DizzyGeek » Television

Uncharted – A Lesson in Characterization and Adventuring

RJMontalvo — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:38:28 +0000

Fallen Hero

It’s not a stretch of the truth to say that the latest entry into the Indiana Jones franchise was lacking the character that can be found in the first 3 movies. It had just as much action and suspense that could be found in the other movies but lacked any likability that didn’t rely on the charm first achieved in the initial installments of the series. I bring Indiana Jones into this review because the lead character in Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune feels like a better Indy than his cinematic counterpart portrayed in “Crystal Skull.”

Rise of a Rogue

Nathan Drake has the same bad boy charm that Hans Solo, Captain Mal, and any number of smart-alecky rogues found in modern day cinema and television. Sure they have a tendency to be put themselves into situations that would kill any ordinary man but they are more than happy to quip about it without batting an eyelash. You’d be hard pressed to find a better example of this archetype than the lead character in Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune.

Stop and Enjoy Paradise

Uncharted has the same pace as a Summer blockbuster movie. You start the game mid-action seeing what sort of exploring Nathan is accustomed two and are quickly drawn into a story that may not reinvent the wheel but does an adequate job to move you along from set piece to set piece in an interesting way. These gorgeous set pieces are a perfect example of one of Uncharted’s biggest strength, its art design. You will be travel through some of the most scenic jungle scenery and ruins ever recreated in a video game.

No Ones Perfect, Words to Animate By

Another way Uncharted sets you up for a thrill ride is through the animations of its lead characters. Great time was taken to capture the most realistic animations possible and it shows through and through. You’re drawn into the action as you see Nathan flinching as each bullet hits his cover. Nate has a tendency to stumble at random which works to make a more believable every day type of guy traversing these jungle ruins rather than some superhuman badass.

Worthwhile Headaches

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is by no means a perfect game but it provides an experience that surrounds the player in a believable world and story that tickles the adventurous side of us all. One thing that I must comment on is how clunky the controls can feel during combat. Even the simple act of switching between weapons and utilizing grenades makes for a overly complicated situations during the many encounters you have with multiple enemies at once. While quite realistic in implementation, the fact that Nathan has inertia when moving around the environments makes for accidental deaths or frustrating predicaments.

I found myself overlooking these problems when faced with the excitement galvanized by the story, characters, and pace of the game. I’m quite excited at the prospect of Uncharted 2: Amongst Thieves, which is set to release later this year. Thus far the previews of the game all seem to lean towards the Uncharted team once again striking gold once again.

What You’d Like to See in Another Indy Flick (yesbutnobutyes.com)
‘Drake’s Fortune’ Will Get the Big Screen Treatment (cinematical.com)
Rumortoid: Steven Spielberg wants to produce Halo movie (destructoid.com)

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Top 5 Reasons To Buy a Xbox 360

RJMontalvo — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 02:14:12 +0000

1. Large library of kids games and casual games that can please even the pickiest of gamers. These games can range from the kid friendy Viva Pinata series to the assortment of Xbox Live Arcade titles that can be downloaded directly to your Xbox 360 within minutes.

2. Netflix can be directly streamed from your Xbox 360 to your TV as an added feature that Microsoft and Netflix have offered to their mutual subscribers. Man of the titles have HD versions that you can Watch Instantly with more being added on a regular basis.

3. Your Xbox 360 also has the ability to connect to Xbox Live which is the premiere way to play games online. Through Xbox Live you have the ability to connect to your friends and have live chat while playing games together or even while wathcing TV. It’s extremely easy to use and has a slick interface that allows for layers of customization that you can tweak to your tastes.

4. Some of the best HD graphics around can be found on the Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 offers a level of realism that meets or trumps the competition in almost everyway. Developers are also continuing to push what the Xbox 360 has under its hood so the best could still be yet to come.

5. Price tag…period. For $199.99 you get a system that does all of the above and is slick piece of technology that can be utilized as the central hub for most of your family’s entertainment. The Xbox 360 is a versatile piece of equipment that has the unique ability to be enjoyed by every member of the family.

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Do you need a digital recording device such as a TiVo or a DVR?

crazyb — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 02:27:49 +0000

Did you know that you can watch previous played TV shows from your computer for free, so now when you miss your favorite TV show you don’t have to wait for the re-runs. This can reduce the need to go out and buy and/or use a digital recording device. Let‘s face it times are rough, and honestly you really don’t need one.

The benefits of watching shows from your computer are numerous.

Some of the benefits include the following:

You don’t have to work around TV availability. For example, if you have roommates like I do, then you need not worry about finding time to watch the shows that are important to you, they can still watch the TV and you can use the computer.
You can watch the entire episodes whenever is convenient for you with no need to download.
You can pause, rewind, fast-forward, just as if you were watching it on a TiVo, DVR or some other recording device.
If you have a laptop you can watch your favorite shows anyplace that has internet access (any room in your house, family/friends houses, coffee shops, hotels, even some camping sites have internet access).
Most channels have your favorite full episode shows available for you to watch online.
Another advantage to having a laptop if it has an HDMI or S-Video then you can connect your laptop directly up to your TV.

Using your TV as an extended Monitor

Did you know that most newer laptops come with an HDMI port and if your TV also has an HDMI port then you will be able to use our TV as an extended monitor. Yes, HDMI cables can be a little pricy, but it is a one time cost verses the price of other recording devices.
If you have an older laptop/TV do not fear because most older laptops and TV’s have an S-Video cable that you can use as well. Granted, the S-Video only carries the picture and not the sound. So, if watching movies when grabbing the popcorn be sure to grab yours external speakers as well.

See below for a sample list of websites where you can even watch movies for free. Also, if you buy the proper membership you can view movies from Netflix.com instantly (although availability to which movies you can do this with are limited it is still worth checking out).

Other reasons you may want to hook your laptop up to your TV

Watching all of those digital photos that are on your laptop. Why try to crowd around a small laptop with family and friends when you can show your slideshow on the big screen TV.
Surfing the internet with family/friends.
Playing video games.
Because it is fun and you can.