Phil Villarreal's Blog, page 64

PHIL ON FILM: "The Grudge"

For my full review, click here.

PHIL ON FILM: 5 Shows to Binge in January 2020

For my full article, click here.

Book Report: "The Dead Zone"

The key to "The Dead Zone" is the way Stephen King sets up false premises, only to knock them on their side as he takes you in unexpected directions.

With a title like that, as well as King's usual subject material, I expected a horror tale, or at least something heavily involved with the spirit world. Instead, the novel is free of ghosts, hauntings and horror and instead a matter-of-fact rumination about what it would like to be blessed/cursed with psychic powers.

The burden of foresight in the land of the blind is heavy. The protagonist has a superpower that makes him capable of winning big at roulette or tracking down a serial killer, but it shoves him into impossible ethical situations.

The politically-charged latter half of the book focuses on a charismatic Congressional candidate whose potential path to success would spell the doom of millions of people. The quandary that arises is to what degree it's beneficial to derail that candidate's career. As the stakes rise and increasingly drastic methods become visible, the story becomes a drama set nearly almost entirely within the character's mind.

"The Dead Zone" is an unorthodox King book, and allows him to show off his off-brand skills. He proves to be as strong and lively a storyteller as usual, and that's a result it doesn't take a psychic to predict.

"World War Z" Review

It's tough to find a spot to stand out in the saturated zombie genre, but "World War Z" makes an attempt as persistent and fierce as an undead creature hungering for brains.

The co-op focused third-person shooter harkens back to "Left 4 Dead," with the emphasis on communication and complementary skills and roles key to survival.

Diverse mission sets, an elegant menu system that allows players to adjust gameplay parameters and join whatever session fits their mood. You can squad up with buddies, take your chances with strangers or seek out custom games. No matter how you go about the task,

Developer Saber Interactive prioritizes ease of use and speed above all else, and still manages to craft a game with impressive visuals, sound and animation.

The community has responded in kind, creating a thriving support system that means there are always players to link up with. That X factor is key, because without that level of commitment, there would barely be a game here.

"World War Z" continues to grow month after release, with Saber distributing regular content updates to keep things fresh and vibrant. The war against the evil dead will always be a perpetual struggle, and "World War Z" is out to ensure that the fight won't turn monotonous.

Publisher provided review code.

"XenoRaptor" Review

Loaded with frenzied attacks from enemies, high-powered weapons and screen-searing explosions, "XenoRaptor" keeps you hooked with its brand of wild, frenetic energy.

The twin-stick, top-down shooter from developer Peter Cleary is a callback to arcade games of yore.

Although the game brings little new to the table, it manages to fire up the nostalgia factor while sticking on the cutting edge of graphics and sound. The visceral experience into which the game hurls you wouldn't have been possible in the 1980s or 90s.

The main hook is the weapon upgrade system, which lets you scoop up remnants of vanquished enemies that you can assemble on the fly into souped-up means of attack.

A strategic facet that doesn't often show itself in other bullet hell shooters comes into play here. You may find yourself looking for specific paths to upgrades that force you to be judicious about your targets. A studied, pragmatic style will yield rewards when you acquire game-changing weaponry.

"XenoRaptor" may not break much new ground, but it does enough to differentiate itself to keep things fresh.


Publisher provided review code.

PHIL ON FILM: Top 10 Movies of the Decade

For my full list, click here.

"She Sees Red" Review

Full-motion video games so rarely come along anymore that a new entry that pushes the technological boundaries of the genre is worth a look.

"She Sees Red" is such an example. The effort from developer Rhinotales is closer to a branching-paths Netflix game such as "Black Mirror: Bandersnatch" than it is the crude origins of the game type in "Dragon's Lair."

With game-altering choices placed along the way, leading to four endings to take in, there is plenty of replay value, even though the game falls on the short side, at less than 40 minutes. Subtitles or an English-dubbed track are available,

A strong script, solid performances and professional camerawork and effects give "She Sees Red" a layer of polish that you'd expect on a film released on a streaming app.

Released on Steam earlier this year, and now on iOS and Google Play, the story is a mature dive into the dark recesses of seedy Russian nightclub culture. With choices geared to be subtle and ambiguous rather than clear-cut right and wrong, it's best to go with your gut and see where the story takes you.

While it's hard to imagine going back to "She Sees Red" again and again. it's easy to imagine wanting to show it off to friends time after time. There is a clear, illuminating breakthrough here, and hopefully the game finds enough success to fund a follow-up.


Publisher provided review code.

For my full article, click here.

For my full article, click here.

PHIL ON FILM: "Uncut Gems"

For my full review, click here.

"Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition" Review

Some gaming classics are best left to memory.

"Neverwinter Nights," which laid the building blocks in 2002 that inspired countless games to follow, seems like one of the remakes that might have been best left as it was.

A sluggish and often jittery game that struggles to find its flow, "Neverwinter Nights" is saddled with several of the drawbacks of turn-of-the-century gaming, with too few quality-of-life improvements to make it accessible to all but the most dedicated and patient fans.

For those who want to relive one of gaming's seminal achievements, though, there is much here to enjoy. The Dungeons & Dragons"-based gameplay is sprawling and robust, with 10 separate missions challenging your skills as various characters in an array of elaborate scenarios.

The menu system remains largely unchanged from the PC games, which makes for an awkward and cumbersome fit on the Switch. Text size is less than optimal as well. You sometimes feel as though you're playing the game through a blurry pair of glasses.

The area in which "Neverwinter Nights" holds up best is storytelling. The dev team was clearly stacked with talented writers who were steeped in the legend and lore of the source material. The groundwork that eventually led to the likes of "Dragon Age" sometimes shifts into promising, if fleeting, focus, only to slip away like a miscast spell.

Publisher provided review code.