Over the weekend I had the chance to check out the new video game for Wii. It is a new fishing game that offers not only traditional , but also includes for added diversity.
This was the first time I really played a fishing game. Previously I had simply looked at screenshots and wondered how the experience of fishing could possibly be relayed through a video game. Since the Wii has introduced new game mechanics with its wireless controllers, I found myself much less sceptic and decided to give it a shot. In the end, I had quite a bit of fun. It is nothing like real fishing, but it's is enjoyable entertainment nonetheless. The game allows you to follow a career path in which you have to catch certain types of fish in increasing difficulty in order to progress. Difficulty here relates to how hard it is to actually locate the fish, to lure it and ultimately to fight it. In nature some fish are notorious fighters and take certain sets of skill in order to land. This wearing-out process is reproduced in the game nicely along with some other cool kicks. Of course, there's also a free fishing mode in which you can decide for yourself what you want to hunt for, or simply we a lure for the fun of it. Free fishing consists of a series of unlockable 'areas' introducing new species, lures and techniques as you go along. I had a great time with this weekend and thought I'd pass the info along to you, in case anyone else is interested in some indoor fishing - particularly as the season gets colder.
Film fans listen up! I want to bring to your attention today a small independent movie production called , that is being written and directed by , a San Diego-based first-time filmmaker and friend of mine who is originally hailing from the computer games industry. is a psychological thriller/horror film that features some great talent and holds a lot of promise. Sadly, however, the production has run into a bit of a and the small production to continue its shoot. From what I understand, a large portion of the principal photography has been completed but another round of shooting days is required for pick-up shots to complete the project. since this is a completely privately funded independent film, the production team is reaching out to the public to raise some additional money and you, too, can help if you send them a little money through . For more information about the production and its status you can also check this page. You will find there a whole lot of additional information on the production and the people involved and as you can see also, not a whole lot of money is needed. So, if you wish to support and independent film project and help it to come to completion, maybe you, too, can donate a few dollars for the cause. And, as an added bonus, - how's that?
It is hard for certain bands to get a real foothold in the US, even though they are institutions overseas. Case in point, , a quality rock band that has been around for over 40 years and has celebrated countless successes and chart topping hits, not to mention a seemingly never-ending string of albums.
is now bringing the band's latest album to the US. What is interesting about this move is the fact, that this album was originally released in Europe in 2007, and it took the music 2 years to make it across the pond. Be that as it may, though, the self-irreverent titled 'In Search…' was well worth the wait. For decades now, Status Quo has been synonymous with their particular style of . To call it a trademark would be an understatement. They practically own the category and no one strums these upbeat tunes like . The denim and t-shirt look they made popular long before anyone else may have made room for slightly more sophisticated clothing, and the music may have developed over the years, but still, the band manages to capture the listener with songs that sound foot-tappingly fresh and peppy. Fans of the band will find great gems on this disc in particular. Harking back on this album to great classics such as 'Mystery Song' and the 'Blue For You' era, the band has long found the fourth chord, and managed to incorporate it - along with the fifth and sixth chord, into their easy going music - to keep their legacy alive and interesting. Check it out and let the good times roll.
At ComicCon today, has obviously announced that they are making a and that will direct it. Hmmhh… I'm not sure whether I should laugh or cry to be honest. Don't get me wrong I'm all for good movies, of course, but in this case I just don't know what to think. I don't want to jump to conclusions and already condemn the project offhand like countless Warcraft fans do all over the Internet already, and I do not want to go all out saying 'This is going to be the best thing ever!' either, because I'm simply not sure it will be either. None of us does… However, I do have thoughts on the subject, and I constantly end up at the question Why does the world need a Warcraft movie? Don't get me wrong. , all of them, the strategy games as well as the MMO, but I just can't get over the why. in the traditional sense. If someone told me they were making a movie of 'Baldur's Gate' I would say, 'Hell yeah, great idea!' The problem with Warcraft is that since its origins the series has been using to create the thinnest of illusions of a story. With 'World of Warcraft' you got returning characters, but still , not even the fabled Lich King. There has in any of the Warcraft games either, that would have created a deep world anyone would care about. This is not Tolkien, my friends, these are the shallow marketing-department driven fantasies of a games company. As a result I keep asking myself, why? Sure you can make up a story in the World of Warcraft using the races and classes from the game, but ultimately I still keep asking, why? The answer is obvious, of course, as it is dissatisfying. Because - or so everyone hopes. My only hope is that Sam Raimi will do a better job than he did on those Spider-Man movies.
As has finally put the cult classic back on the release schedule as you can see here, there is other Spinal Tap related news also. Today, the band has released a new album! I stumbled across this more or less by accident, since I'm not a hardcore Spinal Tap fan and do not follow any developments within their fan community. I thought many of you may be in the same boat but may nevertheless like to know that the band's new album is hitting retail shelves today.
What may be even more interesting for many of you is that over at you can grab your copy of the album for only $9.99 right now, which is a 47% discount from its regular $18.98 retail price. So
Infogrames becomes Atari becomes Infogrames becomes Atari again
Sometimes you really have to wonder about how companies are being run. No, I am not talking about years-behind-the-curve auto manufacturers or banks-with-no-common-sense. I am talking about . After having had a rough fiscal year, just announced that the company will rebrand as . One really has to wonder what kind of retards are running these companies, seriously. The reason I am saying this is because French publisher used to do pretty well for themselves during the 80s and early 90s, growing to a major international player. At one point the company bought the Atari brand name and as a company in 2001, essentially beginning to put the Atari stamp on all their products. Things didn't go so well, the Atari name got tarnished by bad product and the branding was dropped. Silently Infogrames and Atari was sort-of put to rest. So, here we are in 2009 and the Infogrames name is tarnished with mediocre product and dwindling revenues, so what's a conscientious publisher to do? Heck, let's spend a couple hundred millions - the we do not have - to rebrand and . No one remembers the stigma, no one remembers the poor products, it's heck of a brand name… and in a few years when things don't go so well anymore, they'll just switch it back to Infogrames, spending another fortune, which they probably won't even have. Like I said, what kind of retards are running these companies? It pains me to see what the computer and video games industry has turned into. I helped create this industry in the early 80s and it fills me with anger to see how for the past 15 years it has become the playground for megalomanic corporate idiots. I don't even remember the last time I played a really good computer or video game.
This morning I stumbled across something pretty unique and cool. I am sure each and every one of you has a lying around somewhere, right? They are just too perfect to carry around important data, photos, documents and who knows what, and with memory sizes constantly increasing, it is the perfect medium to carry computer data.
To celebrate the , Mimico has created a , with all new . One by one, the company will release a number of characters, starring with Phantom Menace fan favorite scheduled for release on June 10. Available in 1GB to 8GB capacities, the memory stick will also include preloaded digital extras such as Star Wars-themed icons, avatars, screensavers, wallpapers, and the mimoByte™ Sound Software that plays authentic Star Wars audio clips when MIMOBOT is inserted or ejected from one's computer. Versions featuring Dath Sidious, the Emperor's Royal Guard, Wicket the Ewok and C-3PO and many others are available already, and more characters will following the weeks and months to come. I had never seen these USB drives before so I thought I'd share this with you, since I know that many of you are serious Star Wars fans.
As you may have noticed, there is a resurrection underway to breathe new life into the universe. While sadly there is no new TV series yet, the brand new movie that is in theaters now seems to please critics and fans alike, and with the number of new , there is currently no shortage in Enterprise material. But also on other fronts the franchise is alive and well and Usaopoly has just released a new , which will also help to keep the momentum for the brand going for some time, while giving fans the opportunity to play Monopoly in the Star Trek universe.
Expect to find many historic locations from the Star Trek Continuum in the game, including Argus Array, Cardassia Prime and Remus. Boardwalk and Park Place have been replaced by the United Federation of Planets Headquarters and the Starfleet Command. The game is in stores available now and you can grab your copy for a cool $33.39 at Amazon.com for example, making sure you can dive deep into the galaxy and go where no man has gone before. And, of course, don't forget to see the new movie in theaters!
, which will also help to keep the momentum for the brand going for some time, while giving fans the opportunity to play Monopoly in the Star Trek universe.