. I think Nintendo won a lot of people over with this announcement, and rightfully so. They're the saviors of Bayonetta. Respect. However, I'm wishing Nintendo get the rights for Vanquish, because lordy, I NEED a sequel. I adore Vanquish, it's one of my all time favourites along with Bayonetta. Don't forget about The Wonderful 101. Man, what a game. I cat wait to get my paws on that one, that's for sure. Hell, I can't wait to play any of Platinum Games' games. Where Platinum go, I go. My favourite developers this generation. Hopefully Nintendo can resurrect Mega Man from Capcom, because damn, people want Mega Man, dammit! Will I be buying a Wii U on launch? I don't know. I'm mighty tempted, let me tell you. I mean, I really want to play Rayman Legends and Zombie U. However, if The Wonderful 101 was a day one launch title, then I'd be all over it. 

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Sleeping Dogs | PS3, XBOX 360, PC

Sleeping dogs. Is it best to let this sleeping dog lie, or wake it up and play fetch with it? .... Yeah. It's good, GO BUY IT!  And here's why it is good. The game's story revolves around the Chinese-American, Wei Shen, an undercover agent set to infiltrate and gain the trust of Hong Kong's toughest of triads. Wei Shen's entry into the world of the triads is done with a little help from his old friend Jackie - who is unaware of this undercover lifestyle. I want to talk about the story because, surprising, it's actually very, very good. However, I shan't delve any deeper into the story than I already have to avoid spoiling anything, even if it's a minor story line. But the is one aspect I shall discuss, and that is the characters. Yes, the characters, because I was surprised to find how likable these characters are. Wei Shen is one of the most likable and real characters in a GTA-like open world game. Then you've got Jackie, a guy who just wants to make it in the big leagues, and a true friend to Wei. Winston, despite is macho attitude, has some actual depth to him, and he honest seems like that tough guy with a sweet heart that we all know. Hong Kong itself is good, but a bit empty. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of shops to go to and venders to buy pork buns from, it's just that there are hardly any people walking the streets. Now I'm not saying it's like Limbo in it's emptiness, but for Hong Kong I'd expect it to be a little more lively. Driving in Sleeping Dogs is fun and arcady and that's definitely a good thing. Not once did it become the tiniest bit frustrating to drive an vehicle. Normally I avoid racing in these sort of games, however, in this I couldn't help but partake; drifting around the corners at high speeds is always a pleasure. Now, we can't mention driving without the soundtrack, can me? It's decent. I wish there was more of an asian soundtrack. The gameplay. Oh, the gameplay. Magnifique. The combat is taken from the Arkham series with a lot of martial arts thrown in, and that definitely isn't a bad thing, no. You can unlock new moves by completing missions and finding stolen statues for your martial arts instructor. All in all, I found this game to be most excellent. I definitely enjoyed my time playing this one. If you're on the fence about buying it, I highly suggest you pick this one up. 

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The Dark Knight Rises Thoughts

I've just returned home from The Dark Knight Rises, and.... what an amazing, amazing film. This film surpasses The Dark Knight in every way possible. There are scenes in this movie where I could not stop smiling, and there where scenes when I was holding back tears - tears of both joy and sadness. I came close to crying twice during this film, and that is because it is a truly powerful movie. Anne Hatherway and Michael Caine stole the show in my opinion. Whenever Selina Kyle is on screen, she steals the spotlight and has you right in the palm of her hand. Alfred delivers on some fantastic lines packed with such emotion, and actually makes you feel for him and what he has had to put up with. Tom Hardy as Bane is menacing, alien and evil. His voice is fine, albeit a little Dark Vader-like. Bane in the film absolutely destroys. He is a monster. Tom Hardy did a fantastic job of playing him.  I have been a Batman fan my whole life, and I feel this film is an excellent goodbye from Christopher Nolan, Christian Bale and the rest of the cast and crew. The Dark Knight Rises has things in it that will make Batman fans happy - things I won't get into due to spoilers. This is not a review, it is just me giving. Also, may everyone who died Aurora, Colorado rest in peace. My condolences go out to the family and friends of those who have had their life taken away in an act of cowardice and maliciousness. I am truly crestfallen by this. My heart goes out to everyone mourning.

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DmC Reboot is Better Than You

I know I've made a post on DmC: Devil May Cry before, however, I keep on seeing complaints about the game that don't actually seem like a good reason to hate.  Dante's New Look: I, for one, like Dante's new look, okay. Are we cool on this? I hope so, I don't want to get into a scrap here, you know. Look, this is a reboot of the series, and with this, things are bound to be different - like his hair, for example so people don't get confused over the original and reboot. Also, have any of you guys considered that his hair may turn white later on in the game, or that his hair is already white but he dyes it? Or that it's a goddamn reboot?! Anyway, his hair turns white when he's in his Devil Trigger mode. Dante's New Attitude: Dante is still cool as hell and you know this. Does he make sarcastic comments? Yes. Does he still act like a cool SOB? Yes. Does he still like pizza? Yes. The only thing different here is, is that he smokes, and he is also, apparently, a sexual deviant. The Fighting: The fighting from what I saw looks as fast and fun as ever, so I don't know where these complaints are coming from. Also, have you considered that maybe, just maybe, the fighting will look even better and more polished once it's finished and released? Because, if you hadn't noticed, the game isn't even out yet. Honestly, the "fans" of the series are taking this thing way too serious. Since when did gamers become such fashion freaks? If they don't like the way something looks, they'll boycott it.  The same is also going on for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - a game I cannot wait for. And yes, I am a huge Metal gear SOLID fan, just so you know, but I won't get into that right now because I've already spoken about it, and also what has been said here can also be used for Metal Gear Rising. 

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Yakuza 3 Review | PS3

Uncle Kaz is here to smash mans faces in with elegance and bicycles. It's amazing, utterly amazing.  I'd imagine this is what Japan is actually like. If it isn't, I'm going to be very disappointed. 

I LOVE the Yakuza series, and Yakuza 3 is my favourite one out of the four games. I love Kiryu Kazuma, the beautiful bastard. I just thought I'd get that out of the way before getting the review underway.

This is gaming perfection. Well, this and Vanquish, of course. 

If you were to ask me what is it I love about gaming, I'd answer with the Yakuza series, the Metal Gear Solid series, Portal 1 & 2, Vanquish, and Dark Souls, and maybe Zelda. That's the kinda guy I am. Now, if you come at me with Call of Duty I will rip my shirt off and throw a bicycle at you, no joke. I don't take that kind of tomfoolery around here.

The Yakuza game are like a spiritual sequel to the Shenmue games but with more/better action, according to others.

Yakuza 3 sees you playing as Kiryu Kazuma, video gaming's hardest bastard. And now, he has given up is Yakuza ways and now, surprisingly, runs an orphanage with help from Haruka - she is somewhat a daughter figure to him, and she's awesome - and he has to go shopping, prepare meals, chase dogs and buy ice cream - it's brilliant.

Oh, and also smashing mans faces in with other mans faces. It's magic. 

The setting for the first part of the game is Okinawa, and that's actually may favourite setting in the game, because it's beautiful and homely - something that intensifies later on in the game. The other setting in the famous Kamurocho, the location of past Yakuza games, and while good, it just doesn't compare to Okinawa, but that's just me personally.

The story is well told, and to avoid spoilers, I'll just say that Uncle Kaz is dragged back to the Yakuza ways to kick ass and don his sexy suit. The characters and their interaction with each other is what really keeps you invested, because I know for me personally, I wanted to know what was going to happen to everyone and everything. There is a touching moment in the game that will bring you to tears or close to it, and to have that in a game like this is truly brave. Such a spectacular, heart breaking moment.

The gameplay is where it is at, and it is excellent, let me tell you. You can literally throw smash a guys face into a wall and then beat him with a bicycle tire. The game has a random battle system where you'll be walking and then all of a sudden you'll be confronted by some goon looking for money. You can level up and unlock devastating moves to unleash on goons and bosses alike. The fighting is tremendous fun, and the fun increases tenfold when you're beating someone with bicycle or pulling off a hurricanrana in a drunken haze.   There are tons and tons of side missions to partake in if you want to take a break from the story, and by completing them you gain experience points to level up. 

Yakuza 3 is a lot of fun and worthy of your time. To me, the Okinawa location is what makes this Yakuza better than the rest. I highly, highly, highly recommend this game to everyone as it shouldn't be a game to skip on. If you like action, story and characters, then pick this game up you will not be disappointed. 

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Enslaved: Odyssey To The West Review | PS3, Xbox 360

Journey to the west... and robots.

This exuberant game is brought to you by the marvelous Ninja Theory.

The game is based on a old chinese story called Journey to the West - a story which influenced the Japanese manga Dragon Ball - and instead of being set in China, it's actually set in a destroyed America, filled with plantation and blue skies; the popular monochromatic design that has plagued many games this generation has taken a backseat to colours and beauty.

The game starts off with Monkey, our hero, enslaved up on some sort of flying prison. However, that doesn't last for long as a young female prisoner escapes from her pod and causes things to explode, and this is where Monkey is able to free himself and escape.

From here on you take control, but it's merely an tutorial on how things work. You fight some robots, and do some platforming. Nothing special.

Once things take a turn for the worst, i.e. things go boom and the very spaceship you're standing on is about to crash, Monkey jumps on an escape pod, one already in use - and, believe it or not, it's being used by the woman responcable for this whole mess and your escape.

After the crash landing, Monkey wakes up groggy as can be only to notice he's being started at by the woman that was in the escape pod -- and she's placed a slave headband on our Monkey. After some rage from Monkey, she is able to calm him down and have a chat with him. She informs him should her heart stop for any reason at all, the headband will discharge a lethal dose and he will die. You could say she persuades him to escort her back home safely, but it's more like blackmail. Monkey agrees to help her get back home safely, but it's not like he had a choice really? Crazy woman. Anyway, shortly after they introduce themselves to one another - whose name is Trip - and then set off.

This is where our journey (to the west) begins. From here on out you'll be battling robots with your snazzy little stick of punishment. You'll also be using Trip for useful distractions so you can use your sneaking skills to creep up on a robot and bash it to bits with your stick.

  Monkey is a boisterous chap that isn't afraid to kick a little ass, while Trip is a tech-savvy geek that is afraid to get her ass kicked. From the start Monkey is a likable character, whereas Trip's likability doesn't even show up for quite some time. However, once she starts to open up you really start to care about her and her journey back home. Monkey and Trip establish a bond throughout the game, making the playthrough is a joy. You want to know more about who these characters are and where they are heading.

Voice acting by the two characters is simply sublime. Andy Serkis does an absolutely outstanding job playing Monkey, for it's his sincerity and emotion that really drives his performance home. While I was playing this I thought I was watching a real life documentary numerous times all because of the realism and talent this man possesses. Never before, to me, has a voice actor been so real. Such a brilliant actor. Elsewhere we have Lindsey Shaw playing the female lead Trip and delivering a great performance, too. The two work off of each other so well. Lastly we have Richard Ridings playing Pigsy, a short, pig-looking man who just so happens to have a little thing for Trip. This guy, like the other two, delivers a great performance. He and Andy Serkis have some funny moments together. Definitely some good stuff from all three voice actors.

Visually, this game is beautiful. You won't find monochromatism here, no, because this game using a wide colour palette ranging from lush greens to melancholic blues to vibrant reds. This post apocalyptic world is like no other.

The game isn't without its flaws as numerous time glitches and bugs make an unwanted appearance, breaking up what once was nice fluid gameplay. At one point Monkey had fallen through the solid concrete underneath his feet to his death, and this happened a few times. The game would sometimes freeze, causing me frustration as I was just about to defeat a pesky boss.

Despite the bugs and glitches, this game is a delight to play. Truly one of the best games of 2010, and one of the must plays of the generation. If you like excellent characters and story, then I would highly recommend this game. Unfortunately, this game didn't sell well at all, despite it being a fantastic journey, and unfortunately, that means no sequel. However, Ninja Theory have DmC Devil May Cry out this year, so please, buy it and show your support.

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Ico Review | PS2, PS3

A decade old game that is certainly unknown by the vast majority of gamers but yet is highly praised by those that played it and hailed as one of the most enjoyable, beautiful, mysterious and sincere gaming experiences to ever hit the PlayStation 2 back when it was released in 2002 (2001 for Japan and US). So, a decade has passed since its release and times have changed, no longer do we see video games like this, or rather, games that are like this are hidden beneath the rubble of the high-action kill-'em-ups that have risen to fame of the past couple of years. However, thanks to Sony and Team Ico, we are now, once again, able to experience and enjoy this classic tale. A third person platform puzzler, you are whisked off into this artistic, lonely castle where you play as Ico, a boy with "cursed horns," who is imprisoned in a stone coffin and left to face whatever awaits him -- probably death. Oh, wait. Ico is able to break free from imprisonment and seeks freedom once more. You start off looking for any means of escape, e.g., climbing chains, conquering heights and braving what could very well be a death drop. Shortly after you begin to search the castle, you meet and rescue a glowing white female whose name is Yorda. From this point onward, it is Ico's goal to protect Yorda -- while she decides to stand around and get caught by the enemies of the game. Yorda, while a cute, glowing girl, is quite the ditzy one, because far too often she will forget how to climb a ladder in the heat of a chase, stop mid in the middle of a walk and walk around in circle while you're screaming at your TV wanting to save. These things drag the enjoyment down, unfortunately. Frustration ultimately sets in when Yorda gets captured by the shadowy enemy that has been halting our freedom from the get-go, and while this is happening, you've climbed up a chain to ensure your escape. However, with the frustrating battles that happen every so often, it's hard to stay frustrated due to the absolutely beautiful game world and rich, heart-soothing atmosphere; the sound of the birds and the winds blowing always warms my heart and makes me feel at ease. This is where my love for Ico really sets in, for whenever I play it I place Ico under a tree, let Yorda chase butterflies and just let the rich atmosphere take over. Truly magical in every sense of the word. The game's conclusion is something special that with bring sadness and a smile to that player's heart. Yes, I would greatly prefer it if this game had no enemies what so ever, hell it could even be my faveourite game if I didn't have to battle those pesky Yorda-stealing enemies. Still, the game is a joy to play, and the atmosphere and artistic beauty is pure magic that should not be missed.

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Pandas in the Mist | Original Game Concept/Bogus Movie Idea

Where are the panda video games? Seriously. Where they at yo? Look, shooting things with your big man guns is cool 'n' all, but there really needs to be a video game about a rogue panda that battles some robotic enemies with his (or her) bamboo sword. Honestly, now that would be fun and hell. We've got TMNT, they're cool, so why not just take what makes them cool and sprinkle some of their magic and lovability onto a rogue panda? Throw in some emotion and Wall-E moments for our human side. And for the girls, they love Wall-E. They also love pandas. Profit. Anyway, this should totally happen. Fucking macho gaming is so stoopid. If this game idea is too far out there, how 'bouts a Disney movie? Throw some Mickey Mouse ears on the panda to make him fit in. Genius.   If you have no idea what I'm talking about, don't feel bad because neither do I. It's late and I'm bored, stop judging me. 

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Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Is Rising Above Hate

"METAL GEAR SOLID RISING SUHKS BCOS ITZ IZNT A PROPR METAL GEAR SOLID GAME U FOOLZ!!!!1 KOJIMA PLZ STOOP THIS MADNESS I IZ BEGGING OF UZ!! OUFH!! DX<" This, my friends, is the internet. This is the angry gamer on the internet revealing his stupidity to the world. This sort of thing happens way too often so I should really ignore it, but they're so loud and obnoxious that I just can't. I honestly can't. Firstly, the game isn't a Metal Gear Solid game - it's a Metal Gear game. That's it. It's a spinoff, what is so hard to understand, honestly? Honestly? Seriously, explaining this to a brick wall and having it actually understand is 10x simpler than having one of these blind haters understand. That is terrifying. The future is looking like a bleak, dead wasteland from the idiocy that is plaguing the scene at the moment. OK, I didn't mean to call you idiots. I'm sorry. If I knew you in person I'd give you a cookie and pat you on the head, you little scamp.  Look. I know you love yourself some sneaky-sneaky stealth espionage with a buff champ who goes by the name of Snake. And you know what? I LOVE IT, TOO. Those games make me weak in the knee, and give me a nightclub of butterflies in my stomach. Swoon. Yes, true love. So please, don't think I'm kicking Hideo Kojima's love child in the gut with my words, no. I'm delivering a swift kick of justice to the gut of the haters of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. My apologies, friends. The game isn't apart of the main series, so why are people demanding retribution? Here's what I think: I think the MGS fan base want the next installment of the main series, or they'd rather have Metal Gear Rising be exactly like the games from the main installment. However, if that is so, then what would be the point in even having a spinoff if all it is going to be is a clone of the main series but with a cyborg lead character? Surely a different style of gameplay would be what's needed for a spinoff, correct? But yet, having different gameplay, setting, tone is what's driving the fans so mad. Sure, if this game was Metal Gear Solid, then I'd know where they're coming from. But it isn't so that leaves me perplexed. Raiden, a cyborg ninja, in his own game, not be allowed to go balls to the wall in sheer ninja action would be a misstep for the game, in my personal opinion, of course. Who doesn't want to slice and dice a bunch of mooing Gekko's with a lighting sword? I know I sure as hell do. A high octane action thrill ride with the essence of Metal Gear sprinkled in there is surely a recipe for greatness. Fast paced, adrenaline action sounds pretty tempting on its own, I know, but to add that the game is being developed by the highly talented Platinum Games is definitely something to raise the excitement. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is not a Metal Gear, so we all should quit acting like it is. Give the game a chance, you may even like it. In the end, we should just be thankful it didn't turn out to be COD clone. Because damn, it's not like we haven't go enough of those, right?

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DIR EN GREY - DUM SPIRO SPERO REVIEW

Release date: 3rd August 2011 Kyo - Vocals Kaoru - Guitar Die -Guitar Toshiya - Bass Shinya - Drums DIR EN GREY return to the scene once more to unleash their chaotic beauty upon the world. Dum Spiro Spero is unlike its predecessor Uroboros, for the band have dived like hell into the abyss, creating the most vile, crushing and beautiful songs the band has every created. The songs on this album are definitely not for the frail, for this album hosts the band's most raw, dangerous, chaotic and beautiful songs yet - which is, after all, the direction the band has been heading in since 2005's Marrow of the Bone - it is far from easy listening. The songs, chaotic as they may be, take you on a wonderful and abstract journey like no other.  The album is full of wonderful subtle moments of brilliance that will certainly be missed on the first listen. The opening instrumental Kyoukotsu no Nari is definitely this. On first listen, it's just an opening for the album, no big deal. However, listen to it with your full attention and you'll come to realise that it is telling a story - the story of the band's journey to release this album. It is filled with emotion and mystique, setting the tone of what's about to come. The first actual song is The Blossoming Beelzebub, a melodic enigma which, musically and vocally, is a beautifully twisted journey you'll want to experience.  Next up is Different Sense, a song that delivers bone-crushing guitars, vocals, bass and drums. Kyo unleashes his furious grows and high-pitched shrieks at the start of the song before settling into a melodic chorus. Shinya's drums on this song and throughout the entire album are on point. Perfection. Pounding away, creating some of the most wonderful beats in metal today. It's very unfortunate that he doesn't get the recognition he deserves; forever dancing in the background, a stoic character that is giving it his all but goes unnoticed by the majority of the fans. The bass is earth-rumbling, to say the least. Toshiya's bass playing is amazing as always. A very talented individual. Both Kaoru and Die unleash hell on guitar. Creating a beautiful match of sheer brutality and beauty is truly a sign of their fantastic musicianship. Kyo's vocals take centre stage on the album, delivering ground-shattering guttural growls, high-pitched shrieks, bellow, croon, scream, whispers and beautiful clean singing. Kyo has stepped up his game for this outing, delivering some very memorable vocal performances. The song that showcases some of his amazing vocal ability is Yokusō ni Dreambox' Aruiwa Seijuku no Rinen to Tsumetai Ame, my favourite song off the album, as he unleashes chants, clean singing, high clean vocals, and utterly insane high pitched screams, growls, fast shrieks and monstrous sounds. I've always called Kyo a Japanese version of Mike Patton, and now with his performance on this song and the album it's pretty much set in cement. Yes, Kyo is that talented of a vocalist. This album isn't an easy listen, to say the least. I love DIR EN GREY, they're my all time favourite band, but when I bought this album on release day I wasn't a huge fan of it. Don't get me wrong, I liked it but just not as much as Uroboros or their earlier work. However, after a few more listens it began to sink its claws into me. After those few more listens I began to love it, and this was good because about a week later I would be going to see them for the second time at KOKO in London on 12th August. The album is great, but may require a few listens to fully digest it. The album is both heavy and beautifully melodic, which creates something beautiful. While I like the album a lot, it isn't my favourite album by them, though it does have some of my favourite songs. I'm positive the very zealous fan base has already heard the album and have their own opinion on it, but maybe I can get some new people on to the album who are looking for something heavy & unique.

[attackofthemutantmisery-blog]

Is Soul Sacrifice A Demon's Souls Sequel?

New Vita title Soul Sacrifice has been revealed by Japan's Famitsu magazine. A six page ad of Soul Sacrifice has got people speculating that this new title could be a sequel to PlayStation 3 exclusive Demon's Souls (2009). As much as I loved Demon's Souls, I wouldn't want to see a sequel to it where From Software aren't at the helm of it. However, Demon's Souls is owned by Sony, and they could release a sequel to the much beloved game if they chose to. The fans of the 'Souls series' would be giddy with joy if it were true, provided they take note at what From Software has done with Dark Souls. A six page ad in a magazine for a game that isn't an established IP is peculiar to say the very least, and it certainly adds very strong footing for the rumours of it actually being a Demon's Souls sequel. A 'Souls' game for the Vita will surely pique a lot of gamers interest in Sony's newest handheld device. We know nothing of it yet, but for the sake if it let's just say that this game is a sequel to Demon's Souls, and let's say From Software aren't the ones developing it. Would that be something people want? I know I don't, that's for sure. However, a lot of Sony loyalists wouldn't care and they'd pick it up anyway simply because it's a sequel to cult hit wonder. In 2011 Dark Souls was released - a spiritual sequel to Demon's Souls, developed my From Software - and the game seemed to get nothing but love and praise. From Software took all the best things from Demon's Souls and improved on them tenfold, as well as adding a bunch of excellent new features and content. A lot of work went into this game, simply making it one of the best gaming experiences this generation, as well as being an absolutely tough as nails game that is set in an a deep, rich atmospheric world.  Would Sony's rumoured Demon's Souls sequel be able to go toe to toe with From Software's gaming perfection? Probably not, but we should know by now to never underestimate Sony.  Artwork from Sony's Soul Sacrifice certainly is good, but it doesn't match the style of Demon's Souls/Dark Souls artwork, which actually leads me to believe that the game isn't a game of the same cloth as Demon's Souls or Dark Souls, but something else entirely. But whatever the case, the design of the monsters sure does have me excited. We will unfortunately have to wait until May 10 for the unveiling of Sony's true fantasy game. Disappointment will surely arise if Soul Sacrifice isn't a sequel to Demon's Souls as people are hoping. However, for a game that has a six page ad for it, we should definitely be keeping an eye on it no matter if it isn't what we think/hope it is. 

[attackofthemutantmisery-blog]

Is DmC's Dante Finally Getting Some Love?

2010's Tokyo Game Show was a dark day for gamers. A very dark day. No, no one die - but Devil May Cry did make a comeback with a revamped Dante. Yes, we gamers are drama queens. Devil May Cry made its triumphant return at the Tokyo Game Show (TGS) and turned the world upside down in the process. If you weren't around for this dark day, you'll be asking yourself why gamers would be having fits of rage over this, right? Of course, why wouldn't you? Dante, the once coolest guy in video games (first and third, the other two... well, it's best not to think about them, they only causes misery) had now been turned into a black-haird--the original Dante had white hair--punk rocker that likes to have a cigarette to go a long with his sexual deviant lifestyle. This is what caused the gamer to explode with absolute earth-trembling, hades-rising rage. No, I'm serious. Hell, a few gamers got so mad they sent death threats to the developers. Ah, aren't gamers the sweetest bunch? Ok admittedly, me being a huge fan of the original Devil May Cry games when they were released, I got a little upset over Dante's new look. However, after taking time to read about the new game, I realised that the game was actually a reboot of the entire series, and it would be showing Dante's earlier years when he was still young, I now felt somewhat content with this new look, even if I still greatly preferred his look in Devil May Cry 3. If there's one thing I felt absolutely positive about with this reboot, it was the fact that Ninja Theory were behind it. Ninja Theory's games have absolutely fantastic characters and dialog, as well as some emotional pieces throughout the game. As a gamer, I love a good story and sublime characters. I love feeling like I'm getting to know the characters, their lives and their weaknesses. But I also love good gameplay, and that is one thing Devil May Cry has always excelled at whereas Ninja Theory's games have been good, just not of the same caliber of DMC. So how does Ninja Theory's DmC match up against the originals? Well, pretty good actually. From recent gameplay footage, it seems the gameplay is just as fast and tight as ever. Ninja Theory know what they're doing from the looks of things. It seems as though that a lot of the hate that was plaguing Devil May Cry's next outing has been somewhat been turned into positivity and excitement. For a game that was once the bane of the gamer across the internet to actually get some positive vibes from those that once hated it is surely a sign that Ninja Theory is doing something right. The game is set to release sometime this year, it'll be good to finally get to start a new chapter in Dante's life. Let's hope Ninja Theory can deliver on one of my most hyped games of the year.

[attackofthemutantmisery-blog]

Stopping The Wii U Hate

You know what I hate about the damn Wii U? The fact that it isn't out yet, I really wanna try that thing out. But do you know what the all powerful internet community hates about it? EVERYTHING. Except me - I've never played it, I have no personal opinion on it, sorry.  Gaming folk generally like to hate on things before they even know what it is they're hating on. It's like a playground full of man-babies making fun of something just so they feel secure about the thing they cherish the most - in this case, a toy. This amazing place known as the internet is full of porn, insecurity, lame 'over 9,000' jokes and console name calling. The last one may seem really bizarre, but I swear it's the absolute truth. People do, in fact, say a console sucks just to make their day a little better. And if you say an exclusive isn't all that good, then they will call you childish names and probably stalk you.  Last year at E3, Nintendo revealed to the world their next home console and it's to be called the Wii U. Oh, what a confusion that was. At the time, nobody knew what was going on, the internet had been turned upside down. Was this supposed console just a controller with a screen on it? Nobody knew. Nobody. We're pretty dumb. But Nintendo, seeing our confused state and manly tears, made the announcement to the world that the Wii U wasn't just a controller with a screen on it, no, it was a console. It was an actual console. Music to our ears. But why didn't they show it? This was on the lips of the internet. Why, Nintendo, why? Well, over on YouTube there was some footage of the console and it was ugly looking, way too long - I can see why they opted for the no show. However, there was another issues that caused the internet to unleash utter chaos-- on forums, but chaos nonetheless-- and that was the name 'Wii U.' It caused people to have a mini-sick and have the entire internet facepalm in unison. But I can see where they're coming from, it is a horrible name - a horrible, horrible name - but I've grown to accept it like an unwanted child; however, I'll never understand why they never opted for the always simple, always sexy 'Wii 2.' Then again, this is Nintendo, they don't follow the gaming guidelines, they MAKE the guidelines. Or so I'm told. Recently an unknown in the gaming industry came out from the darkness and told us, the gamer, that the Wii U just isn't as powerful as the PS3 and Xbox 360. However, before this unknown fellow came out from the woodwork, there were named companies that couldn't help but praise the power of the Wii U. THQ Employee:  The Wii U is full of potential as far as specs go. the Wii U version of games from ALL developers and publishers, have potential for much smoother framerates, improved textures, and additional bonus content that the 360/PS3 version's won't have. In a way, buying the Wii U version over the 360/PS3 versions, will be like buying the Blu-ray version of a movie instead of the standard dvd version. You get better visuals, and more additional content with the Wii U version of any game compared to the other console version. But this will only happen as long as a developer or publisher puts in the time and effort instead of doing a straight port. There you have it. Bare in mind, this is from a developer and publisher that's practically standing in daylight, on top of the stage and giving the facts of what this machine will do - not hiding their identity. Surely this is more to go on than some anonymous' facts, right?   Not to say this unknown developer isn't telling the truth, but there seems to be more legitimacy that comes from a known developer. I don't know a thing, I'm just some guy on the internet. From my standing, I'm taking the anonymous developers statements with a grain of salt. Nintendo is all about delivering a fantastic gaming experience, but if they can deliver the same great fun they always manage to achieve as well as having a powerful machine, I'd say ol' Ninty have a winner. It'll be fun seeing what Sony and Microsoft bring to the table with their next console outing, too. Not much more I can say, to be honest.