SCREAM

Wow was this movie fun.

I watched Scream about a week ago (from writing this review), so this is from distant memory, but I can still remember enjoying the heck out of this movie.

Scream (1996) is a Wes Craven horror/comedy film. This film's purpose is to be a sort of spoof of classic slasher films, including Wes Craven's own Nightmare on Elms Street (which I have not yet seen). Although a spoof, this film works very well as a slasher in its own right, and has plenty of scares and close calls, mixed in with the witty dialogue and references.

This film, in case you don't know, is the introduction of the movie villain Ghostface, a dangerous killer who wears a halloween ghost costume. Ghostface is a great villain because, not only is he dangerous, but he also makes mistakes, and is clumsy. This trait makes some of the scenes even more tense, because you are never too sure whether the victim survives or the killer wins.

I won't go into the story, but if you're a fan of slasher movies, this is a great one, and I would be surprised if you haven't seen it. If you're just starting, like me, this is a great lee-way into some of the more intense and serious slashers out there.

Just Cause 2

Tough on the Computer, but Definitely Worth Playing

I got Just Cause 2 a while ago for my PC, and it definitely is a pain to run. Just Cause 2 is definitely the most graphically advanced game I own, and because of my computer's poor processor, lackluster RAM, and old monitor, I cannot play the game at its full glory, and I often get frustrated at the poor framerate.

However, it still happens to be fun.

Just Cause 2 is a giant open world shooter. You play as an agent by the name of Rico Rodriguez, and it's your job to cause as much chaos in the island state of Panau as possible. There is a story, but it is irrelevant.

So, why is it so fun?

The biggest draw to the game is the large open world. From what I've read, it's around 400 square kilometers in total area. There are mountains, rainforests, and deserts. There are tonnes of secrets, Easter eggs and collectables to find, and almost no end of missions to do. What don't you want from a game like this.

The biggest letdown, however, is how taxing it is to play the thing. It is only playable on Windows Vista and up, and because of this, all Windows XP gamers get left out. The graphical options are limited, because no matter how low I set the settings, it still seems to run at a very low framrate, making the game very slow and stutter a lot. This game will be so much better with a better computer.

The game is cheap, however. It is a 2-year-old game, which means buying it now will be much easier, at $20. It is only 4 gigabytes, which means installing the game is fairly easy, and it leaves room to upgrade your computer if needed.

I'll say try before you buy. There is a demo out, which gives you access to one of the islands in the game, so give that a shot to see if your computer can run it. If it can run it, definitely buy it immediately. This game is fun, if it works.

Introduction: Hi's and Hello's

Let me introduce myself. My name is Samuel, aka. Samuentaga. This blog is all about reviews for everything. I'll review movies, music, games, books, whatever I feel like is possible for me. I'll also probably review news stories and events across the globe, as well as look into more controversial topics. But, for now, I'll stick to reviewing entertainment.

If you have any suggestions for things I should look at, please let me know.

The Rules:

1. I don't do points or stars. If you want a summary of what I think of a game without reading the entire review I do, I'll do a ranking system like this:

Buy It
Try before you buy
Avoid like the plague

The meanings of each should be clear enough.

2. I'll start reviewing asap. I will not have a regular schedule, although I hope to at least release one review a week minimum. I may do more, and I may not be able to access the internet. Who knows?

3. These reviews reflect my opinion on the subject matter. It may change if I gain perspective, so I may release updates to reviews, call them something like re-reviews. You may enjoy something I hate, and you may hate something I enjoy.

4. This is for fun. Take me seriously, but not too seriously. Try not to be offended by anything I say (yes, offense is a choice of the listener) and take everything I say with a grain of salt.

That's all for now.

The Binding of Isaac

Creepy visuals, great gameplay, and almost infinite replay value

First off: The Binding of Isaac is not a game for everyone. It has a minimalistic style that not everyone will appreciate, it is very hard, and you will die numerous times. It also features a very religious undertone which some people will not at all like.
However, this is my review, so I'll discard all of those things.

The Binding of Isaac, essentially, is a rogue-like isometric shooter. You play as the titular character Isaac (or an unlockable character) and you go through a series of rooms and defeat various creatures and bosses. The largest draw to the game, in my opinion, is the complete randomness of the game. The game is very unpredictable, and as you continue playing more and more times, the larger the game seems to get.  There are hundreds of different upgrades to the character that can be earned, as well as numerous bosses and enemies.

The gameplay is also good. It is very simplistic. The WASD keys are used to move the character, and the arrow keys are used to shoot the projectiles. The cool thing, though, is that the projectiles are affected by momentum. If you move your character sideways while shooting up, the bullets will curve the direction you're moving, meaning some very tricky shots can be pulled off if you're good enough at the game.

The graphics, as I said before, are minimalistic, but very good. The game is programmed using Flash, which means the game uses sprites instead of proper 3D objects, but the quality of the art is astounding. The creatures look very creepy, as does the rest of the game, and there is a lot of variety in them. Isaac himself is rather plain, but can be customized with items. Items, in this game, don't only affect stats and give powers, but also change the look of the character when equipped.

The game also has a very dark sense of humor. Adding to the randomness of the game, some items, mostly pills, can take from you instead of give. There is a heavy emphasis on luck, chance and randomness in this game. There is always the potential of having a 'bad run,' playing the game and only getting bad items. Some items are also useless. I remember one pill in the game doesn't do anything to you, but simply makes you look retarded, a caption stating 'you found pills and ate them.' Completely random, unexpected, and funny.

Probably the biggest drawback from the game is the very controversial and potentially offensive story of the game. The story is based off the story of Abraham's calling to sacrifice his son Isaac, but here, instead of Abraham, it's Isaac's mother, who is crazed with a desire to kill her son (supposedly a message from God) This could offend some people, as the game itself is begging for controversy, but I choose to ignore the themes, and simply have fun playing the awesome game.

Although I myself enjoy the game, I will say 'Try before you buy.' There is a demo on Newgrounds.com, and you can also find it in other places, but for the cheap price of $5, it won't be too much of a waste to buy it if you have money to spare.