Author: kane2026

Star Wars Jedi Knight 2 Jedi Outcast use the force Kyle

Computer Games

Jedi Outcast and Jedi academy announced for Nintendo Switch

In what some consider to be a totally random announcement Disney has stated Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy are to be ported to the Nintendo Switch. In fact Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast will be released on September 24th while Jedi Academy is slated for early 2020. So far the Nintendo Switch has been devoid of Star Wars. Which is something I have complained about before – and we are not counting Star Wars Pinball set for September 13th. While I am excited with Star Wars content making its way to the Nintendo console I am also disappointed....

The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance - Gelflings

TV-series

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Review

The Dark Crystal is one of those 80s movie that makes you think they were using a lot more weed than you might think. The movie was directed by the late Jim Henson and Frank Oz (Yoda). Henson was always a genius and I am still saddened when I think of his passing in 1990. A sequel to the 1982 fantasy movie had long been rumored, but it still came as a surprise that Netflix would take up the offer to produce a 10-part series. The world of The Dark Crystal So what is The Dark Crystal all about? The...

Control Review 4

Computer Games

Control Review – Remedy changes the landscape

Remedy Entertainment is one of those game studios that can be relied upon to release a solid game every few years or so. The last one was Quantum Break in 2016. Although it was a hit Remedy did try to coincide with releases on other media. There was an accompanying web-series as well as novel. This time Remedy focuses solely on their game. Read my Control Review below. Jesse Faden In Control you play as Jesse’s Faden. You arrive at The Oldest House – the HQ of the Federal Bureau of Control as it is under attack by the Hiss....

Literature

The Girl Who Lived Twice Review

The sixth book of Stieg Larsson‘s Millennium series – The Girl Who Lived Twice – has just been released. Since the release of the fourth in 2015 the novels are written by David Lagercrantz as the original novelist dies in 2004. Lagercrantz has some big shoes to fill, the original novel that started it all – The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – has become the epitome of the modern day ‘locked-room’-mystery. The novels also feature two very contrasting characters, journalist Mikael Blomkvist and hacker Lisbeth Salander. That with the multitude of seemingly divergent storylines make this a complicated franchises...

Blade Runner 2019 issue 2 screen 2

Literature

Blade Runner 2019 #2 Review – Ash continues her hunt

After a month we finally have the second issue of the Blade Runner 2019 comic. It is maddening to think this drip-feed release schedule will be maintained for maybe a year. While the first issue was good I did have some concerns I hoped the second issue would address. For more on Blade Runner 2019 #2 read on below. First there is a summary followed by my opinion. Summary of Blade Runner 2019 #2 This second issue of the Blade Runner comic sets off immediately were the first ended. Detective Aahna Ashina – or Ash – is still on the...

Eliza Review 2 - a visual novel from Zachtronics

Computer Games

Eliza Review – Zachtronics returns with a visual novel

Zachtronics has just released their latest game – Eliza. It has been a year since Exapunks was released so I consider us due another indie game. Zachtronics is a small game studio started by Zach Barth. Earlier in the year I reviewed his book Zach-like which contains sketches of many of his ideas. If you are interested in a copy go to his Twitter page because he has started a re-print scheme. Eliza: A very different game Eliza is a very different game from any of Zachtronics previous releases. First and foremost it is a visual novel. As such there...

Mindhunter Season 2 Review - Carr Holden and Tench talk to Gunn

TV-series

Mindhunter Season 2 Review – Fincher returns to Netflix

Mindhunter season 2 is now available on Netflix. The show, created by David Fincher, tells the story of the FBI unit tasked with profiling incarcerated serial killers. Mindhunter is not director David Fincher’s first foray into this topic. His previous show Hannibal also delved deeply into it, with more horror and suspense. Movies such as Seven, Zodiac, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Zodiac have practically defined the serial killer genre in the last 20 years. Mindhunter takes a step away from those stories and gives the viewer a more realistic and nuanced look at serial killers. There are no...

Elementary series finale review - Moriarty's funeral

TV-series

Elementary series finale review goodbye to Sherlock

After seven seasons Elementary is coming to a close. Just like so many other series I will learn with not being able to get my seasonal shot of Elementary. With this episode an era ends in which Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu managed a unique spin with their re-telling of the Sherlock Holmes franchise. And yet there were times Elementary felt like it had outlived its existence. After season 2 the repetitive nature of the show became a problem. Hard-edged stories became fewer while series regulars weren’t regular enough. And so Elementary continued over the years, with some improvements...

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Review poster

Film

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Review

The ninth and latest movie by director Quentin Tarantino is an homage to the late 60s and the final days of Hollywood’s golden age. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood revolves around a trio of characters as they try to make their way in the movie business. I expect most readers to be familiar with Tarantino’s style: violence, grotesque humor and an uncanny ability to integrate popular culture and myths. With Once Upon a Time in Hollywood the director may well have succeeded in dialing every setting to 10. Yes the movie is too long, they almost all are. Yes...

Tomb Raider Omnibus Vol. 1 Review 3

Literature

Tomb Raider Omnibus Vol. 1 Review

A few days ago Comixology released the first volume of the Tomb Raider Omnibus. This is a collection of issues 1 through 18 of the Dark Horse comics that ran from 2014. The comic itself was based on the 2013 Tomb Raider game by Crystal Dynamics – which has since seen two sequels. This comic series deals with Lara Croft’s journey to the island of Yamatai, not unlike last year’s movie starring Alicia Vikander. That said this comic might the least good of all three version of the same story. The story jumps around quite a lot, as you would...

Dune-2020-movie-poster

Literature

Dune retro review – a look at Frank Herbert’s masterpiece

During the last week I reread Frank Herbert’s Dune, a masterpiece of Science Fiction from 1965. Which is hands down my favorite novel. I have been a fan of the franchise for over 20 years. I played Dune 2000 and Emperor Battle for Dune, watched the series from 2000, and its successor Children of Dune from 2003. On top of that I even read all of Brian Herbert’s books (sigh). And yet, I realized I haven’t read the original Dune since 2001. It was something I was meaning to do for years, so during the last week I did so....

Control by Remedy preview Jesse Faden

Computer Games

Control Preview – Remedy returns with more action!

Control is the latest Remedy game set for release later this August for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Windows PC. Control is a third-person action adventure game. As the game is from the developers of Max Payne, Alan Wake and Quantum Break storytelling is at the forefront. From in-game footage I get a feeling Control is a lot like previous Remedy games. But with a hint of Mirror’s Edge and Deus Ex. Jesse Faden In Control you play as Jesse Faden, the very young director of Federal Bureau of Control (or FBC for short). The FBC seeks out Altered Items...

The Dead Don't Die poster

Film

The Dead Don’t Die Review – a summer zombie slasher

For a few weeks the horror comedy The Dead Don’t Die has been running in theaters. I was surprised the movie received mixed review. I expected that a stellar ensemble cast including Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton and Chloe Sevigny would succeed in creating a classic. Director Jim Jarmusch is an experienced director. Sadly, certain aspects of The Dead Don’t Die feel like a movie made by an amateur. Just like the many reviews I have a mixed opinion about it. I give it a passing grade as it humoristic most of the time. The people of Centerville In...

Star Wars Thrawn Treason Review

Literature

Star Wars Thrawn Treason Review

The Last book of the Thrawn prequel trilogy – Star Wars Thrawn: Treason – is out. Treason improves on a number of elements compared to the previous two books. The Grand admiral is still in control of the Imperial Star Destroyer Chimera. There he has an excellent crew who were trained by and if found inadequate removed form their post. Thrawn still does his thing – he still analyses his opponents art to ascertain their traits, skills and likely course of action. Unlike the previous novels the crew of the ISD Chimera are not left in the dark. Thrawn draws...

Another Life - Katee Sackhoff as Niko Breckinridge

TV-series

Another Life Review – Katee Sackhoff stars on Netflix

Since a few days Netflix has released a new show – the Sci-Fi drama Another Life. The show stars Katee Sackhoff as captain Niko Breckinridge of the interstellar ship The Salvare. Set about a 100 years into the future her crew if tasked with travelling to the origin of an alien artifact that has recently landed on earth. Another Life is a not a difficult show to describe. It is a show that wants to be both Arrival and Star Trek at once. It tries to pack in a lot in just 10 episode, on a low budget. Arguably it...

Alien Covenant Origins cover

Literature

Alien: Covenant Origins by Alan Dean Foster Review

For some time there have been rumblings about a sequel to the 2017 movie Alien: Covenant. That movie was a soft reboot of the franchise, it was also a quasi-sequel to Prometheus. Itself a soft-reboot of the franchise. Prior to Alien: Covenant being released a prequel novel Alien: Covenant Origins written by Alan Dean Foster was released. In anticipation of Alien: Covenant 2 I read this Origins story and here is the review. So what is it all about? So what is the story about? Alien: Covenant Origins is set in the weeks before the colony ship Covenant departs Earth...