FINAL FANTASY XIV PATCH 4.3 BRINGS IVALICE’S RIDORANA LIGHTHOUSE TO EORZEA

FINAL FANTASY XIV PATCH 4.3 BRINGS IVALICE’S RIDORANA LIGHTHOUSE TO EORZEA

FINAL FANTASY XIV PATCH 4.3 BRINGS IVALICE’S RIDORANA LIGHTHOUSE TO EORZEA

New Companion App Unveiled for the First Time

Sydney, Australia - 15th April, 2018 – The eagerly awaited next chapter of the Ivalice alliance raid series is set to arrive in FINAL FANTASY® XIV Online in late May, when Patch 4.3 goes live. Titled “Under the Moonlight”, Patch 4.3 brings a wealth of new content to the critically acclaimed MMO and continues the thrilling story of the Stormblood™ expansion.

Adventurers will also be able to explore a new Dungeon, take on new Trials, and can level up their crafting and gathering skills by accepting the new Namazu Beast Tribe Quests. Details on the main contents of the patch are revealed below:

• New Main Scenario Quests – The story of Stormblood continues.
• New Alliance Raid – The Ridorana Lighthouse.
• New Trial – It’s a secret!
• New Dungeon – The Swallow’s Compass.
• New Beast Tribe Quests - The Namazu.
• New Sidequests – The Four Lords, Doman Reconstruction and Further Hildibrand Adventures.
• New Deep Dungeon – 100-Floor Heaven-on-High.
• The Forbidden Land, Eureka Expansion – Pagos Expedition.
• New Ultimate Difficulty Raid – Ultima Weapon.
• Updates to jobs, PvP, Glamour System, Housing, Performance Actions, new more powerful gear and more.

Additionally, alongside the contents of Patch 4.3, get a first look at the outline of the FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Companion App currently in development. All players that download the app will be able to enjoy benefits such as the following:

• Chat with friends and Free Company members
• Organise events with the Scheduler
• Organise inventory and Armoury chest
• Peruse the Market Board
• Put items up for sale/purchase items
• Register an additional favoured destination Aetheryte

An optional, Premium Plan is also available, which unlocks the following features for a monthly fee:

• Organise Saddlebags and Retainer Inventories
• Saddlebag capacity is doubled
• One additional Retainer can be employed

Details of the app release date will be shared as they are confirmed.

The FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Free Trial allows new players to easily join the millions of adventurers in the realm of Eorzea™. The free trial allows anyone to access all available content up to level 35 (including the new Rival Wings PvP), create up to eight playable characters, and experience the different playable races, classes, and jobs with no restrictions on playtime. New players who wish to experience the free trial may register here: http://freetrial.finalfantasyxiv.com/. All editions of FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, including the FINAL FANTASY XIV: Stormblood™ expansion, may be purchased through the Square Enix® Online Store here: http://sqex.to/FFXIVStore

Related Links

Official Stormblood Site: http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/stormblood/

Free Trial Site: http://freetrial.finalfantasyxiv.com/

The Lodestone®: http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FinalFantasyXIV/

Official Twitter: @FF_XIV_EN

Official Instagram: @ffxiv

Westworld: Complete Series 1: Blu Ray Review

Westworld: Complete Series 1: Blu Ray Review

Released by Roadshow Home Entertainment
Rating: M

To say there's a sense of anticipation behind Westworld the TV series is somewhat of an understatement.

The 10 part show which debuted on HBO and which pulled from the original 1973 Yul Brynner film about robots and humans living a life together in a theme park certainly has its powerful moments.

Slickly put together and excessively polished with a cast of some truly big names, the TV series is a knotty intellectual piece that goes for the big philosophical issues in between the sex and the violence.

Visually, the show soars with technology blending in brilliantly into the sci-fi dystopian world that's been created for the small screen.

Occasionally, the twists and turns can be seen from a mile off, but the sense of story-telling propels Westworld along and ensures that moments of tedium (inevitable in an intellectual 10-parter like this) are kept to a minimum.

It's a shame the series isn't a self-contained piece, but its push into a second series may well be deserved given the calibre of actors like Sir Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Rachel Evan Wood bring to it.

While not entirely gripping, and edging ever so close to outstaying its 10 episode run, Westworld really does raise the bar for sci-fi small screen fare - and while it's not to everyone's tastes, it's certainly worth a punt.

Moss: PSVR Review

Moss: PSVR Review

Platform: PSVR
Released by Sony

There is something adorable about Moss.

Whether it's the fact it's 3D platforming brought to life via the PS VR headset or the fact that it shows PSVR isn't just limited to experiences, Moss offers hope for VR in 2018.

Set in a fairy book world, Moss sets you in the position of Quill and puts you to task roaming through a growing number of puzzles and on a quest to save her kingdom from trouble.

Quill can attack with a sword, jump around and generally scurry like the best of mice, ensuring that the platforming feels like something anyone can achieve.

That's the thing with Moss, its simplicity makes it so evidently appealing to all those around. Plus the fact you are part of a team with Quill makes the game so much more immersive than would initially appear.

As the reader, you get to manipulate objects in the Moss World to ensure that Quill's never-ending journey is as easy as is possible.Puzzles are never fully taxing and Moss's approachability means it's an all ages kind of affair which really does make it a step up for the VR world.

With gorgeous landscapes within the world to behold, and an engaging feel to keep all ages interested, Moss makes a case for what VR can do. Effortlessly merging the best of both worlds, without ever really being showy, it does make you believe that this is what VR should be - simple, entertaining and mighty mouse levels of fun.

The Disaster Artist: DVD Review

The Disaster Artist: DVD Review

There will be a large portion of the audience who've never heard of Tommy Wiseau or his film The Room.

Released in 2003 to riotously bad reviews, and dubbed the Citizen Kane of Bad movies, The Room has since gone on to be a money-making affair that revels in its awfulness, terrible writing and appalling acting.

With an opening sequence that gives some A-list Hollywood names and talking heads the chance to voice their appreciation for the film, James Franco's film delves deeply into a bromance and a Carpe Diem attitude that evolved from Wiseau's friendship with collaborator Greg Sestero (Dave Franco).

Based on Sestero's 2013 book 'The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made', James Franco's affectionate re-telling of how it all came to pass is nothing short of affectionate and life-affirming.

Charting the friendship that grew from Wiseau and Sestero's initial meeting at an acting class in San Francisco in the late 90s, it's the classic tale of jealousy and success in the Hollywood realm.

When Sestero (Dave Franco, genuine, bubbly and full of hope) begins to get a degree of success and a girlfriend (Alison Brie, underused), Wiseau's fragile insecurities begin to bubble up and threatens to derail the duo.

But deciding to channel it into writing his own film, after a casting agent says he'll never be more than a villain, Wiseau was galvanised to self-fund, write and direct The Room.

The thing that works about The Disaster Artist, is quite simply, the reverence that it holds for its subject and its central protagonist.

James Franco is utterly mesmerising as Tommy Wiseau, disappearing completely into the role and channeling both Wiseau's idiosyncracies and quirks. But no character piece, what Franco does is make his Wiseau both human and fallible, never leading him to being an object of mockery (which could so easily have been done).

An intrinsic knowledge of The Room's sheer awfulness isn't necessary, as the infectious film-making on the display and peek inside the Hollywood machine is nothing short of contagious.

Complete with late 90s/ early 2000 period details, and a taut eye for the central duo of Sestero and Wiseau (others outside the orbit tend to get a little short shrift unfortunately), The Disaster Artist is nothing more than a chasing your dreams tale.

But under Franco's watch, and by refusing to exploit either the story or its general eccentricities weirdness, it becomes a film that shows why the power of Hollywood continues to live and why those who step outside the norm continue to thrive in its wake. 

Pitch Perfect 3: Blu Ray Review

Pitch Perfect 3: Blu Ray Review

It's the pitches final call in this latest, aimed squarely at the fans and those who tolerated and enjoyed the Barden Bellas' last two outings.

This time around, with the threads of a story stretched perhaps as far as they could go, the Bellas return for their final tour.

After leaving the singing with the next generation of young things in the previous film, the girls reunite to take part in a US Army tour after deciding being grown up and having jobs is not as much fun as they thought it would be.

But their quest to secure the opening spot for a DJ Khaled set sees them forced to compete with other bands (including one led by Ruby Rose) who have electrical instruments.
And things are further complicated when Rebel Wilson's Fat Amy finds her dad (John Lithgow, complete with atrocious Aussie accent) showing up after years in absentia...

Mixing meta touches and some nods to their previous outings, including a hilarious dissing of Cups, Pitch Perfect 3 isn't exactly tone deaf, but does struggle to hit some of the narrative notes it needs.

Primarily, it's in the narrative flow, which seems to be hit by things randomly happening for no good reason and suddenly without warning.

In places, this causes the film to jar and judder around and quite noticeably so.

But given its 90 minute run time and the reason for the film's existence is to farewell the girls and give everything one last go-around, it generally fulfills that rather than greatly challenging it.

Kendrick's easy-going charm comes through again, though Becca's hardly bothered with story, with much of the third film feeling like a repeat of the arc of her character's first film; and later in the film, Pitch Perfect 3 very much becomes the Rebel Wilson show, with Fat Amy stealing the lion's share of the spotlight and the gags as well.

Mostly, this feels like a 'Now That's What I Call Pitch Perfect' as we bounce from one rendition of a song to another (certainly, Ruby Rose's sneering is kept to a minimum and her once-over lightly character's relatively underwritten), but it has to be said that director Trish Sie, who directed OK Go's infamous 'Here It Goes Again' treadmill video, imbues the musical numbers with a great deal of urgency and vitality.

Ultimately, Pitch Perfect 3 has a finality to it, and while it's a shame that, outside of a flimsy father-comes-home and mish-mash of Britney's Toxic video in terms of spy antics and song, it does little more to challenge its audience outside of its genial preppy outlook.

But at the end of the day, the target market and those who truly enjoy the Bellas and their choreographed shenanigans and songs won't be bothered by the odd bum notes which land throughout.

Blockers: Film Review

Blockers: Film Review

Cast: John Cena, Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, Geraldine Viswanathan, Kathryn Newton, Gideon Adlon
Director: Kay Cannon

The sex comedy cum coming of age is a well-mined story trope.

Guaranteed easy laughs, combined with some gross-out gags, mean simple box office returns and plenty of brain-on-cruise-control viewing.

So it is with Blockers, a film that promised little, but manages to deliver more than expected, despite a depressingly obvious slide into sentiment on the final run.

Cena, Mann and Barinholtz play a triumvirate of parents, with varying degrees of issues of control.

Thrust together when their three daughters start school and bond, the group's now at the cusp of dealing with womanhood from their siblings.

On Prom Night, all three of the girls (Viswanathan, Newton, Adlon, all solid and fully formed) decide they plan to lose their virginities to their respective partners. Forming an apparently secret pact, they set about their plans.

But when the parents find out, they decide to set out and stop it from happening...

The thing with Blockers is that its mix of being a take on uptight parents letting go, kids growing up and moments of gross oddly brings the funny when it should without ever really going too far.

As the aforementioned slide into sentimental growing and hugging mush descends (something Seinfeld always railed against), Blockers depresses a little in that it doesn't quite buck the trend in the way it initially sets out to do so.

Whether it's really a female take on the situation given it's written by five guys is debatable.

But what it does do throughout is it gives the female youngsters equal pegging and they feel real rather than sexual constructs and conquests. While their story pales as the parents' quest intensifies, the overwhelming take-out is that these kids are alright, and sensible in the face of parental paranoia.

Plus special commendation must be given to Leslie Mann's physical work towards end, which is nothing short of genius.

Cena's uptight jock father is solid, and Barinholtz's estranged dad, looking to reconnect, feels real and grounded during the awkward moments.

In fact, that's where Blockers succeeds, it feels more grounded than outlandish, more sensible than sensational - and as a result, whilst it's not riotous laugh a minute fare, it's infinitely more entertaining than its woefully worn out genre would lead you to believe it could - and should - be.

Far Cry 5: PS4 Review

Far Cry 5: PS4 Review

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Platform: PS4

The Far Cry series returns - this time, with a modern day setting and a timeliness that feels a tad too realistic.

With an initially engaging baddie continuing the franchise's desire to set enigmatic leaders against you, this sets the action in the fictional (but feels real) Hope County. You get to play a rookie cop, helping to take down a cult leader (The Father) as the game begins.

Entering the Edensgate compound, with followers all round, it's clear that what lies ahead is fraught with danger, and while you arrest The Father, the journey out is anything but simple, and soon, you're back to basics, scrabbling around for survival and doing the usual Far Cry thing.

But it's here that Far Cry 5 really sets the bar above the rest.

With a world that feels much deeper, the game almost begs you to spend time doing anything but its main story missions.

Set free in Hope County, my character did little but explore early on, taking on cult members as more of a pasttime than a story necessity and just exploring the rich world which has been created.

From checking out doomsday preppers underground holes to liberating outposts and building up colleagues (of all species), Far Cry 5 gives the widest case yet for a game to be lost in for the year.

It's got rid of things like crafting and the endless time you have to spend hunting in previous games to ensure you can get on with what's necessary. But it's also freed up your time to actually do other things than just the main story mission.

There's never a dull moment in Far Cry 5 and while the main story sees you liberating provinces from the the cult's acolytes and their followers before getting to the ultimate big guy, there's more than enough to do.

Multiplayer, online maps, the possibility of some out there material from the Season Pass (Far Cry Mars??) means there's more than enough to do in Ubisoft's latest - and while the bad guys may lack the charisma of the franchise's previous baddies, there's simply something which has to give during this game.

Ultimately, Far Cry 5 makes a major swing for a Game of The Year title - from a deeply open world to a feeling you're never wasting time, it's really what gaming should be about - pure unadulterated immersion and fun.