The Jedi Reviews - Hot Toys Iron Mark V (From Iron Man 2)

Hot Toys Iron Man 1/6th collectible is here! Go figure! And here's the review for it. (If you want more pictures of the figure, Google. I've posted limited pics here.....just because....my phone camera. NAY. Lighting is shit.)

I posed just like what's shown on the box-art cuz I can!

Seen in one of the coolest scene in the movie; the race track brawl, the Mark V suit pays homage to the classic and lovable Silver Centurion suit with its silver and red design. And like the Silver Centurion suit, which made a relatively brief appearance in Iron Man comics, the short scene in the movie, roughly three to four minutes showing the Mark V in action left a lasting impression, most notably due to the cool suit-up part.

This one.

Say you have some money to spend, and you wanna get yourself a 1/6th Iron Man figure from Hot Toys. Is Mark V a good figure to splash your cash on?

Firstly, you will, more often than not, will have to specify to your friends on which scene it was featured in, as unlike Mark IV and Mark VI suits, the only telling sign that this is an Iron Man is the helmet. And that is kinda off putting, think. It's meant to be recognizable right off the bat, even to non-fans.

Second, for say, something that costs betwen RM570 - RM 650 (depending on where you get yours from), the Hot Toys kinda skimped a bit in the extras department for the Mark V, especially with lesser bells and whistles under the hood (no air flaps/ brakes, no forearm rocket launchers, heck, this suit doesn't come with rocket thrusters! And worse, NO extra Tony Stark head!)

Like come on - if you're gonna spend that much for a collectible, it's gotta be worth it, don't you think so? Sadly to say, the Mark V is not at all, bang for the buck purchase.

But are these enough to deter you from getting one?

OK. To begin with, the suit is much slimmer and streamlined compared to Mark IV and Mark VI suits. Well, it is the portable version of the Iron Man suit after all, stored in a briefcase, ready to be used anytime while on the go meaning it's the sleekest, most lightweight version in Tony Stark's arsenal of power suits.

Like any other Hot Toys Iron Man action figures (from the second movie), the Mark V figure comes with light-up features for its eyes, palms and repulsor chest piece. Standard, really. All the switches for the light-up feature are hidden out of plain sight, and just for precautionary measure, I've taken out the batteries out of it. Dont want any leakage ei!

Non-battle damage suit!

The paint job is excellent, enhancing the metallic look, and the silvery bits shine just in right shade to make it look like a believable, miniature Iron Man suit made out of metal.

It comes with six interchangeable palms, including a pair of fully articulated fingers (YES. You can make the Iron Man figure flip the bird), one additional interchangeable battle damaged left arm and one additional interchangeable battle damaged chest armor (with a smaller, separate bit for the sternum section). You can see the blue race suit Tony Stark was wearing under the battle damaged arm and to add realism to it, it's got a rubbery, lifelike feel to it. It is not fully articulated though.

Swopping the battle damaged bits are easy and straight forward - just a matter of popping the arms out of its socket and replacing it with another. Carefully lifting the chest piece out of its hinge requires more finesse and extra care is needed when swopping the sternum section.

Battle-damaged arms and chest piece. Note the sternum bit wasn't switched. I was lazy. Note the blue race suit underneath the armor.

A sleeker suit means greater mobility and compared to my Mark IV figure, the Mark V has greater range in terms of articulations, yet, I still havent tried to pose him in that 'punching the ground' pose. Maybe later.

What irks me tho, is the lack of extra heads for the Mark V, in case one wants to replicate that scene where Tony Stark suited up. But it's easily solved if you have a Mark IV figure, as the heads are interchangeable.

I'm so smug, I could kiss myself.

The set comes with the standard Hot Toys stand with the name of the figure written at the base and the other standard for Iron Man 2 figures, the light-up stand complete with the hollow rod to hold the figure in place for more complex poses.

As seen in the movie, the briefcase which stores the suit is also included, along with the handcuffs but I think the inclusions are kinda pointless, really.

What do I think of the figure as a whole? For one, it's darn pretty. I love the complexity of the build and how detail it is. But the lack of accessories (compared to previous Iron Man suits) is indeed off putting.

Still, the figure alone warrants it as a must have for all Iron Man fans, and definitely not to miss if you're thinking of getting two out of the three Iron Man suits featured in Iron Man 2. (War Machine is NOT classified under Iron Man suits in my books). But if you're looking for a first Iron Man action figure under Hot Toys line, I'd strongly suggest getting the Mark IV or the Mark VI - more extra bits, accessories, and as the girlfriend pointed out - more plastic!

The Hot Toys Iron Man Mark V 1/6th action figure is on sale now from RM 550 and above.

More pictures of Mark V, with Tony Stark head (from Mark IV figure set) + Mark IV figure.

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5:01 AM | 0 comments

The Jedi Reviews - Hot Toys Captain America The First Avenger

Finally got my second 1/6th Hot Toys action figure (the first one being Iron Man Mark IV) last week, and boy was it worth the wait!

To begin with, I enjoyed the movie. I liked how it showed what makes Steve Rogers Captain America and I thought Chris Evans pulled off his rendition of the character perfectly.

Us toy freaks had it coming, really, that Hot Toys will eventually roll out a movie tie-in action figure but how accurate will it be? After countless action figures based on the two Iron Man movies, lauded for the complexity and amount of engineering put into those figures, Hot Toys can be seen as toning down with the Captain America franchise, producing something much closer to real life. Less techy, less robotic. Much more....human.

While some of their previous 1/6th action figures' main highlight lies with their accurate, almost lifelike sculpt, the strength in this Captain America action figure is at it's accuracy on the attire and those little bells and whistles that makes up Cap's suit. And yes. Not forgetting the shield. (more of that later)

The Head Sculpt.

Unlike Tony Stark's head sculpt with the Mark IV, I can't really say much about Captain America's because it only looks like Chris Evans under the helmet from a couple angles. Needs a bit of squinting too. BUT! It's Captain America godammit and the mask worn is meant to conceal his identity.

My only gripe on the figure is the far-from-accurate paintjob on that small piece of hair at the back ....it's black. Captain America is blond, Hot Toys!

The Suit.

So how's the suit? I approved the Cap suit he first time I saw it in the

movie's teaser poster and still, til now, reaffirm my stand that it's the best Captain America suit to date.

The 1/6th scale didn't skimp on the details either. Everything is in place as a full-sized figure should be, right down to the stitching. Look closely enough and you'd see the detailing, right down to the belt buckle and little holes around it. The leather-like materials used, the mesh-kevlar-ish bits on the suit and period-looking tailoring makes this action figure a must have for comics and World War 2 buffs,even if they aren't fans of the comics.

Accessories.

Cap's quite light in this department, carrying the basic things required heading into combat - nothing more than he'd require in any particular mission.

Weapons!

Cap packs heat in the form of a M1928A1 Thompson submachine gun with removable 30-round box magazine, flip-up long range rear sight and sliding bolt AND Colt M1911A1 single-action, semi-automatic pistol.

The Thompson submachine gun is the standard US Army issue during WW2 and like any other tommy gun, comes with a sling.

Some reviews I've read mentioned that they cannot remove the magazine clip of Colt that comes with their Captain America. Well. Mine could. It fits snugly into the pistol holster but you gotta be extra careful securing and opening the holster as it's kinda flimsily put together.

The highlight of the figure is none other than the 'Vibranium alloy' shield. Looks brilliant and was the first thing that kinda swayed me to get the action figure - when i first saw it at the Singapore Toys, Games and Comic Convention last year. It's made of plastic but painted with some special coating shit that makes it really reflective - just like the ones on Hot Toys' Iron Man figures.

Removable clip!

Extra bits!

Cap comes with seven interchangeable fists/ palms for various poses such as holding his shield, pistol and gun or just for some generic hand poses.

Also, a two-pouched sling belt is added but i guess it's more of an addition to complete the suit.

Gripes.

My main gripe about the figure is the restrictions when it comes to posing our Cap. The joints are kinda tight and the tight-fitting suit doesnt help in making it easier to pose.They did leave some extra bits of cloth for that extra room for movement but it's just barely helpful. I've been limited to several poses with my figure simply due to this and hopefully the joints will get looser over time for more ...ehemm...dynamic poses.

The figure comes with an 'S-peg' to secure the shield when you wanna hook it up Cap's back. Mighty handy when you require him to pose using both hands.

Back view. Oh you beauty!

Need a bit of work in terms of spreading and bending his legs for poses. Darn it Hot Toys!

And finally .....

Size comparison with other 1/6th (12-13 inch) action figures.

Cap's a bit shorter compared to Mark IV. My set comes included with extra leg pegs, that when swopped with the ones it was shipped in, gives the Cap figure a bit of extra height. Still, he's shorter than good 'ol shellhead but then again - that's pretty much accurate in real life, yeah!?

Hot Toys Captain America: The First Avenger 1/6 Action Figure retails from RM 498 on eBay.

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2:21 AM | 0 comments

The Jedi Reviews - Mission : Impossible - Ghost Protocol

If i have to pick one thing that you'll see often in Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, it would be seeing Tom Cruise running like hell for his life, or chasing someone else. He runs A LOT in this movie.

Ok. I have to admit.

I liked Mission : Impossible - Ghost Protocol. No shit. I liked it right from the start simply because instead of a remixed, modernized version of the Mission Impossible theme, they reverted to the retro style theme song.

Not to mention since it kicks off after Ethan Hunt went "Light the fuse".

Brilliant.

My favorite character throughout? Simon Pegg's Benji by a mile, and Jeremy Renner in second. I think casting Brit actors to carry the role of the gadget guy is an inspired move, and keeping Pegg for any future MI movies would be a smart move.

Jeremy Renner's character, Brandt, looks like he's gonna be Ethan Hunt's #2 for a while, and in good time, take over leadership of the group in a near future. if this is the direction they wanna take the Mission Impossible franchise forward, I say carry on!

Although, one cant help but notice the Bourne-isque scenes in the movie, especially with the team disavowed and working without outside help- still, they managed to rent a room in the Burj Dubai.CHEH. Not that i'm complaining, really.

EYE CANDY ALERT!

L�a Seydoux. Ok. go ahead. Google.

Back to reviews.

I suppose what made Ghost Protocol likable is that Ethan Hunt is humanized. The element of a genius superspy is still there but flashes of desperation and how he depended on the whole team makes it believable and for one, maks the audience root for a character played by Tom Cruise.

Oh yes. Anil Kapoor made an appearance in the movie - as a rich, flamboyant Indian millionaire - even did the excited, horny, taking-off-my-shoes hop. Keep a look out.

Pacing wise - Good. So if you wanna go toilet, empty your tank before you head in.
Action - it's a goddamn Mission Impossible movie for God's sakes.
Plot - Straight forward but in no way dumb. Not too complicated too, where unlike earlier MI movies, you need to recollect whatever happened earlier to piece everything together.
Rating? - 4/5 stars.

Watch it.

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7:09 AM | 0 comments

The Jedi Reviews - Batman: Arkham City

I thought I was stealth in Metal Gear Solid 3. I was wrong. So wrong. That wasn't stealth. That was..... errrr.... being unseen! Batman taught me what being stealth was all about - a grappling gun and smoke bombs made all the difference. By a mile.

I never played Batman : Arkham Asylum because my PC was shit back then. So considering I just upgraded my rig a month ago - obviously I wont give this game a miss!

Australia's and UK's Official Playstation Magazine, Electronic Gaming Monthly and Game Informer gave it a 10/10. IGN gave it a 9.5/10 - so how is it, really?

Spec requirements - I wont get too much into details here but one thing for sure - get lots of RAM, minimum 2GB and a minimum of 512MB on your graphics card. I'm running on a 1GB card and still get jerky bits during the video. Maybe my processor? Graphics are smooth throughout the game though.

So you probably know what the game is all about by now - Arkham Asylum is no more with super villains out, roaming the streets of Gotham. SO Gotham City cordoned off an area; hence Arkham City where thugs and villains control and rule the street. Still, it's every villain for themselves and every villain in the Bat universe you can think of, has their own agenda. Each have their own army, added with the Tyger guards, paid to 'keep the place in check' by their boss, Hugo Strange.

The game starts with Bats trying to figure out what Strange's plan - Protocol 10 is all about. From then on, you, as Bats will be taken for a ride, with The Joker, Two-Face, Mr Freeze and The Penguin all trying to kill you, and a twist in the storyline will see you fighting against time to save an unlikely person's life.

The gameplay isn't linear like a certain ModernWarfare3, meaning you can divert from your main objective to undertake mini-missions peppered around the city. You'll jump, scale up walls, use your grappling gun to do a Spidey up observation areas and best of all - glide with your cape.

You'll also get to play as Catwoman in several short Catwoman-centric stages allowing you to experiment different approaches to a combat with her whip and caltrops.

Rrrrraaawwwwrrrrr. Bad kitty.

Controls are a combination of WASD keyboard combos and lots of left-right click combinations on the mouse. Panning around is done via mouse movement and to solve riddles and to do some detective work, hit X and you'll get into 'Detective Mode' - something akin to the sonar view Batman had in The Dark Knight to help you search for clues - like the source of a gunshot, for example.

The Detective Mode is also helpful in creeping up to thugs, with its ability to detect heat signals behind doors and weak points in walls and cracks on the floor for Batman-style infiltration. So you can jump onto a group of The Joker's juggalo-like possee #likeAbawse or pick them out one at a time #likeBatman - it's your call. Considering I aced in MGS3, well, I picked the latter mostly.

Bats beating the crap out of a Joker goon - a freakishly lookin juggalo.

Characters!

Trivia time! Did you know? This guy .....

is voiced by a certain Mark Hamill? Yep. Luke Skywalker.

Ok. that pic was taken eons ago. Still, brilliant performance by Mark, and try to spot the part where The Joker talks about LOST. Heheheh. Easter Egg!

Voice-acting is superb with almost accurate lip movements, and my favorite villain character has gotta be Harley Quinn who oddly, reminds me of Avril Lavigne. Nice corsets too!

Juggalos aren't necessarily scary.

Riddles are fun to solve, and the fighting scenes reward those who like to vary their hits with movement combinations and counter-hits. So here's a tip - if you think there's too many people swarming you at once - you probably did a stupid move.

So is Batman: Arkham City worth splashing RM135+ this month? You bet. I played quite a bit and upon checking my progress bar, friggin only 3% completed! Maybe I'm a slow player, as I tend to wander around Arkham City - checking out stuff. But that's the way I like to play my game. What about you?

Not sold yet? Here are a few more pics to bait you.

The Joker with his main man...err...clown, the one-armed clown wielding a war hammer.....

Harley Quinn's first appearance in the game..... sold yet?

I know you're sold ;p

Ok. Here's the trailer for the game. Enjoy.

"There's plenty wrong with me...!"

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5:11 AM | 0 comments

The Jedi Reviews - Football Manager 2012 outside of The Jedi Speaks.

Way hey! Since you're here, why not check out my review on Football Manager 12 at TM Net's Everyoneconnects.net website.

Was invited as a guest blogger to write a game review and #badumtish !

To read the full review, click on the link aye.

http://everyoneconnects.net/world/?p=3857

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3:26 AM | 0 comments

The Jedi Reviews - The Euro 2012 draw + forecast!

So the schedule for Euro 2012 is set.

And in true Manchester United style, England dodged the bullet and was dealt a VERY favorable draw.

How come shit like this only happen to the super overrated England team? Fooken hell!

So here are my first thoughts of the draw. Detailed analysis coming soon.

Group A

Greece, Poland, Russia, Czech Republic

Looks like a hard group to call if it was a few years back, with the Czechs making strong favorites to qualify and Greece slugging it out with Russia for second place. Sadly, this is not 2006 and for that, I'm calling for Greece to win this boring group, with the Ruskies making second spot theirs.

Group B

Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, Denmark

The 'Group of Death' and the hardest group to call on paper. Then again, considering how erratic Portugal is, don't be surprised if they flop - it is almost a one man team anyway, relying too much on Cristiano Ronaldo. Nani? He's crap. Expect the Jerries to get through unscathed, with the Dutch close behind. Possibly separated due to goal difference. Mark my words - Denmark will spoil the party for the Portuguese.

Group C

Spain, Italy, Croatia, Ireland

The group I feel, is most interesting to watch, and truly, the group of death, really. Two most recent World Cup winners with two erratic teams in the Croats and the OIRISH. And with Trap coaching them, don't be surprised seeing him biting back at Italy. My call would be Spain to qualify, along with Italy who scrape past Ireland on goal difference or a point.

Group D

England, France, Ukraine, Sweden

I think this favorable draw was given to compensate England missing the World Cup hosting bid. Really. A has-been France, Ukraine and ageing team of furniture makers. England cannot not qualify through this group, and to their advantage, able to preserve their players from any injuries heading into the knock-out stages. A draw with France, an easy win past other two. So it's gonna be the English and the French who gets through.

So recap - The Greeks, Ruskies, Jerries, Dutch, Spanish, Italians, English and the French to make it through to the quarters.

Notice how all teams in debt due to the Euro crisis got through? Heheh!

Next entry I will analyze how these teams pair up with each other come the knock-out stages and possibly call on a winner. =)

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5:10 PM | 0 comments

The Jedi Reviews - Modern Warfare 3

Upgraded my graphics card to DDR3 1GB and what better game to test it on, other than Call of Duty : Modern Warfare 3???

pic: IGN. See? Have to quote source ok!

"We are Oscar Mike!" - You know you're a MW3 nut when you shout that whenever you're making a move.

First of all - I'm in the MW3 camp (isn't it obvious) - mostly due to the excellent storyline and the campaign. Sorry, can't do Multiplayer. Internet connections in my area is pretty shit despite being nearby Technology Park Malaysia. The irony.

So how was MW3?

Game time : 6 hours (give or take, unless you're on Easy which would have cut it half)

I finished the game on Hard settings under six hours. Would have started on Veteran level by the time you read this. Pretty decent, but i wished they would have made the campaign longer then again, it gets boring if you stretch it too much. So at the end of the day, six hours is just nice. Haven't started on the extras with the Special Forces side games which were unlocked after finishing the campaign. Will tell more about it in another post. Oh yes. I'm not gonna talk about Multiplayer, because I'm not playing it.

System requirements.

System requirements are the same with Modern Warfare 2. Graphics wise, equal with MW2 too. My current rig has 4GB RAM, single core 2.4GHz AMD, and the 1GB DDR3 graphics accelerator - clicking on the optimal settings option puts all details on high + highly detailed animations. I turned off the ragdoll settings though - kinda weird seeing dead bodies flopping around - just like in F.E.A.R.

Gameplay

Campaign storyline takes off immediately after MW2, where Price and 'Soap' McTarvish killed General Shepherd. Nikolai finally made an appearance and we are introduced to several other playable characters, mainly Yuri and Frost of the Delta Force. If in MW2 we had Ghost, we have Sandman in MW3 who is like the pointman in every mission he makes an appearance in.

Sandman tossing you a mag - first mission in MW3. Occupy? Storm Wallstreet! Actual game footage!

You'll be introduced to lots of new weapons, cool scopes and add-ons in MW3, with my favorite being the SCAR-H with Hybrid scope (Holographic + ACOG sight). Although a smart move is to accustomize yourself to AK47s - all over the place : solves ammo problem!

For ground support, you'll be controlling more than just the old Predator drones as seen in MW2 with a new range of death-from-air weapons at your disposal. On the ground, you'll be manning a tank machine gun turret and taking it old-school, manning a mortar launcher. Also, in one of the coolest part in the game, you'll get to control a UAV complete with a minigun.

Basically you'll be hunting down Makarov throughout the game, hitting hit allies and agents in order to get more intel on his whereabouts. Apart from that, you'll be playing as SAS and Delta Force Special Forces, operating in smaller cluster groups, tackling larger groups of Russians in firefights throughout Europa.

Oh yes. No Ghost. Despite all the rumors that Ghost isn't dead, and will make an appearance in MW3 - he didn't. Sad, really.

Gripes?

Nothing major, but i noticed that sometimes, the AI tend to seek cover out in the open, making them easy targets. That, or maybe i'm just pretty good at flanking these suckers.

Last word

Sold? Maybe this trailer will help you in making a decision on whether to splash Rm150+ for the original game. Pirate ones - 4 discs wei! That's around RM40.

*I do not condone the use and purchase of pirate products. Thank you very much.

All that's left for me now is to get a copy of Battlefield 3 to compare it with Modern Warfare 3.

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3:06 AM | 0 comments

The Kenn's Picks 2011- Smartphones

Taadum taadum!!!!! Time for my annual gadget rankings!

Everything I've tested this year so far, ranked and reviewed!

Today's topic -

(Everything as of 14th November 2011)

Smartphones!

I'm not gonna lay down the specs and shit. Get a brochure for that....or Google!

Best overall Android smartphone - Samsung Galaxy S II

What is not to like when it comes to the SGS2? Ok. Except maybe the cheap plasticky build of the device. Apart from that, overall, this IS the best one this year. Brilliant camera, brilliant screen size, brilliant build. Best Samsung product this year.

Other mention (s) -

For price and value vs package- HTC Sensation XE

I've always love HTC phones due to the build quality. Battery life is shit,

nonetheless but name me an Android device with respectable battery life....EH? So there. The inclusion of Beats audio is a definite plus considering how those earpieces cost a bomb here.

Camera and novelty sake - HTC Evo 3D

Another HTC which stands out due to its 3D camera without the need of 3D glasses! Ok. Novelty wears thin really quick but it is overall a brilliant phone! Great to the touch, love the size, and Sense UI. WOOOt!

Overall build and hardware - Motorola (Droid) Razr

They dropped the "DROID" for sales outside The States but it's a monster of a product. Top-shelf hardware (stainless steel skeleton, kevlar back) and the thinnest phone in the market, good choice if you don't mind tagged as 'uncle' when you whip it out.

Just because it looks good! - Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc

Cuz it's so darn pretty! Ok. I'm being biased here ehehehe. You stylish lot out there would appreciate the sleek build of the Arc. Good camera too and could easily double up as an accessory. Standout from the generic look too.

Iphone 4 . Yes yes. Still the best choice for most user friendly and adaptive for first time users. Is the 4S worth getting? Is Siri worth it? Not yet in Malaysia. You'll probably get Google search as a reply with most of your queries nowadays. But bright days ahead. I'd wait for the iPhone 5 really.

Blackberry? Get the Bold 9900. I like it. Shit battery life yes but keep charger nearby, and extra battery in hand. Sorted. Tiny screen for a touch scree hybrid phone but at the end of the day, it is a Blackberry. Good one RIM!

What do you think? Agree with the list? Do drop a line. Thanks! =D

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4:29 AM | 0 comments

Reviewed: Weird Shit (no, I'm serious)

Just got back from Taiwan and in one of the rooms of one of the hotels I stayed in, was this. Automatic toilet.

You probably tried one of these before but if you haven't, here's the review.

Firstly, heated seat! My biggest peeve whenever I plonk my butt on public sitting toilets is that warm feeling from someone else's butt who sat on it before you walked in.

Obviously I'm not gonna owl on the toilet seats - heard some dude losing his balance in a nearby stall once. BAM! onto the wet, cold toilet floor.

So back to the seat. Heated seat! Feels weird at first but it grows on you. In an odd, pleasant way.

Instead of the standard Malaysian toilet console, consisting of a toilet paper holder and a tap with a hose attached to it, you'd get a series of buttons on the wall. Each button comes with a specific function (refer to picture, click on it to enlarge) and for a strange reason, and also part of being a guy, the instruction manual is the last thing I read.

So curious me went on a poking spree.

First button i poked shot cold water up my back door. Might be pleasant to some section of society but to me, it was shocking. Heart says jump away! Head replied - you kidding? Jump up now and you'd have your whole back drenched and possibly slip and fall, dead in a toilet like Elvis.

So frantically i pressed on the second button. Way hey! Butt spray stopped but replaced with balls blaster. I'm sure most women (and dare i say, some men) might enjoy the second button but obviously not me.

Third button! Instead of turning it off, I heard a whirring sound from underneath. It bloody controls the thing! Again, some might make full use of the back and forth spraying but not me.

Fourth button! Oh hell. Skip that. Fifth button!

You know Game of Thrones's first book is titled "Song of Fire and Ice"?

Yep. That's what i sang. First water, now hot air is blown up my crotch area. Most pleasant of the other four buttons i must say. But in the end - after the whole ordeal, i came to notice the manual and yep - Fourth button means stop. Lucky I managed to skip the Pressure Gauge button.

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9:21 PM | 0 comments

Football Manager 2012 - a review.

Those on Twitter might (or may not) have noticed I've been less active there especially after working hours recently. And it is down to this.

I've got a copy of the new Football Manager 2012 and man that game is addictive (like any other Football Managers before it).

Picked it up for RM 135 (i got a 4 ringgit discount YAY!) - hey. It might very well be the ONLY original game I'd be buying in the next one year or so. So why not yeah?

No pirated one available yet, and since FM2012 needs you to be logged into Steam to install, I'd suggest just get the bloody original why dont ya?

So what's new?

For those who are used to the FM games, they would still need a couple hours to get around the reworked interface which i think in the long run, will serve well despite the niggling changes for those still trying to get the hang of it.

The transfer system has been tweaked - players can have a better say when it comes to negotiating contract talks (and I thought last season's was complicated. Damn you, and bless you (at the same time), Sports Interactive for doing that.

Interaction with players, managers, team talks (it's called Pep Talk now - What sort of talk you give to Pepe Reina ?A Pep talk! #Ha!) now come with a new feature where you can choose what sort of tone you wanna use. Be meek, or aggressive? And the response is instant.

Tactics wise, managers can now prepare a set of shouts to be instantly used from kick-off itself, or whenever throughout the game. So unlike last season where usually players will pause the game before picking out certain combination of shouts, they can have it sorted from the whistle itself.

Graphics-wise, not much of an improvement but the weather and stadium effects are much more...umm...tolerable. But your players will STILL move about like they're not wearing skates on an ice ring.

Weather takes bigger effect on the game with seasoned players surely taking advantage from the wind, rain or snow.

I've always been a stat nut and scouting for gems is an obsession to me. Uncovering that hidden gem - like Anatoli Todorov (was it in FM2007?) or Ivan Rakitic, Yaya Sanogo and Steven Defour last season (more on my tactics later, in another post) - scouting for talent is something i pride myself for. So the player search tool and customizing searches are much sleeker now.

Funnily, i noticed FM2012 runs smoother on my PC compared to FM2011. Maybe it's just me. But do share your experience with the game.

I gotta get back to whooping Sir Alex Ferguson's ass. ;p

Final verdict - Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!

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7:06 PM | 0 comments

Jedi Reads #004 - Joker

Jedi Reads - Joker by Brian Azzarello & Lee Bermejo (art)

I picked this up because of two things - Brian Azzarello and the cover. (Come on. The cover man. Why won't any self respecting Batman fan won't pick it up?)

The graphic novel hit the stands not long after The Dark Knight was shown, in 2008, and some might point out the similarities on how Glasgow smile on Bermejo's drawings is similar to Heath Ledger's Joker in the movie but it is purely coincidental. And unlike Ledger's portrayal of the Joker on screen, Bermejo's Joker is much more sadistic in doing things - he went as far as flaying one of his traitors, alive.

The story primarily revolves around a small time bum, Johnny Frost who joined Joker's crew which he tries to rebuild after being released from Arkham Asylum. Instead of getting into The Joker's head, Azzarello puts us in Johnny's head, and witness Joker's antics first hand. Sometimes it is more like a documentary on Joker as told from Johnny's perspective. Refreshing. I like.

Not much on the Batman but I'm sure Bats' fans would not be disappointed with the book.

Grabbed it around RM70 at Borders, and I think the price went down a bit. It is almost a four year book by now. I would not recommend this to fresh readers but to those who wants to read more about the character, please do, pick it up. You won't regret it.

Not the best Batman book I've read (that title goes to Batman: Year One) but it is definitely a fresh take on the Joker and his relationship with Batman (towards the end of the book).

Lowdown:

Story - 7 (out of ten)

Art - 8

Pace - 6

Entertainment value - 7

Final score - 7

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12:11 AM | 0 comments