NOV 2011 - issue (11)

LOCAL BAND FEATURES - REVIEWS - GIGS - EVENTS - INTERVIEWS - GAMING - MOVIES + MORE NOV 2011 - issue (11)

MUSIC

THIS IS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL...!!!!!

THE AMORETTES THE BLACK LIGHTS DIRTY ROSE GAMING A S A U T U M N FA L L S HAS PIRACY G I G F LY E R S ‘KILLED’ THE PC? GAME CHARTS SONY SHARP SHOOTER M E TA L G E A R S O L I D HD COLLECTION THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM MOVIES B AT T L E F I E L D 3 MOVIE RELEASES G A M E F LY E R S MOVIE QUIZ WE NEED TO TA L K A B O U T K E V I N STRAW DOGS MONEYBALL MOVIE POSTERS

O U T &A B O U T

Car ting, Bowling, Paintball, I n d o o r g o l f, S k at eb o a r d i n g , BMX, Play areas, museums, fun parks... yada yada yada

www.goguidemagazine.co.uk

CONTENT Contents

With the flood disaster in Tiawan hard drive prices are soaring.

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GAME CHARTS (pg40)

- - - - - - - MUSIC - - - - - - -

Top 10 games across PS3, Xbox and PC.

SONY SHARP SHOOTER - FEATURE (pg41)

Rumours abound about the latest hardware realease from Microsoft.

THIS IS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL...!!!!! - Review

We review 3 of the most ‘rock’ bands around.

METAL GEAR SOLID HD COLLECTION (pg42)

The Amorettes - (pg3)

The MGS franchise releases HD collection.

3 piece all girl rockers flying high.

THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM (pg44)

The Black Lights - (pg3)

Is this the best game of all time?.

They have the look, the songs, the sound.

BATTLEFIELD 3 (pg46)

Dirty Rose (pg4)

Can DICE’s latest offering knock COD of top of the wartime FP Shooters?

Classic heavy rock at its best.

GAME FLYERS (pg46)

As Autumn Falls (pg5)

A little hardcore, a touch of metalcore, a creamy screamo center and a light sprinkling of punk? Mmmm

Posters for some great games released this month.

OUT&ABOUT (pg59) Some great indoor and outdoor stuff to get up to .

GIG FLYERS (pg6)

All the best shows from local venues and bands playing around the area.

- - - - - - - MOVIES - - - - - - -

CLASSIC MOVIE POSTERS (back page)

We take a look back at some classic movie posters.

Who are GOGUIDE...???

MOVIE NEW RELEASES (pg22)

All the new releases in cinemas this month.

MOVIE QUIZ (pg23) (Answers on inside back page)

Straw Dogs - Review (pg24)

Think of The Guard not as a crime thriller, but as an Irish neo-noir western.

We Need To Talk About Kevin - Review (pg25) A movie with kids, but definately not your typical Sunday afternoon family flick..!!!

Moneyball - Review (pg26)

James Wan takes a break from the Saw collection to bring us his new offering ‘Insidious’

GOGUIDE is a local online magazine for the West Lothian area. We are trying to be less focused on local ‘news’ and more a, ‘what’s on’ or ‘happening’ guide to the local area. At the moment we are heavily focused on the whats going on in the local music scene, whats on and good @ the movies and what is happening in the world of PC/Console gaming.

We do have a pretty modern approach to GoGuide content and eventually hope to produce articles on subjects outside our usual stuff such as Clubbing, Internet, Lifestyle, Sport and Fitness etc. www.goguidemagazine.co.uk www.myspace.com/goguide Facebook Search For: GoGuide With the vast majority of our content sourced from local contributors we are always on the lookout for new people to bring onboard to help us provide input to this content hungry mag so if your keen on writing stuff and getting it published in the mag feel free to drop us a message at

MOVIE FLYERS (pg28) Posters for some of the latest movie releases.

- - - - - - - GAMES - - - - - - Has Piracy ‘KILLED’ the PC platform? (pg40)

content@goguidemagazine.co.uk

Click on the orange page number link to go to that page.

Although we hope to provide as much correct information as possible before uploading some details on these pages may be subject to change - please check online or with each location directly for fully up to date information.

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MUSIC

Feature

T

he Amorettes are an all female trio of the classic rock and roll persuasion. The band recently released their first ten track album “Haulin’ Ass” which received 8/10 from Classic Rock Magazine last year.

THIS IS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL...!!!!!

Plucked straight out of the Joan Jett school of rock these girls have been gigging pretty solidly since March 2009 and have shared bills with the likes of W.A.S.P in November 2010 and soon to be seen alongside The Datsuns in August and L.A. Guns in September and even a slot at Hard Rock Hell Festival in December !!! See the bands facebook/myspace pages for FULL details of those dates.

Van Halen’s non stop energy and the deafening power of Airbourne to grind out a super cool blend of charged rock ‘n’ roll. These girls are ‘here to prove they mean business’ www.myspace.com/theamorettes

With JJ and the Blackhearts as an obvious comparison The Amorettes are also pulling on ‘DC’s fat riffs, fest of guitar, drum and bass awash with rousing sing-along chorus and stabbed in the heart with killer licks that any signed band would be proud of.

Live the band are well worth a look and as a result have over the years picked up a large following and have supported outfits such as GUN, Black Spiders, Slaves To Gravity and the mighty Anvil to name but a few.

The debut album, ‘Rock Awesome’, was released in August 2010 and the band has also appeared on the cover CD of Issue 150 of Classic Rock Magazine.

T

he Black Lights know what good classic rock sounds like, they know, and they want it…. Since 2006 they have been scouring the land in search of just what it takes to get ‘that’ sound and to write ‘those’ songs. I can say that after the odd line-up change and many miles gigging across the UK and many

www.myspace.com/theblacklightsrock

hours rehearsing I’d say the guys have done well in their quest and come pretty damn close to that PERFECT blend needed for a great Rock Band…

With influences across AC/DC , KISS, The Wildhearts, Slade and Guns ‘n’ Roses to name but a few The Black Lights bring us a sleazy, ballsy grit NOV 2011 - issue (11)

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MUSIC

Feature

D

irty Rose are a classic sounding 3 piece heavy metal band from the local area who were formed about 4 years ago. With influences ranging across from classic metal bands like Megadeth, W.A.S.P, Black Sabbath, Saxon, Iron Maiden and a sound reminisant of early Motorhead.

i suppose?

Since forming in 2007 Dirty Rose have played gigs all over the UK and have opened for the likes of GUN, Heavens Basement, Viking Skull, Zico Chain, Voodoo Six and Baptized In Blood. They have also had the pleasure of gracing the UK festivals circuit with appearances on Hammerfest III with the likes of Accept, Entomed, Satyricon, Wolf, Evile and also the ‘Rock of Ages’

The band also featured on the front cover cd of UK metal magazine ‘Terrorizer’ and recieve regular airplay on radio stations such as Rock Radio Scotland.

New EP ‘Pestilence And Revelaions’ is out now and features tracks like ‘Bite The Hand That Feeds’, ‘Straight From Hell’, ‘Living Society’s Disease’ and ‘Time For Change’

After listening to a few tracks its clear to see that Dirty Rose have a thunderous sound going on. Turn the volume up on the stereo (or MP3 player for the younger readers) and their driving rock sound simply smashes you in the head repeatedly until you find it bobbing a little, then a bit more, then before you know it your in full on head banger mode with your rock horns high in the sky... just a little catchy Page 4

festival back in 2009 where they strutted their stuff with Praying Mantis, Marya Roxx, Powerquest and House of Lords. December this year will see the guys support Blaze Bayley (ex Iron Maiden) on his Scottish dates at Bannermans (Edinbugh) and Ivory Blacks (Glasgow)

Check out the full EP listing and gig dates etc @ www.dirtyrose.net

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MUSIC

Feature

AAF - (Left to right) Jamie, Sean, Ali, Jamie and Beattie

...

As Winter falls... as Spring falls... as Summer falls

As Autumn Falls...

A

s Autumn Falls are a five-piece post hardcore band with members hailing from Edinburgh, Blackburn and Livingston.

Initially life for AAF began as local pop/punk band Redundant. Through gigging locally they amassed a pretty large local fanbase while most of them were still at school. With a few years gigging, a couple of lineup changes, a heavier screamo/ hardcore sound and finally a name change under their belt they have mature into one of the best local bands in their genre. With a reputation for extremely energetic live shows the band now spend most of their time gigging in Edinburgh, Glasgow and touring throughout GB so catching them at a local show is a rarity. The band have shared stages with the likes of Azriel, Maths, Young Guns, While She Sleeps, Bury Tomomorrow, The

Casino Brawl and Shadows Chasing Ghosts and played in most of the best Scottish venues. In 2010 8 track EP ‘This City’s Not Alive’ was

released, a stonking collection of raw and explosive tunes where you initially like one track, then after a few listens it changes to another, then to another the more you listen.

Pity the guys have stopped making this EP as its quite a gem. 2011 saw AAF with another lineup change

with new guitarist Sean arriving on the scene and then the release of their 2nd EP ‘Seeing Is Believing’. A little darker offering than the ‘City EP’ it does take a few more listens through for someone who isn’t a true hardcore fan before the tracks shine through so bear with it and you won’t be disappointed. ‘Seeing’ is chock full of sledgehammer aggression, beatdowns, drops and not forgetting a good measure of the hooks that I love. Lyrically they don’t really beat about the bush either with vocalist and lyrics man Ali’s topics covering religion, war and politics to name but a few.

Catch them live if you can....!!!

The ‘Seeing Is Believing’ EP is still available for FREE through the AAF website and i’m sure if you really wanted a copy of the ‘This City’s Not Alive’ EP you could ask really really nicely.... www.myspace.com/asautumfalls

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MOVIES

NEW RELEASES THIS MONTH IN SELECTED CINEMAS NOW !!!!!

Tower Heist / Universal (15) Straw Dogs / Sony Pictures (18) In Time / 20th Century Fox (12A) The Future / Picturehouse Entertainment (12A) Machine Gun Preacher / Lionsgate UK (15) Weekend / Pecadillo Pictures (18) The Human Centipede 2 / Bounty Films (18) Arthur Christmas (3D) / Sony Pictures (U) Snow Flower and the Secret Fan / 20th Century Fox (12A) Jack Goes Boating / Trinity Filmed Entertainment (15) Oslo, August 31st / Soda Pictures (15) Junkhearts / Soda Pictures (15) The Awakening / StudioCanal (15) The Big Year / 20th Century Fox (PG) Immortals (3D) / Universal (15) Wuthering Heights / Artificial Eye (15) The Rum Diary / Entertainment (15) Tabloid / Dogwoof (15) Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn / Entertainment One UK (12A) Justice / Momentum Pictures (15) 50/50 / Lionsgate UK (15) Snowtown / Revolver (18) The Deep Blue Sea / Artificial Eye (12A) Wanderlust / Universal Pictures (15) Moneyball / Sony Pictures (12A) Take Shelter / The Works (15) My Week With Marilyn / Entertainment (15) We Were Here / Pecadillo Pictures (TBC) Resistance / Metrodome (PG)

Some details are subject to change - please check online or with cinema directly for latest information.

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MOVIES GG QUIZ

1

WE HAVE REMOVED THE ACTORS FROM THESE MOVIE STILLS - CAN YOU GUESS THE MOVIES...???

2

4

3

5 on Answers ck inside ba page !

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MOVIES Review

Director: Rod Lurie Cast: Alexander Skarsgard, Dominic Purcell, James Marsden, James Woods, Kate Bosworth, Laz Alonso

StrawDogs

I

n 1971 Sam Peckinpah’s tale of a typical man finding his inner beast to survive an attack of intense violence was granted an X certificate on it cinema release. Due to its graphic and dark nature, featuring strong rape, emasculation and an explicit revenge sequence it was then banned on video from 1988 until 2002. Straw Dogs started a long debate focusing around on-screen violence in movies that would not be helped by the arrival of Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange a couple of months later.

This Rod Lurie 2011 remake moves the action from dreary Cornwall to sultry Mississippi but remains faithful to the original storyline and the level of violence which although graphic in nature is done with a little more Hollywood sparkle that the original or maybe it is simply that this type of violence is now an integral part of a large part of modern Page 24

mainstream movies.

but I would have preferred a little

The stories run fairly close to each other apart from a couple of theatrical sub-plots. Screenwriter David Sumner (James Marsden), takes on the role made famous by Dustin Hoffman’s mathematician and TVactress wife Amy (Kate Bosworth), revives Susan George’s role playing the actress returning back from her successful TV career to the village where she grew up.

The problems begin when, no sooner have they settled into their large house in the countryside, they find themselves the point of interest for a gang of redneck locals led by Amy’s macho ex, Charlie (Alexander Skarsgård), who acts with a bucket load of fake politeness and six pack.

The story is a pretty slow-burner for the most part builds the ‘city again country’ and ‘Ex v Current’ boyfriend/husband aspect through the middle portion of the movie before the eventual final stages leading to the violent standoff and stand out final act. This remake has much to applaud, not least Bosworth’s gritty and stern portrayal of Amy and Marsden performance is also fine NOV 2011 - issue (11)

less of a macho man for the role as is would have added more to the final climatic ‘do something’ moments of the movie.

I would say this is one of the better remakes of late and has been made with care and consideration of both the original and of recent movie styles. Well worth a look.

GGG

MOVIES We Need To Talk

About Kevin

Review

DIRECTOR: Lynne Ramsey CAST: Tilda Swinton, John C Reilly, Ezra Miller, Jasper Newell, Rock Duer, Siobhan Fallon

W

e Need To Talk About Kevin is superbly directed and brilliantly written. It is a moving, challenging and emotionally disturbing story with a stunning performance from Tilda Swinton as central character Eva. Directed by Lynne Ramsay (Ratcatcher), the movie is based on the award-winning 2003 novel by Lionel Shriver. The story revolves around a woman who is struggling to rebuild her life in the wake of a horrific, community-shattering crime committed by her 15 year old son Kevin (Ezra Miller). As she visits Kevin in jail, Eva flashes back to the events that led up to his crime and struggles over her own part in his childhood upbringing asking herself if she is in some way partly to blame because she resented him as a child and was unable to bond with him as

a mother?

Swinton is awesome as Eva, and bring us an emotionally straining performance that is distressing to witness. Ezra Miller offers us an unsettling performance as Kevin, malicious, almost inhumanly evil that is genuinely disturbing (Rock Duer is also just as good as the young Kevin), while John C. Reilly holds his own as Eva’s unaware and wellmeaning husband Franklin. Ursula Parker delivers a charming opposite as Kevin’s markedly non-evil younger sibling Lucy.

The script was adapted from the original Shriver’s novel by Ramsay and Rory Kinnear and is wonderfully achieved using a splintered story. The editing is similarly impressive with Ramsay choosing to leave certain details off-screen to powerful effect.

The movie is shot with a bold visual style and stunning cinematography that sees the use of disturbing reds splashes throughout the flashback NOV 2011 - issue (11)

scenes echoing the red paint that Eva is trying to remove from the front of her house in the current day time line. The lack of dialogue throughout works well, with the camera regularly concentrated on Swinton’s haunted eyes and pale face to great effect.

Brilliantly directed and superbly acted, We Need to Talk About Kevin is a thought provoking drama that packs a devastatingly emotional punch. If you like this type of movie you will defo be pleased with this… one of the best films of the year.

GGGG PAGE 25

MOVIES Review

A

s sports movies go ‘Moneyball’ is in there with everything that any other one has, the drama of winning or losing, threats to jobs, rooting for the underdogs etc. etc.

But there is something else about this movie that stands it out from the rest. It seems to come at things from a different angle to most other.

It sees the game as a financial problem and one that many modern day large scale football teams in the UK have been experiencing in the last 5 years or so.

Brad Pitt is back to his best, playing Coach Billy Beane, with a movie that everyone can enjoy. It never tries too hard and before you know it you are involved in the story nicely without realising, making for a very entertaining movie with a sense of belief, teamwork, allegiance and aspiration at its heart.

The film is an adaptation of Michael Lewis’ non-fiction book of the same name and the action begins at game 5 of the American League Divisional Page 26

MONEY Series between the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees. The loser goes home and the A’s lose. The point of emphasis, however, isn’t the loss, but the $39 million Athletics roster vs. the $114 million Yankees.

Like we have been seeing here in the UK, money buys talent and the A’s are fully aware of that fact as their team is gutted of its best players as a consequence of losing the game.

With a budget $75 million less than most of the other clubs, Coach Beane is fighting a losing battle, unless he can come up with a plan on how to improve his team and not spend a bucket of money.

Trying a new method Beane hires Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), a Yale economics graduate that has a cookie idea that he has cracked the code to building a successful baseball team.

His radical approach is mathematical at the lowest level and is all about the percentages, on base percentages to be specific. The film follows Beane’s radical decision to adopt Brand’s methodology preaching an “adapt or die” motto that’s either going to end his professional career or make him a baseball legend.

Pitt and the rest of the cast pull off their characters with flawless ease NOV 2011 - issue (11)

Director: Bennett Miller.

Cast: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Kathryn Morris, Chris Pratt.

YBALL

and are all believable throughout the movie. In particular Pitt delivers a performance that can easily go unnoticed because his actions are subtle and understated. There are a few explosive moments, but even they can be clearly seen as necessary in advancing the story and building a connection with the movie.

Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright,

Jonah Hill, despite his comic roots, is the perfect partner to Pitt and both are seen to carry the kind of subdued roles that bring a different dynamic to the movie when they’re onscreen. I suppose it is perhaps an example of an actor not needing to play way over the top to substantiate the fact that they can act. If anything it’s even harder to connect with a character and make them seem genuine, which is what Hill and Pitt have achieved here.

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Robin Wright only plays a small part in the movie as Beane’s ex-wife but this allows the side story that involves his 12-year-old daughter to play out and lets us see another layer to his character rather than simply portraying him as an ex-jock and current general manager of the A’s, although only small to leave this area out of the story would weaken Beane as a character. With it we learn he’s not only passionate about his job, but also a good father but without detracting from the main impetus of the movie.

Moneyball is just a great uplifting movie and so it’s hard to not enjoy it as a movie fan.

GGGG PAGE 27

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GAMING

Piracy KILLED PC versions of ‘I Am Alive’ and ‘Ghost Recon: Future Soldier’...!!!

bisoft has pointed the finger squarely at PC games pirates for their decision not to do PC versions of ‘Ghost Recon: Future Soldier’ and their downloadable disaster title ‘I Am Alive’.

take 12 guys three months to port the game to PC, it’s not a massive cost but it’s still a cost. If only 50,000 people buy the game then it’s not worth it.”

U

Stanislas Mettra, creative director on I Am Alive said: “We’ve heard loud and clear that PC gamers are bitching about there being no version for them. But are these people just making noise just because there’s no version or because it’s a game they actually want to play? Would they buy it if we made it?”

“It’s hard because there’s so much piracy and so few people are paying for PC games that we have to precisely weigh it up against the cost of making it. Perhaps it will only

Mettra went on to say in a separate report that they are looking into the feasibility of a PC version of I Am Alive so it is not entirely ruled out yet.

PC games not really worth the effort anymore?

Ghost Recon producer Sebastien Arnoult explained their reason behind the absence of Future Soldier on the PC: “When we started Ghost Recon Online we were thinking about Ghost Recon: Future Solider; having something ported in the classical way without any deep development, because we know that 95% of our consumers will pirate the game. So we said okay, we have to

GG GAMES CHARTS GG GAMES CHARTS

The Top 10 games for Playstation, Xbox and PC as voted by GoGuide

The Top 10 games for Playstation, Xbox and PC as voted by GoGuide2

no. 13 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception Battlefield 3 FIFA 12 Batman: Arkham City Pro Evolution 2012 F1 2011 Sonic Generations GoldenEye: Reloaded

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Battlefield 3 FIFA 12 Forza Motorsport 4 Batman: Arkham City Kinect Sports: Season Two Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure Gears of War 3 Rage

Battlefield 3 FIFA 12 Batman: Arkham City Forza Motorsport 4 Kinect Sports: Season Two Sonic Generations Gears of War 3 F1 2011 Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure GoldenEye: Reloaded

PS3

Uncharted 3 Battlefield 3 FIFA 12 Batman: Arkham City F1 2011 Sonic Generations Pro Evolution 2012 GoldenEye: Reloaded Gran Turismo 5 Deus Ex: Human Revolution no. 10

X-BOX

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PC

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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Football Manager 2012 Battlefield 3 The Sims 3: Pets The Sims 3 The Sims 3: Generations Rage The Sims 3: Late Night LA Noire

Football Manager 2012 Battlefield 3 Deus Ex: Human Revolution The Sims 3: Pets The Sims 3 The Sims 3: Generations World of Warcraft: Cataclysm The Sims 3: Late Night The Sims: Medieval Rage

PC

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

So with what appears to be so many PC owners NOT paying for the actual product anymore, and avenues for companies to only create consoles games are the pirates actually killing the PC platform? What if all developers decide to move to a console only catalogue… would that be the death nail for PC Gaming???

X-BOX

PS3

change our mind. To the users that are traditionally playing the game by getting it through Pirate Bay, we said, ‘Okay, go ahead guys. This is what you’re asking for. We’ve listened to you we’re giving you this experience.

It’s easy to download, there’s no DRM that will pollute your experience.’

We’re adapting the offer to the PC market. I don’t like to compare PC and Xbox boxed products because they have a model on that platform that is clearly meant to be 60 EUR worth of super-Hollywood content.

On PC, we’re adapting our model to the demand.”

GAMING PlayStation®Move Sony Sharp Shooter

I

Review

t might be unexpected but I think the Sharp Shooter, Sony’s new PlayStation Move add-on, is pretty much great. It came to me as a surprise, after my experience with so many under par Wii peripherals, but this is one add-on you might just fancy having a closer look at.

I have u s e d a couple of shooting attachments and a few elements that continually separates these units are Digital Button Mapping. Your typical trigger devices and button passthrough can be effective to some degree but they can be prone to a selection of different issues such as input delay, imprecise button sensing and of course wearing out.

With an on-board processor and direct digital connectivity with the Move controller via its mini USB port, the Sharp Shooter is pretty much resistant to a lot of these problems.

Looking like an MP5 submachine gun the Sharp Shooter locks the Move controller into the barrel and the navigation controller into a dedicated holder that is held between the clip and the barrel. Once in place, users can access all of the Move’s functions through buttons mapped along the grip and base of the gun. Just above the trigger on either side of the gun, you can find square and triangle action buttons, and a shot burst switch, which if a game supports it, will allow players to switch between

single shot, multi-shot, and full automatic bursts. Just below the trigger is a Move button, with a variety of functions depending on the game. Not digitally mapped however, are the functions of the navigation controller so games that involve its use will have players gripping it within the holder.

A great feature of the navigation cradle and the associated grip along the barrel is that you can now cock it like you would a shotgun. This has two uses depending on the game you’re playing at the time, in one it will act as a fire button in another it will reload the gun. Vibration feedback and the adjustable shoulder stock add to the overall usability of the device making the experience more immersive and using the Sharp Shooter for long periods more comfy.

Coming from SCEA, the quality of the device is, as expected, pretty high standard, aesthetically it kind of leans towards the other side of the coin with an overall pretty dull and drab appearance. The build looks like it will stand up well to the usual range of wear and tear.

The Sharp Shooter is remarkably effective in the execution stakes and quickly starts to feel natural and fluid after a while. Although it can’t quite reach the precision of a standard controller it is certainly one of the best shooting attachments on the market.

If you’re a fan of shooters and you want to use the PlayStation Move?

Then the Sharp Shooter is the only way to go.

With digital b u t t o n mapping, a rock-hard d e s i g n , and most i m p o r ta n t l y a game that uses it NOV 2011 - issue (11)

Key Features...

Official PlayStation®Move sharp shooter attachment perfect for PlayStation®Move compatible shooter games.

Authentic design for precise and intuitive gameplay.

Easily accessible buttons Digital trigger for quick attack Additional buttons for further engagement -Firing mode selector -Pump-action grip -Reload button Adjustable shoulder stock for increased comfort.

Includes KILLZONE 3 and SOCOM 4 sticker set

effectively. At £34.99 (Amazon.co.uk) it’s an appealing addition to your arsenal.

GGG

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GAMING Review

H

aving played most, if not all, of the Metal Gear Solid games (might have missed a few expansions along the way) I wasn’t overly excited about playing the latest HD versions. I do recall however many a long night sat up to 3 in the morning bashing my way through Sons of Liberty which for me is still one of the best games of all time.

So although not high on the list of purchases I still found a hankering to drop in and purchase the new title, fully named as the ‘Metal Gear Solid HD Collection’ and here we are a few weeks later and it is time for a few words on said title.

This redone collection of titles from the franchise, according to the box, includes Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker in an attempt to bring together these classic games from 3 different consoles over to 1 in a way that allows even more gamers to see them in all their glory without the need for anything more that their PS3/XBOX. Forget what the box says though as you are in actual fact getting a lot more than even the box suggests. You are getting the directors cuts of the Playstation 2 versions of both Sons of Liberty and Snake Eater and, with what been done graphically to tweak these for our next generation consoles, they are looking better than they ever have before.

The addition of the 500 VR / Alternate Missions from the special edition Substance release also provides Page 42

METAL GEA enough added content that is really should be classed as a separate game in its own right. The release also contains the two games that started the series on the Japanese MSX2 and these conversions are only available in this collection.

So wait, let’s do a recap, the HD Collection includes: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001) - Substance Edition including the 5 Snake Tales, 350 VR Missions and 150 Alternate Missions.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2005) – Subsistence Edition includes the new user controlled 3rd person perspective camera and conversions of the MSX2 games Metal Gear (1987) and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (1990) Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010) - Ported from PSP So apart from a few online modes and some of the more comedic content you are getting a massive chunk of the Metal Gear franchise in one box at a simply fantastic price. For the most part the only title missing in its entirety is the original Metal Gear Solid which was released way back on the original Playstation. This does make appreciating the overlying story and game universe a little challenging if you like that aspect of games.

However, you get a grip on things using documents covering the initial MGS story from the Special menu of MGS2.

From a review perspective it’s difficult not to cover old ground here as the MGS titles have been reviewed to death on their subsequent releases so from a gameplay, graphics, features aspect it’s pretty redundant other than to say that the tweaks and porting from other devices has been done really well and any improvements only add to the enjoyment of the gamer. One good aspect is that you will find NOV 2011 - issue (11)

AR SOLID HD COLLECTION

your new PS3/Xbox will play each of the titles with no glitching, stuttering, tearing and super smooth framerates which all add to the experience.

With little to say about story or characters that gamers new to the titles can find out in better detail online I suppose one of the main aspects of this HD collection is whether new gamers would/ should pick it up. It is, I suppose, a double edged sword some of the earlier titles do lag way behind today’s modern titles for gameplay with their heavy reliance on cut scenes. On the other hand the games are incredibly easy to pick up and get used to on both PS3 and Xbox controllers. Some of the games also have camera controls that are not too far removed from what we see in modern day titles.

The only real game that suffers most is Metal Gear Solid 2, as it uses a top-down perspective which on occasion places you in positions that are not to your best advantage from a camera perspective.

Even with some titles showing signs of age its hard not to recom-

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mend this collection for either fans or newbies as you are getting some of the best games to come out in the past 10-15 years or so in one collection. These are games that have defined themselves in terms of storytelling and in taking games to the level of art forms and not just a as something to play on a cold rainy night. These are the games that any serious gamer is happy to point out in their game library. It would be almost criminal not to own this piece of gaming history.

GGG

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GAMING Review

I

n The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim you battle against dragons, and yes these confrontations will no doubt be exhilarating but there is something a little different is at play here. The decisions and roads you take in Skyrim may just take you on an adventure that far surpasses the excitement generated by such battles.

A wandering side quest that begins as perhaps a fleeting diversion can flip you over and become a full-fledged epic that could easily be the main storyline in a few other developers’ titles.

Skyrim is yet another massive fantasy RPG from a developer that revels in bring these type of delights to your PC or console. It brings you a world that can easily drain weeks if not months of your time as you meticulously scrutinise each and every nook and cranny for yet another secrets that might just lead you somewhere completely different. Like a lot of Bethesda Softworks’ games this title is not without its problems, Page 44

glitches or infuriating quirks with many of them not unexpected from seasoned Elder Scrolls fans. They are however a very small price to pay for the wonders of a game that is so big and captivating.

Skyrim is what it is because its whole is way more than its individual parts; each element carefully contributes to the overall feel and experience you have in the game.

The game is so large that at points you have so much to do in your quest log that it becomes an joy to wonder at the offerings and choices at any given time.

You could simply play out the story line which does weave a considerable tale that casts you as a ‘dragonborn’, with the soul of a dragon emanating from within you. Your character is the key to discovering why dragons are back in town, terrorizing cities. The story does have you battling dragons but also an awful lot more in your search to find a key figure long thought dead.

It’s a well-crafted story that makes excellent use of the dragon concept and although you may come across semi repeated areas or scenes, overall, every task has a great sense of context, and wonders do lurk around most corners.

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Standard spells come in the typical forms of magicka; Destruction, Conjuration, Alteration etc.

You can double up spells with say a ‘ball of fire’ in one hand and a ‘summon’ at ready in the other.

You start the game in the usual manner with creating your character by initially selecting a race from the usual Elder Scrolls stalwarts; Dark Elf, Breton, Argonian, and so on, however, you do not choose a class. The developers have went for a method where your skill level with weapons, magicka schools, speech, and so on is directed principally by how you play the game.

It is a complicated system to explain so I won’t go into it in great detail but believe me It is frankly a great

levelling system that really does construct itself around how you play the game. The act of levelling up is a pleasure because of the smooth interface that imagines perks as stars in constellations which is a dream compared to previous title Oblivion’s awkward interface.

Although an amazing game on console one of the best things about playing Skyrim on a PC is that, in addition to the graphical superiority; consoles just can’t get anywhere near as good as playing something at 1920x1200 with Ultra settings on, the modding community can actually correct the little bugs and idiosyncrasies faster than the developers can. Look past the inevitable nude mods etc. and you will

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see high-res texture packs, patches to fix blocky faces, interface tweaks, and much more.

Overall Skyrim doesn’t rely solely on the sheer scale of the game to earn its stripes.

It isn’t even that there is just so much that you can do: it’s actually because most of what you do is so very, very good.

Bethesda Softworks have managed to create something probably should come with a government warning as you are in real danger of seeing vast amounts of time vanishing right before your eyes.

GGGGG

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GAMING Review

I

t has been six years since the last Battlefield game, which is a pretty long time between sequels by anyone’s standard, and there are many, many reasons why Battlefield 3 is such an important release in the current games climate. On the surface it is looking close to being the first real contender to the throne of Call of Duty’s strong hold on the wartime FPS genre.

BF3 is the only proper big budget title released in 2011 that has the PC firmly as its lead platform. Sure cynics could say that it is simply being used as a test bed for a new engine to be rolled out on upcoming next gen consoles, but PC gamers are the ones who are revelling in Page 46

how wonderful it is to be top of the tree. Battlefield 3 really does feels like a glimpse of what the next gen of gaming might be like.

At the hardest setting BF3 gamers could probably zip through the campaign mode in say 12 hours and thus i would say Dice still have a lot to learn from COD’s Infinity Ward. Dice also seem to have a better knaWck of blending real epic flashes into their titles with the over the top set pieces that has enabled Call of Duty to stamp its mark on gamers brains.

Although, I have to say, on the hardest settings there is many times when blasting through sections it is often more luck than skill that gets you through to the end. It’s not that the campaign mode is bad, I suppose it’s just that it’s, well, just very good, not great, just very good.

Things go from very good to simply great when you enter the game’s co-op mode, which unfortunately is over way too quickly. Basically you get six missions and when set on NOV 2011 - issue (11)

normal you should easily zip through them all in just 2-3 hours. Punching the dial up a notch to hard does see the difficulty level jump tremendously and does help to make the experience last longer. The missions included are pretty great. Mission 1 has you and a pal fly over-watch in a Cobra, and probably one of the best co-op levels I have ever played, a sniping mission dead in the heart of Paris.

The campaign and co-op modes are great on their own but let’s face it the real reason most people will purchase BF3 is for the multiplayer mode. And I can tell you that it’s here that the game truly rules and makes every other FPS out there (yes that’s right COD) appear positively antiquated.

Unlike BF 2, 3 now includes the best features of Bad Company; environmental destruction, as well as Rush.

So although we have played these modes before; 64 player conquest, 32 player Rush, full destruction, and

vehicular mayhem including jets and choppers, we have simply never seen them in all crammed together in one immense package. Well Tada… here they are and looking better than any other game on the market.

Along with all the other features and modes in BF3 we must mention the wonders of Battlelog. No longer do gamers looking for a multiplayer experience need to start the game before searching for servers; the multiplayer tab lists all of the game servers seconds after opening up your chosen browser. Even more remarkable is the excellent integration of the social aspects of the application that allow you to do stuff like compare your detailed stats with all of your pals or deal with and clan stuff you need to do. Battlelog even has its own VOIP client, so your shared gamers can communicate despite the game’s lack of any built-in

VOIP. It is an impressive piece of kit that affords yet more ammo for any COD Elite critics.

BF 3 is a huge game by anyone’s standards, with a great singleplayer, substantial co-op and immense multiplayer modes it delivers more content than a large number of today’s other top titles put together.

The COD team’s opinion is that a game’s engine isn’t really important when it comes to developing a game; Dice think they know better and a strong engine does matter, and in Frostbite 2.0 they have created something truly powerful. Sure it might not be as good as some engines out there when you compare environmental details, but it leaves them struggling in every other area.

It is amazing how it can render such large locations with such detail, and be lit by the most realistic lighting ever seen in any game I have played.

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Not to leave anything out BF3 also raises the bar with Dice’s magnificent HDR audio which quite frankly delivers the best in game sound I have heard. Of course this means that as a game it sort of demands a good set of speakers and soundcard to get the best from it.

The unlock, or rewards system if you want to call it that, of Battlefield 3’s multiplayer mode has also had a major revamp. Dice has brought gamers bucket loads of toys to unlock with each weapon in the game having ten different unlocks alone, and that’s without looking at the vehicle gadgets and standalone stuff.

BF3 is a truly enormous undertaking and with its fantastic multiplayer mode takes it very close to being the must-have wartime FPS of the year.

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OUTABOUT &

IN WEST LOTHIAN

Funtastic Fantasy Golf Limited

Miniature golf arena but it’s one with a difference it’s BLACK-LIGHT UV which means that not only do the 3D prop’s glow in the dark but also the golf balls and art work on the wall do too. This facility is a fantastic family day out for all ages & abilities with a cafe that sell homemade food made onsite at their cafe ‘Dino Bites’

Mon - Sun: 10:00 am - 10:00 pm 3 St Andrews Way, Livingston, EH54 8HQ 07935 576943

Racing Karts Racing Karts quickly established itself as a force in Indoor Kart Racing due to its attention to safety, cleanliness and customer satisfaction.

They like to call themselves ‘The Friendly Circuit’ www.racingkarts.co.uk Times: Booking required - call to arrange Arrol Square, Deans Industrial Estate, Livingston, EH54 8QZ 01506 410123

Livingston Skate Park

The Livingston Skatepark opened in 1981, at a time when most commercial skateparks were closing and was one of the most important facilities in Britain during a critical period in the development of skateboarding. It is an example of a free, unsupervised facility which achieved international status.

Daylight access all year round FREE 16 Northwood Park, Opposite Almondvale Shopping Centre, Livingston, EH54 6HR

Deer Park Ten Pin Bowling Deer Park Bowling Centre is a 16 Lane Bowling Centre with the capacity to hold 128 bowlers. There is a bar and food served throughout. At ‘Late night Glow Bowling’ the lights are dimmed and the lanes come alive with GLOW IN THE DARK, ULTRA VIOLET lighting effects and music. www.deer-park.co.uk Mon-Thur: 4pm-10pm / Fri: 12pm-midnight / Sat: 10am-midnight / Sun: 10am-10pm Golf Course Road, Livingston, EH54 8AB - 01506 446699 NOV 2011 - issue (11)

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OUTABOUT &

IN WEST LOTHIAN

Delta Force Paintball

Delta Force Paintball provides world class paintballing in Scotland. In addition to the scenery, incredible game zones provide players with an adrenalin-fuelled day of paintball action all year round. www.paintballgames.co.uk Weekends + 1 Weekday - check online for details Off Burnhouse Road, Dechmont, Livingston, EH49 6PL 0844 477 5050

Go Ape - Beecraigs It’s not in the dictionary, but if it was, Go Ape would be described as a ‘tree top adventure’. A dollop of breathtaking scenery; a smattering of tree-top wires, crossings and wind-in-your-face zip wires; finished off with a liberal dose of people in search of their inner Tarzan. www.goape.co.uk Check Web Site for opening times and bookings The Park Centre, Beecraigs Country Park, Linlithgow EH49 6PL 0845 643 9215

Five Sisters Zoo

The Five Sisters Zoo was established in 2005 and is the only wildlife attraction centre in West Lothian. With over 100 different species of animals, birds and reptiles from all around the world your visit will be a fun, enjoyable and educational one - all ages. www.fivesisterszoo.co.uk Open 7 Days a week - 10am - 6pm (5pm Winter half of year) Gavieside, West Calder, EH55 8PT 01506 871 111

Overboard Soft Play Overboard Soft Play is an exciting indoor Soft Play and entertainment venue for kids aged 0-11 yrs. They have it all, from chutes to ball pits to go-karts to ball cannons. With an underwater theme and seperate play zones for different age groups and abilities, your children are sure to have a great time from the minute they arrive until it’s time to go home. www.overboardsoftplay.com Wed - Sun: 10:15 am - 6:00 pm 3 St Andrews Way, Livingston, EH54 8HQ - 01506 873888 Page 62

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The Bennie Museum

The Bennie Museum opened in 1989 as a museum of Bathgate’s history and life. It is run entirely by volunteers under the management of a Charitable Trust. It has been commended by the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions. www.benniemuseum.org.uk 11am - 4pm (Apr to Sep) & 11am -3.30pm (Oct to Mar) - FREE 9-11 Mansefield Street, Bathgate, EH48 4HU 01506 634944

Almond Valley Heritage Trust, Almond Valley is operated as a popular leisure destination that appeals to a diverse audience and promotes learning through discovery, family interaction and play. We also operate a formal education programme. www.almondvalley.co.uk Millfield, Livingston, EH54 7AR 01506 414957

The Garage Skatepark

Stu Graham and co have decided to open a new skateshop at The Garage Skatepark in Livingston! The shop is still in it’s early stages but should be open for business right now.

FACEBOOK: The Garage Indoor Skate Park Mon - Sat: 10am - 10pm - Sun: 10am - 8pm 5D Grange Road, Houston Industrial Estate, EH54 5DE

Bankhead Mountainball Like many ‘extreme’ sports, Zorbing, Orbing or Sphereing was created in New Zealand back in 1994. The concept is quite simple, you build a human sphere which can accommodate up to two fully grown adults, secure them inside then let them roll down a hill in it (hamsters have been exercised for many years in a very similar way!) www.bankheadmountainball.co.uk Contact for opening hours Bankhead Farm, Dechmont, Broxburn, EH52 6NB 01506 811209

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MOVIES

GG QUIZ ANSWERS

1

Chapter 27

2

s

Bedtime Storie

3

Clash of the Titans

4

Anchor

man

5

Resident Evil ‘Afterlife’

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CLASSIC MOVIE POSTERS 101

White Christmas is a 1954 Technicolor musical film starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye that features the songs of Irving Berlin, including the titular “White Christmas�. The film was directed by Michael Curtiz and co-stars Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. The film is notable as being the first to be produced and released in VistaVision, a wide-screen process that entailed using twice the surface area of standard 35mm film. This large-area negative was used to yield finer-grained standard-sized 35 mm film prints.

After leaving the Army after W.W.II, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis team up to become a top song-and-dance act. Davis plays matchmaker and introduces Wallace to a pair of beautiful sisters (Betty and Judy) who also have a song-anddance act. When Betty and Judy travel to a Vermont lodge to perform a Christmas show, Wallace and Davis follow, only to find their former commander, General Waverly, is the lodge owner. A series of romantic mix-ups ensue as the performers try to help the General.

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