So, this is a tough post to write. Games, Apps And Reviews is going on hiatus for the foreseeable future to allow myself and the rest of the team to focus on other projects.
After nearly seven years helming Games, Apps And Reviews I am incredibly proud of what it has become and I hope you, the readers, have enjoyed reading and interacting with our content as much as we’ve enjoyed writing it.
I still remember my first post - a paragraph review of Kingdom Hearts - written with a sudden burst of inspiration in my room. As I grew up, so did the blog, changing from a general opinion on a game to an in-depth look at mechanics, story and style. Apps, film and TV all followed as well as variations on the review like First Impressions and Comments.
We also changed the output levels, focussing more on each post, curating them to a higher standard, and publishing them when we felt it was best. A bit of a change from the YouTube channel, ‘fact of a day’ on Twitter, quote of the week and monthly Video Game Character of the Month!
I’d like to thank my writers, from the guest writers who brought their opinions to the blog in a post here and there, to the core team and especially Harry, who was instrumental in developing some of the more ‘out there’ ideas such as the Video Game Character of the Month.
Thank you to all of our readers, without you I’d just be a cynical man speaking my criticisms at an inanimate object. Thank you to the publishers who allowed us to test and review their hard work and thank you to Blogger for being a great platform to work on!
Now, this is hopefully not goodbye and Games, Apps And Reviews might return in some form or other in the future. Stay tuned!
Thanks for reading, Satamer and the rest of the team.
Wednesday, 1 January 2020
Sunday, 1 December 2019
Video Game Character of the Month - December 2019 - Video Game Character of the Month - Games Apps and Reviews
Video Game Character of the Month
December 2019
Video Game Character of the Month
Games Apps and Reviews
Video Game Character of the Month
Games Apps and Reviews
Overview:
That’s right people, in a form of shameless self-promotion never before seen, the Video Game Character of the Month is being awarded to… The Video Game Character of the Month award! Please don’t hold your applause.
And now for a little bit of info on the Video Game Character of the Month Award:
That’s right people, in a form of shameless self-promotion never before seen, the Video Game Character of the Month is being awarded to… The Video Game Character of the Month award! Please don’t hold your applause.
And now for a little bit of info on the Video Game Character of the Month Award:
Friday, 1 November 2019
Video Game Character of the Month - November 2019 - Plants vs. Zombies - Crazy Dave
Video Game Character of the Month
November 2019
Plants vs. Zombies
Crazy Dave
Plants vs. Zombies
Crazy Dave
Overview:
It's Halloween season. Well, technically just past as we do the Video Game Character of the Month at the beginning of the month but anyway... It's spooky season. And what better way to celebrate this time of Ghouls 'N Ghosts than with a suitably scary recipient of this award. Why Crazy Dave and not a ghost from the likes of P.T., Amnesia or Outlast? Well, because he's Craaazy of course!
And now for some information on Crazy Dave:
It's Halloween season. Well, technically just past as we do the Video Game Character of the Month at the beginning of the month but anyway... It's spooky season. And what better way to celebrate this time of Ghouls 'N Ghosts than with a suitably scary recipient of this award. Why Crazy Dave and not a ghost from the likes of P.T., Amnesia or Outlast? Well, because he's Craaazy of course!
And now for some information on Crazy Dave:
Tuesday, 1 October 2019
Video Game Character of the Month - October 2019 - Pokémon - Ghetsis
Video Game Character of the Month
October 2019
Pokémon
Ghetsis
Pokémon
Ghetsis
Overview:
Pokémon. A 'game for children' they say. Well, besides the fact that it could be seen as an animal enslavement and battle simulator, and the fact that a ten-year-old running around the world on their own throws up some moral questions at the very least (and some legal ones in today's society), you've got the villains of the games to prove this wrong. Theft, kidnapping, squatting (both versions), blinding style choices and mass genocide. Hang on, did I read that right? Mass genocide? Oh. Um. Can't really give the award to someone with that motive. Mass segregation? Wow. That's. Um. I can't really... *Icicles form near Kyurem*...
The video game character of the month award goes to Ghetsis! And now some more information on the mastermind that is Ghetsis.
Some spoilers ahead:
Pokémon. A 'game for children' they say. Well, besides the fact that it could be seen as an animal enslavement and battle simulator, and the fact that a ten-year-old running around the world on their own throws up some moral questions at the very least (and some legal ones in today's society), you've got the villains of the games to prove this wrong. Theft, kidnapping, squatting (both versions), blinding style choices and mass genocide. Hang on, did I read that right? Mass genocide? Oh. Um. Can't really give the award to someone with that motive. Mass segregation? Wow. That's. Um. I can't really... *Icicles form near Kyurem*...
The video game character of the month award goes to Ghetsis! And now some more information on the mastermind that is Ghetsis.
Some spoilers ahead:
Sunday, 1 September 2019
Video Game Character of the Month - September 2019 - Rabbid Peach - Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
Video Game Character of the Month
September 2019
Rabbid Peach
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
Rabbid Peach
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
Overview:
Eenie meenie miney mo. Which Rabbid should be awarded for going toe to toe with all of Mario's classic foes? Well, Rabbid Mario already has a vastly popular counterpart in Mario and so his name would be swept under the search rankings, Rabbid Luigi has a YouTube channel so the same there... Rabbid Yoshi? Yeah, that could be good. So, for this month's Video Game Character of the Month, we have RabbidYoshi Peach! Oh, guess it's Rabbid Peach then... Can I have my phone back now?
And now for some more info on Rabbid Peach
Some minor spoilers ahead:
Eenie meenie miney mo. Which Rabbid should be awarded for going toe to toe with all of Mario's classic foes? Well, Rabbid Mario already has a vastly popular counterpart in Mario and so his name would be swept under the search rankings, Rabbid Luigi has a YouTube channel so the same there... Rabbid Yoshi? Yeah, that could be good. So, for this month's Video Game Character of the Month, we have Rabbid
And now for some more info on Rabbid Peach
Some minor spoilers ahead:
Saturday, 31 August 2019
Film Review No. 50 The Lion King (PG)
Strong Points:
The photorealistic graphics are incredible
Some new jokes and altered lines work well...
A huge technical achievement
The songs and story still contain the magic
Timon and Pumbaa lift the film up to new heights, with their animal friends
Singing was great from all
Subverted expectations
Little extra scenes filling in the transitions were great and didn't slow the pace down
Weak Points:
...Although some lines were oddly removed
Some of the new song additions don't really live up to the originals
Animals aren't anthropomorphised, so there isn't much emotion around the eyes
Photorealism removed the ability of animation to have clever, non-realistic ways to show a shot
Some minor spoilers ahead:
The photorealistic graphics are incredible
Some new jokes and altered lines work well...
A huge technical achievement
The songs and story still contain the magic
Timon and Pumbaa lift the film up to new heights, with their animal friends
Singing was great from all
Subverted expectations
Little extra scenes filling in the transitions were great and didn't slow the pace down
Weak Points:
...Although some lines were oddly removed
Some of the new song additions don't really live up to the originals
Animals aren't anthropomorphised, so there isn't much emotion around the eyes
Photorealism removed the ability of animation to have clever, non-realistic ways to show a shot
Some minor spoilers ahead:
Thursday, 1 August 2019
Video Game Character of the Month - August 2019 - Solaire of Astora - Dark Souls
Video Game Character of the Month
August 2019
Solaire of Astora
Dark Souls
Solaire of Astora
Dark Souls
Overview:
While you may have taught us to 'praise the sun', don't think that we've forgotten to praise you! But while we can't get you your own sun (whatever that means), we can give you an award that shines like one. I am, of course, talking about the prestigious Video Game Character of the Month Award, now in its sixth (!) year! An award even tougher to achieve than beating Dark Souls itself. Praise the sun!
And now for a little bit of info on Solaire:
Warning: spoilers ahead
While you may have taught us to 'praise the sun', don't think that we've forgotten to praise you! But while we can't get you your own sun (whatever that means), we can give you an award that shines like one. I am, of course, talking about the prestigious Video Game Character of the Month Award, now in its sixth (!) year! An award even tougher to achieve than beating Dark Souls itself. Praise the sun!
And now for a little bit of info on Solaire:
Warning: spoilers ahead
Sunday, 14 July 2019
Film Review No. 49 Pokémon Detective Pikachu (PG)
Strong Points:
Brilliant designs for the Pokémon
Detailed animation and world-building
Ryan Reynolds is brilliant as Pikachu
Funny
Use of more than the first 151 Pokémon
Small details show the seriousness the filmmakers had with the film
Doesn’t push for a franchise
Some twists and turns I didn’t guess
A mostly well-connected screenplay combining drama, meta-comedy and cheese...
Weak Points:
Some cliché or stilted dialogue
Not a lot of Pokémon battles
...Sometimes crosses the line between knowingly cheesy and cringe-inducing
Most of the human cast doesn’t get a lot to do
Opening minutes crammed a lot of exposition and explanation into itself
Could have done with the classic Pokémon narrator
Some spoilers ahead:
Brilliant designs for the Pokémon
Detailed animation and world-building
Ryan Reynolds is brilliant as Pikachu
Funny
Use of more than the first 151 Pokémon
Small details show the seriousness the filmmakers had with the film
Doesn’t push for a franchise
Some twists and turns I didn’t guess
A mostly well-connected screenplay combining drama, meta-comedy and cheese...
Weak Points:
Some cliché or stilted dialogue
Not a lot of Pokémon battles
...Sometimes crosses the line between knowingly cheesy and cringe-inducing
Most of the human cast doesn’t get a lot to do
Opening minutes crammed a lot of exposition and explanation into itself
Could have done with the classic Pokémon narrator
Some spoilers ahead:
Monday, 1 July 2019
Video Game Character of the Month - July 2019 - Nana and Popo - Ice Climbers
Video Game Character of the Month
July 2019
Nana and Popo
Ice Climbers
Nana and Popo
Ice Climbers
Overview:
Looking at the ever-increasing Smash Bros. roster, I’m reminded just how many great characters we have in the world of video games. Complex characterisation, detailed designs, fully formed faces (I didn’t mean to start this alliteration, but we’ll keep going), contrasting colours (OK, we’ll stop now)... But there’s one character which I feel doesn’t get nearly enough recognition, even for just hanging in there. Well, actually, there are two characters. That right, the Ice Climbers are the newest recipients of the Video Game Character of the Month Award:
And now for some more information on the Ice Climbers:
Looking at the ever-increasing Smash Bros. roster, I’m reminded just how many great characters we have in the world of video games. Complex characterisation, detailed designs, fully formed faces (I didn’t mean to start this alliteration, but we’ll keep going), contrasting colours (OK, we’ll stop now)... But there’s one character which I feel doesn’t get nearly enough recognition, even for just hanging in there. Well, actually, there are two characters. That right, the Ice Climbers are the newest recipients of the Video Game Character of the Month Award:
And now for some more information on the Ice Climbers:
Saturday, 1 June 2019
Video Game Character of the Month - June 2019 - Professor Willow - Pokémon Go
Video Game Character of the Month
June 2019
Professor Willow
Pokémon Go
Professor Willow
Pokémon Go
Overview:
Ah, the professors of Pokémon. Always there to offer advice, a double-edged compliment, the tools to enslave creatures of any region, a friendly smile and confusing conspiracies about our own parents. Oh, and of course, to expand our knowledge of the various types of trees in the world. Now, while all of the professors in the Pokémon universe are probably deserving of this reward, I've decided to give it to Professor Willow of Pokémon Go fame specifically, for one reason. The love of Pokémon Go has transcended the core series much like the first games all those years ago, so to award an honour such as this to the incumbent Professor allows an even greater audience to notice and hopefully fall in love with the entire series through our blog. SEO. Ah, the cynical nature of the world...
And now for some more information on Professor Willow:
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