Ashley Smith

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One of the best indie titles I have played on the Switch. The combat is precise but also hectic at times. I actually didn't even realise until nearly the end of the game that the direction of the gunbrella can be controlled by the right stick! I spent the whole game just using the left stick, which probably made it a bit harder for me...! Lol The story was well told, though not exactly the most subtle. I did enjoy the 'Cult 45' wink.... I found the game a decent length - it probably took me a total of about 15 hours, because I wanted to complete every side quest and also power up the gunbrella to its fullest level. I struggled on a few sections, and a few of the bosses took me 3 or 4 tries, but there was nothing that ever seemed unsurmountable. Overall, an excellent title!

A genuinely excellent, weird, thought-provoking and hilarious film about.... lots of things. Ultimately, I think it was about the inequalities in our own world between the 'first world' and those in developing countries. We in the west drag resources, people, art etc from the 'less developed' parts of the planet and use them up, before depositing the waste and trash back on those same places for them to pick through. We need to do better.

Honestly, the most fun I have had with a game in quite some years. Not only does it look great and sound amazing, but it FEELS superb to play. I tend to just play with random players cos none of my close friends are playing (yet), but the sense of community is superb. I've lost count of the number of times I have had players wade back through a heaving tide of bugs or cyborgs to help me make it to the extraction point, and I have done the exact same for others just as many times. Yes you can easily kill each other, but you can also heal, rescue, re-arm and re-fit your fellow players, as well as reinforce them. The sense of comradarie is palpable, as we are all pulling towards the same goal. There were some issues with matchmaking in the first week or so, but they have largely been ironed out now - I rarely wait longer than 20 seconds to get into the next fight. A few other 'bugs' (not the six-legged kind) are still hanging around, bit they rarely ruin your fun or your progress. Similarly, there are a minority of players who are only there for themselves, and that is usually fine unless they start killing you endlessly (on purpose). It is entirely possible to still play this as a semi-solo player, achieving side-objectives etc, if you really have something against being a part of a cohesive squad - and yet you'll still be helping out the others, as all rewards/finds are duplicated amongst the team. In short - play it! It is old school in feel, but modern in execution.

Drips atmosphere and style. The animation is not your typical anime, but neither is it the weird CGI that often is used in its place - it sits in a place somewhere between the two, stylised but also realistic and pin-sharp. The show has been made with a focus on English-speaking audiences, so the mouths move in synch with the English audio - not that this ever particularly bothers me when watching shows that have been dubbed from Japanese to English. But it is notable for the relative rarity of a Japanese setting to be made with English as the primary language. The show is dramatic, well-paced, and exceedingly well made. Though there is a fair amount of nudity and violence it is generally handled with an eye for humour and action, rather than the lascivious, seedy elements that often get baked into Japanese entertainment (particularly anime, where sexism remains rampant and the female form is usually only ever present for ogling). I greatly enjoyed this programme, and I hope Netflix continues to produce more original content that matches this level of quality.

This is something I didn't expect to ever write or even think - but those movie magicians have finally released a genuinely enjoyable Predator movie that actually lives up to the original. Hell, it might even be better. It doesn't stray far from the storyline of the vaunted Arnie classic, and improves on the visuals and action in a lot of ways. The acting isn't particularly memorable, but who watches a Predator movie expecting Oscar-worthy dramatic performances?!? I would have welcomed a bit more characterisation - I don't think I could even name a single one ot the poor buggers who end up on the end of the sharpened talons of the eponymous beast, let alone care about their ultimate fate. And there really isn't a memorable line uttered at any point in the 100 mins runtime. Those small gripes aside, this is easily the equal to the romping1980s original. If you fancy some mindless slaughter, you could do a LOT worse.

Love these movies, the whole world of the Conjuring movies and their offshoots. I have always been totally non-religious (growing up in the UK, we are educated about religions and there was even a fair amount of 'assumed Christianity' when I was in primary school, where we sang hymns, but individual religiosity is generally not spoken about much - I only know a few people that are openly and obviously Christian; to be clear, it is not looked down upon at all, it is simply just not a big part of life), but if I was religious I cannot help but think that these movies would be 10 times more terrifying! I get to turn off the film and forget about it, as if it was as fictional as a Transformers movie! For those who are deeply Christian, the Conjuring movies must delve into that secret terror you have in your mind, that utter belief in your Lord and the darkness that dwells on the flipside. If I was like that, I doubt I could ever bring myself to watch a film like this - I would be pissing my pants for weeks after!! The Warren's continue to be portrayed marvellously by the two stars, and it was interesting to see their own frailty of body and mind in this latest entry. I don't want to say much else for fear of spoilers, but I would suggest that you will get the most enjoyment from this if you have also seen the other entries in the franchise - not merely Conjuring 1 & 2, but also the Annabelle movies and The Nun. I feel like there may be more as well, but off the top of my head that is all I can remember. A great entry in a generally decent series. I personally massively prefer this sort of Paranormal horror to the slasher/torture-porn style (Halloween, Elm St, Saw etc), so my opinion definitely reflects that. Thanks for reading if you made it this far! X lol X PS - SPOILERS FOR THE ENDING----- The ending, with Ed's pill, nearly broke me. The lead up to it, with Lorraine's voiceover about how their love is not their weakness, already had me a little teary. But when Ed said he forgot his pills - a moment I assumed meant he was about to die - and Lorraine cracked open her necklace and gave him one, that just about opened the floodworks for me. I am a married man, 10 years next month. During that decade, I have been less than I had hoped I would be. I have struggled with a few substance dependencies, and every day is still a battle. But my beautiful wife has been there for me all the way through it. Steadfast, uncomplaining and stoic. I would probably not be on this Earth now if it wasn't for her. I have health problems as a result of these issues, and some that nature just chucked in for free because - hey why not kick a man when he's down?? I am also incredibly forgetful. My wife has been amazing, above and beyond her marriage vows. That tiny moment between Ed and Lorraine - plus the way Arne's girlfriend hung on so tightly to his arm as he tried to slice his own throat - really reminded me that I am yet another man who probably couldn't get by without the support of someone who, for reasons that I cannot fathom, loves me, with all my flaws. If you too have someone who is there for you like that, hold on to them tight. If you don't have that person, I hope you find them. Sorry, this review got deep!