Six years ago, when the original PlayStation was console-king, there was a demo. A game demo, that came with the Official PlayStation Magazine, that because of me being a fanboy when I was fourteen and younger, I bought religiously. That demo was Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2. The demo lasted a fantastically short two minutes, and for everyday of that summer holiday, I played and played. The level was the skatepark in Marseille, and after much practicing and practicing I would get the score of just over 200 000, which for me, as an unknowing teenager, was a fantastic achievement. So it's interesting that in six years, not a lot has changed.

There's arguments that the videogame industry is built entirely on yearly sequels, and the Hawk's series is an example of this. But when the game series is this fun and addictive, that should be the last of anyone's concerns. Naturally this new game benefits from the processing power of the "next-gen" consoles at hand, and frankly, virtual skateparks have never looked better. The controls are the same, the objectives similar, and in essence, nothing has changed bar a few tweaks and gimmicks. But the argument stays the same as it always has as far as the Hawk games are concerned: if it ain't broke, why fix it?

The eighth game in the series and the playability is still there more than ever. Within five minutes playing you feel immediately at home with the controls and game design, and feelings of being re-acquainted with an old friend are almost certainly there. The thing is however, this game isn't so much a rebirth, or even an evolution, it's just the same game as it was four years ago sans the loading times. The game world however is fantastic and full of possibilities in a vein similar to the GTA series, and despite there being no conventional loading screens, they are there, and the framerate at times can be terribly excruciating, the same when the game is taken online, which, bizarrely, is missing a spectator option. The main story mode too can be a little short, and after just a day of solid play the game can be cracked. That's not to say there's not any lifespan to the game, as challenges and ever-larger high-score runs will always be there should you wish to return. The leaderboards too are also successful in continuing this design idea.

For newcomers and veterans alike, understandably Project 8 is a fantastic game playing experience. As a game it doesn't introduce much to the series, but really, with this series in particular, what else were you expecting? It's inevitable that this time next year i'll be saying exactly the same thing about the ninth game, but with constant control innovations from Nintendo, maybe, maybe next year a true innovation will be made to the series.

Labels: Videogames, Xbox 360

I spent time with family, I ate lots of food, I watched the comedic stylings of UK Soap Dramas, and I got lots of presents...



...but the SpudTrooper was my favourite.

Jon recently posted a list of his favourite female videogame characters of all time. With no intention to rival or challenge his nominations in any way, i've created a list of my own, naturally including both genders, and then some. Why? I just like lists.

In no order whatsoever then-

Solid Snake, the Metal Gear series.
A war-veteran, a hero, and someone who despite their best efforts will always be alone in life. His appeal undoubtedly lies in the fact he both battles and lives by and for himself, and along with the games, there's certainly a lesson to be learnt from his character in general. One of the last good game series Sony has as an exclusive too.

Sonic the Hedgehog, the Sonic the Hedgehog series.
Only true dedicated fans would argue that the newer generation of STH games were just as good as the early years, but despite these design shortcomings in videogame playability, it's hard to forget that in the nineties, Sonic really was the coolest videogame character in the world.

Pikachu, the Pokemon series of games and it's spin-offs.
His vocabulary may be limited to a simple "Pikachu" and his emotions merely a squiggly line on his forehead, but when it comes to Nintendo and the Pokemon brand in general, he's easily one of the characters that come to mind very quickly. An icon for his series of games, and certainly, a merchandise designer's wet-dream.

Rikku, Final Fantasy X & Final Fantasy X-2.
The problem according to many with FFX was that Tidus plain and simple was a loser. The storyline too is also negatively discussed as well with it's complete absurdness and it's feeble attempts at time differences and blackholes, but in amongst all the mess there is hope, and her name is Rikku. Clearly the light humour for a heavy-as-hell dullathon she's charming, quirky, and oh-so irresistible.


Yoshimitsu, the Tekken series of videogames.
Space-ninja, cyborg-pirate, future-philanthropist, whatever you want to call him, he's easily the oddest out of an already odd-as-hell videogame cast. A green sword that lights up? That's almost fit for inclusion itself.

Toads, the Mario games.
They make Mario grow strong, and shuffle along the screen from left to right. Like Rikku, they're incredibly cute and charming.

Yorda, Ico.
Characters with a little bit of mystery and a surreal personality about them are always the best, and Yorda's no exception to that ruling. Where she came from, what she does and where she lives are questions that we the gameplayer have to interperet for ourselves, but if there was no Yorda, clearly, there would be no Ico game. Easily an example of a supporting character given a far bigger role than intended.

Albert Wesker, Resident Evil and all it's spin-offs.
It's a common misconception in survival horror and Resident Evil in particular, is that the villans of the game are the numerous grunts after you on screen. This isn't true, as Albert Wesker's involvement in every RE game proves only too well. At a stretch Resident Evil is "his" story, and like real life, the only villans in the world are, shockingly, our own human race.

Pikmin of various size and colour, Pikmin 1 & 2.
A fantastic example of Nintendo character design in the current generation. Which variation of Pikmin is the best? I just couldn't decide...

Captain Qwark, the Ratchet & Clank series.
A superhero that ain't too super, a buffoon that's out of this world, clearly the parallels to Zapp Brannigan of Futurama fame are there.



Finally, while she doesn't make my list per se, in regards to Jon's own list, I think Ayane is definately the better of the ninja sisters from Dead or Alive...

Via BBC News-

Joseph Barbera, one half of the team behind such cartoon classics as The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, Scooby-Doo and Huckleberry Hound, has died, aged 95.

With a career as illustrious as his was, he's clearly someone who's going to be missed from within the industry, but also as a result of his work's impact on culture in general, he's someone who's also going to be missed by a lot of people in general.

Clearly, a sad day for animation and fans of TV alike.

GameFAQs.com are renowned as much for their daily poll perhaps unfortunately as their actual game walkthroughs and guides. A question for today's poll then, entitled "How much time do you spend outside each day?" was surely guaranteed to end in disaster.



The answer is yes.

"Happy Feet" is the tale of a young emperor penguin, who in regards to the movie title, likes to dance. The problem is he lives in a society where his species are not renowned for their dancing, and rather, for their singing. Increasingly with all the new CG animations the underlying theme of "be yourself" is a common trait, but with this film it's a notion that's a lot more fully realised, and more of a central focus.

Given the theme and title, the movie is understandably full of singing and dancing all against white glaciers and mountains. The choreography and action similarly is as you'd expect and is very loud, fast and vibrant. The most surprising thing in regards to all this is that it's part of the film's overall charm and what essentially separates it from all the other CG Films that get released month-in month-out. The singing and dancing for the most part is a lot of fun to watch -once you've adapted to the idea of course- so it's a shame then that it's not something that lasts forever in this film.

The truth is -and there's a spoiler imminent- there is such a morbidly dark section to this film about two-thirds of the way in. Suddenly the film goes far beyond a tale of penguins dancing and into far more dangerous storytelling territory, with the end result being lead-penguin being trapped in a zoo and slowly deteriorating, in what is easily one of the most surreal disgusting scenes ever to appear in a children's animation. I'm twenty, and even I was shocked at certain directions the film insisted on going in, and it soon became clear that this wasn't a film for either children or adults, rather, just some horrible place in between. The sad truth is, the second part of the film just feels thrown on for shits and giggles, and the adventure and environmental protection sub-theme that comes with this new direction just comes across as being rammed down our throats a little too much, and definately something that will go completely over the younger audience.

Regardless of it's mixed messages, Happy Feet is a good film. It's charming, it's fun, and a real release from all the other far more serious storytelling in cinema nowadays. Understandably it's a shame then that this film itself can't stay like this forever and does move into darker territory, but the underlying messages are there all the same, and there is something to be learned from the film, whether you approve of it or not. As a children's film, I don't think it scores as highly, and when the DVD release arrives, it may be a good idea to turn off just after an hour in, especially if you've got younger ones. But it's good all the same, slightly underwhelming perhaps given the hype, but then, what CG animated film doesn't disappoint nowadays?

NME, a magazine more interested in indie-rock-gossip than indie-rock itself have unveiled their fifty albums of the year, and shock-horror, it's actually pretty good.

Naturally there's guff in there like The Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen and Panic!At the Disco, but all things considering the list is pretty stellar, with even cult (un)socially-approved trio The Longcut appearing, as well as The Secret Machines. The most surprising thing about the list though is the incredibly high position awarded to the Yeah Yeah Yeah's follow-up record "Show Your Bones", which was, indeed, one of my favourite records this year as well. One thing is for sure however with this list- Wolfmother certainly deserve a higher placing than forty seven...

1. Arctic Monkeys - ‘Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not’
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - ‘Show Your Bones’
3. Muse - ‘Black Holes And Revelations’
4. Hot Chip - ‘The Warning’
5. CSS - ‘Cansei De Ser Sexi’
6. Gnarls Barkley - ‘St Elsewhere’
7. Long Blondes - ‘Someone To Drive You Home’
8. The Strokes - ‘First Impressions Of Earth’
9. Kasabian - ‘Empire’
10. My Chemical Romance - ‘The Black Parade’
11. Howling Bells - ‘Howling Bells’
12. The Killers - ‘Sam’s Town’
13. Panic! At The Disco - ‘A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out’
14. TV On The Radio - ‘Return To Cookie Moutain’
15. Thom Yorke - ‘The Eraser’
16. Amy Winehouse - ‘Back To Black’
17. The Futureheads - ‘News And Tributes’
18. The Rapture - ‘Pieces Of The People We Love’
19. The Longcut - ‘A Call And Response’
20. The Streets - ‘The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living’
21. The Raconteurs - ‘Broken Boy Soldiers’
22. The Flaming Lips - ‘At War With The Mystics’
23. The Knife - ‘Silent Shout’
24. The Secret Machines - ‘Ten Silver Drops’
25. Mogwai - ‘Mr Beast’
26. Jarvis - ‘Jarvis’
27. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - ‘Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’
28. Morrissey - ‘Ringleader Of The Tormentors’
29. The Spinto Band - ‘Nice And Nicely Done’
30. Cat Power - ‘The Greatest’
31. The Sunshine Underground - ‘Raise The Alarm’
32. Lily Allen - ‘Alright, Still’
33. The Bronx - ‘The Bronx’
34. Albert Hammond Jr - ‘Yours To Keep’
35. Forward Russia - ‘Give Me A Wall’
36. Datarock - ‘Datarock’
37. Be Your Own Pet - ‘Be Your Own Pet’
38. Metric - ‘Live It Out’
39. The Young Knives - ‘Voices Of Animals And Men’
40. Midlake - ‘The Trials Of Van Occupanther’
41. The Gossip - ‘Standing In The Way Of Control’
42. The Automatic - ‘Not Accepted Anywhere’
43. Beck - ‘The Information’
44. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - ‘Ballad Of The Broken Seas’
45. Bob Dylan - ‘Modern Times’
46. Semi Finalists - ‘Semi Finalists’
47. Wolfmother - ‘Wolfmother’
48. Get Cape Wear Cape Fly - ‘The Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager’
49. Absentee - ‘Schmotime’
50. The Kooks - ‘Inside In/Inside Out’

Most of which money can't buy unfortunately...

• A trip around the set of Nip/Tuck. New or old, whatever.
• New Futurama Episodes, but now, instead of in 2008.
• A chance to punch Russell Brand before proceeding to cut his god damn hair.
• A total reform for the Smashing Pumpkins with new singles the same quality as "1979".
• A real life Pikachu
• Scarlett Johansson. Not her handbags, not her films, her.
• A visit to the house and a free gig from Rilo Kiley.
• A Sonic The Hedgehog game that isn't crap, but at the sametime, is in 3D.
• An intellectual chat with Leonardo da Vinci (exam pass marks for sure).
• A new US President, preferably someone as creative and brilliant as Shigeryu Miyamoto.

Maybe that's asking for a little too much? Failing that though, if anyone wants to get me a little something, go take a look at my Amazon.co.uk Wishlist.

Via Drowned in Sound-

"Popular comedy person and one-time druggie cunge Russell Brand - he has telly shows and everything - is to present 2007's coming to you live live LIVE Brit Awards on February 14."

Why encourage him? Russell Brand is clearly the most annoying thing to come out of the UK in absolute ages. Which, I suppose, goes hand in hand with the Brit Awards themselves...but more on that later when the awards show airs early next year.

Maybe i'm getting old, or maybe I just have a habit of hating "comedy" that the rest of the nation loves, but Russell Brand, on stage, with lots of celebrities and cameras focussed on him? That's televisual hell.

It's an interesting world we live in where I hear the comeback single of one of my favourite bands on my Xbox360 before I do a medium more currently associated with music, but I suppose that's a post for another day. "Light Grenades" is the sixth studio release from Californian alternatives Incubus, and was on sale from Monday. It seems like it's a release that's come from nowhere adding to the argument it's perhaps been rushed out for Christmas, but the real reason for this is perhaps the band's always lacklustre promotion as far as UK shores are concerned. Again, that's probably a post for another day.

"Anna Molly" is the lead single from the album, and after something of a subdued release last time round, it's reassuring that it's loud and with a sound you've come to expect from the surf-funk fivesome. "A Crow Left of the Murder" was by no means a dull record of course, but compared to usual Incubus standards, in essence, it was. The sound of "Anna Molly" is a return to the songs of long before that album, and arguably even before "Morning View". The raw and powerful vocal talents of frontman Brandon are naturally in place, and also as expected is the quiet emotional whispers in between each monster of a chorus, something really, you've come to expect from this man as a leadsinger.

Musically, "Anna Molly" is a lot louder than previous Incubus singles as we've already established, but there's also less funk and beats present in this lead-single than some of their other stuff, and the overall theme of the single is clearly positively-rocked-out. In someways it's nice to know the band are returning louder than ever when recent comebacks such as RHCP have given up on anything involving noise, but at the sametime, it's a little dissapointing the band have given up on their more mature acoustic sound so early. There's always time for that in the future though I suppose.

Rocking with confidence, complete with signature Brandon Boyd passion, "Anna Molly" disposes of past Incubus elements such as funk and mellows, but at the sametime, return with a sound you've come to expect. Who needs reinventions anyway?