It’s been touched on before, but it’s worth mentioning again. The Reaper and I do not limit our online endeavours to this blog. We also work on audio dramas which are hosted at Star Wars Fanworks which is run by the extremely talented Nathan P Butler. To that end, we have started our own Drunken Fish forum to promote our work. It will be primarily for a Star Wars Audio parody called Jedi love at the moment. But there will be other, more serious ventures, as well as podcasts which will include video game related overtures.

Come check us out.

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I admit it, this is only very loosely even remotely related to video-games.  But since it’s taking a wee longer to sort my next review than I anticipated, I had to post something.  I don’t want y’all thinking I’ve just vanished again.

I’m still here, and will be posting reviews soon.  I pwomise

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This one is a pause, not an out and out stop.

I recently made purchase of a new graphics card which will push my current rig into the mythical realm of awesome beyond even the gaming powerhouse of the fabled ZX Spectrum.  Because of this, I’m not playing any PC games at the moment.  I’m waiting for the new card so that future gameplay videos will have a framerate above six.  I suppose I could throw out a review for another platform (I’m sure you have noticed that the X-Box 360 has been rather prominent of late), but that would be too much like common sense.  Besides, I have the PC itch at the moment.  And it’s time to bolster that side of the website again.  From there I’ll probably back round to the Wii, and maybe even, finally, something for the PSP.  Until such time, hello true believers.

Here is some cake

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Every once in a while there comes along a game that is a true joy to play. Relying on nothing more than the strength of its own design. Weighed down by neither epic themes, heart stopping action or deep emotional connection to character. Games like Bejewled, or Minesweeper, or good old Solitaire. But in this age of intense, gut wrenching, sociopolitical commentary, those games are few and far between. Sure, we have a whole slew of games aimed at the so called casual market, especially notable on the Nintendo platforms. Brain Training, the Imagine series, PAIN! on the PSN, A Kingdom for Keflings on the X-Box Arcade. And they are all great, simple games. They focus heavily on that pick up and play factor, whilst still having enough substance to make the time spent playing them to feel like an investment.
But then, sometimes, along comes a game like Portal.
On the surface, this is nothing more than exactly what it was originally intended to be. It’s a tech demo for an ultimately unused Half-Life 2 weapon. Though weapon is a bit of a misnomer. The portal gun, for lack of a better name, can be used as a weapon after a fashion, by making holes for people to fall through, or boxes and other objects to fall on their heads, but those are lateral uses and not what it is ostensibly intended to be used for. But hey, call it a weapon, I’ve used it to dispatch enough gun turrets (which are so adorable ^^, I so totally want one as a pet) for me to let that one slide. But anyway, the point is, that’s all that Portal really is. A series of test chambers that will stretch your ingenuity. And believe me, they really do. It’s such a simple concept, but play the game and you will rapidly see just how versatile a concept it really is. It’s a game breaker, even within it’s own game.
It’s getting a little long in the tooth now for some people, the Source engine in particular is showing it’s age graphically. Things have moved on a fair bit since the Orange box first hit, but it still stands the test of time. And the tentatively confirmed Portal 2 looks poised to be a runaway hit. Sometimes, all that hype you hear, it isn’t just hype. Some things can never live up to their hype, and sometimes, just sometimes, the hype can never live up to the reality. And Portal falls into the latter. I could go on for hours about it, but there really is no need. The game, if it can be called that, really does speak for itself. And now that Steam have made it available for free throughout this May (2010) for all Steam users (Steam accounts also being free) I cannot recommend to you strongly enough. If you have not yet had opportunity to play it, do it now. I mean seriously, right now. Stop reading this and go download it. I’ll still be here when you come back. It’s all of four megabytes. Go on I tell you, shoo. What are you still doing here?

Well, it’s about time. Now, whilst you are doing that I’m going to sing a little song.
I am the very model of a modern Major General
I have information, vegetable animal and mineral
I know the Kings of Eng…
Ahh, you’re back. I told you it wouldn’t take long. Now, take just a moment to read the scores and then go and play it. I’m sure you can put aside a few hours. Sure, it’s a fairly short game. The main chunk of it can be done in around three to five hours, and that’s if you’re taking your time. But there are a number of extra maps now available, and a nifty little time trial mode that gives it a rather significant replay value. And, dude, good news, the cake isn’t a lie after all

Graphics: 8/10
Gameplay: 9.5/10
Audio/Music: 9.5/10
Plot/Scripting: 9/10
Overall: 9.5/1o

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There have been a few things happening in the real world that have taken up most of my time recently.  The most notable of them being a visit from my daughter and the purchase of a new PC.  But fear not, I have also been busy thrashing the arse off a number of games in my spare time, and have developed a backlog of some of the more recent titles.  I’ll be working through them, as well as some older games that I’ve prepared material for, over the next few weeks.  By which point I should probably have some more of the newer titles ready to go as well.

Two reviews will be coming either tomorrow or Thursday.  Resistance for the Playstation 3, and F.E.A.R 2 PC.  And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Eyes peeled peeps

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