Tuesday 21 December 2010

Review: Tron Legacy


A sequel 30 years in the making, and almost no one, I mean no one (including me) in my generation have ever watched the original film. So, can the movie makes people with no clue about the 1980s film watch it? Yes, it did.

Let's start with the effects and presentation, which is the high point of the movie. The visual effects are beautiful and stunning. The Grid looks edgy and high tech look, the fight and the light cycle battle is exciting and looks very cool. One of the main highlights of Tron: Legacy is Clu, I mean of my god, his face is almost flawless. Oh, I forgot to mention that Clu is the exact face of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) 30 years ago, I will post a video soon about it. Although not all the sequences are in 3D, but most of the time 3D is available in The Grid, at least the movie makers are truthful with the 3D in the beginning. And the movie's Walt Disney's logo is one of the coolest and prettiest I've seen yet.

The story is decent, but is not going to win any awards either, the story has been here done that. The story will not make those who didn't watch the original movie blurred because in the movie they got explanation and prologue of Kevin Flynn tells the Tron world to his son, Sam.

In many ways, the movie does bring out my inner geekiness in me. I'm a tech enthusiasts and an avid video gamer. I do often think about what if we are able to enter the computer or the game itself, what can I do with it or in it. This movie captured my imagination.

Overall, Tron: Legacy is fantastic and is one of the popcorn flick you don't wanna miss.

Verdict: 4.5/5

Friday 17 December 2010

Review: Red Dead Redemption


Wild West is dead, that's what modern life right now, Wild West is history, not until 2010...

Why I said this? Because Rockstar Games (publisher of Grand Theft Auto) bring one of the biggest game in 2010, Red Dead Redemption, and it is set in the Old West world and oh boy, it is magnificent. I tried out several Wild West games in the past, but no games get me that immersed into the world like Red Dead Redemption do.

Set in the 1910s, just before the World War I, the Wild West is dying, the game protagonist, John Marston sets out to find his former gang members in order to redeem himself and set his wife and son free from the federal agent. The story is one of the best I've seen in a video game and even better than some of the movies I've seen in recent years, it is immersed, believable and brilliantly written.

Besides the story been brilliant, the atmosphere and presentation is very well done as well. The graphics of the game, although not as advanced as other games, is very beautiful. The world feels like Wild West, with outlaws gunning around, people taking care of their ranch, Mexican going through revolution and many things to do and explore. While exploring the big land, it is helped by the brilliant soundtrack of the game to make the setting even better.

The most important aspects of gaming is controls, Red Dead Redemption got it right. The horse riding got stamina level, like most animals do. The combat and cover system is brilliant and the new "Dead-Eye" system is perfectly executed.

With 20+ hours to do and explore in the world of Red Dead Redemption, with the brilliance of story telling, voice acting, soundtrack, atmosphere almost spot on. Red Dead Redemption is the game of 2010.

Review: 5/5