Totally going to change gears here and go from video games to BBC Romance Dramas based on British Literature (Ever checked out the categories on netflix? If you have you'll understand.) Now, I'm not going to give you the plot line. The movie came out in 2004 and the book was written by Elizabeth Gaskel in 1955. If you wish to read the summary of the story do so here.
I watched the movie with some friends. It was the second time for me and I was just as riveted with the movie as the first time--which was only a few weeks ago. The acting is well done, the music enchanting, and the cinematography breath-taking. I'm sure I could gush about the whole movie. The clever way they put the heroine into a scene of blacks and greys in her pretty light blue dress grabs your attention. The intense stare of the love interest will cause almost every female I know to melt inside.
This is a period film and it has a deeper level to it as opposed to most romances. If you like period films I can guarantee you will love this one. It is its own story.
Honestly, I could go on forever about how much I like this show. And you, my poor reader, will find your eyes glazing over if I did so. I don't think one simple review can do this film justice. It's that good.
Of course I've pumped the mini-series up so much you'll probably be disappointed in it. But if you are one of us is very silly--and it is not me!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sims Medieval
When I saw Sims Medieval as a future release on IGN.com I was jumping up and down in my seat (and possibly hitting my husband and squealing). The Sims with a medieval twist??? How could you go wrong? I have played every Sims game though not every expansion. I am almost ashamed to say that--the part about not having played every expansion. I bought all the castle pieces from the Sims 2 Store and built a glorious caste. A castle that I lost during one of Hubby's many reloads of his computer--but lets not talk about that right now.
As soon as the game was released I bought it, special edition. The only thing was I actually had things that were more important to do and it took me a few days before I could finally sit down and play. I felt giddy and ill all at the same time as I loaded the game on my laptop (thank you hubby for getting it all ready for me). I watched the intro and felt my excitement mounting...
I'll admit it, at first I was disappointed. This wasn't the Sims 3. But it didn't take me long to enjoy the RPG style the game had. Doing quests was easy to follow for the most part. For me I didn't even care about decorating my castle. I was being sucked into the game slowly. I need to do just one more quest before bed, before cleaning the house, before cooking dinner.
Yes, this game has glitches. Though I did notice a lot less after the update was released. Sometimes things don't seem to want to work very well either during a quest. Thankfully the internet is a good tool when you don't quiet understand what you are to do. I also hate that I can't swivel the screen in close up in order to see all the pretty shiny rocks to discover. I hate that I lose sleep over this game.
My biggest disappointment was the graphics... and then I was gently reminded by Hubby that I was playing on a laptop and so he showed me what the game was supposed to look like with full specs... yeah, graphics suck on my MacBook.
So all in all as a reviewer I would give Sims Medieval a 8/10. Actually, I randomly chose that number. I have no idea what I would give the game. All I know is that if I don't play it daily I start to go through what is only equivalent to a coffee addict going without their caffeine fix.
As soon as the game was released I bought it, special edition. The only thing was I actually had things that were more important to do and it took me a few days before I could finally sit down and play. I felt giddy and ill all at the same time as I loaded the game on my laptop (thank you hubby for getting it all ready for me). I watched the intro and felt my excitement mounting...
I'll admit it, at first I was disappointed. This wasn't the Sims 3. But it didn't take me long to enjoy the RPG style the game had. Doing quests was easy to follow for the most part. For me I didn't even care about decorating my castle. I was being sucked into the game slowly. I need to do just one more quest before bed, before cleaning the house, before cooking dinner.
Yes, this game has glitches. Though I did notice a lot less after the update was released. Sometimes things don't seem to want to work very well either during a quest. Thankfully the internet is a good tool when you don't quiet understand what you are to do. I also hate that I can't swivel the screen in close up in order to see all the pretty shiny rocks to discover. I hate that I lose sleep over this game.
My biggest disappointment was the graphics... and then I was gently reminded by Hubby that I was playing on a laptop and so he showed me what the game was supposed to look like with full specs... yeah, graphics suck on my MacBook.
So all in all as a reviewer I would give Sims Medieval a 8/10. Actually, I randomly chose that number. I have no idea what I would give the game. All I know is that if I don't play it daily I start to go through what is only equivalent to a coffee addict going without their caffeine fix.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Zelda
My friend who has a blog about being single wrote today about her ring tone being The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. It is one of her reasons for being single. So, I guess it is a good thing that I waited until I was after I was married to change my ringtone to the Gerudo Valley music from Ocarina of Time.
I love Zelda. I never owned a console as a child/teenager but one of my best friends did and they often rented Ocarina of Time. I couldn't fight bosses but I have many memories of running around doing the "fun stuff". I never did get a chance to see the whole story. Once I got to see the end when, at another friend's house, I watched her older brother beat the game. Of course I was teased for having a crush on him but I didn't care as I just had to see the end.
As an adult my husband (boyfriend at the time) bought a wii. And of course Ocarina of Time. For the first time ever I played the game from start to finish all on my own and by myself. It was as much fun as I remembered it.
You always hear people mention how the things you remember fondly from your childhood are never as good if you play or do them again. That maybe true for a lot of things but for me Ocarina of Time was just as fun as I remembered if not more so with my new found gaming ability. But just as A Link to The Past is my husband's favorite because of childhood memories I know that nostalgia does step in a little for me. Ocarina of Time will always be my favorite out of all of them.
So, if you have never played any of the Zeldas or been much into video games I recommend to you to play Ocarina of Time. Have someone who has played it play it with you or just watch them enough and you'll soon want to try it!
Now I must get back to playing Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess...
I love Zelda. I never owned a console as a child/teenager but one of my best friends did and they often rented Ocarina of Time. I couldn't fight bosses but I have many memories of running around doing the "fun stuff". I never did get a chance to see the whole story. Once I got to see the end when, at another friend's house, I watched her older brother beat the game. Of course I was teased for having a crush on him but I didn't care as I just had to see the end.
As an adult my husband (boyfriend at the time) bought a wii. And of course Ocarina of Time. For the first time ever I played the game from start to finish all on my own and by myself. It was as much fun as I remembered it.
You always hear people mention how the things you remember fondly from your childhood are never as good if you play or do them again. That maybe true for a lot of things but for me Ocarina of Time was just as fun as I remembered if not more so with my new found gaming ability. But just as A Link to The Past is my husband's favorite because of childhood memories I know that nostalgia does step in a little for me. Ocarina of Time will always be my favorite out of all of them.
So, if you have never played any of the Zeldas or been much into video games I recommend to you to play Ocarina of Time. Have someone who has played it play it with you or just watch them enough and you'll soon want to try it!
Now I must get back to playing Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess...
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Fable-the video game
Ever played Fable?
I have, all three. And as each come out a large portion of reviewers and gamers complain that each one is shorter and worse than the last. There are definitely aspects I like of each one but the whole length thing got me thinking. When Fable III came a lot of people said it was really short compared to the other two. That didn't seem right to me so I decided to test it out. You know, because I am a video game addict and what else was I to do when my little girl slept? Housework? Right, bring on the Fable.
Fable-The lost chapters:
I hadn't played Fable in a couple years so that is to take into consideration. Also, the very fact you can die in Fable-TLC required me to go out of my way to find potions and such. Originally I played Fable on the computer and this time I played it on the XBox so that is something to consider as well. I played the game start to finish and didn't skip any cut scenes. I didn't do any side quests but just what the main story required. To finish Fable it took me 8 hours. To finish TLC afterwards it took me another 3 hours.
It was fun to be back playing the first Fable. I loved the feel of the original again. I personally do not like dying as needing to constantly save annoys me. I played Fable once again with a friend recently (not timed) and it was awkward to go back to the original style of shopping, the menu, interacting with people marrying and buying houses. But it definitely was a longest of the three.
Fable II:
Going from I to II was definitely easier to adjust than going from III to I. It was so much easier to use my weapons and get around. I felt a big relief and though Fable I was the reason I fell in love with the games Fable II was not a disappointment to me. It was easier to just do the main quest because besides a few times you have to do a side quest to get renown, it was way faster without the fear of dying. It was also nice to be able to save at any point and quit. What a good change. The game with videos took me 6hrs30min. Definitely shorter but you can keep playing after it is over.
I found a lot of improvements in Fable II and for me they outweighed my disappointments. As a girl being able to choose a girl was good. The dog could have been cool if he wasn't so slow at finding the treasure. I used magic more and was very thankful that using magic in a battle didn't hurt people around me when my safety was turned on. Seriously, does anyone remember how annoying that was in Fable I? Interacting with people was very awkward at first for me but when I played the game again with a friend not timed I had fun with it. Sort of like an added feature you could use but didn't need to.
Fable III-
I have played this one the most recent and smoothly transitioned between II and III. I plowed through the game and it went so fast because of what I attest to being fully engrossed into the story. Why? Is it not shorter than II. Yes, for me it was, by half an hour. That is right. Fable III took me six hours and that is taking into consideration the fact that I had been currently playing it.
Of course there were things I didn't like. I missed traditional leveling up but going back and playing Fable II made me realize leveling up by opening chests really isn't that different from choosing to spend points on a menu. It is all really mindset. I can only ascertain that Fable III got such a bad rap for being shorter because the story was better (IMO) and therefore time passed faster when you played.
In Conclusion:
I could go on forever about Fable and perhaps I will continue later. See how much added time side quests give the game or some such thing. Go into more depth about the game even.
Fable-8hrs TLC-3hrs
Fable II-6.5hrs
Fable III-6hrs
these were all played as whatever I deemed the fastest decision but I was "mostly good"
I have, all three. And as each come out a large portion of reviewers and gamers complain that each one is shorter and worse than the last. There are definitely aspects I like of each one but the whole length thing got me thinking. When Fable III came a lot of people said it was really short compared to the other two. That didn't seem right to me so I decided to test it out. You know, because I am a video game addict and what else was I to do when my little girl slept? Housework? Right, bring on the Fable.
Fable-The lost chapters:
I hadn't played Fable in a couple years so that is to take into consideration. Also, the very fact you can die in Fable-TLC required me to go out of my way to find potions and such. Originally I played Fable on the computer and this time I played it on the XBox so that is something to consider as well. I played the game start to finish and didn't skip any cut scenes. I didn't do any side quests but just what the main story required. To finish Fable it took me 8 hours. To finish TLC afterwards it took me another 3 hours.
It was fun to be back playing the first Fable. I loved the feel of the original again. I personally do not like dying as needing to constantly save annoys me. I played Fable once again with a friend recently (not timed) and it was awkward to go back to the original style of shopping, the menu, interacting with people marrying and buying houses. But it definitely was a longest of the three.
Fable II:
Going from I to II was definitely easier to adjust than going from III to I. It was so much easier to use my weapons and get around. I felt a big relief and though Fable I was the reason I fell in love with the games Fable II was not a disappointment to me. It was easier to just do the main quest because besides a few times you have to do a side quest to get renown, it was way faster without the fear of dying. It was also nice to be able to save at any point and quit. What a good change. The game with videos took me 6hrs30min. Definitely shorter but you can keep playing after it is over.
I found a lot of improvements in Fable II and for me they outweighed my disappointments. As a girl being able to choose a girl was good. The dog could have been cool if he wasn't so slow at finding the treasure. I used magic more and was very thankful that using magic in a battle didn't hurt people around me when my safety was turned on. Seriously, does anyone remember how annoying that was in Fable I? Interacting with people was very awkward at first for me but when I played the game again with a friend not timed I had fun with it. Sort of like an added feature you could use but didn't need to.
Fable III-
I have played this one the most recent and smoothly transitioned between II and III. I plowed through the game and it went so fast because of what I attest to being fully engrossed into the story. Why? Is it not shorter than II. Yes, for me it was, by half an hour. That is right. Fable III took me six hours and that is taking into consideration the fact that I had been currently playing it.
Of course there were things I didn't like. I missed traditional leveling up but going back and playing Fable II made me realize leveling up by opening chests really isn't that different from choosing to spend points on a menu. It is all really mindset. I can only ascertain that Fable III got such a bad rap for being shorter because the story was better (IMO) and therefore time passed faster when you played.
In Conclusion:
I could go on forever about Fable and perhaps I will continue later. See how much added time side quests give the game or some such thing. Go into more depth about the game even.
Fable-8hrs TLC-3hrs
Fable II-6.5hrs
Fable III-6hrs
these were all played as whatever I deemed the fastest decision but I was "mostly good"
Saturday, May 21, 2011
I have arrived!
Well, I finally did it. I am blogging. After thinking and thinking about it, even writing blog entries in my head, I am here and all thanks to my good friend. If she can find time with her crazy, busy schedule than certainly I can as a stay-at-home mom.
I love reading reviews. They make can make me angry and they can make me laugh. I even argue out loud with many reviews of movies and video games. I write my own reviews too! So that is what I plan to bore people with--my opinion of movies, games, and movies. I'm not really sure what else I come across that needs a review...
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