Sunday, January 11, 2015

One of my long lost friend, MMORPG

So I will be having my examination next month starting from 4th February and now quite busy with my assignments which is due end of the month. But as it grows closer to examination period, I grow more and more restless and lazy. Restless to find more games to play, more movies to watch but lazy to study. So, today, I will be reviewing on 4 MMORPGs that I tried in a couple of weeks. And I might add that I am bias in this review.

La Tale
So, La Tale is available on Steam and it is a 2D MMO with anime graphics. At first, I really love the graphics, it is my kind of game. Cute anime girls running around shooting and hitting. However, I tried this for only 2 hours and I am disappointed. The 2D MMO is my type as I play MapleStory but the controls is rather laggy. You can only walk instead of run so I find it annoying that I have to double tap every time I have to run. Walking is very slow. I can blame my connection for being slow but the actions and the spells are 1 to 2 seconds slow. Which adds to my irritation. So, after 2 hours of gameplay where 1 hour I was figuring out how to change the key settings, I give up  playing. I rate this as 2/10 where 2 is for graphics.

Eden Eternal
When I first look at this game, I noticed the server is from North America so it will definitely be slow. But somehow, it is quite fun and enjoyable game. This is a 3D MMO with anime graphic. This game is the tab to target game which is easy for a lot of people. However, these games are usually pay-to-look-cool-and-awesome. They use a system called Loyalty where you can earn loyalty to buy cash items. I love the system but it takes your time and repeating quest to earn it. Imagine playing more than 250 hours on a game to earn enough to get one item. It makes people addicted to it. I have to let this game go because they have the job system which I wasn't happy about. The job system allows you to be whatever you want. If you have the requirement. Any job can be changed at any time in the cooldown of 20 seconds. I don't like it because there is a job level and character level. So to reach a full level for every job you need 60 lvls for 14 jobs. That is 840 levels to reach a complete set of everything. So I will give this game a 7/10.

Dragon Nest
I had high expectations for this game. This is a hack and slash game with combos. 3D MMO with cute graphics too. Though I was disappointed with the character customization. It is gender-locked towards that particular job like the cleric is forever a male with a deep voice. Even when I have a female face. So I wasn't happy and it throw my hopes out the window. I did have fun with the hack and slash, the narrator's voice for characters is hilarious. This is from a Korean developer so the translation may be off at times. I will rate this game to be 5/10.

Aura Kingdom
This game got me addicted to Aeria Games in the first place. I would say this game is one of the games that is got me hooked back to MMORPGs. It is a fast-paced game that I found from Steam. I played for more than 250 hours on this because there is a Malaysian guild in this game despite it being a North American server which makes it quite laggy at times. This game uses the Loyalty system as explained above. So I got hooked up in this game that made me played so long just to get that one item as also explained above. They have the lottery system when you need AP or loyalty to buy ruby coins. The coin is used to play once in the lottery. You can move to the next line of lottery if it lands on an item. But if it lands on a coin, you have to take it and start from the bottom again. So, the higher the level, the better the items. I quit this game after a while because i realized that it is not healthy for my mind because I kept thinking what others are thinking about me. So I quit it straight. I did go back once this month but the rest of the guild members quit as well. I would rate this game 8.5/10. I would suggest playing this game so have fun in game!

So from this game review, I hope you guys could also try out these games and judge for yourself. It is only my opinion that these games are enjoyable or up to my taste.
p/s: Click on the pictures to the games main websites.
To those who are confused on what to do this weekend, try this games if it is up to your liking. Good luck, have fun! Tata!

Another Zombie Movie

So, let's continue with zombie movies. Again. So, how do I get these movies? I just Googled them. For list of zombie movies. Usually I rely on IMDb lists made by users. From the list, I will look on the posters. I would avoid the ones that looks like a horror movie. The blood spill down the bath tub, hands on the wall. Yeah, I know i am being bias; some of them are potentially good. However, these posters that looks like a horror movie tends to have more surprise attacks than others. This is just my opinion. Sometimes, i get recommendation from friends like how i got the Dead series from a friend of mine. So let's move on then.

Pontypool
This is surprisingly, very boring. It started of with this obnoxious sheriff working in the radio station. The first 30 minutes is all too lengthy. When it gets to the 30 minutes, it gets more exciting. So, this movie involves mostly in the radio station. The whole time, i don't know what is going on outside except from the caller called Ken. At 48 mins, they finally open the door to go out and to find that the people out there is repeating everything that is yelled out. I am not going to reveal how to zombies got infected at the first place because it is pretty mind-blowing and a pain to explain (haha). Will give this a 4/10. Would give lower if not for the mind-blowing virus.

Juan of the Dead
This is a Spanish zombie apocalypse in Cuba. This movie is hilarious. It is a story about this 2 best friends, staying together and surviving the horde. They are normal people like you and me. In this movie, you can see a reference on kill bill on his best friend (cute though). So he and his best friend, walk around town, trying to find his daughter and met with his daughter's boyfriend and you know which father wouldn't get mad. So, I will leave out the ending because I thought the ending was actually nice so no spoilers for you here. Not much to point out except it is indeed hilarious and quite fun to watch.

Dead Alive (Braindead)
This is not for the weak stomach. The epitome of gore movie. Any gore you can think of can be seen here. Includes blender, lamp, syringe and other stuff. It started of with a scene about a Sumatran Rat Monkey, which is how the virus got infected across. Unfortunately, this movie has no particular story line. At first, the main character is marked as a target where the zombie would ignore normal people and head for only the target. But after that, the zombie just attacks everyone. Honestly, I was skipping everything to make it faster because I don't particularly enjoyed the movie. However, I would say, that gore in this movie is to the extreme. Somehow, it can turn hilarious in one point. So for those who are a little adventurous, prepare a bucket beside you while watching this. Especially the ending (Dun, dun, DUN!)

World War Z
World War Z. Where should I start? The zombies are the fast-running kinds that I presume is from rabies. This movie has too much focus on Brad Pitt, on how he is a badass. It started of nicely with screaming people and the nice part is, we don't know where it comes from. In my opinion, I really love the beginning, we know nothing, we fight to survive without knowing anything. But this movie is what we would say people that has watched too much zombie movie like how Brad Pitt tries to kill himself after having blood in their mouth. Most movies doesn't do that. It's like they have never seen zombies before. Oh, scratch on my arm, its okay, there is Dettol. ggrajajkscjhawjehckasjrawrnsndf. I did argue with my friends about is it rational for the soldier to bomb himself when he is surrounded by a horde in an enclosed cage? So, the thing is there is no such thing as rational in a zombie apocalypse. You do it to survive. You do it to not turn into them. The soldier somehow has that mindset which brings to more harm to others. Mostly also focus on human rationality where how irrational people are when they panic. There is a lot to speak about but I shall let you, readers judge by yourself.

I have downloaded more zombie movies so I will be reviewing more next time. Thank you readers (if there is any out there) for being patient on my inconsistent writing and the level of quality of my English and review is not up-to-par but usually it is my own opinion and I will not, ever review any spoilers unless warned.
p/s: Click on pictures for links to IMDb. More information there.
More to come next time. Tata!

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Continuation of Zombie Movies

Wow. It took so long for me to continue writing. Can't blame it on writer's block when actually I am just lazy to write
Anyway, today I shall continue on some of the zombie movies that I have watched. Let's start with the 2 movies 28 days later and 28 weeks later.

28 days later 28 weeks later
28 days later is what I would call a classic. There is a storyline, the gore is there, the character, the zombies. It explains on how the virus starts infecting and as usual the news and news reporter going on and on about the virus. There is not much to comment because it is like any zombie movies but just little bit better.

But I would say the younger sister or the younger brother of 28 days later, 28 weeks later is a huge disappointment. Both of these movies are not related in terms of character. Only the virus remains the same. It was a typical American movie. Too much focus on one main character that will screw everything up. Surprise attack here and there but predictable ones (which I appreciate). In this both movies, the zombies are the one that runs, unlike zombies that are predicted to be slow moving.


Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead (1978), Dawn of the Dead (2004), Land of the Dead (2005)
These, ladies and gentlemen, are the epitome of zombie movies. It is the best of the best zombie movies our there and you cannot call yourself a zombie maniac until you watch all 4 of these.
These 4 are not inter-related but the story line and the reality of a zombie apocalypse are the essential key in these movies.

The beginning of it all, the night of the living dead. A dead brother, a hysterical sister, a ruthless killer, a self-centered man. The elements of humanity. In a zombie apocalypse, you can either be any of those. Admit it, we all can turn into zombies too, if not a survivor. Directed by George A. Romero (father of zombie movies, I worship thee), it shows exactly what will happen in a zombie apocalypse. Turn hysterical from the death of loves ones, unacceptable truth on the end of the world, man that kills to survive and man that murders to survive. All zombies in here are slow walking ones which makes it so much creepier. Despite looking like a low budget movie (they did stay at one place for quite a long time), it was made to perfection.

The next movie is the dawn of the dead also directed by George A. Romero. It still retains the reality of the end of the world, the personality of the characters and the gore. The gore is the most amazing one. With only $650,000 budget, Dawn of the Dead is one of the movies that receives high praise from movie viewers, earning more than $55 million making it the most profitable among all 4 movies (got this from Wiki).

The remake of Dawn of the Dead in 2004 was unexpectedly. not disastrous. As a lot of movie goers would say, remakes of the old movies or old classic books tend to be a disaster, a catastrophe. Directed by Zack Snyder (man, that name!), it turned out to be good. Still retaining that people-will-panic-and-screw-up-in-an-apocalypse theme, it is set to a more modern days. Still gory (thank God, thank Snyder). Unlike most zombie movies, where the main character is always the hero, the survivor, this is more towards what most people will do during an apocalypse (seems like i keep repeating the theme, but the theme, the thought of it is too good to not write down).

Lastly, Land of the Dead. At first, I find that the title to be quite funny but it does make sense when humanity cease to exist, the land is literally full of dead man walking (cue music). Directed by the great George A. Romero, it turns out to be excellent. In this movie, it moves towards when the dead has been here for so long, they earn intelligence, they got smart. At least one of them. The people who are still alive find ways to get away from them by spraying fireworks in the sky (spoiler!). In time, one of them learn how to ignore it and learn more as they move on towards the only part of the Earth which is still inhabited. In this movie, it teaches us that they are zombies, they are dead in the body but still alive in the brain. They can learn, they start to rationalize and they can decide who to kill for revenge. It's like saying Hey, look. We, zombies, are trying to survive too. Stop killing us for fun.

That's all from me. I will be continuing Juan of the Dead. Dead Snow 1 and 2, World War Z and Zombieland. (not caring on the year premiered). Hope you like my review. And do stay tuned for more.
p/s: Click on picture for links to IMDb. (I love IMDb or my best friend, Keenah for movie names when I need them)
Love you guys. And good day.