Mike_Diver

If you have finished it, there are references in there that you will get; and if you've not finished it, I hope they're subtle enough that you'll either not clock them at all, or they won't affect the experience. Naturally I am not going to point them out here.

The link at the end is spoiler central - but really great for seeing the start of the game and how events there connect to the end...

So that aspect didn't impress on me. The incident at the fair, with the Sky Hook: yeah, it's bloody, but nothing unprecedented in gaming, and the title clearly carries an age warning. I think the stylised visuals help - if it was more 'photo-realistic' then parts like the ... well, a bit near the end... would be a bit much (no spoilers!).

Headshots: headpops. Been there, seen it. It's no Dead Space 2, gore wise. Previous BioShock games didn't shy away from blood and guts.

*safety wink*

4/10 is a bit... ouch.

It is different from what they've done before. Less stiff and studied. More lithe.

I enjoyed it for the few spins I gave it. It's in the Fang Island/Tall Ships vein. Both of whom have put out some mighty fun albums.

It's not an album of special longevity. But a 4/10 record it ain't.

Let's say you were A Band That Followed That Advice, and your track was out today, and all it got for Following That Advice was a mention beside a lot of much bigger acts, thus providing it with no leg-up whatsoever for A Band's hard work... Lovely, spot-on words though these are regarding the Actual Pressure us music-covering types can be under to see/hear/read everything (current inbox chaos: 22,464 unread in one account; 22,877 in the other, and this is post two epic clear-outs).

;o)

It has a very clear structure, for one thing. It's very literally an album of two halves, the first calling on Calexico and co for some alt-country influences as well as some solid blue-collar rocking; the second, more straight-ahead punk a la the band's first two albums, and the closer is an absolute humdinger of a psych-rock-freak-out-whoooomp-ah... I air drum the hell out of my arms whenever it's on.

It's not burnout. It IS the sound of a band in flux, and I do agree that it doesn't make for a 'complete' experience. But 4/10? Jeeesus man, let some joy into your listening.

Rather than this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOqfWj0HqNE

?

Something that so many of them do wrong. The FPS section in Doom? Mmmmnaaaaah.

Hmmm... Certainly not as bad as its sequel. Turned a profit at the box office too.

Watched Prince of Persia over Christmas (when it was on the telly). Apparently it's the highest-rated movie to be based on a videogame. It was complete toss.

But it shunted back in the schedule, should anyone go looking for it next week. Out March 4.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Untogether-Blue-Hawaii/dp/B00ABQM4ZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360328456&sr=8-1

Mmmmmmmnnnnnnaaaaaah.

The Money store got several votes from BBC contributors/DJs, yet Muse got one fifth-place ranking from all the votes, which meant it finished... joint last. What does that say about our contributors? Nothing, nothing at all. But an interesting contrast nevertheless.

...knowing your tastes, a little, I'm not that surprised you didn't like The Money Store. It's so... BOOM POW CRASH I'M ALIVE MOTHERFUCKER LISTEN TO ME NOW... so instantly a firework in the face that it either blinds and deafens you and you flee it; or you suck up the burn and get down to it. I guess. I dunno.

Whereas Muse... they've slowly edged towards being this ridiculous parody of the band they once were. The 2nd Law was an album I came to anticipating its (tremendously awful) upfront singles to be obscuring some solidly bonkers songwriting about sci-fi marmosets and robot tennis, or something. But all I got was an album that sounded like the failed pitch for an off-Broadway show about a crap prog-rock-goes-glam-pop band, the We Will Rock You for people who think the Queen catalogue just isn't ridiculous enough. I still like Muse enough to wanna see them, as live they can be Pure Amazing; but I'll be listening away/stood at the bar when these songs are aired.

So yeah. What am I saying? I guess it's that I had a solid frame of reference for Muse, based on all previous LPs and appreciation of the acts that inform them; whereas I'd assume - and shoot me down if it's wrongly - that you went to The Money Store perhaps off the back of Guillotine and the buzz, rather than any comparably combustive hiphoppunksmash. Perhaps. No? THIS POST IS TOTALLY TL;DR

In other news: I like lists.

Muse's album: maaaaaybe the worst album I heard in 2012. And believe me, I've listened to a lot of crap. I stress maaaaybe. It's the one that springs most instantly to mind when I'm asked: "Say, Mike, you hear a lot of albums, but what's the worst one you've heard this year?" That one, always. (And I liked Muse a lot around Black Holes...)

There, I done said it.

Tho it IS one of the best games I have played in 2012, too.

Appreciate what yr saying re review/comp - but it's got no bearing on my thoughts re the game. Save for some pretty dodgy flying sections - in particular a Star Wars style trench run - Halo 4 is (IMHO) immensely enjoyable. Really impressed - and I am no series fanboy at all (Halo 2 being the last one I properly really enjoyed/got into).

Shame I just right- (or was it left-) triggered your face; + 35 Renegade.

TBF I always played as a Nice Young Man.

Oh well.

To think I've put 100 hours+ into these games, too.

"all played from the first-person perspective; all containing more than their fair share of guns-blazing gameplay."

^ Um, Mass Effect (the original, two and three) is totally this ^

I know it's sold as an RPG. And I know there's loads of RPG elements. But the 'action' sequences are pure FPS.

Except God of War (1 and 2 at least) did it well. And it wasn't such a Big Deal. There's QTEs in Resi 4 but they never seem as intrusive as on Resi 6... which suffers as they're totally mismanaged.

Dodgy Fettler burger.

To be fair Blackholes has its moments. That and the second album.

But then Muse, 1999 model, really weren't that amazing either.

Bravo, them, for doing tremendously well without all that much, y'know, GOOD music.

I once DJed the same (sort of) warehouse party as Lady Starlight; at the same time, in the room next door.

To say there was a mighty contrast in playlists was a whopping understatement.

Pretty sure I had the bigger crowd though. Or maybe I had the smaller room :o)

That is all.

If this was a 5/5 in Q or something, nobody would debate it. Amazing how much difference is perceived between a 9/10 and 10/10 review. IMO this is a great album, said as much on the BBC. A perfect album? It's as perfect an album as The xx have released so far. Does that make it a 10/10? For now, sure; but I've no doubt that they're capable of exceeding this effort in time. They're a band that's still developing remember. They're yet to reveal their full hand, methinks.

I still don't understand.

Apologies. I had an Amiga (dungeon crawlers, yay), but never a PC, so Diablo etc passed me by. I've a Mac now but don't play games on it... should I? #consoleboy

I had to be quite harsh... Was gonna be 12 but TOO MANY WORDS.

I reviewed the soundtrack on the BBC, if you fancy a read.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/3cnv

MD

The 'shoot-dodge' move is available in MP1, albeit at the expense of your Bullet Time meter.

MP2 and MP3 allow you this move without cost.

MD

Yeah, it was called Drut. The prick.

...that PlayStation DID twist, albeit via a third party. Literally. What a crap idea that was.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NeGcon

...anyone would think I LIKED it, or something.

You know, I'm fairly selective with what I cover - especially outside of the BBC. Because I don't NEED to write these sort of pieces. But I am compelled to because I want readers to really get that this is a special album.

The last time I remember a record from rap's 'margins' really grabbing me in this way was Saul Williams' S/T affair. Not that this is a rap record. It feels like something genuinely fresh.

I'm not sure that being overexcited for it is a bad thing. Given the dross that packs the release schedules, isn't it worth being perhaps a little over-zealous with one's praise for a standout set? I think so. Others will give this a good review and slap an 8/10 score on it - which'll rank it as an equal to far inferior LPs. The maximum score is deserved, as this is a record that gives everything. Come the end, it doesn't feel like they could have crammed any more energy into it.

Blah blah... if you don't like it, I am fine with that. If you don't like my review, I'm fine with that too. Thanks for stopping by.

...

Some great tracks; not a great album.

Contino Sessions was a marked progression (and my favourite DIV album).

I read the reviews, I bought the album (on cassette, no less, from Eastleigh WH Smith). And I played it a lot in the car - I passed at 17, and ferried my mum to and from the nearest supermarket with Kowalski et al in the tinny speakers.

But.

It's not one I have gone back to much since - probably because I only had it on cassette, so it never made the step from physical collection to iTunes. If it had, I expect it might've made this list. Perhaps I should get me a copy of it again.

I mean, this is proper amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xBzYsE4y1k&ob=av2e

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiator_(album)

Of course, I wanted to keep it 15. But the high quality of the 'exceptions' shows just what an awesome year it was.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let%27s_Get_Killed

And both on my original (rather longer) list of potentials for this piece. See also: Homework.

They might not look like much, but these things take me aaages to put together, so I'm pleased that people like 'em.

http://fromsinking.wordpress.com/2012/03/19/that-was-hot-now-dig-this/

FANX

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/cdzb

Fallout 3 > Oblivion

Skyrim > New Vegas

Mario > Sonic

Cheese > Ham

RAGE
From Dust
Dead Island (yeah, shoot me down... I enjoyed it enough.)
F1 2011 (a lot of fun, srsly, and I usually HATE these games.)
Rayman Origins

They're not new, nor multi-format, but the HD releases of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus: brilliant.

Other news: music still fun.

I don't like The Pierces ;o)