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XNEXUS666X Blog

Lone Survivor Review

I laughed my ass off when I saw the trailer for this, it showed Mark Wahlberg aka Marky Mark in combat with a few buddies (definitely not 'lone' at any point), there was a string of action sequences accompanied by the expected gung-ho hero-warrior lines and some heart-felt musical score to accompany the epic event it was projecting to be, right before the end where four men are sent jumping off a cliff together in slow motion, explosion behind with the lyrics of David Bowie's song 'Heroes' covered by Peter Gabriel and repeated three times to a fade out 'heroes heroes heroes…'

In the quick cut sequences we get to see Marky Mark looking unconvincing and cheesy as usual but perfectly complimented with an equally unconvincing cast of cute and hunky heart throbs that we're all supposed to believe are hardened Navy Seals who are no strangers to fierce combat. This was a movie I was eager to watch with a few beers smuggled into the cinema, so I could proceed to LOL for real, in between frequent trips to the toilet, even though it claimed to be 'based on a true story'. The whole thing was set to look like some formula TV movie at best.

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Fortunately I found myself in a position to watch this movie in a mood that didn't require any alcohol, since I seemed to be in a curious mood at the time. Certainly it starts off in a familiar tone with a bunch of pretty boys acting a little tough, with hints of dialogue that might not be so real to life. But shortly after the initial build up and character establishment, we enter the stage of operations and soon-to-follow action, and I have to say it's all looking very good at this point, everything feels genuine and the cast seems to be a perfect fit (blessed with the occasional voice and acting appearance of director Peter Berg). The pace is perfect and shortly we're cast into an action sequence that I felt was the most tense I've ever watched! I thought maybe it had something to do with the two coffees and giant Red Bull I had prior, but that theory fell flat since I watched it a second time to be sure. The gun shot sounds were crisp and extremely realistic with a deep thumping sound from large calibre weapons, that you'd notice if you're a Battlefield 4 expert. The entire sequence could have gone horribly wrong if left to a lesser directors guidance, as I noticed a stylish and subtle use of slow motion in a tight shot of a Navy Seal sent tumbling down the mountain as he collided with rocks on the way. All the actors brought this desperate struggle of outnumbered men to life, accompanied by brilliant makeup effects, the delirious tone of injured men who had sustained bullet wounds trying to maintain composure really rang true more than ever here, and Mark Wahlberg does delirium best, reminding me of Three Kings after he was rescued from capture in Iraq. But most outstanding was Ben Foster, who really had the demeanour of a trained combat-hardened Navy Seal.

This movie is a tragic tale of young men sacrificing and dying in a world of war and instability, but yet a reminder that human nature is not all about conflict, and that kindness can come from the most unexpected places (no, it doesn't become a Rom-Com). So if you're a pacifist who has a bizarre fascination with guns, war and the military like me, this should entertain. I felt since this was based on a true story, it unintentionally delivered a positive political message, which of course makes it entertaining and enlightening viewing even for the non-action fan or girlfriend.

Aside from a few instances where the acting may have skipped a beat on authenticity (only because the actors aren't actually trained killers), and I feel it could have benefited from an even longer run time than the 121 minute duration it was, as it felt as though the end was being wrapped up a little too tight, (According to Marcus Lutrell, the mountain firefight alone was endured over three hours!) I'd say this was a solid flick that will definitely find a place in my pick of favourite modern war movies, along side Green Zone & Blackhawk Down. I'm even considering reading the book, and I've only read about 5 books in my entire life!.

8.5/10 Sweeeet.

Control Freak: The Evolution, Progression, Variety & Argument of Game Controls

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Over the years we've seen many changes and advancements in game controllers across all platforms, from PC, to console and handhelds and even arcade machines just for the hell of it. Obviously we're all aware that varying games require specific controls, but with home devices we see a few crossovers, and each player has their own preference.

To avoid a long history lesson, let's start from the first NES, we had the most basic of gamepads, then later as games evolved we saw the arrival of analog sticks, made popular with the N64 and soon after by the Playstation. It seemed to be when more games became 3D that we needed a controller that had more than four directions on console, and it really did help bring us into those new worlds which now had more depth and were viewed from a first or third person perspective, so the type of controller we see on current and last gen Playstations & Xboxes have seemed to be the industry standard for well over a decade now.

For a moment back when the Nintendo Wii was released, I though this would be the next evolution in game controls, even for first person shooters, but instead it seemed to have stayed exclusively with the original Wii and with the end of production on the system it seems we'll never see it on any other system, since the WiiU seems to have gone back to the more regular controller with a screen essentially. Perhaps with the WiiU nunchuck, it was that it required more physical input to operate, which obviously limits it to specific and niche games and there's no doubt it had it's market in the family fun section, not that that's a bad thing, it's just not going to be the standard device to navigate the more broad, mainstream or hardcore game.

Since the release of touch screen smartphones, we've seen games being played on these devices, also incorporating gyro and motion controls, which I hate with a passion. Although the new technology might be good for simple commands, it's very clunky when trying to play a game like GTA or some kind of shooter, it get's even worse when they want you to wave your phone around like an idiot to look around on screen or something equally inconvenient. Even with the PS Vita and Uncharted: Golden Abyss, I was forced to wave the device around to balance while walking across a log, since you're most likely to be using your handheld on public transport or on a plane, I don't wanna be attracting any attention to myself by waving my arms around like a freak. But with the release of analog controllers for smartphones increasing, fortunately mobile gaming can still be salvaged to a respectful level, and I think it's worth it considering since I can get a better GTA game on my iPhone for cheaper than say Vice City Stories on the Vita.

But the main debate I always seem to become engaged in (and #1 purpose of this rant) is the argument of keyboard & mouse Vs controller. Since it really does boil down to personal preference in the end, and anyone serious enough about defending their claim of superiority could quite possibly be retarded, (when dealing with the element of opinion) but I understand that both have pros and cons. Let's start with PC players claiming the mouse to be superior for first person shooters. Yes, I bet the mouse is quicker, you point and click, it's very easy indeed, but to move around with flat keys (WASD) that have no speed sensitivity cannot be better than a left analogue stick, one thumb is assigned to this task, and it works a charm. So in my opinion, what you gain in aiming quickly, you lose with the chunkiness of a keyboard to control your crawling/walking/running. Speed and movement is all controlled with one stick, rather than multiple keys and tapping for varied speed, so I think this is a logical and more efficient improvement. I'm not going to go through all the arguments, because quite frankly it gets silly, so I'll try to summarise why I like the current console controller, in particular the Xbox One controller right now. I grew up with controllers, I like having one tidy little unit in my hand, where each digit is ergonomically positioned to each button/stick/trigger. I like slouching on my couch in front of my TV when I get home from work, rather than sitting in front of another desk for entertainment. I just prefer the convenience and comfort of a controller and I can use it in almost any position I choose to sit, rather than being bound to a desk.

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So now with the Steam Machines on the way, and their new design controller (that could just incorporate the right elements of new and old technology), I still see that there is room for improvement over both kbm & controller. You need to understand, a keyboard and mouse wasn't designed for games initially, it's just the common tools that everyone uses to operate a computer. Of course the controller has it's limitations even though it's ever evolving. But the Steam controller may just have arrived at the right time for me, since I enjoy my gaming on consoles mainly, but believe that PC's offer a more practical platform in an era of rapid technological progression, it seems stupid to own a piece of hardware that can't be upgraded when software developments steadily progress.

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I have to say I'm excited and scared about the Steam controller, since I'm building my own PC (for a few casual titles and media), the Steam controller is promising broad control capabilities, that might encompass more non (conventional) controller enabled PC titles, and has unofficially become the bridge over the gap between the PC and living room, so obviously a device like this seems ideal for someone like me who refuses to sit at another desk after work. But as with anything new, it can be hit & miss. Although my fingers are crossed and hoping it does work as well as it seems, there's still a part of me that thinks 'is this just going to be another piece of technology that got a little too excited by new developments and not actually deliver the precision that's required for most games now?' I hope that's not the case though, either way, work is quiet at the moment and my coffee was strong!

The Insanity of Competitive Multiplayer

For the most part of my competitive multiplayer experiences being shooters or first person shooters (FPS), must have started back on the Nintendo 64 with Goldeneye, and as some still might say it's the best FPS multiplayer game to date. In terms of shere enjoyment, their claims hold water indeed. But at this point it wasn't quite the activity of insanity, but perhaps the entry level to what has later evolved.

At this point, Goldeneye was fairly rare activity (no pun intended), three or more friends of mine would congregate at my apartment once a week (if we were lucky enough to all have the time free at once), stocked with sugar loaded drinks and snacks we would proceed to disrupt the sleep of my three female housemates, as we spaciously parked up on my extended 70's couch, it was big enough for four players side by side in front of my 21 inch TV with four player split screen. Four boisterous males consuming cheap supermarket brand cola, cookies dipped in chocolate mousse, the battles grew more fierce and insults more extreme, we'd even managed to draw my soon-to-be-then girlfriend from her room, desperately pleading for our lowered volume, in a state that was one step away from tears since she had work early in the morning, as we'd inconsiderately yet unintentionally caused such commotion in our frenzied competitive state. I remember my friend and I having to swiftly remove ourselves through the front door to the stairwell, where would could unleash our insensitive and uncontrollable sugar-fueled laughter, triggered by the broken look and desperate tone of the poor girl. Yet as crazy as this got, it was still pure social-sober fun, and some of the best times I've enjoyed with friends.

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Years later, Halo would debut on the first Xbox (as we'll now have to accurately describe it without confusion of the latest model), the very game and sole reason that had me purchase the system immediately after being firmly committed to the PS2. With a new set of friends and housemates, we implemented the LAN match through various rooms with long network cables, still maintaining 2 player split screen on heavy occasions, we would have had a maximum of 8 players on 4 TV's at one stage. Energy drinks were now successfully marketed and placed as a standard item in any gas station or minimart, so fortunately for the increased energy boost, we had a spare mattress laying upright against the wall in the hallway, so players could take their turn venting their frustration on it through a series of punches, (if they weren't lucky enough to be sitting next to their nemesis to deal a swift thump to the thigh). Aside from the one instance where 'I sh*t you not', we had an extremely tense game of 2v2 CTF, 3 flags - own flag must be home to win.. We were two equal, both teams on the last flag. As each side would tend to hide close to their base so they could get in for a swift score, the flag holder had to find a creative position and defend, while the other player would usually have to scout for the enemy flag holder, still keeping an eye on the rogue player (who might be hunting my flag holder too) and try to eliminate both. This made for one of the most tense scenarios ever, since each players duty held equal responsibility and pressure. Fortunately my buddy and I were victorious, but still to my surprise, as I could possibly have been the weakest player of us all. This time the stress of the entire game and final capture which lasted well over an hour had forced my friend on the other team to quit Halo entirely from that moment on, he then almost solely committed himself to playing Nintendo Gamecube games. Aside from this one 'casualty of war', the most part of it was still good clean, social and sober fun again, and something to look forward to after a week of work or school.

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Skipping forward a few years, we get to enjoy a brief period of more mature games like Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 1 & 2 and Rainbow Six: Vegas 1 & 2, (more co-op than competitive of course) which I expected to set the standard and quality for the Xbox 360 & PS3 generation. But soon to follow we land in the days of Halo 3 and then Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, a game which for better or worse would set the benchmark for competitive multiplayer shooters, (even if just in terms of popularity). For consoles at least (now enjoying the advanced services of online gaming), this would herald the era of trolling, verbal abuse, including racial, gender and homophobic slur from the over energised and under exercised adolescents, who now have greater access to highly saturated, processed and sugar rich foods than the world has ever seen.

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As the genre seemed to plateau across an entire generation with no real innovation, we now see ourselves in the next-gen era, where the Xbox One and PS4 seem to have dictated when new software developments are warranted. New developments and experiences seem to be on the horizon which seem to be trending on open-world - MMO-shooter style gaming which we've had a recent taste of with games like Defiance. But the supreme triple A titles still battle out in their trusted format with a few additional features. I personally chose Battlefield 4, since becoming a convert from CoD many years earlier, I felt Battlefield games offered a little more freedom and variety from the arena style shooter like CoD and Halo. Yet, as we've seen with the huge debacle over Battlefield 4, due to bugs, glitches and server instability etc, I still tried to endure the agony of all it's technical flaws in order to participate in the new environments and features of the game. All these problems of rubber banding, glitching, lag and hickups and even legitimate advantages that can be exploited by other players, cheating me out of kills, seemed to create even more variables that add to the stress and desire to fight and win. Let alone the fact that lag and connection can create an unfair advantage for some players, all this on top of the regular chore and stress of competitive multiplayer seem to widen the gap of enjoyment and healthy challenge even further, leaving ranking up one of the only rewards left.

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In recent years, I now find myself alone in a dark room at home every night, screaming maniacal abuse at the TV, cursing player, game, connection and console, which could border on psychopathy, angry at elements beyond my control, yet too stupid to simply switch off or play something different. I've even lost a girlfriend due to my addiction to virtual mass murder, but still continued to use it as a distraction, so it can be a double edged sword of course. Since having a few days off over the Xmas period, I found myself with a bit more free time to fill with other activities, and burning myself out with games, I turned to movies before bed, not quite a good ol' book, but still I felt adequately tired and ready for sleep, unlike the continued stimulation that games produce, I even started on a few creative projects that I'd shelved in favour of distracting myself with games after a 40 hour working week and other life issues. I was then hit with a revelation or epiphany of sorts, that maybe my time with competitive multiplayer is at an end, and i'd exhausted all it's offerings to entertain, challenge and distract, and that the insanity of my nightly struggle to compete, destroy, kill and win is a phase that I'm due to end.

It's not all bad though, as life and technology evolves and shifts, we are able to embrace and enjoy the new experiences that lay on offer with the next generation of games. I'm looking forward to games like The Division most of all, and Destiny and of course Watchdogs, I'm looking forward to the cooperative elements and exploration of new and expanding worlds, that still incorporate competitive play as an option if you're that way inclined. So the more mature shooter may still have it’s day yet. Observing the market shift of shooters moving toward MMO games that provide more broad activities, makes me think that perhaps the time of simple team versus team play could be fading away, as we can see the function of a game is not necessarily about challenge first and foremost, now that technology is opening new worlds and ways to explore and enjoy them without sports field style rivalry. After all, in my opinion, a game should primarily be fun, right?