We is the winners!

Suffice to say I didn't really care enough about my first blog for me to continue progressively into the world of digital diaries. Perhaps the fact that I'm not a giggle-induced, 16-year old school-girl might have had something to do with my enthusiasm... or lack thereof.

Anyhow, I'm back with some time to spare and a thirst for acknowledgment that fuels a need to divert my energies towards a task more addicting than Facebook and more time consuming than customising your avatar in Halo 2. Ergo, I'm basically blogging anew.

Welcome to my new blog!

Anime Review - Mai-HiME

Mai-HiME

Anime Review
By Le Chupacabra

Sunrise
26 episodes
Age Rating: 15+

Tokiha Mai and her younger brother have just been offered scholarships at the prestigious Fuuka Academy. It’s a good thing for the orphaned children now that they can enjoy a quality education without financial woes. However, money is the least of their worries when they’re caught in the crossfire of a vicious battle between two teenage girls armed with strange weapons. Things start getting heated once Mai discovers the secret links between Fuuka Academy and these female warriors called ‘HiME’ (Highly-advanced Materialising Equipment).

While almost flawless, Mai-HiME still lacks what makes anime like FullMetal Alchemist and Monster peerless… but as far as sheer entertainment is concerned, it ranks as one of the finest!

Mai-HiME starts off conforming to staples set by many shounen (for teenage boys, essentially) anime. In fact, early on it’s quite easy to write this one off as unspectacular and cliché. It’s a good thing that it doesn’t take too long to obliterate such impressions!

Mai-HiME wonderfully mixes together action, comedy and drama into a hearty concoction that leaves you unusually satisfied.

The story strikes a perfect balance between familiarity and freshness. Then it goes one step further and rewards viewers with a bevy of tantalizing plot twists that will have you glued to the screen. The pacing is slightly off however; the first half progresses quite reluctantly as characters are introduced and the audience is immersed into the world of Mai-HiME. The latter portion flies along at a breakneck pace with unexpected revelations at every corner. The transition is rather sudden, however it doesn’t harm what is otherwise a rather enjoyable yarn.

It seems that new characters are consistently brought into the limelight for the first half of Mai-HiME and as a result, it has quite an extensive roster. While this is typically disastrous for an anime of standard length (26 episodes), Mai-HiME pulls it off with aplomb. Without delving too much into each personality, Mai-HiME is still able to develop its characters through a skilful mixture of dialogue and interactions. As a result, these guys and gals are quite genuine people and you definitely feel for them.

Mai-HiME has a very clean and rather beautiful art style that should sate most palates. It’s also nice to see a consistency being maintained in that there is no drop in quality for the full run of the anime. The designs are quite brilliant, particularly those of the Orphans (the monsters that the HiME fight) and Children (the creatures that choose to help HiME in their battles). The characters themselves have a lot of personality in terms of looks alone. The animation for the battles is great stuff and combined with some fine choreography, it makes for quality viewing.

Something I personally love about Mai-HiME is the music. The opening song is an energetic J-pop track that you’ll find hard to skip while watching. The closing theme does a fantastic job of segueing with the ending portions much like ‘Tobira no Mukou he’ did in FullMetal Alchemist. The music within the anime itself really shines and the battle themes are brilliant.

Finding problems with Mai-HiME will really boil down to personal preference. Some initial episodes are somewhat hackneyed in that they’re evocative of the ‘Monster of the Week’ formula. Overall, the anime also lacks any aspirations to be superlative like the ones I have mentioned. In a sense, Mai-HiME tends to be solid in every aspect without excelling particularly in any. The ending may also bring about a smidgen of stupor in that it outdoes a Disney film for being too good to be true. Otherwise, I have nothing else to complain about.

Just because I think Mai-HiME is ideal in many ways, it’s still not one to be compared with the likes of FMA or other truly peerless anime. On the other hand, Mai-HiME knows exactly what it wants to achieve and it does so with conviction. As a result, it’s a ridiculously entertaining anime that you really must watch.

Film Review - Borat

BORAT

A Film Review By
Le Chupacabra

Age Rating: 18+
Genre: Comedy/Documentary

Borat: Although Kazakhstan a glorious country, it have a problem too: economic, social and Jew.

Pause yourself, open wide and breathe.

That’s something you’ll clearly forget to do while watching this film! Why? Simply because you’ll either be laughing to the point of suffocation or coughing out every bit of your life in utter revulsion.

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan or more commonly (and painlessly), Borat is a documentary-style film that takes our loveable Kazakhstani reporter on a cross country romp through the USA. On the way, laws will be broken, social morals will be shattered and the fabric of society will unravel as Borat Sagdiyev attempts to learn about American culture while giving offering a bit of his own in return.

At its heart this film is a pretty well-disguised satire that liberally takes a few jabs, if not full-fledged punches, at the face of American society. Of course, if you don’t want to think too much about the hidden, postmodern agenda of Borat, it still happens to be one that’s utterly hilarious and oh-so-wrong at every step of the way.

While a lot of the humour seems to be exceedingly crude, it’s also quite ingenious and hides a subtler message in its facets. Simultaneously, it’s also extremely blatant and in-your-face when it comes to touchier (oh the irony) topics such as anti-Semetism and rights against feminism. Sacha Baron Cohen is a man who knows how to write up excellent satire whereas Borat is one who says anything on his mind – together we have a character who knows he’s wrong but doesn’t give a damn and all the while, drags the audience along for a rollercoaster ride of endless laughter. There’s something brilliant about the way the ridiculously accented Borat just manages to bring about the most brazen emotions from people who would otherwise think twice before hooting and hollering to something like “May George Bush drink the blood of every man, woman and child in Iraq!”.

There are numerous points in the film where you’ll just burst out – even though that little voice at the back of your mind is tutting away. While being extremely funny, there are also moments that will make you cringe, if not completely writhe, in absolute disgust. You’ll know what I’m talking about… trust me! (Dear god, the memories burn….)

A little warning here seems fair: if you are one who takes offence quite easily (oh and trust me, Borat will take any and all opportunities for that) then you would be better off avoiding this film. Even though I find this absolutely hilarious, there were still portions that were just plain wrong.

In the end however, you’ll still come out a giggling mess of flesh and bone that’ll stop chuckling only to quote a random one-liner and thus reducing yourself to hysteria yet again. Just make sure you’ve got some like-minded friends with you on this journey! Ah, good times…

Wa-wa-WII-wa! A Hands-on Preview of the Nintendo Wii

Wa-Wa-WII-Wa!

A hands-on Preview of the Nintendo Wii

By Le Chupacabra

Despite having shamelessly nicked Borat’s famous catchphrase (does it even count as a phrase?), I think it’s a lot better than say, “Wii will rock you!”, “Playing with my Wii”, “Can I see your Wii?” or something cheesier. Trust me, I’ve seen really bad ones here…

Navel fluff aside, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty that is Nintendo’s new console. Long story short: it’s the successor to the GameCube. It was called the Revolution and now it’s called the Wii (pronounced, you guessed it, “wee”). End of story. Oh, and its take on next generation gaming is via intuitive and semi-revolutionary user interactivity than through unbelievable graphics or mind-boggling physics. It’s a fancy way of saying that the Wii Remote is awesome enough to make you ignore the unimpressive visuals showcased by the Wii.

Natty, the sub-warden in my corridor was nice enough to let me mess around with his Wii (damn, that sounds plain wrong) for a few hours. Thus I return with my hands-on impressions of the much-desired yet short-supplied next generation console, the Nintendo Wii.

Firstly, it’s quite small. GameCube small you ask? Smaller. The Wii is comparable to the PSOne (the remodelled, mini-PlayStation) surprisingly. Despite its Napoleonic stature it boasts quite a few nifty features. For starters, it has a smooth slot-loading disc drive that takes in the new Wii DVDs. The top can be flipped open to reveal all four controller ports for the original GameCube as well as the two prerequisite memory card slots for said console. And there’s a smaller panel above the disc slot that houses an SD memory card reader. Details aside, the Wii looks quite slick. I haven’t seen a PS3 upfront, yet between the Xbox 360 and Wii – the Spartan design of the Wii combined with a sleek, glossy white finish gives the Wii an air of sophistication and simplicity that I find more appealing. Nintendo makes some robust hardware as well and I expect (no, I didn’t dare try to test this) the Wii to withstand quite a few batterings and hurled controllers of which there shall be many.

Following the same theme as the aesthetic design, the user interface is clean, simple and quite user-friendly. You interact by aiming with the Wii Remote and a mouse cursor-esque hand follows your motions. It felt slightly wonky for me, but you can set your own level of sensitivity. The Wii has a neat picture viewer that you can use to browse through your shots from an SD memory card. The picture viewer offers the ability to apply special effects; particularly fun is the doodle tool. You can run a slideshow of your album as well and watch video files stored on the card. The Wii supports wireless internet which is routed to it via any general Wi-Fi dongle. With that you can browse the Internet, purchase legacy games from the online store and send/receive e-mail. My favourite part was the Mii (pronounced “me”), however. This is the Wii’s proprietary user profile management system and its use couldn’t be simpler or more fun! First you have go through all the basics of adding details such as your name, desired user name, date of birth, favourite colour, et al. The fun part comes in when it’s time to actually create your personal Mii avatar. While some will obviously go for the larger than life look, it’s quite enjoyable trying to get your likeness correct. After a few tweaks here and there by my sub-warden, I was pretty impressed with the almost-accurate version of me prancing on the screen. Speaking of which, I think I need to buy a new glasses to match those of the Wii Mii… erm me…

Now what makes the Wii unique is not the games you play, but how you play them. Enter the Nunchuks… and Wii Remote. Splitting a conventional controller into essentially two parts just didn’t seem right to me at first. After a few hours flicking, slamming, punching and flailing with the controllers – I can safely say that they officially rock! The remote is built surprisingly solidly and feels rather natural. After all, we are the TV generation and holding onto a remote for hours on end is part of the circle of life now. The buttons are perfectly set apart, although having the ‘B’ as a trigger (under the Remote) is initially confusing. The Nunchuk is where the analog stick rests. It looks like someone cut a DualShock in half, remoulded a half with one of the analog sticks and made it really ergonomic! The Nunchuk fits into your hand perfectly and follows the contours of your grip extremely well. A clearly obvious benefit of separating the controllers is that you can decide your own comfort level; whether you hold them right next to each other or lazily droop your arms over the sides of the chair is completely up to you. The controllers are connected to each other by means of a cable but other than that they are wireless courtesy of Bluetooth technology. A small, elongated receiver sits (preferably) on top of your TV and helps triangulate the direction the controllers face; this is what makes the motion sensing magic work.

So we know how the Wii looks and some portion of what it does. The question that you’re probably salivating over is how it plays. In short, it’s freakin’ awesome. True, the games I played would be mediocre under any normal controller scheme but the Wii is not your average console after all. Because of the controllers, it becomes something a lot more special.

First up was Wii Sports. The game comes bundled with the Wii itself and serves as an addictive distraction while you get accustomed to the new method of play. We played bowling, tennis, baseball and boxing. Bowling wasn’t too bad; first you have to aim the path you intend to bowl on and then you lift the Wii Remote as you would an actual bowling ball. Once you’re ready, swing away and press the button to release. There are subtleties in the motion you can take advantage of to add spin. Tennis was fantastic, however. I loved 4-player Top Spin on the PS2 but it faces pretty stiff competition from the Wii iteration of the sport. Holding the Wii Remote like a racquet you actually have to swing away at the ball as it threatens your side of the court. Similar to bowling, you can make use of deft sideway flicks or smooth slices to change the way you hit the ball. It was exhilarating to say the least and with four players, this has the potential of being the ultimate party game. Boxing and baseball were pretty damn entertaining as well. While you’re not required to actually move around your character in boxing, you can perform cheeky dodges left, right and backwards by moving both controllers in the opposite directions. Here you actually have to punch out to hit your opponent’s smug face and defence is equally ingenious – you cover your face with your hands to block blows aimed at your precious visage. I foresee this being the future way of ‘settling the score’ between two testosterone-charged ‘gentlemen’. Baseball required you hold the Wii Remote like a bat and swing away once the pitched ball seemed at the appropriate distance from your player. Getting the timing right was fun and significantly more intuitive than simply pressing a button. The pitching was similar to the Bowling game except that you had to swing over-arm.

I played a few games that made up the Wii Play compilation but they weren’t anything too special. Spin-offs of Duck Hunt and Battle Tanks were quite entertaining, though.

However, after that I played one game that tempted me like no other to forget the PS3 and order a Wii – Rayman Raving Rabbids. It was one of the most hilarious and outrageously fun games I’ve played in a while. Every aspect of it effuses humour and the design is simply brilliant. Raving Rabbids comprises of a series of mini-games where you take the titular character and attempt to thwart world domination by a bunch of - you guessed it - raving, rabid rabbits (say that ten times, fast). This game fully integrates the Wii Remote and Nunchuk into the very core of its being and as a result, has effectively brought about a tangible manifestation of the word ‘fun’. Whether it’s the rhythmic disco game where you have to flick the corresponding controller in tune with the beats to parodied songs like “Rabbits just wanna have fun” or the juice bar portion where you have to fill up the advancing rabbits with carrot juice by literally pumping it into them, the game maintains a distinct air of energetic, in-your-face humour that draws you in for more. The beauty of the games (and the Wii in general) is that it physically and mentally involves you, the player, in the game itself. That avant-garde level of interactivity takes the concept to new levels and it’s really hard to go back afterwards. Oh, and multiplayer is just overkill in terms of sheer enjoyment.

There you have it regarding the Wii. If you’re in doubt concerning a next generation console purchase, then consider the Wii as a very, very able contender. It’s cheap, it’s outrageously fun and it’s also the ultimate party machine. However with that said, you should always consider what games you want before you go straight ahead and end up buying a console you really didn’t want in the first place. Oh, and the Wii works best (and sometimes only) as a multiplayer console as opposed to something to sit down with and get lost in; the games aren’t quite substantial enough to satiate solitary gaming sessions, mind you. Other than that, wii salute you, Nintendo, for such a fantastic console.

PS2 Game Reviews - Disgaea: Hour of Darkness

Disgaea: Hour of Darkness

A PS2 Game Review By
Le Chupacabra

The ‘RPG’ genre has a tendency to remain aloof of most ‘deshi gamers with the odd exception of the suitably famous Final Fantasy series. However, there’s a staggering variety of pureblood RPGs (most games contain RPG elements nowadays) that both lack the Final Fantasy moniker yet also happen to be rather excellent; it’s just that us Muggles often fail to notice them.

Disgaea is one such gem.

If you enter this game expecting poignant (read: whiny) protagonists and epic storylines you’ll be better off looking elsewhere. Disgaea places you in the curly-toed shoes of the egotistical Prince Laharl. Rudely awaken from a two-year nap, this heir to the Netherworld finds his father, the nigh-unpronounceable King Krichevskoy, murdered; meanwhile, various demons of noble (and otherwise) blood have been vying for the throne. There is only one way a self-respecting demon can achieve supreme glory – kill off the competition.

The story is charming in its own way, mind you. There are a few predictable twists, but it’s eventually the quirky humour that wins it all. Since it’s set in a rather juvenile version of the Netherworld, sardonic attitudes, witty (read: corny) remarks and much Narcissism is the order of the day. These aren’t the most remarkable characters in the world, but they will offer oodles of amusement at their expense. It’s worth plugging away through the game just to get to the next bit of story where the characters interact. Better yet, the game gets even funnier as it goes on despite how bad a situation our motley crew of loveable demons ends up in!

The graphics are unique to say the least; if you’re looking for a visual tour de force… for the SNES… then you’ve found your game. Disgaea is comprised of 2D hand-drawn sprites superimposed on what appear to be ‘3D’ arenas. Underneath these seemingly ancient graphics lie some incredible anime-style character designs and a lot of personality that is lacking in games with superior visuals. The sound effects are quaint while the music has this silly, carnival-like atmosphere to it. You’ll be surprised at how the voices give a whole new level of personality and charm to the characters! Perfectly over-the-top and over-acted at the right situations, this is truly entertaining stuff.

The true star of the show, however, is the gameplay. Yes, this game is guilty of having a turn-based battle system set on a rigid grid (think Final Fantasy Tactics). However, (like Tactics) it’s also guilty of endless customisation options, unfathomable depth and intriguing strategy.

In combat you have to position all your characters in suitable locations and then order them to do their actions – be it attacking, defending, casting magic, et al. Once prepared, you choose to initiate your stratagems and tactics. After your turn is up, the enemy will begin… and the cycle goes on. This affords you a level of freedom and calculated planning that few RPGs can boast of. As you control your troops to victory (and higher levels), you get a great sense of satisfaction and achievement – this is one of the reasons why this game is so addictive. You can name each character making everyone quite personal to you.

You can also pick and throw people all across the map. In this way, it’s possible set up special attacks or reach greater heights. If you throw enemies into each other they fuse into a more powerful character with a greater level. Then there are Team Attacks. If a character has allies adjacent to him/her/it while performing an attack there is a possibility that they will execute team attacks. Geo Stones and Panels are also distinctive additions. Each coloured Geo panel may or may not give some distinct advantage or disadvantage to you or your enemies. If the corresponding Geo Stones are strategically destroyed you can achieve long chain combos that may help obliterate your enemies in one fell swoop or do insane damage at the very least. Then there’s the fact that each character class has dozens of specific attributes and aptitudes to take into account. A character is also able to have pupils (try not to think about it too much); these pupils benefit their master with unique skills as they level up. Then there’s all the weapons and item customisation and how each and every article can have a domino effect on your characters. Basically this game offers a multitude of ways to earn Experience for and customise your characters. And you know what? These features are barely the tip of the proverbial iceberg!

A really cool aspect that deserves special mention is the Dark Assembly. These are senators of the underworld that have the power to allow or deny your requests (in the form of bills). Requests range from improved abilities to controlling prices at the Item Shop. This is determined by their status towards you which range from Love to a Leaning Yes to Loathe. But it doesn’t stop there. Senators don’t like you? Simply bribe them. They denied your bill? “Persuade” them by force. Remember that higher level senators have more influence than lower ones. This very Bangladeshi-Parliament feature adds more depth to an already fun game and you can spend hours chasing after particular bills, and in making and breaking alliances.

Despite all these complex features, this game is surprisingly easy to get into and once you’ve begun, you will be addicted. However, this is still geared towards RPG and strategy fans and it does require quite a bit of patience and perseverance for reaping the rewards.

If you’ve ever chastised the PS2 for the lack of an RTS, you may want to check the unique brand of RPG-strategy only console games can offer with Disgaea: Hour of Darkness.