Just a new video!

New video on my youtube channel, here it is!

My new video!

Enjoy... LOL

1000 VIEWS!!!!!!!! WHOOOOOP!!!!!!!!!!!

Kon'nichiwa min'na!

Hello everyone!!! How is everyone doing? My blog is doing great! For someone who is 19 years old, lives in a small city in South Africa and isn't really known around the world, I am proud to say that my personal blog has now over 1000 views. This might not seem like such a achievement, but to me it means a lot. I am so thankful for everyone's support and I promise not to disappoint you all. I would not be here if it weren't for my friends like you around the world giving me the inspiration to bring all of you my opinions ad views. I thank all of you, and please continue to check out the blog every now and then, today 1000 views, tomorrow 10000!!!

Hahaha!!!!

Kon'nichiwa min'na!

Okay, so this isn't a real post. I'm currently on my PC in CAT at school, and I just wanted to see whether or not blogger.com is blocked or not. As I'm typing this on the PC right now it obviously isn't. AWESOME LOLOLOLOL........

Here's a potato.......

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DS review

Kon'nichiwa min'na!

Okay guys! WOW, two posts in one day? What's going on? Well this is a review for a game that was actually for a competition in NAG Magazine, South Africa's leading Video Game lifestyle magazine. I highly doubt that I have won the competition, so I have decided to post the review here on my blog. Read it, and let me know on the ://HACKtheworld facebook page whether or not you think I deserve to win this competition. (If I do win, it will get published in the NAG June issue.)

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is one of those games that gamers will remember forever, especially the older folk. The problem with this title being an N64 title is that many younger gamers don’t have the chance to play older amazing games. Insert LoZ: OoT 3DS.

Less than an HD remake, and more of a port, the gameplay remains wholly similar to the original N64 version with only a few changes being made to gameplay. One of the major changes is the control and button scheme, gone are the C-buttons and added is the analogue circle pad. The touch screen inventory is a much appreciated aspect of the new 3DS version of the game, making item changes on the fly super effective (see what I did there Nintendo?).

Visually this game is as beautiful, and maybe even more so, than the original. Not only does Link and others look much smoother and less ‘blocky’ than the N64 version, but the scenery and landscapes have also had an impressive face lift. The music in game remains unchanged, which will please hardcore fans of the franchise with its stunning compositions.

As with all LoZ games story plays an imminent part of the game. And as with all LoZ games (Except a few) this iteration is no different. The story is compelling and keeps the player immersed until the end. The dungeons and puzzles are challenging and engaging at the best of times, but can be somewhat frustrating (Water Temple). Some puzzles are definitely more puzzling than others, but the feeling of accomplishment that you get after beating a Boss Battle is welcome.

After beating the game the player is given access to the Master Quest, which gives players an extra challenge. Playing the game the second time is a must, because you’re sure to miss out on a few things on your first play through, also for those who want 100% game completion a second play through is definitely needed. Another cool aspect is the Boss Challenge Mode which lets you battle all your favourite Bosses over and over again.

Review by Matthew Loom

Pros

Sticks to the original, amazing 3D graphics, challenging

Cons

Challenging, Water Temple

Summary

This is a must have for new and older fans alike. This is an excellent attempt at a remake and is well executed. This will keep newer fans intrigued and older fans of the series happy with the unchanged gameplay.

Score

95/100

The Green Mile movie review

Kon'nichiwa min'na!

Hey guys! So finally i have a new blog post for you all! It's been a while since I've posted, I hope you all haven't missed me to much. Anyway, this is a film review of the 1999 film The Green Mile. You'll notice that it isn't in my usual review format, and that's because I wrote it as a speech for my English class. Enjoy!

The Green Mile is a 1999 American drama adapted  from the 1996 Stephen King novel of the same name. The film is primarily portrayed using flashbacks to the past. The film tells the story of Paul's life as a death row corrections officer during the Great Depression in the United States, and the miracles that he witnesses thanks to an inmate John Coffey.

The story revolves around flash backs of the character Paul Edgecomb during his time as a death row corrections officer, he as well as the character of John Coffey, are the main characters of the film. They are however supported by other characters such as Brutal, Pauls best friend, and Percy, a man who can be likened to a mouse as portrayed in one seen where Percy is styling his hair while at the same time Mr Jingles the mouse is behind him grooming himself, a somewhat accurate comparison. Percy, whom no one likes and who seems to like no one, lands up in the very mental hospital as a patient where he was intending to work after John shows Paul the truth about what happens to the girls, also a fitting judgement for Percy.

John, an inmate who has been convicted for the rape and murder of two girls is sentenced to death, lands up on E Blocks’ “Green Mile”  and befriends the guards save for Percy. Paul first comes to see John as harmless when John uses his miracle gift of healing to heal Paul’s urinary infection. Throughout the course of the film many relationships are built, and many are extended. Paul and Brutal become even better friends because of the actions that have happened, the group of guards come to love and care for the wrongly accused John, and even another inmate, Del, a Frenchman, befriends a mouse. The relationship between the Warden Hal and his wife is also worth mentioning, although not focused much in the film. Hal has learned that his wife has a tumour and is going through a deep internal struggle of how to tell her she is going to die before she is eventually healed by John.

By the end of the film, we learn that because John has given Paul some of his “Gift”, he has also granted him an exceptionally long life. Being over the age of 100, Paul wonders to himself when he is going to die, wishing it upon himself too. He sees his friends and family die around him, and sees it as his punishment from God for letting one of God’s miracles die.

One of the main topics of the film is perhaps the evils of the world we live in. Other socio-economic topics are briefly mentioned or portrayed in the film as well, for example the fact that the film takes place during the Great Depression, a time when many people were out of work and were doing the best that they could to get by. The film also takes place in the stereotypical “Southern” states of America where racism was commonplace and not frowned upon in the least. The supernatural or religious topic is also present in the film, a man with the power to heal the sick and mend the injured. Although the supernatural is not primarily what this film is based around, it adds to the emotion the viewer feels when the unjust action of killing John takes place.

A topic throughout the film is the evil around the world, the character John Coffey talks about the matter in excess, especially towards the end of the film where he is scheduled to die. John asks to be killed, because it is a way of him being released from the curse of being able to feel all the pain and anguish around the world.

This film is classified as a drama for its intense emotional content and sombre tone, but that is an unfair classification. This film has any moments that are filled with romance, action, comedy and even the supernatural. This film being called a drama deeply underestimates what people of different tastes can take away from watching it. Although it is generalised as a drama it is by no means boring or monotonous, it keeps the viewer attentive at all times.

This film is most definitely a tear jerker of note, and is sure to bring a sparkle to the corner of your eye. It’s a memorable telling of the injustices of the world we will in, but also of the immense beauty and love that some of the people of the world bring to our lives.

Façade

Kon'nichiwa min'na!

Okay guys, so about to drop a bomb on you guys! As most of you know, I am a writer, I write reviews on anime and games, but not only that, I also dabble in short stories and poetry. And so today I'm going to be posting one of my newest poems entitled "Façade". I really hope you guys like it, and be gentle okay? I'm no Edgar Allen Poe. Anyway, here it is...

Façade - Matthew D. Loom

A hard husk, horrendous,
shelling the splendorous
seed within.

I'm just keeping the truth inside, trying
to make the world content without fighting, crying.
I'm not the one who's lying.

The way in which you perceive me,
is only the me you need me to be,
but the person I am is one you choose not to see.

I am a frivolous façade frequently fused
with the beliefs of me you absurdly abuse
and by the time you realise the thoughts you have used.

This façade unmasks,
like one out of casks,
like seeds blooming
into ravenous flowers looming.

No more am I here for the worlds pleasure,
bound by the ones I care for,
the ones I adore.
I'm here for me,
not to appease you, but to spend at my leisure.

Gears of War 2 review

Kon'nichiwa min'na!

H

Gears of War 2 review by Matty~~^_^

Okay, so I just finished playing Gears of War 2 for XBOX 360, and I decided on writing a review for it. Yeah, I know that it’s a pretty old game and that GOW 3 is already out, but I only recently got my XBOX, so forgive me for the late start.

Okay, so not having played the first game (I’m a bad person, I know) I don’t know much about the whole back story of the GOW franchise and canon. Seeing as how this is a sequel, I also can’t make much of the changes between the first game and this iteration. This is looking to be an inexperienced review. LOL.

In the beginning you are given the choice of completing a tutorial or not. If you have not played the first game in the series or you are just not too familiar with third person shooters, or shooters in general, I would advise you to complete the tutorial. If however you are a hardcore shooter veteran and not a complete n00b, please feel free to jump right in. The controls can be a little hard to get used to especially if you haven’t played GOW before, but after about ten minutes of the first chapter (when you start you’re jumped right into the middle of the action) your fingers and controller will feel as if they are fused. Controlling the games main protagonist is simple enough to grasp as it’s all you ever do, you run, you shoot, you run again. Every now and then you’re given the chance at handling a turret or maybe a vehicle and there was this one time, at band camp, where you control a f*#king Brumak! Anyway, these brief tasks distract from the regular run and gun, even if only for a little while.

Speaking of running and gunning, there are a total of fifteen weapons with which you can shoot, stab, decapitate, burn or blow up the evil locusts and lambents with. All of which you will get access to pretty early in the game. The baddies are abundant however, almost unending amounts of the bastards will spawn unless you close the whole they’re coming from or pass over a certain line. The AI of the enemies is pretty well done, considering this is a cover based shooter, they know how to run and duck from your endless supply of bullets coming their way, but every so often one of them will jump out of cover and stand in the middle of the battle field making it only too easy for you to shoot him between the eyes. But don’t stand out of your own cover for too long, because those hard asses don’t stop shooting at you either, and once you’re shot down, there are no health packs which you can use to regenerate your health, you’re left to crawl to safety and wait for one of your AI companions to come and save your ass. This honestly can be a problem now and then because your AI friend will either ignore your pleas for help or be too far away from you to help, in which case you will bleed to death. No one said this was a happy game.

Story wise, this game doesn’t really have any faults. It’s action packed from start to finish and there are no long, tedious, I-want-to-punch-my-T.V. cut scenes, nor are there any major load times, provided you’ve installed the game to your HDD. The dialogue between the characters is quirky mostly because of the various types of characters there are in the game, there’s the tough and rugged army sergeant all the way up to a hillbilly, truck driving commando. Besides the fact that each character is different in demeanour and personality, the voice cast is robust and suits the characters well.

I don’t really like giving a game a numerical value when it comes to rating, but I would probably give this game about 85 out of 100, as there’s not much wrong with it save for a longer campaign maybe. All in all this is a really good game and is definitely one that should be played. I can’t wait to get my hands on GOW 3.