Hiatus

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.

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

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:

Video Game Character of the Month - October 2019 - Pokémon - Ghetsis

Video Game Character of the Month

October 2019
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:

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

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 Rabbid Yoshi 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:

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:

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:

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

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:

Video Game Character of the Month - June 2019 - Professor Willow - Pokémon Go

Video Game Character of the Month

June 2019
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:

Film Review No. 48 Tolkien (12+)

Strong Points:
Great, confident acting from the cast, young and old
Confidence in the audience to have references to Tolkien’s work in the background to find as well as in the foreground
Great cinematography
Nice production design
Focussed on different areas of Tolkien’s life than you might expect
Good, subtle but apparent score
The right amount of fantasy

Weak Points:
The opening ‘montage’/set up didn’t engross me
Slightly ‘by the numbers’
A lot of information was passed on all at once
Pacing issues

Note: as I only have a passing knowledge of Tolkien’s life, I won’t be commenting on any potential historical inaccuracies (I’ll leave that for the comments). However, remember this isn’t a documentary, it’s a dramatic biopic and should be treated as such.

Some spoilers ahead:

Review No. 148 Pokémon: Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee - Nintendo Switch (7+)

Strong Points:
Streamlined approach to the games
Great graphics and art style
References to other games in the series and general lore
Legendaries are an event to catch again
Catch mechanics add a different style to catching Pokémon...
Small cutscenes show visual flair and small changes in gameplay show creativity
Pokémon in the overworld means you can pick Pokémon you want
Customising appearance of Trainer and Partner Pokémon is nice
Rideable Pokémon help to speed the game up (and have some nice visual gags)
Pokémon Go comparability is well implemented
Catch combos reward perseverance...
Master Trainers offer a tough endgame...
Shiny catching is improved and visual
Pokémon Box and secret techniques being taught to partner are efficient...

Weak Points:
Unreliable motion controls
Barebones co-op
Removal of many conveniences and well-established features
Some lag in areas such as Viridian Forest doesn’t bode well for the sequels
...although they don’t offer a lot of depth
A slight jump in animation between walking and running (allows rideable Pokémon to get out of Pokéball)
... although catching every Pokémon in sight so as to transfer removes the special bond between trainer and Pokémon
Partner Pokémon becomes an unstoppable machine by the end, and you are pushed towards not changing your team
...albeit a slightly tedious one
...Although the need to go through multiple menus isn't
Actual Pokémon battles against legendary Pokémon and minibosses feel tacked on

Nitpicks:
Eevee gets more costumes than Pikachu

Comment: Avengers Endgame - An End Of An Era

There was an idea, called the Avengers Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when we needed them to fight the battles we never could.

There was also an idea, called the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The idea was to bring together a diverse (or at least getting there) group of remarkable cast and crew, see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when Hollywood needed them to create a film franchise we never could on our own. And after 22 films and just under 11 years, we're in the Endgame now.

Video Game Character of the Month - April 2019 - Boy - Limbo

Video Game Character of the Month

April 2019
Boy
Limbo

Overview:
So... Is anyone going to mention it? No? Ok, I just thought? Right. Of course. Silly me. It's just, well it's quite in your face to be honest? So wouldn't it be easier? No. Right. We won't say then...
But what about the kids? More specifically, the boy? No, you can't just give him a Video Game Character of the Month Award and expect him to be OK with it. I mean, look at him. No, no, you're right. I think. I still think we should tell them about that, that, thing. 

What am I talking about? A spider? An orphanage? The political unrest of some far off planet? Carrots? It's hard to be certain, but I guess that's all part of the fun. At least for the boy. He's in Limbo at the moment, constantly replaying, over and over. Better him than me I suppose...
And now for some more information on the Boy:

6th Birthday

Well, well, well. *Nervous smile* So you've arrived, have you? That, that, didn't take long. *Shuddery laugh* Are we completely sure time is regular? Six years, hm? And look at you! You've only gotten better! More vibrant, more knowledgeable, more, more... I'm sorry. We haven't spent nearly enough time together. No, we are not drifting apart, how could you say that? It's just, you know, I've been busy with other things, and you've demanded more and more thought and care. OK, I didn't mean demanded. Forget I said that...

Wow...

Anyways, happy birthday to the blog! 6 years strong. *party poppers and crackers*

Review No. 147 Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection - PS4 (16+)

Strong Points:
Strong characters
Humour
Stunning graphics, detail and animation
Great set pieces
Intriguing story...
Great use of parkour, especially in the latter two games...
Nice gunplay
Throwing grenades back mechanic adds a touch more strategy... (Uncharted 3)
Brilliant voice acting
Great value for money (the collection)

Weak Points:
...That sometimes feels too quick or too long
Jet-ski levels (Uncharted 1)
...Although the objects used can be quite samey (Uncharted 1)
...Until you throw a grenade at a wall (Uncharted 3)
Sometimes feels like there's little point to any of this
Some large difficulty spikes
Detailed environments but lack of climbable objects (Uncharted 2/3)
Boss fights (Uncharted 1/2)
The villains don't get quite the attention of the heroes

Film Review No. 47 The Favourite (15+)

Strong Points:
Great production design
Interesting camera shots
Good acting from all
Great casting
Some bits of humour
Original story
Characters constantly change status, including in the minds of the audience
Lots of subtext in dialogue

Weak Points:
Some odd camera shots
Some odd plot choices
Gratuitous with language and sex

Some spoilers below:

Video Game Character of the Month - February 2019 - Tenzin - Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Video Game Character of the Month

February 2019
Tenzin
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Overview:

A trusted protector. Master of the punchline. Wisdom for the ages. Now, if only I (or the game's subtitles) spoke Tibetan. Yes, today we are awarding the VGCOTM to Tenzin from Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, a character who's got two brilliant characteristics - he is almost superhuman and he shares a name with a character from Legend of Korra. What more could you ask for? Besides a universal language
And now for a little bit of information on Tenzin:
Some spoilers for the Uncharted series ahead

Review No. 146 Bioshock 2 Remastered - PC (18+)

Strong Points:
Great expansion of the world
Awesome voice acting
Interesting story concept - communism instead of capitalism
Sense of time running out
Gunplay was mostly great...
Plasmids were also fun...
Choices
Hacking was sped up a lot
Reduced sense of dread made sense in terms of story...

Weak Points:
Crashes
Slow start
Hard mode goes against the game design
...Felt the Rivet Gun wasn't different enough to justify
...Although not very different from the first game
...But removed some of the atmosphere
Removal of choice at one point felt odd

Note: this is a review of The Bioshock Collection rerelease version and won't include multiplayer or Minerva's Den (might come separately)

Also, some spoilers ahead:

New Years Resolutions Version 6.0

Ah, the end of the year, who would have thought you'd appear so soon? With life ramping up and changing its workload, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who have read one of our posts this year. Hopefully, each one has been informative and entertaining - the old adage of quality over quantity should ring true this year. I honestly don't know what the future holds, but this blog should be there, in some capacity, for years to come.

Review No. 145 Mr Shifty - PC (12+)

Strong Points:
Great art style
Tongue-in-cheek humour without resorting to vulgarity
Teleport (Shifting) technique
One hit deaths add suspense...
Can pull off great moves
A large array of items at your disposal
Slow-Mo
Shift Meter adds risk and reward
A short, easily digestible game...
Satisfying combat

Weak Points:
...But can also lead to frustration
A few oddly placed checkpoints
Removing the ability to teleport to make the game artificially harder
...Which still suffers pacing problems
A tower block doesn't make for the most interesting environments

Video Game Character of the Month - December 2018 - Clem - Warframe

Video Game Character of the Month

December 2018
Clem
Warframe

Overview:
So, Clem what do you think about earning this prestigious reward?
Clem.
Ah, yes, it really is a high honour, and most deserving to
Clem.
Oh, you want to thank some people?
Clem. 
Your Grakatas. You want to thank your Grakatas?
Clem.
Okay then.
...Clem
...
...
...
Clem
And now, some more information on the enigma that is Clem.