Posted on December 21, 2007 in Game Reviews by AlanNo Comments »

Considerably lower profile than my recent game reviews, but this week, alongside packing, I’ve been getting to grips with money making cartoon spin-off Looney Tunes: ACME Arsenal.


I was kind of hoping it would be great. Of course this hope was dashed cruelly by the predictable truth that the majority of licenced games are cheap cash-ins. I think perhaps I’ve just had my expectations raised by LEGO Star Wars, which managed to pull a brilliant game out of the bag, despite relying on not 1, but 2 powerful licences.


I’m afraid ACME Arsenal is back to the low expectations for me, as you will see in the review.

Posted on December 17, 2007 in Music Reviews by AlanNo Comments »

Another (few days) another (single) review. I saw Josh Rouse in Oxford just over a week ago - I finally got around to penning my thoughts some time later, and some time yet further along the line it has appeared on Allgigs.

In other news, my Zune has now materialised, so I now return back to absorbing new music in my former voracious way.

Posted on December 13, 2007 in Game Reviews by AlanNo Comments »

’sup, dawgs.


After a prolonged period of nothing seeming to happen, there may be a sudden shift towards activity as I get back into the reviewing habit. Let’s start with one I’m delighted with, Endless Ocean for the Nintendo Wii.* I think it’s easier to write reviews of games that encourage you to play them in a way that feels like you’re lucid dreaming, but I’d still like to take full credit thankyouverymuch.


In another delightful development, it seems to have made the top of the front page and been edited very little, so all in all I’m rather chipper about all of this.


The music reviews should start flowing again soon too. I took the (some would rightly say) rather stupid decision of selling my dinky ipod with no replacement lined up. My hefty 80gb Zune should be here any day now, but for the time being my music reviewing is being done sans headphones in the free minutes I snatch at home, which isn’t really conducive to quality prose.


* Oh, I rather like the teaser I wrote for this one too. In an act of pure literary narcissism I’m going to print it verbatim:


“What’s this? A game that doesn’t require you to drive stuff, kick stuff or blow stuff up? We didn’t realise such games existed! Well, here’s one to prove us wrong, a gentle diving simulation that allows you to explore and enjoy life beneath the ocean at leisure, without fear of being eaten by a shark, eating people while playing a shark, or getting chased by terrifying genetic mutations in an underwater city with a sinister past and retro décor.


Alan Martin puts on his water wings and a comedically tight pair of speedos and dives into the Endless Ocean.”

Posted on December 12, 2007 in Music Reviews by AlanNo Comments »

The latest review is up, a single by a band called a far more imaginative name (Nothing Rhymes with Orange) than the eventual blandness of the single indicates.


Anyway, not my best review ever. I think I’ll stick to albums ahead of singles in future.

Posted on December 3, 2007 in Music Reviews by Alan2 Comments »

What year is this?


Sorry, it’s been a while. No excuse, but to paraphrase the opening to the album I’ve broken my review duck with, I’ve been busier than a one-toothed man at a corn eating contest.


So, here it is - my review of Buck 65. As you may recall, I was baffled into requesting it from the unusual press release. This backfired when I discovered I was reviewing Hip-Hop, which is so un-me, it’s untrue. Fortunately, the album is excellent, and this has been reflected in the review I had no idea how to write.


Not my proudest hour, but here it is anyway: my review of Buck 65’s Situation.