Blogga's Wall Catchup

Well it's gonna be catch up central on this blog for a while I'm afraid!! Get ready for a few comic series reviews and old video game content while I'm at it.

I hope you'll let this blogger off as the delay in content is due to HIS WEDDING!!!! So obviously the preparation for said event and changes afterward have caused a bit of a delay but I hope to be posting more regularly soon. It was a lovely day by the way!!!

So here are a few things that went up on my wall during this busy time.

1) Halo: Ghosts of Onyx

 I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the sort-of sequel 'Glasslands' which is apparently going to tie in to the upcoming Halo 4 (release date in November has been announced by the way!!!). The story of the Spartan IIIs was very well done as well as their battle with Foreruner forces on Onyx. I did find the Covenant side of the story very confusing as it was hard to place within the context of the games, it seemed to be around the time of the Covenant civil war, yet the Elites are still warring against the humans - it does make sense but it was a bit hard to follow for my muddled brain - I might do a more in-depth review of this book at a later date so I'll stop here.

2) Star Wars: Agent of the Empire # 1

 A nice new series from Dark Horse and Legacy writer John Ostrander, sort-of James Bond meets Star Wars. This first run of the series 'Iron Eclipse' has come to and end so I'll be posting a full review up soon, so I won't say more on that either!

3) Assassin's Creed: Revelations

 The latest  game in the series lets you play as both Ezio and Altair as Desmond tries to puzzle his way out of a coma in the Animus. Fun additions are the opportunity to play some of Desmonds memories (in a weird 3D puzzle mode) and the Multiplayer which now has more of a story to it, you're still a Templay fighting other Termplars in the Animus but you can now unlock Abstergo files and there are even cutscenes as you progress - a good game so far!

4) Star Wars: Episode 1 3D

I enjoyed this loads more than I actually expected - even as a die-hard Star Wars fan. I love watching the movie in the big screen and the added scenes were fun, especially the extended Podrace sequence and extra details on Coruscant were a delight - worth another trip to the cinema for me!!

5) Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi #0

This is a very exciting new series by the Legacy team chronicling the origins of the Jedi Order. This was a very handy guidebook to the series, which I am reading with my wife as it is perfect for new Star Wars readers as almost all the story content is new and the guidebook helpfully explains the stuff that isnn't such as the Sith species and the Rakata, which might otherwise confuse a new reader - this is a great new era to explore.

And that's it - movies next I think!!

Video Game Diary - 8/3/12

OK, this should be the last Gears post for a bit and I can try and catch up with Assassin's Creed, yes don't expect any new stuff for quite a while as I will be behind on Mass Effect 3 anyway as that comes out tomorrow in the UK, anyway, nothing new for this blog though!

Diary

Haven't been gaming that much really, I've played a bit of Assassin's Creed: Revelations but I'm at the stage where playing the economy side of things slows your overall progress but it's great fun to be part of the world of Constantinople. I'm enjoying the Desmond segments, though I would have preferred straightforward memory sequences to moving blocks around a weird physics space. Multiplayer is good too, I like that there is more of a story to it and you can unlock Abstergo files as you progress.

New Enemies

This is the interesting one, in the first act several new lambent types crop up in both phases of the game to attack our Gears, though it seems there has been some peace from the lambent as they are generally surprised to see them pop up.

Lambent Stalk










These stalks are generally how the lambent reach the surface with these enormous mutated plants bursting from the ground or sea, carrying the lambent soldiers in pods that burst open explosively.

Polyps










The most common of the new lambent forces, these small spider-like creatures attack in swarms to overwhelm enemy forces. Like most lambent creatures they have a tendency to explode when shot at or fought hand to hand.

Lambent Drudges














Drudges are the powerhorse of the lambent forces in the first act, initially they attack much like locust drones only they are capable of mutating into a range of forms, from a brute with two massive arms to rooting themselves in the ground and forming a tree-like structure that spews imulsion at you.

Lambent Leviathan











This is the set-piece of the first Act, an enormous sea-creature mutated by the imulsion attacks the Sovereign where Marcus is based, they defeat it with the help of Cole's team who come up with a very creative solution...dropping a mass of captured tickers onto it!!

Gunker










A very nasty creature - the result of a Boomer meeting the imulsion, results in a very powerful and very explosive creature.


And that's it, except for the Locust group that Cole and his team meet up with which have gone rogue because they are stranded from the main group and hounded by the lambent so they have become savages. They are originally thought to be a vicious group of Stranded who won't let anyone near them.

And that's your lot for now - I'll be playing Act 2 soon so there might be more content before long, you never know...

Some Trailers...

Hot on the heels of the box art we have the first teaser trailer for Assassin's Creed III

Get More: GameTrailers.com, Assassin's Creed III - Debut Trailer, PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

It gives us a few hints as to the gameplay, looks like tree climbing is gonna take up a lot of the free-running and that tomahawk is definitely coming in handy for out new Assassin!

Also out are a few trailer for Halo 4 - well they're more interviews really but we get a few in-game glimpses as well.

Get More: GameTrailers.com, Halo 4 - Spring Showcase ViDoc: First Look, PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Looks really exciting - loving the giant Cyclops being built in the multiplayter map - and Spartan 4s!!! Wonder why they are fighting each other though?

All good fun - can't wait for these!

Assassin's Creed III

Something new for once!! This is the box art for Assassin's Creed III, confirming the rumoured setting of the American Revolution and it looks like our new assassin might be a Native American or certainly a gfuy who knows how to handle a tomahawk!!

Star Wars: Knight Errant - Deluge

The new series of Knight Errant is a great continuation of the series, seen in both comics and novels. This series sees Kerra Holt return to her homeworld of Aquilaris on a rescue mission, but as ever things are not so simple for the young Jedi as she tried to do some good behind enemy lines.

New Characters

New Sith









A collection of new Sith Lords appear only in hologram at this point, but hopefully we'll get to know a few more of them as we go on. Prominently seen are Arkadia (left) who featured in the novel and Odion (right) who is a key villain in the series.

Zodoh the Hutt
Species: Hutt
Sex: Hermaphrodite (male personality)
Position: Crime Lord








An unusual Hutt with a taste for personal combat, he enjoys leading his forces into battle personally whether using his jetpack and Mandalorian war axe or his specialy designed starfighter force! A major player in Hutt space Zodoh planned to use his weapons to cow the Sith into partnering with him.

Jenn Devaad
Species: Human
Sex: Female
Position: Squadron Leader





Jenn leads Devil Squadron a fighting force connected to the mercy organisation Grace Command, they cleared the way for relief and supplies to be flown in. But they also have secret plans to weaken the Sith. Jenn was formerly Zodoh's slave and has a score to settle with him too...

New Ships

A lot of cool ships in this story arc!!

Intruder-class Starfighter









These starfighters were incredibly unusualy in that they were designed to carry a Hutt into direct conflict with the enemy. As such any humanoid pilots had to work from the unusual position of lying down. The fighters came in two models a one and two-seater type fighter.


Stormdriver








More of a weapon than a vehicle, like with Odion's Kinetic corruptors these are industrial tools converted into weapons of mass destruction! An enormous moisture vaporator, capable of absorbing all the moisture from an atmosphere and using it to flood a planet - Zodoh planned to use these to threaten the Sith into working for him!!

Voracious









Zodoh's mobile command centre, from here he directs his forces and launches raids on planets of his choice. It houses a massive data centre from which he controls the Stormdrivers.

Fire-Lotus class starfighter









These are the pretty stinkin' cool starfighters used by Devil Squadron, brand new off the lines, the squadron got them ahead of the Republic Navy due to their wealthy backers. I absolutely love the design of these things, good that something in the past can look so cool!!

Mother Grace





The base ship of Grace Command, this ship delivered supplies to areas liberated by Devil Squadron's forces.

Map














Story

Kerra returns home to rescue her people, only to find they are stupefied by a drug called deluge and can't even help themselves. Worse still her arrival is followed by that of Zodoh, a powerful Hutt wanting to carve himself a piec of Sith territory. Kerra joins Devil Squadron and fights back against the Hutt and the Sith but discovers that the Devils are responsible for the districution of deluge in an attempt to weaken the Sith labour force. Kerra returns to save as many aquilarians as she can but the Devils are captured by Zodoh apart from Jenn who escapes, disrupting the Stormdrivers long enough to save the Aquilarians. They then take the fight to Darkknell, Daiman's capital and save that world from it's fate.

Another great story - what with Dawn of the Jedi out it seems pre-trilogy is where it's at these days!!

Mass Effect 3 Video Game, Take Earth Back Teaser | Video Clip | Game Trailers & Videos | GameTrailers.com

Oh...wow!

Get More: GameTrailers.com, Mass Effect 3 - Take Earth Back Teaser, PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Mass Effect 3 Video Game, Take Earth Back Teaser | Video Clip | Game Trailers & Videos | GameTrailers.com


Herm - that wasn't even the full video - don't know what happened there -- this one is the WOW moment!!

Get More: GameTrailers.com, Mass Effect 3 - Take Earth Back Trailer, PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

SF at the Movies - February '12

Yes that's right - on time for a special February edition...cough...hem, let's see what's on at the cinema.

Chronicle



Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace 3D



Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengance




More next month!