Archives for the Month of April 2009 on media addict
Killzone 2
Killzone 2 is a fun, solid shooter with fantastic graphics. I really enjoyed the pacing of the game which allows for a great ebb and flow to the action. While certainly not reinventing the shooter, Killzone 2 hits all the important points: great weapons, excellent cover system, and a good variety of missions. I especially liked the grenades which are very effective and easy to use. While Killzone 2's graphics are very good, the animations are fantastic. Every reload is intricately detailed and takes an appropriate amount of time. So much time in fact that the player really has to watch not to reload at an inopportune moment.
With so much good stuff there has to be some bad to go along with it. I never expect much from the plot of a shooter and the storyline of Killzone 2 met my expectations. This isn't helped any by the atrocious amount of melodrama and mediocre voice acting (Rico is especially terrible). From a gameplay standpoint I didn't like how you can't carry more than one primary weapon along with your pistol. This dissuades the player from using any weapon other than common assault rifles since you probably won't be able to find a continuous supply of ammo for it. Even with these problems I really enjoyed my 12 hour experience with the single player campaign. If you have a PS3 Killzone 2 is definitely worth a look.
State of Play
State of Play is the definition of a solid thriller. Good acting, tight direction, and political intrigue are all there. There is a great ebb and flow of plot development and twists that kept me very interested throughout the whole film. The final twist in State of Play, however, is somewhat predictable and follows a little too closely with thriller conventions. There had been such a buildup that the final reveal was a let down. The movie had already taken us in for a landing and then just dropped us on the deck with one last surprise. Aside from this I really liked the characters and thought the dynamic between the journalists was very entertaining. Worth a look. 3.5/5
Adventureland
Adventureland is director Greg Mottola's follow-up to Superbad, a movie that I loved. While Adventureland is not as much of a straight up comedy as Superbad, it is nonetheless a lot of fun. The characters are interesting and well cast. I really enjoyed the story of these people in their early twenties, either in or just graduated from college, trying to find their way in life. Some of the dramatic notes fall flat, but for the most part they work and the comedy is fantastic. Only adding to my enjoyment of the film was its setting. The scenes in the Adventureland amusement park were filmed in the Kennywood amusement park which I have been going to for years, having grown up and still living in the Pittsburgh area. This is one of the first times in a movie where I can recognize specific locations where I have been on a movie screen. It really added a layer of reality to the whole film. 4/5