'Try to set yourself goals that are near-impossible to achieve-- that way, you will never stop trying; and perseverance is key.'
-Dilan
Sunday, May 9, 2010
β Impressions #3
Invasion is pretty fun, although it is a fair bit harder to play as Elites than Spartans. The initial beach spawn is simply far too difficult to cross for those that spawn on the far side towards the cliff. Past that first section though, it's a great, even contest. Plenty of vehicular combat to boot as well. Good fun.
Also, Invasion Slayer is really interesting too, very impressive. In it, you have to capture points in order to gain power weapons or vehicles, and the game functions like a regular slayer game aside from that. Cool stuff.
-Dilan
Also, Invasion Slayer is really interesting too, very impressive. In it, you have to capture points in order to gain power weapons or vehicles, and the game functions like a regular slayer game aside from that. Cool stuff.
-Dilan
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Fernando's First Law of VCE
"At any given time, a minimum of one subjects will be shitting a student up the wall. Awareness levels should be adjusted accordingly."
-Dilan
-Dilan
β Impressions #2
I am getting better at Headhunter. The human grenade launcher is kind of like a mix of the Brute Shot and the rocket launcher: it combines the way brute grenades bounce off some surfaces while also being a one hit kill; too bad you can only have one grenade loaded at a time.
I'm having a lot more fun with the beta now I've gotten acquainted with all the new stuff. The map layouts have now been figured out and I've devised tactics befitting my style (you know, run straight at the opponent with whatever gun I have equipped blazing away nonchalantly).
You know what's cool though. Reach goes back to Halo: CE's style of grenade throwing, and I ROCK at it, just like I did back in the days of CE of course. Seriously, I can anticipate a kill and still get it five seconds after I die. One game the score was 49/49 and I just come out of nowhere on a jetpack and get the last kill with a frag grenade from a hundred metres away.
<3
Lovin' it.
-Dilan
I'm having a lot more fun with the beta now I've gotten acquainted with all the new stuff. The map layouts have now been figured out and I've devised tactics befitting my style (you know, run straight at the opponent with whatever gun I have equipped blazing away nonchalantly).
You know what's cool though. Reach goes back to Halo: CE's style of grenade throwing, and I ROCK at it, just like I did back in the days of CE of course. Seriously, I can anticipate a kill and still get it five seconds after I die. One game the score was 49/49 and I just come out of nowhere on a jetpack and get the last kill with a frag grenade from a hundred metres away.
<3
Lovin' it.
-Dilan
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
β Impressions #1
After ten refreshing games of playing the Halo: Reach beta, I happily post my initial impressions:
I've played ten games so far , and won nine of them with an average K/D spread of 1.4. At the moment there are only two maps: Swordbase and Powerhouse. I prefer Swordbase as I think it brings a new verticality that none of the Halo games ever bore before. Powerhouse is also good, but it reminds be a little too much of High Ground. I'm enjoying the game so far; the melee has been toned down, allowing for fights not to be decided solely by the factor of who presses B first.
There are some new gametypes involved as well. Stockpile is an interesting gametype, and is, as Bungie so aptly describes it, just like 'Capture the Flag on steroids'. The other two gametypes have not been introduced to the beta as of yet, so more on that later on. I will say, however, that so far the traditional gametypes (such as Oddball, CTF and Slayer) are working well.
The new loadouts are pretty dynamic. Funnily enough, the jetpack is proving to be the favourite on most occasions, while Armor Lock comes in a close second. The other two available are Sprint and Active Camo: Sprint is a fairly default armour ability; however, Active Camo isn't widely used yet as people don't seem to have quite got the hang of how to use it. Perhaps it'll be put to better use as the beta goes on.
The new weapons are fantastic, however you can't help but miss some of the old ones. The plasma rifle finds itself completely replaced by a bulkier counterpart, and obviously none of the brute weapons make a return due to Reach taking place prior to Halo: CE. Also note that for some reason the dual wield function has been removed from the game. Also, I'm particularly enjoying the Designated Marksman Rifle, as well as the Needle Rifle. I've been unable to get my hands on a plasma launcher as of yet. I have to say though, I'm really pleased with the pistol now. It's not overpowered, and thankfully it's not underpowered either. You can get a kill with it if your aim is good enough. Happy face.
We are still waiting on the introduction of the Invasion and Headhunter gametypes, as well as the final map, so I'll post more about my impressions on the beta later on.
-Dilan
I've played ten games so far , and won nine of them with an average K/D spread of 1.4. At the moment there are only two maps: Swordbase and Powerhouse. I prefer Swordbase as I think it brings a new verticality that none of the Halo games ever bore before. Powerhouse is also good, but it reminds be a little too much of High Ground. I'm enjoying the game so far; the melee has been toned down, allowing for fights not to be decided solely by the factor of who presses B first.
There are some new gametypes involved as well. Stockpile is an interesting gametype, and is, as Bungie so aptly describes it, just like 'Capture the Flag on steroids'. The other two gametypes have not been introduced to the beta as of yet, so more on that later on. I will say, however, that so far the traditional gametypes (such as Oddball, CTF and Slayer) are working well.
The new loadouts are pretty dynamic. Funnily enough, the jetpack is proving to be the favourite on most occasions, while Armor Lock comes in a close second. The other two available are Sprint and Active Camo: Sprint is a fairly default armour ability; however, Active Camo isn't widely used yet as people don't seem to have quite got the hang of how to use it. Perhaps it'll be put to better use as the beta goes on.
The new weapons are fantastic, however you can't help but miss some of the old ones. The plasma rifle finds itself completely replaced by a bulkier counterpart, and obviously none of the brute weapons make a return due to Reach taking place prior to Halo: CE. Also note that for some reason the dual wield function has been removed from the game. Also, I'm particularly enjoying the Designated Marksman Rifle, as well as the Needle Rifle. I've been unable to get my hands on a plasma launcher as of yet. I have to say though, I'm really pleased with the pistol now. It's not overpowered, and thankfully it's not underpowered either. You can get a kill with it if your aim is good enough. Happy face.
We are still waiting on the introduction of the Invasion and Headhunter gametypes, as well as the final map, so I'll post more about my impressions on the beta later on.
-Dilan
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Iron Man 2
There really isn't that much to say on this one.
It's as good as the first Iron Man, however with a greater focus on spectacle; not in the sense that a greater portion of the movie is all about action, flashing lights and explosions, but in the sense that the set-pieces are a lot larger. The character development is just as good as Iron Man 1 (it was very good, for those who have seen neither film).
There are multiple storylines in this film that run in parallel with each other (incidentally much darker storylines than the original film), which actually works pretty well, although it does give the film a bit of an uneven pacing. After about the first 40 minutes, which is jam-packed with action, things come to a halt; from then on until the final act it's all about plot progression, hilarious puns and lots of charm. And that's what's good about Iron Man; it actually has charm, and doesn't solely rely on special effects (cough cough, Revenge of the Fallen).
Downey Jr. as usual delivers as Tony Stark, which was just about a given. Mickey Rourke manages to send tingles down one's spine as the film's villain Ivan Vanko/Whiplash -- seriously, that is one formidable opponent right there; however, I have a source who tells me his Russian is really bad. Either way, it's a pity that he didn't get more screen time while donning the Whiplash suit. Moving on, most of the old cast returns, Don Cheadle replaces Terrence Howard as Rhodey (and later War Machine), and does pretty well in the role actually; he's not as dynamic as Howard was, but he and Downey work well together. Samuel Jackson is loud and stuff as Nick Fury; Scarlett Johansson is utter hotness as Black Widow, while Paltrow brings some boldness to the table in her reprisal of Pepper Potts. However, Sam Rockwell... I think he's the surprise star of this film. Playing Justin Hammer, an arms dealing competitor of Stark, Hammer serves as a semi-villain as well as a large source of comic-relief; and he does it really, really well. Props to him.
Additionally, I was happy to see that the whole mostly AC/DC soundtrack thing didn't work against the film -- it's never overdone. Ever.
Iron Man 2 delivers like a sequel; it just feels like a movie that's in the middle of a trilogy and it knows it's not done with. It knows that it's good, and it's not afraid to parade it around. It also knows that it's leading up to the Avengers film, and it's not afraid to put plenty of hints out there about it; in fact, the film almost sacrifices coherence to advertise the Avengers. True, IM2 is immensely commercialised, but that level of commercialism is pushing it.
Overall though, Iron Man 2 shoots to thrill; good film, lots of fun. 4/5 stars, recommended watch.
-Dilan
It's as good as the first Iron Man, however with a greater focus on spectacle; not in the sense that a greater portion of the movie is all about action, flashing lights and explosions, but in the sense that the set-pieces are a lot larger. The character development is just as good as Iron Man 1 (it was very good, for those who have seen neither film).
There are multiple storylines in this film that run in parallel with each other (incidentally much darker storylines than the original film), which actually works pretty well, although it does give the film a bit of an uneven pacing. After about the first 40 minutes, which is jam-packed with action, things come to a halt; from then on until the final act it's all about plot progression, hilarious puns and lots of charm. And that's what's good about Iron Man; it actually has charm, and doesn't solely rely on special effects (cough cough, Revenge of the Fallen).
Downey Jr. as usual delivers as Tony Stark, which was just about a given. Mickey Rourke manages to send tingles down one's spine as the film's villain Ivan Vanko/Whiplash -- seriously, that is one formidable opponent right there; however, I have a source who tells me his Russian is really bad. Either way, it's a pity that he didn't get more screen time while donning the Whiplash suit. Moving on, most of the old cast returns, Don Cheadle replaces Terrence Howard as Rhodey (and later War Machine), and does pretty well in the role actually; he's not as dynamic as Howard was, but he and Downey work well together. Samuel Jackson is loud and stuff as Nick Fury; Scarlett Johansson is utter hotness as Black Widow, while Paltrow brings some boldness to the table in her reprisal of Pepper Potts. However, Sam Rockwell... I think he's the surprise star of this film. Playing Justin Hammer, an arms dealing competitor of Stark, Hammer serves as a semi-villain as well as a large source of comic-relief; and he does it really, really well. Props to him.
Additionally, I was happy to see that the whole mostly AC/DC soundtrack thing didn't work against the film -- it's never overdone. Ever.
Iron Man 2 delivers like a sequel; it just feels like a movie that's in the middle of a trilogy and it knows it's not done with. It knows that it's good, and it's not afraid to parade it around. It also knows that it's leading up to the Avengers film, and it's not afraid to put plenty of hints out there about it; in fact, the film almost sacrifices coherence to advertise the Avengers. True, IM2 is immensely commercialised, but that level of commercialism is pushing it.
Overall though, Iron Man 2 shoots to thrill; good film, lots of fun. 4/5 stars, recommended watch.
-Dilan
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