Tech Review: Audio Technica ATH-ADG1

Posted on August 6, 2014 by geelw

As gaming headsets go, Audio-Technica’s ATH-ADG1 High-Fidelity Gaming Headset is hands-down one of the best I’ve used, but it does come with some minor caveats. It’s wired, the open ear design means it’s more for home use than a set you want to bop around with in public (it’s your call, of course) and at $299.95, it’s not for budget-brained audiophiles.

Then again, I’d say the words “budget” and “audiophile” don’t quite go together, particularly when it comes to headphones of this outstanding quality. Sure, you can use them for their intended purpose (super high quality audio in your PC gaming experience), but if you’re like me, you’ll stick these lightweight wonders on your head every chance you get… Continue reading →

DEVO Lives (Not That They Ever Went Away), Thanks To MVD Visual & Pledgemusic.com!

Posted on August 5, 2014 by geelw

So, less than a week after I get a copy of the excellent new DVD from MVD visual DEVO: Men Who Make The Music/Butch Devo & The Sundance Gig (review incoming later this week, but here’s a sneak peek: BUY IT), Clint from MVD shoots over this super crowdfunding project from the band and pledgemusic.com: DEVO Hardcore Live!, a CD/DVD/Blu-Ray/Vinyl LP live concert recorded this June 28 at the Fox theater in Oakland, California.

You won’t be seeing this disc or LP at that local Walmart or other chain retail outlet, as it’s ONLY going to be available as a crowdfunded consumer item and the campaign is well on its way to making its target based on the response to date.

If your ears are buzzing and you’re interested, well, spuds… you know what to do. Hell, at LEAST grab the DVD of this, as that teaser trailer makes this show look pretty awesome.

Monday Still Not Working For You? How About A Trip To The Dentist To Cheer You Up?

Posted on August 4, 2014 by geelw

(thanks, GoodOldDaysReturns!)

Yeah, I figured that would work. Actually, I’d bet that watch this under any stressful situation, you’ll just feel less stressed. Maybe. Unless you’re actually sitting in that dentist’s chair, he strolls up as you’re grinning like a loon, is NO fan of old musical numbers and thinks you’re making fun of his profession. You’d better hope that he doesn’t “accidentally” extract the good teeth you have left and leave the bad ones is all I’m saying…

Gallery: New Raven’s Cry Screenshots + A Little Shanty To Spice Up Your Monday (Arrrr!)

Posted on June 30, 2014 by geelw

Ahoy! My Monday’s running a wee bit late, but at least some things are working better than they were yesterday (and how!). The laptop isn’t rattling, there’s a nice strong wi-fi signal today (this past weekend was lousy!) and the fine folks at TopWare Interactive shot over a cannonball with four new Raven’s Cry screens that missed me by a mile, but there’s now a nice cannonball-shaped hole in the wall here. And you know what? I’m not even mad about that because I happen to think porthole windows are cool!

I just need to see if Home Depot has any in stock about the size of a ten-pound cannonball hole. I suppose I should let Dean over at Topware know that if he plans to shoot a review copy of the game over to aim for the roof, as I don’t think I need another hole in a wall here (or worse, through the porthole window I just installed.

Say, do ye fancy a shanty that’s not for the wee ones? Good! Topware has also dropped a second adults-only sea shanty called “Hangin’ Wille” that will make some of you laugh and others cringe accordingly. Like the other NSFW shanty “Sail With the Devil”, it’s got some VERY salty language that would make even a dead pirate blush. I’d post both videos here, but I’d probably get a second and better-aimed cannonball from the ladies out there. Hey, the life of a pirate wasn’t all TV series fodder and booze commercials, you know! Anyway, Raven’s Cry will be sailing into stores for PC/Mac, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 on October 14, 2014.

Back with more on this one soon – I should probably invest in a cannonball catcher or something…

Hey, Internet? Get on Up, Already!

Posted on June 29, 2014 by geelw

Amusingly enough, the dial-up connection I’m using now is FASTER than all the wi-fi spots I’ve visited today. At least for posting stuff, that is. I’ll still need to do a bunch of downloading tomorrow, so it’ll probably be a long day of updating, getting a new banner and background up and so forth and so on. You’d THINK being in a major metropolitan area would mean you have better service than some tiny hamlet out in the boonies, but nope. Anyway, this TV spot for the upcoming James Brown biopic (which I probably won’t like outside of the music) is keeping me slightly happier at the moment, as are a few games I’ve had queued up for this weekend. Eh, I guess I shouldn’t complain too much – at least I can work from almost anywhere provided the internet can keep up with me, grrrr…

So, It’s James Brown’s Birthday Today (Or You WILL Be Dancing At Some Point)…

Posted on May 3, 2014 by geelw

Yeah, I knew you needed a lift today, so here you go, lemon-face. Thanks to the always informative Professor Mortis over at The League of Dead Films for noting this in his excellent post today about Black Caesar, a film I absolutely NEED to write up as a Random Film of the Week or Week(end) soon. There’s nothing like a Larry Cohen flick when he’s in full-on guerrilla mode and this one’s a classic (despite the dubious idea of reviving a character who was killed dead in the first film, it works well as it is with all its unapologetic content intact). Anyway, Please, Please, Please enjoy this super Saturday, whatever you choose to do with it!

Bound By Flame Updates: Combat And Music Looking And Sounding Quite Good…

Posted on April 26, 2014 by geelw

So, Bound By Flame is looking to be your next epic action RPG experience and as seen in that work in progress video above, it’s coming along nicely, especially if you like a more arcade-like style of gameplay. This isn’t even trying to be “realistic” in the way some folks want, but to me, that’s the beauty of developers all doing different things. If every game played EXACTLY the same, I’d be one bored stiff gamer looking fora new hobby, that’s for sure.

As for the music, composer Olivier Derivière (who did the fantastic score for Remember Me) has whipped up a beautiful, varied score that features a chorus and some wonderful “vocal textures” as you’ll hear above. Developed by Spiders and published by Focus Home Interactive, Bound By Flame hits stores for consoles (PS3 and Xbox 360) and lands on PC via Steam on May 9, 2014. Back with more if there’s more coming before it ships – I hope so, as this one’s looking very interesting indeed…

This Humble Weekly Sale Is Packed Full Of Indie Hits (And Yes, You Can Hit Back!)

Posted on April 24, 2014 by geelw

Decisions, decisions with this week’s Humble Weekly Sale featuring games picked out be the folks at TSG TV! Do you pay what you want for five classic indie games, jump up to six bucks or more for an additional six games or try your luck and pay ten or more for an even baker’s dozen? Did I mention you also get soundtracks for a bunch of these games too? Even better, if you decide to empty your wallet and go for a $40 or $100 purchase, you get some really sweet swag sent your way.

Oh, I can’t help you here at all, folks… other than to say a percentage of what you pay goes to charity (this time, it’s Direct Relief) and you’ll get some really great games here to dive into.

Alien Isolation Update: The Sounds Of Nostalgia Recreated For Your Screaming Pleasure…

Posted on April 4, 2014 by geelw

What’s looking like the best Alien game to date is getting even better thanks to the development team’s focus on getting every element right as rain. Jerry Goldsmith‘s score to Alien was and in not only one of his best works, it’s one of the best genre soundtracks ever created (even though the original film drops a chunk of it in favor of cues from Goldsmith’s score to Freud and some classical tracks). I could write an entire post on the score alone, but I’ll wax poetic on it at some point in the future, as I’m kind of otherwise occupied with a living pile of work shuffling around the room here and making a nuisance of itself. Anyway, as you can see and hear here, Alien Isolation will get an additional layer of creepy thanks to the sound design and as a huge fan of the original film, I couldn’t be happier.

Alien Isolation lands on PC and PS3/PS4, Xbox 360/Xbox One on October 7, 2014. back with more once Sega hits the inbox with an update…

Get on Up Trailer: Better Not Get Me Down Or It’s The Big Payback!

Posted on March 14, 2014 by geelw

Well, this looks as if it’ll hit all the usual Hollywood biopic notes to a “T” (“Can I get a “T”!) and yes indeed, the music saves this trailer (and quite possibly the film) from sinking into melodramatic parody. I say ANYONE who wants to spend money on a ticket needs to at least track down a copy of Star Time and Brother James’ appearance on The T.A.M.I. Show (TIGHT band, TIGHTER pants, the crowd goes wild as if commanded and possessed) just so you can hear those bombastic classics as they’re meant to be heard. I’m betting if there’s a soundtrack for this flick, the mix will be putrid or overdone or both, but I may be wrong. I’m not holding my breath. Now, Please, Please, Please go dance somewhere else, as I’m trying to work here!