When I first started blogging in 2009, it was the result of nearly a year of writing little opinion pieces in Word and sharing them around with others via the wonders of printing. These little pieces were called Sam’s Rant, and for most of the early days were inspired by begrudges towards little nit bits that I either did not understand or more commonly did not like about Video Games. Well, anyway, I soon posted these on my blog in November 2009, and then it all went from there. In the early days of the blog, it soon became hard, as I began to run out of ideas, and nearly went months without posting anything. In my first month I got over 200 views, but by the following July I hit a (still standing) record of just 7. Well, soon after that I began doing Movie Reviews, and then things like ‘5 Years and Still Painful’ as well as ‘I Remember The 1990’s’ soon followed. In 2011 I hit major milestones with my first post to reach 100 views (Brutal Legend), peaks in my daily viewership, 1000 views in a month and even a direct link to my blog from the BBC Website (Dinosaurs Return To Television). 2012 was my biggest year, with viewership consistently getting higher and higher as each month passed reaching an all-time high of 4000+ views in a month. Then things from there went down and never recovered.
Why this route down memory lane you ask; well, after months of not posting things, and other bits and bobs as well as things outside of blogging, I have decided to stop posting on this blog. You see; while I was still posting and still enjoying doing so: the viewership’s were getting to me, and despite my efforts of not looking; it still got to me, and while I did not want that to be the be all and end all, eventually things got bigger and bigger as I began to ask questions of where do I go from here? What to do next? All of which culminated earlier this year with the realization that I was no longer really enjoying it! I was posting for the sake of posting, nothing else. Since then I have had struggles outside of blogging in my personal life, and while I still have blogging plans for the future, I think this blog’s time has really been and gone, and the thoughts that maybe I should have finished it either after the 500th post, or maybe this time last year. Right now it feels like a wounded pet that I have let live too long, unwilling to say goodbye.
So; on the eve of the blog’s 8th anniversary; I think is the time to finally put this blog to bed. While I hope to begin again one day in the future, I have already decided that when that time comes; I will start a fresh somewhere else, and possibly keep it more mainstream. So, before I say a goodbye, I just thought I would say some thank you’s; answer some questions not asked, some stats, maybe rifle a few ideas I had for future posts or posts not written, and then say a final cheerio with some music. But first, to help break up the teary goodbye, here is a video of a clip from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, improved with a piece of music from Godzilla: Final Wars –
Questions not asked…..answered:
Why the Name NUMB3R5S?
When I first started this blog, it was during a time when the internet was still rather unsocial; and the idea was, was when you started on a forum or made a website you kept your name anonymous, so that’s what I did, however my many nicknames/gamer names that I was quick to choose, were already names, and so I decided to be quick by using a creative name, which was also the name of a TV show I liked (called Numb3rs) and adding an extra 5.
What’s with the GENEPOOL thing at the bottom of each post? When I started (and pretty much right now here and there) GENEPOOL was my Gamer Name, and so to keep in tie with the above answer of Anonymity, I decided to sign the bottom of each post with my Gamer Name.
Thank you to Ant who suggested blogging in the first place and was a real encouragement in those early days (and both Kevin’s as well).
Thank you to my blogging and animating friend Matt who has been of great inspiration and encouragement all this time.
Thank you to Hannah, whose blog while now pretty much gone, was a real drive and motivator as to what a blog is and what mine could be and was a driving influence to getting me going with it especially in those hard days one year after starting it.
Thank you to all my family and friends who have suggested, voted for, and just generally read posts on here.
Thank you to everyone around the world who has read my blog.
So, really, a Big Thank You to everyone for everything.
So, with that: just like the final episode of Top Gear, Thank You, and Goodbye (or maybe more like see you around). And to cap it off, here is a piece of music:
Since the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, there has been a lot of discussion as to who the identity of Supreme Leader Snoke is. Some of these have taken the form of discussion threads online, articles, or even just ‘friendly’ chit chats between friends and fans of Star Wars.
Now I have my problems with The Force Awakens as I see it nothing more than a blatant remake of A New Hope and is putting me off from seeing any future films (I did like Rogue One though, that is what Force Awakens should have been in my opinion). The debate over the identity of Supreme Leader Snoke though is one I would like to weigh in on though and so here I would like to provide my ideas as to who he could be. Now, I am keeping my ideas to the Star Wars universe, which means sadly I cannot nominate Zordrak from The Dreamstone whom we can all probably agree looks a lot like Snoke.
But enough of Awesome Cartoons, here is my selection of characters who I genuinely think have a good chance of becoming Supreme Leader Snoke:
5. Darth Vader – Come on, has nobody seriously thought that it might just be Darth Vader, or the spirit of Darth Vader in some capacity. It may be a big surprise or a big flop, but you know, why not? I mean this is a series still holding on to its past and not actively progressing, so on a mainstream point of view, it probably is Darth Vader.
4. Prune Face – A character not all that well known in the Star Wars universe, but definitely one to watch out for. In my opinion I think the idea is, is that after his action star credentials were passed up in both Return of the Jedi and the prequels, Orrimaarko (better known as Prune Face) changed his acting style to become like that of a wiser character and so landed the role of Snoke with ease. If you are unaware of his action based credentials, please watch the following video:
See!
3. Poggle The Lesser – After his attempts to build the Death Star himself, and after the need for Battle Droids completely faded, Poggle The Lesser went mad and learned how to use the force and one day desired revenge against all those who ended his Titan of Industry career plans…..Probably.
2. Jar Jar Binks – Now, he is taken as something of a joke in the series and is so far the only reason I have heard as to why the Prequels are soooo bad (but given his time in Phantom Menace was the most he gets, and gets less than 1% worth of an appearance in Revenge of the Sith, this argument does not hold much water). However, could it be the case that he is the real architect of the dark side’s manipulation? He did provide Palpatine with those powers to create the army by bringing the senate together. I think it’s more likely the case that Jar Jar Binks is only playing the fool, and is really the Dark Side Puppet Master we all fear.
1. Lama Su – I think it’s Lama Su out of all possible characters to most likely be the Supreme Leader; he does of course have experience. He was the Prime Minister of Kamino, and he knows how to build an efficient killing force. But most of all, he does have the height (and something in the nose); all he needed to do was stretch his neck that little bit further and instantly becomes Supreme Leader Snoke.
GENEPOOL (Who do you think Supreme Leader Snoke really is?)
I would just like to start off by saying that I have no knowledge right now of anyone from WWE receiving an appearance in any future Star Wars films.
Star Wars is in the middle of both a resurgence and renaissance (in that it is just copying its own previous films with at least one of its two entries to date) at the moment with 2 films already having been released and future installments planned. While this is an exciting time for those who enjoy these films and others who see the entertaining value of them, one of the big questions going round is what will the future hold for the series. Now, I am not an Oracle so I absolutely have no idea; but as it is fun to guess and talk about, why not have some ideas about future castings. Star Power is all the range today, and I thought, given how previous WWE World Heavyweight ChampionBatista is now in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, maybe it would be fun to add another 1 or 2 WWE Wrestlers into the Sci-Fi world with appearances in Star Wars. So here are my picks for WWE Wrestlers I believe should have appearances in future Star Wars films:
5. The Undertaker – Now, this one is questionable given his current state with the company (as in; has he retired or not?), but I think the Undertaker would still be an excellent casting for a future Star Wars film. About 10 years ago I had this vision, an idea of the Dark Side of the Force binding itself together and come into a physical being who would then wreak havoc in the universe. My vision of this character took the form of The Undertaker, with his hat and leather coat (and for some reasons an orange lightsaber). The Undertaker whatever role he fills within the universe probably wouldn’t even need a lightsaber, as his presence, notoriety and just the genuine fear he presents whenever he walks into the room will cause people to run in terror; especially if he brings his Entrance theme with him, maybe a combination of his Death Bell Entrance:
And his American Badass theme:
4. The New Day – Ok, this is more three wrestlers than 1 whole wrestler, but I think with this group’s hi-jinks and positive attitude to everything; these guys will be a great asset to the Star Wars saga. I do not see a future of Jedi Knights here, but maybe a group of arms dealers, or maybe with their soul sounding entrance music, maybe a group of intergalactic religious ministers. Whatever it may be, be it goodies or baddies; they will remain entertaining and become great screen presences.
3. Paige – While the future for Paige in WWE right now is uncertain, she does remain my favourite WWE Women’s Wrestler. My idea though for Paige in Star Wars comes in the form of being like Emma Frost in X-Men. I think with Paige’s all black clothing, she would make an excellent female Dark Side warrior. How many female antagonists have there been in Star Wars (not a lot I can think of). I thought Paige could be like the female Darth Vader, the ultimate villain. Dark yet cool, and come with a name like Countess to address her by. I think Paige would be an awesome person to add into Star Wars (maybe make her into a future villain for Rey (and by that I don’t mean necessarily Rey Mysterio) to take on?).
2. Finn Balor – Imagine this for a scene in The Last Jedi (due for release in 2017): Snoke/Smoke/Whatever is in his chambers and is looming over the one with the mask, what’s he called……….Kylo Ren. So, these two people are in one’s chambers, they maybe chatting about one needing to go to a planet made of ice with some walking tanks, or travel to a city in the clouds, or building a fourth Death Star/Second Star Killer Base thing, when all of a sudden, the room goes entirely dark, and then red lights start flashing to a heartbeat sound. Some strange but unwelcoming sounds enter the room, and by the door, a strange figure is crawling into the doorway. Then it rises up and sticks its arms into the air as its blood curdling theme music takes hold, and before their eyes; Smokey and Kyle (which is a great name for a children’s cartoon series) see a Man, a man covered in body paint, which looks like a giant mouth. They have just met The Demon King (I don’t entirely agree with that name); Finn Balor. Now who wouldn’t want to see that (What happens after that is entirely one’s guess, but I imagine Stoke and Carly run in fear from the might of Finn Balor!)?
1. Shinsuke Nakamura – He is the King of Strong Style, but give him a light saber and I am pretty sure he will become the King of the Lightsaber. Shinsuke Nakamura’s style of wrestling, combined with his incredible performance abilities are why I think this wrestler, more than any should have a future role in the Star Wars saga. Combine his amazing talent, with his incredible fighting style, his hypnotizing microphone work and of course his mesmerizing yet beautiful entrance walk as well as music, and here we have someone who probably doesn’t need the force, but who the force needs!
GENEPOOL (Which WWE Wrestlers do you think should have a part in future Star Wars films?).
Out in deep space, the ship Covenant is on its way to a distant planet on a colonization mission. After a tragic accident takes place, the crew of the ship discover a planet much closer by which appears to be an untapped paradise with more potential than the planet they are heading for. Upon landing on the planet’s surface however, they realize something odd about this new world, and that more importantly, they’re not alone!
Confession: I have not seen Alien. I have seen bits of it, from John Hurt looking at Eggs, to something strapped to his face and the attempts to remove it (plus the deleted scene where one crew member is being turned into an egg; which sort of lowers the uncivilized level of everything else in the world of the Xenomorph). I have though seen other films in the Alien franchise; I have seen Aliens (as close to watching the whole thing without doing it in one sitting), tiny bits of Alien 3, Alien: Resurrection (in the same capacity as Aliens), Alien vs Predator, Alien vs Predator: Requiem (again much like Aliens) and Prometheus. In fact, Alien: Covenant is the first time I have seen an Alien film on the big screen that features the word Alien in the title. But this does not explain much as to why I have not seen the first film.
It’s not like I have not had a chance too or lack of it being on either. It’s the case that the bits I have seen are the result of it being on TV. There was also the opportunity to watch it at The Dukes in Lancaster too, but I turned it down. So why have I not seen it: because I am not really a fan of gross levels of horror. I am actually rather squeamish, this is particularly true anytime and every time I have walked into a hospital or needed an injection. When it comes to these films, I know what I need to be getting myself into with its Chestbursters and its Facehuggers, but part of me is not really looking forward to those bits. But now you must be thinking; OK, then why watch any of the films in the first place then? Simple answer, I can’t help myself: thing is, I am actually, although rather grossed out by it, very interested in the Alien creature. I am a big fan of Monster Movies as anyone who knows me will testify with an especial passion for Godzilla films. While my Monster movie love though is mainly tied to giant monsters, I am still very interested in the Alien. This mainly comes in the form of its biology and how it comes to life. In the week leading up to the release of Covenant, I spent quite a bit of my time in a philosophical head space as I thought about the creature and came to the conclusion that the Alien creature is actually a rather tragic creation; but that is a story for another time.
Released in 2017 by 20th Century Fox and Directed by Ridley Scott; Covenant is the latest film in the mythical series of Horror/Action films that began in 1979 with the release of Alien. Covenant looks backwards in time, as it looks to continue to tell the tale of the events leading up to the original film, as well as look into how the species was possibly created. The film acts as a direct sequel to Prometheus, but also looks to set up its own future and possibly lead into something bigger.
First thing I would say about this film is something rather obvious from the get go. While the series is technically more of a horror series of films, Covenant lends itself more to that of an action film. It does have its shocking moments that will make you launch a bit, but there is not really a lot in terms of big out of the dark surprises. It’s more like the film makers decided to go from the launch pad that as we know what the Alien is, there is less need to surprise people with what they already know. The film does contain its fair share of visually disgusting moments that we have come to expect from the series such as its facehuggers and chestbursters, but at the same time also weaves in some new little bits to keep some bits of the series fresh. This aside though, it’s content and pacing really does lend itself more to a mini action movie than a horror movie. It comes with chase scenes, tense moments, and events involving large vehicular instruments as well as gun totting characters with a trigger happy attitude when confronted with something that wants to kill them.
The film’s story is nicely brought together as it looks to less provide a ride for the ages and to introduce the series and its elements to a new group of fans with help from those of the past (sort of on a level similar to the release of Jurassic World). On that note though, you do begin to wonder how this film is helping its own series continuity, and how far back the film makers can go in both setting and technology without the events of these films unconvincingly surpass the films that they are meant to be leading up to. The story in itself does have some very interesting use of characters, although those that do stand out early on do feel rather wasted and you are left with one character whose introduction early on shows that he is just going to be un-sympathetic and rotten and thus do not care the slightest what happens to him, in some manner of form it’s actually rather pleasing. Those that remain do their best on their own as much as they can to continue to provide (though it’s hard to mention whom exactly as I don’t want to ruin who gets a feasting). Characters of note include Faris (Amy Seimetz), Karine (Carmen Ejogo), Rosenthal (Tess Haubrich), and Upworth (Callie Hernandez), however my particular mention goes out to the three main stars of this film in my opinion, those being Daniels (Katherine Waterston), Tennessee (Danny McBride) and the combination of David and Walter (Michael Fassbender).
The switcheroo between David and Walter is rather fun to watch as the two different forms of the same looking AI go head to head. On the one hand you have the now rather psychotic David and the more natural butler like machine of Walter. Walter is already a far more pleasing performance than David, but David really does carry that dark sinister sense, where as in Prometheus he is very much just a hindrance, now though he is fully on Badness. Daniels meanwhile is the sympathetic and strong second leader of the team, whose sole job is to make sure the mission is completed on time. Given a tragedy at the start of the film she feels broken, but then comes out strong and hopeful. While her scenes are actually rather enjoyable and strong, she does suffer from not being on-screen more often. She is on more often than other characters, but as the film reaches its central point she is sort of side-lined for a lecture of human philosophy between David and Walter. She comes back on strong and ends nicely that way too, but it’s still something of a miss. For me though the real attraction is Tennessee. This guy is just fantastic. Loyal and respectful, but always working hard to get things done. He shows real levels of passion in the middle stages of the film, and becomes a hard nut in the film’s ending. He is the character to root for the most as you really get attached to how nice but also how practical this character is, and from the beginning of the third act becomes the film’s lead, at least from an audience perspective.
The Xenomorphs meanwhile, although still pretty well done and cool, does suffer from a case of Missing Alien Syndrome. When Godzilla was released in 2014; there was a lot of press which highlighted that the film appeared to have very little of the title monster. Now while I did not necessarily agree with that, I would say however that such comments should definitely be directed this way. For a film that even has Alien in the title, there does appear to be a definitive lack of the Alien creatures. Now, while you could argue that in the same sense that this film is a potential new launch platform for the Alien series and it is of course important to introduce them correctly, there does appear to be large amounts of time between Alien’s being in the scene, and returning to the film. It feels like whole passages of time are passing by as we wait yet again for one to appear. It could be the case that the horror sense of what these films are meant to be is hiding their appearances, but seeing as on occasion, the scene breaks to a shot of the Alien approaching, then why is it taking so long for them to arrive? When they are actively in the scene, they do become the central focus yes; but when not in it, you begin to wonder why their name is even in the film title (maybe it should be called Human: Covenant instead)? Although: there is one big thing however that does sort of get in the way.
The film really likes to talk on the subject of life in a philosophical matter. Talking about life and death and the importance of life given to a species and whether or not they live to that potential. It is something to think on and the film really works hard to slot it in there, to get us thinking and does become the basis of some moments and decisions that characters get involved with. But this is a horror/action movie, not a scientific lecture. It’s good to see certain parts of this film and its series, important points in the creation aspect get covered, but if it’s slowing the films pace down is it worth it? This part, slotted in there really is the bug that is slicing its way through the film. You will have a moment where something is happening and going on, only to then cut to a classroom somewhere to receive a creation and zoology based lecture on creation and the meaning of life. It’s interesting yes, but is this really the time. I mean, here we are, stuck inside a building, fending ourselves off from something that wants to mercilessly shred us to bits, and you want to deliver a scientific lecture David?
The film of course does come packed with a host of visual and special effects but which frankly does not heavily rely on them. The SFX in this film are more on hand to cover and create things which cannot be done with what is available, doing them to a great level of detail, but also only producing what is needed for the film to work. The Alien effects still look pretty gross however, but in a sense are pretty more bearable in comparison to previous films in the series, once again allowing it to lean much closer to action films, not horror films. The scenes are ones that will horrify you still, however they have been done in a format that looks less like a heart transplant given by an unqualified butcher, and more like something is just spilling out of a skin coloured sofa. The shots of space craft and flying ships are pretty well done and cool too, with the Covenant ship looking a bit like the Pegasus front in Battlestar Galactica. These scenes sometimes do feel like a post off cut of Gravity, but these do not distract from the scenes in hand, and don’t want make you feel dizzy, so you can save those feelings for later. There is also a soundtrack but once again feels like it has fallen into that trap of not actually being needed for the most part. Like the SFX, it’s there when it’s needed, but several sections of this film don’t even have much in the way of music, your unlikely to spot it, other than the constant uses of the theme from Prometheus.
Despite some of its issues here and there, Covenant does not really have much in the way of issues that will make you leap out of your chair and want to tear the screen down in anger; except maybe for the film’s ending. Although it is a rather clichéd film practice which leads up to it, the end of the film creates an unbelievable shock that will leave you reeling. It make you think aloud, begging for there to be more, as it just does not seem right. It leaves you on a sinister twist that I think is very similar to the ending of Gone Girl. It is an unjustified twist that makes it feel like there is more to come, but you desire it now, because it just feels so wrong to end like that.
Altogether, Covenant is a very enjoyable film: it contains its core Alien values as well as a few shocks, but does lack surprises, but in the end does provide a rather sinister twist in a similar vein perhaps to an episode of The Outer Limits. It does have some character development flaws as early characters with promise are killed off, but does allow some good ones to live on, if only for a short time. The special effects are nicely made and blend into the film rather un-noticeably, as does the soundtrack. Alien: Covenant really is more of an action film than a horror film: yes, it will probably gross out some audiences and is definitely not one for everyone (especially those under a certain age), but there is a minimalist approach in its delivery however to provide an allowance for some to try it, without needing an instant throw-up break every now and then. On the whole though you are really getting your money’s worth and more with this one as it really does give the Alien series a bright looking future as well as provide thrills and Chestburster spills for this outing at least.
GENEPOOL (Does anyone else think this film’s plot contradicts that of AVP’s?).
When I am bored or haven’t got anything better to do while my Laptop is turned on, one thing I like to do is open up my Steam Account and choose a game to play on. Sometimes this is harder to do than others, as sometimes I may not have a game installed that I would like to play, and sometimes I will put off playing a game as I will be afraid as to whether or not it will actually work well enough on my laptop. Fortunately there are still some games I know will play quite well on my laptop, well enough for me to install and play them without a second’s notice. Of course there are some games I have played more than most on Steam, and while they may not be among my top favourites, are still games I enjoy enough to play them in the first place. To this end I thought I would share with you which games I have played the most according to the play time records within my steam profile.
Now this list does not determine which my favourite game on Steam is, rather is a list of relatively enjoyable games on Steam which have a long play time attached to them. I could just do a list of my favourite games on Steam, but that could take a while to compile, and my collection is forever expanding, so I may wait until I have a good moment to sit down and think about it.
Anyway, here is the list of the games I have played on Steam the most plus the number of hours I have played on each game:
10. Creeper World 3: Arc Eternal (39 Hours) – The original Creeper World game was a largish flash game which I first came across on Kongregate. It was a nice strategic game where you have a map being infested by a blue liquid element called The Creeper which destroys buildings. Your task was simple, build a defensive grid to defend yourself against the Creeper long enough to escape the map. Much like the original Creeper, the game map takes on a plan view, and involves you creating a defensive grid with the intention of killing the Creeper. Creeper World 3 is a fun game and adds new elements and structures as well as new forms of strategy to assist you in completing your task; if you are like me though when it comes to strategy based games, you will take your time and find that levels can take over an hour to complete. It’s a real stretch at that time but really does grab your attention too as you work hard to complete the goal.
9. Borderlands 2 (45 hours) – I really like the Borderlands games; they contain an interesting combination of role play elements with the solid gameplay of a first person shooter as well as a well-crafted and intriguing story. Borderlands 2 is actually a game I have so far only played once, but with such a big and heavy game in its DNA, it does take a while to complete, but during that time am not bored out of my mind once. Much like its predecessor, it’s a game that has plenty in it, plus is also a lot of fun at the same time, and causes you to think more, than just run into a base all guns blazing, although it does not prevent you doing that either if you are bold/foolish enough.
8. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (51 Hours) –The Pre-Sequel at best is a pretty nice game, which strives to provide another fresh gaming experience to the venerable series. Set on the moon surrounding the planet of Pandora, the Pre-Sequel strives to connect the dots between the events of the first and second game. I have played this one twice so far, but have not completed it once. The first time I played it, I did it in the same fashion I had in the first two games, with the use of the gun drone skill character, but I got to a point where I had to fight a big spaceship like thing (Raum-Kampfjet Mark V) and could not get past it. Then, after playing Tales from the Borderlands, I decided to give it another go and played with Athena, just to try something different, and it was all going well, until once again I could not get past the big spaceship. So I just left it there.
7. Mini Metro (56 Hours) – What is a sort of random puzzle game with elements of strategy, Mini Metro is a game where you get to design the track layouts and routes of urban transportation in some of the world’s biggest cities, but not in the usual way. Basically; take the map of the London Underground but imagine that you are in charge of where the rails go by drawing the lines on the map, and then have to put the trains directly on the map lines you have just drawn. Basically, you have to create and manage the routes through this map form alone, and make sure that the railway is running in the most efficient way possible. It’s a nice easy game that can still cause plenty of tension and cringe worthy moments, plus could also be used as a possible screen saver, just maybe not at work.
6. ShellShock Live (58 Hours) – Much like Creeper World, this is a game I originally discovered on Kongregate. At its core, ShellShock Live is an online multiplayer flash-based game where you control a little tank which you drive across a graphically flat (and usually blue) landscape, and aim the trajectory of several ballistic based weapons at other coloured tanks on the map. It is a nice and simple little game and is one of the most enjoyable online multiplayer experiences I have ever played.
5. Borderlands (60 Hours) –The original Borderlands was a game I at first did not spot or think about, and was not until my brother bought it for me one Christmas that I did so, although at first I was not overjoyed, as looking at it made me think of Fallout 3; a game I had not had the best experience with. Well, I played it and although it was a game that took me some time to get into, I eventually did. Since then I have played it a couple of times and have wanted to do so again and again, but have been unable to, as for some reason, every time I have downloaded it from Steam, it refuses to actually work, so I don’t know if I will ever be able to play it again.
4. PAYDAY: The Heist (62 Hours) – Another good first person shooter game that can be enjoyed either solo or with friends. Payday: The Heist is a game where you are one of a group of armed robbers trying to make a living doing certain illegal tasks. It can actually be a tricky game at times and the difficulty level can get easier or harder from level to level as you take on the various ranks and specialty skills of the local rozzers. It is a really cool idea for a game and is also a thoroughly enjoyable one too.
3. Age of Empires II: HD Edition (74 Hours) – Age of Empires II: HD Edition is one of those old classics which has been provided with a new lease on life thanks to some clever person who has thought to update the game’s performance; much like other classic PC games have on GOG.com. I remember when this game was originally released the late 90’s, and the fun me and my brother had on it. It was a fun game then, but now is an even more enjoyable game now. The only thing that has changed is that I am now a lot older, and can experience the game in a different way than I used to. I don’t really play any of the game’s campaigns though; I just like to play the basic skirmish modes with different armies. It’s not necessarily the game which has been given a new lease of life, but my enjoyment for it.
2. Left 4 Dead 2 (78 Hours) –Left 4 Dead 2 is a game I have played in both solo mode as well as with others and is very easy to play as it’s a very basic first person shooter, where you and 3 other characters have to fight their way across a series of maps infested with hordes of Zombies. To make your way across this land though, the game has very kindly provided you with an assortment of weapons, from guns to melee weapons, and from grenades to health packs (although they are really for you). It is a pretty simple game to understand; they are Zombies, either run from them or kill them; nice and simple. The game takes you to many different locations too and uses them to create some unique forms of gameplay. It’s just a nice simple and very enjoyable game that I continue to enjoy no matter how many times I play the same level over and over again (also The Midnight Riders are a pretty cool band).
1.Prison Architect (266 Hours) – Originally Prison Architect was a game I was just wanting to try out; so I played it, and really enjoyed it. So I played it some more and continued to enjoy it; and before I knew it, a large amount of time had passed by. Prison Architect is a game where you the player are put in charge of turning a patch of land into a thriving correctional facility. I have played games like these a lot in the past, but those all involve giant construction projects such as building a Zoo, a Theme Park, a City, a Railway, etc. This game is very different as you are building something that on paper does not sound like a fun place, but in turn comes with its own challenges. Games like the ones briefly mentioned above all though have another aspect which is that no matter what you are building, those things happen automatically. In this game though, it’s the case that you are more designing the layout of an area of land, and then need to hire a group of builders to actually build and put things in place for you. It comes with a touch more reality than the others, but also creates realistic situations that you need to overcome. It’s at its best though when you have a project in mind, a goal or something you especially want to achieve and work to that in order to pull it off. It’s very similar to Minecraft in that respect, as it provides some sense of achievement, but in turn provides with you a virtual work bench where the limits of gameplay come down to not just your imagination, but also your problem solving skills too.
GENEPOOL (all above hours of play time were accurate at time of posting over a week ago, what they are like now; only me, and maybe my friends on Steam know).
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