tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23248847679626063862024-03-07T23:45:12.387-08:00Pleather 4 BreakfastThe question to all your problemsAndy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2324884767962606386.post-68781695701309151522011-02-05T18:54:00.000-08:002011-02-05T19:16:49.949-08:00The Rise and Rise of The Girl GamerAs a culture we, gamers, have a problem embracing change. We're getting better at it, but the last few years have proven time and time again that gamers are generally not as open minded as many of us would like to believe. The number of people who play games has grown to the point where there is almost no such thing as the typical 'gamer' anymore. This diversity is echoed by the emergence of new gaming experiences this generation has brought on. For a long time, so called 'hardcore' gamers were opposed to this growth, claiming the influx of new demographics would erode the demand for more traditional games. This hasn't happened, nor was it ever going to. <br /><br />Now, thanks to the publicity around <a href="http://fatuglyorslutty.com/">Fat, Ugly or Slutty</a>, a website archiving abusive PSN and XBL messages aimed at girls ranging from simply sexist to face-palmingly dumb, we know that not only are there people who believe games should be made just to suit them and their tastes, but also that there are men in the world who feel that there is no room for girls who share that taste. I feel it's time to share a little of my personal life. <br /><br />My girlfriend is a reluctant gamer. Wary of the specific skill-sets each new game requires her to learn, and the time comittment many solo campaigns demand, she is particularly choosy about what games she plays. However, having been raised on a gaming diet similar to mine, Sonic, Golden Axe, Crash Bandicoot, Tomb Raider etc., her taste, in my opinion, is generally quite good. LittleBigPlanet, Kingdom Hearts, Bioshock, LocoRoco, even some Final Fantasy titles have all found themselves places in her heart. <br /><br />But there's a bigger point to this rant. She may be picky about her games, and she may avoid playing certain titles for reasons many would mock her for, but it has to be said; she's good. Dead or Alive 2, Killzone, Burnout 3, Soul Calibur 4, BlazBlue, Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros., all games she has bested me in at some point or another. When she watches me play single-player platformers, she frequently figures out where to go next before I do and if there's a puzzle to be solved, she's got it solved from the sidelines in no time. Sometimes it bothers me she doesn't play more, she's clearly got the head for it. <br /><br />Recently, at her house after Christmas I coaxed her into trying the multiplayer in Assassins Creed: Brotherhood. As expected, she was reluctant. Conscious, and nervous, about wandering into its murderous-multiplayer environment as n00b, let alone a female n00b with an obviously female PSN name, she eventually agreed to give it a shot. <br /><br />Firstly, I feel it should be said that as far as online-multiplayer goes, AC: Brotherhood is not only one of the best experiences I've had, but also one of the fairest. It's very difficult to feel hard-done by when playing, even when things aren't going your way. The incentives are there to do well, and even when these incentives are used against you (poison knives, guns etc.) they only serve as reminders that they will be in your hands soon enough if you just plough through it. My girlfriend was about to experience this for herself. <br /><br />Once she'd grasped the basic premise and pulled off a few kills she'd developed a taste for it and lo and behold, was quite good at it. Soon enough she found herself placing 1st, 2nd or 3rd in ranked matches, often ahead of players of much higher levels than her. Within less than two hours she had shot up 14 levels. Inexplicably, I found this incredibly attractive. In fact, part of what really endeared me to my girlfriend when we first met was the fact that she was into games at all, never mind how good she was with them.<br /><br />So initially, I found it hard to understand the derision with which my fellow man viewed girl gamers. On reflection, however, it is condusive with the social journey games have gone on since their inception. At first, games were exclusively for geeky boys, because geeky boys were the only ones who liked them. The Nintendo/Sega era widened this demographic from 'geeky boys' to 'boys' and at that point, probably some girls. Playstation changed everything and gave games a sense of cool they'd never enjoyed before and since then the market has only gotten wider still. While socially introverted geeks/nerds such as myself find the idea of girls playing games socially reassuring and appealing, if we liken the late-comers to cool kids or jocks, as juvenile as that may seem, their frat-boy-esque chauvenism is easy to understand. Those who understand gamings colourful social history are happy to see it take in all kinds of newcomers, those unaware of its history see it as something to keep outsiders away from. Perhaps I'm taking them too seriously. The spelling ability these men showcase would definitely make one think so. <br /><br />I was hesitant to write about this 'girl gamer' issue because I like to think there are bigger things to think about with regards to games than whether or not girls play them. In talking about this gender divide, all we do is create the consequences that we claim to detest. We fuel the idea that girls playing games is an odd thing, in turn justifying unwarranted self importance in both the girls who play and the males who take issue with it. If even half the people who know better just shut up about it, the egomaniacs and chauvenists would be exposed for just that and soon, I believe, would find themselves in a very distinct minority. <br /><br />In short, if we ignore it, it will go away. <br /><br />TL;DR: Girls play games. Get over it. Everyone. <br /><br />Andy xAndy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2324884767962606386.post-52932954479005901732010-09-09T10:32:00.000-07:002010-09-09T10:35:59.250-07:00Scott Pilgrim vs The WorldI'm a little late with this review, but I have good reason. Having seen the film twice, once on its release and once a few weeks ago, and allowed for a cooling off period to let my fanboy fever die down, I now feel like I'm in a position to speak as objectively as I can about Scott Pilgrim vs The World. <br /><br />I add the caveat, 'as objectively as I can...' for a good reason also. Having read (and adored) the cult-darling comic books by Brian Lee O'Malley prior to my viewing of the film, my opinions of the characters and events portrayed are considerably more well-informed than those who haven't, so it's very possible I'll be more forgiving than certain critics of the adaptations shortcomings. Considering also how faithfully the film stuck to the principal ideas laid out by its source material, it is difficult not to draw direct parallels between the two. Disclaimers out of the way, on with the review. <br /><br />First, the obligatory synopsis. Scott Pilgrim is a 20-something slacker from Toronto who lives and hangs out with other 20-something slackers, also from Toronto, and eventually falls in love with a 20-something hipster from New York and must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends in order to court her. Comical, certainly, and not the type of premise that will appeal to everyone, but lets remember this is the stuff of comic books. It doesn't ask to be taken seriously. In fact, Scott Pilgrim vs The World, both the comics and the movie, makes every effort to make sure you don't take it seriously. <br /><br />This is a world where couriers travel through peoples minds to cut time on long-distance jobs, where bass players punch holes in the moon, average-joes have other-worldly super-powers and villains burst into coins when defeated. If any of that made you cringe or raise an eyebrow, Scott Pilgrim is not the franchise for you. However, if you're willing to suspend your disbelief that extra little bit and see past the relentless video game arcana, you're in for, what is at its heart, an interesting, character driven relationship story. Albeit, one with lesbian-ninjas and psychic vegans. <br /><br />Scott Pilgrim is, potentially, the worst protagonist in comic book (and comic book movie) history. He's lazy, narcissistic, whiny, poor, the list goes on and on. When we're introduced to him, his only ambition is to spend time with his high-school girlfriend, Knives, and mooch off his gay roommate, Wallace, never aspiring to anything bigger than a cup of cocoa and a gig for his, awful, band. He does however have a unique, inexplicable likability, much of which comes from Ceras natural on screen charm, which segways us nicely into his journey of self-discovery when he meets his excruciatingly cool love interest, Ramona Flowers. <br /><br />While reading the books, around volume 4 I believe, I remarked to a friend that I really didn't like Ramona as a character, and that I wasn't sure if I was supposed to or not. The film, in my opinion, suffers from the same problem. It's honestly difficult to like Ramona. She's snide as opposed to sassy and continuously comes across as a conceited, hipster bitch. This is even more apparent in the film than the books and it really makes it difficult to understand why Scott is so infatuated with her, especially over Ellen Wongs adorably insane depiction of Knives Chau, who on more than one occasion I found myself rooting for. Having said all that, Scott Pilgrim has always been as much a parody of nineties-youth as a celebration of it, and Scotts bewilderment at Ramonas consistent hipsterisms (much of which was lost in favour of more infatuation in the film) can serve as a much needed contrast to Ramonas unwarranted self-importance. <br /><br />But I haven't written the story, and Ramona isn't COMPLETELY unlikeable, so perhaps thats just my own issue. Their relationship evolves at a slightly more unrealistic pace than in the books, but that's to be expected of a film adaptation with seven antagonists to get through, and truth be told the way in which both Scott and Ramona develop each-other as characters is still apparent and still heartwarming. A quality deviation in Knives' story also brings her character full circle, creating a more well-rounded Knives than the books delivered. <br /><br />This movie is as much about its villains as its heroes, and some top notch casting, writing, acting and directing bring these bad guys to life in spectacular fashion. Brandon Routh and Chris Evans steal the show as Todd Ingram and Lucas Lee, but even Mae Whitmans Roxy Richter delivers a few laughs, while the battle between Sex Bob-omb and the Katanyagi Twins is an aural-visual onslaught that will test as many as it will delight. The supporting cast are also worth a mention. Young Neil is a subtle scene stealer, Kieran Culkins Wallace Wells is a not-so-subtle scene stealer and while Kim Pine can come across one-dimensional to those unaware of her comic book back story, Alison Pil delivers a convincing, and at times exhilarating performance as the habitually pissed off drummer. <br /><br />But any story ultimately relies on the strength of its leading man/lady, and given how useless Scott appears at first glance, how could anyone possibly relate to his story? Well it's simple really. We've all been where he is, willing to do anything to win over the guy/girl of our dreams, including dealing with the issues of his or her past, issues which in this case are embodied by seven evil exes. <br /><br />Consider this, all of Ramonas evil exes are infinitely superior to Scott in almost every way. They're stronger and they're better looking but they're all completely hung up on a girl they dated years ago. Scott, on the other hand, in having to (literally) fight for something he wants for the first time in his life, showcases genuine capacity and drive to change and be a less sucky person. That's why we empathize with him, that's why we forgive his initial shortcomings and that's why we cheer for him. <br /><br />Edgar Wright has created an incredibly faithful adaptation in Scott Pilgrim vs The World, in a style not a million miles from his previous work, particularly Spaced. But like its source material, it will completely alienate as many as it will endear. I definitely believe reading the books prior to seeing the film will make it easier to take Scotts world for what it is, as well as giving you as a viewer, a deeper insight into characters who can seem shallow and uninteresting to those meeting them for the first time. But Wrights adaptation is (just) broad enough to have more than limited crossover appeal while keeping the fanboys/girls happy. <br /><br />TL;DR: A great companion film to the Scott Pilgrim books, which will please fans and newcomers alike, provided you don't take it seriously.Andy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2324884767962606386.post-36462066816907984152010-09-05T16:11:00.000-07:002010-09-05T16:18:25.765-07:00Katy Perry - Teenage DreamIt's been awhile. Let's talk Katy Perry. <br /><br />Those of you familiar with Katy Perry's last album 'One of the Boys', will no doubt be aware of the differences between her latest offering, 'California Gurls' and, well, just about anything from her debut. While many have been eager to criticise her for the shift, it does beg the question that if 'One of the Boys' had a point to make, that Katy was here to do pop music a little differently, then what's left to do when that point has been made and there's nothing left to prove? The answer, apparently, is to do something a little more obvious. <br /><br />'Teenage Dream', the new albums title track, is a solid start to proceedings. From the word go we can tell things have changed since the last hour we spent in Katy's company. Gone is the angst and determination to prove herself worthy of the worlds attention, in it's place a feeling of wide-eyed wonderment and the sense that now that she finally has the worlds attention, she's not quite sure how to use it and would rather simply relish it while its there. It's on par with 'California Gurls' in terms of it's arrangement and production (which is of a reasonably high standard throughout) but where 'California Gurls' lacks the sincerity of her last album, 'Teenage Dream' is drowning in it, just in a very different way. We've all had that someone who excites us like we never knew we could be excited. 'I'll get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans, I'll be your teenage dream tonight' Katy promises over a track so candy-floss sweet it could give you cavities were it not so true to life. This feeling of youthful exuberance and excitement is something that Katy obviously knows very well, writes very well and should have used as a running theme throughout her entire second album. <br /><br />Unfortunately, she didn't. <br /><br />After the title track, things get a little less interesting. 'Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)' is (almost) literally a second-rate 'Waking Up in Vegas', 'Firework', 'Circle the Drain', 'E.T' and 'Pearl' see Katy try on so many different generic pop-song pre-sets it becomes impossible to find sincerity in any of them, and 'Peacock' is so shockingly bad I'm willing to write it off as nothing more than a failed experiment. Meanwhile, 'The One that got Away' and 'Not Like The Movies' work surprisingly well as ballads and along with 'Hummingbird Heartbeat', bring back the childlike naivety and enthusiasm the album promised at the start. <br /><br />It's hard to tell if it was deliberate or not, but miss Perry and her team of songwriters have quite spectacularly disregarded the aforementioned point her first album tried so hard to make. The majority of the tracks here are generic pop tunes that would be completely indistinguishable from the sound-a-likes churned out by Alexandra Burke or Vanessa Hudgens, were it not for Perrys unique vocal and lyrical traits. <br /><br />'Teenage Dream' could have been great. It could have been a 21st century pop gem. Katy Perry is a bloody good songwriter with a tremendous pop sensibility, and while there are certainly flashes of that on 'Teenage Dream', it has been eclipsed almost entirely by a half-hearted attempt to secure her place in pop superstardom. <br /><br />TL;DR: If ifs and buts were candy and nuts...well, Katy Perry would, presumably be a very happy lady.Andy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2324884767962606386.post-87536435820756998422010-03-29T15:29:00.000-07:002010-03-29T15:33:25.880-07:00I Wanna Hold Your HandLet's get this out of the way, I am a fanboy. I am shameless in my love for <span style="font-style:italic;">Final Fantasy</span> and have been for years. There are certain non-canon spin off things that I've generally avoided, but with the exception of <span style="font-style:italic;">III</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">X-2</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">XI</span>, there hasn't been one I didn't enjoy on some level. The characters are always interesting and developed well, the stories are epic and the worlds are beautifully realized whether based in the medieval or the futuristic or both. I could go on and on about the merits of the series, but I won't. Instead, I'll try keep things as subjective as possible. Besides, <span style="font-style:italic;">FFXIII</span> is just a segway for my point in this post: Linearity and it's place in video games. <br /><br />Reports on <span style="font-style:italic;">Final Fantasy XIII</span>, while generally favourable, all point fingers at one aspect of the games first half. In several reviews I've read things like, 'the game is shockingly linear' or 'the linearity is ridiculous'. Statements which, especially in the context of a final fantasy game, continue to baffle me. <br /><br />Since when is linearity the enemy? I love a good story, and I genuinely believe that games have the ability to provide unique, innovative narrative experiences, but only if there's something interesting there to work with in the first place. Without gushing like the miserable fanboy I am, <span style="font-style:italic;">FFXIII</span>s 'shocking linearity' works 'shockingly well' in my opinion. It's a different experience to the usual formula, and the lack of exploratory freedom isn't going to go down well with everyone, but it's this linearity that provides the much needed momentum to the story. These people are cursed and have no idea how to fix it. They don't have time to go trouncing around forests or fields chasing mutated squirrels and giant lizards, they're too busy continuously pushing forward in a collective effort to not die. <br /><br />I realize a full post on <span style="font-style:italic;">FFXIII</span> (and how I love it) would be too predictable for me. But as an example of my point it's quite useful. Linearity, coupled with good storytelling (most of the time anyway), has ALWAYS been a huge part of the <span style="font-style:italic;">FF</span> experience, one that has enthralled as many as it has repulsed. Why are critics suddenly so eager to point this out?<br /><br />I hear the arguments coming already. 'Every path is just a tunnel or a narrow corridor', 'the level design is unimaginative', 'TOWNS TOWNS WAH WAH WAH'. Yeah every path is a narrow corridor, as I said the current storyline doesn't lend itself well to time-wasting, we're in a life and death situation here. Unimaginative? Are you for real? I don't think there's been even one locale in the game this far that didn't make me grin like an idiot, the game, including its levels are nothing short of beautiful. As for the towns, get over it. Yeah I liked them too but things have to change. <br /><br />'Change? But aren't you, here, on this blog, decrying this change? you hypocrite!' I hear you cry. Not quite, I'm afraid. I'm not against change, in fact <span style="font-style:italic;">XIII</span> has done away with a lot of the shit that bugged me about previous entries, and even the new additions I'm not too keen on deserve their part in the experiment. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">No More Heroes</span>, my favourite game of 2008, suffered the opposite of this. With an open-world idea (very obviously) tacked in as an afterthought, one that never really felt very open at all, NMH came under heavy criticism. Now <span style="font-style:italic;">FFXIII</span> has decided to toss any and all pretense of an open world, with a story that justifies, no, demands it's 'shocking linearity' as a sense of urgency. It seems as if people genuinely are just impossible to please.<br /><br />Open world gaming is a great idea. But admit it, when faced with an open world sandbox to explore or terrorize (<span style="font-style:italic;">Just Cause 2, GTAIV, Saints Row</span> etc.) how much attention do you usually pay to the story? Very little, I'd wager. Not that I'd blame you, those games usually have stories as impressive as those found in Stephanie Meyer books or the type of fanfiction you'd find on DeviantArt blogs. That, or they end up shockingly pretentious in their efforts to avoid it. Either way the open world idea lends itself much better to gameplay than it does to narrative. <br /><br />Which basically brings us to what you personally want from a game or what you believe games can do if you believe they can do anything. Personally, I think there is untapped potential in the idea of games providing truly unique narrative experiences and that's what I want to see. Sandbox games are incredibly fun to play, but their novelty ultimately wares off and I often find I need a little more to sink my teeth into. A good story, well told, is a nice way of providing that extra depth. <br /><br />I mentioned in my <span style="font-style:italic;">Heavy Rain</span> post that there seems to be a growing divide between what developers want to make and what consumers want to play. Realism has proven to be a false-prophet for the industry, and I think this disdain for linearity will end up the same. <br /><br />I'll probably be posting more on <span style="font-style:italic;">Final Fantasy XIII</span> in the not too distant future, there's bigger plans afoot than what I've talked about here. <br /><br />TL;DR: A mediocre post on the merits of Linearity. Expect a better one when I have time to string a metaphor together.Andy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2324884767962606386.post-22294720349027104072010-03-15T16:47:00.000-07:002010-03-15T16:57:30.492-07:00Moving Units<span style="font-style:italic;">*NOTE: This is an article for this weeks TN2 magazine, I'm assuming anyone reading this already knows what PSmove is. If you don't, enjoy my briefing. If you do, enjoy the rest of it.</span><br /><br />Despite opinions to the contrary, I am personally of the belief that flashes of healthy skepticism are a positive force in a world riddled with manufactured hype. I don't necessarily buy into the idea that corporations are the enemy or that Starbucks harvest children for sandwich meat, but it's important to recognize the difference between actually wanting something and being told that you want something. That said, there is little in this world that bugs me quite as much as unfounded negativity and my faith in 'healthy skepticism' is often mistaken for the unreasonable belief that 'everything is shit until it can prove itself otherwise'. <br /><br />So the long talked-about PlayStation motion controller has finally been unveiled as the <span style="font-style:italic;">PlayStation Move</span>, and it seems as if the bloggers are ready to fire up their cynicism cylinders and declare it a failure before it's even hit the track. <br /><br />Far be it from me to preach about the merits of keeping your hopes up, especially where Sony are concerned, they have an unfortunate reputation for not delivering on promises (or lying, as it's more commonly known), but anyone ready to dismiss the <span style="font-style:italic;">PSMove</span> as a 'Wii-Too' is clearly unaware of the technology that's actually involved. <br /><br />Let me make one thing clear; I own a Wii. I like the Wii. Sure, it's gimmicky and there's hundreds upon hundreds of terrible, unnecessary and terribly unnecessary titles out for the thing, but the (admittedly few) games I do own I enjoyed immensely. <span style="font-style:italic;">No More Heroes</span> is still my favorite game of 2008 and its sequel could end up being my favorite game of 2010 (<span style="font-style:italic;">FFXIII</span> not withstanding), but even I can't feign ignorance towards Nintendos marketing strategy, although I could be inclined to refer to it as evil genius. The <span style="font-style:italic;">Wii-Motion Plus</span>, which, let's face it, many of us shelled out for, was basically a peripheral to make the Wii do what it was always meant to do in the first place. We'd been had; tricked into buying a console with a control system that was, unbeknownst to us, incomplete and then charged for its completion when sales started to dwindle. Sony's decision to imitate the technology this late in the game isn't much better, but at least they've come to the table with a finished product. <br /><br />The <span style="font-style:italic;">PlayStation Move</span> is exactly what you'd imagine a Wii-Remote to look like if it were made by Sony and had a giant plastic ball attached to it. If that sounds comical, well, it is. It looks ridiculous. However, last week at GDC the press finally got their first chance to test it out first-hand and while a trip to San Francisco was just slightly out of TN2s budget this year, the reports from more financially viable press sources have been generally favorable. <br /><br />The giant ball at the top of the controller contains three LEDs that can combine to make any color you can imagine. When a game is fired up, the <span style="font-style:italic;">eyetoy</span> camera (a peripheral required to use the <span style="font-style:italic;">PSMove</span>) scans the room for colors and lights up the controller in a color it didn't find, thus providing a highly effective way to keep the tracking at a ratio of 1:1. For instance, if you were in a room with lots of blue, the sphere would likely turn orange or red, so the camera can track the big orange or red thing in the room full of blue. It really is that simple. <br /><br />While Sony have admitted that they're planning a considerable amount of casual fare to be released for the device, their insistence that they're still a company for the 'core gamer' (a term I use with much disdain) took a sharp turn for the believable when the latest title in their much revered <span style="font-style:italic;">SOCOM</span> franchise, <span style="font-style:italic;">SOCOM 4</span>, was demoed using the PSMove in a way, nay a multitude of ways, that actually worked. Admittedly, it required the presence of the conspicuous 'sub-controller', an additional wand that resembles Nintendos Nunchuck peripheral, which seemingly brings us right back to the Wii argument, but the video is undeniably impressive, showcasing a tracking ratio unlike anything I've seen on the Wii, with or without it's motion-plus add-on. <br /><br />The <span style="font-style:italic;">PlayStation Move</span> is currently scheduled for an autumn release, coinciding with the release of Microsofts controllerless-controller-camera-thing, currently codenamed Project Natal. The unveiling at GDC confirmed several bundle packages, the most alluring of which being the 'starter kit', containing a controller, a game and the <span style="font-style:italic;">eyetoy</span> camera for (apparently) under $100. Microsoft have come under some criticism for their avant-garde approach to this idea (doing away with a controller altogether) and with Nintendo consistently underwhelming everyone of late, Sony might just be on to a winner here. Only time will tell if developers will really get on board with this, after all third-party support for the Wii has been thin on the ground, but with the right software support and the inevitable marketing push towards Christmas 2010, the <span style="font-style:italic;">PSMove</span> has the potential to truly finish what the Wii began. <br /><br />TL;DR: PlayStation Move could quite possibly do what Epic Games have failed to do: Kill the Wii.<br /><br />Andy xAndy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2324884767962606386.post-15298423090184926232010-03-01T14:39:00.000-08:002010-03-01T14:42:31.834-08:00Heavy Rain - Rated 'R' for 'Real'3 months in and no posts in 2010. Let's fix that. <br /><br />Last night I finished Heavy Rain, a game I'd been itching to get my hands on since 'the casting' tech-demo was unveiled at E32006. The lead up to its release was tense, with Quantic Dream showcasing what was easily one of the best marketing campaigns I'd seen in a game for years. From the deliciously-vague profiling of the four characters (and the appearance of half their faces in several magazine ads) to the 'four days' viral campaign which sent myself and countless others on a hunt for what turned out to be the demo for the game, it was clear that thought had gone into this, and most-likely every other facet of the product. <br /><br />Having read through several reviews of Heavy Rain (some glowing, some flickering) I think I have a reasonably good handle on both sides of the argument. Yes, the game does rely quite heavily on QTEs. Yes, there are technical issues. No, the control system isn't perfectly tuned. The game definitely has its faults and is far from perfect. But I cant help but feel that these critics are somehow missing the point. For me, the issues that occasionally cropped up during my experience with the origami killer were not enough to break my immersion (although a trip or two through the uncanny valley certainly came very close) or impede my enjoyment. Far from proving that Heavy Rain is not perfect, these imperfections simply reiterated to me the idea that perfection is impossible to achieve. <br /><br />The QTEs didn't bother me. They've bothered me in other games, Wet being one of them, and I'm definitely of the opinion that they are overused by lazy designers. That said I can't believe this to be the case with Heavy Rain. What the team at Quantic Dream has done here is special. I actually panicked as my avatar did. When characters began freaking-out, the action and emotion was mirrored almost exactly by me, an experience which disturbed and enthralled me in equal measure, and this is where the QTEs made sense to me. Far from being tacked in without thought, these were the exact decisions that you or I would have to make in the situations presented to us, all of which, it's worth noting, are just within the realms of possibility. We're being chased, do we go left or right? Before we have time to think about the choice we just made we are asked again, left or right? Up or down? In or out? Life or death? Heavy Rain isn't just another action/adventure game full of QTEs, Heavy Rain is aware that in life, real life, quick thinking can be the difference between success and failure. Life and death. <br /><br />My current benchmark for games is the consistently astonishing Assassins Creed II, and as a barometer of quality it's particularly useful here. Did I enjoy the experience of playing Heavy Rain as much as I did ACII? No, I didn't. Heavy Rain wasn't particularly heavy on fun. Is Heavy Rain more important than ACII? Absolutely. 'Fun' is a subjective term, and even to the one person can mean many different things. Heavy Rain is an experience. My heart has never pounded playing a game like it did during sequences of Heavy Rain (possible exception of Silent Hill 2), rarely have I connected so much with characters, a connection consistently strengthened by the very real possibility that any of them could die at any moment and it would be entirely my fault. From beginning to end I was on the edge of my seat, aching with anticipation at every potential plot-turn and pitfall. <br /><br />Reality or 'realism' is something the game industry has been fascinated with this generation. While developers are insistent this is where we should be going, critics and fans haven't been so eager to agree (GTIV anyone?). With so many games having 'realism' thrust upon them as an idea, as alien to them as it is to their audience, it is refreshing to see a game finally nail the formula and be truly deserving of the term 'Mature'. Heavy Rain is not perfect. Heavy Rain is real.<br /><br />TL;DR: Heavy Rain is a flawed masterpiece. A step-forward for games as a narrative medium that is worthy of your time and money. <br /><br />Andy xAndy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2324884767962606386.post-83049560868418086162009-10-05T13:48:00.000-07:002009-10-05T13:49:49.100-07:00Paramore - Brand New EyesOh dear, oh dear, oh dear. <br /><br />Okay, I'll just get this out of the way; I have a serious love hate relationship with paramore. When they first showed up on the scene back in 2005 I championed them and their astonishingly strong debut effort 'All We Know Is Falling' to anyone and everyone who'd listen. <br />It was a stunning mix of memorable hooks, slick rock production with the delicacy and vulnerability of emo, without being overly melancholy. At times it seemed a tad whiny, but with singles like 'Emergency' and 'Pressure' that was easily forgiven. <br /><br />Imagine my delight when 'Misery Business' appeared!<br />It seemed as if Paramore had grown too big and exciting for the walls of their emo-pop cage to hold them any longer, and on the back of an album called 'Riot!', I was sure we were in for an edgier, more exhilarating Paramore than we'd seen before. <br /><br />As superb as 'Misery Business' was however, 'Riot!' was a disappointment to anyone with a brain cell. It was by no means a bad album, it was just...boring. There wasn't a track on the record that was as interesting as 'Misery Business' and whats more, after taking huge strides forward towards a more mature, fuller and ultimately more impressive sound, they retreated back into their emo-pop cage for the remainder of the album. To this day I still haven't figured out why. And I think about it every day. <br /><br />So where does that leave 'Brand New Eyes'?<br />Well unfortunately, it seems as if Paramore have retreated even further into themselves, losing all edge and believability in the process. There isn't a single song on this album that I could remember after listening to it. No soaring Hayley Williams vocal melodies and none of the trademark 'farro' hooks that made 'Pressure', 'Emergency' and 'Misery Business' what they were. Being perfectly honest, 'Brand New Eyes' feels like a collection of b-sides that were rejected during the recording of 'Riot!'. There's no growth to be heard here, there's no evolution and when all is said and done there's just nothing to get excited about. With 'Brand New Eyes', Paramore have basically proven that they have run out of ideas and are now seemingly intent on rehashing their initial idea over and over again until all the charm it brought with it first time round has been all but worn away. <br /><br />It's unfortunate really. Paramore are capable of really shining at times and that's not something that new listeners will pick up from 'Brand New Eyes'. If you're an absolute die-hard fan there's nothing here that will turn you off them, but that's about the highest compliment I can pay them this time round. <br /><br />Oh, and 'Decode' is, was and always will be the worst thing they've ever recorded. <br /><br />TL;DR: If you've got to have this record, download it. A lull in sales might coax Paramore into growing their 'Misery Business' balls back.Andy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2324884767962606386.post-17036232279709241162009-07-31T02:59:00.000-07:002009-07-31T03:01:14.836-07:00Little Boots - HandsReview number 2. Let's do this. <br /><br />Little Boots – Hands<br /><br />So we have another new British female who's début album is named after a human body part (see below). I can't help but feel we're running out of ideas. <br /><br />That's actually a theme that rears it's ugly head listening to 'Hands', now that I think about it. On the surface it appears to be the work of a young, excited newcomer, full of fresh blood and fresher sounds. But when you strip it down, there's every chance this actually represents something rather upsetting.<br /><br />The shocking and yet completely justified success of Lady Gaga has obviously prompted record labels in the U.K to go on the hunt for a British equivalent, a lesson in failure that you'd think would have been learned by now. Polydor for example, in the time it took 'The Fame' to sell one million copies (read: not very long) have signed not one, but two feisty young electro-pop starlets in a rush to cash in on Gagas market. One of which, is Little Boots. <br /><br />Now don't get me wrong. This type of music has been around for years, as has Little Boots. The lass has been peddling her unique, often misunderstood sound across England for the better part of ten years now and she can't be blamed for it's sudden surge in popularity. In fact, she could almost be forgiven for resenting it. Thankfully, she doesn't. And while the Gaga comparisons will no doubt come in waves, they don't really hold a lot of water when you actually listen to what Boots has to say. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, is difficult to discern. <br /><br />The album kicks off beautifully. 'New in Town', is a magnificent opening track. It builds on the foundation of a steady, solid electro beat and bursts to life in a chorus you're never likely to forget. From the outset one thing is clear; if Gaga is about 'cool', Little Boots is about 'fun'. While the arrangements and production are undeniably similar, Boots takes the whole thing less seriously and comes across equal parts charming and endearing as a result. 'Every Little Earthquake' is another example of Boots using her innate charm to bring a smile to your face with her witty lyrics while making you tap your foot with her filthy, distorted synthesizers and loops. 'Remedy' is an instant pop-classic and will no doubt fill many a dance floor this summer. 'Symmetry' sounds as if it was lifted straight from a Human League greatest hits CD (partially thanks to Philip Oakeys guest appearance, it has to be said), and 'Tune Into My Heart' provides a welcome detour into sweetness that Little Boots' little voice suits perfectly. <br /><br />It's not all fun and games however. 'Click', 'Ghost', 'Hearts Collide' and 'Stuck On Repeat' are bland, soulless pop songs that don't really go anywhere and are unfortunately indicative of the possibility that this album was in-fact rushed out to catch the last call of the Gaga bandwagon. 'Mathematics' presents an interesting lyrical idea which turns out to be far cheesier than I'm sure she initially expected, and while 'Meddle' sounds distinctly British, almost reminiscent of the U.K garage scene, it doesn't really do anything else. These tracks, when compared to the ones from the previous paragraph, create a rather disconcerting contrast between what Boots can do, and what perhaps she had to do. This is all baseless conjecture of course, but I can't help but feel like this album was a bit of a rush-job. And even if it wasn't, it's still disappointing to hear these tracks trudge clumsily through my headphones when the girl is clearly capable of better.<br /><br />'Hands' is not going to set the world on fire. It probably won't even set the U.K on fire. But if you like your pop music you could certainly do a lot worse (La Roux for example). While 'Hands' as an album is average at best, it should be more than enough to put a smile on your face.Andy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2324884767962606386.post-40286689346569475652009-07-24T02:35:00.000-07:002009-07-24T02:45:40.773-07:00Florence and The Machine - LungsI mentioned a few weeks ago that I was going through a really disturbing 'Grumpy-old-man' phase where I found it increasingly difficult to be impressed by anything. Well, someone out there was listening, and someone out there has tossed me so much new and interesting music to get excited about that I had to give a considerable amount of thought to which exciting new album I wanted to review first. So let's go, before my enthusiasm dissipates again and I can't string a metaphor together. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Florence and the Machine - Lungs</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Florence Welsch first raised Irish eyebrows en masse when the haunting 'Cosmic Love' was used in an o2 advert and now it seems everyone is prepared to predict big things for her, and on the back of her début album 'Lungs', it's not very hard to see why. As a package it's quirky and cool enough to make sure people stick around to see what she does next, but how does it measure up as an example of where she's at now? Does it live up to the hype? Well, unfortunately not quite. But maybe that's not such a bad thing. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Anyone already familiar with Florence pre-o2 would probably have also been familiar with her début E.P 'A lot of love, a lot of blood', and if that's you, you'll be happy to hear that three fourths of that record are present and accounted for on 'Lungs', with Welsch proving once again that 'Dog Days are Over' is still a tremendous track to get things going. 'Kiss With a Fist' doesn't fare so well however, sounding completely out of place and almost intimidated by its superior surroundings, and her cover of 'You've got the Love' is still as drippy and irrelevant as it was first time round. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I have to be very careful in how I word this review though. While I didn't necessarily enjoy 'Lungs' from start to finish, and the heartless cynic in me desperately wants to dislike anything that comes packaged with that amount of hype, it's by no means a bad record. Welsch has been compared to Kate Bush a lot recently and that's probably the best summary for the album I can think of. There's flashes of pure brilliance ('Rabbit Heart', 'Cosmic Love') that are broken up by unfortunate moments of Bush-esque indulgence ('I'm Not Calling You A Liar', 'Blinding'). Thankfully, the former tends to outweigh the latter, and for every step Welsch takes toward Bjork, she takes another two back, ensuring that even the quirkier of her songs never loses commercial appeal. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">'Lungs' is somewhat of enigma. Generally there are two types of 'good' albums in this world. There's the albums that play like greatest hits compilations, where every track is solid, catchy, and instantly memorable, then there are the albums that need to be experienced from start to finish, taken as a package to be completely understood and fully appreciated. 'Lungs', however, appears to want to do both. Whether or not it succeeds will ultimately fall to personal opinion, but objectively speaking it certainly seems to tick all the boxes. Certain tracks hold their own magnificently well when taken out of context ('Howl'), while others seem to work together to create a permeating feeling of other-worldliness that none of them could do on their own ('Drumming', 'The Girl With One Eye').</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">While not every track on 'Lungs' is an instant classic, and it's occasional dips into the murky depths of self-indulgence might be too much for some, it's very existence is evidence of something positive. It's interesting, it's different and more importantly, even though I've mentioned it's overtly artistic 'up its own hole-ness' at least twice, it does it in a very commercially accessible way, which is perhaps a bold step in the right direction for the unfortunate school of Bjork and Bush. It also takes on the responsibility, perhaps inadvertently, perhaps not, of destroying what the requirements for pop music success are in the eyes of others. Welschs lyrics are probably where she shines most, but some are so deliciously dark, vivid and vicious you'd be forgiven for thinking them out of place in the ethereal sounsdscapes she creates, and more at home perhaps on the angst-ridden post-punk records of 2004. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">So the question remains, should you buy 'Lungs'? Yes, yes you should. Even if it's too much for you at times, when Florence gets it right, she gets it very right and there's enough middle ground covered here to keep hundreds of different tastes satisfied, so there's a good chance you'll fall in love with something about her. Besides, for once the hype machine might be right. Florence Welsch may one day write a masterpiece, you best jump on the bandwagon now while there's still room. </p>Andy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2324884767962606386.post-2511740468388981272009-06-09T09:32:00.000-07:002009-06-09T09:40:05.548-07:00E3 2009: Part 2 - I Get Wet<div>We've established that there were <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">a lot</span> of games at this years E3, and this is something I'm going to talk about over the next three posts, but one game in particular has caught my attention, if only for the lack of attention being paid to it by others. </div><div><br /></div><div>'Wet', is a title no one really gave a toss about until Bethesda came along and decided they wanted to rescue it from purgatory in the wake of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Activision</span> - Blizzard merger. But if I'm being perfectly honest, I still don't think enough people give a toss about it. From what little I've seen the game looks like it's going to be incredibly fun to play and from what I've heard from it's developers and publishers, it <i>sounds</i> like it's going to be incredibly fun to play. Here's a short synopsis of the plot:</div><div><br /></div><div>You are Rubi. She kills people. Just because. </div><div><br /></div><div>Okay not 'just because', she's a hired gun. Meaning she does peoples dirty work for them for money. Meaning she kills people. So I wasn't a million miles away.</div><div><br /></div><div>She's voiced by Eliza Dushku and well designed visually, a Lara Croft for the current generation, and the game looks to be the same. It takes it's art style (and playing style) from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">grindhouse</span> movies of the 70s and to a larger extent the Kill Bill films. Seamless fusion of acrobatics, melee fighting, gun fighting and sword....wielding...is one of the major selling points being touted by the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">devs</span>, along with how a leap into the air when surrounded by enemies automatically sends the game into slow-motion, allowing you to pull off crazy moves and pick off numerous enemies in mid-air. But what I find more intriguing is the mysterious 'Red' mode they've only given us brief glances of. </div><div><br /></div><div>When Rubi becomes extremely pissed off, she 'sees red'. The entire look of the game changes to a drastic <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">cel</span>-shaded fantasy where figures are black, weapons and blood are white, detail is scarce and everything else is just red. Think, the Queens of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Stoneage</span> 'Go With the Flow' video and you're in the right area. It really catches your eye and from what I've seen could rival many supposed 'artistic' titles of the current generation for visual appeal. </div><div><br /></div><div>'Wet', as a title apparently comes from the phrase 'Wet Job'. Meaning, when a job gets messy and you get 'your hands wet', meaning, when you have to 'kill people. Just because'.</div><div>I still think it's a bit conspicuous to call a game 'Wet' when the main character, (and figurehead for the box-art no doubt) is an attractive bad ass femme <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">fatale</span>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Or is that the point?</div><div><br /></div><div>TL; DR: 'Wet' is looking far more awesome than it's retarded title would have you believe. </div><div><br /></div><div>Andy K</div>Andy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2324884767962606386.post-66005758278509256322009-06-09T07:23:00.000-07:002009-06-09T07:25:25.731-07:00E3 2009: Part 1 - It Sees What You Did There.<div>Let's face it, we all go through phases in our lives when we just can't be impressed. Extended periods of time when we just can't be excited or enthralled, and find the world has become bereft of amusement and exists only so we have a comfortable place to wait around for our inevitable end. Okay, maybe that's a bit much but you all know what I'm talking about. Well thank heavens for small mercies, as this week saw the return of one of the most important events in any gamers calendar; the electronic entertainment expo. More commonly known, as E3. Something, that I just can't help but get excited about. </div><div><br /></div><div>So last years E3 was an unfortunate failure which saw many developers/publishers/people with more than an ounce of common sense declare the event to be dead. Well the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ESA</span> were obviously reading their comment cards over the past year because the general consensus this year is that E309 was an unmitigated success. with hundreds of games on display for the first time and many more announced for the first time, I've found it particularly difficult to decide on a structure for this blog post. But despite the masses of new exciting titles, there was one uniting factor for the power 3 this year. Motion-Sensing technology. In this spirit, there will be a few updates this week on various parts of last weeks E3. I just need time to collect my thoughts. Let's start with this. </div><div><br /></div><div>Microsoft came first on the M<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">onday</span>, officially unveiling Project Natal. Resident loudmouth, Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Molyneux</span> was on hand to do what he does best in making us believe that his latest endorsement heralds the arrival of the 'future' in gaming. Well, call me M<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">olyamorous</span> because I was pretty impressed by what he had to show us. I'm going to assume anyone reading this probably did so because I personally asked them to, and thus I'm going to assume they already know what Project Natal is. On the off chance someone not as <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">knowledgeable</span> has stumbled upon my page, it is basically a camera for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Xbox</span>360 that claims to be able to capture and render any person or object in real-time. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Youtube</span> it if you're bothered. </div><div><br /></div><div>It all seems very cool at first glance. But as many of my skeptic forum friends have pointed out, a full body human controller is something that will be incredibly hard to implement into games as we know them today. This technology is either going to completely change the way developers make games or be completely ignored by everyone, with no middle ground. It seems tailored perfectly for casual fare (maybe, none of us are entirely sure how it will work), but I doubt given the amount of Space Marine shooters still being lapped up hungrily by consumers, that the casual market has the strength at this point to hold this idea up on it's own. Microsoft have brought us the future with Natal. The question is are we really ready for it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Nintendo came out on the T<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">uesday</span> and pushed the new <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Wii</span> Motion-Plus, along with claims that the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Wii</span> will now do what it was always meant to do in the first place, with a ratio of 1:1. </div><div>This could end up being more impressive than it looks, but in comparison to Project Natal, it just seems rather pedestrian. Of course, Natal has been criticized heavily by many as something the game industry doesn't want, so perhaps Nintendo are readying the money-rod in the hopes of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Wii</span>-lightning striking again. Either way, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Wii</span> Motion-Plus is coming considerably sooner than Natal, and as the 360 can attest to, a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">head start</span> means more now than it did years ago. </div><div><br /></div><div>Last but not least, Sony. </div><div>Sony may have struck gold with this one. Their product can basically be broken down to 'doing more than <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Wii</span> Motion-Plus but less than Natal', a middle ground that could be exactly what players and developers need and want. There have been those who have labelled it 'A <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Wiimote</span> for the PS3' and to be perfectly honest they're not entirely wrong. That's basically what Sony's demonstration showed it to be. But as the laughs, oohs and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">aahhs</span> from the E3 audience can attest to, it was very very impressive. The demonstration showed the player using the controller in roughly rendered 3D locales in various different situations similar to those seen in both 'casual' and 'core' games today. One particularly impressive moment was when the controller was being used to select groups of tanks in an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">RTS</span> style example, when suddenly we were controlling a tank first person, using the controller to look around. It sounds less impressive on paper, but rest assured this could really be something special. </div><div><br /></div><div>TL; DR: Microsoft are doing too much, Nintendo aren't doing enough, and Sony are sitting somewhere in the middle. </div><div><br /></div><div>Your Pal,</div><div>Andy K. </div>Andy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2324884767962606386.post-44975458782028376572009-03-09T11:35:00.000-07:002009-03-09T12:05:12.547-07:00In a World Gone Gaga...To create or maintain any kind of notoriety on the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Internet</span> these days, a disgusting place where many a schmuck will fight dirty for your precious and usually undeserved attention, the most important thing is to have your finger on the pulse of current events, or at least to make it seem like you do. With so many 'blogs' and '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">bloggers</span>' in circulation, peddling their opinions like side walk street vendors, there's absolutely no point following the writings of someone who is a few steps behind everyone else, trudging sweatily behind the latest bandwagon.<br /><br />So while this is something I'm aware of, I want to talk today about an album that came out last year, has recently become quite popular and is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">disappointingly</span>, but not surprisingly, being <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">received</span> meekly (or downright negatively in some cases) by the increasingly bland Irish music scene. This woman came into my life late last year through a recommendation from my girlfriend and is responsible for the first album I've genuinely been consistently excited about since Duke Specials 'Songs of the Deep Forest' in 2006.<br /><br />Lady <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">GaGa</span> - The Fame<br /><br />By now, I'm sure we all know who Lady <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">GaGa</span> is. Love her or hate her, she has embedded herself into the consciousness of the public, something that has become increasingly and inexplicably difficult of late. 'Just Dance', the first single taken from 'The Fame', began circulating <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">youtube</span> sometime in mid to late 2008 and before long had gratuitous amounts of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">youtubers</span> flocking regularly to her channel, revelling in the talent they felt they had discovered. For awhile it seemed like Lady <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">GaGa</span> would be the best kept secret in the history of pop music. 'Just Dance' proved too powerful a force for even the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Internet</span> hoards to hold on to and in early 2009, the track found its way into radio rotation in the UK & Ireland and would go on to rise to (and stay at) number one in the singles charts for a number of weeks.<br /><br />The album, 'The Fame', soon followed suit and found itself sitting on the top of the album charts all over the world. And why shouldn't it? It is, after all, an album that many artists in many genres have been trying to create for several years. A bold claim perhaps, but 'The Fame' showcases a wide, but not schizophrenic, range of influences that the Lady has assimilated into one style, definitively her own. Listening to 'The Fame' from beginning to end, you'll hear the charm and elegance of Christina <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Aguilera</span>, the grit of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">MGMT</span>, the dirty glamour of Shiny Toy Guns, all woven together with the pop sensibility of a 'HITS OF THE 80s' box set. 'Just Dance', '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Pokerface</span>' and 'I Like it Rough' have all the ingredients necessary for an instant number one single, while 'Paparazzi', 'Starstruck' and 'Paper Gangster' show that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">GaGa</span> can ground herself in the increasingly popular minimalist production of modern hip-hop and fill a dance floor just as easily as Rhianna or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Kanye</span>. 'The Fame', 'Boys Boys Boys' and '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Summerboy</span>' are unapologetic in their sugar-sweet pop, and are sure to crack a smile from even the hardest of the Lady's cynics. 'Again Again' and 'Brown Eyes' seem a little out of place initially, but taken on their own terms they present a more vulnerable side to the songstress that is absent from the other tracks. 'The Fame' as an album addresses the issues that have marred its <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">predecessors</span> and effectively does away with them. In many ways this is the first techno/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">electro</span>/pop album to perfectly capture the credibility of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Justice</span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Jurgen</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Vries</span> style instrumental dance music and the instant accessibility of pop music. In short, Lady <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">GaGa</span> can and will give you everything you want, if you'll only let her.<br /><br />Unfortunately, it seems as if the Irish music industry is determined not to let her. Despite the fact that her album is clearly the most innovative thing to happen to pop music in the last 5 years, it has been met primarily with two or three star reviews from Irish critics. It's not surprising really, how could such a carefully constructed, culturally relevant <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">mélange</span> of pop styles ever be appreciated in a country where Republic of Loose and Bell x1 dominate the airwaves with bland, repetitive, soulless singles, lapped up hungrily by the art-starved and culturally oblivious.<br /><br />In a masterful throwback to my original paragraph, Ireland is becoming the 'out-of-touch blogger'. We are still wallowing in the sea of musical mediocrity that the rest of the world has successfully broken free of. If 'The Fame' were to released in roughly around 5 to 10 years time, I don't doubt that the Irish music journalists would rave about it. But by that time the rest of the world will have discovered, embraced and held several festivals in the name of 'the next big thing' about three times over.<br /><br />TL;DR: Buy 'The Fame' if you haven't already, then write to hot press and tell them they're rubbish.<br /><br />AndyAndy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2324884767962606386.post-13668899170680136882009-03-09T11:31:00.000-07:002009-03-09T11:35:03.254-07:00The Twilight SagaAlright its first post time. Lets see how I do.<br /><br />The thing with blogs is, they’re essentially useless. Unless you take great enjoyment out of reading about the grievances of other peoples lives there’s really no logical reason for you to bother with a blog. That said there are plenty of people who for some reason like to argue with these ‘bloggers’ under the assumption that not only should the blogger in question care what they think, but that they should care what he/she thinks to begin with.<br /><br /><br />The topic I’m about discuss is going to attract a lot of these people (provided anyone ever finds this and bothers reading it, which is highly unlikely), so if you insist on arguing with anything I’m about to say, you should know that unless your argument is presented intelligently I will not bother with it. Hell I probably wont bother with it anyway but try your luck, you never know.<br /><br />The Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer<br /><br /><br />Alright I’ll put my hands up, I have a problem with the way character designers and writers in nearly every medium treat vampires. For some reason, girls cant control their hormones when within five feet of the word vampire so the idea of the glamorous, handsome, eloquent vampire has become the standard model. I don’t personally understand the attraction to a ..’thing’..that would just as soon eat you as rape you, but hey I don’t get chocolate ice cream either, it’s just not for me to understand.<br /><br />What I do understand though is that this formula for vampires has become so popular with girls (some guys too, it has to be said) that there is absolutely no incentive for anyone to try and write a vampire character with any real depth anymore. These days you can just shite on for 400+ pages about how devilishly handsome this guy is and the chicks will be queuing round the corner stamping on each others faces to get their randy hands on it.<br /><br /><br />I’m getting a little misogynistic here aren’t I? Okay I apologize for the generalization but you have to understand how confused I am by this new fad to even veer into that potentially fatal theme of discussion. One by one, all the intelligent women in my life have fallen for this twilight thing. They’re no less intelligent for it, one of them actually acknowledges that the books are horribly written but none-the-less ploughed through the four books in the space of a week.<br />All that said, there's absolutely nothing wrong with literature that appeals to teenage girls in this way. It’s a market that needs to be filled and twilight does it in excellent fashion. Plus the key demographic for these books is not men of my age, so its safe to assume I was never going to understand their popularity (or existence) before the first word was pressed to the first page.<br /><br />In this spirit, I’m not going to look at the objective quality of these books. I’ve already made my opinion on that well known to plenty of people(against their will, i apologize). What I wish to illuminate to you dear reader is the inherent problem with products that do not know what demographic they want to aim for. ‘Conflicting Demographics’ if you will.<br /><br /><br />Twilight is essentially the perfect book series’ for girls aged 16-19/20. The characters are likable (to an extent, i guess…maybe…except Bella), the plot is simple and there's a love story between a human girl and a vampire who sparkles in the sun at the center of it all. Perfect holiday fodder for girls of the aforementioned age group.<br /><br />*Spoilers coming so if you haven’t read all four books skip to the very end now.*<br /><br /><br />However, I was watching the late late toy show last night and saw a girl who couldn’t have been more than 12 years old talking about how amazing these books are. Let me break down some of the more prominent plot moments for you:<br /><br />Book 1: Absolutely nothing happens.<br /><br /><br />Book 2: Edward and his whole family bugger off leaving Bella alone and suicidal despite the fact that he spent the entirety of book 1 making her absolutely dependent on his and his families protection. His excuse for buggering off? To protect her from himself.<br /><br />Book 3: Bella begs Edward repeatedly to fuck her. Edward steadfastly refuses to spoil her<br />‘virtue’ despite the fact that once a girl begs you to fuck her more than once, she has signed away her virtue to the Italian mafia in exchange for condoms and bondage rope.<br /><br /><br />Book 4: Edward finally caves in and fucks her (only after they’re married of course) and lo and behold Bella somehow gets pregnant to a lifeless fluid less being of 107. If this wasn’t fucked up enough, the baby grows within her unbelievably fast, breaking Bella’s spine and pelvis in the process (an extended metaphor for Meyers feelings on abortion perhaps?) and the only logical conclusion to all of this is that Edward naturally tears her uterus open with his teeth to get the baby out. No, I’m not making this up.<br /><br />If I got the chronological order of these events wrong, they still happened so shut up.<br /><br /><br />Now my question at the end of all this is simple. Should 12 year old girls be reading about these things? The relationship between Bella and Edward is abusive to say the least (at one point Bella actually uses the wife beater line,"he only does it cause he loves me"), Bella is shown to be many things, one of which a teenage girl desperate for some fucking, and book four sees an agenda against abortion and the abusive male tearing his pregnant wife open with his teeth to save their child that shouldn’t really exist in the first place.<br /><br />Oh and the werewolf character ‘imprints’ on the baby. Meaning that he has basically bought her, and when she turns 6 (apparently at 6 she will look and behave like an 18 year old or something) he will fuck her. This is met with mild, jovial disapproval from the childs parents.<br /><br /><br />SPOILERS OVER<br /><br />These books are dangerous. Meyer does not understand her audience. If pre-pubescent girls are reading these with limited understanding of whats going on, they’ll still inevitably empathize with the main characters and believe it or not, stuff you read at that age does leave an impression on you for life, or at least your adolescence.<br /><br /><br />Nothing can be done about it now, the film has happened (and apparently is better than the books from what I’ve heard although I can’t imagine that would have been difficult) and the merchandise is rolling out as quickly as the money is rolling in. There are enough fans to form a small army and Meyer has already published another book that despite being terribly written (again) her ‘twilighters’(their term, not mine) have lapped up hungrily. She is no doubt set for life.<br /><br />I should thank the twilight fandom really, they’ve certainly made the final fantasy fandom seem less crazy. I don’t think any of us thought that was possible.<br /><br /><br />TL;DR: Twilight: turning girls into whores and final fantasy fans into Kayne west.<br /><br />AndyAndy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2324884767962606386.post-10457064863056298222009-03-09T11:29:00.000-07:002009-03-09T11:31:01.084-07:00It Begins...Welcome.<br /><br />Somehow, in the twisted labyrinth of shit that is the internet, you have stumbled upon this blog. Quite frankly, you picked a piss-poor time to do it because I haven’t written anything of any value yet. I politely ask you not judge this blog as a whole based on this post alone, as this is nawt but a start. In the coming weeks/months/til I lose interest and do something else, I will smother this page with opinions and critiques, questions and answers and just about anything I can think of, that said I dont tend to do an awful lot of thinking, so I’m also willing to discuss anything that you, fine reader, feel needs discussing.<br /><br />I’m being terribly rude. Allow me to introduce myself.<br /><br />My name is Andy Kavna. This is my blog, ‘Pleather 4 Breakfast'. Now, formailities out of the way, I have absolutely nothing left to say. So rather than ramble on I’ll cut this post short and bid you adieu, ’til hopefully next time I’ll have something to talk about.<br /><br />TL;DR: New blog. This ones shit. Come back and do my work for me. love xxx.<br /><br />Yours deliciously,<br />Andy KavnaAndy Kavnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181687337110125355noreply@blogger.com0