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Dead Space 2 Review

The cover depicts the words Dead Space in blac...
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The ‘survival  horror’ genre in gaming has long been defined and therefore dominated by one franchise, and rightly so. Since 1997, the Resident Evil series has shocked, horrified and captivated gore loving thrill seekers across a number of different platforms. The combination of a deep involving plot, intense tactical combat and mind-bending puzzle sections made what fans affectionately termed ‘Resi’ a hit, time after time.

The series has of course spawned imitators – Silent Hill anyone? But nothing has really challenged Resi’s crown until now. In 2008 Dead Space came along, a 3rd person action-horror game that combined the helpless isolation of deep space with blood hungry beasts and a slew weaponry that could blast a hole in a barn door. The tense storyline complete with obligatory twists completed the picture and lead many to question if Resident Evil had met its match.

The second instalment of Dead Space confirms that the adventurers of Issac Clarke, a deep space engineer thrust into a world of religious cults, grotesque scientific experiments and deadly, mutated beings (Necromorphs) certainly holds its own against the original survival horror brand.

While Dead Space 2 doesn’t offer anything particularly revolutionary over its predecessor, it does deliver more of the same unbearably tense thrills that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. This time round Isaac must navigate a vast space station that was once inhabited by humans but now lays in ruins, destroyed by corporations carrying out medical experiments.

The setting is far more shall we say, familiar than the original which took place on a ship, locations are recognisable as Apartment blocks, Schools and Churches, albeit futuristic interpretations. This does not make the game anymore ’homely’, in fact witnessing infected infants crawl towards you in a School hall emitting a piercing scream  is unsettling to say the least.

The weapons and upgrade system makes a return, old favourites like the Ripper, a powerful buzz saw are present alongside a few newcomers. The detonator emits proximity mines, useful for protecting yourself against hoards of enemies, while the Javelin gun fires metal bolts that pin Necromorphs to the wall where you can finish them off with a swipe of the fist, conserving ammo for later.

One welcome addition to Dead Space is an overhaul of the zero gravity sections. Now, by tapping the left stick Issac can use the thrusters on his suit to glide around freely in the environment , touching down where ever he pleases.

The fact that not much has changed in Dead Space is largely irrelevant, the format is still as fresh and chilling as it was back in late 2008, and the development of the gripping, unpredictable plot will be enough to tempt most fans back for a second helping. Dead Space 2 proves that the franchise can really it cut it with the best and in my opinion, beats Resident Evil at its own game.

A true masterpiece: 9/10

 

 

Joe is a gaming enthusiast working for a company that sell Ford Fiesta lease deals, he could do with the biggest and best people carrier to trasnport all his games from place to place! You can follow Joe on Twitter @joe__johnson__

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The rise of pop-up cinemas

Pop up cinemas are taking London by storm with the underground film scene scrambling to build microplex cinemas in any space available, in opposition to the anti-social aspects of the traditional multiplex monsters.

Pop up cinemas can take place anytime and anywhere as the following examples show, the idea is to reignite the social aspect of films by taking audiences to a strange new world and to be able to chat amongst themselves whilst watching a familiar film. Most of the pop up cinemas focus on cult film selections and the Secret Cinema events have included titles such as Bladerunner, Lawrence of Arabia and The Fifth Element.

Secret Cinema is the daddy of the underground cinema scene in London and ticket holders get invited to a mystery location by email and get cryptic clues to the film they will see and a rather bizarre dress code request.

The clever people behind secret cinema find isolated or dilapidated locations around London and dress the venues up to suit the feel of each particular film.

Secret Cinema’s success lies in the fact it is incredibly social and gets people excited enough to go and watch a film they have probably already seen dozens of times just for the thrill of the event.

Portobello pop up cinema is a not for profit venue situated in the Westway underpass on the Portobello Road / Acklam Road junction. Tickets prices for films are run on a pay-what-you-can-afford basis with a suggested price tag of £4.

Usually run through the summer months Portobello pop up cinema is supported by various charities and foundations and welcomes the influence and input of artists, volunteers and new filmmakers.

The Cineroleum Pop-Up Cinema in Clerkenwell made use of an abandoned petrol station and car park to whack in some temporary rows of seating for up to 118 people. The cinema was constructed by fifteen artists, designers and architects and a few curious neighbours.

Built from donated and found materials the cinema has a rustic hap-hazard feel and looks quite intriguing to commuters and cyclists whizzing past on their way into the city.

The selection of films shown at the cinema included American drive through classics such as The Long Goodbye and Rebel Without a Cause. The Cineroleum proves that the derelict spaces in London can be put to good use and as there are 4,000 derelict petrol stations in London, this could be a good place to start!

Guerrilla Cinema is a mobile cinema set up to bring documentaries to the people! In response to escalating theatre prices Guerrilla cinema want to bring film back to the masses and make people think while they are at it!

Always looking for film makers this pop up cinema takes submissions for free and shows new filmmakers work for free too. They even give credits and are keen to showcase new emerging artists and get their work in front of new audiences.

Guerrilla Cinema can be found at music festivals, parties and student unions all around London and will consider setting up at your event if you ask them nicely.

Sofa.com have been running pop up cinema films night from their Chelsea warehouse for a little while now and you get the chance to win tickets to film events where you can chill out of the comfy sofas and eat some great food. You even get to pick the film you would like to watch the sofa.com guys will play it on their state of the art cinema screen and projector.

The latest event is James Bond themed and you can win tickets to the film night on their comfy sofa blog by solving the James Bond related rebus picture puzzle.

So there you have it, there are lots of different types of pop up cinemas scattered across London showing all different types of films in crazy and unusual locations get together with some friends and head out there!

Jonathan is a freelance writer who writes about all aspects of life.

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Reading Novels an Adventure in Itself

Reading for the sheer pleasure of it is one of the most satisfying pursuits one could have. This is because there are just so many worlds waiting to be discovered and so many characters that are waiting to be introduced to you and so many ideas needing to be shared. Knowledge has been mainly spread by the act of reading, and to have some enjoyment while doing so is truly special.

Novels form a major part of what is read for enjoyment. It is mainly fictional, which deal with an event or several events that are not based in real life. Facts take a back seat to the richness of an author’s imagination, to the inventiveness and creativity which his writing ability and experience allows. This is usually the case even tough novels could at times be based upon something that is real or factual. In any case, reading, and reading novels in particular, could be adventures by themselves.

Speaking of adventure, one of the best sources of that in fiction is the so-called mystery novel. These types of novel usually involve a crime to be solved, and it is this element of mystery which has captured the imagination of countless readers. Those who begin reading the best of these types of novels find themselves drawn in by the skillfully weaved tangle of crime. Readers find themselves drawn in, and read on until the end, when the mystery is solved.

And the obviously named adventure novel also draws plenty of readers because it usually involves much action and risk. In it, a hero usually goes on a quest or difficult undertaking, exposing himself to countless perils along the way.

Reading to enjoy is an action that can be beneficial in so many ways. First off, it helps in keeping the mind active, as the reader is actively thinking and anticipating what would happen next. And so in the process, it becomes an adventure in itself, with the reader taking the role of hero who conquers the day in the end.

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Movies About Magicians

Magicians, released in 2007, is a British comedy about two magicians named Harry and Karl. They are friends that hold magic shows together until one tragic magic competition when a fatal accident occurs. When Carol (the assistant) enters the box for the guillotine act, she ends up decapitated. The pair of magicians ends on a sour note and become bitter rivals. They meet up again at a magic competition years later. Linda (Harry’s assistant for this show) begs him to perform his guillotine act and, after dragging his feet, he agrees. Once on stage Linda runs off, chickening out of helping Harry with the act. Karl steps up and helps his friend and the trick is performed with great success. The movie ends with Karl and Harry teaming up once again and taking their show on the road.

The magician movie, called The Prestige, is about two magicians that were, at first, great friends. The story takes place in 19th century London and is about magicians Robert Angier and his assistant Alfred Borden. When Robert Angier’s wife dies, because of an act, they have a fall out and become each others enemy. The pair spends their time upstaging one another and end up using more and more daring illusions. This rivalry between the two grows stronger and they go as far as sabotaging each others acts. The movie features Hugh Jackman as Robert Angier and Christian Bale as Alfred Bordon. The release date for The Prestige was in 2006.

The Illusionist, released in 2006, displays the life of a magician who, through social class, loses Sophie, the love of his life. The magician, Eisenheim, perfects his magical skills throughout the years until he meets up with his love once again. He finds she is about to marry a Crown Prince and plans a way to stop the marriage. He uses his magic on Sophie to win her affections once again. The Illusionist is filled with romance, intrigue and mystery.

Houdini is without a doubt the most well known magician that ever walked the earth. His magic tricks were revolutionary in his day. The magic movie Houdini tells about his entire life story, from the time that he immigrated to the US. It also tells the story about his time as a seance de-bunker. This was a time in his life that he did not want to perform magical shows up until his untimely death. The love story with his wife Bess is woven throughout the entire movie. She was a big part of his life. The movie was first shown on TV in 1998 and was later released onto DVD.

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