Tag Archives: 6/10

Movie Review: Oz the Great and Powerful [2013]

Posted by

32

Oz the Great and Powerful [2013]

Oz the Great and Powerful [2013]
Director: Sam Raimi
Screenplay: Mitchell Kapner & David Lindsay-Abaire
Genre: Adventure/Family/Fantasy
Starring: James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz, Mila Kunis
Running Time: 130 minutes

Oz the Great and Powerful begins with a wonderful black-and-white prologue. In 1905, a hack magician named Oscar Diggs (James Franco) performs a small-time circus act in between trying to shag the local women. He flirts with the wrong girl, however, and ends up running for his life. Diggs (also known by his stage name, Oz) escapes in a hot air balloon, only to get sucked into a nearby tornado. Somehow this tornado takes him to the Land of Oz, and it is here that the film pans out to full technicolor, bringing this magical new world to life.

Oscar, confused but grateful to no longer be in danger, wanders around his new surroundings before meeting the witch, Theodora (Mila Kunis). She believes that Oscar is actually the wizard that has been prophesied to return and overthrow the Wicked Witch, and she brings him to meet her sister, fellow witch Evanora (Rachel Weisz). They send him to the Dark Forest to destroy the Wicked Witch’s wand, but he discovers that this witch is not so wicked after all — she’s actually Glinda the Good Witch (Michelle Williams). Now Oscar finds himself caught in the middle of a battle between the two sides, all while being forced to masquerade as the powerful Wizard of Oz.

Oz the Great and Powerful [2013]

As a film, Oz the Great and Powerful is likely exactly as you might expect it to be. It works well as a kid’s film — Oscar meets some crowd-pleasing fantasy characters on his way, including a china doll and a flying monkey — though its 2+ hour running time might be a burden for some little ones. The Land of Oz is colorful and vibrant, and the Munchkin inhabitants of Emerald City are sure to be a hit (despite having a very small role). In this regard, the film succeeds.

However, it’s hard not to expect more in the hands of director Sam Raimi. The characters are hardly interesting. James Franco makes Oz come across as a total sleazeball, and it’s hard to buy in to the fact that he has any ‘good’ values underneath. Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz do well with their material, but Mila Kunis is completely out of her element as Theodora. Kunis isn’t given much to work with, but her performance is devoid of any real emotion.

Oz the Great and Powerful [2013]

I also noticed some issues with the CGI — there were multiple occasions where the actors’ interactions with the artificial characters were completely off (i.e. Franco trying to shake the china girl’s hand but there being a noticable gap in between). For a film with a budget north of $200 million, these quirks are inexcusable.

And so goes Oz the Great and Powerful, a superficially pretty film without any real depth. Judging from my audience’s reaction, the kids seem to be digging it, so the film has that going for it. It’s just a shame that it isn’t as magical as it could have been.

6/10

About these ads

Movie Project #46: Dead Man [1995]

Posted by

8

Due to the surprising success of my initial Movies Project, I decided to do a part two for 2012. This time around I put a greater emphasis on directors I am not familiar with, but I also tried to compile a mix of different genres and eras. This will be an ongoing project with the finish date being sometime this year.

Dead Man [1995]

Dead Man [1995]
Director: Jim Jarmusch
Genre: Drama/Fantasy/Western
Starring: Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Lance Henriksen, Robert Mitchum, John Hurt, and Gabriel Byrne
Running Time: 121 minutes

“Do you know my poetry?”

Jim Jarmusch’s Dead Man, shot entirely in black-and-white and labeled a “psychedelic Western” by the director himself, is unlike any film I have seen. What starts out as a familiar Western plotline — a foreigner arrives in an unwelcoming new town and gets in trouble — quickly flips itself on its head and turns into an absurd existential journey.

Johnny Depp stars as William Blake, who we quickly learn is a “dead man” even if he doesn’t know it yet. An accountant from Cleveland, Blake rides by train all the way out to the frontier town of Machine where he has been promised a lucrative new job. It’s clear upon arrival that Blake is woefully out of place. He shows up in a preposterous checkered suit, and he is nearly laughed out of the company building by the business manager (John Hurt). It turns out the job position has been filled, and even after appealing to the company’s truculent owner, John Dickinson (Robert Mitchum, in his final film performance), Blake walks away empty-handed.

Dead Man [1995]

Things only get worse from there. Blake somehow manages to bed a woman, only to have her sulking ex-boyfriend (Gabriel Byrne) show up afterward. In an act of self defense, William shoots the man, getting himself shot in the process. The bad news continues as it is revealed that this was the son of Dickinson, and the wealthy business owner hires a posse of hitmen to snuff out the accountant.

While on the run, Blake meets a large Native American guide, Nobody (Gary Farmer), who attempts to help him come to terms with his impending death. It is from this point forward where the film takes a surreal turn, as Nobody takes Blake on a journey of spiritual enlightenment. They meet some bizarre characters along the way (including an unforgettable group of mountain men played by Iggy Pop, Billy Bob Thornton and Jared Harris), and we are kept up to speed on the hitmen via seemingly random interludes. The film fades in and out of the paths of each side, much like Blake goes in and out of consciousness.

Dead Man [1995]

Quite frankly, there’s a lot to take in, and it can get difficult to piece it altogether. By all accounts, this seems to be a film in which multiple viewings are necessary to get the full effect. Critics were divided upon its release — Roger Ebert famously gave this 1 1/2 stars, while Jonathan Rosenbaum wrote an entire book on the subject — but it has built a cult following since then.

I can’t say I’m entirely on board with the film, but I loved the cast, led by Johnny Depp’s meek protrayal of William Blake. Gary Farmer makes for an intriguing spiritual guide, a more contemporary take when compared to the early Western time period. The supporting cast is nothing short of phenomenal, with memorable performances from the likes of Mitchum, Hurt, Iggy Pop, Thornton, Harris, Alfred Molina, and even Crispin Glover. Throw in Neil Young’s improvisational guitar score and you have all the makings of a bona fide cult hit.

My first impression of Dead Man is mixed, but there are enough ideas in place that make me believe I could enjoy it more on a second viewing. I may need to go on my own spiritual quest beforehand, however.

6/10

Movie Review: Life of Pi [2012]

Posted by

18

Life of Pi

Life of Pi [2012]
Director: Ang Lee
Genre: Adventure/Drama
Starring: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan and Adil Hussain
Running Time: 127 minutes

Ang Lee’s Life of Pi is a lot of things — beautiful, visually impressive, ambitious, and ultimately, shallow.

The film tells the story of Pi Patel and his unbelievable life, as presented by a middle-aged Pi (Irrfan Khan) to a writer looking for new material. Pi recounts his days as a child, when he would humorously take in bits from several religions to create his own vision. His parents owned a zoo in India, and all was well until his father decided to sell everything and move to Canada. On the ensuing voyage, a nasty storm destroys the ship, sending humans and the wild animals onboard flying violently into the middle of the ocean. The teenage Pi (Suraj Sharma) finds himself separated from everyone else, somehow ending up alone on a boat with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

Life of Pi [2012]

This is the segment of the film that most will recognize beforehand. Yes, Pi is stranded in the Pacific Ocean with a tiger, and yes, this represents a good chunk of the film. My initial concerns, having not read the novel that this is based on, were that this would be a wild fantasy in which the tiger is made to be a cuddly feline rather than the dangerous predator it really is. Thankfully, that is not the case here, as Pi is very much afraid of Richard Parker, and the tiger is ill-concerned with befriending a human.

The problem here is that there is little suspense during this segment. During the beginning of the film, we are shown the middle-aged Pi as he sits down to talk to the writer. There is nary a scratch on him, or any evidence that he had survived a traumatic experience like this shipwreck. As such, we know right away that he will survive this endeavor, and the tiger feels much less threatening as a result. This lack of impact is especially noticeable once the ending hits, when a revelation suddenly threatens to make the film all for naught. The climax also laughably spells out Pi’s final statement a second time for the audience, just in case it wasn’t clear the first time around.

Life of Pi [2012]

Early in the film, the middle-aged Pi boldly states that his story will make the writer believe in God, thereby making us (the audience) do the same. While Pi’s story raises some interesting questions regarding faith and the structure of beliefs, he is greatly overstating his tale. Those expecting a groundbreaking revelation would be better served looking elsewhere.

Even though Life of Pi falls short of its lofty ambitions, it’s impossible not to bask in its sheer beauty. This is one visually stunning film, aided immensely by some of the best CGI that I have ever seen. The tiger fits in seamlessly on board, and the young Sharma plays off of it perfectly. The shipwreck scene is loud, boisterous and frightening — especially when seen in 3D. I would be shocked if this doesn’t get an Oscar nod for Best Visual Effects (and Best Cinematography, for that matter).

It’s a shame that there isn’t a more meaningful story underneath Life of Pi‘s alluring outer shell. Ang Lee deserves credit for bringing this novel to life with a vision like only he can, but a weak conclusion dampens what is already an anticlimactic adventure.

6/10

Video Game Review: Scribblenauts [DS, 2009]

Posted by

2

Scribblenauts [DS, 2009]

Scribblenauts
System: Nintendo DS
Genre: Emergent, Puzzle, Action
Publisher: WB Games
Developer: 5th Cell
Release Date: September 15, 2009

Scribblenauts is a perfect example of a game with tremendous potential yet unsatisfying execution. This DS puzzler presents a world full of possibilities, with the only limit being your imagination.

The goal is simple: you are given an objective, and you must find a way to complete this by writing in words, which then appear on screen in their physical forms. Let’s say, theoretically, that the “starite” (the item you need to get to) is on the other side of a lake. You can get there in a number of ways, of course. You could write in “boat” and take that across to the other side. You could get a pair of wings and fly over, or you could get a snorkel and swim across. This is a very basic example, but you get the idea.

Scribblenauts [DS, 2009]

There are a whopping 200+ stages in the game, evenly split up into “puzzle” and “action” stages. Puzzle stages require something to be solved, whereas action levels are more versed in side-scrolling platforming gameplay. Stages are ranked on a four-star difficulty system, so you have a good idea of how challenging a certain level will be. If that’s not enough, there is even an option to create your own level, or just mess around in a sandbox area and try out different words to see what they do. It’s incredible that 5th Cell managed to fit all of this into a DS cartridge, especially considering there are more than 10,000 words in its dictionary.

On the technical side of things, there is no doubt that Scribblenauts is impressive. Unfortunately, there are major issues that severely hamper gameplay. The biggest problem rests squarely on the control system. The main character, Maxwell, is a bitch to move around. You control him by tapping the stylus on screen, but he is very lackadaisical in his movements. I couldn’t even tell you how many times I tried to get him to move to a certain platform, only for him to fall off over and over again. It’s also difficult to pick up items and/or interact with them sometimes. There are moments where the “item taps” will register as an empty space, often creating situations where Maxwell falls to his death. This is all beyond frustrating, and it could have been fixed with a simple solution: just let the character be moved with the D-Pad! As it stands, the game only uses the D-Pad to move the camera from side-to-side. Everything else uses the stylus, which just doesn’t work as it should. Very disappointing.

Scribblenauts [DS, 2009]

There are also problems with the game’s vocabulary. While the sheer amount of words available is staggering, most of the puzzles can be solved with the same basic items. I found myself using the same words over and over again: jetpack, wings, cord. While the game begs for gamers to be creative, why would I want to take the time to type out something infinitely more complex, especially when the game rewards you for finishing a stage quickly? Simple, tried-and-true techniques seem to work best here.

Also, every word available comes in a one-size-fits-all package. There is no way to get a longer rope or a larger blanket. You have to work around the size that the game gives you. This causes seemingly logical solutions to not work at all, even when they should theoretically.

It’s a shame that Scribblenauts was released with so many inherent flaws. The concept is, frankly, brilliant, and it evokes powerful feelings to have the ability to write anything you want and have it appear on screen. There’s still a decent and playable game underneath, but I can’t help but feel that this game could have truly been something special. There is a sequel now available that claims to have improved controls, but I’m not sure I will bother with that one. As it stands, Scribblenauts is a technical marvel but a mediocre game.

6/10

Video Game Review: Homefront [Xbox 360, 2011]

Posted by

2

Homefront [Xbox 360, 2011]

Homefront
System: Xbox 360
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Kaos Studios
Release Date: March 15, 2011

The year is 2027. North Korea has a new leader, Kim Jong-un (Kim Jong-il’s son), and he is hellbent on world domination. After uniting both North and South Korea together, the Republic has taken over Japan and has now begun a devastating assault on the United States. The US military has been incapacitated by an EMP strike, and the entire West Coast is in disarray. Small pockets of resistance forces have popped up to fight the Republic, and Homefront places you in the middle of one these renegade groups. This is a pretty interesting concept since most first person shooters are based on foreign soil, and ultimately it was this premise that inspired me to look into Homefront. Unfortunately, this great idea is poorly utilized.

The first thing I noticed about Homefront is that it looks like every other FPS on the Xbox 360. The character models and environments remind me of the Battlefield: Bad Company games, and many of the levels have similar thematic elements to Call of Duty. In essence, Homefront comes off as a poor man’s version of both.

Homefront [Xbox 360, 2011]

The single player campaign is short. Painfully short, actually. At just 4-5 hours in length, you can complete it in one evening of play, if you so desire. I can deal with short campaigns if they are well thought-out enough, but Homefront’s killer concept quickly deteriorates into a generic formulaic design. Every level is basically urban warfare where you shoot a bunch of Koreans, run to the next location, shoot some more, and then continue repeating this process. There is little in the way of variance, outside of one mission where you get to fly a helicopter. I had no attachment to any of the characters, and I found that the scenes where emotions were meant to be evoked were rather dull and lifeless. Throw in some idiotic and slow-moving AI characters (who you have to follow through the *entire* game), some ridiculous product placement (I can’t even tell you how many NOS/Full Throttle vending machines were “randomly” in the way) and just general lack of excitement, and you have a very underwhelming campaign.

Homefront’s multiplayer mode, on the other hand, is clearly where the game redeems itself. While fairly light on modes/options, the multiplayer is significantly better than its single player brethren. Online games can host as many as 32 players, which can create some crazy and chaotic experiences. Leveling up is the ultimate goal online, and the game uses a fun Battle Points system that allows for the purchase of vehicles and weapon upgrades. While the multiplayer isn’t anything groundbreaking, it is a refreshing change of pace from Call of Duty, and it has a good-sized community at the moment.

Homefront [Xbox 360, 2011]

It should be noted, however, that online play is severely limited if you buy Homefront used or if you rent the game. Without an online code found in new copies of the game, you can only build your character up to level 5, which means you will miss out on many of the great perks available at later levels. You can buy an online pass for $10, but this extra fee will surely infuriate many gamers.

In short, Homefront is a tale of two games. The single player campaign could have been great, but it didn’t even come close to living up to its full potential. The multiplayer experience is much better, and gamers who play exclusively online will get a lot more out of this. I would recommend renting Homefront if you are curious about the game, but there’s no way in hell I would advise paying its normal $60 price tag.

6/10

Video Game Review: Unbound Saga [Xbox 360, 2010]

Posted by

0

Unbound Saga [Xbox 360, 2010]

Unbound Saga
System: Xbox 360 [Xbox Live Arcade]
Publisher: Vogster Entertainment, LLC
Developer: Vogster
Release Date: December 1, 2010

Originally a downloadable PSP title, Unbound Saga was ported over to Xbox Live a year later with a few differences (most notably the addition of a co-op mode). The game is a simple, mindless side-scrolling beat ‘em up that draws heavily from the classic 1995 Sega Genesis title, Comix Zone. You play as either Rick Ajax, a juiced-up musclehead, or Lori Machete, a mysterious woman, both of whom are aware that they are in a comic book (kind of like the great Duck Amuck cartoon). Your job is to brawl your way through ten stages in order to meet “The Maker” – the guy who is drawing the enemies on screen.

Unbound Saga bares more than a passing resemblance to the aforementioned Comix Zone. In fact, this almost feels like a full-on tribute. There are obstacles that need to be kicked and punched in order to move to the next panel (thankfully this doesn’t hurt your character this time), and there’s even a rat running around during loading screens. The game also has a lackadaisical sense of humor throughout, which is refreshing. This humor is most prevalent in the handful of enemies thrown at you, whether they are homeless people who think you stole someone’s liver or bears wearing aprons. I wouldn’t go so far as to say the game is genuinely funny, but its lighter tone is appreciated.

Unbound Saga [Xbox 360, 2010]

Although the basic gameplay is the same as most beat ‘em up titles, Unbound Saga has a certain amount of depth that helps it stand out. Strong in-game performances will earn you skill points which in turn can be used to learn new combos and improve the overall attributes for both characters. This sort of leveling up system is a nice addition, and it adds to the replay value since it encourages multiple playthroughs.

Unfortunately, while the overall gameplay style is tried and true, there are some problems. For one, the controls are often sluggish. Rick, in particular, is difficult to move around, and he sometimes struggles to make contact with what is seemingly right in front of him. There were also times when I would have the analog stick pointed in one direction while spamming the attack buttons, yet Rick would remain facing the opposite way. This type of issue allows the enemies (and there are lots of ‘em later on) to get in some cheap shots, and this gets very frustrating. The controls could have really been fine-tuned some more.

Repetition is also an issue, although that is somewhat expected with the genre. The game is pretty much the same from beginning to end, with little in the way of surprises. A bit disappointing, but not out of the ordinary.

Unbound Saga [Xbox 360, 2010]

In essence, Unbound Saga is what it is. This is a mindless brawler with a fun comic book setting that borrows heavily from an even better game, Comix Zone. Some control and repetition issues keep the game from realizing its potential, but it is still worth playing through on a lazy afternoon. If you are a fan of the genre and see the game on sale, it is worth a look. It is difficult to recommend it at its current price (800 MSP), however.

6/10

Movie Review: Due Date [2010]

Posted by

5

Due Date [2010]

Due Date [2010]
Director: Todd Phillips
Genre: Comedy
Language: English
Country: USA

Due Date is a haphazard road comedy starring two unlikeable characters, a film that could have been far greater than its outcome. Robert Downey Jr. is Peter Highman, a high strung businessman who is trying to make it from Atlanta to Los Angeles in order to be there for the birth of his first child. At the Atlanta airport, he runs into Ethan Tremblay (Zach Galifianakis), an annoying aspiring actor who inadvertantly causes a scene and causes both men to be put on the no-fly list. The moment that allows this to happen is not as funny as you would expect. With his bags (and wallet) still on the plane, Peter has no way to rent a car and drive to LA so he begrudgingly rides along with Ethan. Yes, this is a road trip movie.

I had fairly high expectations for this film, especially considering director Todd Phillips had a major comedy hit immediately before this in the form of The Hangover. I like Downey and Galifianakis, and the trailer made this look pretty funny. While Due Date has a handful of laugh-out-loud moments, it tends to rely too heavily on its weak script and trying-too-hard-to-be-funny scenes. It doesn’t help that both of the main characters are just so unlikeable. Zach G. is a very funny guy, but he isn’t given anything to work with here. His character, Ethan, is an annoying little twat who has nary a likeable trait. Downey’s character isn’t much better due to his holier-than-thou asshole tendencies, although he does provide the “best” moment in the movie when he knocks out a child.

Due Date [2010]

A big problem is that the obligatory “gross out” scenes are stupid and unnecessary. Who thought including a random segment with a masturbating dog would be funny? Apparently the dog learned this from Ethan, who has to masturbate at night in order for him to be able to fall asleep. WTF? I don’t get how someone thought this was a good idea.

What helps keep the movie watchable is its assortment of random cameos. RZA, Danny McBride, Juliette Lewis and Jamie Foxx all have bit roles in the movie, and they do their best to keep things fresh at crucial times in the movie.

It’s unfortunate that such a talented cast was given a poor script to work with. This is a fairly simple concept — two guys with opposite personalities taking a cross country road trip — and it is a premise that could easily provide hilarious obstacles along the way. Yet it is hard to get behind the unlikeable main characters that Due Date throws at us. Still, this isn’t a terrible movie, or even a bad one. It’s just that it could have been so much more.

6/10

Beer Review: Oarsman Ale [Bell's Brewery]

Posted by

0

Bell's Oarsman Ale

Oarsman Ale
Brewery: Bell’s (Kalamazoo, Michigan)
Style: American Pale Wheat Ale
ABV: 4.0%

Bell’s has been one of my favorite breweries for a while now, and I have fond memories of them for helping to introduce me to the wonderful world of craft beer. Because of this, I did not hesitate to pick up a six pack of Oarsman Ale, a beer I have never seen before. I wish I had taken a look at the label before doing so, however, because I was not aware that this is a sour ale. I am not opposed to sour brews, but they are not something I typically seek out.

The Oarsman Ale is labeled as “Bouyant, tart and refreshing from using traditional sour mash methods.” Tart is definitely an apt description, as there are hints of lemon that hang around on the tongue after tasting. The aforementioned sourness is present but thankfully not too overwhelming. This is a light wheat beer with little body, and unfortunately it lacks the punch that could take it to the next level.

It almost seems that the Oarsman Ale is stuck in limbo between being an American pale wheat ale and a full-on Belgian sour, and this really holds it back overall. As a self-proclaimed “session beer”, this is a decent offering, but it is not something I will pursue again in the future.

6/10

Video Game Review: Alien Breed: Evolution [Xbox 360, 2009]

Posted by

0

Alien Breed: Evolution [2009]

Alien Breed: Evolution
System: Xbox 360 [Xbox Live Arcade]
Publisher: Team 17
Developer: Team 17
Release Date: December 16, 2009

Alien Breed: Evolution is the revival of an old Amiga video game series that spawned five games in the 90′s, the last one coming out in 1996. Set as a top-down isometric shooter, Evolution’s main gameplay consists of navigating around spaceships, finding key cards, restoring power and blowing away aliens. Despite this revival’s graphics overhaul, the methodical gameplay still feels dated. Repeated trial and error while attempting to open locked doors gets old after a while, even though the game’s map waypoint is helpful in directing you along the way. Enemy aliens break up the monotony, but they aren’t a very diverse group. In fact, the overall gameplay gets repetitive after a while. The game uses tried and true tactics, but even a fresh coat of paint can’t mask the 90′s feel.

The controls are hit and miss. The game’s usage of the analog sticks is great — the left stick is used to move around, the right stick is used to shoot. Using the analog sticks is smooth and fits the game very well. Unfortunately, the focus on analog translates to sloppy controls elsewhere. The left and right bumpers are used to rotate the camera, and sometimes it is difficult to swing it to the right view in the heat of battle. Also, weapons are switched using the d-pad which again can cause issues while trying to fight off hordes of aliens. These problems don’t break the game, but different button mapping would have been ideal.

I am perhaps being too hard on this game. Alien Breed Evolution is not bad at all, it just doesn’t try anything new. Fans of the original games may get the most enjoyment here, as the revamped graphics are certainly a welcome addition. The game’s inclusion of a co-op mode is a strong asset as well since it adds a new dynamic to the main campaign. With some tweaks here and there, Evolution could have been better. As it stands, it is a solid revival that rests on its laurels a bit too much.

6/10

Fable III [Xbox 360, 2010]

Posted by

0

Fable III [Xbox 360, 2010]

Fable III
System: Xbox 360
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Lionhead Studios
Release Date: October 26, 2010

I wanted to love Fable III. I really did. After all, I greatly enjoyed Fable II, even when others dismissed it as being “too short” and “lacking innovation.” Fable III is similar to its predecessor in many ways, but yet it somehow manages to be significantly worse. All of the loving charm from the second game is missing, and instead we are left with what feels like an empty shell of the Fable franchise.

Lionhead’s latest Action RPG effort is nearly identical to its Xbox 360 brethren in terms of gameplay. This time around you play as the son/daughter of the Hero in Fable II. Your brother is the King of Albion, but he is also a tyrant who is pissing off the citizens of his country. Fed up with his bullshit, you embark on a mission to start a rebellion with the townspeople and take over control of the kingdom. Standard fare, but it works.

Fable III starts off slow, really slow. Seriously, it took me at least a couple of hours to actually get into the game. In the beginning, the game sludges along as you work on mundane tasks while leaving the castle. I nearly gave up on the game then and there, but I held out hope that it would harken back to what I knew and loved before. Unfortunately, while it did improve over time, I noticed so many problems that dragged the game down.

Here are some of the annoyances that bothered me as the game progressed:

- The game is incredibly easy. You cannot actually die; instead, your character is knocked down temporarily. Most gamers will be able to make it through without being incapacitated even once.

- The combat system needs some work. The game offers random execution hits that tend to happen at the most inopportune times. While these attacks often look cool, they leave you prone to being attacked by the enemies and therefore cause more harm than good.

- Communicating with NPCs (non-playable characters) is even worse than before. Now when attempting to converse with an NPC you are presented with pressing A for “good” and B for “evil.” Good options include dancing, hugging, and playing patty cake, but you are never given the option to choose exactly which function you want to do. It’s pretty ridiculous that in order to win over someone’s heart all you have to do is hit “A” twenty times in a row. To top it all off, the expressions have some annoying load times in between that make the whole process tedious.

- The new anti-menu system is bothersome. In lieu of a menu, you are transported to a central hub every time you press the START button. It takes a little bit longer than necessary to access any of the usual functions here, such as navigating a map, changing your wardrobe, and browsing your stats. To top it all off, the portal has a butler who makes redundant quips every time you enter. Sorry Peter Molyneux, but this just didn’t work.

- Fable II’s dog was one of my favorite aspects of the game. While you are given a dog here, unfortunately it is more cumbersome than anything else. This dog is just plain dumb and runs into walls/fences/rocks instead of taking you to the treasure it allegedly found.

- The golden trail that is a staple of the series is back, but it tends to fade in and out. This was one of the biggest issues with me because the trail would just randomly disappear and/or become ridiculously hard to see.

- You are only given one save file. Really? In 2010? Better hope it doesn’t get corrupted, which is something that apparently a lot of people have had trouble with.

Shockingly, despite all of these problems, Fable III is not a *bad* game. It takes a while to get cooking, and it has a surprisingly large number of gameplay annoyances, but it is still enjoyable for the most part. The section where you have to make important decisions for the country is brilliant, as it brings about some terribly challenging questions that show life as King isn’t as easy as you would think. Fable III could have used some more time in the incubator, as it feels like we have received an unpolished version of the final product.

6/10

- On a side note, I had some serious issues playing Fable III on my older Xbox model. Apparently the game disc uses new technology that older models have difficulty supporting. The only way I was able to play the game was by playing a different game for a little while then swapping discs. Frustrating to say the least; keep this in mind if you are in the same boat.