Best of 2013: Bioshock Infinite

Bioshock still remains one of my favourite games of all-time. Melding an intense and engrossing story with an phenomenal sense of atmosphere, exploring the underwater utopia of Rapture and the plight of its creator Andrew Ryan was an incredible experience. After a rather disappointing sequel and a series of undisclosed delays, Bioshock Infinite gained critical and unanimous appraisal on its release back in March. 

Infinite continues Irrational Game’s prowess in visual story-telling with another stellar narrative journey that further explores fairy-tale sentiment within the context of a complex commentary on American ideology pre-WWI. Set in the early 1910s, the story follows Booker DeWitt’s who has been “hired” to retrieve a young woman, Elizabeth, from the floating city of Columbia. Along the way, like the events of Rapture, the player uncovers the secrets, the friction and conflict revolving around Elizabeth’s character and Columbia itself. Like it’s true predecessor, Infinite is an engaging story start to finish. What’s particularly impressive is Irrational’s strict notion of ambiguity and discovery. While the player is channeled down a narrow, linear path, Infinite manages to generate a strong sense of breadth and wonder. Thematically, the game’s plot and setting aspire to engage the audience with a multiplicity of -isms. Whether it be cultism, racism, nationalism or extremism, it is sure to address the socio-political issues of American society during the period, especially those relating to the “Founding Fathers”, Manifest Destiny and patriotism. While the game can and has already been broadly and monotonously critiqued by many, the game’s atmosphere and artistic endeavour bring this world to life. 

Yet the crucial element of Infinite’s success is the character of Elizabeth. Like my love for Ellie in The Last of Us, Elizabeth stems from a similar set of circumstances and situations. A “Rapunzel-esque princess” locked in a tower, we are slowly revealed her ordeals/ torment and discovery outside the walls of her cell. Exposed to the world through literature and that of her captors’ boundaries, Elizabeth reacts realistically towards the true sights and sounds of Columbia and to the events that are occurring around her. Voice actor Courtnee Draper really does an amazing job at portraying this charming and complex personality. Her exaggerated body movements and facial expressions offer a glimmer of constant humanity in a world succumbed to hate and greed. Additionally she’s an important part of the gameplay. With ammo in short supply, she regularly throws you bullets, weapons, salts and money. You really get a sense of her importance to your survival, leading to the one or two instances when she’s elsewhere being increasingly unnerving and unbelievably tense.

On a technical level Infinite looks and sounds spectacular, more so in the PC version. With it’s unique art style, superb soundtrack and expansive colour palette, Columbia is a distinct and vibrant setting that evolves as the player and the story progresses. The key is atmosphere, and the game’s ability to capture the “birth of a nation” ideals, and the fractured personas of Columbia really sets the unparalleled tone of the game. While playing it as a “game” can be a rather laborious affair, Irrational Games managed to fix some of the major issues I had with its previous releases. Dual wielding vigor powers and gunplay is a fluid and satisfying set of actions, but nothing terribly unique or inventive. It’s slightly unfortunately that the variety of vigors seem irrelevant after the Possession and Shock Jockey powers are introduced. The Skyhook mechanic also failed to live up to the hype. But strong A.I and some interesting level design help to bring some diversity to the proceedings. 

Bioshock Infinite impressed me more as an experience rather than as a game. Irrational Games poured its heart and technical soul into creating an impressive narrative with a fierce personality that would capture and engulf the imagination and enthusiasm of its audience. And they undoubtably succeeded. Who knows where the next instalment will take us?

Best of 2013- The Last of Us

So I caved in a bought a Playstation 3 back in September. After sticking with the Xbox 360 and suffering two bouts of the “Red Rings of Death”, I came to the realisation that it was probably the best time to experience what Sony had to offer. With the “next-generation” of consoles around the corner, they perfectly ended with The Last of Us. I’d always been jealous of Sony’s lineup and its exclusives. The likes of Gears of War and Halo had originally attracted me to Microsoft’s console, but their exclusives had steadily been in decline over the last 3 years. My jealousy spawned from one studio in particular, Naughty Dog. 

Naughty Dog has always shown a creative and impressive side to every element of their games. Whether it be story, characters, environments, graphics or gameplay, there’s a distinct attention to detail that remains consistent throughout. From Crash Bandicoot back on the Playstation to Uncharted 3, they have remained at the forefront of both Sony and the gaming industry in general. The Last of Us represented a thematic departure as they ventured into a more mature and horror orientated project. Set in a post-apocalyptic USA that has been devastated by a fungal virus, the game follows Joel, a gruff and tragedy stricken soul as he has to escort Ellie, a 14-year old orphan who may hold the key to a cure, to a resistance group known as the Fireflies.

This isn’t necessarily a complex story, but one that focuses on the development of characters, both between their interactions with others and within dynamic changes in circumstances and the environment . The game doesn’t feel the need to drown the player with exposition about the cause of the disease, or the immediate stages of the apocalypse, instead it paints its picture through Joel and Ellie eyes and the remnants and testimonies of other survivors. The story’s pacing is immaculate, understanding when a certain atmosphere or “scene” should linger. Every chapter isn’t seen as a desperate need to impress with constant action and twists and turns. Subtly is key and Naughty Dog handles it perfectly while providing some of the most emotionally powerful scenes I’ve experienced both in film and the gaming industry for a long time. 

While the story is superbly well-written, it’s the characters that really stand out. 2013 really demonstrated both the importance and rewards of having strong characters. Bioshock Infinite, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, and Tomb Raider all portrayed their games specifically through the eyes of the protagonists, and managed to build a real emotional connection with the player. Having spent all her life amidst the apocalypse, Ellie’s character is alien to the concept of human life before the infection. Whether it be the sight of an ice-cream truck or an arcade machine, there’s an innocence but underlying tragedy as she tries to imagine a former civilisation. She’s a believable and endearing personality, not one that needs their hand to be held, but not someone oblivious to the horrors and acts that are occurring around her. It’s a perfect balance that works well in connection with Joel, and in the context of the story. 

As an actual game, The Last of Us continues Naughty Dog’s strict attention to detail. Uncharted 2 set the bar on “next-gen” graphics, and still remains impressive 4 years after its release. Since then the studio has embarked on a mission to further showcase the limits of Playstation hardware, and it’s fair to say they have succeeded. Like the game’s refreshing approach to the apocalypse setting, Last of Us’s colour palette is vivid and expansive. The emphasis on the overgrowth vegetation, the changing seasons and the sense of abandonment encapsulates the studio’s philosophy of visually telling a story and creating an distinct atmosphere. The A.I., while spotty for Ellie, is unflinching in its portrayal of a desperate and hostile society. Enemies regularly flank, and realistically react to changing situations causing firefights to be a test of anxious conservation of ammo and tactical awareness. The combat is visceral, violent and uncompromising. While crowds cheered at the Sony Press Conference in 2012 as Joel slammed a guy’s head into a desk and shotgunned another’s face off, the game is unrelenting in it’s depiction of survival and demise. Whether it be escaping the clutches of a ‘clicker’ or witnessing a public execution, The Last of Us paints a fearful image of humanity’s descent into violence and remorselessness.  

The Last of Us provided a fine end to the Playstation 3’s cycle.  As a film fan, it’s a visually stunning and incredible piece of storytelling, a persistent area of criticism by those of don’t truly understand the merits of the gaming industry. As a game, it’s an intense and gripping culmination of versatile mechanics and an unbelievable sense of immersion. Naughty Dog has created something that will undoubtably be remembered for decades to come, and has provided an experience that, while sounding cheesy, truly accentuates our “take for granted” lifestyles. 

Best of 2013- Kurt Vile's "Wakin On A Pretty Daze"

Smoke Ring For My Halo was my favourite album of 2011. Since then Kurt Vile has steadily climbed up my “Favourite Artists” list and has gained attention of many, to the point of getting honoured by Mayor Nutter of Philadelphia with his own “Kurt Vile Day”. Therefore his fifth studio album was one that I was particularly looking forward to. 

Vile’s genre and style is a difficult one to fully define. He himself finds it challenging to name the key artists that have inspired him. Yet his work is never far from the term “psychedelic” , and is usually followed with nods to Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen. In my own unsophisticated words Vile’s music is a mixture of hard-hitting accents and rhythmically enticing uses of finger-picked acoustic notes, i.e. folky, rocky, psychedelic bliss (?)

Wakin On A Pretty Daze is a mild departure from the pure yet low-fi tones of his previous works. What’s particularly apparent about this album is the looser composition of each song’s multiplicity of melodies. Calling it a succession of tuneful montages would be a simplistic and offensive analysis, as each individual track is composed of tight progressions, segments and tones. The 8-minute opening track “Wakin On A Pretty Daze” is a good example of Vile’s vivid pursuit for the “perfect song”. A series of heavy acoustic chords enhanced by his traditional finger-picking, solos and inventiveness that perfectly blend into a meditative yet invigorating experience. 

But Vile’s musical understanding and application has the capacity to let a simple set of chords resonate throughout an entire piece. “KV Crimes’” punchy guitar and vigorous solos harken back to his blue-collar, lo-fi, classic roots. Meanwhile “Was All Talk”s finger-picking arrangement with a striding drum-beat suits the newly enlisted synth undercurrents perfectly. 

Wakin On A Pretty Daze is one of my favourite albums of 2013. While at times it feels slightly over-produced and lyrically uninteresting, Vile’s consistent and persistent strive for intricately balanced and fulfilling songs is one that never seizes to impress. Mirroring the title, this is an album that has a meditative and mystic charm that lasts well after its solid runtime. 

Favourite Film and TV Characters: B.M.O

While not the first choice for many Adventure Time fans, B.M.O is one character that I myself don’t fully understand my own fondness for. After only watching the cartoon series for the last couple of months I’ve already become somewhat addicted to its bizarre and outright wacky concept of animated comedy. Comparisons have often been drawn to the likes of Ren and Stimpy and Courage the Cowardly Dog, and it’s fair to see why. While Adventure Time definitely plays it more child-friendly and whimsical in tone, the show’s creator Pendleton Ward doesn’t cower away from exploring some of his more eccentric and vivid sentiment and imagery. 

The entire show has a barrage of insanely “unique” and hilarious characters that cater for a wide audience. From Jake the Dog, a talking canine voiced by John DiMaggio who can manipulate his body into different shapes, to Lemongrab, an immensely creepy “experiment gone wrong” with a lemon for a head and a tendency to scream, Adventure Time isn’t short on variety. Yet amongst the craziness of it all, B.M.O has always stood out. While not a lead character per say, B.M.O manages to create an instantaneous connection even with his/her limited screen presence. 

Following on from the show’s surrealistic and “imaginative” entirety, B.M.O is a cross between a Gameboy and the original Macintosh. He/she (its gender is unknown) is Finn and Jake’s “living video game console, portable electrical outlet, music player, roommate, camera, alarm clock, toaster, flashlight, strobe light, skateboarder, friend, soccer player, video editor and video player”. There’s a joy to simply watching B.M.O walk into a room on its adorable little legs, or doing a kick-flip on a skateboard. Maybe it’s the notion that amongst candy people, walking mudfish and a psychotic heart voiced by George Takei, there’s a walking/talking/singing Gameboy that plays Abraham Lincoln Football on the screen. 

Personality-wise, B.M.O is a difficult one to summarise. Naturally protective of Finn and Jake, there’s a childlike wonder to its interactions and understanding of “normal” behaviour.  He/she regularly sings about emotions and human experiences such as friendship and pregnancy, offering a Pinocchio parallel. It regularly speaks to its reflection, known as Football, and teaches it the joys of real life. Yet it has some rather sinister motivations in certain instances. The simplistic yet precise animation of B.M.O’s body language and facial expressions goes a long way in adding further charisma and charm to the character. From its bouts of happiness to its scepticism over Jake and Finn’s intentions, B.M.O constantly shifts its personality but manages to remain enthralling throughout.

One particular episode sees B.M.O investigate the whereabouts of Finn’s sock. Not an interesting plot on a basic level. But with Ward’s twist of it being a 1950’s crime noire story animated in black and white, its a really bizarre and interesting look into B.M.O psyche. B.M.O narrates the entire episode and this highlights one feature of the character I can undoubtably justify, it’s voice. A lot of my love for B.M.O rests on its voice. Niki Yang, who also plays the Korean speaking Lady Rainicorn, offers a charming and rather cute personality to B.M.O. Whether it’s the “Engrish” nature of her accent or the fact that the character itself isn’t too sure on what’s going on, Yang brings an endearing quality. The line “B.M.O Chop. If this were a real attack, you would be dead”, is spurred at the most random timing, like many of her appearances, yet still manages to stick in the brain. 

While I keep hammering the essential notions of a true “character”, both in this feature and in my reviews, B.M.O is an odd exception to the “laws” of that criteria. It, like many of the show’s components, isn’t fully explained and honestly doesn’t need to be. While many have tried to read into the sketchy and convoluted question of B.M.O’s gender and feminism, what’s wrong with taking something at face value. B.M.O isn’t your typical animated character, and nor should he/she be. If character design or voice-acting has the capability to gain your attention and subsequent affection, then that’s enough for me to appreciate that individual. I genuinely want a real-life BMO. That’s not sad is it? -_-

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D: A Predictable Letdown

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D launched on Channel 4 back in September. After the show’s pilot managed to acquire an opening figure of 3.1 million viewers, recent statistics had seen its audience halve after only 3 episodes. But is this a surprise?  

Marvel’s The Avengers or Avengers Assemble smashed the box-office back in 2012 and brought back some solidarity to the Marvel Universe’s rather hit and miss “filmography”. Proving both to be a financial success and an enjoyable film, Joss Whedon managed to carve out the team dynamic, whilst also developing them as individuals. Its success has seen a substantial growth in Marvel’s audience and expectation both towards the comic book culture and their new cinematic endeavours. 

The fact that they had decided to continue the franchise via a TV series had always puzzled me. I guess why stop at films and comic books when television has found its modern calling and major audience. But to make a series about S.H.I.E.L.D is one that has the potential to go into different paths, to expand Marvel’s Universe and continue to construct the Avengers mythos. From a comic book perceptive, S.H.I.E.L.D has always been an interesting organisation. While I can’t declare myself as a comic expert, Nick Fury, Captain America, Black Widow and Hawkeye’s narratives have all hinted or explained a varied picture of S.H.I.E.L.D. What are it’s true intensions? Secrets? Who’s genuinely in charge? What are it’s diplomatic and “worldly” limits? There’s an X-Files or Torchwood quality that the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D could have utilised. Whether it would be to unfold its ulterior motives or simply introduce new superheroes, there is already a wealth of television that has similar traits and narrative structures to be inspired by. But after watching every episode so far, the series has failed to really employ it’s material and resources into any genuine quality. 

One area that has remained a persistent blight on the Marvel Universe is Agent Phil Coulson. While many have heralded him with cult status, I don’t quite understand it. If it’s his charming personality, I’m not seeing it. Is it because he’s funny? To me his character always ruined the tone that a particular scene was attempting to portray. His dry smile and monotone deliver may fulfil the shallow notions of a “secret-agent”, but in all honesty there isn’t anything remotely interesting about him that justifies his popularity.  And when a lead character has initially left a sour impression, there isn’t much hope for 6/7 episodes of him.

This problem doesn’t stop at Coulson. Simply put, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is void of any absorbing characters. Whether it be the cliched, Scottish tech guy, or the stern, tough dude there’s a blasé attitude to the show’s idea of a “team”. If you’ve read any of my reviews then you will have noticed my emphasis on creating interesting, engaging and realistic characters. Both a film and especially a TV series rely on creating a thread between the audience and those personalities on the screen. In terms of a TV series, the dynamic remains largely the same but over a differing timescale. For example; Heroes accomplished this challenge perfectly. It carefully crafted a varied and interesting bunch of 12 leads and threw them into a set of new situations and exposed them to certain circumstances. It understood the limits of it’s budget and it’s overall scale/ capacity. Yet it had the necessary narrative elements to encourage persistent character development. S.H.I.E.L.D has neither the engaging, intense plot or the sheer presence in its performances to achieve those sorts of results. In a very blunt statement, if that crucial connection between the audience and the team isn’t developing within 2/3 episodes, then you’re going to struggle to maintain interest. 

Another gripe revolves around the show’s tone. Marvel had managed to regain an essence of seriousness back into its franchise, while maintaining an undercurrent of humour. Yet Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D suffers from a conflicted disposition. Marketed as a sophisticated and “exhilarating” look into the secret organisation, it’s been nothing but lame one-liners, cheesy dialogue and a haze of monotony. There are moments when the show achieves some of its intended serious notes, whether that be an action sequence or an intense negotiation. But there’s an incessant need for some smug remarks to soil those brief glimmers of something good. 

This lack of balance unfortunately affects each episodes’ stories. With only Coulson’s “hazy past” after his death in The Avengers acting as the bridge through the series, the thought would be that they would have the manoeuvring space to flesh out individual plots.  A great example is The X-Files, more precisely its one-off cases. While it constantly got sidetracked by the whole Mulder’s sister/ Scully abduction narrative, the series had a great understanding of writing unique and intense stories that both focused on the main duo and the bizarre events that transpired. S.H.I.E.L.D attempts to mimic this, but in a rather superficial capacity. Episodes feel redundant and the lack of creativity is bewildering under the circumstances. I can understand the budgetary pain of cameos or introducing some of Marvel’s other characters, but everything is far too narrowed and centred on the “Battle of New York”. Logically it’s an understandable concept, but S.H.I.E.L.D shouldn’t simply be portrayed as just a “clean up team”. 

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D had definite potential, without a doubt. But the manner in which creator Joss Whedon and the various TV Studios have taken has been rather questionable and disappointing. With a wealth of material, characters and story-lines available from S.H.I.E.L.D’s comic book roots, it’s a shame that some of that creativity couldn’t have transferred into a fully-fledged TV series. Yes the visuals are impressive and the production design is stellar, but those can’t measure up to the superficial nature of the show. Terrible characters, and tired, uninteresting stories bring a barrage of questions over its intended purpose, outside financial gain. There’s nothing here that screams second season and on the basis of viewing statistics, I’m struggling to see the benefits of another. 

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