The Devolution of Lara Croft; A Review of Tomb Raider (2013).

Since the birth of Tomb Raider in 1996, we have seen Lara attempt to battle new heights, as the infamous archaeologists daughter returns in the reboot of the much loved gaming franchise.

[All Screenshots From Personal Gameplay. Image Rights Owned By Crystal Dynamics]

Aptly named the same as it's predecessor, the game, developed by Crystal Dynamics, acts as a prequel to the previous original series, aiming to take us back to the core of Lara's journey of self discovery; from timid teen to hardcore heroine. With awards for Most Anticipated Game of the Year (*Digital Spy) and Best Action Game (*IGN, 2011) under it's belt, I expected something utterly mind blowing following the anticlimax of Tomb Raider: Underworld.

After the events of the shipwrecked Endurance, Lara is thrown in at the deep end throughout her mission to regroup with survivors and escape the cursed island of Yamatai, Japan. But first she must battle the dreaded cult of Himiko as she is captured by satanic worshippers of the so called "Sun Queen". A storyline which was shrouded in potential, yet slowly became generic and predictable (with the odd occasional false scare, of course). It somewhat dragged at times and I found myself more admiring the scenery than the actual game itself. 

Bioshock: A Philosophical Review.

With the highly anticipated release of Bioshock Infinite (the third installment of the 2K game series), you will find below a review/analysis of the first game, complete with philosophical 

jargon and pictures and whatnot.

[All Screenshots From Personal Gameplay. Image Rights Owned by Irrational Games]

Released in 2007 by Irrational Games, Bioshock is seen as one of the Highest Rated First Person Shooters of All Time* The Gamer is immersed in the world of Rapture; an underwater city that is drowned in history. With what appears to be a longing for the past, the game design mirrors that of 1950’s/60’s America.

Amidst a plane crash, we are plunged into the depths of a Utopia; a sort of broken Atlantis. It is the end of an Idealistic Society said to have been dominated by “hand-picked” Scientists, Artists and Industrialists; a society which is now on the brink of war. You can alter your own biological structure with so called “Plasmids” (controlled by your own “will to power” – Nietzsche’s “Ubermensch”/Superman) and determine your own ending based on the choices you make throughout the game (Existentialism).

With awards such as Best Game of the Year (British Academy Video Game Awards), Best Original Game (Yahoo! Games Best of 2007) and Best Artistic Design (IGN E3 2007 Awards), Bioshock is a game like no other.

IRON MAN 3: A REVIEW.

“All beings so far have created something beyond themselves; and do you want to be the ebb of this great flood and even go back to the beasts than overcome man?” [Nietzsche on the “Ubermensch”]

The past comes back to haunt Tony Stark in the third installment of the MARVEL franchise,  with the film being one of most bolt-busting and action-packed in the trilogy.

Image Rights Owned by ©Marvel Studios 2013.

Touching on the aftermath of superhero blockbuster “Avengers Assemble”, Stark comes to suffer from an undeniable anxiety problem following the day’s events in New York (I reckon that’s standard considering one had suffered a near-death experience), giving the film immediate leverage, as Stark reveals himself to be at his physically weakest; the man inside the suit becoming a broken man on the verge of a breakdown. Granted, he has always been a relatively self-destructive character, what with the laddish aura, the below the belt sense of humour and the inherent materialism, but c'mon, that's all part of his appeal.

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS REVIEW.

WARNING. REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.

"The thrill is in the chase, never in the capture." (Agatha Christie)

Prepare yourself for a banterous bromance, devilish disguises and a generic German villain who is determined to bring about the death of western civilisation, as a case of mistaken identity leads Holmes, Watson and their gypsy counterpart on A Game Of Shadows.

Image available under Wikimedia Commons.

Guy Ritchie is back, directing in my opinion, a brilliantly executed portrayal of the quick-witted detective's unforgettable escapades.

I found the first Sherlock Holmes film, in which Holmes was faced with the challenge of defeating occult sorcerer Lord Blackwood, rather underwhelming. Considering the supernatural storyline was a reference to author Doyle, it lacked the ominousity and the shock value that makes his stories so appealing.

Reading 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' it is evident that the films detach themselves significantly from the books. Instead, Ritchie has chosen to revamp Holmes into a modern-day action-hero, being portrayed as the "physical type" rather than the "thinker", making the film a comedy of sorts. 

In my opinion, he has done an elementary job. The bullet-time sequences are iconic as we are invited to enter the poetic mind of Holmes in a way that is somewhat intrusive yet captivating all the same. Robert Downey Jr never fails to impress with his portrayal of the sinister Holmes, and the on-screen chemistry between him and Jude Law is undeniably charming.

VERDICT:
"If convenient, come at once. If inconvenient, come all the same."

"The Da Vinci Code"

Leonardo Da Vinci. The controversial artist of the Renaissance. Obsessed with the state, religion and most importantly - he loved a good puzzle.

"Everyone loves a Conspiracy." - The Da Vinci Code (2003)

In today's issue of The Daily Mail, Da Vinci still manages to captivate audiences with the controversy surrounding one of his stolen paintings named "The Madonna Of The Yarwinder".

The painting was said to be "tracked down" by private detectives after being stolen from an exhibition at Drumlanrig Castle in 2003, with the affair being branded a "conspiracy".

I have always been intrigued by his work due to the fact that I am an avid art lover and a typical overthinker. Of which I find his works to often emote the question; "Who knew a painting could say so much?"

To me, his paintings signify an era of strict religious values, emotional ambiguity and his significant rebellion towards the state and it's beliefs.

"What really matters is what you believe." - The Da Vinci Code (2003)

Idealist Spinoza held the belief that the church was secondary to the state (therefore, religion was decided by the state). His criticisms of The Bible and Political Theory made freedom of opinion important, in which he believed in "absolute logical necessity". He was a Sceptic in the sense that "nothing is true, but everything is possible."

"Life is filled with secrets. You can't learn them all at once." - The Da Vinci Code (2003) 

A glance at religion through the eyes of Da Vinci is further explored in Dan Brown's novel "The Da Vinci Code" (2003). 

For me, "The Da Vinci Code" was a very interesting summer read whereby his artwork is surrounded by various myths and narratives. There is a themed sense of urgency and I often found myself drifting in and out of the frequent historical teaching (courtesy of Langdon and Teabing), of which I found the myth surrounding his most famed painting "The Mona Lisa" the most intriguing.

"Langdon explains that the 'Mona Lisa' is an anagram of the Egyptian gods of fertility: Amon (male) and Isis (female) and is androgynous." - (http://painting.about.com/od/famouspainters/a/DaVinciCode.htm)

Even from beyond the grave, Da Vinci's interpretation of art still manages to captivate the demographic. And no matter how long we stand, stare and admire, we will never be able to view these pieces quite like we would through the eyes of the artist. 

Information and quotes sourced from The Daily Mail (24/11/11). 

For more information, visit: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html