Maturity in Gaming

It's a topic that keeps cropping up every now and again, usually when Nintendo release their new console: should video games 'grow up?' People often criticise Nintendo for only appealing to children or an immature audience, saying they should provide more "mature" games on their platform. However I really value having excellent games that aren't trying to be ''edgy'' or '' dark'' all the time. Don't get me wrong, I love serious and intense games but it's a relief sometimes to play a game that isn't all about blood, guts and killing. Shooting everything that moves has its appeal but there are lots of game that do that.

Nintendo isn't just for kids, as a parent I play a lot of Nintendo games in front of my daughter as she won't get nightmares but feels engaged too.

Nintendo isn't just for kids, as a parent I play a lot of Nintendo games in front of my daughter as she won't get nightmares but feels engaged too.

The older you get, the more you realise how horrible and cruel the real world can actually be, so why would I want my video games to emulate that? Over the past few years it has often felt like we are in the darkest timeliness with some truly horrendous things occurring all around us. We are constantly barraged with horrific imagery, news headlines and 'hot takes' on some dreadful world events so for many  video games are an escape from the real world;  refuge from the general crap storm happening all around us.

Video games have the potential to test the limits of the imagination and induce a sense of wonder and awe that is often lacking in real life. That's part of the appeal for evergreen games series such as Mario and Zelda.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that all mature content games are bad. Many of them actually tell beautiful stories and have great gameplay, like Nier Automata or The Last of Us. But I believe the people who only want to play gritty games and complain about the vast variety of games that are out there (including walking simulators or simple puzzle games) are themselves immature.  Maybe they don't truly understand what video games are capable of and the potential they have to be a unique art-form. As books have a multitude of genres, some which appeal to individuals and some that definitely don't, video games has the same situation developing. Not every game is for you and the sooner some gamers realise that the sooner the medium can move forward and lose some of its toxicity.

LINK- Nintendo: My One Gaming Constant

LINK- The Beauty of Walking Simulators

Monument Valley- Video Games As Art

I frequently speak about how video games can be an art form. Not all games are art in my opinion but some titles just stand out and really push the debate beyond doubt... step up Monument Valley!

In Monument Valley you manipulate Escher-style architecture and guide a silent princess through stunning vistas. The journey is relatively short but memorable as each level is a masterpiece, a combination of stunning art and immaculate design.

If ever a game was to promote video games as art Monument Valley might be it!

Castlevania The Animated Series- Series Review (No Spoilers)

What is Castlevania, the animated series? A miserable pile of garbage or worth a watch?
When Netflix announced that it would be helping to produce an animated series on the classic Konami series of yore I was excited and then... trepidation hit. After all, how well have many Japanese and video game adaptations fared in the past? Not very well if you look at previous form: any one for any of the heinous Uwe Boll adaptations, the anemic American version of Death Note or the underwhelming Ghost in the Shell movie attest to that? So to say I was worried would be a fair assessment but after seeing the Castlevania trailer and hearing that it would be written by comic legend Warren Ellis (of The Authority and Transmetropolitan fame) my interest and hopes were piqued and raised. So how is the series?

Well, for the uninitiated Castlevania follows the adventures of the Belmont family and their multi generational battle against Dracula. When you get down to it the story is simple: the fight between good and evil. However within the first few minutes of the episodes there are shades of grey as the reasons for Dracula's hatred of the church are revealed. He becomes a more sympathetic villain than he is usually represented as in many other media. His hatred of the church and specifically the clergy forms the story arc of this series as the question of science versus religion is brought up.

There have been numerous games which have played with the official time line and lore so there is not a consistent story overall and so prior knowledge is not required to enjoy the show, but for fans of the games it contains elements from Castlevania III. 

The writing really is on point and even  though it is episodic, flows well, which you would expect from a renown comic writer such as Ellis. His sardonic wit comes through, especially near the end of episode 1, where Trevor Belmont hears the locals discuss their close parentage and beastiality. It seems almost Tarantino-esque as two locals discuss the misadventures of a fellow villager who has laid with his goats and sheep. I have faint echoes of Spider Jerusalem or Kev in my ears as I recall the scene as it is hilariously funny yet incredibly dark too.

The animation are art style are both exemplary and you can see that no expense has been spared. The design of the show is beautiful and there were moments in the show where  I paused to take in the true beauty of what was being represented. The art style recalls the best of go thick horror and reminded me of my youth watching Vampire Hunter D and Ninja Scroll. This animation is definitely meant for adults and the high level of blood, gore and dismemberment attests to the fact. The fight sequences are well animated and high octane without being as hyperstylised as Dragon Ball Z or many other anime or manga.

Special mention should be made of the voice actors, who are of a high caliber and contain some bona-fide Hollywood stars, which lend the whole series some gravitas and seriousness. 
Castlevania is a great animated show, recalling the best of anime whilst avoiding a lot of the tropes and fan service (read: panty shots of the female characters) which has blighted the medium over the last two decades. The story is intriguing and builds to a crescendo for the second series and based on what was shown here it should be a humdinger.
Fans of the video games should definitely check it out but also anyone interested in a quick bingeable animation show would be foolhardy to miss this.

Jim Henson's The Storyteller- Cult TV Review

I remember it well, Jim Henson's The Storyteller aired in the evening on Channel 4 and scared the bejeezus out of 7 year old me. The year was 1987 and the show had been heavily advertised for a few months so the anticipation had been building. When finally the show aired it became an instant classic in my mind, the stuff of wonderful nightmares. The show presented nine lesser known northern European fairytale with a  a mixture of live acting, animatronics, muppetry and surreally stylish imagery. With excellent production values, marvellous special effects and stunning matte paintings the various fantasy settings all came to life and drew me in.

John Hurt played the role of the eponymous Storyteller, and next to a hearth he would tell a story with relish, accompanied by his muppety canine companion. There would be occasional interludes where the Storyteller would elaborate or expand upon a point and his verbosity and wordplay would be like music to my young ears, even if a lot of his wordplay went over my head. So after nearly 30 years how does the Storyteller fare? Taking away the rose tinted glasses of nostalgia does the series deserve a revisit or is it best left in the past, in the vaults of the mind?

Well, the stories themselves are more mature and darker in essence than many of the Disney-fied version that most people are familiar with but still can cast a wondrous spell. The love, care and attention of the production comes through on the screen and even though some of the special effects have aged, this ethereal other-worldliness leaves the show an almost timeless quality. The soft focus and fuzzy recording make the show seem like a wondrous dream and even now fill my heart with warmth.

The nine stories are:

"Hans My Hedgehog" - A farmer's wife wishes to have a child so badly she doesn't care what it looked like. And as if by a miracle, she does get pregnant but the child, Hans, looks like a cross between a human and a hedgehog. Nicknamed 'Grovelhog' by the other children and unaccepted by his father, Hans asks for a saddle for his giant chicken and leaves. Twenty years later a king who has lost his way stumbles upon the Grovelhog's castle. The creature helps the king find his way home, but demands to receive something in return: the first thing that greets the king on his way home... This is a similar story to Beauty and the Beast and the special effects are good on this. The hedgehog is suitably scary yet presented as a sympathetic figure

"Fearnot" - A young man named Fearnot sets out on a quest to learn how to shiver in fright. He meets a traveling tinker called McKay who vows to lead the boy to frightening places. Still, nothing on their path manages to put the shivers into Fearnot, no matter how frightening it gets. The creatures in this one are silly to look at now and the story is probably the weakest of the bunch but still worth a watch.

"A Story Short" - The Storyteller recounts a time in his life when he came upon a castle as a beggar and talked himself into a commission to tell the king a story each night for a year. On the last very day he couldn't come up with one and would have been boiled alive in oil for breaking the deal, if it weren't for the timely arrival of a mysterious beggar. This is a good story and a chance for John Hurt to shine in his biggest central role in the series.

"The Luck Child" - When a cruel, cold-hearted king hears about the birth of a luck child prophesied to one day rule in his stead, he seeks out the child and tries to get rid of him. But luck is with the baby and against the king and the 17 years later when the ruler tries once more to sentence the boy to certain death, he ends up becoming his son-in-law and heir to the throne instead. Now the king has just one more card to play: in order for 'Lucky' to earn the hand of the princess in marriage, he must bring back the golden feather from the Griffin's back and venture to the creature's deadly lair. This is a great story with some impressive muppetry skills on show with the Griffin a standout creation.

The Soldier & Death" - An honest soldier receives a ruby whistle, a comparable dance, an unbeatable deck of cards and a magic sack for being kind to three beggars. He defeats a bunch of devils by playing cards and catches them in his sack when they refuse to pay up. Years later, the last devil pays his debt by showing the Soldier a way to tell if sick people have a chance of recovering or not. After a successful career as a miracle doctor, the soldier manages to trick Death itself and trap it in his sack but this has dire consequences... This episode bears a resemblance to the Tale of 3 Brothers by J. K. Rowling from her Harry Potter books and is the standout of the series for me. The little devil are well created and move impressively.

"The True Bride" - Anja has been forced to work for a nasty troll all her life. When her master's tasks become increasingly difficult, a magical white lion appears out of nowhere to help her out. After being rid of the troll, Anja finds true love in the form of a gardener but just before they can get married, her sweetheart is enchanted by none other than the Troll's daughter, the Trollop. The story is okay but the makeup on the troll and his sister are very impressive.

"The Three Ravens" - A witch has set her eyes on the widower king and manages to turn his three young sons into ravens. Their sister escapes the curse and vows to remain silent for three years, three months, three weeks, and three days in order to break the spell. But things become increasingly difficult when she falls in love with a prince whose new stepmother is the same witch that ruined her entire family. This is another standout episode and features standout performances from Miranda and Joely Richardson.

"Sapsorrow" - A king with three grown daughters is looking to find a new wife and proclaims to marry whomever fits the original queen's ring. When his daughter Sapsorrow puts on the ring by mistake, she plans to make her escape from the castle with help from her animal friends. Disguised as a dirty, ragged thing, she sets to work in another castle where she falls for a handsome prince. Now if only he can see her beauty beneath her Scraggletag appearance. This is a beautifully presented tale and features some impressive matte work.

"The Heartless Giant" - Young Prince Leo learns about a heartless giant imprisoned long ago by his father the king somewhere in his castle. The boy tries to befriend the giant, but the giant tricks Leo into setting him free. The other princes set out to recapture the giant but are turned to stone instead. Ridden by guilt, Leo decides to seek out the giant's heart instead. This episode is another standout and the one I most vividly remember from my childhood. The downbeat ending had a profound effect on me in my youth and asks 'Can bad people change if given a chance?'

The Storyteller series is masterful and well worth a watch or revisit. Some episodes are better than others (highlights include 'The Soldier and Death,' 'The Three Ravens' and 'The Heartless Giant') but overall the excellent cast and wonderfully written scrips by Anthony Minghella (a decade away from directing Oscar winning The English Patient) makes this a weird, unsettling but extremely satisfying series to watch.

LINK- The Secret Garden (BBC)- Cult TV Review

LINK- Children of the Stones- Cult TV Review

LINK- The Dead of Night (BBC)- Cult TV Review

LINK- The Stone Tapes (BBC)- Cult TV Review

Let's Go Dizzy: The Story of the Oliver Twins- Book Review

Like most children of the 80's I had a huge love of the micro computers scene that was thriving. I had my first real experience with computers in the mid 80's with the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC 464. The first real games that blew me away were Robin Hood and later Fantasy World Dizzy. Both games were created by the Oliver Twins and at the time they became almost mythical figures, creating the best games including the iconic Dizzy. I used to love reading about the twins but in an era before the Internet there were only occasional snippets or features in magazines so they remained unknowable, unfathomable.

Luckily, I met the twins a couple of years ago at the Centre for Computing History and listened to them as they orally discussed their history and Dizzy games but this book, Let's Go Dizzy: The Story of the Oliver Twins, is a detailed account of their life and game making history.

Over 232 pages, Chris Wilkins, discusses their childhood, early interest in coding and rise to video game super stardom. The book is heavy in interviews and quotes from the twins themselves and so isn't just anecdotal but actually from the mouth of the twins. There are a large amount of photos from the time which help to provide context and the screenshots help to break up the large amount of text. Of all the sections, I found their evolution from the micro computers to the 8 and 16 bit era especially interesting as they discuss the Nintendo vs Code Masters Game Genie lawsuit and why certain Dizzy games weren't released on the platforms. The book is honest and covers the highs and the lows of their careers and for anyone interested in the life and works of the pioneering Oliver Twins, this is a must read.

LINK- Play the Dizzy Game In-Browser Now

Life Is Strange: Before The Storm- Video Games As Art

The first Life is Strange series was a surprise hit for its creators DontNod. It explored the relationships people have with each other and the way our actions have consequences, good and bad. With a time-traveling mechanic, it definitely had some gamey tropes but at its heart was a missing person mystery that pulled you in like the very best teen drama series, police procedural or Twin Peaks even.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm, is a prequel that explores the town of Arcadia Bay again but this time we control Chloe Price, the brash antagonistic teen from the first game who does not have the power to manipulate time like her friend Max Caulfield from the first game. What we have instead is a more intimate game about relationships we have and how nothing is simply black and white, but rather more nuanced shades of grey.

The dialogue can be a little too Whedon-esque and 'edgy' but it is heartfelt, earnest and most importantly honest. The game puts its heart on its sleeve and in this day and age it is easy to sneer and be cynical but it is a brave, intelligent game with soul. For me to experience a game that left me questioning the way I interact with people, is a remarkable achievement.

Streets of Rage 3- Video Game Vinyl Soundtrack Review

The early to mid 90's were a great time for gaming but it was still seen as a childish past time by many. When the Playstation released it tapped into to the burgeoning dance market where House and Trance tracks were popular and consistently hitting the charts. It seemed like a perfect mix; edgy games and oh-so-zeitgeisty music. However before Sony's miracle machine we 16-bit gamers did have a saviour of coolness and that was the inimitable Yuzo Koshiro. The composer behind the first two Streets of Rage games was a pioneer when bringing the sounds of the clubs into games. The Streets of Rage soundtracks are amongst the most highly regarded of the 16-bit era and rightly so. Whilst The Orb, The Prodigy and Orbital were getting into the charts, Koshiro was applying the music styling of the genre into his soundtracks.

Streets of Rage 2 was a high watermark on the Megadrive/ Genesis for both gameplay and music, so it was with bated breath that people waited to see what Sega would produce with the highly anticipated Streets of Rage 3 which would be released on a 24 meg cartridge!

The Streets of Rage Vinyl Soundtracks are things of beauty!

Upon release the Streets of Rage 3 game was made harder for the Western market, frustrating many with its butchered state and missing elements. The soundtrack was the same but tonally very different from what had come before and as a result quite divisive. The soundtrack was once more created by Koshiro but this time he was joined by Motohiro Kawashima, who had also worked on Streets of Rage 2 alongside Koshiro. The soundtrack was influenced more by the hardcore and minimal techno scene and so wasn't instantly as catchy as the original two soundtracks. The techno scene hadn't reached mainstream in the Western markets and so the grindy, repetitive discordant sounds didn't appeal to many.

At the time it was politely forgotten by the masses but as time has passed many have cited it as formative and an important video game soundtrack. So is the Streets of Rage 3 soundtrack worth your money and time? 

Well, first of all, being a DataDisc product the vinyl is impeccably produced and the sound quality is second to none. The double disc set contains the remastered version of the soundtrack that you remember from years ago. It has a lot to follow in the undeniably stunning SOR 2 soundtrack but in terms of production it succeeds. The soundtrack itself however is more difficult to judge. I have been a fan of old skool trance and dance since the early 90's but the discordant sounds and constant thumping, often without a discernible pattern, makes it a difficult soundtrack to listen to in its entirety. There are some standout tracks like Disco, Boss, Shinobi Reversed and stunning The Poets I but these are few and far between. The rest of the soundtrack is fine but nothing that you would want to go back to and revisit in your down time.

So is the soundtrack worth buying? For a completist a definite yes but for someone looking for a soundtrack to listen to and love? No. I'd go for Streets of Rage 2 or 1 as these are more instantly likeable and listenable. However, this being a Koshiro joint, you can't go too far wrong... even when he experiments and goes a little too left-field.

The Unofficial SNES/ Super Nintendo Visual Compendium- Book Review

Gamers like me have an affinity for pixel art as we grew up with it, nostalgia is a wonderful thing and we don't need to apologise for it. Pixel art itself was born out of necessity, this economy of design came about due to the various technical limitations but often where there are limitations that is where creativity prospers and thrives.

Over the last few years there has been a boom in quality books celebrating retro video game culture, including pixel art. Bitmap Books, one of the most profilic and consistently excellent producers of such books, have just released what is arguably the console which showcased the peak of pixel art... we are, of course, talking about the might Super Nintendo Entertainment System (the Super Famicom as it was known in Japan or the SNES to Brits like me who like to abbreviate everything). 

I kickstarted the softcover edition of the book for £25 and for this I got:

  • a softcover book
  • a scan line bookmark
  • a multimedia version of the PDF, which I was able to download
  • my name in the book
  • access to the backer updates

However what of the book itself? Well, the entire package is a thing of beauty as it comes coming protected in a tough slipcase with a snazzy lenticular cover. The book itself is a snug fit and has a spot varnish cover which gives it a feel of real class. The pages themselves are vivid and brightly coloured and make no mistake, this is a weighty tome with high quality paper that feels great to the touch.

Over the course of 529 pages the SNES/ Super Famicom: A Visual Compendium showcases the very best pixel art and box art. The book features over 100 classic games, with articles from leading developers, interviews with key figures in the industry and mini-features on subjects such as homebrew games, unreleased games (including the very recently released Starfox 2) and company profiles.

This all sounds great, and it is, but a real highlights are the occasional fold-out sections on games such as Street Fighter 2, Super Mario World and Chrono Trigger which showcase the beautiful pixel art in all its stunning glory.

The interviews with creators, programmers and various people involved in the industry gives real insight in small 200 word mouthfuls that break up the artwork nicely, offering a look inside the industry at the time.

The compendium is another excellent addition to the Bitmap Books roster of video game art books and it well worth the price. Buy it now as you won't be disappointed!

The Evil Within 2- Video Games As Art

The Evil Within was an intense and exhilarating survival horror video game which was released 3 years ago. The game by legendary game director Shinji Mikami wasn't without its faults but as a whole it was a fun experience and was artistically pleasing. The game cast you as protagonist Sebastian Castellanos, a ex-cop who was pulled through a distorted world full of nightmarish locations and horrid creatures. This sequel finds Castellanos trapped in an otherworldly American every-town of Union that exists on an alternate reality only accessible through a matrix-type machine. So far so video gamey. But what sets the game apart is the artistic stylings of the game as the antagonist is a wannabe artist who creates art installation from hell. Walls adorned with close up pictures of eyeballs, beautiful waif like figures contorted in strange ways whilst covered in barbed wire and bodies projecting spectacular showers of blood. The game is disturbing and well deserving of its 18 age rating but the art style is often spectacular and twisted, like the television series Hannibal. The Evil Within 2 is a striking game and well worth a look.

The video game is an 18 rated game and so some of the images may be unsuitable for those under the age.

The Last Of Us: Left Behind- Video Games As Art

I've already spoken about how wonderful the The Last Of Us was as a gaming experience and as an art form. The DLC, Left Behind tells us more of Ellie's backstory, illuminating us as to her motivations and worldview. At just over two hours the game is not long but it is still beautiful and filled with moments of awe and wonder. I won't spoil it but check out some of the gorgeous screenshots below.

The Last Of Us- Video Games As Art

The Last of Us is an action-adventure post-apocalyptic video game developed by Naughty Dog. The game was first published by Sony on the Playstation 3 but I only recently played the remastered edition on the Playstation 4 and what an amazing experience it was. You play the role of Joel, a smuggler tasked with escorting a teenage girl, Ellie, across a post-apocalyptic America as she might hold the key to saving humanity against the virus which has turned most of the world's population into rage zombies. So far so stereotypically game trope-y, but what sets the game apart is the excellent story, voice acting and gorgeous visuals. The whole game plays like a movie and some of the visuals are truly cinematic. Have a look at the gallery below and see if you agree.

Developing Healthy Discussion in the Time of Social Media

I blame the Mysterious Cities of Gold, this charming Japanese-French co-produced animation which charted the adventures of a band of ragtag children and adults in the new world, the Americas in the early 16th century, made me think differently about past civilisations. Was there such a place as Mu? Did the Olmecs, Mayans, Incas and Aztecs have a profound knowledge of the world which was beyond our comprehension?

Searching in the Ancient Civilisation sections of my local book repository, Barking library, I found the works of Erich Von Daniken, author of bestsellers like Chariots of the Gods. In his bestselling books from the 70s he postulates that aliens brought advanced technology and knowledge to the humans. Were aliens really the reason that these ancient civilisations had such profound and deep knowledge of the cosmos and achieved feats of technological marvels that we would have trouble recreating in this modern age? I blame Von Daniken!

Or do I blame the glut of quasi-science/alternative history offered by authors like Graham Hancock, Maurice Cotterell, Robert Bauval at al. In the 90s and early 00's they sold many millions of books and offered 'evidence' and 'scientific proof' of the origins and age of the pyramids at Giza, how they lined up to Orion's belt and how the different shafts within the pyramids pointed at specific constellations in the sky. The technological know-how and mathematics involved would be way more advanced than scientists and archaeologists would ever have suspected of such an ancient civilisation. The fact that the Mayans had developed a calendar and 2012 was potentially the end of the world or at least the deadline of a seismic change shook me, and millions of people who came up with doomsday scenarios. As for Atlantis, did it exist but due to the shift in global temperatures it sunk without a trace under the oceans and due to the shifting continental plates might now be under the ice in Antarctica? I blame Graham Hancock and the quasi-scientists of the 90s and 00s.

Then David Icke told me it was a massive government conspiracy by an elite few shape shifting blood drinking aliens from another dimension who want to keep the world silenced and take our resources for themselves. I blame David Icke.

Then I read The Da Vinci Code, the international bestselling fiction book which took the premise of the bestselling book by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, two of the three authors of The Holy Blood And The Holy Grail, which provided 'evidence' that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene and the bloodline continued in France. Was there a secret society protecting the lineage whilst another group, maybe the Illuminati, Bilderberger or Freemasons were seeking to control this ancient bloodline for their own nefarious means? Well I blame Dan Brown!

... And then I realised, there was a pattern emerging here.

We started off with the whimsical (MCOG) moved onto the fantastical (God was an alien), moved onto the 'analytical' (pseudo-science), then the dreadfully macabre (bloodsucking shape-shifters) and then the more sinister (secret societies controlling the world) and now we're moving to the neo-technological (post truth). This is an era where we have more information than ever at our fingertips but also live in a world with the knowledge that we are monitored, watched and scrutinised more than ever before. In this era I blame no-one but me, or us, the individuals. We have the wherewithal to research and look at facts carefully and concisely and with this information we can say or share something that can have a profound effect on individuals or the world- be it positive or not, yet many of us pursue the path of 'truthiness', a knowledge that certain views and opinions may not be actually based on fact but as they feel comfortable and truthful we hold on to them e.g. Trumps rhetoric of 'Make America Great Again?' To which the logical question would be, when was America great and how do you quantify this? Was America great for everyone in this period? Do African-Americans and other people of colour agree?

I've also noticed that with social media we have created a stage for constant artificial high dramas. To quote Jon Ronson:

Every day a new person emerges as a magnificent hero or a sickening villain. It's all very sweeping, and not the way we actually are as people. What rush overpowers us at times like these (to judge and shame people)? What are we getting out of it? .... Nobody wants to ruin it by looking at the cost...

Where's the cognitive dissonance? The price for the lives ruined and broken in the court of social media? With fake news and conspiracy theorists being given free reign we live in a time where the Nazis are back, Science is seen as an opinion rather than empirical fact and those escaping persecution and death are seen as a 'swarm.' We live in a pretty apathetic age, yet we are surrounded by a huge amount of information about other people. If you felt like it you could gather that information yet we still hardly seem to know anything about people.

The former Facebook executive Chamath Palihapitiya, who joined in 2007, and became its vice president for user growth, recently said that he felt  “tremendous guilt” about the impact his former employer has had on the world; “I think we have created tools that are ripping apart the social fabric of how society works... The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops (like thumbs-up or hearts) we’ve created are destroying how society works...No civil discourse, no cooperation; misinformation, mistruth. And it’s not an American problem — this is not about Russians ads. This is a global problem.”

I think the rise of online harassment, social shaming and constant sense of outrage is due to the powerlessness people feel about the world around them, who do we blame for the economic crisis in 2008, Wall Street and the City sure, but who individually is to blame? It's much easier to be a SJW (Social Justice Warrior) when you see an individual as doing the wrong thing... Maybe we are aiming our ire with impunity at the wrong places and at a disproportionate level.

We live in the most amazing of times, we have the possibilities to change the work profoundly through our inter-connectedness ... But are we utilising it in the best way? I don't know but as a teacher I want my pupils to know the profound impact they could have on the world, either through their direct action or in the virtual space. I want them to be a force for good and look at things critically and evaluate the evidence presented rather than being in a constant state of outrage. There has to be a better way and we need to educate our pupils to be that better way.

Perfect- Video Games As Art

Perfect is an immersiveVR experience which allows you to move around and interact with three different environment, during the day and night. The environments are all realistic and the level of detail is pretty good for a download only experience, I say experience as it isn't really a video game but as a learning tool or an exhibition piece it has a lot of uses. We have used it in lessons as a stimulus for writing in English, connecting it to our unit on Kensuke's Kingdom.

Scythians: Warriors of Ancient Siberia- British Museum Exhibition Review

The British Museum is one of my favourite places in the world. I visit the museum every couple of months and always find something new or interesting that I have missed previously due to the sheer number of objects on show (about 80,000, which is about 1% of its catalogue of 8 million)
The museum runs some pretty amazing exhibitions but occasionally something extra special comes along, something that blows your mind and the current Scythians: Warriors of Ancient Siberia, is one such exhibition.

The British Museum is a stunning building which houses the spoils of Britain's colonial past and its interest in antiquities.

For those not in the know the Scythians were fierce tattooed horse riding nomadic tribes, who at their peak controlled territory that stretched from the Black Sea to the north border of China. They didn't leave behind any writing behind but various historians from the time, including Herodotus, left detailed descriptions about them. Much of the primary evidence has been gathered from preserved burial mounds which were often left untouched in the Siberian permafrost for centuries.

Peter the Great, Tsar of Russia from 1682 to 1725, organised expeditions in the 18th century that retrieved many objects, and also handsomely rewarded the Russian people who brought forth items they may have found.

I have to be honest and admit that I went in knowing next to nothing about the Scythians. The only experience I had had with them was through the lens of the video game Superbrothers: Swords and Sworcery, a stunning surreal action adventure game in which you play as a young female Scythian hoping to end the evil she unwittingly brought onto the world by acquiring an ancient yet forbidden tome. So far so video game trope-y but it must have had an influence on  me as when I heard this exhibition was on I knew I had to go!

Swords and Sworcery had a beautiful art style and it was the inpiration for the background of this very website.

Swords and Sworcery had a beautiful art style and it was the inpiration for the background of this very website.

In the Sainsbury's wing of the museum the Scythian exhibition is on show until mid-January 2018. It is a large dimly lit place with ominous soundscape music playing.
The first section of the exhibition contains the famous gold plaque of the mounted Scythian which has graced the promotional covers and posters. The detail of the piece are stunning and considering that it is over 2000 years old, all the more amazing.
As you enter the main hall the remainder of the stunningly worked golden belt buckles are here. The level of detail and their impressive state of preservation show a people who were skilled artisans in the most challenging of environments.
Moving onto the next section, we get a further insight into everyday life. There are markings and artwork etched onto stone, many showing animals such as horses and camels.
There is the head of a Scythian in extraordinary condition on show with his accoutrements. It is all a bit macabre but fascinating nonetheless, like the fact that they liked to dress up warmly with squirrel and stable lined clothes. The men wore large pointed hats which gave them a very distinctive look, it belies the fact that the repertoire of weapons they carried was fearsome including aerodynamic poison dipped arrows, short swords and battle axes which looked more like picks.
The Scythians also may have used fake beards for ceremonial reasons and one is in a good state of repair here. It's all a bit puzzling as accounts from the time say they liked to have long hair and beards and only shaved for death rites but this piece shows that there must have been a need for it somewhere in their life.
There are also signs that they liked to get high and drunk with accounts of the time saying they were fearsome drinkers of Greek wine. They also liked to get high by throwing hemp seeds into a fire in sweat lodges to bond. I have to say that they sound positively delightful and it makes a change from the typical polite dinner parties I occasionally go to now.
The highlight here though is the saddlebag which contains 2 small lumps of cheese which are 2500 years old! That's mind blowing for someone who only likes Cheddar, Baby Bell, Dairylee Triangles or Cheese Strings when he's feeling a little adventurous.

The rest of the exhibition shows the influence of other people who they either traded or fought with the Scythians, and with this interaction came an intermingling of ideas and beliefs. There is a cauldron with a distinctively Chinese styling and as the Scythians did get as far east as China this seems perfectly likely.
Over time the Scythians were overtaken by other groups and their life and their history was forgotten for a time. However through Peter the Great's endeavours and various expeditions into the inhospitable Siberian landscape we are lucky enough to have some their finest works at the British Museum.
The exhibition is only until January and is one loan from the Hermitage in Russia, so this may be the only chance to see it. If you have even a vague interest make sure you do pay a visit.

Thomas Was Alone- Video Game Vinyl Soundtrack Review

Black Screen Records and composer David Housden have teamed up to release the original soundtrack to Mike Bithell’s meditative indie darling game Thomas Was Alone on 180g vinyl.

For those not in the know, Thomas Was Alone is a minimalist 2D platformer about friendship, teamwork and sacrifice. In the game you take control of Thomas, who is initially alone, but along the way you meet and control many other characters all who have special individual powers and differing personalities. Over the course of the game you guide your group of quadrilaterals through a series of obstacles, using their different skills together to get to the end of each environment. So far, so video game 101. However what elevates this game to multi-award winning heights is the stunning soundtrack which accompanies the beautifully wistful yet soulful narration read by comedian Danny Wallace. The story that's told is more complex than many AAA games I have played and the music accompanying it adds to this drama; I have cared more for these quadrilaterals than many other protagonists in other games, heck I even bought the 'action figures' when they were released a few years ago. Yup I bought a collection of 3D quadrilaterals because this game and its music connected with me on some profound level.

The soundtrack features minimalist pianos and ambiences fused with lush strings and ethereal synths. Although this album only has 13 tracks, which feature a lot of repeating motifs, the consistency and effective re-use of simple chord progressions and melodic phrases make each track seem different but complementary to what has gone before. As a whole the soundtrack feels like a tapestry, each track is part of a bigger whole with familiar themes and motifs.

My favourite track off the album is 'A Time For Change,' a powerful emotive track that is triumphant yet tinged with sadness. It is played at a key point in the game and so carries with it a lot of weight and power. I listen to this album daily, which at the point of writing is over 5 years old.

Sometimes in your life you find that you connect with something, it could be a book, a film or a track or album. It gets under your skin and becomes something more than the sum of its parts and I think this game and especially the soundtrack is that something for me. It's not something I can explain but this album and the majesty of some of the tracks gets me every time I listen to it.

I loved the game so much that I even made it part of my websites wallpaper.

The vinyl is a stunning release and I am extremely pleased with it. This album is a must have for any fans of shoegazing etherealness.

No Man's Sky- Video Games As Art

As a kid the idea of discovering new planets and flying in my own little space- ship in a galaxy that stretched out to infinity excited me when playing make-believe. Now No Man's Sky brings this to reality with its procedurally generated space exploration game. There are many different modes but if you start on Create mode you are given all the tools to hop into your craft and head to the stars. There are millions of planets to explore and all are enticing, some with vibrant foliage, interesting strange alien creatures and stunning sunsets and landscapes. When initially released a year ago the game had a few issues as the planets were, more often than not, often brown rocks with a few plants strewn around however with the new free update the planets feel more alive. With the new photo mode you can take stunning pictures at any time and I below I have taken a few to show off the artistic side of the game. I will be using the game as a stimulus for writing when we compose a fantasy/ sci-fi setting for our writing.

Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier - Book Review (No Spoilers)

Twin Peaks: The Return premiered in May of 2017, and consisted of 18 episodes. David Lynch described the work as an 18 hour movie and for fans of the director that's exactly what they got, a confounding and occasionally frustratingly long movie with his usual level of abstraction, ambiguity and strangeness.
Many questions that were left unanswered since season 2 were left unanswered at the close of this new season and the fate of certain characters and the time line of events meant that much was open to interpretation. Added to that were the myriad of new questions that arose from the latest season and the interest on online forums and message boards reached fever pitch as people tried to figure out exactly what was going on.

When co- creator Mark Frost, announced a new book that would help to fill in the gaps and answer the many many loose ends fans were excited. Last year, with The Secret History of Twin Peaks, Frost provided fans of the show with the rich storied lore of the town and its people. It was written in a creative and unique style with archival images, newspaper clippings, FBI reports and annotations by the 'Archivist.' It added much to the series and enhanced the viewing experience for many, me included.

The Final Dossier answers almost all of the main questions, or at least gives the reader enough information from which to draw their own conclusions. Written from the point of view of FBI Agent Tammy Preston, who was ably played by Chrysta Bell in the show, we get extra background information on many of the unique residents.

A beautiful looking book but for me the contents was underwhelming.

For those left miffed at Audrey's minimal time on the show and shocking reveal you are provided with information on her background if not her fate as shown in the programme. We learn who funded the observation and operation of the mysterious glass box and what exactly happened to Major Briggs.
Also for those seeking a resolution to the season 2 cliffhanger, we finally find out what happened to Annie!
The information contained in this book is important and explosive for fans but also feels strangely underwhelming. It's hard to explain but it's like reading the Cliff Notes of a Shakespeare play or seeing the Mona Lisa for the first time as a low resolution jpeg. When  taken alongside the stunning limited television event, groundbreaking original series, operatic Fire Walk With Me film or even Frost's The Secret History of Twin Peaks, this book, although essential, seem like a lesser piece of work.

Not only are there no entries for the Palmer, Deputy Hawk, Dale Cooper or Diane but the writing style is lacking the verve and sheer excitement of Frost' s other book. I know that as an FBI dossier it is supposed to read as matter of fact but for the reader it is difficult to get excited about what amounts to little more than a brief outline of what happened to each character.

This is a difficult book to evaluate as it contains essential information for any Twin Peaks fan but is also quite dry. Also, as is often the case with revealing too much, the mystique is lost. For example the monsters that were Hannibal Lector, the vampire Lestat or Darth Vader were better before their origins reveal. Did anyone walk away feeling better after knowing Darth Vader was a petulant teen named Anakin who took the death of his wife Natalie Portman so badly that he had to slaughter many Jedi children and turn to the dark side? No, no-one gained from that reveal, it was underwhelming and poorly executed. This is not as grievous as that wrong but I do feel that the heart of something beautiful has been lost with this book.
This book then is a must read for those seeking closure on many of Twin Peaks questions but it comes at the price of revealing too much in my opinion.

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Return- Complete Series Review

LINK- The Secret History of Twin Peaks- Book Review

Rime- Video Games As Art

Rime is a beautiful, melancholy adventure game in which you play the role of a young boy who is washed up on a mysterious island. Over the course of 6 or so hours you solve a series of environmental puzzles to piece together just what happened to your character and how you ended up on the island. The game is similar to Ico in terms of gameplay and stylistically like Journey, but lacks the heart and soul of either title, however it is worth a play to enjoy the stunning art and powerful ending.

Moomins and the Comet Live Re-score

I have a love for the Moomins as many of you may know. I've discussed the Moomins multiple times before, when talking about the 80s stop motion animation, the recent vinyl soundtrack release from the 80s animation, the exhibition at the Southbank Centre and my visit to Moomin World in Finland. 

Well I am excited to announce that one of the original composers for the 80s Moomins show, Graeme Miller, will perform a re-score live at the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room. He will be joined by Jamie Telford and the pair will be using a kitchen table-full of small instruments (including a box of cornflakes), whilst the episode plays on the big screen

This is a rare chance for Moomin fans old and new to experience Film Polski’s charming herky-jerky animation with a live accompaniment. I purchased tickets for my wife and I and am extremely excited to see this score played out in front of us. The show is only an hour long but hopefully will be a joyous celebration of Tove Jansson's marvellous creations.

The recently released vinyl by Finders Keepers is brilliant!

The recently released vinyl by Finders Keepers is brilliant!

Our trip to Moomin World was amazing.

Our trip to Moomin World was amazing.

Lore- Series 1 Review

Monsters are creatures we run from, beasts we warn our children about and fiends that haunt our darkest dreams. Yet, there is something enticing, mesmerising even in their appearance. Terrifying as they might be, we cannot help but look even closer, parting our fingers that our covering our eyes to peer again at the horror. There is no getting around it: Something about monsters fascinates us. They may be the stuff of nightmares that make our hearts beat faster, sweat profusely and make our hairs stand on end but we cannot get enough of it.

It may be that at the most basic level, monsters represent fears held by society, fears associated with the dangers perceived in the often vast, uncaring world. The origins of some of our most deep rooted fears has been the focus of Aaron Mahnke, who since 2015 has been releasing bi-weekly podcasts called 'Lore.'

At the time of writing there have been more than 70 meticulously researched podcasts on a wide variety of themes from vampires to evil dolls. 'Lore' has now been turned into an anthology television series by Amazon Studios and for season 1 looks at a variety of popular horror tropes and their origins. Currently there are only 6 episodes, which are all presented with interesting visuals, which are a mix of live action dramatic shorts alongside archival footage, images and animation. All this helps to bring the show to life and presents the matter in the most visually interesting way. The episodes are:

They Made A Tonic- Before we knew how disease spread, medicine was as much superstition as it was science. And in the small New England towns of the 1800s, there is a belief that consumption can only be stopped by making sure the dead are actually dead.

Echoes- Dr. Walter Freeman is the father of the icepick lobotomy. He believes the ten-minute procedure will all but end the need for the mental hospital. He has the best of intentions but winds up creating an entirely new kind of horror story.

Black Stockings- In 19th century Ireland, folklore has a strong hold. Michael Cleary is convinced his wife, Bridget, has been replaced by a fairy called a changeling. And his belief drives him to the most extreme act.

Passing Notes- In 19th century America, at the height of the Spiritualist Movement, a haunted house is not just the stuff of ghost stories. Many believe the dead can talk and, sometimes, will come back from the other side to wreak havoc on the living.

The Beasts Within- Werewolves are now movie monsters. But they were once thought to be all too real. In 1589, villagers in Bedburg, Germany, are convinced that a werewolf is killing women and children only to discover the killer is really one of their own.

Unboxed- Robert Gene Otto is a child without friends. That is, until he receives a doll as a gift. He names the doll after himself, Robert. They become fast friends and soon the boy believes the doll is real. But to everyone else...Robert the Doll is a curse.

Mahnke's sonorous voice works well on the podcast as it is cold and unsettling, however it works less well when put through the filter of visuals but overall the information is compellingly put together that it is a minor gripe in what is a fine scary, campfire-like storytelling anthology series. The acted scenes are suitably moody and there are some fine actors involved including Robert Patrick and Adam Goldberg.

The show never gives a definitive answer as to whether the phenomena shared are true or merely fabrications, it merely presents the meticulously researched historic materials and documentation and leaves it up to the viewer to decide as to what they believe. If you want to be spooked but like the more cerebral kind of horror this show (and podcast) might just be what you are looking for!