Pacific Rim

The way the mecha is controlled reminds me of Neon Genesis Evangelion and the monsters remind me of Ultraman and Gozilla, which makes for a very Japanese feel to the movie.  It was an enjoyable and fun movie, the fight scenes between giant robots and giant monsters had immense appeal.  While you can see through the realism of the special effects easily, it was still impressive.  The fight scenes were great fun to watch.  They created an interesting background to the Kaiju (the monsters) that makes you want to learn more about them.  The music was amazing and it was something that stood out.  It filled the action scenes with adrenaline.  While fighting on water is pretty good, it would have been nice if there were more scenes that didn’t take place over or under water.  I was also hoping for an epic finale fight at the climax, while it was still good, it didn’t compare to the major fight before it.

However, the most important good aspect is... it makes you want more.  There are enough good things to let the not-so-great things slide.  For example, the flashbacks, the predictable relationship and how the pair will be the one to save everything and the slightly odd characters.  Another thing that would be nice is if other Jaegers had more screentime, there are four in total, two got annihilated within minutes and the movie focuses on the two remaining.  While brutal and gives the impact needed, it would be cool if we could see them in action a bit longer.  Pacific Rim has that nostalgic feel in which the themes and design seems to resonate with the awesomeness of the past, but made better.  Overall, a thoroughly intense film that makes the two hours breeze by so quickly.

Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (Vita)

The portable version of Lego Harry Potter is different from the consoles, being smaller in scope, shorter and generally easier to play.  This Vita version, unfortunately, is a port of the 3DS version.  One of the most disappointing things about this game is the fuzzy cutscenes.  While not as indistinct as Lego Batman 2, it is still horrible and looks very low-res.  This reflects upon the developer's laziness and gives an overall unpolished feel to the game.  The in-game graphics are better but does not push the Vita's limits at all.  Objects have indistinct outlines and textures are low-res to the point where you can see them being all fuzzy and smudged.  It is still bearable but you just wished that the graphics could be crisper, especially on the Vita's awesome screen.

The Vita version has various changes to accommodate the weaker hardware and portable nature.  First off, you lose the big free roam hub world in which you can explore Hogwarts and the like at your leisure, finding hidden secrets and collectibles.  Instead, you go from story level to story level with a tiny tiny hub room in which you can select levels and purchase characters.  This shaves off a significant chunk of the game.  Furthermore, while this version retains the same cutscenes as its console brothers, because the game cuts out so much content, unless you have already played the console version, you will be at a loss at why there are constant time skips and continuity problems.  This is disappointing and will easily confuse players who are playing this for the first time.

There are no voice acting but with that said, the humour of the cutscenes remains intact.  Level designs are largely shared with the console version but being smaller, simpler and less collectibles.  If you've already played one version or the other, you will quickly get bored as they are at the core, the same game.  The shrunken areas make the game feel more cramped and it feels as if too many items fill the screen when you first start an area.  The biggest change to the game play controls is duelling.  You now aim either to the left or right and can deflect the opponent's attack.  It's not bad but it gets used way too often so that it will get grinding by the end of the game.

The levels are short, there are approximately four levels for each book/movie except for Death Hallows Part 1, the game covers off the last three books or the last four movies.  This makes for a total of fourteen levels.  Each level is truncated versions and can feel very short when each area (which can be separated by loading screens) is tiny.  The game doesn't do a great job at explaining all the mechanics to you such as switching characters, performing different spells and activating stuff.  Touch screen controls are not as responsive as you would like, therefore you will probably use the physical controls 100% of the time.  Often, wanting your character to use a spell to manipulate some Lego pieces such as levitating will not work as the auto targeting system just doesn't seem to find it.

In such cases where the target system fails, you end up walking away and back a few times before it detects.  This is annoying, especially when manual targeting doesn't work in those instances either.  The camera can cause accidental deaths as it cuts off hazards like holes and fires, which adds to the cramped feel.  The game can be finished in around four to six hours depending on if you like to explore every nook and cranny before heading to the next area.  It can also easily be finished much faster than that.  With that said, the final level felt too long and artificially stretched out.  You end up having to duel enemies multiple times, making it boring and tedious.

It doesn't help in the final level when in certain areas you are constantly fired at by the enemy, even at one point being instant death projectiles.  When you're trying to explore and get stuff, it gets annoying if you're constantly interrupted by these unnecessary attacks.  Another nitpick of the game is that there are various areas (more than you would like) where what you should do next to advance the game is not clear.  You end up wandering aimlessly trying to find out what you have missed and it's usually something that's not obvious or intuitive.  While I am not saying make the game super easy (it already is), at least give hints as to what to do next when you've tried to find out what to do for a while already.

As it is a Lego game, everything is a Lego representation which means it's very cool.  There are plenty of collectibles to go for; you will have to play each level at least twice in order to collect everything.  Of course, stud collecting is a major point and encourages you to smash everything in sight (which is, to say the least, quite satisfying).  Due to the limitation of the hardware, the number of smashable objects are reduced and the amount of studs just lying around doesn't ever satisfy your thirst for more and more studs.  Lego Harry Potter:  Years 5-7 is probably one of the weaker Lego games.  It wasn't that much fun, you end up breezing through it really fast and feels bland overall.  The jump from story cutscene to another without any sort of coherency ruined any enjoyment you would get out of the story.  Only recommended if you're a huge Harry Potter fan and can't find anything else to play.

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Book Review: Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Shinji Ikari Raising Project 12

Review:  #442
Title:  Neon Genesis Evangelion:  The Shinji Ikari Raising Project 12
Series:  Neon Genesis Evangelion:  The Shinji Ikari Raising Project - 12th volume
Author:  Osamu Takahashi
Read Before:  no
My Comments:  Another similar and predictable volume but at least the chapters focus on something more exciting that everyday school life (not that those chapters were bad).  Most of the volume tells the plot of some enemy attacking and hacking the lab’s computers again and it’s up the trio to stop it.  It doesn’t have much action in it but it is funny in some places.  Then again, Shinji just keeps falling over and over which his starting to become an annoyance rather than a good recurring gag.  The bonus chapter is somewhat pointless too.

Rating:  6/10

Toy Review: Transformers Age of Extinction Generations Slog

Review:  #189
Name:  Slog
Brand:  Transformers
Allegiance:  Autobot
Line:  Age of Extinction Generations
Year of Release:  2014
Size Class:  Voyager (Wave 3)
Variations:  repainted as an Amazon exclusive in a G1 inspired deco

DINOSAUR MODE:

Slog transforms into a robotic Apatosaurus.  No idea if it is even mildly accurate or not but Slog doesn't look half bad.

He is solid in this mode bar a few exceptions.  His torso is formed by his legs, but since one third of it is comprised of a very soft plastic, it can come loose.  Similarly, the flap covering the front of the dinosaur mode (right beneath the head) is also soft plastic and doesn't peg in anywhere, it relies on friction.

The soft plastic is Slog's biggest weakness.  It seems that they went overboard this time around, since in addition to the aforementioned parts, a portion of his tail is also made from very soft plastic and the red spines of his back are slightly hard, but nevertheless still soft and bendy, plastic.  This causes Slog to not feel very... substantial.

Yet, Slog is a decent size in this mode.  Figures that have a beast mode always fare better since they look and feel bigger, even if the amount of plastic is the same as a Transformer with a vehicle mode.

You can take out the red pieces as they attach via pegs.  Slog comes with two lances and two missile-looking things.

The resulting dinosaur mode is cleaner and more "realistic".

As expected, poseability in this mode is quite limited.  His head and neck has a good range of motion but the rear legs are static, while the forelegs can be posed in a few meaningful ways.

The neck has two joints (one is for transformation and thus, looks unnatural when you use that swivel joint to turn the head from side to side).  The mouth can open and close.

The head sculpt is good and you can feel the menacing stare Slog is giving you.

This is a good dinosaur mode, however, Slog looks great but when you actually hold him in your hands, prepare for disappointment as the softness of all the soft plastic.

TRANSFORMATION:

The transformation is interesting and can be fiddly with the way you have to twist the pieces.  Transforming from robot to dinosaur mode is definitely the harder way around, so it's frustrating that he is packed in robot mode and the instructions go from dinosaur to robot.  There are some neat ideas such as the way his legs form.

ROBOT MODE:

Slog's robot mode is a winner.  He is bulky and menacing, ready to dish out some pain and despair to the Decepticons.

He is predominantly grey and black with some splashes of red.  Most of the red hides away, which is good as it is quite the garish shade.

The most annoying thing is the kibble that hangs so far out his back.  It's not that it is a big piece being only the head and front flap but the fact that it cannot be compressed any further, even though it could have been easily done, just feels lazy.

Slog's head doesn't give off as strong as knight theme as some of the other Dinobots.  He looks quite evil and brutish.

There are some excellent elements in robot mode.  The tail crossing over his groin is a unique take and gives the robot mode some character.

The poseability is fantastic.  He is very solid thanks to large and adjustable feet.

A big letdown is the designer persisting to have those annoying elbow joints that causes them to bend inwards.  It doesn't look natural and limits a lot of poseability potential.

Size-wise, he appears much bulkier than other Voyagers, even though he is slightly shorter.  Key thing is that he doesn't feel hollow, which is good.

You can keep the lance weapons attached to where they were in dinosaur mode to give Slog a pair of shoulder mounted weapons.

Or, they can detach to become lance weapons.

Again, the lack of wrist swivels and the weird inward bending elbow means that a lot of dual wielding poses are out of the window.  It's hard to get something natural yet wicked looking out of Slog.

The soft plastic isn't as big an issue now either, they are confined to his back, side of his legs and the waist skirt.

A slight flaw is that the back kibble doesn't peg anywhere, so you can easily swing it out when handling the figure.

This is a great looking robot with a menacing stance.  Slog fits in well with the rest of the Dinobots.

OVERALL:

The Dinobots are really the star of the AOE line.  As they are not as constrained to being screen accurate (where the robot modes have no visible vehicle kibble at all), the designers have managed to make for some innovative and clever transformations.  Slog is a fun figure, only let down by the soft plastic and questionable design choices in robot mode.

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Predators

A better film than the second one but still doesn’t live up to the original.  The good thing is that it is set in the jungle again.  The only reason why Predators can feel lacking is that there isn’t much hunting going on.  The Predators of this movie doesn’t do much stalking or hunting them down one by one, it was flashier with the special effects and violence, with people swearing their heads off every few minutes.  The movie is made more interesting by being set on an alien planet, which gives them the excuse of meeting alien wildlife (even though it is only one species).  It feels as if the Predators themselves are fleshed out more which keeps you interesting.  I found the character Laurence Fishburne to be extremely redundant and added absolutely nothing.  We also see how brutal and cold some of the characters are.  The ending felt lacking.  On the whole, it was still enjoyable and kept you engaged for the whole duration.

Toy Review: Transformers Age of Extinction Generations Lockdown (Deluxe)

Review:  #188
Name:  Lockdown
Brand:  Transformers
Allegiance:  Decepticon
Line:  Age of Extinction Generations
Year of Release:  2014
Size Class:  Deluxe (Wave 2.5)
Variations:  none as of this date

VEHICLE MODE:

Lockdown transforms into a licensed Lamborghini Aventador.  He is predominantly dark grey with transparent blue windows.  Sadly, there is a lack of side windows (i.e. they are wound down), this is disappointing and feels like it was more of a cost saving measure than anything.

One of the better things about this vehicle mode is that Lockdown has a realistic looking rear.  All too often, we get Transformers where there is either a gap at the back of the vehicle or there are robot kibble.  Lockdown is a true robot in disguise from all reasonable angles.

Lockdown is a Deluxe and since he is a low riding vehicle built for speed, he can feel somewhat small in your hands.

The vehicle looks sleek and sexy.  The headlights are painted metallic blue, unfortunately, there are some obvious transformation seams.

The gun plugs onto a pair of slots at the rear of the vehicle mode.  With the gun attached this way, it looks stupid and unrealistic, not to mention it's quite awkward.

This is a great vehicle mode with a few minor issues.  Unfortunately, this mode is without a doubt the only saving grace of this figure...

TRANSFORMATION:

Apparently, the transformation bears some similarities to DOTM Roadbuster, I wouldn't know as I don't have that toy.  Either way, Lockdown's transformation is simple and uninspired.  There is nothing here that screams ingenuity and it feels a bit boring.  As you would expect, the figure is all about paneling, with large pieces of plastic shifting around.

ROBOT MODE:

Lockdown's robot mode is... to be honest, quite hideous.  The proportions are horrible, with a bloated torso, long big gorilla arms, and short skinny legs, Lockdown is one ugly bot.

This is a far cry from the sleek cool looking robot we saw in the film.  The hood, roof and rear of the car folds onto this back (three panels' worth).  It sits quite closely so it's not too bad as far as kibble goes.

The head sculpt is good, it translates the needlessly complex humanoid looking CGI face into toy form quite well.  It's still ugly looking but it could be worse. The lightpiping doesn't work at all though.

Lockdown is a fairly small Deluxe, sure, he might have the normal height but he feels small in your hands.

So, we have this gun, which is super super long.  It has a pressure launch missile, but it doesn't fire it very far.

There are a few ways to use the weapon, the first is your traditional affair in which he can hold it in either hand.

Next, there is a slot above each of his shoulder on the back kibble where you can attach the gun like a shoulder cannon.  It actually looks quite good like this.

Third and probably the first question that everyone had when they saw Lockdown's initial photos, can the gun be attached in such a way to give him his gun face like in the movie?  The answer is yes, it pegs onto a slot in his head but it is quite a tight fit.

The gun face does make Lockdown look more like a drone.  This gimmick is also the reason why the gun and looks so awkward since it had to accommodate that empty gap to fit his head.

In terms of poseability, Lockdown is pretty decent.  He has swivels for elbows and the arm kibble means that the range of elbow articulation isn't spectacular.

He is stable in a variety of poses.  His arms are quite flat which makes them look weird.  The designer tried not to cheat and made the vehicle headlights form his chest but the way it is angled makes him look fat and there is no way to made Lockdown appear sleeker.

There are some fantastic sculpted details, highlighted by the silver and bronze paint.

It's hard to say that this is a good, solid or even an average robot mode.  It is an acquired taste and doesn't truly evoke the character in the movie.  It had so much potential but it was probably ruined by the focus on simpler toys.

OVERALL:

It's hard to like this toy and to be honest, I regret purchasing this guy.  However, given that he is the only decent representation of the movie's antagonist, you don't really have a choice if you want to collect all the cast characters.  Lockdown has his strong points, such as the excellent car mode, but the lackluster robot and overall generic feel pulls this figure down.

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For other Age of Extinction Transformers reviews, have a look at this page.