"Would you mind turning your bag down..." I said to a rock chick in a North Hill bar with a rather confused look on my face. I mean, it's not something you really hear yourself say too much is it? But there, on that Tuesday night last week, I found myself asking her to adjust the volume on her handbag.
Technology amazes me, like other people, at the best of times. It's cool to be surprised by the latest gadget or toy, and it's even cooler to be completely unaware that a certain gadget exists in this day and age.
In that North Hill student bar that chick was celebrating her 19th birthday and showing off her favourite present from friends.
From a distance it looked just like any other girls' accessory. But on closer inspection it was far more than a simple carrying tool.
This bag had two huge speakers underneath the flap with a connector for an iPod. The built-in amp pumped out some extreme sound.
The obvious question was 'why?' would anyone want one of those, but then I guess people like to go with the fashion flow. If you can combine something fashionable (the bag) with something cool (the iPod) then people will always buy it.
The week prior to that and I had been laying on a sun lounger on an island off the coast if Italy having one of those random discussions with a complete stranger about how technology has changed our lives.
You know, you're lying there listening to your iPod (which contains your whole music library) while taking photos on your camera phone and sending them back home for immediate viewing.
You pay for everything on your credit card - no signatures anymore, all pin codes - and you book a cab back to the airport online via email. Even on this tiny island in comparison to the world, it is as hi-tech and updated as central Europe.
Now sat up on that lounger and seriously discussing the topic, I found myself pondering what life must have been like, say 30 years ago.
I mean, when I think about it I got my first mobile phone aged around 19. Two years prior to that I had a pager, and before that I had nothing but the payphone at the bottom of our Dousland street.
At that time I also owned a tape walkman and a rather awful 'step' haircut. How times have changed.
The walkman has been replaced by the iPod mini, I have a pretty impressive Sony Ericsson phone and that horrible haircut has been banished to old pictures in a drawer somewhere best forgotten.
One thing's for sure in this new world we live in, you can't stop the juggernaut, you've just got to jump aboard for the ride.
That aside, Game On has teamed up with our friends at Indigo Pearl to offer one lucky reader the chance to win not only a copy of Touchmaster boasting 23 classic games - but also a fab Nintendo DS Lite console.
The wide variety of highly interactive mini-games that made Midway's Touchmaster a favourite in bars and arcades across the country are now available whenever, wherever with Touchmaster for Nintendo DS, exclusively for Nintendo DS.
Touchmaster is a natural fit for the touchscreen and stylus of Nintendo DS, and is perfect for a quick gameplay session.
There's something for everyone to choose from, with a wide variety of 23 of Midway's classic Touchmaster games, including Trivia, Solitaire, Gem Slide and Mah Jongg.
With the Nintendo DS WiFi connection, players can connect to the Midway Tournament Network for high score rankings, tournaments and daily rankings.
To win a Nintendo DS Lite and a copy of Touchmaster all readers have to do is answer a simple question and email me the answer - together with your address and phone number - to tnichols@eveningherald.co.uk with 'Nintendo competiton' written in the subject line.
Couldn't be simpler!
And here's the simple question - How many Midway classics are featured in Touchmaster?
a). 23?
b). 25? or
c). 30?
When emailing in an entry please, please, PLEASE also include your daytime telephone number.
Closing date for entries is Monday 9th July. Only one entry per household is permitted. The editor?s decision is final, and the first correct entry chosen will win the prize as stated. No correspondence will be entered into. The Herald accepts no responsibility for any damage or injury caused by competition prizes. Any inquiries should be directed to the manufacturer or retailer. Employees of South West Media Ltd and their families are ineligible to enter. The promoter is Indigo Pearl, and you are advised to retain this information.
REVIEWS:
Got a minute? Try your hand at one of these...
Title: Monster Madness
Platform: Xbox 360
RRP: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
This game looks like a game that I lost many of the hours of my youth to. What the developers have done with this title is use the best of what the Xbox 360 has to crank up the graphics, create some stunning characters and locations and unveil a weird and wonderful world of fun!
The story goes that Zack, Carrie, Andy, and Jennifer were all looking forward to a party when Zack's parents left town for vacation. Unfortunately, some uninvited guests soon arrived... and the madness soon ensued.
Monster Madness is all-out action shooter with plenty of weapons to get your hands onto and plenty of hours of life to lose.
Title: Colin McRae: DIRT
Platform: Xbox 360
RRP: £49.99
Hit count: 3/5
The legend returns in a new guise. One might be excused for thinking that this is simply another racing game starring... yep, you've guessed it... Colin McRae.
However, on closer inspection the game actually boasts a far greater number of vehicles, environments and challenges than many of the other titles in the now long-running series. The intricate detail of the tracks and vehicles is impressive and you will be addicted by the third race.
While Mr McRae might well now be a well-established brand in himself and his games, it would be interesting to see how the game would stand without his name on it. Personally I prefer Motor Storm on the PS3.
Title: Everybody's Tennis
Platform: PS2
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 2/5
Firstly it's worth stating that if you have tend to go for the whole cutesy sort of game then this game is definitely for you. Personally its mere existence makes me feel rather sick. Too many colours, too much flowery music and not enough realism.
However, if that sounds appealing then you'll love it. The gameplay is actually quite good and after a few goes you will feel like you've got the hang of it.
Wednesday, 27 June 2007
Friday, 8 June 2007
June 8
Bored of queuing up for hours on end at a festival waiting to charge up your phone at the Nokia tent?
Well scientists might just have made a breakthrough.
Brain boxes in the UK have demonstrated a simple way to transmit electricity through the air, raising the prospect of a world of wireless gadgets.
In the experiment, researchers lit a 60-watt light bulb from an energy source 7ft away using no power leads.
The research heralds a future in which mobile phones, MP3 players, laptop computers, and other appliances can be charged up without having to plug them into a wall socket.
Some devices may even be able to operate without batteries at all.
Now I don't mean to sound so nerdy because believe me, I'm not. I just like to know that small improvements are being made to deal with life's frustrating annoyances.
Festival goers will know exactly what I mean when I mentioned the Nokia phone charging tents.
Picture the scene... you arrange to meet your mate next to the blue tent in the big green - sorry - brown, field.
You say you'll text them and then 'doo-dull-beep' (pronounced) your phone battery dies. What to do, what to do! One of the few things you can do is go to a charge tent and wait patiently while it charges up. Nightmare!
Anyways, just imagine a world with no leads to trip up on! Or indeed having a world where the likes of Nokia wouldn't be able to charge you an extortionate amount of money for a replacement charger. OR indeed being able to charge your electric toothbrush while you clean your teeth without fearing it will conk out mid-brush. (okay that last one's a slightly pants example).
Anyways... I'm off on hols for a coupla weeks. Gonna give my PS3 a damn good thrashing (does that sound wrong?!)
Got a few moments out of the office and away from the hassle? Try this little beauty:
Title: Smash Court Tennis 3
Platform: Sony PSP
RRP: £24.99
Hit count: 4/5
Game, set and match... At last, a tennis game on a handheld worth owning! Smash Tennis 3 is the Pro Evo equivalent to tennis games.
It rocks and it rolls and it provides endless hours of fun in the sun!
Armed with a variety of rackets and sportswear, you can choose from a variety of top world-ranking players as you attempt to score game, set and match against your opponents.
As you progress through the game you can also develop new swings and learn to hit harder and faster.
Well scientists might just have made a breakthrough.
Brain boxes in the UK have demonstrated a simple way to transmit electricity through the air, raising the prospect of a world of wireless gadgets.
In the experiment, researchers lit a 60-watt light bulb from an energy source 7ft away using no power leads.
The research heralds a future in which mobile phones, MP3 players, laptop computers, and other appliances can be charged up without having to plug them into a wall socket.
Some devices may even be able to operate without batteries at all.
Now I don't mean to sound so nerdy because believe me, I'm not. I just like to know that small improvements are being made to deal with life's frustrating annoyances.
Festival goers will know exactly what I mean when I mentioned the Nokia phone charging tents.
Picture the scene... you arrange to meet your mate next to the blue tent in the big green - sorry - brown, field.
You say you'll text them and then 'doo-dull-beep' (pronounced) your phone battery dies. What to do, what to do! One of the few things you can do is go to a charge tent and wait patiently while it charges up. Nightmare!
Anyways, just imagine a world with no leads to trip up on! Or indeed having a world where the likes of Nokia wouldn't be able to charge you an extortionate amount of money for a replacement charger. OR indeed being able to charge your electric toothbrush while you clean your teeth without fearing it will conk out mid-brush. (okay that last one's a slightly pants example).
Anyways... I'm off on hols for a coupla weeks. Gonna give my PS3 a damn good thrashing (does that sound wrong?!)
Got a few moments out of the office and away from the hassle? Try this little beauty:
Title: Smash Court Tennis 3
Platform: Sony PSP
RRP: £24.99
Hit count: 4/5
Game, set and match... At last, a tennis game on a handheld worth owning! Smash Tennis 3 is the Pro Evo equivalent to tennis games.
It rocks and it rolls and it provides endless hours of fun in the sun!
Armed with a variety of rackets and sportswear, you can choose from a variety of top world-ranking players as you attempt to score game, set and match against your opponents.
As you progress through the game you can also develop new swings and learn to hit harder and faster.
Thursday, 31 May 2007
May 31
It seems almost fitting that with the latest instalment of swashbuckling antics hitting our cinema screens that I write about pirates.
Now of course you're probably thinking to yourself 'what the hell does Johnny Depp have to do with a games and technology blog?'
Well, now I realise that it may be construed as a tedious link (and admittedly I dropped JD's name in there to attract the girlie readers) but I am of course referring to pirates as in piracy, as in people who copy DVDs/CDs etc.
Now I know that with this blog I am likely to come a cropper. All those people that believe that piracy actually does fund terrorism are probably going to want to torch my home for my outspoken thoughts.
Well, heck... what the hell.
Name me one home that you know that doesn't own a video or DVD recorder or a CD player? Name me one person that doesn't use that device to record from a terrestrial or satellite channel? Now name me one person who HASN'T lent a DVD/video or CD from time to time to a friend?
Surely recording for home use (which by law is allowed) and then lending it to a friend for their use (which by law isn't allowed) is a pretty pants ruling.
I mean, damn or be damned. Are we ALL pirates?
Personally (and here's the bottom line) I've got no problem with certain forms of piracy. Hell, when I was in Afghanistan last December with the city's commandos I picked up a pirated DVD copy of Casino Royale in an Afghan market for $2.
I don't care what that chap tells me every time I'm in the cinema staring up at the screen wondering when the 30 minutes of adverts are going to end.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but that pirated DVD's picture quality was awesome, the sound was perfect and, it's possibly the best $2 I have ever spent. Much better in fact than the £7 I paid for entry to Vue to see that film with annoying flickers on the screen.
If you want a definition of irony picture this. We are told that piracy funds terrorism right...? So imagine a bunch of Afghans (some of whom who might possibly have a brother whose uncle once shook a member of the Taliban's hand) selling COPIED (pirated) DVDs direct to the British/American and NATO forces in a market pitched next to their base.
Is that right? In the grand scale of things which is more wrong...? A bloke selling a couple of copied DVDs at Stonehouse Creek car boot? Or half the British forces making the most of cheap pirated DVDs sold by the nation we are supposedly at war with?
I'll leave it up to you.
Meanwhile, I have a new addition to the Nichols home... A Sony PlayStation 3. After all the umming and ahhing I gave up trying to convince myself that it was too much money to spend and went for it.
It looks bling it plays like a dream and I am - no doubt - soon to be a single man.
It's graphically awesome, the sound is great but it has one snag. It has convinced me that I need an HD TV to run it through to make the most of what it can do. Oh well, simple things they say...
Got a minute? Try your hand at one of these...
Title: SOCOM US Navy Seals: Combined Assault
Platform: Sony PS2
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 5/5
Scoring highly on game title length alone, SOCOM US Navy Seals: Combined Assault is a bit of a beauty by all accounts.
Players can play as a single player, or one of four, in protecting America's shores from enemy attacks. Graphically the title rocks and its playability is pretty good and addictive. Best of all tho is the online co-op mode which sees you fighting alongside complete strangers. Brilliant!
Title: SOCOM US Navy Seals: Combined Assault
Platform: Sony PS2
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 2/5
Looking like a cross between Monkey Island and Shadow Warriors, the outlook was not looking good for this title.
However, after playing it I couldn't help but feel sorry for my devastating preview and reckon it deserves at least a one-star rating.
It's actually quite fun. The graphics are okay but it is the gameplay that bumps it up. You can explore any number of locations across America, and meet any number of historic and mythical characters.
If you have got a few quid to lose and fancy something that might flutter away a few hours then try it. Expect less and enjoy a lot.
Title: Wario: Master of Disguise
Platform: Nintendo DS
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 1/5
Wario as a thief...? Hmmm.... Personally I'm not convinced by the series' appeal. This one sees him become a thief where players have to draw exotic locations and costumes.
A tad boring methinks.
Now of course you're probably thinking to yourself 'what the hell does Johnny Depp have to do with a games and technology blog?'
Well, now I realise that it may be construed as a tedious link (and admittedly I dropped JD's name in there to attract the girlie readers) but I am of course referring to pirates as in piracy, as in people who copy DVDs/CDs etc.
Now I know that with this blog I am likely to come a cropper. All those people that believe that piracy actually does fund terrorism are probably going to want to torch my home for my outspoken thoughts.
Well, heck... what the hell.
Name me one home that you know that doesn't own a video or DVD recorder or a CD player? Name me one person that doesn't use that device to record from a terrestrial or satellite channel? Now name me one person who HASN'T lent a DVD/video or CD from time to time to a friend?
Surely recording for home use (which by law is allowed) and then lending it to a friend for their use (which by law isn't allowed) is a pretty pants ruling.
I mean, damn or be damned. Are we ALL pirates?
Personally (and here's the bottom line) I've got no problem with certain forms of piracy. Hell, when I was in Afghanistan last December with the city's commandos I picked up a pirated DVD copy of Casino Royale in an Afghan market for $2.
I don't care what that chap tells me every time I'm in the cinema staring up at the screen wondering when the 30 minutes of adverts are going to end.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but that pirated DVD's picture quality was awesome, the sound was perfect and, it's possibly the best $2 I have ever spent. Much better in fact than the £7 I paid for entry to Vue to see that film with annoying flickers on the screen.
If you want a definition of irony picture this. We are told that piracy funds terrorism right...? So imagine a bunch of Afghans (some of whom who might possibly have a brother whose uncle once shook a member of the Taliban's hand) selling COPIED (pirated) DVDs direct to the British/American and NATO forces in a market pitched next to their base.
Is that right? In the grand scale of things which is more wrong...? A bloke selling a couple of copied DVDs at Stonehouse Creek car boot? Or half the British forces making the most of cheap pirated DVDs sold by the nation we are supposedly at war with?
I'll leave it up to you.
Meanwhile, I have a new addition to the Nichols home... A Sony PlayStation 3. After all the umming and ahhing I gave up trying to convince myself that it was too much money to spend and went for it.
It looks bling it plays like a dream and I am - no doubt - soon to be a single man.
It's graphically awesome, the sound is great but it has one snag. It has convinced me that I need an HD TV to run it through to make the most of what it can do. Oh well, simple things they say...
Got a minute? Try your hand at one of these...
Title: SOCOM US Navy Seals: Combined Assault
Platform: Sony PS2
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 5/5
Scoring highly on game title length alone, SOCOM US Navy Seals: Combined Assault is a bit of a beauty by all accounts.
Players can play as a single player, or one of four, in protecting America's shores from enemy attacks. Graphically the title rocks and its playability is pretty good and addictive. Best of all tho is the online co-op mode which sees you fighting alongside complete strangers. Brilliant!
Title: SOCOM US Navy Seals: Combined Assault
Platform: Sony PS2
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 2/5
Looking like a cross between Monkey Island and Shadow Warriors, the outlook was not looking good for this title.
However, after playing it I couldn't help but feel sorry for my devastating preview and reckon it deserves at least a one-star rating.
It's actually quite fun. The graphics are okay but it is the gameplay that bumps it up. You can explore any number of locations across America, and meet any number of historic and mythical characters.
If you have got a few quid to lose and fancy something that might flutter away a few hours then try it. Expect less and enjoy a lot.
Title: Wario: Master of Disguise
Platform: Nintendo DS
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 1/5
Wario as a thief...? Hmmm.... Personally I'm not convinced by the series' appeal. This one sees him become a thief where players have to draw exotic locations and costumes.
A tad boring methinks.
Thursday, 17 May 2007
May 17
"Hi, I hope you don't mind me emailing you... you seem really nice so I thought I'd stop by and say hi." Sound familiar? It should.
For the tens of millions of people all over the world with an internet connection, the likes of Myspace and Facebook are the current cool tools to play with.
I mean, why settle for chatting to your next door neighbour about the weather when you can chat on an instant messaging service with Tom from Venezuela about how to cook rice, or Jacky from Mexico about the surfing conditions in Tijuana?
Websites like the aforementioned are new social networks for all walks of life: the loner, the lover, the geek, and even the chic.
I have to admit I became sucked in about two years ago... and I've only just managed to crawl my way out.
It's like web heroin without the side affects (that is unless you count the loss of normal friends and the making of cyber friends as as downside).
Like many will tell you, it becomes addictive. So addictive that, when you wake, you begin wondering whether your new-found 'friends' in Australia, Africa or Tijuana are up and thinking the same as you.
Before you know it you've skipped breakfast, and lunch, and you're straight into a three-course conversation about nothing.
And that's the thing. When you begin making 'friends' and chatting to them on a regular basis, you don't really talk about anything.
'How's the weather in your world today?', 'When are you coming up to London?', What are you up to at the weekend?. It's all drivel really.
But that's doesn't matter in Myspace world. It's more knowing that there's someone on this planet living (possibly) on the other side of the world who wants to know a). what you're doing; and b). who you are.
It's nice to know you have friends.
Also if you're single then the likes of Myspace is the Holy Grail - it is the communicative tool that thousands (if not millions) of unlucky in love boys and girls have been waiting for.
But if reading this you are thinking 'hmmm... I might give it a go', be warned. Like every bus station and train carriage in the world, your Myspace or Facebook profile will attract the weirdos.
You know the sort, the people that come up to you and spurt off some random tosh about squirrels and jam or something.
In cyber world they multiply. They have a free roam to pop up and say hello to whoever they want no-holds-barred as whatever character or personality they wish.
A colleague mentioned in a conversation earlier that there are rumoured to be around 15,000 paedophiles that use Myspace. And I can believe it.
Many girls of all ages (and women for that matter) believe posting pictures of themselves half naked will result in them attracting more 'friends'.
Agreed it ultimately will, but everyone and I mean EVERYONE can look at them, make a comment, and pass on to other friends.
It's scary but true.
That said to the millions upon millions of us who appreciate the site and use it for its main purpose - to meet 'nice' people, love it.
Personally I love Myspace for the music. That is the social glue that holds it together for me.
A band or solo performer sends you a friend request, you click on it and bang, you can experience a whole new sound that the world's record labels haven't discovered yet.
Like the Arctic Monkeys (who used the site to spread the word and ultimately launch their career) it makes gods of mere men.
Look hard enough and you'll also find the celebrities... or at least they sound and seem like the celebrities you and I know.
Is it Will Ferrell? Is that really Madonna? Would Kate Moss REALLY post those pictures of herself and take the mickey so much...?
Only they know the answer because so many people make up profiles to make themselves popular. Weird isn't it?!
One person that I know is very real, and really very nice, is former Eastenders actress and Bend It Like Beckham star Pooja Shah.
Pooja sent me a friend request last year and we've remained 'friends' ever since discussing her career etc.
The likes of Myspace are mindless fun for the new generation of web users.
Click on, tune in, drop out...
If you can pull yourself away from your new 'friends' then why not try out these...
Title: God of War II
Platform: Sony PS2
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 4/5
If blood, gore and violence is your bag then you're going to love the return of God of War. Full to the brim of action, the hit saga of 2005 returns in fantastic form.
The story follows Kratos looking for an escape from his ultimate fate as the latest god of war.
Will he make the journey or will he fall foul of just about every mythological creature in the creepiest of creepy books. Your call...
Title: Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
Platform: Sony PSP
RRP: £34.99
Hit count: 5/5
Get ready for what just could be the best Ratchet & Clank game ever released - on the Sony PSP.
Sony's favourite platform duo return in portable form in fantastic form in a version which looks a thousands times different from its old PS2 format.
The humour remains, as does the playability. However this one focuses more on the two characters and their story rather than the preferred online team battles.
It's a welcome relief and one which is aided by cutesy graphics.
For the tens of millions of people all over the world with an internet connection, the likes of Myspace and Facebook are the current cool tools to play with.
I mean, why settle for chatting to your next door neighbour about the weather when you can chat on an instant messaging service with Tom from Venezuela about how to cook rice, or Jacky from Mexico about the surfing conditions in Tijuana?
Websites like the aforementioned are new social networks for all walks of life: the loner, the lover, the geek, and even the chic.
I have to admit I became sucked in about two years ago... and I've only just managed to crawl my way out.
It's like web heroin without the side affects (that is unless you count the loss of normal friends and the making of cyber friends as as downside).
Like many will tell you, it becomes addictive. So addictive that, when you wake, you begin wondering whether your new-found 'friends' in Australia, Africa or Tijuana are up and thinking the same as you.
Before you know it you've skipped breakfast, and lunch, and you're straight into a three-course conversation about nothing.
And that's the thing. When you begin making 'friends' and chatting to them on a regular basis, you don't really talk about anything.
'How's the weather in your world today?', 'When are you coming up to London?', What are you up to at the weekend?. It's all drivel really.
But that's doesn't matter in Myspace world. It's more knowing that there's someone on this planet living (possibly) on the other side of the world who wants to know a). what you're doing; and b). who you are.
It's nice to know you have friends.
Also if you're single then the likes of Myspace is the Holy Grail - it is the communicative tool that thousands (if not millions) of unlucky in love boys and girls have been waiting for.
But if reading this you are thinking 'hmmm... I might give it a go', be warned. Like every bus station and train carriage in the world, your Myspace or Facebook profile will attract the weirdos.
You know the sort, the people that come up to you and spurt off some random tosh about squirrels and jam or something.
In cyber world they multiply. They have a free roam to pop up and say hello to whoever they want no-holds-barred as whatever character or personality they wish.
A colleague mentioned in a conversation earlier that there are rumoured to be around 15,000 paedophiles that use Myspace. And I can believe it.
Many girls of all ages (and women for that matter) believe posting pictures of themselves half naked will result in them attracting more 'friends'.
Agreed it ultimately will, but everyone and I mean EVERYONE can look at them, make a comment, and pass on to other friends.
It's scary but true.
That said to the millions upon millions of us who appreciate the site and use it for its main purpose - to meet 'nice' people, love it.
Personally I love Myspace for the music. That is the social glue that holds it together for me.
A band or solo performer sends you a friend request, you click on it and bang, you can experience a whole new sound that the world's record labels haven't discovered yet.
Like the Arctic Monkeys (who used the site to spread the word and ultimately launch their career) it makes gods of mere men.
Look hard enough and you'll also find the celebrities... or at least they sound and seem like the celebrities you and I know.
Is it Will Ferrell? Is that really Madonna? Would Kate Moss REALLY post those pictures of herself and take the mickey so much...?
Only they know the answer because so many people make up profiles to make themselves popular. Weird isn't it?!
One person that I know is very real, and really very nice, is former Eastenders actress and Bend It Like Beckham star Pooja Shah.
Pooja sent me a friend request last year and we've remained 'friends' ever since discussing her career etc.
The likes of Myspace are mindless fun for the new generation of web users.
Click on, tune in, drop out...
If you can pull yourself away from your new 'friends' then why not try out these...
Title: God of War II
Platform: Sony PS2
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 4/5
If blood, gore and violence is your bag then you're going to love the return of God of War. Full to the brim of action, the hit saga of 2005 returns in fantastic form.
The story follows Kratos looking for an escape from his ultimate fate as the latest god of war.
Will he make the journey or will he fall foul of just about every mythological creature in the creepiest of creepy books. Your call...
Title: Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
Platform: Sony PSP
RRP: £34.99
Hit count: 5/5
Get ready for what just could be the best Ratchet & Clank game ever released - on the Sony PSP.
Sony's favourite platform duo return in portable form in fantastic form in a version which looks a thousands times different from its old PS2 format.
The humour remains, as does the playability. However this one focuses more on the two characters and their story rather than the preferred online team battles.
It's a welcome relief and one which is aided by cutesy graphics.
Thursday, 10 May 2007
May 10
It sounds like one of the oldest jokes in the world - but there's actually truth in the fiction.
Scenario: An English businessman walks into a Japanese bar, he would like to order a drink but he doesn't know the language and the barman only speaks Japanese.
There are any number of predictable punchlines that could follow this story, however, all is not at it seems.
A few tippy taps on his phone and the phone itself speaks to the barman.
British company Echo Translator has developed the first application of its kind to deliver an instant native voice output from a convenient on screen menu, which includes 25 languages.
And it's SERIOUSLY cool.
(And here's the techie bit)... Using Echo Phraselogic technology phone customers can speak, learn and instantly interact with people of different cultures and tongues, without any prior knowledge of the foreign language.
Available for Windows Mobile or Java handsets, the Echo Translator is available to download FREE and try from www.echotranslator.com/.
Echo Travel Basics is free and Echo Travel Pro with more than 10,000 possible phrase combinations can be subscribed to weekly, monthly or purchased outright providing an on-device, personal and convenient alternative to phrase books and classical forms of language education.
Meanwhile... Want to speed up your broadband connection? Diagnose mysterious crashes? Move massive files across the Internet?
Sooner or later, you will - and you'll find step-by-step instructions for these and other common PC tasks on the website www.msn.com.
I was just browsing around the other day and discovered a whole bunch of answers to questions I didn't even know I had.
Here's the best from my desk this week:
Title: Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Platform: Xbox 360
RRP: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
Review: The latest instalment in the Command & Conquer series explodes quite literally onto the scene with style.
Boasting much improved state-of-the-art graphics, voiceovers by real (apparently) Hollywood actors and quality sound effects, it is the best C&C yet.
C&C's unique Real-time Strategy approach set the standard and with this new title the developers have shown they are on a role.
Further plus points of the game are that it will not be one that you complete over night, nor will you grow bored in a few minutes.
However you have to be fairly used to the controls and storyline of the original game to feel completely immersed in it.
The fate of the planet - and indeed humanity - is in your hands... fancy a challenge?
Title: Lineage II: Interlude & 15 Day Time Card bundle
Platform: PC (DVD)
RRP: £19.99
Hit count: 3/5
Review: Exotic creatures, epic battles and dramatic lands are promised in the ever-growing fantasy world of Lineage II.
Given its ingredients it might sound like your local newspaper offices but no - this is the realm of imagination.
Continuing on with the massive multi-player online role playing game, players are offered unrivalled gaming experience in a strange new world.
While it may be the coolest thing since sliced bread for many, I found it actually all too much.
Scenario: An English businessman walks into a Japanese bar, he would like to order a drink but he doesn't know the language and the barman only speaks Japanese.
There are any number of predictable punchlines that could follow this story, however, all is not at it seems.
A few tippy taps on his phone and the phone itself speaks to the barman.
British company Echo Translator has developed the first application of its kind to deliver an instant native voice output from a convenient on screen menu, which includes 25 languages.
And it's SERIOUSLY cool.
(And here's the techie bit)... Using Echo Phraselogic technology phone customers can speak, learn and instantly interact with people of different cultures and tongues, without any prior knowledge of the foreign language.
Available for Windows Mobile or Java handsets, the Echo Translator is available to download FREE and try from www.echotranslator.com/.
Echo Travel Basics is free and Echo Travel Pro with more than 10,000 possible phrase combinations can be subscribed to weekly, monthly or purchased outright providing an on-device, personal and convenient alternative to phrase books and classical forms of language education.
Meanwhile... Want to speed up your broadband connection? Diagnose mysterious crashes? Move massive files across the Internet?
Sooner or later, you will - and you'll find step-by-step instructions for these and other common PC tasks on the website www.msn.com.
I was just browsing around the other day and discovered a whole bunch of answers to questions I didn't even know I had.
Here's the best from my desk this week:
Title: Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Platform: Xbox 360
RRP: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
Review: The latest instalment in the Command & Conquer series explodes quite literally onto the scene with style.
Boasting much improved state-of-the-art graphics, voiceovers by real (apparently) Hollywood actors and quality sound effects, it is the best C&C yet.
C&C's unique Real-time Strategy approach set the standard and with this new title the developers have shown they are on a role.
Further plus points of the game are that it will not be one that you complete over night, nor will you grow bored in a few minutes.
However you have to be fairly used to the controls and storyline of the original game to feel completely immersed in it.
The fate of the planet - and indeed humanity - is in your hands... fancy a challenge?
Title: Lineage II: Interlude & 15 Day Time Card bundle
Platform: PC (DVD)
RRP: £19.99
Hit count: 3/5
Review: Exotic creatures, epic battles and dramatic lands are promised in the ever-growing fantasy world of Lineage II.
Given its ingredients it might sound like your local newspaper offices but no - this is the realm of imagination.
Continuing on with the massive multi-player online role playing game, players are offered unrivalled gaming experience in a strange new world.
While it may be the coolest thing since sliced bread for many, I found it actually all too much.
Thursday, 3 May 2007
May 3
Train passengers and rail staff may soon have on-board internet connections.
Train operators and service providers from all over the world will meet in London next month to discuss progress in providing passengers and rail staff with the service.
The conference, which is being organised by technology consultancy BWCS, will focus on the means and the benefits of supplying broadband signals to trains.
Train Communications 2007 will examine the ways that new technologies are dramatically altering on-board communications systems.
Despite great progress in this sector and in the face of overwhelming public demand for such services, only a handful of train companies have so far managed to supply customers with an internet connection.
The latest example of this is the Heathrow Express, which now allows passengers to hook up to the internet as they travel between Paddington and London's major airport.
The response to this conference, which builds on a similar event last year organised by BWCS, has shown that there is tremendous interest in this topic amongst transport and companies and technology suppliers around the world.
One of the major themes of this year's conference will be the uses that operators can make of on-board train access to assist in security, safety and reducing staff costs. Delegates will discuss such issues as on-board CCTV being wirelessly relayed from train to trackside and wireless ticketing services.
The speakers will provide first hand accounts of the problems and pitfalls that can befall operators and explain how these can successfully be avoided and overcome. The proponents of all the main wireless access technologies will debate their strategies and solutions as well as discuss the future development of the industry.
Among those presenting at Train Communications Systems 2007 will be: Virgin Trains, Capitol Corridors Joint Power Authority (US Train Operator), VIA Rail (Canada), Swiss Rail, NSB (Norwegian Rail), GNER, Nokia Siemens Networks, Lloyd?s Register Rail, NS Trains, Icomera, Nomad Digital, T-Systems and many more.
Over two days, a combination of interactive workshops, panel sessions, presentations and networking sessions will explore the commercial and technical issues arising from the deployment of train WiFi around the world as well as other newer applications developed as wireless broadband on trains becomes a reality.
Train Communications 2007 will be held in central London on the 6th and 7th of June 2007.
Meanwhile, news from across the pond...
A cable television company has launched an investigation after small children ended up watching hardcore porn when they tuned into their favourite cartoon on the Disney Channel.
Paul Dunleavy, a Middletown, New Jersey, subscriber to cable giant Comcast, was stunned on Tuesday morning to find his five-year-old son watching something other than Handy Manny, a cartoon show about a bilingual Latino handyman and his talking tools.
"It was two people doing their thing, it was full-on and it was disgusting," the father-of-three told The New York Daily News.
"I couldn't believe it. We try to do the right thing to protect our kids from this stuff, and then they broadcast it on children?s TV."
Comcast spokesman Fred DeAndrea said last night that the programming error had occurred at around 9.30am on Tuesday. He described it as an "isolated issue in a local New Jersey facility".
Um... anyway, got a minute this week? Try your hand at these:
Title: Guitar Hero II with X-Plorer Guitar Controller
Platform: Xbox 360
RRP: £69.99
Hit count: 5/5
Review: Choosing to give any game top marks is a hard choice - especially when developers constantly up the stakes to outsell each other.
Thankfully though this was an easy choice given its style, look and overall fun factor.
Guitar Hero II is truly rock and roll. It's unique, tricky and ultimately MASSIVELY addictive! The cornerstone of it though is the fab guitar (ok it may not have the exact look of a Gibson or truly wail like a Strat but it works) which takes a bit of getting used to, but is paramount to fun.
Choose from a wild group of rockers and jam at concert venues that grow in size as your rock career progresses. Play with a friend and shred riffs cooperatively, or go head-to-head in multiplayer modes like Pro Face-Off.
Boasting over 70 songs (ranging from Heart-Shaped Box, Killing in the Name, Sweet Child O' Mine You Really Got Me and War Pigs to name but a few, the soundtrack is also a killer. With Xbox Live you can also grab new songs, themes, and picture packs and download exclusive songs and check where you rank on the Guitar Hero II leaderboard.
Like it, love it!
Title: ANCIENT WARS: SPARTA
Platform: PC
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5
Review: Ancient Wars: Sparta is based on the history of the ancient ages and their main nations. Spartans, Persians and Egyptians are fighting for influence around Asia Minor, Europe and North Africa.
Following historical events, the action takes place with different campaigns for all three races.
Sparta represents 3D strategy in real time with the newly developed Ancient Wars Engine (AWE), where the player will have to use each nation's powers to be superior over other competitors and build up a dominant culture and civilisation.
The main emphasis is on large-scaled battles and complex tactical manoeuvres.
Players can strategically equip soldiers with weapons of choice. Warriors can be equipped with weapons and shields, can be put on horses or on chariots and be given special abilities.
The player can collect abandoned weapons after battles or import powerful weapons from other cultures to build special units.
Fire, Wind etc. will effect the whole environment. Cities can be upgraded and turned to fortresses, workers gather resources to ensure a safe economy.
Ancient Wars: Sparta offers RTS fans all their favourite gameplay with a vast variety of new features and innovative options.
Title: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs The Soulless Army Platform: Sony PS2
RRP: £34.99
Hit count: 3/5
Review: The Shin Megami Tensei series has been incredibly well received throughout a number of releases in Japan.
Devil Summoner heralds an exciting departure for the series with a much more action orientated gaming experience.
Featuring a brand new 3rd person viewpoint and a stunning new historical setting, this latest installment pulls out all the stops to provide gamers with an intriguingly dark and incredibly involving RPG adventure.
Set within a stunningly realized early 1900's Japan, Devil Summoner exudes class and style through incredible settings, remarkable characters and an overall atmosphere that will evoke a sense of early Victorian locales and Sherlock Holmes style detective work.
Train operators and service providers from all over the world will meet in London next month to discuss progress in providing passengers and rail staff with the service.
The conference, which is being organised by technology consultancy BWCS, will focus on the means and the benefits of supplying broadband signals to trains.
Train Communications 2007 will examine the ways that new technologies are dramatically altering on-board communications systems.
Despite great progress in this sector and in the face of overwhelming public demand for such services, only a handful of train companies have so far managed to supply customers with an internet connection.
The latest example of this is the Heathrow Express, which now allows passengers to hook up to the internet as they travel between Paddington and London's major airport.
The response to this conference, which builds on a similar event last year organised by BWCS, has shown that there is tremendous interest in this topic amongst transport and companies and technology suppliers around the world.
One of the major themes of this year's conference will be the uses that operators can make of on-board train access to assist in security, safety and reducing staff costs. Delegates will discuss such issues as on-board CCTV being wirelessly relayed from train to trackside and wireless ticketing services.
The speakers will provide first hand accounts of the problems and pitfalls that can befall operators and explain how these can successfully be avoided and overcome. The proponents of all the main wireless access technologies will debate their strategies and solutions as well as discuss the future development of the industry.
Among those presenting at Train Communications Systems 2007 will be: Virgin Trains, Capitol Corridors Joint Power Authority (US Train Operator), VIA Rail (Canada), Swiss Rail, NSB (Norwegian Rail), GNER, Nokia Siemens Networks, Lloyd?s Register Rail, NS Trains, Icomera, Nomad Digital, T-Systems and many more.
Over two days, a combination of interactive workshops, panel sessions, presentations and networking sessions will explore the commercial and technical issues arising from the deployment of train WiFi around the world as well as other newer applications developed as wireless broadband on trains becomes a reality.
Train Communications 2007 will be held in central London on the 6th and 7th of June 2007.
Meanwhile, news from across the pond...
A cable television company has launched an investigation after small children ended up watching hardcore porn when they tuned into their favourite cartoon on the Disney Channel.
Paul Dunleavy, a Middletown, New Jersey, subscriber to cable giant Comcast, was stunned on Tuesday morning to find his five-year-old son watching something other than Handy Manny, a cartoon show about a bilingual Latino handyman and his talking tools.
"It was two people doing their thing, it was full-on and it was disgusting," the father-of-three told The New York Daily News.
"I couldn't believe it. We try to do the right thing to protect our kids from this stuff, and then they broadcast it on children?s TV."
Comcast spokesman Fred DeAndrea said last night that the programming error had occurred at around 9.30am on Tuesday. He described it as an "isolated issue in a local New Jersey facility".
Um... anyway, got a minute this week? Try your hand at these:
Title: Guitar Hero II with X-Plorer Guitar Controller
Platform: Xbox 360
RRP: £69.99
Hit count: 5/5
Review: Choosing to give any game top marks is a hard choice - especially when developers constantly up the stakes to outsell each other.
Thankfully though this was an easy choice given its style, look and overall fun factor.
Guitar Hero II is truly rock and roll. It's unique, tricky and ultimately MASSIVELY addictive! The cornerstone of it though is the fab guitar (ok it may not have the exact look of a Gibson or truly wail like a Strat but it works) which takes a bit of getting used to, but is paramount to fun.
Choose from a wild group of rockers and jam at concert venues that grow in size as your rock career progresses. Play with a friend and shred riffs cooperatively, or go head-to-head in multiplayer modes like Pro Face-Off.
Boasting over 70 songs (ranging from Heart-Shaped Box, Killing in the Name, Sweet Child O' Mine You Really Got Me and War Pigs to name but a few, the soundtrack is also a killer. With Xbox Live you can also grab new songs, themes, and picture packs and download exclusive songs and check where you rank on the Guitar Hero II leaderboard.
Like it, love it!
Title: ANCIENT WARS: SPARTA
Platform: PC
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5
Review: Ancient Wars: Sparta is based on the history of the ancient ages and their main nations. Spartans, Persians and Egyptians are fighting for influence around Asia Minor, Europe and North Africa.
Following historical events, the action takes place with different campaigns for all three races.
Sparta represents 3D strategy in real time with the newly developed Ancient Wars Engine (AWE), where the player will have to use each nation's powers to be superior over other competitors and build up a dominant culture and civilisation.
The main emphasis is on large-scaled battles and complex tactical manoeuvres.
Players can strategically equip soldiers with weapons of choice. Warriors can be equipped with weapons and shields, can be put on horses or on chariots and be given special abilities.
The player can collect abandoned weapons after battles or import powerful weapons from other cultures to build special units.
Fire, Wind etc. will effect the whole environment. Cities can be upgraded and turned to fortresses, workers gather resources to ensure a safe economy.
Ancient Wars: Sparta offers RTS fans all their favourite gameplay with a vast variety of new features and innovative options.
Title: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs The Soulless Army Platform: Sony PS2
RRP: £34.99
Hit count: 3/5
Review: The Shin Megami Tensei series has been incredibly well received throughout a number of releases in Japan.
Devil Summoner heralds an exciting departure for the series with a much more action orientated gaming experience.
Featuring a brand new 3rd person viewpoint and a stunning new historical setting, this latest installment pulls out all the stops to provide gamers with an intriguingly dark and incredibly involving RPG adventure.
Set within a stunningly realized early 1900's Japan, Devil Summoner exudes class and style through incredible settings, remarkable characters and an overall atmosphere that will evoke a sense of early Victorian locales and Sherlock Holmes style detective work.
Thursday, 26 April 2007
April 26
Are you sick of stroppy shop assistants, automated answering services and hanging on the phone for hours on end?
Well disgruntled customers in Plymouth can now vent their frustration and get paid for it thanks to the new website www.yoursaypays.co.uk.
The website, which has been set up by customer satisfaction specialists, The Leadership Factor, pays visitors to take part in market research which is used to assess UK customer service across a variety of sectors including retail, telecommunications and local authorities.
The Leadership Factor is one of the world's leading specialists in the measurement of customer and employee satisfaction. Its services are predominantly focused on measuring and improving satisfaction levels of customers and employees of its large and growing number of blue chip clients.
After registering online, customer service panellists are rewarded between 50p and £2 per completed survey, which they can choose to keep or donate to charity.
Somehow I think the website might crash with people eager to share their experiences - especially with complaints about banks, mobile phone companies and other organisations which use mass call centre operations.
In fact, it's worth asking... Q. What's worse than calling a call centre? A. Calling a call centre and getting through to a maze-like automated service which requires you to be Ethan Hunt to navigate through. Grr.
Anyhow, Nigel Hill, founder of The Leadership Factor says of the new service: "Customers in Plymouth shouldn't have to tolerate poor service but complaining can be time consuming and stressful.
"Similarly to encourage excellent customer service we should highlight those companies whose customers are very happy.
"The Your Say Pays site makes it easy for customers to get their views noted, whilst rewarding them for their time.
"The site is interactive, featuring advice and real-life articles on customer service issues and a blog for consumers to share experiences."
Members of the panel will receive short questionnaires via email every few weeks. Panellists don't have to take part in every survey they are sent, and all information and opinions are strictly confidential.
Mr Hill adds: "It is now the norm for consumers to stand up for their rights and Your Say Pays provides the perfect platform. Businesses benefit from knowing their customers' opinions so they can make positive changes to improve levels of customer service."
For more information log on to www.yoursaypays.co.uk.
Rewards can be donated to the following charities; Red Cross, Age Concern, Cancer Research, Royal National Institute for the Blind or the World Wildlife Fund.
Meanwhile....
Customers at a top British restaurant can now listen to iPods while tucking into their food. Chef Heston Blumenthal says the Apple music players will help heighten the flavour of a new dish called Sound of the Sea.
Diners at his three Michelin-starred Fat Duck restaurant in Bray, Berkshire, will listen to a recording of breaking waves while they eat.
The sound of the sea dish is made of seafood and edible seaweed served on a sand-like tapioca mixture.
I'm sure the restaurant will be awash with bookings. (Soz)
Oh and news just in... Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has announced that PSP (PlayStationPortable) would enjoy a new, lower price point in the UK £129.99, with the new price effective from Friday (4th May).
In addition to the new price of PSP, five new Platinum titles will be launched concurrently with a new, lower price for all PSP Platinum titles of £14.99.
The new Platinum titles are: Ridge Racer 2, Tekken, Killzone, Loco Roco, and Moto GP.
Anyways, those nice people at Sierra Games UK and Sony have showered my desk with the latest games to review.
Here's the best on the desk.
Title: F.E.A.R.
Platform: Sony PS3
RRP: £39.99
Hit count: 5/5
You aren't a soldier. You are a weapon. A mysterious paramilitary force infiltrates a multi-billion dollar aerospace compound, taking hostages but issuing no demands. A Special Forces team is sent in by the government to contain the situation, but contact is severed as an eerie signal interrupts radio communications. When the interference subsides moments later, the team has been obliterated. Live footage of the massacre shows an inexplicable wave of destruction tearing the soldiers apart before they can even react. In light of the desperate situation the F.E.A.R. team is assembled. As part of this elite classified strike force created to deal with the most unusual and shocking of threats, your mission is simple: Eliminate the intruders at any cost. Determine the origin of the signal and contain this crisis before it spirals out of control. At last a title begins to make the most of the advanced capabilities of the new Sony PlayStation 3.
Title: God of War 2
Platform: Sony PS2
RRP: £34.99
Hit count: 3/5
The story picks up where players last left off with Kratos. Sitting atop his throne on Olympus, Kratos, the once mortal warrior has become a threat far worse than his predecessor Ares, had ever been. Kratos is a ruthless God, whose wrath strikes down anyone who crosses his path or the path of his beloved Sparta. The Ghost of Sparta sets out to alter that which no mortal, or god has ever changed, his fate. Kratos' journey brings him to the very edge of the Earth, facing countless beasts, monsters, and horrors from his previous life, all bent on preventing him from reaching his goal. But this is Kratos, and his defiance is filled with such arrogance and contempt that all of the Ancient World still trembles at his name: Kratos, the God of War.
Well disgruntled customers in Plymouth can now vent their frustration and get paid for it thanks to the new website www.yoursaypays.co.uk.
The website, which has been set up by customer satisfaction specialists, The Leadership Factor, pays visitors to take part in market research which is used to assess UK customer service across a variety of sectors including retail, telecommunications and local authorities.
The Leadership Factor is one of the world's leading specialists in the measurement of customer and employee satisfaction. Its services are predominantly focused on measuring and improving satisfaction levels of customers and employees of its large and growing number of blue chip clients.
After registering online, customer service panellists are rewarded between 50p and £2 per completed survey, which they can choose to keep or donate to charity.
Somehow I think the website might crash with people eager to share their experiences - especially with complaints about banks, mobile phone companies and other organisations which use mass call centre operations.
In fact, it's worth asking... Q. What's worse than calling a call centre? A. Calling a call centre and getting through to a maze-like automated service which requires you to be Ethan Hunt to navigate through. Grr.
Anyhow, Nigel Hill, founder of The Leadership Factor says of the new service: "Customers in Plymouth shouldn't have to tolerate poor service but complaining can be time consuming and stressful.
"Similarly to encourage excellent customer service we should highlight those companies whose customers are very happy.
"The Your Say Pays site makes it easy for customers to get their views noted, whilst rewarding them for their time.
"The site is interactive, featuring advice and real-life articles on customer service issues and a blog for consumers to share experiences."
Members of the panel will receive short questionnaires via email every few weeks. Panellists don't have to take part in every survey they are sent, and all information and opinions are strictly confidential.
Mr Hill adds: "It is now the norm for consumers to stand up for their rights and Your Say Pays provides the perfect platform. Businesses benefit from knowing their customers' opinions so they can make positive changes to improve levels of customer service."
For more information log on to www.yoursaypays.co.uk.
Rewards can be donated to the following charities; Red Cross, Age Concern, Cancer Research, Royal National Institute for the Blind or the World Wildlife Fund.
Meanwhile....
Customers at a top British restaurant can now listen to iPods while tucking into their food. Chef Heston Blumenthal says the Apple music players will help heighten the flavour of a new dish called Sound of the Sea.
Diners at his three Michelin-starred Fat Duck restaurant in Bray, Berkshire, will listen to a recording of breaking waves while they eat.
The sound of the sea dish is made of seafood and edible seaweed served on a sand-like tapioca mixture.
I'm sure the restaurant will be awash with bookings. (Soz)
Oh and news just in... Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has announced that PSP (PlayStationPortable) would enjoy a new, lower price point in the UK £129.99, with the new price effective from Friday (4th May).
In addition to the new price of PSP, five new Platinum titles will be launched concurrently with a new, lower price for all PSP Platinum titles of £14.99.
The new Platinum titles are: Ridge Racer 2, Tekken, Killzone, Loco Roco, and Moto GP.
Anyways, those nice people at Sierra Games UK and Sony have showered my desk with the latest games to review.
Here's the best on the desk.
Title: F.E.A.R.
Platform: Sony PS3
RRP: £39.99
Hit count: 5/5
You aren't a soldier. You are a weapon. A mysterious paramilitary force infiltrates a multi-billion dollar aerospace compound, taking hostages but issuing no demands. A Special Forces team is sent in by the government to contain the situation, but contact is severed as an eerie signal interrupts radio communications. When the interference subsides moments later, the team has been obliterated. Live footage of the massacre shows an inexplicable wave of destruction tearing the soldiers apart before they can even react. In light of the desperate situation the F.E.A.R. team is assembled. As part of this elite classified strike force created to deal with the most unusual and shocking of threats, your mission is simple: Eliminate the intruders at any cost. Determine the origin of the signal and contain this crisis before it spirals out of control. At last a title begins to make the most of the advanced capabilities of the new Sony PlayStation 3.
Title: God of War 2
Platform: Sony PS2
RRP: £34.99
Hit count: 3/5
The story picks up where players last left off with Kratos. Sitting atop his throne on Olympus, Kratos, the once mortal warrior has become a threat far worse than his predecessor Ares, had ever been. Kratos is a ruthless God, whose wrath strikes down anyone who crosses his path or the path of his beloved Sparta. The Ghost of Sparta sets out to alter that which no mortal, or god has ever changed, his fate. Kratos' journey brings him to the very edge of the Earth, facing countless beasts, monsters, and horrors from his previous life, all bent on preventing him from reaching his goal. But this is Kratos, and his defiance is filled with such arrogance and contempt that all of the Ancient World still trembles at his name: Kratos, the God of War.
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