Tuesday, May 17, 2011

I should really stop saying what I will write in the next post...


So, nix what I said I was going to write about! I will tell those tales, but not for a short while longer; they require pictures and some Photoshopping to get the treatment they deserve and life is a bit too busy just now. Perhaps this weekend.

Instead we shall talk about some current media! I went to the movies after I finished up with some screen printing to unwind, and when I got home I found that my housemate had received his copy of L.A. Noir! No way was I NOT going to sink a few hours into that one.

First up, Priest.
Priest Movie
Those eyes... like hes judging me..
 First off, I love Paul Bettany. The guy comes off naturally as an unnatural and casual bad-ass. Sadly his last movie was Legion, which was hilariously bad in many ways but had him co-star with another actor who I love to watch ham things up.
Kevin Durand dares you to mock his hair.
The man is preternaturally smug at all times, I love it. When he showed up in Lost everything was awesome! Then everyone went to heaven in the past and Raptor Jesus shot someone or something. As bad as Legion was, these two at least made it fun. Which kind of happens in Priest, but instead of Pouty McSmugness we got Karl Urban being a fun an eccentric bad guy with little to no clear motivation for his actions.
I'm wacky and evil because... wait, why are the vampires evil again?
That's what the whole movie basically boils down to, its certainly fun and pretty to watch, but if you take a moment to question whats happening you will come up with only more questions. I'm sure the sequel will be more then willing to answer those... no, never mind. The comic its all based on is probably the best bet for anyone wondering about character motivation is my guess. Bottom line is, its a fun action movie with plenty of camp and Karl Urban flying around and miming an orchestral conduction while a city is raped and pillaged.

Now then, the other thing I did in my leisure time.
Robbing gun stores!?
This will be a shorter talk because I have yet to play the whole game, but my initial impressions? Wow. Just wow. On an aesthetic level this game is gorgeous, it has the BEST facial animations I have yet to see in a game, perfect lip syncing, and incredible voice talent. Game play wise this isn't Grand Theft Auto, not by a long shot. This is literally the closest you can come to living out a Noir movie or book. YOU find the clues, YOU grill the suspects and catch them in lies, and YOU solve the convoluted cases of the seedy side of L.A. and Holywood. Its simply amazing, I love watching the faces for tells while questioning someone, calling them out on a lie, and pulling out evidence dramatically, it is exciting and amazingly satisfying. The whole game bleeds style and a love for both the time period and the stories and films of the noir movement, its a dirty little love letter to the whole concept.
Wow. This is a filthy letter ma'am.
The action is good too, tighter then GTA or Red Dead's aiming and cover systems, and largely superfluous to the logic riddles of the crime scene and the cunning matching of wits of the interviews. Which only makes it all the more satisfying when these moments occur, they feel more important then they ever did in the other games, like you worked your way to these conclusions and are finally cleaning house.

Check this game out, even if you don't think its for you, its worth getting a taste for what a major studio can accomplish when it takes a risk and follows a thread its passionate about.

16 comments:

  1. Which version of GTA are you talking about? Because i seriously may start it after reading this.

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  2. Im actually going to go watch Priest tonight with a few friends.

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  3. @GhostDude - Let me know what you think!

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  4. @Techno_logic
    GTA4 is the one I'm referring to.

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  5. I'm really looking forward to play LA Noire

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  6. Priest looks sooo sick, I loved the manhwa (Korean manga) .

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  7. I thought Priest looked interesting. Still not sure if I'll see it though.

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  8. i really want to play la noire

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  9. LA Noire looks like a sick game. I'll definately consider buying it.

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  10. Too many good movies, too little time :(

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  11. hmmmm LA Noire looks cool, I mite buy it on the weekend, thanks for the post.

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  12. I would say I didn't like priest because it was cheesy, but really enjoyed it.

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  13. LA noire looks like such a sick game, more gangster GTA version i believe. cant wait to play it

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  14. this looks awesome, i hope it will be a successful as GTA

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  15. L.A noire and priest are in my to do list

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