Random Indie Game of the Week: Epic Elf

Posted on August 19, 2012 by geelw

While it’s got a few pesky typos (and is yet ANOTHER game that’s making me wonder if I should join the fine folks over at RPGMaker.net and ask people to send me their scripts to proofread), spirit_young‘s very cool and often crudely funny RPG, Epic Elf manages to be well worth checking out for a few reasons. His spin on the treasure hunting rogue and his slime minion is a fun one, complete with modern day cursing (hey, it made me laugh) and plenty of increasingly challenging battles. I liked that the game wasn’t a complete walk in the park and some of the dungeons past the first area require your party to be properly leveled, packing some powerful gear and spells in order to take out enemies and much more brutal bosses. You can swap your trusty slime out with another useful minion once you find it, but be sure to level the new one up a bit or it will constantly be dying in combat.

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Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault: Well, If You’re Skewing Younger, It’s A Step Forward…

Posted on August 19, 2012 by geelw

Well, it looks as if since R & C All 4 One, Insomniac is cutting out any chance of this series being as “edgy” as it once was. Of course, that’s to be expected with the franchise running for so long across two console cycles (and soon to be two portable ones). Granted, if you think about it, the visual style has always been that of a modern CG cartoon influenced by many classics from days gone by now geared to kids. I’m also betting that the dev tem members with younger kids are making a game they can play with them as opposed to cranking out yet another game made for the fans who want nothing to change, ever.

That’s one BIG reason for new IP folks – it keeps stuff like this from dragging out into the land of diminishing returns. Bring on Overstrike, I say.

Random Film of the Week: Invasion of the Saucermen

Posted on August 19, 2012 by geelw

(thanks, historycomestolife!)

invasion of the saucer-men

Despite its super low budget, eager cast of hokey actors and rather brief running time, this 1957 mix of sci-fi and comedy manages to work quite well thanks to a solid sense of humor and effectively scary use of special effects in one memorable sequence. That the film purports to be “A true story of a flying saucer” right at the beginning is the first in a long string of eyeball-rolling chuckles it hits you with.

After a teen couple out on a late night make-out session run over an alien with their car, they’re soon caught up as murder suspects once the remaining big-headed, bug-eyed, and short of stature creatures replace the body of their comrade with a human they’ve eliminated. Given that the aliens kill with finger needles that inject pure alcohol into their victims (ouch, *hic!*), it’s initially easy to see the couple’s alibi easily shot down by the cops.

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