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20th Century Fox saved the best for last! All female led films are at the forefront of cinema right now, after the well received Oceans 8 earlier this year, continiuing in this tradition is 20th Century Fox completely slaying in films this year with Steve McQueen’s Widows. The film is led by Viola Davis and was written by Gillian Flynn, author of the incredible Gone Girl and Sharp Objects. Yeah, you know you are in good hands with this mix! The film never fails to disappoint with an interesting premise, outstanding performances and direction delivering one of the best films of 2018 just before the Christmas season. Veronica (Viola Davis) must face the after math of the death of her husband Harry (Liam Neeson) and plans he leaves her to complete a heist to ensure she has enough money to live. To pull this off she recruits Alice (Elizabeth Debicki), Linda (Michelle Rodriguez) and Belle (Jacki Weaver). To top it off they also have to pay off a gang of thugs who are being controlled by the man. The cast is one of the strongest thing about this film, they are diverse and fiercely fantastic in their roles. Davis is definitely the standout with how she handles her grief and the lengths she knows she has to go to to be free. Debicki is entertaining as a white trash yankee, far from the Aussie girl we know. Rodriguez surprises as she doesn’t play the hollow afction supporting character she has been lumped with for so
many years, and it is extremely refreshing to see her in a completely different genre. I don’t often use the phrase Oscar winning peformances, but all 3 of these roles could be serious contenders and I really find myself surprised to say that, particularly about Rodriguez.
The cast is one of the strongest thing about this film, they are diverse and fiercely fantastic in their roles. Davis is definitely the standout with how she handles her grief and the lengths she knows she has to go to to be free. Debicki is entertaining as a white trash yankee, far from the Aussie girl we know. Rodriguez surprises as she doesn’t play the hollow afction supporting character she has been lumped with for so many years, and it is extremely refreshing to see her in a completely different genre. I don’t often use the phrase Oscar winning peformances, but all 3 of these roles could be serious contenders and I really find myself surprised to say that, particularly about Rodriguez.
Review by Leithal
The direction from McQueen delivers some of his best work. You may remember McQueen from the Oscar winning 12 Years A Slave, is definitely giving us strong messages in this. In particular one scene that traverses through a low socio economic area with Colin Farrell’s character in a limo transitioning into leafy green suburbia. The angle of the camera and the dialogue are deliberate and are effective. The film starts out as a pretty dsimple revenge story but expertly evolves into a well observed look at the state of the world today. There are e times where its subtle and then not so subtle and the way it plays out is spectacular to watch on screen. d Widows is the biggest surprise of the year. 20th Century Fox have given us some of the best films of the year with Bohemain Rhapsody, Bad Times At The El Royale and now Widows. The film not only delivers an incredible story and premise but is held up by outstanding performances and some of the best direction and writing seen on screen this year. Make sure this is the movie you see this week! Widows is playing in cinemas now.
In CInemas In Now Cinemas Click Now Here To Watch The Trailer
TheJanuary magic 1st returns The Magic Return January 1, 2019 Click Here To Watch The Trailer
Sony delivers Spidey’s best on screen outing ever
No-one asked for another Spiderman movie. We have had 3 different versions of the same story being retold in the last 15 years and with Spiderverse introducing Miles Moralis, have we officially hit Spidey saturation? Fortunately while introducing 6 (that’s right!) new Spider characters, Into the Spiderverse crafts a well woven story that never confuses the audience. By using a 3D animation comic book style it allows the movie to dive into the craziness of the world it has created. Delivering what I consider to be the best Spiderman story ever told on screen. Into the Spiderverse is Sony’s triumph with the Spiderman character and comics and should be a template for their Marvel films moving forward. The story fiollows the character of Miles Moralis (Shameik Moore) who is unwittingly bitten by a radioactive spider that unlocks his Spidey abilities. At the same time Kingpin (Liev Shriber) has just opened up an interdimensional portal that is ripping the cityapart which brings in various different Spider characters from different dimensions. There’s Noir Spiderman (Nicholas Cage) a black and white Nazi punching hero, Spider Gwen (Haylee Stienfeld) who fortunately played a really big part in the story, There’s Spiderpig (YES! he really does exist) and two different versions of Peter Parker (both voiced by Jake Johnson). Together they must help train Miles to use and control his powers while returning to their timelines and defeating King Pin’s device. The animation style is unlike anything you have seen before. It is a blend of 3D animation, with hand drawn comic book style and the most lush coluring palette used on a movie to date. This really does warrant going to see it in the biggest screen you can. Some of the best moments are the flashy action scenes that combine with traditional comic book written words being splashed in the background while the action ramps up in the foreground. It really is a beautiful mesh of classic and new styles that add to the overall atmosphere of this movie. In addition the soundtrack and score are masterfully crafted here under the guidance of Daniel Pemberton with a blend of songs from the soundtrack and a sweeping score that leans into every Spidey swing and emotional punch that this movie delivers. The full soundtrack is expected to be released in the next 2 weeks so definitely look out for that. It also is a great reflection of what a teen like Miles Moralis would listen to with Nicki Minaj, Post Malone and Swar Lee all confirmed to have songs on there. The transition from Miles home in the Bronx to the upper East side is also shown beautifully through the score as the landscape changes, so does the score with it to great effect. Let’s talk about the part that ripped my heart out, the Stan Lee cameo. First of all he is beautifully animated, like just beautiful. This is the first Marvel movie since his passing and I unashamedly shed quite a few tears in his extended scene in the film. It is so fitting that a Spiderman film was the first to come out af-
ter his death, Spiderman was Lee’s creation and his greatest love (apart from the Fantastic 4) It was such a beautiful moment in this film and even earned applause from my cinema audience who clearly loved Stan Lee as much as I did. Juggling all of these characters as well as a mutliverse and grounded story about a family cannot be an easy thing. This movie has been in development since 2014 and I am so glad they took their time to get it right. Everything about this film feels very carefully thought out and comes across in the execution. Spiderman Into The Spiderverse has introduced us to all these characters who all get their time to shine and would happily watch in any sequels, spinoffs or future versions. It would also be remiss to say that Aunty May is voiced by Lilly Tomlin and is one of the highlights of the movie. Spiderman Into The Spiderverse is a triumph, it delivers the best Spiderman story ever told on screen to date, while introducing us to a plethora of new Spider people that are all given just enough moments for you to want more. Miles Moralis is a fantastic version of the character and one that I hope we get to see explored more in cinema in the future. What’s more is this movie proves to the fanboy naysayers that Sony have a total understanding of who Spiderman is, they have a hold on the Spidey universe and I for one cannot wait to see where they go next. Spiderman Into The Spiderverse is the best Spiderman film ever made and a great addition to the holiday movie lineup.z
It’s been 6 years since we were introduced to Wreck It Ralph where Disney ventured into the world of video games, exploring a retro filled paradise for gamers, while giving us some truly memorable characters like Princess Vanellope and Felix with some pop.culture moments that have stood the test of time. Now we finally get a sequel that takes Ralph and Vanellope inside the world of the internet, and while this is not something that is new after The Emoji Movie, it is the first time that it gets it right. This time with more laughs, more puns, more video game characters and a touching message about friendship that movies rarely dare to dive into. All of this combined with incredibly beautiful animation and the infamous Disney Princesses (with some more surprises along the way!) deliver one of this years best animated films to brighten up your Boxing Day.
The story picks up a few years after we left off with Ralph and Vanellope in their respective games, they entertain by day and spend the night drinking root beer at the Tapper and enjoying each other’s company. When Venelope expresses the desire for something more, Ralph attempts to help by making a few new shortcuts on the game track. The Sugar Rush game glitches out and as a result the arcade owner decides to unplug the game. Ralph and Vanellope set off inside the internet to try and buy a new steering wheel so that game won’t be unplugged. Along the way they meet Shank (Gal Gadot) inside an online game called Slaughter Race, the standout addition to the world of Wreck It Ralph, a sassy and positive role model for Vanellope whil also commanding the rules of the internet to help the story move along. What was most surprising about the story was its final act that is dedicated to friendship and what we allow to come from our friendships. For most of the movie Ralph is always by Vanellope’s side and seeing his neediness is never something I ever thought would see adressed in a children’s film. While there is no clear villain in this movie, it does paint negative friend traits and control freak behaviour as something to be wary of and that we should all believe and trust in our friendships as they grow and evolve over time, even if we are not seeing each other every day. It’s a surprising and impressive direction from the House of Mouse. Additionally having Vanellope and Shank become friends and role model type relationship was also a surprising addition. They could have easily made Shank a villain type character, instead they chose to give her depth and now is a great character in this expanding world. Animation wise this film is just beau-
tiful. Watching the first film the night before, you can definitely see the huge advancement made in animation in just five years since the first installment. It also helps that the lights and fast paced internet world the majority of the world is set in is immaculately detailed. The attention to detail even with Ralph and Vanellope is also very noticeable. Shank is the most human of any character we have seen in the franchise so far and she looks incredible. The way her hair flows and the lines on her face are all beautifully detailed. The world of Slaughter Race is dank and dirty when compared to the vibrant colours of Sugar Rush and really deliver a diverse pallete of colour. The nature of a sequel is to rip two characters apart and have them come together closer than ever. This story breaks away from the mould and instead centers around how these two compliment each other and how they can move forward while both living their best lives. This combined with some of the best computer animation in a movie to date deliver a surprise hit for Disney Studios and some very memorable moments with Disney Princesses, the late Stan Lee and Sonic The Hedgehog. Both young and old will enjoy this movie and is a worthy sucessor to the Ralph video game movie universe that we cannot wait to see more. Ralph Breaks The Internet opens in Australia on Boxing Day. Review by Alaisdair “Leithal” Leith
Can this reboot save the franchise? Leithal says umm. . .sort of?
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aramount have had quite a rocky relationship with the Transformers franchise. With Michael Bay taking our childhood toys and turning them into a clusterfuck of a movie franchise with some great highs and some horrible lows. After the disastrous box office return of the previous King Arthur inspired Transformers film, it was well overdue for a reboot with new writer, new director and new cast to take on the origin story of how Bumblebee came to Earth. The first two trailers were amazing, they showed a focus on story and characters, emotional bond between woman and machine did raise expectations. Unfortunately the film is slow, over stuffed and with some questionable CGI and lacklustre performances, Bumblebee disappoints in every sense of the word, giving us our first summer stinker of 2018.
The film instead of centering around Bumblebee as the title would suggest, centers around Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld) a tortured soul who is the 80’s equivelant of an emo kid suffering after the unexpected death of her father. When Bumblebee crashes on earth after escaping Cybertron to keep watch over the planet and hide from the Deceptacons. When Charlie finds Bumblebee disguised as a yellow VW Beetle, the two form a bond (a really REALLY weird bond) to work together to save the world from another sky beam. The worst thing about this film is the performances, Steinfeld is awful as Charlie. Her reactions feel really forced and her performance is as lifeless as her dialogue. In addition John Cena as “generic army officer” is a reflection of the previous films and regrettably a completely forgettable performance, apart from a couple of clever jokes that are great winks to the audience. The look of the Transformers has had a complete overhaul with the robots looking more like the 80’s cartoon show. A bad offset to this is the CGI itself, it is quite muddy and there were some scenes that look horribly green screened and some that even look unfinished. That being said Bumblebee looks amazing consistently throughout the movie. The detail on the character is astonishing and the transitions from car to character are seamless every single time. It is just in some of the action scenes that things get a bit muddy which is distracting. What did work is the seismic shift to focusing on characters and story over action, and while there is loads of it, it is a bit too much. The movie focuses more on Charlie than it does Bumblebee which at times brings into question who’s movie is this? The balance is way off and it definitely needs a few more tweaks to get the balance right. There were some great nods to the 80’s with Alf and Short Circuit as well as a killer soundtrack that while was a lot of fun, did also suffer from being over stuffed. One to many 80’s tunes may sound impossible but it felt like it was being made too much of a feature in this. It may sound like I am ragging a lot on the movie, and to be fair I am. But releasing it this time of year when some pretty heavy hitters are coming out with quality, this movie really stands out as less than. It does shift focus to be more kiddy friendly entertainment (and the kids in our cinema did seem to enjoy it) It is a great shift to a more story and character driven franchise but it could also be too much too late.
Bumblebee is a small step in the right direction but still doesn’t enough to justify its existence. By focusing on Charlie as the major character of the story it does shift it in the right direction but unfortunately doesn’t get the balance quite right. The cartoonish style violence makes this more of an easy watch for children than the previous films, however adults and older fans will not find much joy here beyond the fleeting glances 0f 80’s nostalgia. Die hard fans may find some love here with a throw back to the original cartoon franchise, however Bumblebee fails to deliver a solid film of quality. If you have younger fans that are keen to see it, definitely take them, however there are many more movies out right now that do a much better job of entertaining. Bumblebee is in Australian cinemas December 20.
December 26 Click Here For The Trailer
Peter Jackson’s new franchise starts NOW! When Peter Jackson’s name is put against any film, you’ll generally take notice. The Director himself brought some of the biggest books known to man to life. He has now produced another great feature based on some well knowns books, this time he brought a war between cities on wheels, Mortal Engines. The idea is simple, when the world turned on itself cities evolved to being on wheels. Larger cities would take on smaller cities for fuel and resources growing their size and power. Larger city London decides to start a war in search for resources hidden behind the great wall. But with the help of some outlaws and one girl who holds the key to end it all, Hester Shaw, all is not lost. The great thing about Mortal Engines is how it manages to take you to an entire new world. The attention to detail in these cities on wheels, cities in the skies and everywhere in between is a sight to behold. While there is evidently a large number of scenes using CGI, it is so well done it doesn’t take away from the epic adventure of it all. However, where Mortal Engines fails to give life to the film is in the story line. The start of the film overloads with information and background that it forgets that audiences aren’t sitting in a history class. While there is no mention of sequels or prequels as there are 4 books, the film did feel like it was setting up any future endeavours. First time Director Christian Rivers isn’t new to working on epic stories. Having worked on the Lord of The Rings and Hobbit trilogies he knew
life. His main background was in the Art Department for the Peter Jackson films which is evident in Mortal Engines as he managed to show some great attention to the cities. A large number of mostly unknown actors were cast. Lead Actress Hera Hilmar plays Hester Shaw. Robert Sheehan was her counterpart. The two together manages to slip into their characters nicely, giving some chemistry on the screen as well. Hugo Weaving would be the most recognisable face, traditionally working on any film Peter Jackson is attached to. Hugo easily portrays his conflicted yet monstrous character with ease. Pulling you in to like him and making you hate every part of his being by the end. Overall Mortal Engines is a wonderful adventure full of excitement and wonder. It fails in that the story line tends to push and pull and drag a little too much, in turn switching the audience off. However, it’s a balancing act between the two halves of the film giving you the action and speed in the second half of the film.
Illumination have been dominating animation since their first hit film Despicable Me. Since then we have welcomed the sequels, spinoffs (Minions) and additions The Secret Life Of Pets and Sing. Their latest film is a remake of The Grinch, the classic Dr.Seuss Christmas story that has an animated film and the live action Ron Howard version starring Jim Carrey which became an instant classic. So the question that I had when I heard about this was “Why does this exist?” After seeing an early screening of the movie I can safely say that it exists as a different interpretation of the story that infuses humour with a lot of heart and magic that welcomes in the Christmas season in 2018 in the most perfect way. The story stays true to the classic Dr.Seuss tale centred around the town of Whoville who are happy all the time, in particular when Christmas season hits. Meanwhile up on a Mount Crumpit overlooking the town, The Grinch (Benedict Cumberbatch) hates all things to do with the holiday season. When he finds out that The Who’s are making Christmas 3 times bigger this year from Mr Bricklebaum (Kenan Thompson) the happiest and most Christmas loving citizen in the Whoville. When The Grinch finds out about this he devises a plan to steal Christmas from Whoville so no-one will be happy. Along the way Grinch works with his adorable dog Max and a family of reindeer who keep things entertaining. The film is beautiful, the visuals are the best that Illumination have ever put out and in particular the ice and snow effects stand out. The design of The Grinch is impressive. every hair on his body is meticulously detailed and is visually flawless. The montage at the start showing him getting ready for the day stands out as one of the best in recent
animated history. This also works in conjunction with his dog Max, who quickly became my favourite animated character of 2018. There is so much personality in Max, it is so hard not to love him. The adorable design and his devotion and love to the Grinch, even when he is committing evil acts is the highlight of the movie. The reindeer characters are also Illumination animal-esque and are stand outs in design. The story stars out strong with a punchy and fast intro that unfortunately falls flat in the middle before building up to an emotional and beautiful ending. While there is humour in this film, more specifically for the adults it is far and few-between. There is plenty of Illumination style slapstick gags for the kids, but it really is the magic and feeling of family and Christmas that this movie gets so right. This is further cemented through two characters Cindy Lou (Cameron Seely) and her mother Donna (Rashida Jones) who have a beautiful mother/daughter dynamic that is rarely seen in movies. Cindy’s obsession with meeting Santa Claus face to face to help her mother is a heart warming side plot.
Click Here To Watch Our Video Review
It is not easy to seperate this film from the previous versions, as they have made such a strong impression on pop. culture over the years. Fortunately this version offers up something different, it boasts the message of love, family and inclusion at a time in the world that we desperately need to hear it. You can put the Illumination-ism of this film aside as the advances in technology and the beating message that eminate from this movie easily outshine the flaws. The Grinch is the welcome to the 2018 christmas season and is a fine addition to Dr Seuss’s Grinch properties that prove this tale can be told time and time again.
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Brittgirl digs her teeth into the pilot episode Feminism has, of late, become a dirty word. It can create anything from eye rolls to heated debates of its necessity in the western world, and it can very easily be depicted as a belief centred around hating men. It’s within these conversations that feminism loses its heart and meanders into the dangerous territory of destruction over equality. These are the thoughts I had before stepping into the pilot of The Bold Type. Explained to me as a fun, feminist, fashion series, I was hesitant to watch it. Feminism is difficult to get right in entertainment and can often edge too close to painting all men as misogynists. Having grown up with two older brothers, I can quickly become defensive against entertainment that villainises its male characters. Because feminism is equality, not conquering. The question is, has The Bold Type kept from treading into the territory of destruction? The Bold Type follows three friends (Jane, Sutton, and Kat) as they try to balance their personal lives and being women of the future at their place of work: Scarlet magazine. In the pilot, we see Jane write an article around her ex-boyfriend and their sudden break up; Sutton secretly dating a magazine board member; and Kat who tries to get her story published with a near disastrous end. The show has an edge of Devil Wears Prada (what fashion magazine drama doesn’t) with a friendship at its core not dissimilar to Australia’s Winners and Losers. The pilot starts with a lot of exposition and unnatural dialogue that leaves the audience disconnected to the characters and their relationships. The build of the cast’s connections is made robotically which makes it hard to connect with the characters. Only one had my attention from the start Kat, a familiar face from the Australian TV show Ghost Girls, is played by Aisha Dee and is the most compelling out of the whole cast. While Jane (Katie Stevens) and Sutton
(Meghann Fahy) are both introduced with stories rooted in relationships, Kat is throwing all the career punches to get her story published. She is driven, kind, and topped with rebellion, all of which are organically revealed in one of the best side plots I’ve seen in a drama series.
Jane is the leader of this small crew and, although Stevens does a great performance, is asked to write an article about stalking her ex when he doesn’t have social media. The final story has Jane turning in an article more about closure with unexpected breakups, but the story that gets her there isn’t anything new. So often we see the new kid at a magazine/ newspaper company struggling with an idea for their first article, held back by low self-confidence, only to succeed after an inspiring figure in their life. I saw this recently in Supergirl and I don’t tend to watch office work drama. It’s an unfortunate, overused story trope that doesn’t truly get to the heart of Jane’s character like Kat’s story does. However, they do break one office drama cliché in the form of Jacqueline (Melora Hardin) and Lauren (Emily Chang). These two ladies seem to run things at Scarlet. They’re everything you expect in a television drama female boss: powerful, fashionable, and all with a slight smirk. However, the cliché break comes from the surprising drop of bitchiness. And this takes us back to Devil Wears Prada and Meryl Streep. Remember how hard she was with Anne Hathaway? Supergirl remembered and put their own remarkable twist on the boss lady with Calista Flockhart which lead to one of the most beloved characters in the CW Arrowverse. But has The Bold Type succeeded in reworking the boss lady trope to their advantage?
This remains to be seen. Lauren certainly seems demanding, but she is also very practical which is shown as she stops Kat’s character from making a bad situation worse. Jacqueline is definitely not the bitchy boss lady, but I’m not sure is she is compelling enough. It is very nice to have a woman in power who cares for her workers and inspires them to be great. But her character lacks conflict, and conflict is what makes stories great. So, does The Bold Type support equality or conquest? Apart from Kat’s story and Jacqueline’s speech at the end, this show isn’t actually feminist. Well, not in the way you might think. It doesn’t strongly push an agenda, but it also doesn’t shy from investigating different women’s ideas of feminism. It’s lead by a strong cast of woman, but at times it feels like just another drama show. And with this small investigation into different women’s perspectives on feminism, I would say it’s for equality. One that reminds women that they are sisters at arms. However, if it wasn’t for Kat’s story there wouldn’t be any investment from me. So, for her story alone, I would recommend you watch the pilot. Otherwise, there is not enough fresh ideas for this pilot to make me want to keep watching.
e Review by Brittany Howarth
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New Aussie comedy Coming soon
10 Xmas Flicks To Request Xmas Movies Under Your Tree In Your Stocking So many movies have come out this year, it can be hard to keep track of what is what. If you need to know what movies from 2018 to ask your family and friends to get you, here is our top 10 list below. Click on the links to take you to the best deals!
Best Xmas Films To Binge
10 Games To Request This Xmas
The perfect port on the Switch A great port takes a lot of hard work and finesse to get right. So many ports to the Switch have struggled with so many bugs and compromises, hearing that this was the next big port was a little worriesome. Until I played it. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI is the best port to the Switch that we have ever seen. It has incredible graphics, smooth running menus and play guide that incorporate joy con controls delivering an incredible world building experience on the Switch. The game treats experiences and beginners well, you can get to a point where there are a lot of decisions but don’t rush through them like I did, as they do effect the game further down the track. There is so much to learn and do in this game, it stands as out the most well thought out and well executed game on the Switch so far. As you move through the playthrough you move through time spanning 4000BC to 2050 AD. During this time you settle into a village, build houses and settlements, establish defence through the miliatry and choose a speciality to expand that will allow you to rule with Religion, Science, Military or Cultural influence. There are no less than 24 civilizations to choose from and it really did prove difficult to figure out which one would work best. Don’t expect to play through easily in one scenario though, particularly for beginner players, learning the art of the controls is a big part of getting through a successful playthrough. Being new to the series myself I hadn’t had any experiences with the previous games in the series. I found the more I experimented and slowed down time, the more the controls started to sink in and make sense. More seasoned players (I’m told) were able to keep the speed up and just adapt to the new controls on the hybrid console. Graphically the game is astoundingly beautiful, when used in both docked and handheld mode, it seems to hold its own in either form and is one of the first games I have played with no bugs to report. Online multiplayer isn’t available in this version, however local co-op is if you are planning on a Switch Civ party. This can be a little disappointing to long time fans of the series who want to play with friends away from a PC. If you do have a 2K online account, you can login and download your cloud save to the Switch so that is a plus. The music and sound effects also
compliment the gameplay and atmosphere. Civilzation VI is a perfect addition to the Switch, in a time when Pokemon and Smash are going to be seen to be dominating the console, Civ just came crashing through and gave us a reason to try something new on the console. The game looks and sound beautiful while delivering some inventive controls that take full advantage of the joy-con and touchscreen controls. It might be a big leap saying this, but Civ. really does seem fully realised for this console and delivers a complete experience. If you enjoy strategy games or even ones like Stardew Valley you will find hours and hours of joy here. Civilization is available now on Nintendo Switch. Review by Alaisdair “Leithal” Leith
12 DAYS 12 GAMES 12 WINNERS This December Game On AUS is presenting you the chance to win some massive prizes to cap off your holiday season! The 12 Games of Chrsitmas will reveal a prize everyday from December 13. For more information and a chance to win all you need to do to is head to facebook.com/gameonaus and join the community.
Nintendo have seen a massive success in the last 2 years with the release of their hybrid console the Nintendo Switch. While we have best selling mario, zelda and donkey kong games, it is finally Pokemon’s turn to evolve from its history of handheld consoles to Nintendo’s main console the Switch, and what a debut it is. Despite being pretty a complete remake of Pokemon Yellow, the Kanto region comes to life in the most beautiful graphics you have ever seen. After spending a week playing my Switch incessantly, walking my Pikachu through the streets of Melbourne with the Poke Ball Plus and watching my caught Pokemon go back and forth between my Switch and Pokemon Go on my mobile. This is the most immersive Pokemon experience ever made and delivers the next generation of Pokemon games for a brand new generation. You start off as a trainer with either Pikachu or Eevve depending on what game you choose. Meet your neighbour rival to catch your first Pokemon and set out in the world to catch all 150 Pokemon, battle gym leaders for badge pride and stop a dastardly plot from Team Rocket. Ok now with the story out of the way let’s move onto the important stuff. The graphics are nothing short of beautiful. The Kanto region is perfect for 3D animation with dark tunnels, beautiful beaches, lush green forests and bustling city towns. The level of details in each area is spectacular and looks incredible both in handheld and when docked on the big screen. The Pokemon themselves are beautifully detailed, looking not only cute but very lifelike despite having the same monotone noises they have always had.
If you have purchased the Pokeball Plus then the catching process will be a lot easier than using the joy con. It is also worth noting here that you cannot use a pro controller at all during this game, this includes pressing the Home button to exit out, you have been warned! Fortunately the Pokeball Plus is super comfortable to hold in the hand. Having a finger holder and wrist strap is also advisable to leave on so you don’t send the ball flying across the room when trying to catch a hard Pokemon (take it from experience!) If you do need to use the joy con controllers it is less of an enjoyable experience with it feeling clunky and definitely a lot less fun to play with. This really is the perfect game to sell this Pokeball controller to fans. Another good feature is being able to transfer a Pokemon from the game to the Pokeball and take it for a walk with you during the day. I had so much fun brunching with my Pikachu, constantly shaking the Pokeball to check on his mood (much to the annoyance of other patrons around me, Sorry not sorry!) You can also unlock the Park which will allow you to transfer Pokemon from the Switch to your mobile game and give them a workout. This is where things can get a little tricky. I am rocking a Google Pixel 3XL which worked perfectly and I tried it on my partner’s Iphone 8 + which also seamlessly connected. A few of my friends with older Android phones had problems connecting the Switch to the phone for this feature of the game.
Review By Alaisdair “Leithal” Leith
Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu takes the classic Pokemon game that we have loved for many years and gives it a complete facelift for a new console with 3D graphics and updated play style that brings the game to the forefront for younger modern gamers who can happily play with their parents. While the gameplay mechanics are fairly simple and straightforward, it is fun to venture back into the Kanto region with new characters and a new console to play it on. Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu is the poke game we have been waiting for many years now. Hopefully it is a sign of what is to come in the future. Fans of the series may be irked by the motion controls, however if you own a Pokeball Plus your experience will be everything you have been waiting for. Pokemon Let’s Go is a fantastic start to the next generation of Poke fans. Pokemon : Let’s Go Pikachu is available now exclusively on Nintendo Switch. Review by Alaisdair “Leithal” Leith
There’s a secret about the Hitman franchise that those who haven’t played the games extensively might not know. For the sake of simplicity, they’ve historically been marketed in the stealth action genre, but I’ve always felt that this was a misnomer. The player can certainly choose to sneak Agent 47 through the levels, using the standard stealth game toolset of crouching and audible distractions. However, these mechanics have always felt (to me at least) to be concessions to normality and not the primary design language of the franchise. If you strip away the surface layer of horrific executions and bald killer clones, at its core the Hitman franchise boils down to patient observation and environmental puzzle solving. They are the video game equivalent of Rube Goldberg machines. Their lovingly detailed levels are filled with layers of complex AI routines, and the joy of playing them is not so much sleuthing around, but rather standing back and watching the level unfold around you, identifying where the cracks are before setting up a fatal line of dominos and watching them fall over in horrifying glee. It has been this commitment to its unique simulation style level design and gameplay that encourages patience and repetition that makes Hitman incredibly rewarding and memorable to play, but also one of the most niche AAA action series that exists today. Hitman 2 iterates on the success of 2016’s slick series reboot, adding new content and several gameplay refinements without attempting to reinvent the wheel. Unlike most developers currently that are so eager to shoehorn RPG-lite mechanics into their games, Hitman 2 takes a different approach to progression. As cliché as it is to say, you could describe it as the Dark Souls of AAA stealth action, mostly because the full set of gameplay tools are available to the player from the very first mission. Instead of needing to earn XP to follow a highly curated chain of ability unlocks, players need to pay attention to the levels to discover the optimal ways to interact with their targets. The game’s use of context specific actions rather than unlockable abilities means that difficulty and progression curves aren’t bottlenecked by the game itself but rather by the player’s knowledge of the AI systems and confidence in exploiting them. Despite the introduction of an experience system in this iteration of the franchise, the upgrades it affords are useful only for replaying those levels to further explore the murderous opportunities missed the first time around. On the negative side of this coin, new players may find the games demands on your patience to be unappealing. Though
the AI sometimes displays the derpy traits needed for a stealth game, for the most part they are highly intelligent and will pursue any disturbance, often to a violent conclusion. And since the games auto-save system works in mysterious ways, newcomers may find themselves relying heavily on save states to complete levels at the cost of natural pacing. For the most part though, It is the player that levels up in Hitman 2, rather than Agent 47 himself, and this makes for a much more memorable and repayable experience. And replay it you will. Much like Agent 47’s obsession with perfecting his grisly craft, the game encourages you to go through its levels multiple times, refining your knowledge of NPC movements, and uncovering all the unique opportunities to eliminate targets and disappear like a shadow. The game even makes a point of showing the player the ‘mission stories’ that they missed out on the first time around and prompting them to go back and try it again differently until they really are the perfect assassin. These pre-designed breadcrumb trails of opportunities are like mini missions in themselves, and the time sensitive and intricate setup involved in them always results in a satisfying accidental execution that won’t hamper the players final mission ranking. This emphasis on perfect undiscovered kills is the most fun way to play Hitman, but also makes the plethora of guns and explosives available feel a little redundant. The best weapon in this game is legitimately a can of spaghetti sauce. And like other entries in this genre, when there is a tool that can be used silently, repeatedly and non-lethally, the ballistic option becomes a lot less desirable, which can tend to limit the combat diversity for those who want to achieve the best mission ranking.
Of course, the main reason that Hitman’s unique approach to gameplay works is because the consistent difficulty and progression curves allow the level design to take a starring role instead. This time around, players will join Agent 47 in travelling to 6 different locations around the world, from the labyrinthine slums of Mumbai to a quiet Vermont neighbourhood. The game’s crown jewels, the larger levels are marvels of overlapping AI subsystems, with hundreds of NPCs going about their daily routines. Slowly walking around, studying the target’s routine and absorbing ambient pieces of information through conversations, it feels like Agent 47 is just a cog into this living digital machine and it makes it all the more satisfying to throw a wrench into the works. The amount of detail and different approaches to each mission is immense and incentivises replaying them. However, like the 2016 iteration, as the game progresses the levels tend to lose some of their grandiose charm in favour of grimmer and more sparsely populated stages. Without the spectacle of the huge NPC crowds and elaborate death mechanisms of levels like Miami and Mumbai, players are will find themselves leaning on the game’s clunky stealth mechanics more. It made sense to front load the more compelling levels like Paris and Sapienza when IO were releasing these levels episodically in 2016, but here it makes for an experience that starts out bombastic but levels out rather than building over the course of the game.
Whether or not it is a consequence of IO’s new financial situation with Warner Bros or a stylistic decision, the episodic structure of 2016’s Hitman has also been replaced. The entire game has been released upfront, with an additional bonus for owners of the original game, who will be able to replay all the Hitman 2016 levels with updated control scheme and mechanics. This is a great addition and makes for a more complete and fleshed out experience. However, for those are new to the franchise or do not become invested in replaying the levels, it might feel like there isn’t much new content here. Despite all the community backlash around Hitman 2016’s episodic release, that structure definitely complimented the replayability of the game and basically forced players to squeeze every last drop of content out of each level whilst waiting for the next one to be released. Despite this, when factoring in the bonus sniper mode as well as the free DLC contracts IO is releasing post launch, players can still expect to find tens of hours of enjoyment here. In addition, multiplayer has come to Hitman for the first time. Normally a solitary experience, IO’s solution was to introduce an asynchronous competitive format called Ghost mode. Here, 2 players tackle the same level simultaneously. Whilst you can see the phantom image of your opponent within the level, you cannot interact with them at all, which makes for a tense race against time to be the best assassin possible and is sure to add even more replayability to those who have already mastered the games levels. Hitman 2 could easily be viewed as just an iterative progression of its 2016 predecessor. However, like in the games themselves, iteration and repetition in the hands of skilled craftsman can lead to perfection. By refining their elegant toolset and excellent level design, Hitman 2 feels like the most fully realised version of what IO Interactive set out to create almost 2 decades ago, and after several bungled entries its validating as a fan to see the series exactly where it needs to be: with an engaging and refined gameplay platform that can be easily and infinitely expanded upon with new levels. The game’s demands on player patience likely won’t entice many new fans to the franchise, but for series veterans it stands among the best and offers endless hours of sadistic enjoyment within.
Though the gameplay philosophy of optimising the players performance through repetition is handled well here, one consequence is that the incredibly fun and darkly humorous gameplay grinds against the bungled narrative. Hitman games have always attempted to shoehorn in their own brand of global espionage and intrigue, however this iteration goes so far into the realm of cliché and genre tropes that it’s even more ridiculous than the game’s wonky ragdoll physics. Those who were fans of the super slick presentation of the prerendered cutscenes from Hitman 2016 will be disappointed with the developer’s choice to go with this narrated storyboard style of presentation in the sequel. It was almost certainly a decision designed to divert money into a designing a better gameplay experience. However, like an anime studio that ran out of money mid-season and had to revert to simply panning across Review by Dylan Cook still frames, the effect is jarring when viewed in the context of the excellent voice acting, serviceable writing and impressive visual presentation of the rest of the game. Luckily these cutscenes are merely bookends to each mission, and you will thankfully find more enjoyable characterisation and writing in the novella style sub stories entwined into each level.
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