Square Eyes

Doom (2005)

2006-07-26T19:12:00.000+01:00

Traditionally, games to movie adaptations are rarely very good. However the ‘Doom’ movie appears to break that mould, staying faithful to the albeit light storyline attached to the game series. I was initially dubious of this film because is starred wrestler-turned-actor; ‘The Rock’, a move that hasn’t been done successfully (debatable) since Roddy Piper shook his mullet in the face of adversity and alien invasion in John Carpenters ‘They Live’ (1988). However I was very impressed with the performances all round, in particular Richard Brake playing ‘Corporal Dean Portman’, who gives his character a wonderful sense of eccentricity. The special effects are excellent and the visuals are slick and fluid. The sets and locations are all spot on and have all been accurately created to maintain that ‘Doom’ feel. There are loads of references to the game to keep the fans happy, like the BFG (Big Fucking Gun), Chainsaw, and a superb First-Person perspective sequence which directly mimics the way you play the computer game. The only thing lacking in the film was Hell, which, according to the game is where the creatures came from. This aside, the storyline is very engaging, with the group of marines lead by ‘Sarge’ (The Rock) sent to the UAC’s Mars facility to investigate strange disturbances in the research labs, only to discover something much more sinister is afoot. Only a few cheesy one-liners slip through the net as this entertaining sci-fi flick does the ‘Doom’ franchise justice.

Wolf Creek (2005)

2006-07-26T00:36:00.000+01:00

Loosely based on real life events, ‘Wolf Creek’ follows a group of three backpackers who take a trip into part of the Australian outback and fall prey to brutal killer who initially offers to fix their car, then takes them captive. What ensues is an onslaught of tense torture scenes and ruthless and relentless cat and mouse chases, much in the style of ‘The Hitcher’ (1986). ‘Wolf Creek’ has good initial character development which allows the viewers to sympathise with the victims later on. It breaks some horror clichés, catching you off guard and maintaining tension. John Jarret gives an uncompromising performance as killer ‘Mick Taylor’; the way he holds a stare with one of his potential victims is especially unnerving. In a particularly disturbing scene, one of the characters stumbles upon collections of personal effects from previous victims like passports and currency from different parts of the world, similar to ‘Wrong Turn’ (2003). Seeing familiar items like Five Pound notes pinned to the wall in some psychopath’s hovel in the middle of nowhere, thousands of miles from home is very unsettling. This film has the same relentless qualities as some of its protégés such as ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ (1974) and, playing with the thought that this film is based on true events and that each year thousands of people do go missing in these places, proves this contemporary horror film very effective.

Thinking With Portals™

2006-07-20T19:09:00.000+01:00

Valve recently released an astonishing new tech demo for the Portal Gun which will feature in the upcoming Half Life 2: Episode 2 for Xbox 360 and PC. If you imagine the impressive and logic defying portals featured in ‘Prey’, and then imagine being able to place these where ever you wanted with a gun, you are getting close to what the ‘Portal Gun’ is shaping up to be. The tech demo, made in the style of a tongue-in-cheek educational training video, proceeds to demonstrate the endless inventive ways in which this technology can be used. This is shaping up to the most exciting weapon ever conceived in a computer game giving endless non-linear tactical possibilities in both single and multiplayer gameplay, the only limit, it seems, will be your imagination. ‘Now you’re thinking with portals™’

Annually Retentive

2006-07-14T21:30:00.000+01:00

In this hilarious new satirical comedy series on BBC Three, we are taken behind the scenes of a new panel show hosted by a reluctant and indignant Rob Brydon. Treading similar paths to ‘The Office’(2001), ‘Annually Retentive’ follows a constantly embittered Brydon, both on screen and behind the scenes, as he struggles to deal with the level of calibre of the D-list celebs chosen to appear on his show. A show that he believes is beneath him. When the cameras aren’t rolling, Rob makes his feelings know to the writers and producers about the derivative content of the show as well as insulting potential celebrity guests. The way he manages to offend so many people in his wake off-screen yet exhibit a brave face on-screen is a brilliantly funny contrast. It is hilarious how he dismisses people that eventually end up appearing on the show. I am really enjoying this witty comedy; currently the funniest thing on TV™

PGR 3 Style Pack

2006-07-13T16:25:00.000+01:00

The third downloadable content package for Project Gotham Racing 3 has been released and includes another selection of exciting new cars, new achievements, new multiplayer game modes and the ability to now share your saved game photos on Live. The most exciting addition amongst the new motors in the return of the Mini Cooper S, which, in PGR2, spawned the fan-created online game mode ‘Cat and Mouse’ where one driver from each team has a Mini while the others have Class A cars and must prevent the rival teams’ Mini from progressing, the first team to get their Mini across the finish line wins. This update has made this an official game mode to play over Xbox Live as well as making relevant achievement points available. The added achievements now bring PGR3’s total attainable achievement score to 1000G which, as far as I know, is the maximum allowed by Microsoft per game. This means that not only is this likely to be the final PGR3 content but outlines the possibility that games that do not yet have the full 1000G attainable (like ‘Condemned: Criminal Origins’) may be due some added downloadable content in the future. Fingers crossed!

Breakdown of new Content:

New Cars
BMW M6, BMW Z8, BMW M3 CSL, BMW Mini Cooper S, Gumpert Apollo Coupe 4.2 V8, 2005 Chrysler Firepower Concept, Ferrari 365 GTB4 Daytona, Ferrari F430 Challenge, Mercedes CLK DTM AMG, Pagani Zonda F, RUF RK Spyder 3.8, Vanwall GPR V12

New Game Modes
Free Roam Points, Team Free Roam Points, Cat and Mouse

New Achievements
Cat Champion (10G), Mouse Master (15G), Cone Capture Champion (15G), Team Cone Capture Champion (10G)

Go East

2006-07-11T18:02:00.000+01:00

I am always impressed when products are able to re-invent themselves through some fresh advertising. The latest ‘Sharwoods’ Eastern cuisine advert has done just that. Using wonderfully elegant, fast paced animation mixed with live action it captures the distinctive flair of the orient. The soundtrack further enhances the creative, colourful character of the advert, singing ‘Go East’ to the theme of ‘Go West’ by the Pet Shop Boys.

Flamboyant

2006-07-10T18:03:00.000+01:00

‘Flamboyant’ was a recent successful pop song from The Pet Shop Boys. It was accompanied by a mesmerising music video set in the neon metropolis that is Tokyo. The bands music frequently contains veiled political or social undertones and ‘Flamboyant’ is no exception, posing as a clever satire to advertising culture. The video is visually eye catching with a perfect blend of graphics and live action. There are some great tongue in cheek fake adverts for perfumes etc, featuring the Pet Shop Boys themselves, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe. The music videos story centres around a new Japanese craze spawned from the ‘Matrix Table Tennis’ video in which special effects are glibly mocked using people. This is undoubtedly, one of the most impressive music videos of recent times.

Headvoid

2006-07-10T18:00:00.000+01:00

In a recent search for high resolution 1920x1200 wallpapers, I stumbled across some astonishing digital artwork on ‘deviantART’. A vector graphics artist by the name of ‘Headvoid’ has created some stunning abstract Illustrator work to fit most screen resolutions. His style is highly effective, and always bright and colourful, and on closer inspection you can observe the impressive detail he has attained. His work has really illuminated my desktop and I look forward to seeing more from this talented graphic artist.

Illusions

2006-07-10T17:57:00.000+01:00

Inspired by the works of artist M.C. Escher, the latest Audi A6 advert plays with the concept optical illusions. In various locations, using wonderful special effects, the car appears to defy logic as the illusions play tricks on your mind. This mood is accompanies by an eerie sound track and excellent low saturation, high contrast urban imagery. The concluding tagline, ‘whatever the road holds’ completes this brilliantly surreal advert.

OXM 360 Issue 10

2006-07-09T19:20:00.000+01:00

Issue 10's disc is the best yet, packed with 5 playable demos and a host of HD Trailers and videos. The demos included are; Lost Planet, Table Tennis, Top Spin 2, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter and a new demo of Kameo. 'Lost Planet' as I mentioned in a previous post is simply stunning. Breathtaking graphics and environments and superb animation. 'Table Tennis' is exactly what it says, a highly addictive table tennis sim, which manages to replicate the sport in uncanny detail, and also contains the most realistic facial animations I have ever seen. I could play this demo all day, although you wonder what more the full game could actually offer. 'Top Spin 2' is a tennis sim and is also extremely addictive. The visuals are crisp and colourful and there is enough skill required to make winning each point very satisfying. I was ever so slightly disappointed with 'Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter' considering the hype surrounding it. Being a fan of 'Ghost Recon 2' on Xbox, the controls in GRAW don't feel as tight, making killing the enemies almost frustrating. Bear in mind though this is only a demo. 'Kameo' is a completely new demo compared to the one on Issue 04's disc. This version contains 4 separate levels, most notable one where, atop your horse, you must try to knock down as many trolls as you can. The amount of trolls on screen at once is quite incredible, there are literally hundreds, showing the raw rendering power the 360 is capable of. Amongst the videos on the disc is a great exclusive E3 interview with the Xbox 360 head of marketing, Peter Moore. The magazine is brilliant as ever; keep up the good work OXM.

Next months demos are; Saint's Row, Chromehounds, Amped 3, Hitman: Blood Money and a new one for Ghost Recon AW.

Halo 3 Trailer

2006-07-07T23:26:00.000+01:00

At E3 06 Bungie confirm with a spine tingling teaser trailer that the Master Chief will make his much anticipated appearance on the Xbox 360. The breath taking visuals are backed up with the promise from Microsoft that all the graphical effects in the trailer were being rendered in real-time on the 360 console. The video depicts the Chief approaching a void that has opened up on the surface of earth, with covenant ships occupying the area, before an explosion and a blinding light fill the screen. The footage is interwoven with a voice over from Cortana, claiming, as the trailer ends, that 'This is the way the world ends'; chilling! Some exciting things are revealed or hinted at in this teaser from Bungie, most notably the appearance of the Assault Rifle from the first Halo game seems to be making a satisfying return. With the release date stated as '2007', I, like millions of other fans, will be awaiting with high anticipation, the third (and most likely final) instalment in the most successful gaming franchise ever conceived.

Lost Planet Demo

2006-07-07T21:59:00.000+01:00

Accompanied with Issue 10 of the Official Xbox 360 Magazine was amongst others, a playable demo of Capcom's up and coming 'Lost Planet'. This game is absolutely incredible! Stunning graphics and slick, fluid animation make this a truly cinematic experience in Hi-Def. The game is set in the frozen wastelands of the future, plagued by indigenous creature and the invasion of monstrous beings; you must fight on foot or in robotic vehicles. The marriage of sound and image in this game is breath-taking, the sounds from the huge creatures burrowing out of the snow cause the floor to physically shake, and the sheer size and speed at which they move make them genuinely terrifying! 'Lost Planet' is shaping up to be superb game, and, alongside 'Dead Rising', Capcom will certainly make their mark in the 360 arena. It is just such a shame this game is still far from its scheduled release date.

Remembrance

2006-07-07T18:49:00.000+01:00

I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the families of the 52 people whose lives were unnecessarily taken in London on this day one year ago. My thoughts are with you all.

Pebl

2006-01-30T22:18:00.000Z

Although I never have been a fan of Motorola mobile phones, the advert for their latest model, the ‘Pebl’, is undeniably inspiring. It follows a meteor hitting earth, and slowly weathered away until the landscape is submerged beneath the water where it is worn into a smooth pebble and washed ashore; a man picks it up and opens it as the phone. A fantastic concept elegantly brought to life through a blend of beautiful photography and CGI.

Heads

2006-01-29T22:35:00.000Z

The BBC recently screened this advert for its digital TV services. A large head consisting of smaller heads floats over a landscape discussing various television genres available. The heads transform into different formations relevant to the genre, for example a lion for nature. An immensely impressive advert with a distinctive CGI style which, unfortunately, proved too radical for audiences and was consequently banned for scaring people!? You may notice the similarities between this and a scene from the hugely successful Disney Pixar film 'Finding Nemo'(2003).

Floating Pages

2006-01-29T15:53:00.000Z

Earlier in the month, an advert was screened for less than a week for the new look 'Observer' newspaper. Pages blow from an empty newspaper stand across the empty early morning city and land to reform the edition of 'The Observer'. Taking place in the City Of London there are some superb compositions of many iconic landmarks of the area, notably St. Paul's, Barbican Complex and Tower 42. It is a shame this was shown for such a short period, it captured the essence of a Sunday morning in the City perfectly.

With Us Its Personal

2006-01-29T15:50:00.000Z

In the build up to Xmas Royal Mail produced an epic feel-good advert in which a postman is shown delivering to locations all over the UK. From small villages to Housing estates to Canary Wharf, London, each place having huge letterboxes. It cuts to some of the recipients opening their mail and it coming to life in their hands. This is a really nice, almost patriotic advert from Royal Mail associating themselves as a trustworthy national icon. The choice of music is excellent and you can't help but be left with a smile at the end; if only my postman was this enthusiastic!

Jump In

2006-01-28T23:33:00.000Z

It is no surprise that with the exciting release of the new Xbox 360 console it should be accompanied by a completely unrelated artsy ad campaign. This time around some guy seems to have stumbled upon a deserted street in which a maraudering army are firing arrows and then he gets picked up by a strange looking giant (pictured) who roars at him, he roars back, ending with the 360 logo and tagline, 'Jump In'.

I do think this is a really nice ad, visually impressive and somewhere in there lies the subliminal message that these are alike some of the rich and varied experiences you can expect with the new console. Although I can't help thinking it would have been cheaper and more sucessful if they had just shown footage of the amazing games available, instead of the tried and tested ad style of creating ideas so bizarre that the brand will stick in peoples minds.

Trivia: The controversial 2002 UK Xbox advert 'Birth to death' was considered offensive to people with a terminal illness and was consequently banned from our televisions because of its tagline 'Life is short. Play More.'

Sledgehammer

2006-01-28T14:46:00.000Z

'The Hits' are playing their 'greatest music videos ever' selection. As always it featured one of my favourite music videos;
Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer, one of the best mainstream examples of stop motion animation.

Some people think the Internet is a bad thing...

2006-01-28T14:07:00.000Z

AOL currently have a very impressive television ad campaign. They have moved away from the glossy, safe and friendly rubbish we used to see, where an entire family crowds round the screen pointing at it in amazement. Now they have a selection of adverts entitled 'discuss' where each one gives a different point of view of how the internet is percieved, encouraging discussion.

The pick of the bunch is the one focusing on the negative effects of the internet, claiming that George Orwell was right and everything we do and say is monitored, etc. The negatative advertising is a bold but well considered campaign that is not only thought provoking but shows AOL to be completely in touch with everything the service they provide is capable of, whether it be good or bad. All the adverts are voiced by the ever brilliant John Hurt.

5 Years On

2006-01-28T11:26:00.000Z

Having managed to get an Xbox 360 in Microsofts second limited stock on the 16th of December 2005, I have been enjoying next-gen gaming for the past month with PGR 3, Condemned, Perfect Dark Zero & Quake 4. However a couple of days ago I decided to experiment with the 360's backward compatibility feature. I put the original 'Halo' into the machine (a launch game for the Xbox in late 2001) to reminise on a game that consumed my life at the time, and most of a summer holiday completing it on Legendary!

I was amazed, not only is it just as great as I remember, but because all original Xbox games have been given a 720p Hi-def, anti-aliased facelift on 360, it now looks better than ever! This game is nearly 5 years old, and still lives on as the greatest Xbox game ever made. Even with the extremely impressive graphics that 360 games sport, nothing has been able to match the richness and depth of 'Halo'. I am currently playing it on a CRT awaiting a restock of VGA cables for HD. I hope it still looks as good on a Hi-def monitor.