Parasite: Neon NZ Movie Review

A searing cross-genre look at the chasms between the classes, Bong Joon-Ho's latest, which took top honours at Cannes this year, is, for the great majority of its run time, an edge-of-your-seat piece, that slightly loses it in the last 15 minutes.

Centring on a family of four who live under the line (in this case, literally, the family lives below the street and often look up to people urinating near their one solitary window), Parasite follows Ki-woo, who's offered a well-paid tutoring job, proffering the family hope of escape from their hand-to-mouth routine.

Inveigling his way into the Park household, Ki-woo manages to seize an opportunity for his sister to become a fellow tutor to the youngest of the household...

To say more about Parasite is to go against director Bong Joon-Ho's wishes in terms of spoilers, but suffice it to say that Parasite dances an extremely fine line between edge-of-your-seat suspense, utter revulsion and horror, and excoriating commentary on the classes that has become the norm for his other films.

There's much to unpack in Parasite - and much of it can't be debated without spoilers.
Whether it's the way the rich refer to and interact with the poor, or the subtleties of microcosms of society which are laid bare, there's a tapestry here to explore that's brilliantly writ large on the big screen.

In all honesty, at times, it's depressing stuff if you're clued into the social mores laid bare, and laid thick with the blackest humour one could find for such an outing.

But it deserves commendation for the way the director and scriptwriters pivot the film roughly half-way through. What seems obvious is given a gut-punch and turned into something that becomes not what you expected.

All of that said, and a coda ending aside which seems like a tonal mismatch from what's transpired, Parasite is a thrilling ride at the cinema, and easily one of the best films of the year.

It's a subversive, subtle and subliminal ride that's as rewarding as it is compelling.

With its subtle genre changes, and its dancing neatly on the taut tightrope of thrills and suspense, it's a game-changer in terms of subverting expectations, and yet delivering a wide broad film that's begging for a Hollywood remake, but which will be all the better if they don't. 

Stories Untold: PS4 Review

Developed by No Code
Published by Devolver Digital

Platform: PS4

The episodic horror Stories Untold knows what it wants to do.

And it's relatively effective, even if occasionally, it's relatively frustrating trying to work out what's what. Using a template that's not really been seen since the 80s, the game relies on lateral and logical thinking from the player to try and get through various scenarios.

Most effective is the first level, which digs deep in the nostalgia of the text adventure, as you sit in front of a computer and sees you type out directions. It's something not witnessed since the Hobbit adventure game which consumed many gamers' hours before the ZX Spectrum kicked playing into gear.

There is a nice creepy vibe that's unsettling to the start of the game, but there are frustrations too, given that gamers not versed in the genre may find there's little to engage in to begin with. Patience is its own reward, but Stories Untold doesn't make it easy to start with.

From its Stranger Things font to its use of sound, there's much of the feeling of homage in this game, and it does pay off well. The enigmatic touches are nicely received and executed, but this really is a game for people who are willing to invest their all in, not the casual gamer.

NBA 2K 21: PS4 Review

Released by 2K Sports

Developed by Visual Concepts

Another year, another basketball sim.

Only this time around, the NBA has lost a little of its shine, given there's not much been changed.

Again, 2K's annual sporting franchise gets rolled out onto the court for 2020, and ballers rush to lap it up means that it's the usual antics - you play as NBA players, and have to win. It's not rocket science, and it plays perfectly well.

But there's a feeling that the game really needs to do something a little different - no matter how polished MyCareer is and how accurate the character renderings are, the franchise does feel a little like it's the same year on year.

Cut scenes have been stripped back to concentrate largely on the action, and the feeling of being bombarded with microtransactions can also irritate as well. 

It's nowhere near a three pointer for NBA 2K21, and to be honest, while it's definitely doing what it says on the tin, the fact it is choosing not to do more is a bit frustrating that what was once a great sim is now simply a competent sim. 

Serious Sam Collection: PS4 Review

Published by Devolver Digital

Platform: PS4

There's not much to say about Serious Sam that doesn't go further than simply saying it's a run and gun game that doesn't take itself too seriously.

If you're being cruel, you could say it's a pastiche of Doom and the Mummy movie franchise with its tombs and endless hordes of creatures piling towards you. Graphically, the game's no great shake on the PS4, a mix of blocky schlocky pixels that is functional and looks fine. 

And yet, despite the game's obvious shortcomings, this collection is stupidly fun, a reminder that first player shooter games don't all have to be Call of Duty or Destiny. 

Blessed with sarcastic dialogue, Serious Sam isn't anything but its namesake, and from some laugh out loud lines to iconic baddies, the game works on many levels, but also doesn't take itself much more seriously than the B-movie genre it's come from.

While some of the collection's games feel a little repetitive, and there's less of an emphasis on maps and finding you way about, the Serious Sam Collection is a disposable enough title to ensure people dipping into it have fun, and nothing less.

The Dark Pictures: Little Hope: PS4 Review

Developed by Supermassive Games

Platform: PS4

The Dark Pictures mythology and series continues with Supermassive Games' latest.

Once again mining the world of horror and jump scares with the formula perpetuated by Until Dawn, Little Hope once again uses a fantastic cast and some good atmospheric jolts to provide something going bump in the night.

Will Poulter joins the cast as the story jumps around in time, back and forth, as a group of college kids find themselves stranded in Little Hope, a town that's somewhat less than normal - and a mystery to solve.

Inspired by The Witch, the Salem trials,The Blair Witch Project and the Mist, the game draws heavily on, and leans heavily into its horror machinations - all to achieve a somewhat chilling effect.

Building on some of the weaker edges of the predecessor Man of Medan, The Dark Pictures: Little Hope once again uses great graphics and the current gen consoles to achieve a game that has a way of getting under your skin - despite some of the ropier dialogue and obvious horror conceits.

Once again utilising the pass and play method where a controller can be given to another player to ensure their involvement, The Dark Pictures: Little Hope does a lot to be as immersive as it can for more than 1 player. It's a good solid touch and one which ensures the social edge of the horror can remove some of the tension.

Better than Man of Medan, The Dark Pictures: Little Hope is a ride worth taking. Much like a fairground horror, the game is there to spook, but with a little refining, this franchise and its eight episodes could provide something longer lasting than a carny atmosphere and a candy floss approach.

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla: PS4 Review

Developed by Ubisoft Montreal
Published by Ubisoft
Platform: PS4

The twenty second Assassin's Creed release sends everyone back to the past again.

This time though, it's to Viking times we head with the tale of Eivor, a Viking (male or female, it's your choice) who's caught in the middle of the conflict between the Vikings and the marauding Anglo-Saxon hordes.

Caught in the invasion, Eivor's world is further complicated when he/she meets the Hidden Ones and joins the fight against the Order of the Ancients....

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla starts with brutality as Eivor's family is slaughtered in front of them, and the brutality continues through, from the kind of attacks Eivor can launch to the stealth attacks. It's a gory game, but its bloody atmospherics work well.

There are a few bugs here and there, with Eivor occasionally crashing into mountainsides, and buildings, at the most unexpected and inopportune moments. It's a shame that Ubisoft didn't sort these before launch.

But much like Assassin's Creed: Odyssey did, the game delights in its open world - and occasional side quests. From events like having to outdrink a co-villager (an intriguing use of quick time) to more chunkier missions, the game's open world comes to life and breathes on its own terms. Being guided from mission to mission feels a little less like a grind this time around, and while there are hundreds of hours to kill within, the choice is there to dawdle or to follow the game.

And in parts, it looks beautiful too. From blood-soaked encounters to gorgeous sunsets and rises along coastal areas, this is a game that clearly prides itself on its visuals - they'll look even more spectacular on the next gen engines.

At the end of the day, it's an Assassin's Creed game, and it really doesn't flout what you've come to expect of the series - it's playable enough, despite glitches, but its timesuck is only worth it thanks to the story and the visuals.

Fuser: PS4 Review

Developed by Harmonix

Published by NC Soft

Platform: PS4

It's time to get back behind the turntables in Harmonix's Fuser.

This rhythm game gives you the chance to spin the wheels of four record players, and build mixes into songs. In the single player storyline, you get to progress through clubs, add mixes to tracks and generally build your reputation as the next Armand van Helden, or Fatboy Slim. Mix in time and you can make four elements literally sing to the crowds.

It's about what you'd expect from the geniuses that made Guitar Hero and Rock Band but it represents an evolution from the publisher as the game can be played without any additional bits to the console, meaning it's literally all there in your hands.

It helps the developers have had access to a great back catalogue of hits, mixing all genres from dance to pop - there's not likely to be something on this soundtrack that doesn't get you into the vibe of the game, and that's a great thing for setting some atmospherics in a year that's seen dance parties well and truly off the agenda.

Fuser is also an exceptionally social project too, with users being able to share mixes, and effectively creativity. It's a great touch given the main raison d'etre for music is to inspire others. 

But if you want to learn more than the basics, Fuser's also a great tutorial. From looping beats to dropping tracks, this is a music sim like never before - it's well worth it and may inspire you in ways you'd never have expected.