Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) Review

The end of the rebooted Modern Warfare franchise is coming out later this year so I decided to replay the beginning of the rebooted franchise Modern Warfare and here is my review for the game. The premise of the game is set in 2019 and sees terrorists try and take down the world, this is until a group of elite soldiers attempt to stop them. 

Characters

Unlike the previous Modern Warfare games, you see yourself playing as actual talking characters in Kyle Garrick and Alex. These are pretty decent characters and it is just nice to play as these characters with them having real interactions with other characters both heroic and villainous. 

This game was heavily marketed by the return of Captain Price, this time played by Barry Sloane and he is great in the role. He is pretty similar to the previous version but is really rugged and tough, he also does some questionable things but always with the best intentions for his team and the mission. He is great in the cutscenes and has a good relationship with the other characters. 

Farah & Hadir are two characters newly introduced to the franchise here. They are the leaders of the uprising of Urzikstan. They are great new additions to this franchise, the game does a fantastic job of developing their characters and showing their motivations. 

The only issue with the characters is that of the villains. There are quite a few villains here and none of them are particularly interesting, General Barkov is the main villain but he is barely in the game and it feels like they all took screen time away from each other. 

Story

The story is okay, as I mentioned above it was really cool to play as characters that would communicate with others while the game was going on. The game also does a fantastic job of setting up Farah & Hadir's story. I also appreciate that this game doesn't use much from the previous rendition of Modern Warfare, really apart from Price being here none of it is the same. But as I mentioned above, the villains aren't that great which does bring the story down. Also, I just felt there were a few too many stealth missions here that got quite repetitive. 

Side Content

Really the only side content here is the multiplayer. Now the multiplayer is really fun, you have all of your traditional COD game modes and the customisation is detailed, probably a little too detailed but you can tell that lots of love and spirit was put into this multiplayer. But I had a problem with Spec Ops, this was to have a multiplayer that linked to the main story, that is a great idea but the missions are dull and they have weird modifiers on them which feel unnecessary. Also the lack of single player content other then the campaign is a big let down. 

Gameplay

The gameplay is the best part of the game. The gunplay is fantastic and overall action flows really nicely. You can Mount walls and cover to aid with aim and that is a big help to somebody like me. This gameplay is tough and you will die a lot, but it is really fun and never really slows down. 

Graphics

The game looks fantastic, the in game graphics are really good and the action feels realistic and brutal. The cutscenes look really great with the acting being top notch from everybody. The problem is that at least for me the cutscenes kept glitching out, I am not sure if it just my disk or whether it was a big issue but for me it was. 

Overall

Overall, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is an above average game. It has some really fun gameplay and decent attempt at rebooting the franchise. But this game falls a bit flat overall, it doesn't hit the highest of notes. Now that it is pretty cheap it is probably worth a pick up but don't expect the quality of the original Modern Warfare Trilogy. 

Rating - 6/10

First Impressions - Ahsoka Season 1 (2023)

So after the small teases in The Mandalorian Season 2 & The Book Of Boba Fett, we finally have the first two episodes of Ahsoka on Disney+. and there was plenty to talk about especially for fans of Star Wars Rebels like myself. There will be spoilers here, so if you haven't seen the episodes yet then it is probably worth watching the episodes first before coming here. 

Rosario Dawson is great as Ahsoka 

As I said before, we have seen Rosario Dawson play the role of Ahsoka Tano in live action but she really gets the shine here and is fantastic. She definitely takes cues from the animated version but realises that the character has moved on even from there and her character is way more impatient and not accepting of the Jedi way which is interesting to see. 

Ray Stevenson is amazing as Baylon Skoll

Though, for me the best performance so far is that of Baylon Skoll played by the recently deceased Ray Stevenson. He isn't just some evil cackling villain, there is a presence there and a real care for the history of the Jedi Order. He is just fantastic and it is such a shame that we will only ever see him perform as this character in this show. 

Morgan Elsbeth is a Night Sister

This was only briefly mentioned but I thought it was a big enough plot point that it needed to be discussed. We met Morgan Elsbeth in The Mandalorian and here she has been confirmed to be a member of The Night Sister cult. These characters were introduced in The Clone Wars and were shown to be dark side users with evil motivations, it was believed they were all killed off until we met Merrin in Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order and now Morgan here, I wonder if we will see her use her powers in this show. 

Sabine Wren is a failed Jedi Padawan

At the end of Star Wars Rebels we saw Ahsoka & Sabine team up to go and find Ezra Bridger. But this show reveals that things were a bit more advanced then that. It turns out that Ahsoka became Sabine's Jedi Master and attempted to train her. It was revealed in Rebels that Sabine had no connection to the force so unsurprisingly this doesn't go well and it causes the two characters to have a fractured relationship until this show. 

Hera is a General in The New Republic

Hera is played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead and she is great, we also see that Hera has kept her title as General in The New Republic. She is one of the heads of the new government and a big part of keeping the good guys going. I am curious to see if her son Jace turns up in this show as there has been no mention of him so far. 

Who is Marekk? 

A mysterious member of the villain team is seemingly the last Sith Inquisitor called Marekk. Now Marekk has a mask so it isn't exactly clear who they are. I have seen rumours suggesting that Marekk is either Ezra Bridger or Cal Kestis but I personally don't like either of those theories. My belief is that Marekk is either a nobody which makes you wonder why to have the mask and create all this intrigue or it is Barris Offee. Barris is a failed Jedi from The Clone Wars who betrayed Ahsoka and turned to the dark side. The way Marekk moves, I think it is a female and Barris has clear connection to our lead character. Though if it is Barris, I hope the reveal comes soon so it doesn't leave it too late to give her some story. 

No Grand Admiral Thrawn yet

Those hoping for Grand Admiral Thrawn in these first two episodes will be disappointed. Both sets of characters are trying to locate both Grand Admiral Thrawn and Ezra Bridger and even though we see Ezra via hologram we see none of Thrawn and I am fine with that. I have stated before that I don't think Thrawn will be in the show that much and this happens here. 

Huyang is back and is once again voiced by David Tennant

Huyang was a droid voiced by the brilliant David Tennant in Clone Wars and he is back here for this show. He wasn't in many episodes of Clone Wars but was a pretty memorable character, he is back and I love how he is presented, he is sarcastic and actually adds plenty of humour to the show. 

Are we heading to The World Between Worlds? 

Towards the end of Star Wars Rebels, we were introduced to a plain of existence called The World Between Worlds. This dimension allows the person in it to move across space and time to influence any event that they want such as Ezra saving Ahsoka in Rebels. The markings of the dimension are all over this show and the markings from the map look just like The World Between Worlds. If we end up here, it would be huge for the future of Star Wars and could mean massive things for the future. 

This is basically a Star Wars Rebels Sequel

Yes, this is an Ahsoka show and the focus is on her and her troubles. But there is no denying that this is basically a Star Wars Rebels Live Action Sequel. Ahsoka, Hera & Sabine are the main characters and we see their troubles since that show ended and it is the main influence. I think you can get by if you haven't watched Rebels but the show is certainly better if you have. 

Overall

Overall, I loved the first two episodes of Ahsoka. As you can tell by the length of this post, there is plenty of intrigue and discussion points here and that is great to see. It feels like a Star Wars Show for Star Wars Fans and I am happy to see that. 

Blue Beetle (2023) Review

DC is in a bit of a flux right now as they are between the end of DCEU and the start of the new DCU, but we have Blue Beetle now and I saw it last night and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a young man become combined with an alien scarab that gives him special powers, this causes him to be hunted down by nefarious enemies. 

Main Character

Xolo Mariduena has been a young actor mainly known for his really good work on Cobra Kai. He plays Jaime Reyes here and he is great in the role. He brings plenty of vibrance to the role of Jaime and he nails the emotional scenes too. This is just a really likeable main character and I thought he did a really good job of being a lead for a character that I am pretty sure the majority of mainstream viewers no very little about. 

Supporting Characters

This has a large group of supporting characters and some of them work, some of them don't. Bruna Marquenzie plays Jenny Kord and is a big ally to Jaime Reyes, she was good in the film and I liked the chemistry between the two of them. It was nothing special, but it worked in this film and I think she has a pretty decent future ahead of her. 

This story really focuses on family, the main one being the Reyes family and all of them do a fantastic job in really building that bond. George Lopez is probably my favourite as his uncle and he provided the most laughs in the film. But all of them were great in their roles. 

But the villains of this film fell flat for me. Susan Sarandon plays Victoria Kord and she is just really dull, she doesn't really add much to this role. It's not that she is terrible or anything like that it is just she is the most forgettable part of the film. They try to give the other villain Carapax some character but it is way too late to get the impact that I think people wanted. 

Story

The best thing I can say about the story is that it is pretty functional. It does a good job with the Reyes family and how their bond strengthens Jaime and his ability as Blue Beetle with this linked to Jenny and her family it works too. But this is a really generic story, it would have been way better if it came out 15 years ago but we have seen everything here before in other films. It tries something towards the end of the film to rise it up but it doesn't quite work and makes the film feel a bit cheesy and predictable. 

Script

The script is okay, there is some decent humour and drama in there that makes this an entertaining watch. But sometimes, the humour feels a bit forced, I mean it feels like some of the weaker MCU films with comedy that doesn't quite work. The drama also is a mixed bag with some of it not really working in the context that they want. 

Style

The film looks pretty good. I like the design of the Blue Beetle suit, especially with it being a mostly practical suit, the film has some real exuberant colour and feel to it which is really great to see. Though, as I kind of mentioned before, the pacing and structure of the film doesn't quite work and is quite generic with a few lacklustre action scenes. 

Overall

Overall, Blue Beetle is an above average film. This is an entertaining watch, especially for a new character on the big screen, but it plays it pretty safe and never does enough to push itself into a better film. If you are interested in this film then I would say give it a chance, just don't expect the next Dark Knight. 

Rating - 6/10

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered (2020) Review

Before the new Modern Warfare 3 is released later this year, I wanted to play as much of the Modern Warfare franchise that I have available to me. Next on the list is the original Modern Warfare 2, but the issue is that you can't get the original version of the game on Next Gen, you can only get a remastered version of the campaign. I played through the campaign and here is my review for the campaign. The premise is set 5 years after the events of the first game, after a major international incident, World War 3 is upon the characters and it is up to the heroes to find a way to stop it. 

You once again play as silent characters

Just like the other original Modern Warfare games you play as silent characters, this time the majority of time is played as Private Ramirez & Sergeant Gary 'Roach' Sanderson. They aren't really characters as they have no dialogue but it is fun playing as them and as I mentioned in my previous review, the way the game is made makes you care about them and their success. But yeah, there is no doubt that playing as a silent character isn't as rewarding as playing as an actual character that you can really develop. 

The Side Characters and Villains are fantastic

A big criticism I had of the first game was its villains and this game does it a lot better. The Ultrarational Party is now led by Makarov and he is a way more interesting character then Zakhaev, they do interesting things with his motivations and characters. In the first game you played as Soap but now he is you Captain and it is so cool playing alongside a character that is such a big part of Call of Duty Lore. Having side characters such as Sergeant Foley who is played by Keith David and General Shepherd played by Lance Henriksen adds plenty of legitimacy to these characters and it is awesome to have them here. 

The gameplay is fantastic

Following on from the first game, the gameplay is great. I would even argue that it is a little better here in this game. You get to use many different weapons and take on lots of different enemies and it is always exciting. You can play pretty much any way that you want and that makes this game a real challenge but never a cheap one. 

The US Marine Ending is Unfulfilling

Just like the previous game, there are two stories one involving Task Force 141 and then one involving the US Marines. The Marine one is crazy and shows off some amazing visuals and how war would maybe look like if it came to major cities. But, I felt like there wasn't a definitive ending to their story, you just finish a mission and then we never see them again. 

The Task Force 141 Ending is Fantastic

Then there is the other side of the story. With iconic characters such as Soap, Ghost and General Shepherd involved it is awesome to see them progress through this crazy story. The last 3 missions involving these characters are so exciting and some of the best First Person Shooter missions ever made. 

The game is full of Iconic Missions

The major thing this game has is the majority of these missions are just iconic to the community and video game fanbase. You have No Russian, which is one of the most controversial things to ever be put into a video game, The Gulag which is brutal & Burger Shot which sees us fighting Russians and product placement. There are even more missions, they are all fantastic and this is a really fun playthrough. 

Overall

Overall, it sucks that we don't have access to the multiplayer, which was fantastic and legendary. But The Modern Warfare 2 Story mode is also fantastic and I think it is worth a playthrough by any fan of the franchise, it is pretty cheap on the next gen stores so I would say to definitely pick this one up. 

Rating - 9/10

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2007) Review

It has been announced that we are set to get Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 this winter, in preparation I thought I would go back and replay some of the other Call of Duty games and I started with Call of Duty Modern Warfare which was first released in 2007 and then remastered in 2016 which is the version I played. The premise of the game sees a group of soldiers from different countries working together in order to stop Nuclear War. 

Characters

In this game you play as two characters Soap Mactavish and Private Jackson. These characters have no dialogue and they are just vessels to what we play as which makes them not that interesting. I have never been a big fan of voiceless characters and COD will do a better job with this in future games. But I will say, the way the game is filmed and made, did a good job in making me care about these characters and build some emotional scenes. 

This game introduces the iconic Captain Price, voiced by Billy Murray, Price became the poster child of this franchise and he is an awesome companion here. He is a cool leader and has some of the most iconic lines in the franchise and is easily the best character here. 

You have quite a few characters that work with you such as Gaz, Lt Vasquez and Sgt Griggs and they are all well done. Gaz is a fun Englishman that has some great one liners whereas Vasquez & Griggs are your pumped up American marines which is a nice change of pace for sure. 

But there is an issue with the villains and the fact that they just aren't interesting. They set up a backstory between Price and main villain Imran Zakhaev but they don't go far enough with it and they don't even really share a scene together in the entire game. Zakheav is just a pretty generic villain and they would get better at writing villains later on in the franchise. 

Story 

The story is really well done here. You alternate between the two main characters and the missions feel completely different and unique. The characters you are with are given a personality and I liked how the story raises the stakes to a ridiculous and over the top level which made it feel like I was playing to save the world. Yes, the villain isn't great but it doesn't hold back too much here and I really enjoyed the ending of the story, it isn't a long story but it is really effective. 

Side Content

To be fair to this game, because of its release date there is basically nobody on the online anymore. But I have played a bit and it is really fun, updated for the modern game and has great action. The maps were all fun and different with plenty of different game modes such as Team Deathmatch, Search & Destroy and Free For All. But there is pretty much no single player side content, this is a shame as it does feel like this game is a bit light on its overall content. 

Gameplay

The gameplay is fantastic, the gun play is exciting and it feels like your character is stuck in these massive battles. This game also has one of the most iconic missions in COD history All Ghillied Up, which is a major stealth mission which would inspire so many missions following. Whether single player or multiplayer this game is always exciting and challenging which is great to see. 

Graphics

As I stated at the beginning, I played this game on my PS5 with the remastered edition, thus the game looks really good. Every character model looks fantastic and the maps are detailed and planned out really well. 

Overall

Overall, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is a great game with that real feeling of COD magic. It was the first game they made that wasn't set in the past and was in modern times so it was a great success and a worthy addition to the franchise. 

Rating - 8/10

Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020) Review

After the amazing Spider-Man game came out on the PS4, it was clear that a sequel was coming. But it probably came earlier then anybody expected with Spider-Man: Miles Morales. This game was rushed out the door so it could be one of the first games for the new Playstation 5, I've replayed the game and here is my review for it. The premise of the game sees Miles Morales as the only Spider-Man in New York, while he learns how to do his new role conspiracies in Harlem threaten to destroy the city. 

Characters 

Nadji Jeter reprises his role as Miles Morales from the first game and it is really fun to play as him instead of Peter this time. Building on the story from the first game, we see Miles develop as a character and go from a bit of an imposter to his own version of Spider-Man. He feels different to Peter Parker and I think that deserves plenty of credit and I definitely got invested in his character here. 

Yuri Lowenthal does reprise his role as Peter Parker but he has a really small role in this game. The scenes that the two Spider-Men share together are great but this is just a teaser as to what we can expect in the future. 

Other characters are great too, Miles Mother, Rio Morales is back from the previous game and they actually do a good job of developing her character arc and how the events of the previous game affected her. The two of them have great chemistry together and it is one of the nice relationships in the game. 

They introduce Ganke, who is Miles best friend who knows he is Spider-Man and is basically his guy in the chair. There is a strong chemistry there and they have a fun relationship that basically takes place over the phone. 

Other new characters such as Aaron Davis, Phin Mason & Simon Krieger voiced by the amazing Troy Baker are well done and enjoyable characters, even if they aren't as strong as characters from the previous game. 

Story

The story is okay, Miles personal story is fantastic and something different to what we had in the previous game. This was an inexperienced Spider-Man, trying to fully understand the role he has and how he can help people in his district and all of New York. But, the overall story is pretty rushed and flies by, probably because Sony rushed Insomniac in making this game. The villains aren't particularly written well and the way they are handled towards the end of the game is pretty weak. I think with a bit longer development time and better writing, this could have been a special story, instead of just decent. 

Side Content

This game has enough side content and I love the idea of Spider-Man having an app where people give him side missions. The side missions are fine, there is one in particular that I enjoyed with links to the previous game. But, some of them are pretty much replicas from the last game, and none of them stand out anywhere enough to be memorable. There is very little inspiration or care put into these and I have to be honest there wasn't enough motivation for me to complete them all. 

Gameplay 

The gameplay is great, Miles moves differently to Peter and I am glad for that. He swings differently and has way less gadgets but different ones, it made me work in my action scenes and have to come up with unique ways to take down opposition. There is still a good skill tree that made me feel like I was making progress and this linked to the Venom Powers. The unique part of the gameplay was the Venom, The Bioelectricity powers Miles has and this was used really well and I enjoyed this different aspect of the character. 

Graphics

As mentioned above, this game was pushed through early to reach the PS5 and it looks amazing because of that. The cutscenes are beautiful and some of the best you will ever see, the game flowed really nicely and allowed the transitions from cutscene to gameplay to be the best it has ever been. This game is set at Christmas time and they did a good job of creating New York in that level which was different to the previous game. 

Overall

Overall, Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a great game. It follows on really well from the previous game and really puts the shine on Miles Morales which is great for the future of the franchise. If it had been given more time, I think this game had the potential to be as good as the previous game but it falls a bit short. Still it is a great time that is definitely worth a playthrough. 

Rating - 8/10

Gran Turismo (2023) Review

I have an interest in all sport and that includes motor sport as that is a big thing going on in my household. So when Gran Turismo was announced to be made into a film, I knew I was going to be watching it. Yesterday, I watched it and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a young man who is one of the greatest Gran Turismo players in the world given the chance to become a professional race car driver. 

Main Character

Archie Madekwe plays the real life person of Jann Mardenborough and he is okay in this film. He is a pretty easy person to relate to and want to see succeed. The whole premise of this persons life is insane and I think Archie managed to convey that and he had some really good scenes with some of the stronger actors. But I also think there were a few missed opportunities, where he is meant to take charge and it doesn't quite work, he mumbles and you can tell he hasn't quite nailed it yet as a leading man. I think this is a good step for him and hopefully we can see more of him in the future. 

Supporting Characters

There is an experienced but small supporting cast. Dave Harbour plays Jack Salter, the chief engineer of the team and he is truly fantastic in this role, you can tell he is super passionate about this film and this role and he delivers a memorable performance and one that shows his strength as an actor. 

Orlando Bloom hasn't done much the last few years but he is good here playing Danny Moore who is the marketing and head of the programme. He is charismatic and also looks like he is having a great time, he doesn't have as much depth as some of the other characters but he is just a fun addition of the film. 

Djimon Hounsou plays Jann's father and he is great in his smaller role. There is a clear conflict between the two of them in terms of Jann's aspirations and dreams. But Hounsou delivers some strong scenes and even though he isn't in the film a lot he is pretty memorable. 

Story

The story is pretty crazy and the fact that the majority is true is even crazier. Don't let the title of the film trick you, this is not a video game movie. It has a strong story that sees this young man look to get his dream, it is a pretty simple underdog story but it is done well enough for sure. They squeeze his rise into this one film and I am sure there is more to the plot but I appreciated how the story was told. But I felt like everything not involving the racing was a bit dull, for example there is a romance which is really underdeveloped and the two characters barely share scenes together so it made me wonder why I should care. 

Script

The script is a bit of a mixed bag. This film takes itself very seriously and for the most part it is done effectively, you care about the people and the situations they are in. The humour is chuckle worthy and it doesn't overstep and the balance is well down. There are just parts of the film that aren't written as well and that I didn't care about as much. 

Style

The film looks great, all the driving scenes are well filmed and make it feel like you are in the car with the characters. It incorporated the video game aspects well that it didn't overbear the film and allowed the focus to be on the actual driving. The film was paced pretty well too, keeping me interested for the majority of the film. 

Overall

Overall, Gran Turismo is a good film. It doesn't matter if you have ever played the video game or even are a fan of the sport, I think this could be a film you enjoy and should give a chance. 

Rating - 7/10

Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps (2018) Review

After Spider-Man on PS4 was a huge success both critically and financially, next came the DLC, The City That Never Sleeps. It was released in three chapters and followed on from the story of the original game, I have now played it and here is my review for it. The premise of the DLC sees after the events of the main game, Hammerhead decides to rise up with his forces and sees Spider-Man and his allies having to take him down. 

The gameplay is still fantastic

I mean there has been pretty much no change in the gameplay here and it is still great. Spider-Man still moves really well and can take on many opponents at once, they do introduce new enemies for Spider-Man to fight and it actually made it more challenging then the main game in my opinion and that was nice to see. 

The story is really fun and interesting 

The story is really well done. As I mentioned above, Hammerhead is the main villain and they do a really great job of showing him as a major threat to Spider-Man. I always saw him as a lacklustre villain but this DLC does a fantastic job in building him up for this whole DLC. The use of female characters Black Cat, Yuri & Sliver Sable was great, they are given loads of time to shine, way more then they got in the main story and it is nice to see. You see how Peter has been changed even from the main story and how events in this DLC affects him and will move onto the sequel. 

The story builds to the future of the franchise

Usually, DLC is fun but doesn't always build to the sequels of a game but this one does. Not only does it develop Peter's story but it does a really great job of building character arcs and set up for sequels which made this a worthwhile purchase. Though, one character has their future relegated to a side mission and it definitely should have been a main story mission as I think it will be important for the future and is one of the best parts of the DLC. 

New York feels quiet and there isn't much to do

I finally have a legit issue with the game and that is because in this DLC, New York feels really quiet and there is very little to do. It was one of the major positives of the main game and it just feels quiet and dull, there are a few new side missions to do but most don't really excite that much. I wish they could have kept side missions that you don't complete in the main game here as it would have added to the game. 

J.Jonah Jameson is a real highlight

I didn't have a chance to mention J.Jonah Jameson in the main game but I think his use is fantastic. He has his own podcast and you can listen to it throughout the game, the voice actor is fantastic and he continues to be here as you really feel the rage he has for Spider-Man. 

Overall

Overall, The City That Never Sleeps is a fantastic DLC, it isn't quite as good as the main game but still has the feel and flow of it and puts the effort in to deliver a great story with great characters and it is definitely worth a purchase and a playthrough. 

Rating - 9/10

Spider-Man (2018) Review

In a couple of months we are getting Spider-Man 2 on the Playstation 5 and I am so hyped for this game. In prep for it, I decided to go back and replay the original Spider-Man game made my Insomniac in 2018. This review doesn't include the City Never Sleeps DLC Expansion as I will review that Separately. The premise of the game sees after 8 years as Spider-Man, Peter Parkers life is changed forever when he has to take on old and new enemies in order to attempt to save New York. 

Characters

Yuri Lowenthal plays Spider-Man/Peter Parker and this might be my favourite rendition of the character ever. He is an experienced Spider-Man and you see the things that he has gone through during this time. His work/life balance is clearly still a problem and that is a cool part of this character. He is really funny with quips that feel really organic and natural for the character. But there are also some really emotional and dramatic scenes that he knocks it out of the park and I truly love this version of the character. 

Tara Platt voices Yuri Wantanabe and she is the main police contact with Spider-Man and she is one of the characters that Spider-Man interacts with the most. Their chemistry is fantastic and considering how much time the two of them spend talking to each other, I thought that was really important. 

William Salyers voices Otto Octavious and this is easily the best version of this character (sorry Alfred Molina) The actor is incredible and provides so much interest and character development for Otto. The dynamic between him and Peter is the highlight of the game and adds so much to the quality of this game. 

Stephen Oyoung plays Martin Li and he is also incredible. He isn't the most popular comic book character but we learn so much about him that it actually makes you feel so much sympathy for him, despite his troubled nature. Hopefully, one day we can see a live action version of this character so it has an even greater exposure. 

There are so many quality characters here that If I spoke about them all in depth then I would be here all day. Aunt May, Norman Osbourne, Mary Jane & Miles Morales pay major roles in this game and are all fantastic, there isn't a bad character or performance here and they all deserve massive credit for this. 

Story

This is also one of the greatest Spider-Man stories of all time. We skip the origin story and pick up 8 years into his time as Spider-Man, clearly a lot has happened in his life so far but there is plenty more to come. We are introduced to new characters and iconic classic characters and it works extremely well, there acting is superb and the chemistry between all of the performers are off the charts and every character was amazing. 

Side Content

This game is absolutely rammed with side content. You have your crimes around the city that are nice and simple. Then you have the more interesting side missions such as the battles with Taskmaster and the search for Black Cat. Completing, these missions allows the player to unlock more abilities, upgrade gear and unlock new costumes. They all feel different enough that they never really get boring and they are a nice addition here. 

Gameplay 

Spider-Man has had plenty of games over the years, too mixed success but the gameplay here is amazing. First of all, the swinging mechanics, they are very simple but it allows you to traverse New York really well and it allows for a greater flow in the gameplay and even in action. When it comes to the fighting mechanics it clearly takes inspiration from the Batman Arkham games but it adapts it enough for it to stand out on its own and flow even better then that trilogy did. The game has some stealth missions where you play as MJ & Miles and when I first played them I hated them, but this time I thought they were okay, they broke up the game well and gave some other characters the time to shine. 

Graphics

The game came out for the PS4 and looked fantastic, seeing New York in all of its glory is a real pleasure and makes travelling a nice experience. The characters all look fantastic and the cutscenes flows incredibly well. The game was re-mastered for the PS5 with the major difference being the change of face for Peter Parker to make him look like Yuri Lowenthal and at first I did not like this change. But this playthrough, I realised that it didn't upset me anywhere as much, I still prefer the old Peter Parker but this one is just fine. 

Overall

Overall, Insomniacs Spider-Man is one of the best video games I have ever played. I am a huge Spider-Man fan so this was already on a good start for me but it plays so well and uses its characters and stories in a brilliant way. If you are a fan of video games, you have to play this one even if you know little about the character. 

Rating - 10/10

Meg 2: The Trench (2023) Review

One of the more popular monster films in previous years has its sequel Meg 2: The Trench and yesterday I had the chance to watch it and here is my review for it. The premise of the film is years after the events of the first film, the group of scientists look to explore more of the ocean and this leads to the ire of many different enemies. 

Main Character

Jason Statham is back to reprise his role as Jonas Taylor and he gives a very similar performance to the one he gave in the first film. He is pretty stoic with a deadpan humour but there hasn't seemed to have been too much character progression between the two films. Statham works in this role but it isn't the most interesting character ever. 

Supporting Characters

Jing Wu plays Jiuming and he may be my favourite character in this film. He is just filled with so much enthusiasm and excitement during the film, I liked his chemistry with the other characters and he was a real star here for me. 

Shuya Sophia Cal reprises her role as Meiying. I didn't talk about her in my last review but she was an okay child actor, but she is slightly older here and I thought she was much better. She has good chemistry with the other actors and I think this could be the start of a longer successful career for her. 

Cliff Curtis reprises his role from the first film and gets way more to do here and you can tell he is having so much fun in this film. He is very entertaining and is clearly a great part of this film and I am glad there was more for him to do here. 

Page Kennedy reprises his role as DJ and I found him really annoying in the first film but he was really funny in this film. He has learnt from the experiences of the first film and it leads to some really funny sequences. Just in general, this group of characters together is way more entertaining then the people that was in the first film. 

Story 

I criticised the story of the first film but at least that story was pretty simple and focused on The Meg. This film is all over the place and tries to focus on way too much, it does the worst thing a film this can do, it takes itself seriously. The film is at its best when it is just silly but whoever decided on these plot points missed a lot of that. 

Script

The script was funnier then the first film. The last half of the film had me laughing pretty consistently and everything was so over the top that it just worked. The drama is hammered onto the first half of the film especially and it just does not work, even though I enjoyed the performances, it was hard to truly care about what was going on. 

Style 

The style of the film is more mixed this time, the film looks great. The film spends more time exploring the ocean so is forced to use more CGI and I think the majority of it looks really great. The action scenes are fun and the last 20/30 mins of the film were the absurd action that I wanted. But the pacing was just off, the first half of the film was a bit boring and dull and then the 2nd half was ridiculously fast paced and it made the film feel a bit unbalanced. 

Overall

Overall, Meg 2: The Trench is an average film. It is similar to its predecessor that if you want to watch a film that sees a lot of crazy action and funny one liners then this is the film for you but as a film it really isn't that great. 

Rating - 5/10

The Meg (2018) Review

In prep for Meg 2: The Trench, I thought I had to go back and watch the first film, The Meg. So yesterday, I watched the film and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a group of scientists encounter a legendary Sea predator, The Megalodon who is clearly the apex predator. 

Main Character 

Jason Statham plays Jonas Taylor and he is exactly what you expect. Statham plays the traditional character that he always does, the tough macho guy that ends up being this ridiculous action hero doing the craziest of stunts here. The Meg is no different, Statham is good in the role he is playing but there is no depth here and the film kind of tries to add depth but it is totally pointless and Statham doesn't do enough, though he is clearly a highlight of the film. 

Supporting Characters 

Cliff Curtis is a talented actor and he is pretty much the only decent supporting character here. He is a friend of Statham's and their chemistry is one of the highlights of the film, though he kind of gets pushed to the back of this large cast. 

The rest of the cast though are not good. Bingbing Li plays the love interest of Statham and there is very little chemistry between them and I guess I just never grew to care about the dynamic between the two of them which is a shame. 

Rainn Wilson is usually an actor I like, but he is insufferable here. He plays the rich CEO of the company that is studying The Meg and you can just imagine what he is like and it just didn't work for me and he was just annoying. 

As I mentioned, there is a big cast and some annoying performances by Ruby Rose, Page Kennedy & Robert Taylor. They are just unlikeable and you don't care about them at all despite the film really trying to make you care. 

Story

Look, I didn't go into this film expecting a great story but there is literally nothing here to really care about. We're not here for great storytelling, we are here to watch Jason Statham fight The Meg and I am fine with that but yeah the story is bad and there is no depth here. 

Script 

Th script is extremely cheesy but I can't lie that I chuckle at times, if you can turn your brain off and just enjoy the experience then some of it works. Some of it also doesn't, the drama is misused and some of the humour isn't very funny either. 

Style 

Where the film really thrives is the style. The action set pieces are really fun, they are ridiculous and over the top but they are great to watch and a lot of fun. The CGI is also pretty good and I liked the design of The Meg and how it was used. The films pacing flew by and I thought it was a really easy watch which is always a benefit. 

Overall

Overall, The Meg is an average film, but it is a very entertaining watch. If you just want a film that is ridiculous, over the top and fun then The Meg is for you, but if you need a bit more depth then it will not be you. 

Rating - 5/10

Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath (2020) Review

After the success of Mortal Kombat 11, Netherealm studio decided to create an expansion which would be called Aftermath. This would focus on DLC characters and what they were up to during the events of the main story and how things they do can change these events. So after playing the story and using the DLC characters with Aftermath, here is my review for the expansion. The premise of the game sees Shang Tsung, Fujin and Nightwolf sent back to events during the story in order to find Kronika's crown before she does. 

The story is better then the base game. But not by much. 

I really didn't like the story of Mortal Kombat 11, I thought it let characters down and had a lacklustre ending. This story focuses on some of the lesser known characters such as Nightwolf, Fujin & Sheeva which is pretty cool and I liked how they were given time to shine. It is also nice to once again play as Shao Khan and see him somewhat redeemed from the main story. 

But there are certain elements of the story telling which doesn't work. One twist is particularly bad and doesn't make any sense from what we have been told in previous games and actually ruins one character in the franchise. The ending is once again lacklustre and I just don't think it nails the landing which is a a shame. 

The DLC Characters are cool

The three DLC characters that are included in the Aftermath are Sheeva, Fujin & guest character Robocop. They all play well, as a big film fan playing as Robocop was fun and these characters all flowed in really nicely. 

This expansion is way too expensive

Expansions are usually not that cheap but I feel like Aftermath is way too expensive. At release it was £32.99 in The UK and even now it is not much cheaper. For a 3 hour campaign, 3 DLC characters and some new skins it just feels like an overpriced expansion. 

Overall

Overall, Mortal Kombat: Aftermath is a decent expansion for the franchise. The gameplay is still great and the story is a bit better. But the price and lack of content for that price makes it no better then the base game. But it certainly isn't terrible and if you are a fan of the franchise I think it is worth picking up for the extensive content. 

Rating - 7/10

Mortal Kombat 11 (2019) Review

The new Mortal Kombat game is heading our way next month and I have to say that I am really excited for it. In prep, I have been playing the recent games and I have just played Mortal Kombat 11 and completed enough to review it. Though, I haven't played the expansion Aftermath as I will be doing a separate review for it. So after completing the story and most of the side activities here is my review for Mortal Kombat 11. The premise of the game sees 2 years after the defeat of Shinnok, Raiden has been putting the offence onto the realms that oppose Earthrealm. But this draws the ire of the Titan Kronika and sees kombatants from different eras clashing to protect their future. 

Characters

After my complaints about Mortal Kombat X it is great to see Liu Kang be pushed to the forefront here. Bought in as a younger version of the character, I really liked seeing Earthrealms champion be given the spotlight again and playing as him was enjoyable and seeing his development is one of the highlights of the game. 

Kitana was another character who was misused in MK X but by showcasing her younger version of the character it really works. She is seen as this leader and is way more then a damsel which I think she has been portrayed before. Her whole story is up there for most interesting part of the story. 

After the events of MKX Sub Zero and Scorpion are now allies and watching them work together and have this friendship is one of my favourite parts of the game. Their characters have been developed over the last few games and it is cool to see.

But the problem is that pretty much the rest of the cast aren't given much to work with or are misused.

Cassie Cage was the main character in the last game, but after the first chapter, I feel like she is given little to do and the stuff she is given is pretty dull. 

They even recast Sonya Blade as UFC Legend Ronda Rousey and she is terrible in this role. She just doesn't fit the character and all I can hear is the person and not the character they are supposed to be playing. The actress from the previous game was good and it would have kept for a consistent tone amongst the character. 

Kronika herself is the villain and she is a terrible villain. Her motivations are all over the place and the voice performance by the excellent Jennifer Hale is not enough to save it. She doesn't really do anything and she continues a trend of weaker villains. 

Certain characters get wasted to such as Shao Khan and Erron Black and I wish the game would do better with characters like these. 

Story 

The story is not good here. There are some really promising moments but I just feel like those moments are kind of wasted by decisions they make later on in the story. The most frustrating thing is that the promise that we were going to see Evil Raiden is totally ignored and forgotten about, it all happens off screen and that is incredibly frustrating. The whole game relies on time travel and it breaks its own rules throughout, things make no sense and becomes confusing. Overall, this story is really poor and I hope the next game is written way better then this one. 

Side Content

Similar to previous Mortal Kombat games, this game has many towers that are fun and challenging in their own ways. There are modifiers added to some of these to add even more challenge to the game. There is also the towers of time, these are updated regularly which is impressive considering the game was released 4 years ago, they are towers with themes and gives gear for specific characters. The krypt is back as an interactive game to get unlockables and it is a fun little game that I am glad they added. Plenty to do here and that is before you get to online which I am not very good at but there is plenty to do there. 

Gameplay 

The gameplay has been developing over the past few games and it is great here. The special moves feel so appropriate for the characters. The gameplay flows really nicely and each character feels unique and that makes it really enjoyable. It was changed that X-Rays are gone and replace by Fatal Blows, these could only be accessed when your character is in the final 25% of your health. At first I didn't like this, but I grew to see the benefits and how it can clearly swing a match. Fatalities are still here and this is the most brutal it has ever been, they are so creative and violent that it sets out this game to others. 

Graphics

Whether you like the game or not, there is no doubt that this game is beautiful. The graphics are incredible, the character designs are top notch and there are so many options for different costumes. Every level looks great and the arenas have their own nuances and actions going on in the background. The cutscenes look great, even if the content isn't particularly good which raises it slightly higher due to how many cutscenes there are. 

Overall

Overall, Mortal Kombat 11 is a good game. The gameplay is fantastic and it is a fun game. Skip, the story mode and just play the side content and you will be in for a great time.