We wensen jullie een vrolijk kerstfeest van ons allemaal hier op CeX!
In de hoop dat het vol zit met cadeaus, traktaties en hulpjes bij het maken van het kerstdiner.
Heeft de Kerstman je lijstje niet dubbel gecontroleerd? Heeft oma het verkeerd begrepen?
Je kunt je ongewenste games en gadgets inruilen tegen contant geld of waardebon bij CeX - de meeste van onze winkels zijn vanaf de 26e geopend zoals normaal.
Iets bij ons gehaald?
Iets gekocht vanaf 1/12/18 kan tot 31/12/18 worden teruggebracht voor een tegoedbon. *
Bestel online voor middernacht op dinsdag 18 december voor levering op tijd voor Kerstdag *. Goede jacht!
Vind hier jouw lokale CeX-winkel en koop met vertrouwen, want je kunt items retourneren ** die in december zijn gekocht tot eind december. Breng ze gewoon terug in de staat waarin ze zijn verkocht, samen met de bon.
* Externe factoren buiten onze controle (zoals stakingen, slecht weer of builenpest etc.) kunnen jouw bestellingen vertragen. ** Exclusief Besturingssystemen, Applicaties, Software en Games producten met "(S)" in de titel en artikelen uit het "CeX Basics" assortiment.
Kerstcadeaus kopen? Koop met vertrouwen bij CeX, met ons uitgebreide retourbeleid voor de feestdagen kan je de meeste items (die in December zijn gekocht tot 31 December) retourneren.
Dit geldt voor zowel in de winkel als online.
Breng ze simpelweg terug in de staat waarin ze zijn verkocht, samen met een aankoopbewijs.
Zorg ervoor dat je voor 18 December 2018 Middernacht bij ons bestelt, om de CeXmas stormloop te ontlopen en je geliefden te geven wat ze willen, wat ze echt, echt willen!
Vergeet niet dat CeX 24 maanden garantie biedt op alles!
Kan je niet naar een winkel? Laat uw games, telefoons en gadgets bij u thuis bezorgen op webuy.com.
* Besturingssystemen, Applicatiesoftware en Spellen producten met "(S)" in de productbeschrijving zijn uitgesloten van deze aanbieding.
Beginnend 12 November tot 30 December zou je nog meer kunnen krijgen wanneer je jouw games, telefoons en gadgets verkoopt of inruilt aan CeX in de winkel. Een klant zal €5,000 cash winnen!
Iedereen wie verkoopt aan CeX van 12 November tot 30 December kan deelnemen aan onze super trekking om €5,000 cash te winnen! Bovendien, elke week zal er een klant wie verkoopt aan CeX een €200 cash prijs winnen!
Er zijn zeven kansen om €200 te winnen - een totaal van €6400 in prijzen om te winnen!
Hoe doe je mee
Door simpelweg in te stemmen voor een e-receipt bij het verkopen of inruilen van je goodies in de winkel. Je redt bomen wanneer je kiest om je bon per email te krijgen. Elk item dat je verkoopt aan CeX in de winkel geeft je weer een kans om te winnen. Bezoek webuy.com/stores om de dichtstbijzijnde CeX winkel te vinden.
De saaie juridische dingen kan je HIER VINDEN. Houd er rekening mee dat deze promotie alleen voor Nederland is.
Heb je een Nintendo Switch die stof staat te happen? Eenzaam op de bodem van je tas? Zou je in plaats daarvan centen, duiten, poen willen hebben?
Voor een beperkte tijd bieden we maar liefst €250 voor je Nintendo Switch, contant of omruil, wauw!
Om de jouwe te verkopen, ga je gewoon naar je lokale CeX-winkel of verkoop online door onze Nintendo Switch-vermeldingen HIER te bezoeken en te kiezen voor 'Ik wil dit item verkopen'.
Wil je juist een Nintendo-switch in handen krijgen? Vergeet niet dat je bij CeX je ongewenste tech, video games, consoles en Blu-rays kunt inruilen om te krijgen wat je echt wilt.
Sinds eind september zijn we gestopt met het kopen van dvd's voor contant geld of vouchers. Maak je geen zorgen, je kunt nog steeds dvd's kopen in CeX-winkels of online op webuy.com. We hebben DVD’s misschien uitgezwaaid terwijl de zon ondergaat in SD, maar dit maakt meer ruimte vrij voor onze enorme keuze aan goodies om te kopen, verkopen en ruilen! Bij CeX vind je nog steeds - games, consoles, telefoons, tablets, laptops, iPods, mediaspelers, camera's, Blu-Ray, computers, pc-onderdelen, flatscreen-tv's, monitors en navigatiesystemen. Oh en controllers ... we houden van controllers! Kopen, verkopen, ruilen en recyclen bij CeX. Zoek jouw lokale winkel opwebuy.com/winkles
Gee, I hope I can think of a Kirby pun that doesn’t suck...
Can you believe that despite being a fan favourite for over 25 years, there’s never been a traditional Kirby platformer title released in HD? Like most of us, the pink blob skipped on the Wii U and finally finds himself getting long overdue graphical upgrade in Kirby Star Allies, available on the Nintendo Switch.
But pixel prowess aside, will the classic gameplay hold up in 2018? Will I ever find out what Kirby actually is? Read on to find out.
The Good
What makes Kirby Star Allies stand out from other recent platformers released by triple-A publishers is its heavy focus on local co-op. Up to four players can jump in and out of gameplay seamlessly, with players 2 to 4 taking the role of former enemies, who have been brainwashed by big cartoon hearts (it’s Nintendo, just roll with it). In a culture when gaming is becoming more isolated, this really does harken back to a time in which gaming was a more traditionally social pastime.
What’s more, the HD treatment of Kirby is nothing short of brilliant. While obviously not trying to match the technical superiority of the Xbox One of PS4, Nintendo have worked their magic yet again to create a game that is as charming as it is vivid. If I were a decidedly more ‘weeb-ish’ individual, I’d describe it as kawaii.
The Bad
With that being said, the amount of bombastic action can make it hard to keep on top of what’s going on on the tablet screen; a problem that is exacerbated with more players. My advice? If you’re playing with friends, keep it docked.
However, if you do decide to break out multiplayer (you really should), be aware that there’s a slight imbalance between player 1 and 2 to 4. Player 1 assumes the role of Kirby, with everyone else taking brainwashed foes; only Kirby can use his traditional arsenal of sucking and shooting enemies, likewise only his death will result in being thrown back to the last checkpoint. Although this could lead to the age-old squabble of who gets the first controller, for parents looking to share classic games with their kids, it does negate the necessity for everyone to know all the nuanced controls for Kirby.
Finally, the nostalgic appeal of the game is almost to a fault, as there’s not much to be found that hasn’t existed in previous Kirby titles. The first two worlds, Grass Land and Planet Popstar will be remarkably familiar to longtime fans of the series, and co-op multiplayer has been a feature of the series for over 10 years. If anything, Kirby Star Allies works to reacquaint fans with the franchise, but the next title must be more of a departure.
The Verdict
Kirby Star Allies is one of the most engaging, true multiplayer experiences of the year so far, and is a delight for old and new fans of the franchise alike. It certainly doesn’t tread any new ground, but for Kirby’s first title on the Switch, it’s still enjoyable to get to grips with the pink blob all over again.
The Galaxy S9 & S9+ launched shortly after being displayed at the MWC earlier this year with similar pricing as last year’s flagship S8. Samsung also made sure this time there were enough differences in the 2 models like Apple (and unlike Google) which is not something I personally like because it says the bigger / larger model is more a full spec’d flagship than the base.
The design stays the same glass and metal combo but just looks like a better version of last year’s S8 with smoother curves and edges and an almost bezel-less screen. The S9 has a 5.8” display while the S9+ is a 6.2” with Super AMOLED panels and 18.5:9 aspect ratio. The fingerprint sensor has finally managed to settle down under the camera rather than the side. There’s always been a heart rate sensor next to the lens for a few years if you didn’t know! The Bixby button is still there and besides increased understanding of your voice commands it’s upgraded itself with new languages (live translations) and the camera helps you identify how many carbs and fats your meal contain (you really don’t wanna know!).
The phone is available in 4 colours: Lilac Purple, Midnight Black, Titanium Grey & Coral Blue, while the S9 has 4GB of RAM, the S9+ has 6GB and both have a minimum of 64Gb storage space which can go up to 256Gb plus a micro-SD card slot that can support upto 100 Blu Ray movies (if that’s your thing...). Both phones are also water and dust resistant so you can take them for a swim up to 30 minutes. You get Oreo out of the box and Samsung’s own Experience 9 UI skin on top which is now faster than ever and with less bloatware than ever! With tons of customisation options and Always On display you’ll never get bored of it. Iris Scanner and face recognition have been in Android devices for ages and here the accuracy increases so your face is recognised even if you have a beard. In case it fails you still have the fingerprint sensor (Insert Apple iPhone X joke here).
In terms of performance and multimedia management there’s nothing the S9 & S9+ can’t do. You can throw the heaviest of files, videos or games at it and it’ll score like Ronaldo in each and every one of them. Coming on to the camera or cameras (in case of the S9+ that is) which the company has been raving about for ages, which has the first ever dual aperture lens. The lens actually opens and closes physically when you change the aperture before clicking a picture either to capture brighter images in low light or to have the bokeh/background blur effects (along with the second camera). Overall the S9+ (and the Samsung Note 8) have the best cameras on any phone right now and can give the iPhone X a run for its money. The other most hyped feature is the super slow-mo @ 960fps which Sony has done in the past and Samsung does get pretty close to. Front cameras are 8MP which do a decent job but not close to the Pixel 2 yet.
There’s also an AR Emoji feature which I rather not talk about. They are a low budget copy of the Animojis and that is that. If you own the S8 or S8+, ignore the S9 / S9+. If you need a better camera to replace any older phones go for it if you have the budget. Personally, I’ll wait for the Huawei P20 Pro launching with 3 cameras!
We live in dark times. It seems like everywhere you look, there’s hate, political incompetence and general tragedy. The world is on a slippery slope. But every now and then, sometimes comes along to make us forget all this pain and remind us that no matter how old we get, a talking bear eating a sandwich is the answer to all our problems. Back on Friday 17th April 2015, my review of the first Paddington film was published on the CeX blog. A whole 3 years later, I’m reviewing the sequel. I am older, I am wiser, and yet I’m still wishing there were more than 5 stars to throw at Paddington’s adventures. This is a simply perfect film.
Boasting a perfect 100% from almost 200 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, Paddington 2 is that rare experience that is simply impossible to criticise in any way. Every single second of the film is so lovingly crafted and performed, and full of such joy, that my face was actually hurting by the end from smiling too much. I’ve always been a big kid – hell, I still love Sesame Street – but Paddington doesn’t feel like children’s entertainment. It is a totally ageless and accessible film that feels made for absolutely everybody. This film could end wars.
Picking up where the first film ended, Paddington the lovable titular talking bear is a popular member of the community who spreads joy and marmalade wherever he goes. One fine day, he spots a pop-up book in Jim Broadbent’s shop -- the perfect present for his beloved aunt's 100th birthday. When a dastardly thief (played by Hugh Grant in a BAFTA-nominated performance) steals the prized book, Paddington embarks on a quest to unmask the culprit before Aunt Lucy's big celebration. Of course, madcap mayhem ensues, and lessons are learned…and tears will be shed, primarily of joy.
This is a difficult film to review because I could sit here all day and just list the things that are perfect about this film – and as that is everything, we could be here a while. But hey ho, let’s go for it. The company logos are perfect! The opening credits are perfect! The first scene is perfect!...
In all seriousness, every second I spend writing this review could be better spent rewatching the film. And every second you spend reading this? Well, you know what to do. Pick up the DVD or Blu-ray, stick it in your player, and enjoy. Awaken your inner child and leave that old hateful cynic at the door. If you don’t love this film, seek medical attention because I think there’s a strong possibility you’ve got a serious problem with your soul.
This is a stunningly beautiful and charming film that makes me proud to be British. I’d happily take another Paddington film every year for the rest of my life, because with such a strong creative team and talented performers, you just know the quality would never dip. Last summer, Michael Bond – Paddington’s creator – passed away at the age of 91. I can’t imagine a more loving and fitting tribute than this masterpiece of a film. Stop whatever you’re doing and join Paddington on his adventure. You’ll thank me later.
Another year, another Insidious. In the current cinema climate, it seems nobody can make a horror film without Hollywood seeing franchise potential and milking the film’s udders until they’re raw. It’s been happening since the good old days of Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers and Chucky – but now almost every single well-received original horror film is the beginning of a franchise that steadily decreases in quality until it becomes unbearable. It’s hard to believe that the first Insidious film was released a whole 8 years ago, and we’re still having the films stuffed down our throats. The Last Key, the fourth and hopefully final film in the saga, is what we’re going to talk about today.
You all know the story. We follow a paranormal investigator who must deal with spooky spectres and bland character development. Elise Rainier, who has thus far appeared in all entries in the saga, receives a phone call from a man who claims that his house is haunted. Even more disturbing is the address, which we learn to be the home where Elise grew up as a child. Accompanied by her two investigative partners, Rainier travels to her old home to confront and destroy her greatest fear -- the demon that she accidentally set free years earlier. If you’ve seen any supernatural horror film ever, you’ve seen this. While franchise star Lin Shaye is on top form – and it’s so refreshing to have a horror heroine who isn’t a young blonde running around in a tight vest – there really isn’t anything to recommend about The Last Key.
I interrupt this interview to bring you some sad news. Due to the overwhelming box office success of The Last Key, a fifth Insidious film is in development. Thanks a lot, cinema goers. You’ve brought this on yourself. Consider the budget of an Insidious film. The Last Key, for example, cost $10 million. Think of all the ways that could’ve been put into combatting hunger or disease. Instead, it is spent on 103 minutes of tripe. That’s roughly $97 grand a minute….
Anyway, back to The Last Key itself. It really saddens me that these generic horror films are still made so frequently when the genre has recently delivered such richly inspired and original fares like Get Out and A Quiet Place. This is all jump scares and ghosts with seemingly no motivation being nasty bastards and haunting our heroes. A horror film of this nature lives or dies on the strength of the atmosphere and the scares. But when the atmosphere is almost non-existent, and we’re left only with jump after jump, there is no fear in our hearts. Anyone can sneak up on an unsuspecting bystander and crash cymbals behind their head and make them shit themselves, but is there really any cold, hard fear there?
Insidious: The Last Key is tantamount to that. There’s no fright here. Just jumps. Brent McKnight of the Seattle Times said it best - “horror franchises don't die, they unspool tepid, uninspired sequels in perpetuity”. Amen to that, Brent. The Last Key has absolutely nothing to offer to the genre or even the bland franchise in which it exists. If you’ve seen the first 3 films and inexplicably are hungry for more, then go for it. But if you’re a self-respecting horror fan, steer clear. This is just another insult to horror’s rich history that doesn’t deserve to be uttered in the same breath as a John Carpenter or Wes Craven creation. Avoid. Insidious: The Last Key may not be the end of this tired franchise, but hopefully it is the beginning of the end.
In recent years, the musical film has come back into fashion. I guess it goes back to 2008 when Mamma Mia took the entire world by storm, making over $550 million profit and generally kicking the genre back into the public eye. Mamma Mia showed that a big-screen musical could be popular and rake in the big bucks, and in the years since, we’ve had a pretty steady stream of them. While some of them have done something fresh and original with the genre like La La Land, the majority of them have just a one-trick-pony gimmick film with little substance behind the catchy chart-topping tunes. The Greatest Showman is no different. If you’re a devout Greatest Showman fan or apologist, you might not agree with my thoughts…
Before we get into the film itself, let’s start with the glaring fact that makes the premise alone hard to swallow. The film is a fictionalised biopic of P.T. Barnum, the titular greatest showman who wowed the world with his circus of fun and frolics. But for those who don’t know, behind the curtain Barnum was a total shit who beat and exploited his ‘freak’ subjects and animals and was just generally a shady sod. But in this Hollywoodised telling of his life, he’s the hero of the tale. Yes, the film very briefly demonises him by making him consider an affair (which never happened) and, in a short scene, dismiss the ‘freaks’ he was supposedly trying to support. But no mention is made of his truly hideous side. This alone made me uncomfortable. Audiences around the world have been paying to sing along with this uplifting and colourful film based around the sort of bloke who, nowadays, would be on Crimewatch. We should not be celebrating him. His creation of the circus as we know it may be influential, but he should not be made out to be a legend.
All that aside, the film itself just isn’t much good. Important elements seem painfully rushed and without conclusion – for example, the short scene I mention above in which Barnum dismisses his clan. This should’ve been an important scene. Barnum gets a taste of high society and doesn’t allow his ‘freaks’ into his party. Ouch. Should be a big scene. But after the ragtag bunch of quirky heroes break into their self-acceptance “This Is Me” banger, all seems instantly forgiven. Other parts seem too fast – Barnum’s childhood is covered in minutes while his potential affair is dragged over half an hour. The pacing was just all over the place, and character development was none existent in many key players.
But at the end of the day, you’re here for the songs. And I’m not trying to sound like some hip, alternative arty-farty bugger when I say they’re totally unoriginal and tedious. This Is Me is Let It Go reincarnated, while all the other tunes are just generic and predictable fluff that did not have one iota of staying power in my mind. While La La Land’s Another Day of Sun is still in my head to this day, I can barely remember a note of most of The Greatest Showman’s tunes.
The cast try their best with the material and I’ve never had a bad word to say about Hugh Jackman, but the film just felt empty and dull. Explosive colours and pounding musical numbers aren’t enough to make a film work…but, I’m just one guy. While I’m in the majority of critics who can see past the film’s glossy overcoat to see the shit underneath, audiences worldwide have been eating it up and buying the soundtrack like there’s no tomorrow. And that’s great – if you enjoy it, I’m almost jealous that you can find pleasure in it. But for me, this is just bottom of the barrel entertainment that sits in the shadow of far superior films in the genre.
But I will say that the lavish visuals, costume and make-up are very well done. Bravo to the production team. It’s just a shame your hard work was wasted on such tosh. The Greatest Showman does not live up to its first song’s title, nor does the despicable Barnum deserve such a loving tribute.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. This is a bad one, ladies and gentlemen. Comedy is really struggling these days. For every 10 comedies forced upon us, only 1 is every any good. Father Figures, Owen Wilson’s latest, is just an abysmal disaster from start to finish. But the problems began way before the film was even released. Where do I begin…
In 2011, Paramount Pictures acquired the rights to a comedy script by Justin Malen entitled ‘Bastards’. Paramount dropped out shortly thereafter and Warner Brothers stepped in. By the end of October 2015, the film had been cast. On December 5th, 2015, the film finished shooting. It was due to be released late 2016. The film was screened to test audiences and was savagely torn apart. And so, the release date was pushed back so reshoots could take place. These reshoots ran over, and the film’s release was pushed back again. It was finally released on December 22nd, 2017…to universal critical destruction. The film also had to be renamed ‘Father Figures’ due to the original title ‘Bastards’ causing offence…despite trailers being circulated carrying the latter name.
The moral of the story is…be like Paramount. Drop out of projects like this. What a waste of time and money. The budget of this film was $25 million. 25. MILLION. I know you’re simply desperate to learn more about this film. I can almost hear you crying “tell us what it’s about” from here. Well, ask and you shall receive.
The film follows Kyle (Owen Wilson) and Peter (Ed Helms), brothers on a mission to discover the identity of their father. As they travel the US, they find multiple ‘suspects’ in the mystery of who it could be, played by such legends as Christopher Walken, J.K. Simmons and Ving Rhames. Hilarity ensues as these men recount stories of Kyle and Peter’s mother’s sexual prowess, and people fall over, and…oh, I can’t even begin to sound remotely enthusiastic about this film. Maybe 10 years ago, it would’ve been great. Back when Owen Wilson was bankable and shit comedies weren’t so shit. Nowadays, people expect a little bit more.
The film often tries to become a study of brotherly love and family, but fails at every attempt – and then immediately ruins what little chance the sentiment had by following it with a scene involving children urinating on Owen Wilson or something even less mature than that. Not one of the jokes lands, nor does any of the heart. This is just a vacuous and uncomfortable watch that would’ve been torturous at 80 minutes, let alone 2 bloody hours. Overlong, unfunny and painfully forced, this is a disaster for all involved.
I don’t even want to talk about it anymore. I’m going to go and have a shower and scrub this film off me. I don’t ever want to think about it again. Shame on you, cast. I expect this sort of behaviour from Owen Wilson but not you, J.K. Simmons. And certainly not you, Christopher Walken. I’m not angry. I’m disappointed. Father Figures is a disgrace to comedy, a disgrace to cinema, and a disgrace to humanity.
One year on from the debut of the Switch, the release of the Bayonetta series as a bundle makes for another must-buy on the hybrid console. While isn’t much that is noticeably different about the rerelease, it’s the perfect chance to sink your teeth into another adventure if you missed out the first time around. For anyone who hasn’t experienced Bayonetta 1&2, this is an opportunity to get to grips with two stylish stories that translate well on the smaller screen.
The first was available on multiple platforms, but the decision to stick with the Wii U for the 2014 sequel meant that it was unavailable to most gamers. Sales were reasonably disappointing, and it was forgotten despite receiving numerous Game of the Year nominations. If you’re coming in blind, it’s a hack-and-slash game where you fight demons, but it’s more complex than that. As the witch Bayonetta, you’re taken through an insane story, with everything from the levels to the enemies sure to raise both eyebrows and heart rates consistently.
Bayonetta is an expert fighter, and one of the last of her kind. The story doesn’t make much sense without reading guides and watching videos afterwards, but it’s all about the gameplay and the overall aesthetic. You’ll be flying around the battlefield in no time, chaining attacks against giant enemies at a relentless pace. Obtaining new weapons and skills will help to improve your capabilities, and there’s a lot of scope in terms of customisation.
A display of 720p is the same as you’ll find with the originals, although both run at 60fps whether the console is docked or being used in handheld mode. This means that it looks great either way, while you’ll never suffer from any issues relating to performance. Controls are actually improved, making use of the layout of the Switch and the increased framerate. It makes combat more satisfying no matter how you prefer to play, and you won’t be able to blame anything other than yourself for missing combos.
As a two-for-one package, it’s great value, and it’s hard to find any flaws. Each game should take about 10 hours to complete, and there’s a co-op mode that can be accessed locally as long as you have two copies. Amiibo support allows you to unlock a range of new outfits and items, including in-game consumables and Nintendo themed costumes.
Aside from the above, that’s your lot in terms of improvements. Unfortunately, you’ll only get the physical edition of the second game if you get it in store, with the first available as a digital download. If you’ve seen it all before, Bayonetta probably isn’t worth going over once again. There hasn’t been much added to the overall package, although it is pretty unique when you look at the rest of the Switch’s catalogue.
It’s hard to get excited about yet another rerelease, but this one does deserve another chance. As a spiritual successor to Devil May Cry, it stands up to the test of time, and it’s deserves most of the praise being heaped on it by the majority of games media. There’s also the matter of a third in the series, currently in development exclusively for the Switch. Finishing off the first couple is the perfect way to prepare for another round of mayhem, although there’s no release date pencilled in as of yet.
The Jumanji reboot is almost as charming as the original, even if it begins to drag slightly after the first hour. I'll admit it. I'll watch anything starring Dwayne Johnson, (aside from The Fast and the Furious) so the Jumanji reboot ticks a lot of the right boxes. Most 90’s kids will have fond memories of the classic adventure film, but 1995 was a long time ago, and there’s always a chance that a semi-sequel could sully the memory.
While the loss of Robin Williams means that there’s no reprisal for Alan Parrish, an ensemble cast help to keep things moving at a rapid pace. The Rock is joined by Kevin Hart, (of course) Karen Gillan and Jack Black, with each representing a different teenager once they’ve been swept into Jumanji. The story follows the four as they’re sent to detention, forced to work in a basement as punishment for an array of offences. They soon get dragged into a retro looking Jumanji-themed console, with each given an avatar to help them navigate a land that has been corrupted.
There’s a loose story that involves a gemstone, as they progress through levels, (urgh) in an attempt to get home. They eventually meet up with Nick Jonas, who rounds off the characters in a supporting role. It’s packed with more action than the original, as they navigate a land filled with many of the common tropes you’ll find with video games. This includes spikes coming out of the ground, a terrible helicopter section, and each character having three lives to complete the adventure.
While the emphasis is on explosions and the potential loss of life, most of the actual fun is derived from the characters getting used to their new bodies, and the skills and weaknesses of each avatar. The leader is Dr. Smolder Bravestone, (Johnson) with strengths including; speed, climbing, weapons proficiency, and smouldering intensity. In comparison, Kevin Hart’s avatar is Moose Finbar, with skills limited to zoology and being a weapons valet for Bravestone. Jack Black plays a professor being channeled by a teenage girl, while Gillan’s teenage equivalent doesn’t like having fun, and has to get used to her new found karate skills/womanly charms as Ruby Roundhouse.
It’s a bit angsty at times, (and there’s even a cliche love story mixed in) but it manages to tie most of the elements together to create an enjoyable movie. Body-swap stories have been done to death in the past, while the video game format isn’t the freshest. Regardless, it only goes to show that solid performances by a talented cast are enough to make an average film interesting enough to see through to the end.
Jumanji will be sure to amaze a younger audience, but there’s also something there for returning viewers of all ages. Hart and Johnson have great chemistry as always, while Jack Black is in his element as he hams it up at every opportunity. Maybe it’ll be a little too action-packed for some, but it’s a welcome return after two decades away from screens, and you don’t have to be a fan of The Rock to think so.
Despite issues with everything from story, to pacing, insanely boring game mechanics, and questionable DLC practices, Metal Gear Survive isn’t a complete steaming turd. It may be close for some, but there’s probably something there for more forgiving fans of the series, or anyone looking for a new survival experience. Imagine you had access to all of the assets from one of the biggest games of 2015 but lost the man responsible for using those building blocks to produce a contender for Game of the Year.
Fast forward three years later, and that's where we're at with the Metal Gear franchise. Hideo Kojima is long gone, and what's left is a generic zombie shooting/resource management clone that misses the mark in many respects. The story follows a soldier working under Big Boss at Mother Base, known as the Captain. You’re sent through a wormhole to synthesise a cure for an illness picked up at the beginning, taking you to a land known as Dite.
Gameplay leans heavily on the survival aspects, with constant resource management high on the agenda. This is especially true at the beginning, as it’s a struggle to stay alive while keeping an eye on your hunger and thirst bars. They deplete with astonishing speed, meaning that it’s best to plan your next move first rather than rushing in wildly. It means that you’ll be spending a lot of time stealth killing various zombies and wild animals, which is where you’ll get the majority of your building blocks for more resources, which does make it easier.
Crafting new weapons and equipment does help to break the monotony, and the world is filled with different ways to mow down hordes when you get going with the main story. There’s also a base defence aspect to take care of, as you try to gain a foothold in the hostile environment while under constant attack. It’s reasonably fleshed out, and it’s probably the most interesting part of Survive overall. For example, eventually, there’s no issue with hunger or thirst, as farms and water tanks can be built in your base. However, it will take time and effort to improve, which many just won’t have the patience for.
While it does sound decent, it struggles to live up to expectations when compared to a typical MGS game. The story has been stripped of any real impact, and there’s a lack of a strong narrative as it’s set in an alternate timeline without most of the main characters. Survive has gained a lot of bad press upon release, mostly because you’ll need to maintain a constant internet connection to play, to allow for co-op features. Worse still, Konami decided to charge for extra character slots, coming in at £9.99 for the pleasure of letting somebody else have a go on a different save file.
Above all, it’s an unashamed asset flip with a few redeeming qualities for those willing to see past the flaws. There’s the grind itself, the low weapon durability, and the worthless in game content that can only be accessed by spending real money. On the other hand, if you’re interested in a new survival/base building game you could do far worse. Resources are generally plentiful, and you’re never pressured to spend money unless you want to.
I expect like a lot of people, my introduction to Devil May Cry was in the form of a demo disc that came with the PlayStation 2 release of Resident Evil: Code Veronica X. This was enough to convince me to go out and buy it, immediately.
A little bit odd, now, knowing that Devil May Cry is one of several rejected Resident Evil 4 ideas. One that shot way past the series roots, but clearly had something so intrinsically good about it, that it became its own project. You can still see parts that stuck around for Resident Evil 4, like the slight zoom in, while fading out, as Dante enters a door. Everything else, though, couldn't be further from its Racoon City counterpart. Devil May Cry is a ruthless and unforgiving hack and slash where you can juggle an airborne enemy with your dual pistols; that have more ammo per clip than a gun in a John Woo movie.
The first game sees Dante hunting down Mundus, a demon he blames for the death of his family after a mysterious woman named Trish shows up in his office and attacks him and informs him that Mundus plans to return. After the success of the first game, it wasn't a surprise to see a follow up, so soon. Sadly it failed to live up to any potential it had. Widely considered the bit crap one, of the series, Devil May Cry 2 took a turn for the worse. Taking a lot more inspiration from The Matrix movies, Dante was given an onslaught of elaborate flippy and wall running moves. Sounds good on paper but, in practice, with the addition of the level design being more open and less in the way of tight corridors; it broke any challenge the game had to offer. The second game also had the addition to play as Lucia. In hindsight, it probably took a lot more hate than it deserved but that did lead us to Devil May Cry 3. Taking all the complaints, of the second game, to heart. Capcom used all the criticism, constructively, to create the best game in the franchise. With a new style switching system and abundance of weapons, Dante has his biggest set moves to date. Although maybe going a bit too far on the difficulty; so that the game had to have a second release to balanced it out a little more, (although still leaving it ridiculously challenging).
All three games are complemented by the badass mixed range of the soundtrack. Shifting from the gothy choir ambience into a metal inspired barrage of electric guitars and vocals, any time the action kicks off…. Which is a lot.
Disappointingly, this is the same HD release we got on last gen, in 2012, with a slight boost from 720p to 1080p. Even through the paint, the games show their age. Having grown up with them, I'm fine with how they play, but someone new to the franchise is likely to be less forgiving of how stiff some of the movement can be and how awful the, fixed (in position) cameras are. By the third game, the controls are a bit more accessible. Only minor changes have been made to gameplay, like the jump button being shifted to X rather than ○ (on PlayStation).
For PC owners, this is the first port of the games. Awkwardly, as always, this brings its own share of issues. Running the game at a higher frame rate can break it, with comedy effect, and have everything running at multiple times the regular speed. On a whole, this is a good set of games but, as mentioned, the HD remaster loses a point just for being a lazy port of 2012's effort. One for people who want to go back and revisit the memories or want to see what all the fuss was about. "The Devil is not so black as he is painted" - Dante Alighieri (The divine comedy).
EA allowing Criterion Games to make a new game, in the Burnout franchise, is about as likely as Microsoft letting Rare make a new Banjo Kazooie or Perfect Dark. Criterion had teased a spiritual successor to the series, back at E3 2014, for it to never be mentioned since. Likely because EA have had them fastidiously working on the Star Fighter Assault Mode for Star Wars Battlefront 2, alongside DICE. A bunch of the core team, including its two founders, Alex Ward and Fiona Sperry had left by late 2014. The two formed the small game studio Three Fields Entertainment, Who to date have released three games. Destructive Golf, which is pretty self explanatory. A VR FBI game, As well as a game based on Burnouts, own Crash Mode, Danger Zone.
For a ten year old game that still looked good Stellar Entertainment, who handled the Remaster, have made an interesting effort with Burnout Paradise Remaster. At a glance it doesn't seem like a big jump, it's more of lots of little subtle touches ups. PS4 and Xbox one both get texture and resolution upgrades to 1080p, with the game running at a solid 60 frames per second. Double the frame rate of the PS3 and 360 version, which displayed at a lower 720p. Extra particle effects have been added to sparks, when you're scraping along side another car or the rear of the car bounces off the road.
Furthermore, the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro take this another step up and runs at a native, true, 4K and add a few extra effects, like tyre smoke and subtle HDR as you exit a tunnel and the sunlight hits you. Anti-aliasing is still pretty jaggy, in places, but this is hardly noticeable while driving. Mostly just fences, traffic signs and power lines. Oddly, motion blur has been removed, possibly because of the increased frame rate negating its use and effectiveness. The small number of video sequences in the game are also not redone, so they look bad in comparison to their original 720p. Luckily, there are only a few of these throughout the entire game.
Burnout Paradise dropped all the conventions of the previous games for a fully open city to explore. Each crossroad has its own event, to compete in, whether that's a standard Race across the city. Road Rage, to attempt to smash as many rival cars off the road as possible. A Stunt Run of driving recklessly, in order to gain points for jumps, drifting corners and driving the wrong way in traffic.
Burnout never forces you into doing any of the activities. You're given the freedom to roam Paradise City at your own leisure, from the very start, and even encouraged to do so; with Billboards and Barrier Gates scattered across the map to be found and crashed through. Online options are always accessible at any time, just by tapping Right on the D-pad, giving access to a further array of options for races and crashing into people, as well as a resemblance of the fan favourite Crash Mode. With the game always online, it displays anyone in your friend lists fastest time, known as a Road Record, for each Street. Creating a personal challenge between yourselves, always trying to up each other.
As with most competent remasters, Burnout Paradise comes with all released expansions, including Legendary Cars, Toy Cars, Paradise Bikes (which I'm fairly sure were added after Criterion pitched a Road Rash title, To EA, but got rejected. Early prototype footage of this exists). The biggest of all the downloadable content is Big Surf Island. An expansion to the already massive city, with its own set of new events and billboards to find.
While not the best game in the Burnout series (I'd personally give that to Burnout 3), I'll happily take Burnout Paradise as an acceptable substitute. Replaying it has been just as much fun as it was a decade ago.
