Escape from Monkey Island
I don't disagree with the consensus view that this is the worst game of the series, but "worst" is a relative term. Put it this way: this evening, I intended to play this for a little bit before having the time to watch some TV, maybe even a film. Two-and-a-half hours later, I had to make myself stop playing because it was getting late.
Wednesday, 8 June 2022
Tuesday, 7 June 2022
Games
Escape from Monkey Island
On to the fourth Monkey Island game; the last one I played in full, back when it came out, 22 years ago. 22 years! Jesus. Also, as I mentioned when I started Curse, I can't remember for sure if this is the second or third time I'm playing it — I feel like I did re-play it sometime, but I can't remember when. So, no re-play count for now.
First impressions? The then-current 3D graphics have aged much more poorly than the pixel art and cartoon styles of the first three games. It's not just the low poly counts and basic textures — the pre-rendered backgrounds feel much more sparse than the detail-packed drawn ones; and it changes camera angle far too often, which can be confusing. That's compounded by the keyboard-based controls (presumably designed to be controller-friendly for console ports), which are clunky. If you choose character-based navigation, it can be oddly confusing about which direction Guybrush will go in; but if it's camera based, that changes every time it switches angle, leading to you sometimes accidentally running in and out of a location repeatedly. Shame they didn't also include mouse support for PCs — it would be much nicer with good ol' point-and-click. Hopefully I'll get used to it as the game goes on...
On to the fourth Monkey Island game; the last one I played in full, back when it came out, 22 years ago. 22 years! Jesus. Also, as I mentioned when I started Curse, I can't remember for sure if this is the second or third time I'm playing it — I feel like I did re-play it sometime, but I can't remember when. So, no re-play count for now.
First impressions? The then-current 3D graphics have aged much more poorly than the pixel art and cartoon styles of the first three games. It's not just the low poly counts and basic textures — the pre-rendered backgrounds feel much more sparse than the detail-packed drawn ones; and it changes camera angle far too often, which can be confusing. That's compounded by the keyboard-based controls (presumably designed to be controller-friendly for console ports), which are clunky. If you choose character-based navigation, it can be oddly confusing about which direction Guybrush will go in; but if it's camera based, that changes every time it switches angle, leading to you sometimes accidentally running in and out of a location repeatedly. Shame they didn't also include mouse support for PCs — it would be much nicer with good ol' point-and-click. Hopefully I'll get used to it as the game goes on...
Monday, 6 June 2022
TV
Around the World with Willy Fog
1x01 The Wager
Is this classic / cult animated adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days a worthy substitute for the other series I just enjoyed? Um...
[Watch it (again) on YouTube.]
Not Going Out
12x04 Front Window
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
1x01 The Wager
Is this classic / cult animated adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days a worthy substitute for the other series I just enjoyed? Um...
[Watch it (again) on YouTube.]
Not Going Out
12x04 Front Window
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Sunday, 5 June 2022
TV
Around the World in 80 Days
1x08 Episode 8 [season finale]
Not sure how exactly they intend to bring this back for a second series (there's a hint at the end, but will they really go there?), but I'm glad they are — it's been a lot of fun.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x139 Week 24: Thursday
5x140 Week 24: Friday [season finale]
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
1x08 Episode 8 [season finale]
Not sure how exactly they intend to bring this back for a second series (there's a hint at the end, but will they really go there?), but I'm glad they are — it's been a lot of fun.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x139 Week 24: Thursday
5x140 Week 24: Friday [season finale]
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
this week on 100Films.co.uk
A new month means new monthly columns at 100Films.co.uk this week. First, the review of May...
Then, all the (many, many) films I failed to watch last month...
No new film reviews this week. Hopefully there'll be more next Sunday.
Then, all the (many, many) films I failed to watch last month...
No new film reviews this week. Hopefully there'll be more next Sunday.
Saturday, 4 June 2022
TVt
Around the World in 80 Days
1x07 Episode 7
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Leverage
4x11 The Experimental Job
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x137 Week 24: Tuesday
5x138 Week 24: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
1x07 Episode 7
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Leverage
4x11 The Experimental Job
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x137 Week 24: Tuesday
5x138 Week 24: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Another week, another large pile of new additons — ten in total this week, including three upgrades (though in one case I'm keeping the previous version (at least for now) due to a single unique special feature (it's a commentary track, so at least it's a chunky extra)). So, the actual titles increase doesn't quite reach double figures; which is for the best really, because clearly I'm buying too much stuff recently!
Anyway, more new additions to come next week.
Number of titles in collection: 2,851 [up 8]
Of which DVDs: 1,055 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,796 [up 9]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 172 [up 3]
Number of discs in collection: 7,085 [up 16]
Number of films: 3,401 [up 7]
Number of additional cuts: 263 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 9,281 [up 13]
Number of short films: 962 [up 1]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Another week, another large pile of new additons — ten in total this week, including three upgrades (though in one case I'm keeping the previous version (at least for now) due to a single unique special feature (it's a commentary track, so at least it's a chunky extra)). So, the actual titles increase doesn't quite reach double figures; which is for the best really, because clearly I'm buying too much stuff recently!
Anyway, more new additions to come next week.
Number of titles in collection: 2,851 [up 8]
Of which DVDs: 1,055 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,796 [up 9]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 172 [up 3]
Number of discs in collection: 7,085 [up 16]
Number of films: 3,401 [up 7]
Number of additional cuts: 263 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 9,281 [up 13]
Number of short films: 962 [up 1]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 3 June 2022
TV
Around the World in 80 Days
1x06 Episode 6
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x136 Week 24: Monday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
1x06 Episode 6
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x136 Week 24: Monday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Thursday, 2 June 2022
TV
Around the World in 80 Days
1x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Not Going Out
12x03 Friend
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x134 Week 23: Thursday
5x135 Week 23: Friday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Ten Percent
1x03 Episode 3
1x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Not Going Out
12x03 Friend
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x134 Week 23: Thursday
5x135 Week 23: Friday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Ten Percent
1x03 Episode 3
Fiction
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
This spooky short story came up on Twitter today, and someone shared a link to read it online, so I did. In short, it's about creepy wallpaper, and the reason it came up on Twitter is because someone has made wallpaper inspired by it — apparently without realising that, y'know, that's creepy.
This spooky short story came up on Twitter today, and someone shared a link to read it online, so I did. In short, it's about creepy wallpaper, and the reason it came up on Twitter is because someone has made wallpaper inspired by it — apparently without realising that, y'know, that's creepy.
Wednesday, 1 June 2022
TV
Around the World in 80 Days
1x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x132 Week 23: Tuesday
5x133 Week 23: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
1x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x132 Week 23: Tuesday
5x133 Week 23: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Tuesday, 31 May 2022
TV
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x130 Week 22: Friday
5x131 Week 23: Monday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
5x130 Week 22: Friday
5x131 Week 23: Monday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Monday, 30 May 2022
TV
Around the World in 80 Days
1x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Leverage
4x10 The Queen's Gambit Job
Not Going Out
12x02 Text
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x129 Week 22: Thursday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
1x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Leverage
4x10 The Queen's Gambit Job
Not Going Out
12x02 Text
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x129 Week 22: Thursday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Games
The Curse of Monkey Island
Completed. Just under 7½ hours, so a bit longer than the first two took me in the end. Gotta say, the final cut scene is a bit disappointing. I guess there was some “the game is over, just get out of it” logic there, but considering how long some of the earlier ones were, it feels like we should be rewarded with a decent coda. Hey-ho, it’s hardly the end of the world.
Next: Monkey goes 3D in Escape.
Completed. Just under 7½ hours, so a bit longer than the first two took me in the end. Gotta say, the final cut scene is a bit disappointing. I guess there was some “the game is over, just get out of it” logic there, but considering how long some of the earlier ones were, it feels like we should be rewarded with a decent coda. Hey-ho, it’s hardly the end of the world.
Next: Monkey goes 3D in Escape.
Sunday, 29 May 2022
TV
Around the World in 80 Days
1x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x127 Week 22: Tuesday
5x128 Week 22: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Ten Percent
1x02 Episode 2
1x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
5x127 Week 22: Tuesday
5x128 Week 22: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Ten Percent
1x02 Episode 2
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