'Keep the Kamera Rolling', A New Empire, A New Beginning

Delve into the lives of 3 ordinary young adults trying to become the first of their empire...'Keep the Kamera Rolling' #KTKR, a small teaser trailer of what to expect from future content produced by myself and a small team which we cannot wait to share with you guys. Unfortunately I cannot reveal much but please take a look at the video and let me know what you think! 

 

Credits: @ShangoSnaps

          @SarahNoire

           @RRLChance

Assassin's Creed Syndicate: Street Gangs, Organised Crime and Revolution!

Image from the Assassin's Creed UK site

Polygon says the new Assassin's Creed which was revealed 12th May at 5pm UK time is actually called Syndicate and not Victory.

Other than the name change all else is expected from the new instalment. The game will feature an assassin called Jacob Frye and will...

 ''transport millions of gamers to an astonishing recreation of London during the Industrial Revolution they will find themselves immersed in a game world they'll have to see to believe...''

Image from AC US site showing a set of brass knuckles lying on a table with the words carved ''God save the Queen'' and ''Rooks'' beside an image of a bird

I couldn't agree more with that statement. The Industrial Revolution was such a pivotal time not only just for London but the whole of Great Britain. It changed the way we lived and sparked new ways of thinking for our society including the birth of social sciences like sociology and social history, and ultimately created the society we live in today! Through these social sciences came about new ways of living, introducing the working age, anyone being able to go to school and introducing health and safety rules for workers as during the Victorian age it was a bleak and dangerous time. I think it's great that Ubisoft has given the UK a chance to show it's importance to the world, how it influenced other countries and puts us on the map that little bit more, so we aren't just known for royals and tea! I cannot wait to explore London at such a dark yet significant time of history!

Ubisoft officially unveiled Assassin's Creed Syndicate via livestream on the 12th May at 5pm UK time.

Skip to 14:00 and watch the reveal here! 

I think I'm most excited about the change in combat dynamics. Now that we are in a much more modern era compared to previous Assassin's Creeds, it isn't legal to walk around with a sword and pistol, so it seems hand to hand combat is going to become much faster and on a much larger scale, involving trains and horse carriages. I think this might be the stealthiest Assassin's Creed yet to come as you can't just walk into a situation head on any more without facing the consequences not only from your Templar foes but trying to slip out of the hands of the police force.

I was a little bit concerned however for the carriage riding (possibly might be one of the games downfalls), I think for me it's going to get in the way a lot particularly when trying to escape from enemies or chasing foes and I might just find myself screaming at my tv screen. On the plus side Ubisoft are giving us the gift of using the environment to our advantage, didn't show much but a pallet loaded with barrels being shot off it's harness onto an enemy so I'll be looking forward to seeing some more gameplay footage regarding that.

As stated in the reveal, we now face an environment that is no longer ruled by religion or kings and queens but by money. With the increase in technology, transport and trade this sparked new opportunities for opportunists and burglars, so I think we'll get to delve into causes and reasons to London's street gangs, the beginnings of white collar and organised crime. Are you excited? I sure am! 

Let me know what you guys thought of the reveal, what are you most looking forward to?

Assassin's Creed Sydicate is set to be released on Xbox One and PS4 October 2015 and Fall 2015 for PC

 

GTA 6: London Town or The First Cuban Wave?

Setting: Miami, London, L.A.?

We know Rockstar have ideas about creating a GTA 6 and developers have stated that ''we've got 45 years worth of ideas we want to do...'' it will be released on the Xbox One and PS4 but there is no news of development just quite yet. There has been much speculation amongst fans however on where the next instalment will be set. 

Many fans have requested a London based game but developers have stated that it just wouldn't seem or feel like a GTA. I personally think basing the game in London would be a nice twist to the franchise. It would be good to show the world the gritty streets of London as well as the expensive high life we're so stereotyped to have and just maybe a small glimpse of how the royals live. Comparing our lifestyle to that of Miami and L.A. would be different and exciting but also surprisingly empathetic for players. However I think Rockstar developers may find it hard to depict the current living standards and communities within London's poorest boroughs. 

GTA Through the Years 

Miami seems to be at the top of everyone's list and the most likely setting of the next instalment. Vice City has received the most references within current next-gen GTAs and is the only location in the franchise that hasn't been visited twice. Would they do a 21st Century setting or go back in time again? Head of Rockstar Leslie Benzies stated about Vice City ''more than any other GTA game, was as much about the era as the setting''. So maybe a trip to the 1950s/60s when the first Cuban wave occurred. A possible Cuban lead role? Maybe Rockstar likes to keep with the times seeing as Vice City is the only game that's gone back in time or maybe they would prefer to create a separate game all together like for example La Noire & Red Dead Redemption. No 1920's GTA then? DAMN!

Game Art from GTA Vice City 

The Future of GTA Dynamics 

Benzies said he envisions players being able to travel back and forth to revisit places. ''Of course at some point we would like to have one big world containing all our cities and let the player fly between them and revisit their favourite areas...in that context re-imagining Vice City would be very interesting.'' So maybe a combination of Liberty City, San Andreas and Vice City? Or even remaining territories that were never really explored in GTA V like Las Venturas and San Fierro. Benzies was also asked about a possible lead female role but said that they had just ''not found the right game for it. So maybe not GTA. It didn't feel natural - with the right themes, it could be fantastic''. So a possible separate game with a female leading role for Rockstar. Fair enough. 

So tell me what do you guys think GTA has in store for the future? Leave a comment or send me a tweet! 

My Top Favourite YouTubers and Channels

Traditional Mediums vs Youtube 

The YouTube community is growing and growing fast. People are turning away from traditional forms of media such as Newspapers and Television and are finding new ways of consuming what's going on in our world. Human beings today are much more aware of their environment than they did years ago before the internet had come along and as human beings it's a natural trait of ours to be curious and to firmly believe that we all have a purpose in life. Individuals are out to find their own truths and as societies morals and informations becomes ever more blurred, we are now creating our own media. Instead of consuming what we are given, we are what David Gauntlett (Making Is Connecting) likes to use, 'prosuming' - consuming and creating at the same time, taking bits of information from what we learn and creating our own perception. As a writer and as you the reader, we are doing it this very moment. Not only have we taken more control of what we consume but the time it takes to receive information from across the globe is much faster compared to some traditional mediums. Take Twitter for example, you can receive news about an incident that has happened there and then as long as the person who has witnessed it is still giving out the information however, it may not necessarily be facts but simply their own take on what they see. We seem to be going through a phase at the moment regarding peoples opinions and the freedom of speech but I like to think that YouTube is conventionally comical and shouldn't be taken so seriously. It should be a platform for sharing experiences, opinions and enable people to connect and empathise with other people alike. The freedom within YouTube allows you to consume what you wish to consume and you can almost in a sense sculpt your own community. I don't know about anyone else but I'm pretty sick and tired of seeing the same depressing, pointless stories within traditional mediums and it just makes me angry. But on a lighter note, I have made this post to share with you guys my top favourite YouTubers and channels, some you will be able to get a lot of laughs out of them, others will teach you things you would never have known and will almost shock you, so I hope you enjoy!! 

VanossGaming & 'Gang' - Gaming, comedy etc

Fan Art by Dann McMahon
From Left - Lui Calibre, Vanoss, H20 Delirious + many more!

I first came across VanossGaming when I YouTube'd 'funny GTA videos' and Vanoss had actually created a spoof of The Dark Knight Rises and I found it absolutely hilarious. From then I took a peek at his other playlists and found some group work within Gary's Gmod, which if I'm not mistaken was originally a modification for Half-Life 2 which allows players to create maps and worlds as you see fit. Within these videos I found the enjoyment and entertainment of several personalities, to name but a few including Vanoss - H20 Delirious, Lui Calibre, I Am Wildcat,  Daithi De Nogla, BasicallyIDoWork, Moo Snuckel, MiniLad, The Terroriser and many more!! Each individual almost possesses their own role and character and it's hilarious to watch, almost like the seven dwarves. So if you're into PC gaming and funny sketch shows then this is the channel for you. Most of them create videos around 5-10minutes long, others like Lui Calibre who likes to do commentary videos for GTA 5 can do up to hour long sessions. He also does pranks within GTA 5 called 'Squeaker Squad' where he puts on a voice and pretends to be a little boy causing havoc, which is very amusing! H20 Delirious likes to go down a more quirky route and does walkthroughs for the more obscure and infamous games like playing as a piece of bread that needs toasting!! He is super funny and super weird and I love him! Vanoss is extremely creative with his editing skills and many of his videos come across like film spoofs and it's ingenious to watch. Their channels are good for when you're on the run and you want that little bit of entertainment on your break or where ever you may be and it's just nice to watch some unconventional media now and then. They post regularly every week and if you're like me watching their videos as soon as they are released, you almost go on a journey with them too. As you watch more and more of their videos you start to learn more about each individual and their personality, allowing the audience to identify themselves with one or more individual which allows you to see them on a more personal level.  Links to their channels are in their names and I'll also leave a few examples of the stuff they get up to.

Gary's Gmod Bird Simulator - VanossGaming

Squeaker Squad Playing House Party - Lui Calibre 

Halloween Special - VanossGaming 

VICE - Documentaries 

VICE originally started as a magazine which focused on arts, culture and news topics, then later expanded into VICE Media. They provide a wide range of documentaries giving us an insight into every corner of the world and their topics are known not to be for the faint hearted. Vice are known to document gritty, hard hitting, controversial subjects that are there to shock their viewers. I have found myself some days sitting in front of my laptop hours on end watching them one after the other, I've seen and learnt things that I didn't know existed or would have even imagine existed. This channel's for those who wish to learn something new and to really see what's going on in our world. And If you're really into specific parts of the world for example they have a separate channel, VICE Japan which focuses just on the issues in Japan. It not all tragic and graphic, there are some light hearted and funny documentaries as well, but don't be shocked when you're scrolling through their playlists to find a shocking title and then finding it hard to resist watching it because you're telling yourself it can't be true! Even the more lighter subjects can still have that hidden dark reality to them, for example 'The Biggest Ass Brazil', the extremes some women put themselves through just to acquire the perfect body shape is quite horrific. So if you're looking for worldly issues, debates, controversy then this is the channel for you and like any other documentary their videos are around 30mins-1hr long, some may be shorter around 15mins so that's a plus for those on the go and who don't have much time on their hands and it may also be appealing to some people that their documentaries are all presented by their own young aspiring employees. Vice more or less posts once a day or every other day but there are tons of videos to look through if you're a new subscriber, so here's a little taster on what they're all about. 

IGN - Media, Gaming, Film, World News etc 

IGN provide all round media entertainment, mainly from game reviews and commentaries to exclusive news about upcoming films. If you want the latest on newly released games they'll have it. They provide commentaries, reviews, walkthroughs, advice and innovative ideas to increase your gaming experience. They also provide information and details on future DLCs, exlclusive content and any future gaming conferences. As well as that they provide the latest gossip, news and rumours surrounding soon to be released films and just general world news. As soon as they hear it before you know it you'll be notified on the casting, plots and much more. If you want to be the first one to find out about the latest games and films then subscribe now! They post on a daily basis, quite a few times a day and they keep their videos short, specifically when it's just a news bulletin, again perfect for people on the go. The walkthroughs aren't exactly in depth, it's more or less the critiques running around, exploring the maps so you as a viewer can get a feel of what to expect and I suppose to make your own judgements from observing. An extremely useful and informative channel which I find myself checking for updates on my phone all the time. This channel can become most useful at the times of gaming conferences when you can't possibly stay up late till the early hours of the morning because you have work the next day so IGN will be there for you every step of the way. Here's a few clips so you know what I mean.

Four of these 100 applicants won't return from Mars

Daily Fix

The RadBrad - Gaming Walkthroughs 

If you're looking for your basic walkthrough channel then this is the channel for you. The RadBrad seems to show a genuine keen interest in gaming and is usually the first to show walkthroughs and insights to all the latest games as soon as they are released. From Resident Evil and Dying Light to Assassins Creed Unity and Far Cry 4. TheRadBrad seems to know his stuff when he's commentating through his walkthroughs, he shows experience, history and is obviously a genuine fan of a lot of these games. As a viewer you're on the journey with him, nothing is planned, it's all off the top of his head and anything could happen so you're sharing that same journey with him. If you're in a situation where you like the look of a game but you know you won't play it or the style of gaming isn't for you but you wouldn't mind watching a walkthrough then I strongly suggest giving him a subscribe. Here's an example.

Ali-A - Gaming, Tips and Advice

Ali-A works on a very specific scale, he will bring you all the latest news primarily about Call of Duty. If there's anything you want to know about COD Ali-A has it all there for you. I mainly watch his videos about the latest news on up and coming COD games and he provides great in depth analysis of trailers and gameplay videos. He knows what he's talking about and makes some great predictions on what to expect from future COD games. As well as this he provides tips and advice on gun loadouts that will help you through specific gamemodes and tactics on how to approach certain maps. He does make the odd video here and there of him messing around on GTA but his forte is definitely COD. Some of his videos can be quite tedious as he chats a lot which is why I tend to stick to his analysis videos because that's where I want to hear detail. I don't really want a long winded video on what guns I should use for a certain map or gamemode. But never-the-less his videos are very informative and he has an iconic voice that every gamer fan knows and some of his videos can actually be very therapeutic. He posts more or less everyday so if you're a super COD fan then you would probably find his videos of much more use than I do. 

Black Ops 3???

PewDiePie - Gaming, Hilarity, Random Vlogs etc 

I have indeed saved the best till last because I have been following PewDiePie for many years now and I think he was probably one of the first people I subscribed to back when I was a bored little kid watching funny videos on YouTube. I first came across PewDiePie when I had heard rumours about a strange supernatural being called Slender Man, I had YouTubed the subject and found PewDiePie's hilarious PC walkthrough and immediately subscribed to his channel. He is hands down one my top favourite YouTubers, he's super hilarious (if you're into his type of humour), quirky and free spirited towards the material he posts. Pewds, as he calls himself gives his subscribers an array of gaming walkthroughs, comedy sketches and random vlogs. Like H20 Delirious he focuses more on infamous indie type games like Life is Strange and Toast. His style of editing is unique to his character and you won't see anything like it. He posts regularly, about once or twice a week and the length of his videos can range from 5 minutes to over an hour depending on his aim. Whatever you do, don't take him seriously. He is extremely supportive and interactive with his subscribers so I strongly suggest following him on his Twitter as he is always asking his followers for ideas and contribution to his future posts. If you're into weird, quirky humour you will love him immediately so...... if you like South Park you'll like him and funnily enough his popularity grew so much South Park producers gave him the opportunity of starring in one of their episodes. Not too sure if the episode has been released yet but I will let you guy's know when it does. Hope you enjoy!

TOAST!

Life is Strange Episode 1

Other YouTubers/Channels:

TehNevs - Walkthroughs

Getsumara - Walkthroughs 

National Geographic - Documentaries, Animals, Wildlife etc 

Comment or send me a tweet on some of your favourite YouTubers and Channels!

My Top 5 Most Anticipated Games!

The Evolution of Gaming

Since the release of the Next Gen consoles I don't think I've been this excited about gaming in all my years of playing games - 1. because I am much older and a more serious gamer 2. I have the means to buy any game I desire and at any time because I have a job, so no more waiting till Christmas or my birthday to receive the latest games and 3. I think PS3 to PS4 was a truly pivotal moment in gaming where it allowed players to become more immersed in their games. A lot of developers are reliving and creating old franchises again from scratch because of the immense development within gaming technology, and so you have these huge existing fan bases who get to relive those memorable stories again. In today's society it's all about how much you can do at the same time. It's all about efficiency. The world is constantly moving at a immense pace and PS4 truly shows that. You can have 6+ players in a party, 3 of them could be playing Call of  Duty, another two playing FIFA and someone else playing GTA, ALL AT THE SAME TIME. All 6 sharing each others experiences, LIVE. I weren't much of a serious gamer when PS2 transitioned to PS3 and of course at the time I really wanted one but I didn't have the means to purchase one as I was too young, so I can't really comment on the transition and how it impacted on the gaming community, but the way we play games today has truly come a long way. Gaming is now on a much more personal level, cause and effect, action and reaction, whatever decisions a player makes will have consequences and it's up to the player how a story turns out. We have more control, more customisation and let's not even start on the quality of the graphics. So in this blog post I'm going to share with you all my top 5 most anticipated games to come, hopefully sometime this year in 2015 as most of these games are still to be announced. 

5. The Legend of Zelda

I am a huge fan of Zelda and I can vividly remember lying on my sisters bed watching my brother from across the room play Ocarina of Time on his Nintendo 64, and the music of the Ocarina still clearly embedded in my mind as if the songs were lullabies. Most adventure games are open world and it was only right for the developers of Zelda to bring out an instalment when technology is at it's highest to truly show Zelda's potential and what it should of looked like years ago. I just hope they still implement the same quality of story telling that they had within Ocarina of Time, as I have said many times before that a quality looking game means nothing without a compelling story. I have never really been a huge fan of Wii, although when it first came out, of course it was all the craze, it was the ideal party game within the family home. But for me the excitement soon fell not too long after it was released and since then it's been sitting in my room for years. I actually recently sold my Wii but I am not the type to buy a whole other console just because of that one game that I would love to play. I'm quite happy with watching the walkthrough to this game, but I'm sure there are plenty of hardcore fans out there that will probably buy the Wii just so they can play this game. In case none of you have seen any footage on this epic tale here's some gaming footage and a small interview from the developers themselves. 

The Legend of Zelda Wii U E3 2014

Release Date: TBA 2015

4. The Division 

You guys may have remembered when I mentioned this game some time ago in an older post back in May 2014 but this game stood out for me straight away when they announced PS4 back in February 2013 and I haven't forgotten about it since. I thought that the developers and creators of this game played it very smart by not releasing this game when PS4 was released on sale. The competition would have been too much for them. With Call of Duty, GTA and Destiny and other huge games on the market, I think The Division would have been over shone and their sales wouldn't have rocketed as much as I predict they will do this year. As I said in my introduction, Next Gen is bigger and bigger is better. As I have said in a previous post Are Open World Games The Future? I found that first person shooters have become boring and repetitive, and we have witnessed this from the reviews and reactions of disappointing Destiny which had such big expectations. Games like Call of Duty are still classics and have huge existing fan bases so they will always do well but I have found amongst myself and my friends a loss of interest in the Campaign mode and I find myself only playing the game online which is always an enjoyment and I can go back to it again and again. Open world games are at the top of the league and I don't think they'll be coming down any time soon.The experience of gaming that open world provides is on such a personal level we can recreate our selves or an alter ego of ourselves, the advanced customisation almost makes it feel like real life. But now that I think of it I can see that this was probably the same buzz that consoles received when first person shooters started to become popular. I have high hopes for this game and with an existing Tom Clancy fan base known for such franchises as Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell, I have no doubts that there will be queues when this game is finally released. I'm going to include a few videos for you guys to watch because it's been so long since the announcement of this game that they're releasing new information all the time, so enjoy! 

The Division Cinematic Trailer

The Division Gameplay Trailer 

The Division Everything We Know 2015

Release: TBA 2015

3. Lego Jurassic World

I don't know about you guys but I absolutely adore Lego games and one of the first Lego games I played was Star Wars: The Video game and I was hooked ever since. I thought the concept of adapting films into the Lego world was ingenious. Sometimes you have to come away from all the puzzle solving, blood, gore and sword fighting and just sit down and play some pointless Lego building and exploring. I think I've owned and played every franchise there is apart from the Harry Potter franchise (play pending) and I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one. They are rewarding, fun, quirky and just all round innovative. Warner Bros made a late reveal recently that they have plans on releasing Lego Jurassic World, scheduled to be released this year June along side the release of the 4th film instalment of the Jurassic franchise, 'Jurassic World'. It has been rumoured that gameplay will be similar to that of the Star Wars franchise where you will be able to play through all 4 films (yes 4, including the newest instalment!). There are still very little details on the game but Warner Bros have said that players will be able to customise Dinosaurs, a very conventional concept of Lego games, being able to customise characters enabling players to obtain hidden items and rewards. I cannot wait for this game to be released because I always go back to my Lego games again and again, just when I want to have a bit of fun. I do wonder however if the game will feature an open world map like previous Lego games like The Lord of the Rings. Anyway, here's the teaser trailer for you guys! 

Lego Jurassic World Teaser Trailer 

 

Release: June 2015 

2. Uncharted 4: A Theif's End

Uncharted went very quiet after it's 3rd instalment back in 2011, I think mainly because Naughty Dog wanted to focus on reviving the Tomb Raider story again from scratch and made a great impression, so much that they are making a sequel. I suppose Naughty Dog used Tomb Raider as compensation to keep their fans entertained over that 4 year period and as I mentioned in the beginning developers are recreating these stories again and it's a very exiting time for gamers. It's like reliving the 90s but with better technology. The first trailer for Uncharted 4 didn't really give much away but a short monologue and many people were guessing and assuming a lot of things, but it did make the suspense all that worthwhile. A little bit down the line we were rewarded with a gameplay video which gave the audience exactly what they would be dealing with in the new instalment. We saw amazing graphics in terms of transitions from cinematics to gameplay within seconds into the video, amazing scenery as expected from PS4 and an implementation of a change in dynamics within the game. Navigating through the game will require more skill and a keen eye for the environment around you, for example the soft and hard rock when climbing mountains, using tools like a knife to access hard to reach areas and again a sense of choice and consequence, especially when taking on enemies. Do you go for the stealth option and take out enemies one by one quietly and avoid confrontation or do you go out all guns blazing? These are just a few decisions you have to make and I really got more of an Assassins Creed feel from this video. More thought is needed when playing this game, where as in previous instalments you just entered an area, took out the enemy and moved to the next section. Combat dynamics are much more realistic e.g. using a grenade against someone who is shooting at you from afar and using the smoke from the explosion creates a temporary diversion for you to make a quick escape and then you can attack from behind as we see in the video. You can use what you have on your person or your environment to your advantage, it is entirely up to the player. So I'll leave you with the gameplay video, enjoy! 

Uncharted 4: A Theif's End gameplay video 

Release: TBA 2015

1. Kingdom Hearts 3 

Yes I did save the best till last, best till last in my eyes anyways! Kingdom Hearts 3 was officially announced at the same time as PS4 back in early 2013 and I was absolutely ecstatic, words could not describe! I think everyone was hoping for a spring release in 2014 but developers made some last minute decisions to focus on II.5 remix and also wanted to change the gaming engine of Kingdom Hearts 3. Before the announcement I was actually beginning to lose faith because the last game I had played was Kingdom Hearts 2 and I had also watched the walkthrough to Birth By Sleep which was a spin-off instalment, which I highly recommend any fan to watch. But as every Kingdom Heart fan knows the developers tend to make a main story instalment, then a spin-off/behind the scenes game and then a .5 remix. But Birth By Sleep really enlightened me about how the events came about and I learnt a lot more about certain characters within the main story and how certain ones came to existence. Kingdom Hearts plays a big role in my gaming history because for me it was my next step in gaming, I had come away from the really kiddish games like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro etc and Kingdom Hearts was probably the first story for me that showed some grit, passion and a real sense of identity. I could identify myself with some of the characters, so not only was it more of a challenge playing the game as a young gamer but I felt more personally involved. I thoroughly enjoyed the Disney and Square Enix collaboration and believe it or not, at the time I had no idea that Square Enix made Final Fantasy until later on. Unfortunately I have never got into Final Fantasy which is a shame because I think I would have really enjoyed it but I feel as if it's too late for me now as there has been so many instalments I can't even count. So for now I have to watch from the distance. The announcement of KH3 was of a huge delight to me and many others but the developers really loved pulling us by the string concerning the release date and I can image a lot of us have become quite impatient but it is for the best, they want to make this game as best as it should be. Later down the line a gameplay trailer was revealed and showed the typical conventions of a Kingdom Hearts game, the well known combat fighting style we all know and love and a few changes in terms of gameplay. We saw hints in regards to what worlds we could be exploring in the future game, including Toy Story and maybe a new improved world of Pirates of the Caribbean and Hercules: The Colosseum. We must however take into account that the content that was revealed to us was still in development and who knows what changes they have made since then. But who cares?!! I just want them to release the game already! 

Kingdom Hearts 3 Gameplay video

Release: TBA 2015

There are plenty of other games coming this 2015 why don't you drop a comment or a tweet and let me know what games you can't wait for this year!

'Video Games Don't Make Good Movies'

Ratchet and Clank, World of Warcraft & Minecraft! : Could this be the end to the notion?

Minecraft

Yes you read correctly, all the above games are currently in production or pre-production and are ready to hit your cinema screens as of next year and 2016 (no wonder the years go so fast when we have this to look forward to!). Ratchet and Clank seems more believable, even World of Warcraft but Minecraft, a block-building game to be made into a film? I imagine it will be very similar to the Lego Movie which was hilarious and I imagine the target audience will be children. According to sources one of the producers from the Lego Movie is handling the project so thumbs up there. They aren't too sure of what the plot may be as work on the film is at a very early stage as is yet to be discussed hence why the film is set to being released in 2016 but I hope it at least touches the comedy of Lego Movie.

World of Warcraft on the other hand could possibly target an older audience and I would personally want them to because I think children get enough fantasy films!! Duncan Jones, director of Source Code is set to direct the epic which also leads me to think the target audience may be older. Rumours are flying all over the place of who will be taking the casting roles including Colin Farrel (Phonebooth), Anton Yelchin (Star Trek) and Paul Dano (Prisoners). For them to consider these actors could result the film swinging either way as all actors have starred in real gritty dramas or epics and comedies or animation. No hints on the plot yet but sources say that it will most likely involve aliens and time travel. Production is already undergo and release is set for 2015.

World of Warcraft

There's been so much speculation around making games into films including Metal Gear Solid, Halo and Gears of War but do you blame them, these games have a reputation to uphold and to be fair there have been incidents in the past where some didn't do very well *cough cough* Street Fighter. It saddens me to say that there aren't any teasers or trailers for Minecraft or WWC but I can show you the trailer for Ratchet and Clank. The film will include all the original voice actors of the gaming series and as a fan of the gaming franchise I will be seeing it and I will have high hopes for it! Enjoy! 

Watch Dogs: A Beautiful Game With No Substance?

A Beautiful Game With No Substance?

I couldn't wait for the game Watch Dogs since it was announced at last years E3 conference when they revealed PS4 and I said to myself, THAT is the first game I'm going buy for my PS4 (I still don't have a PS4 lol). The excitement grew near as the release date for Watch Dogs drew to a close. I had pre-ordered the game and couldn't wait for my shift at work to finish, for me to then run home and throw in the disk to play endless hours of the game till I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. As I sat starry-eyed toward the tv screen expecting to be hooked from the moment the cinematic started. I was appalled! The cut scene graphics were the same as the gaming graphics which threw me off immediately. If anything the cut scenes should be like watching a film and I just wasn't captured the way I have been with previous games. Do not get me wrong Watch Dogs is undeniably a beautiful game. The graphics are realistic, the combat is immense and with the city of Chicago at your control there's no telling what you could get up to.

The Story

Left to Right - T-Bone, Clara, Aiden and Jordi

So lets start of with the story, Aiden Pearce (also known as the Vigilante of Chicago) is a highly skilled hacker and rebellion of Watch Dogs. Through his past encounters and actions that consequently lead to the death of his niece, Pearce set out on a personal vengeance to find the person(s) behind his niece's killing. Brilliant story (AFTER I HAD FINISHED THE GAME), it just started very slowly for me but at the same time there was so much going on on my screen I couldn't quite understand what was going on. There were notifications popping up ever where, there wasn't really any proper introductions of people, everything was just thrown at you and you had to work things out along the way. It wasn't until I got to around Act II or III that I understood he was seeking vengeance for his niece (LOL) and still to this day (even after completing campaign mode) I still don't quite understand the whole Damien situation and why he kidnapped Nikki other than to get what he wanted. So other than that, it was a good story but just wasn't executed very well and some of the cut scenes were terrible. I just didn't feel the impact and empathy that I have felt with other games like the Modern Warfare or Assassin's Creed franchise. I couldn't relate to any of the characters, the characters were very confusing in terms of their purpose and personality and I think that's what over all brought the game down for me.

Combat

Combat within the game was pretty good. There were a range of weapons and upgrades you could choose from and hold access to at all times. The melee combat was pretty basic, the average take down from behind and the front, there were maybe two variations of take downs. Aiming and shooting was easy to handle, no issues there. Just slight frustration with aiming down the sights on the snipers and the intensity of the flinching when firing an assault rifle.

Skills

Skills is probably one of the best aspects about Watch Dogs. The amount of interaction you had access to around the city from as small as hacking someone's phone to making bridges rise up and down, to writing inappropriate messages on billboards. The Skills tree allows you to upgrade within 4 categories: Combat, Hacking, Driving and Crafting. It feels very rewarding and earning skill points is as easy as eating a piece of cake, from doing something as little as hacking someone's phone whilst you're on your way to a mission will contribute to your skills bar. Some of the skills are pretty basic like improving off-road handling, or swapping primary and secondary class weapons faster, however some of the skills are pretty pointless and could probably be replaced with something much more useful like as I mentioned before less of a flinch when firing assault rifles.

The City: Free Roam

I briefly did a bit of free roaming from time to time when I was in the mood to. The handling of cars is awful, it's not the worst but you do get used to it after a while, but can still be of some annoyance from time to time especially when escaping the cops. There are loads of mini games to play with that you can find around the city, including chess, betting, virtual space invaders and digital trips which turns the whole game into a completely different concept. For example one of the digital trips turns the game into a day the earth stood still kind of vibe, with robotic humans taking over the world and having to liberate the city, which was pretty cool to play. It just  gives the game a change of dynamics, sometimes you just want to have fun and create chaos, in which other digital trips allow you to do so in by becoming a giant robotic spider where the more destruction you cause the higher your score. A brilliant addition to the game and very similar to GTA V's mini games.

Unfortunately the game doesn't give you enough personal freedom in terms of purchasing cars, clothes and access to hideouts. In this aspect it's very basic and doesn't really allow you to make any sort of impact on the things you buy. You have a list of cars and clothes to buy from and that's it. You can't respray your car, or upgrade the rims, you can't mix and match clothing items or even pimp out your hideout with more hi-tech gadgets, which I would assume a hacker would have as his ideal hideout (I know I would!).

Cars on Demand Shop

A Possible Sequel?

I don't want to leave the review on a bad note because the game has a lot of potential. The whole hacking concept is genius and was executed very well, it was just the story that let it down and for me that is what carries a game. The game may look crazy but the gameplay was good and the story was poor. If this was an exam it would definitely get an over all B- !! Maybe I'm just being really harsh, but I like substance in my games and if I don't feel I can relate to the story then the whole experience of the game is ruined for me. On a positive note, DedSec (a hacking collective within the game) made a viral speech at the end of the credits. A statement of absolute uproar towards ctOS (a company who controls the electrical infrastructure of Chicago) showing strong disapproval of the way the company runs, believing it is flawed and needs a new system. They make statement that 'this is war' that they have 'had enough' shortly after I am shown an advert about a new ctOS upgrade (ctOS 2.0) emphasising their purpose of branching out to the world, could this possibly be a hint of a sequel. Will we get a Watch Dogs 2? Based in another city? Various cities world wide? Ohhhhh the endless possibilities! 

My Rating out of 10 = 8

IGN =  8.4/10

GameSpot = 8/10

GamesRadar = 4/5 

Why don't you leave a comment below or tweet me your experiences of Watch Dogs. What did you think of the game? Was you fully satisfied? What were your favourite aspects? 

E3 2014 Conference: GTA V, Assassin's Creed, Tomb Raider AND MORE!

E3 2014: GAMING REBORN 

I don't think I could be any more excited for the coming year and 2015, not only regarding films but gaming as well!! I actually missed the E3 conference (which isn't like me, I'm usually always on par with every upcoming gaming event!) but I did make sure I caught up with every bit of juicy gossip and sneak peak. So what got my heart racing? Hands down the new instalment to Assassin's Creed: Assassin's Creed Unity! Words cannot describe how much I love AC! I want to say so much but I don't want to waffle on too much because I'm sure all you gamers out there want to just skip to the good bits and watch the trailers. Well here are all my favourite bits! ENJOY! 

Assassin's Creed Unity 

I have no doubts and big hopes for this game! Hands down, overall winner! From past experiences of other instalments, the story oozes depth and substance, gameplay is immense and the graphics are immaculate.  

Tomb Raider 2 

Don't really know what to expect from this game. The last instalment was pretty epic. I've always been a fan of Tomb Raider so I will definitely be purchasing this when it's released either way!

Uncharted 4 (PS4)

I have played every instalment of Uncharted and neither one has disappointed. I've always loved the gameplay by Naughty Dog games.

The Legend of Zelda (Wii U) 

My only opinion of Zelda is based on the Ocarina of Time and is probably one of my favourite ever childhood games. So again, big hopes! I love a good open world fantasy adventure! Perfect genre for me!

Rainbow Six Siege 

I remember watching my brother playing Rainbow Six, it was probably the only 1st person shooter that stood out for me in terms of gameplay as I remember him playing within a squad and he could command his own squad using different commands. I'll probably wait for reviews before I buy this game.

If any of you missed the E3 conference catch up with most of the highlights here !! Comment below or throw me a tweet on your favourites highlights or games you can't wait to play :) 

Are Open World Games The Future?

In recent years it seems that open world games have been appearing more and more on our TV screens - Assassins Creed, Skyrim etc. But are they taking over first person shooter games like Call of Duty? Or football simulator FIFA?

Of course you have the acclaimed GTA franchise which is due to release another instalment this September and as the new next gen consoles arrive it seems that the open world games presented in the conferences were the star appearances. First person shooters have lost their popularity, gamers are bored of the same concept of playing, unless something completely new is brought to the table, this is something open world games can do every time they release a new instalment.

However, from watching the Sony and Microsoft conferences we see new ways a gaming, a more immerse experience, one that we can SHARE, which could help with the consistency of playing games like COD and FIFA. People will still buy these games because it's a franchise they are used to playing and know very well. I don't know about everyone else but I like to stay in my comfort zone when it comes to first person shooters and of course with FIFA there's not really much of an alternative (you have Pro Evolution but who cares?). After watching the conferences the hype was definitely around games like Watch Dogs and GTA V. The concept of open world games has improved immensely, it's something new, something big, something never ending with a range of decisions, choices and conclusions and I can't wait to play them.

So take a look at the gameplay footage from some of the open world games ready to be released this year or in 2014. I'd definitely consider buying them.

Watch Dogs 

The Division 

GTA V

Call of Duty: Ghosts 05/11/13 !!!

GAMEPLAY TRAILER!

It was meant to be guys. The new Call of Duty: Ghosts to b released November 5th of this year and funnily enough that's the day of my birthday. Looks like I know what I want for my birthday. So here, spoil yourself with the trailer :)

Ohh and a big shout out to Ali-A, make sure you follow him on Twitter and subscribe to his Youtube channel for all the latest information on games and consoles!

Why Do We Blog?

David Gauntlett: Web 2.0 and 'Prosumers'

So I was sitting in my room the other day, browsing the net and tweeting as you do and I thought to myself why do I blog? I never really sat down and thought what my reasons were for creating a blog. I just woke up one day and thought I'm going to create a blog about all the things that interest me. It wasn't until I attended my 3 hour Friday afternoon Media lesson that everything came to light and I came across a theorist named David Gauntlett. He wrote one of the most fascinating books I will ever yet to read (yes I haven't read it yet but I know it will be a good read) called Making is Connecting and it's basically about how making things (''Prosumers'') is essential for society to work and without it society would be VERY boring. It allows people to engage with people around the world and create connections, weirdly reconstructing what families used to do back in the day infront of a tv. Nowadays, when a show comes on we all log into Twitter and have a huge discussion about it, ALL AT THE SAME TIME. Whether you are blogging, tweeting, making YouTube videos, Keeking, any kind of interaction with the Web 2.0 which is where you not only consume what is produced on the internet, we are able to engage with it and even create what we and others can consume.

So why do we do it?

• Allows us to express ourselves
• Increases participation in the world - we feel like we play a role by speaking and expressing our views - additionally so that we don't just consume the dominant ideology
• It makes us happpy! Sometimes we don't need a reason to do something, we just do it because we want to because it makes us feel good. 
• We want to be recognised? What's worse than feeling like we are just excisting rather than feeling like we have a purpose or a job or responsibility to do. WE ALL WANT TO BE HEARD! 
• Lastly... we feel like we belong. By creating, expressing and sharing we become part of a group. We have a collective identity with other people who share the same views and interests and therefore feel like we belong to society. 

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Trailer:

GTA V Ready for Release Spring 2013!!

Yes GTA is expected to be released worldwide in Spring 2013 and is now ready to be pre ordered! Excited? I sure am! Based in re-imagined, present day Southern California this will be the biggest GTA world yet to venture and probably for most of you create destruction when you get bored LOL. You will be able to play the roles of 3 characters who eventually cross paths in the GTA V plot. 

I didn't know what trailer to show you guys so I took the liberty of  posting both which I think you'll all really enjoy if I  may say so myself. One shows more of the world you will be exploring and the other portrays the characters you'll be playing. Enjoy!