May 2019

THE INFINITY SAGA COMES TO Thanos (Josh Brolin) snapped his fingers while wearing the Infinity Gauntlet, and half of all life in the universe disappeared.

That’s how last year’s Avengers: Infinity War ended and left us craving for its epic conclusion.

One year later, we are finally in the Endgame. The Russo Brothers filmed this arc of the Marvel Cinematic Universe back to back and reminds us of the “snap”, as we sit down to witness what’s coming. Unaware of the battle happening in Wakanda, a family is in for a surprise that will have some serious consequences. Not just for them, but for the entire universe that doesn’t know how to move on.

The surviving Avengers – Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), War Machine (Don Cheadle) plus brand new members Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and marvellous Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) set off on a mission to stop Thanos once and for all. Will they find Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Nebula (Karen Gillan) in time to join them on this quest?

And if so, what if it all fails in the end and make things even worse? 11 years and 21 films have been leading up to this chapter.

Avengers: Endgame says farewell to characters that have been part of our lives for

ITS EPIC & SATISFYING FINALE such a long time, tears are inevitable. Emotions will peak, because movie fans have sat in the backseat for such a long time and got to know these heroes as if we’re part of the team. Plots will be wrapped up (even some continuity errors are being corrected, to make sure everything is correct). Everything is at stake and there is only one solution. This is it.

Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely‘s script knows just how to find that balance between science, drama and action. These guys know what they’re doing and find the heart in the midst of all the heroism. The battle of Wakanda was just a warm up – you ain’t seen nothing yet! The Avengers and all of their friends get enough screentime to be remembered with honour or to leave an everlasting

mark on all of us. Our superheroes have some extra tricks up their sleeves to keep things exciting. Every one of them gets a moment to shine and the clash we witness in the third act of Endgame is one of the most perfectly constructed and visually mesmerising war scenes you will witness – maybe, EVER! There will be laughs, you will cheer and gasp and you will definitely cry.

After Endgame, there’s a whole new saga to start and an entire universe to explore. But for now, let’s just enjoy the finale to our Infinity Saga and take one last bow to salute them.

Thank you Avengers. We love you 3000!

Review by Seth Eelen

The King returns May 31

ARE YOU READY FOR A WHOLE NEW WORLD? ALADDIN IN HEADING CINEMAS MAY 23

SPOILER REVIEW MARK GOES FULL ENDGAME SPOILERS Avengers was the end of the beginning, a dizzying crossover of five previous films that solidified the cinematic universe.

Every studio in Hollywood tried to replicate it. That movie foreshadowed Thanos and the supplementary films retconned some things and introduced some more to build towards Avengers: Infinity War. The momentum of everything before it continued from New York to Vormir to Titan to Wakanda until finally the Mad Titan snapped his fingers and murdered half the universe.

Avengers: Endgame is immediately more intimate due to this. Everything that didn’t necessitate a perfect exit for the original six Avengers has been stripped away. Tony is saved from space by Captain Marvel and

she is quickly dismissed. We’re not here for next-gen heroes. We’re here for our heroes.

She does help the team murder Thanos but at this point it doesn’t matter. The stones are gone and their failure is permanent.

Until Ant-Man knocks on the front door five years later and postulates time travel. It’s his first time in an Avengers movie and he’s a hilarious contrast to the defeated veterans. Avengers leader Black Widow considers it a real possibility and asks Captain America to help him talk to Iron Man and Hulk, both men who found peace postsnap. The stakes are high but eventually the whole team – including a truly traumatised Thor and Hawkeye, the last Guardians standing Rocket and Nebula, and the ever faithful Rhodey – all unite for a time heist.

Almost every movie in the cinematic universe informs this one, but only Avengers: Infinity War is truly necessary. Yet the fanservice screaming from the screen should be enjoyed to its maximum so at the very least check in with the original Avengers film, and maybe the first entries to Iron Man and Captain America.

The second act of the film mostly takes place during the Battle of New York, the climax of The Avengers. Hulk collects the Time Stone from the Ancient One and Captain America battles himself for the Mind Stone. There’s a levity to these scenes that don’t put this finale in the same dour tones as Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.

The retroactive worldbuilding was a rush but there’s a plot thread hanging with Loki that needs to be resolved, perhaps on Disney+.

As such Iron Man fails to obtain the Tesseract and he gets a small part of his happy ending. His character has been defined, shadowed, reflected and judged against Howard Stark for nine films.

So when he got a face to face conversation with the pillar of his personality in 1970 it gave a sense of closure and finality. On the alien worlds Rhodey retrieves the Power Stone but Nebula inadvertently makes 2014 Thanos aware of their motives.

After humanising him so effectively in the previous instalment the story doesn’t mind having him as a raging force of nature rather than an actual character. On Vormir Black Widow plays the role of Gamora to less shocking results.

Black Widow deserved better. After an Iron Man solo movie, a Cap solo movie, an Iron Man/ Cap crossover movie, an Avengers movie that focussed on her relationship with Hawkeye and another that focussed on her relationship with the Hulk, the leader of the Avengers should have survived and starred in her own solo series. Next year we get the prequel eulogy, but Johansson and Widow have always been criminally underrated.

As one of the final pieces of the Infinity Saga it makes perfect sense. The movies goes to lengths

to say that Black Widow will never leave the Avengers. She has a home and a family and a purpose she would die for, and she did. The final fight is everything a fan could have ever dreamed of.

Iron Man, Captain America and Thor give a rousing three-on-one effort, then each have a swing on their own until only Captain America is conscious.

His one on one with Thanos is the best moment of the movie and fulfils two epic comic book moments before a whole alien army amasses. This is the pillar of his character: Captain America stands alone against an army if he has to.

The inevitable resurrection scene – that surprisingly did not include Loki, Gamora, Vision or Black Widow – spurs one of the greatest battles ever committed to film. Every time Marvel outdoes themselves. While the next-gen heroes of Spiderman, Black Panther, Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel get a moment each the focus remains on the original six five.

Eleven years ago in Iron Man Pepper Potts says to Tony “You’re going to kill yourself doing this”. At the end of the saga he does just that on his own terms, finally resting in victory surrounded by his wife, his protégé, his Avengers. The cornerstone of the universe was for a brief moment the most powerful man in it. It was an apt conclusion.

The Hulk got his happy ending offscreen during the five year time jump. He amalgamated Banner and the Hulk into Professor Hulk and while it’s a fun character it’s unlikely he’ll be called to the next Avengers roster, especially with his gauntlet-related injury. The same can be said of Thor. He may even costar in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 given his rise in popularity post-Ragnarok but there’s plenty of room for the new kids to take the team name Avengers and make it their own.

In a movie with a lot of conclusive scenes, also a la Return of the King, the final one landed perfectly. Captain America is a man displaced in time. If he were the character to lament, he would lament he didn’t have time travel. So of course it’s him who volunteers to return the stones to their right place in spacetime to avoid the sci-fi logic from collapsing in on itself, and of course he never comes back.

And so Avengers: Endgame has its cake and it eats it too. It kills Iron Man and gives him a tender funeral scene, then gives Captain America the perfect ending he’s always dreamed of in the twentieth century with the love of his life. So while it seemed impossible to channel all the momentum from the previous 21 films into a satisfying ending, Marvel did just that.

Review by Mark Halyday

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Pokemon hits the big screen, big time!

Taking a franchise that completely has taken over the world since 1996 is no easy feat.

The concept has grown from trading cards to video games to a slew of animated films, TV series and a mobile game. It is no small task to be the first to bring this concept to live action and instead of being a Pokemon Red or Blue, the decision to take the spin off Detective Pikachu was a bold choice. Ultimately the decision to do this pays off with a heartwarming and hilarious story combined with gorgeous CGI Pokemon and a great cast to deliver a solid first entry into the Pokemon live action outing.

The film centres around Tim (Justice Smith) who travels to Ryme City after he receives news that his father has died. Upon arriving he learns from his father’s Pokemon Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds) that his father died under mysterious circumstances and Pikachu’s

memories have been wiped. The two team up and are joined by Lucy (Kathryn Newton) and her Psyduck as the investigate this whodunnit story to get to the bottom of what happened and restore Tim’s faith and connection to Pokemon.

Having Ryan Reynolds voice Pikachu is a massive component to what makes this film work. Reynold’s has an easily identifiable voice and the character has been given his trademark humour that entertains both kids and adults. There is also a surprising depth to this character that is complimented by Justice Smith. Last we saw of Smith was in the latest Jurassic Park instalment where he was a screaming annoying mess. Fortunately this film has him playing a completely different role and he provides a hilarious and heart filled adolescent who is trying to find his place in the world. He had a dream as a

id to be a Pokemon trainer and after the death of his Mum and his Dad moving away, he has lost all hope and wonder for being a trainer and his connection to Pokemon. There are a few times in the film where Pikachu questions his ability to talk to him (as other humans cannot talk to Pokemon) and he always knows the best move for Pikachu in different situations they are in. Newton is a great addition to the film that delivers some great comedic timing when the film has a hilarious nod to noir murder mystery films when we first meet her.

One of the greatest things in the film is the way that Pokemon are integrated into it.

Everything about the world feels natural.

Ryme city is littered with Pokemon walking around everywhere. As the camera pans around the city, just seeing the different types of Pokemon and they look and feel

natural to the world. There is a breath taking scene where a herd of Bulbasaur are walking through a river and across a field. It is a fine line to walk to make the Pokemon feel real enough and not be overshadowed by the humans and vice versa.

Visually the film is incredible. The VFX are breathtaking. Each Pokemon is a gorgeous photo realistic version of their cartoon counter parts. A lot of the shots used were straight out of anime, particularly when the earth starts shattering and moving around looks straight out of Studio Ghibli and while the CGI does start to get a little shotty in these parts, it does pick up again for the remainder of the film. Additionally a lot of the film takes place at night and the neon saturated city scapes ring reminiscent of Blade Runner. At the start of the film we get our only glimpse at a real life Pokeball that looks incredible. As the film doesn’t focus on battles it was great to a tiny look at what future films could offer if they go down the route of Pokemon battles.

The film features a score without a soundtrack which was surprising as the trailers had a lot of pop songs featured in them. The score in the film is sweeping and epic that also reflect the characters and the reveal as new Pokemon are introduced into the film. It may not have the pop fun that the Pokemon animated film did, but the sweeping score is a beautiful replacement that is appropriate for this story. Overall Detective Pikachu is a massive triumph for video game adaptions. Instead of leaning on video game tropes, it leans into movie tropes and delivers a great movie inspired by a video game rather than the latter. This is enhanced by stellar performances from the main cast of Smith, Reynolds and Newton. The immaculate attention to the visual effects of the Pokemon themselves is what immerses you into the world of Rome city and makes it feel real. Pokemon : Detective Pikachu finally breaks the video game movie curse and is the perfect introduction to live action Pokemon on the big screen.

Review by Alaisdair Leith

INTERVIEW - MIKEY WULFF In the booming age of technology, it has never been easier to keep up to date with the latest, and past trends in pop culture. From table-top gaming to Superheroes, early 20th century pop culture has been resurrected and it has not only created imaginative new takes on classic past-times but it has also provided new waves of opportunities for Australian talent.

Mikey Wulff is a Queensland actor who is benefitting from the pop culture wave that has hit Australian shores. After getting his first big break on Mako: Island of Secrets as Karl, he has gone on to be involved in two comic book movies that were filmed in Queensland; Thor: Ragnarok and Aquaman. So, to get this interview started, we first needed insider knowledge as to which of these comic book greats would win in a showdown!

Tough question. But I’ve gotta go with Thor.

Taking me back to my Pokemon days, lightning beats water, so I think Aquaman would be in a bit of trouble with an onslaught of lightning bolts.

However, in real life, no man wants to take on Jason. Marvel and DC have been rivals in the comic book world since day one, and the translation to the silver screen has not forgotten this long-term playful feud. But how would appearing in a Marvel film compare to a DC film?

The Marvel film was more intensive. I worked on Thor for 3 months in a variety of roles, alongside almost every cast member which was sick. Longer days, but more rewarding (as I was) learning and watching from the best of

Aquaman was… wetter, but still very rewarding.

I was mostly jealous of Jason’s recreational rock-climbing wall in Studio 4. But being a DC fan, I must say it was a bit of a dream come true working on a film from my favourite comic universe. I wish I could have worked on it longer. Before these international juggernauts, Mikey’s first big break was as Karl on the Network Ten mermaid sensation Mako: Island of Secrets. From Australian TV to Hollywood projects, both would have been extraordinary experiences and yet very different.

Mako was my first real look into multi-million dollar production and getting to be in one of Jonathan Shiff’s productions was a bit surreal as my first real break as I had watched a lot

of his shows growing up. Thor was amazing working that hard and watching one of the biggest movies of the year get made. Seeing what goes into it first-hand made me hungrier than ever, the experience just kept getting better, I mean never in my wildest dreams did I think Sir Anthony Hopkins was going to ask me about how my lunch was and to call him Tony. Getting to see how Director Taika Waititi brought so much fun and energy to a set, he is seriously hilarious, made me so much more excited to work for those goals of acting with these awesome people but also made me realise that there are awesome people in every corner of our industry.

Although Thor: Ragnarok took in 854 million USD and Aquaman broke records with its 1.148 billion USD, there have been fears that the silver screen might be tired and over saturated with the superhero genre and Marvel formula. But even after the ten year build up to the hard-hitting three-hour Marvel film, Mikey still holds hope for the variety of stories that can be pulled from the panels.

The comic worlds are so expansive and detailed, that if done right, we should have superhero movies forever without the genre getting over saturated. The fact of the matter is that there are encyclopedias of information on superheros to bring to life.

Australia’s involvement doesn’t stop at being an incredible location for block buster films but has also stretched into being a creative contender in the world of Netflix originals. Now with their foot in the door due to Tidelands, Mikey says Australia is certainly on the radars of the right people.

I think I speak for most Australians in the industry that we would like to see nothing more than to bring more filming opportunities to our shores.

Our country is seriously so beautiful It deserves

to be shown off a bit more in the cinematic world along with our talented people.

But it’s not just Australia’s sunburnt country that’s turning heads. Netflix has been known to praise Australian content creators for “creating high quality content, and succeeding on a global stage”. And with this kind of praise, there is a world of opportunities just waiting for a variety of Australian talent. The sky is the limit in Australian film. L.A. is literally filled with seriously talented Aussies chasing film. I have at least 5 or 6 friends living over there now working, all of which like I’ve just said I know would like to show off some of our own stuff from home. I think we will start to see Australia step out of the ‘country town’ country to a really more desired place to live and set up business for film.

There is a question of Netflix’s influence beyond its own streaming service with Australian scripted entertainment. With content like Harrow and Secret City starting to grow from the creative lull of free to air reality TV, Mikey gave his opinion on if he thought streaming services like Netflix had reignited Australia’s creativity.

100 %. How can you not be inspired from new capture and share stories has certainly changed scripted content?! I like to say everything is a remix. various aspects of the entertainment industry Ideas come from ideas and I absolutely love being but has it made it easier or harder for aspiring able to watch online and I especially love being able artists to get themselves known? to catch up on live TV online. It makes it so much easier to get on the same page as the craze to see I think people are making it look a lot easier than what people are talking about and to create some it is. Now every man and his dog has a camera discussion. on him and a global audience is able to see real content all the time. Creating and sustaining Black Mirror is one series that has taken Netflix such a high level of entertainment that a global by storm, especially with their 2018 Bandersnatch audience is immersed in for more than a couple episode which reflects Mikey’s latest project Scrap minutes is now harder than ever as there is just with its own “choose-your-own-adventure” theme. so much bloody content being shot.

With its own interactive story, Scrap goes beyond the narrative to promote fascinating locations Outside of acting, Mikey is as true a nerd as around the Sunshine Coast. any and had even introduced my brother and I to a little card game called Magic the GatherFor me, both (Scrap and Bandersnatch) took me ing (MTG). Of course, ‘little’ here being a choice back to a nostalgic feeling like I was reading old word for a game with various competitions Goosebumps books where I would be flipping page across Australian pop culture stores as well to page excited to see what chaos I could cause my as holding cards worth over $1,000. With the character. Bringing that to screen was and is super game also affectionally referred to as ‘cardboard exciting and I can’t wait to see what the genre will crack’, Mikey shared his thoughts as to why bring in the coming years. Trust me you won’t be MTG had become so popular. disappointed with Scrap’s interaction either! Rachel Forsyth did an amazing job putting together some Ooo baby, where do I start with MTG. This game great pathways of adventure that are all great fun is as old as me and is basically the Godfather to explore. From Hollywood films to Australian TV of card games. I like to describe it as a cross and web series, Mikey has had experience across a between Yu-Gi-Oh and Chess. It is the ultimate variety of mediums. And in the age of social media, nerd’s card game with stunning art and an inthere are ever evolving methods people can use to credibly deep lore behind it. Things with this share their stories like with YouTube, Vine (RIP), and much depth can’t not be appreciated. You can Instagram stories. The availability of equipment to learn how to play and not play for 10 years and buy the new set to pick up some cool new elves for your elf deck you haven’t touched since.

Along with MTG, games like Exploding Kittens, Cards Against Humanity, and Settlers of Catan have been helping make table top games popular again.

It’s not unusual for things like gaming to make a resurgence in pop culture, but it’s certainly interesting that table top gaming is becoming popular again in the age of technology.

I think nerd is just becoming ‘cooler’. With so much information in the age of technology it’s nice to take a break and sit back and play some crazy ass games to take us away from all that’s going on in this overstimulated world. Table top games force you to take the break from screens we all need, and interact only with the people and game in front of you.

Aside from the ever-intensive past time that MTG can become, here are a few things Mikey says you should be watching, reading, and playing: You need to be watching My Hero Aca-

demia, you need to be playing Apex Legends, and you should be reading Nevernight and getting ready for Piera Forde’s web series adaption, currently in pre-production.

The thriving industry in Australia has provided opportunities for talent whilst also showcasing the locations we have on offer.

It is no question that pop culture shows no signs of slowing down, especially with the insurgence of the DCEU and MCU. If you want to immerse yourself more into the world of pop culture, then you should be looking at attending Oz Comic-Con’s next convention. Oz Comic-Con is Australia’s

largest celebration for all things pop culture, no matter what fandom. Rub shoulders with celebrities from a range of films and television shows, meet your comic book idols in artist alley, and explore the endless shopping opportunities available from a variety of merchandisers.

Oz Comic-Con Melbourne: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre June 8th-9th Oz Comic-Con Brisbane: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre

September 21st-22nd Oz Comic-Con Sydney: Sydney Showground September 28th-29th Article & interview by Brittany Howarth.

Just when you think the John Wick series has done all it can, it steps it up a whole other level or 10 for Chapter 3, Parabellum. Bringing more suspense, more action and a whole lot of laughs you’ll be either on the edge of your seat, completely in awe of the fight scenes or laughing hard at Keanu Reeves nailing some comedic delivery.

Parabellum starts right where Chapter 2 left off. Wick (Keanu Reeves) broke the rules and has an hour before a bounty if put on his head.

In a mad rush around New York city to organise his affairs Wick makes a decision that will either kill him or save his life.

Fighting off more men than any human could

possibly tackle, Wick manages to speak with the only person that can save his life, The Elder of The High Table. Calling in a favour Wick makes his way to Casablanca to find Sofia (Halle Berry) who runs the Hotel Continental.

Hesitantly but bound to her oath, Sofia helps Wick get to The Elder.

Wick is faced with an ultimatum, die in the desert or prove his loyalty by killing Winston the manager of the Hotel Continental in New York city. The venue that got Wick into all the trouble to start with. Winston was asked to step down as hotel manager because of Wick’s actions, but in refusing he put his own life in danger.

Arriving back in New York Wick goes on a wild rampage to save his own life and that of Winston’s. Only for the film to end with a giant cliff-hanger.

Here’s the thing about John Wick Chapter 3, there isn’t a whole lot of story line. Everyone’s in trouble for helping Wick in the previous films and Wick gets a second chance. Little dialogue and little story line. But that is exactly what makes Chapter 3 easily by far the most exciting and entertaining to watch. It’s these tiny little nuggets of story line with long extended fight scenes to get you to the next nugget.

Chapter 3 by far has invested the most into the fight scenes with some absolute award-winning choreography, reminiscent of the Kill Bill films.

There’s a wonderful blend of martial art knife fighting and old-fashioned shoot outs. But what makes these fighting scenes even better, is it’s not just one on one it’s 10 on one. Furthermore, these scenes are somewhat realistic in a sense.

Guns run out of bullets, thrown knives don’t stick and sometimes both sides of the fight have to pause for a second and recalculate.

Some of the fight scenes alone go for easily five or 10 minutes. And some of the fight scenes are so brutal and realistic you most certainly don’t want to be afraid of a little blood

or a severed head.

It’s not just the fight scenes in Chapter 3 that makes this the stand out John Wick film, though it plays the biggest part. It’s the new injection of comedy that hasn’t been captured in the previous chapters. There’s comedy in the fight scenes, there’s comedy in the story line and then there’s Keanu Reeves and his delivery be it unintentional or not gives some great laugh out loud moments throughout the film.

While the film has a number of great performances there are only two others that need to be mentioned. Sofia played by Halle Berry’s and her dogs.

They are well behaved, loyal and two very mean dog fu fighting machines. The John Wick franchise are fast becoming dog lover films.

While there’s more fighting than anyone could handle, some good laugh out loud moments and some very intense tense scenes, there is one particular scene stand out above the others. And that is the scene where John Wick replies to a question about what he needs, “Guns, lots of guns”.

You’d be excused if you felt a little déjà vu hearing this line because it’s the exact line and exact delivery Reeves used in The Matrix as his character Neo. Intentional or not, it is still a great line with the following moments after showcasing some amazing weaponry.

Overall, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum is easily the stand out of the trilogy so far. Keanu gives a stellar performance with some amazing fight scenes that can only be seen to be believed.

The story is a great continuation starting right where Chapter 2 left off, but leaves you wanting more with its epic cliff-hanger. The attention to detail from things like the hotel to the believable situations in some of the fight scenes will leave you thinking this world might actually be real and thank the heaves it isn’t.

Review by Jay Cook

HATHAWAY VS WILSON IN THIS COMEDY REMAKE THAT MAINLY WORKS. It is common practice in Hollywood to invest in remaking an old film. Giving it a new cast and a modernised twist seems like it is almost a quarter of the films released every year. The Hustle starring Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson slots right into that category. Based on the 1988 classic, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels starring Michael Caine and Steve Martin which is then based on the 1964 film Bedtime Story, there isn’t a whole lot that’s different.

But for an entirely new generation who don’t know who Caine or Martin are, The Hustle is entertaining even if the humous is a little dated. When two scam artists cross paths on

a train to France neither expected to have to compete for work at the end of the line. But that’s exactly what happened when Josephine (Anne Hathaway) and Lonnie (Rebel Wilson) end up hustling the same town on the French Riviera. Hoping to get rid of Lonnie, Josephine agrees to show her a trick or two and team up together in a curious attempt to lure men in for extravagant engagement rings only to then realise it’s not what it seems. But when Josephine and Lonnie have a falling out over money, they battle it out to be the sole hustler. After fruitless attempts for either of them to move on they decide a competition will

be their deciding factor once and for all. The mark is made and the two go to work to scam a tech millionaire Thomas (Alex Sharp) of his millions. But when feelings get in the way the bet is off does the final twist of them all sends everyone home and out of pocket.

The film follows a very classical humour, something you would expect from an early 2000s comedy. It’s very much a romantic comedy where the humour is forced and set up. It isn’t clever and doesn’t tend to try anything adventurous.

As expected, Rebel Wilson brings her trademark delivery which the film tends to ride on. Of the most recent handful of films Rebel Wilson (Isn’t it Romantic, Pitch Perfect, Bridesmaids) has starred in, she has given the same Australian character with her unique style of comedy and delivery. Playing her character Lonnie is no different. While the character is written to be of a lower-class background Wilson does tend to play up to it rather well. However, the humour does tend to run thin with the similar delivery of her jokes on repeat throughout the film.

Where Wilson does manage to showcase some actual talent is in her scenes with Alex Sharp who plays Thomas. She happens to tap into something a little more sincere and relatable than that of her whimsical humour which saturates the remainder of the film.

Anne Hathaway (Ocean’s Eight, The Intern, Les Misérables) as Josephine brings a particular level of class and talent to the film. While it is questionable why she would have agreed to such a

film, having someone with her level of character performance is welcomed. There isn’t a great deal of depth to the character of Josephine however, Hathaway manages to have a bit of fun with it. Overall The Hustle isn’t anything new, but it’s still a lot of fun. For audiences who have seen Dirty Rotten Scoundrels before, it will be a great trip down memory lane. For new audiences, it will have you giggling all the way through as these two unlikely actresses grace the screen.

Review by Jay Cook

For over 60 years Asterix and Obelix have been entertaining audiences through comic books, TV shows, live action films and their recent foray into 3D animation which reintroduced the series to a whole new generation of fans. The combination of hilarious gags and pop culture references with a great story will please both young and old for a family film that truly caters for everyone. The attention to detail in the computer generated animation is jaw dropping, combine with voice talent that is dubbed over the French original.

Everything about this film works, it is funny, its charming, its beautiful and it propels the series and characters forward. When the

village’s druid Panoramix falls out of a tree, he is convinced his lease on life is coming to an end. Afraid for the safety of the village he has sworn to protect with the secret of his magic potion, he enlists the help of Asterix and Obelix to travel the land to find a young druid to be his successor when his impending death happens. While they are on their quest, they are joined by the men of the village who believe it is their right to have a say in who will protect them and their secret after Panoramix is gone. This in turn leaves the village vulnerable to attack from Ceasar and his Roman army when spies report that the men have left the village.

If this wasn’t enough a rogue druid Sulfurix is also seeking Panoramix and his potential successor to manipulate into giving him the animators care about these characters and this secret potion so he can rise to power and world. do away with the other druids who cast him out in the past. The magic potion gives the Many studios have tried to reinvent old propvillage super human like strength to fight off erties into 3D animated family films and the Romans and keep their area safe from most fail in delivering anything substansial.

While we are forced to watch The Smurfs 4 invasion. Without it the only one with real and Despicable Me 6, what has been created power is Obelix and we never really know why. The film comes from a script from pre- here is an animated gem, a true family film vious Asterix scribes Alexandre Astier and that has a great message, beautiful animation and humour that suits both young and Louis Clichy create an entirely original story old. Asterix The Secret Of The Magic Potion this time around which does encompass all is the surprise animated film that will please the beats of the classic comics while mak- the whole family. ing some sneaky winks to modern themes like selfies etc. This infused with “You Spin Asterix The Secret Of The Magic Potion reMe Around” yes, that one as the catchy pop leases in Austalian cinemas May 30. song for slapstick montages and a hilarious battle scene in the finale. Visually the film is an absolute feat of animation. The colour and detail in every shot are spectacular and really help this world feel alive. The animation for Obelix particularly when he is doing his barrell run is beautifully done. Even down to the berries in tree branches have been carefully crafted and detailed to look spectacular. There is a level of love that oozes from each frame to show just how much the

Netflix’s latest dramadey punches Dead To Me follows two women who tragically lose someone in their lives. This Netflix Original Series is very mysterious and the comedy is dark as the night. The first episode sets up the vibe for the rest of the show and it only pulls you in more and more, up to the point of no return.

The two leads – Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini – have wonderful chemistry. Their interactions and the moments of sorrow feel like as if they are best friends

in real life and just connect in the most sincere and natural way. The acting is also just sublime and shows once again that these ladies don’t get enough high profile acting jobs in Hollywood, which is a shame.

The subject of the series is not an easy one to handle and to combine it with comedy is very risky, but it really works here.

The episodes are easily bingeable with a runtime around 30 minutes and every epi-

big stars, big drama & big laughs. sode has several situations our characters get in, that’ll keep you interested while you watch it all unfold. Every episode also ends on a cliffhanger that made my jaw drop, over and over again – which I’m a sucker for. The show starts with Jen (Applegate) losing her husband in a hit-and-run accident. She’s obviously having many problems and trying to deal with the fact she’s a widow and single mother now, trying to raise her two teenage sons. She decides to join a meeting for those who lost loved

ones and it’s here we get to meet Judy (Cardellini). Both totally opposite personalities, but still connecting in a way they didn’t think was possible. The pacing of every scene and episode is enjoyable and kept me engaged throughout. It’s fun to see things progressing not knowing what will happen next.

The show starts with Jen (Applegate) losing her husband in a hit-and-run accident. She’s obviously having many problems and trying to deal with the fact she’s a widow and single mother now, trying to raise her two teenage sons. She decides to join a meeting for those who lost loved ones and it’s here we get to meet Judy (Cardellini). Both totally opposite personalities, but still connecting in a way they didn’t think was possible. The pacing of every scene and episode is enjoyable and kept me engaged throughout. It’s fun to see things progressing not knowing what will happen next.

Review by Seth Eelen

The Society is a problematic drama-series that tries to tackle different socio-psychological subjects in each episode, such as relationships and the pressure of survival in a world falling apart without any real leadership. It fails from the get go without providing any narrative and a real objective – that arrives past its due date. It looks like the perfect teen drama for Netflix, in the likes of Riverdale and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, but it never delivers. Under The Dome meets Lord of the Flies, hell, it doesn’t even come close to the ones I just mentioned, because the tone is all over the place and the show takes itself way too serious.

The series revolves around its main mystery of how a group of high school students returns from a school trip, coming home to an abandoned town. But this main storyline only comes up when the writers want to address it and keep tackling side stories that actually don’t even matter. So by the time the actual mystery gets addressed, we’re already watching the last episode and we see each minute ticking by without getting any answers, clearly hoping for a second season pickup..

Being unsupervised with access to everything, there is a lot of drinking. And sex.

They focus on safe sex and contraception, but everything feels so forced. There’s little to no diversity, although most girls are strong female characters, which I liked most about The Society. Olivia DeJonge, Kathryn Newton, Gideon Adlon and Kristine Froseth being the standouts. f The Society can improve its cast members and focus more on the main storyline instead of getting distracted by unnecessary side-stories, then who knows what its future is.. But for now, it’s a hard pass and I would suggest spending your time on something more interesting.

Review by Seth Eelen

NETFLIX DELIVERS ONE OF THE Comedy is subjective, like most art forms it either finds a mainstream voice or becomes a niche that if great enough earns a cult following. Comedy shows in the past have proven this time and time again with Community. Arrested Development and Bojack Horseman. This show features two high profile comedians Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong as the title characters and comes from production designer and and Bojack Horseman animator Lisa Hanawalt.

While the show shares many visual similar-

ities with Horseman, so much so that you could be fooled into thinking it was in the same universe, there is a completely different vibe to this that once it finds its stride, delivers another entertaining and quirky animated hit for the streaming giant.

The show focuses on the friendship of a toucan aptly named Tuca (Haddish) and a robin named Bertie (Wong) as they navigate their friendship after they are no longer roommates when Bertie moves in with her boyfriend Speckle (Steven Yeun)

FUNNIEST SHOWS EVER MADE! and while Tuca doesn’t move far (the apartment upstairs) the first season explores the relationship between Bertie and Speckle as they explore living together. This goes hand in hand with Tuca and Bertie’s relationship and Tuca’s dependency on their friendship. We have had so many shows that explore female friendships and while some are gross out sex romps like Sex & The City and others combine this with some millennial fem-friendship comedy like Broad City, Tuca & Bertie seems to walk the line of diving into the honest dia-

logue in a friendship and discussing their sexual escapades. In a world where things like career, boyfriends and world changes constantly, the one thing that is constant between these two is their friendship. This season explores the strength of their bond and the dependence they have on each other is nowhere near as bad as it seems at the start of the show.

A big part of the show that has carried across from Bojack Horseman is taking wildly inappropriate things from our world and making them hilarious in the anthropomorphic world. This is a lot more vulgar the Horseman and while there is a slight dark undertone, it never dives too far into this territory, it does keep the focus on the friendship. There are glimpses into subjects like #MeToo and toxic masculinity at work that is explored through Bertie’s work at the bakery. Her boss constantly oversteps the boundaries of professional and sexual exploitation to perfect his creation the “Crunt” This is highlighted further when a new intern starts at the bakery and Bertie realises that she has been taken for a ride.

Similarly at her office she is always hankering for a promotion, trying to get ahead and unable to get through the boys club. While the themes do run deep, there is a lot of comedy here. There are great observations about living in cities, over population ahd the scene stealing sex bugs (you will love them!) make to deliver one of the funniest animated series in recent years. The run time of 15-20 minutes per episode make it a perfect lingering taste after each outing. The world that they live in beautifully littered with apps like ChoreGoose that allow Tuca to do things similar

to Airtasker, their upstairs neighbour is called Dapper Dog who smokes a pipe and has a tweed cap. Bertie and Speckle watch a show called Nests of Netherfield similar to Downtown Abbey.

Having two characters that are very different is also a massive part of the shows appeal. While Tuca gets sex bugs, Bertie reads books like Hot Sex For Agreeable People.

The animation is definitely worth talking about, the colour and beautifully detailed world is so easy on the eye. While the show is a definite spiritual successor to Bojack Horseman, it does feel a lot brighter and welcoming than the harsh hills of Hollywoo.

While I found myself fully involved in this world as a gay white male, I can only imagine how great it is for women and people of colour to see great representation that is well written, smart and downright hilarious. Tuca and Bertie is a triumph in not only animation but for such high profile voice talent to lead such a great show.

Tuca and Bertie Season 1 is now streaming exclusively on Netfilx.

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Score: 7.5/10

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RPG

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ADVENTURE

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ACTION

“For an enhanced version, it not only looked but also felt like I had only just picked it up back in 2012.”

More and more RPG’s from yesteryear are making a return via the Nintendo Switch to fill in that nostalgic void in the hearts of gamers all over.

Open-world adventure, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, is the latest to be ported from last-gen consoles over onto the increasingly popular portable system. Originally released as only Dragon’s Dogma, Dark Arisen features the expansion, all the DLC and other upgrades. Although it was originally released 7 years ago, this was a relatively new title for me. However for an enhanced version, it not only looked but also felt like I had only just picked it up back in 2012.

While sounding a tad critical straight up, it’s not all cons. There are elements about Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen that do feel aged, however there’s other elements that are still enjoyable. It does of course start off like most other RPG’s.

Your character can be fully customized and then follow up by choosing one of three generic vocations. Being a Mage or Fighter (sword and shield) wasn’t appealing to me. However a Strider whose rocking dual blades and a bow & arrow is right up my alley.

No matter what vocation you pick, the story is obviously the same. Your character is known across the land of Gransys as The Arisen. This comes after having your heart literally ripped out of your body, and living to tell the tale, by a dragon whose arrival is believed to mean that the end of the world is nigh. According to legend, the Arisen is believed to be the chosen one to ultimately kill the dragon and save the world from the apocalypse. However this along with a couple of starter quests was the most I could properly follow in regards to the story.

around to try and find my next quest, my adventures when I’d a quest to embark on were enjoyable. Mainly when I was given only a marked location in a blank unexplored area. I was never sure what I would find or where I’d end up but there was always excitement and adrenalin running through me. But it wasn’t always smooth sailing, even when I stuck to the main path. Running into smaller enemies like wolves, rogues and goblins and sometimes even the bigger beasts like trolls and dragons kept me on my toes at all times.

Luckily I’m not alone on my journeys with the help This was mainly due to the poor execution of of 3 AI pawns who you can swap out and upgrade allowing players to find and follow Quest lines through out the game. This made combat a lot easily. The only place where I knew to find more enjoyable. However it didn’t feel very fluid to quests were from the notice boards found in begin with. It did have a bit of getting used to, esmain towns. However these mainly consisted of pecially not being able to fully lock onto enemies “kill X amount of these” and “escort this person when trying to melee attack. But after some practo X”. The rest of the quests worth doing were tice and acquiring a few abilities for myself and found on a whim half the time. Simply marking my party, the fights became easier and I started to new quest givers on the map along with the have a lot more fun with them. As a Strider every already marked notice boards would have made fight was different since I could choose either to a huge difference. I know that finding the quests melee or attack at range. Being able to change along your journey should be part of the adven- up my approach depending on what worked best ture but I was slowly getting tired of having to against enemies never made the fights boring for really search for them. my particular vocation. As previously mentioned, this is an enhanced version of an older title. In no This next part is going to sound very hypocritway is it a remaster meaning the graphics do look ical. But as much as I didn’t like adventuring like they came straight from last gen. But since it’s not heavy on HD graphics, the game does run extremely well on the Nintendo Switch, especially in handheld mode. There may have only been a small hand full of times it seemed like the frame rate had dropped but this happened only for a split second. But just because the graphics are aged doesn’t mean the game doesn’t look nice. It does feature some well designed environments and creatures, as well as some alright voice acting through out.

There are areas where it could improve but I still found Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen to be an enjoyable adventure title. Even though it feels exactly like a game from last-gen, I’d still recommend it to any RPG fans who are yet to play.

Capcom’s classic crime series, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy, is the latest Nintendo release to not only be given the Nintendo Switch treatment but also across all current-gen platforms. This isn’t the first time it’s been re-released on other platforms either with scattered re-releases through out the last 12 years. As a virgin to the Ace Attorney games, I slowly noticed how my expectations of the game before and during my playthrough were pretty different. This visual novel/adventure game hybrid was a roller-coaster of highs and lows particularly in regards to its gameplay.

Broken up into episodes, Ace Attorney Trilogy follows not only separate crimes but also a single connecting background story. Playing a newbie defence attorney, Phoenix Wright has

to learn how to play hardball to always prove his clients are innocent. Doing so came with two separate forms of gameplay. While one has you playing the obvious lawyer roll, the other has you playing detective. Even though the latter doesn’t fit your job description, which is also brought up in the game. Along the way you meet some memorable quirky characters, some of whom are friends/acquaintances who will sometimes also help you out. There are also rival lawyers who make regular appearances in the courtroom.

Constantly intertwining these characters and their stories throughout each episodes plot line kept me more interested in the story as opposed to having very different plot settings throughout.

HEAD-

As a visual novel, the detective side was my preferred of the two forms of gameplay since it had less dialogue text to read through. But I’m still unsure about my feelings towards it’s gameplay. It has that point-and-click adventure game feel, but with less character movement.

It’s mainly filled with static environments to examine, items to pick up and NPC’s to converse with. But of course this is a crime game, answers weren’t going to just fall into my lap.

Some of the puzzle solving was straight forward, but the further I progressed the more I found myself having to really use my brain.

But after the first couple of episodes, being a detective was surprisingly no longer exciting me. It’s understandable since the games originally came out on Game Boy Advance which came with limited hardware capabilities. With that being said, I would have personally loved an update on the detective mechanics. After a while it just became very repetitive. An extra episode made available after the re-release of the first game on Nintendo DS however perked me up. There’s so much more interactivity involved within crime scenes including dusting for fingerprints, finding blood traces and more.

I had such high hopes that it would continue on into the next game. But I was left gutted when I found out this wasn’t the case, even though

I knew it was only due to Nintendo DS’ updated capabilities. Detective gameplay was slightly updated after the first game. It added to the puzzle solving mechanics but at the end of the day, I was still longing for more interactive elements.

Playing a lawyer though is a different story. Using evidence that you’ve found playing detective, you must do everything in your power as a defence lawyer to prove your clients innocence. And just like detective gameplay, this required a lot of thinking outside the box. To be honest, I winged it with a lot of the harder answers. If you give too many wrong answers though, you instantly lose the case. It’s safe to say those save files really come in handy during tougher times. Proving the other client of being guilty in each episode gave me the same satisfaction as that of winning a boss fight. Being a visual novel however meant this came with lots and lots of dialogue text. Without sounding too greedy or trying to take away from what the game’s intended to be, added voice acting would have made this element of the game better. Not only to keep a player like myself more engaged but to keep up with the capabilities of platforms in 2019. Especially since the characters mouths had talking animation.

Visually, Ace Attorney Trilogy has been left the same with the expected remaster polish over.

Characters and environments still have a manga-like design, but are a lot smoother and less pixelated. Characters though are still very static with limited animations. It also carries over the same sound FX and music from the original GBA version, just slightly enhanced.

The story is easy to follow with gameplay that can be sometimes fun for 2004 standards however Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy wasn’t about to successfully close the case for me. It’s understandable that it’s a remaster of a visual novel series so it does keep a few extra points for that.

But personally I would have liked some updated gameplay elements to keep me fully engaged.

GAME ON AUS

Nicco gives this indie a full 10/10!

Load up your tape deck and sharpen your Samurai sword. Katana ZERO is about to take you on a fast-paced, brutally violent, frustrating and oddly satisfying experience.

This ultra violent 2D platformer by Askiisoft and Devolver Digital follows the trend of other indie retro-inspired games delivering a somewhat high difficulty curve. Yet learning to push through these barriers is where it’s fun grows with the help of some well constructed mechanics.

From the outset you don’t know very much

about who you are or why you’ve been hired to slice people up. These questions of who and why are pretty consistant through out. All you know is that there are “10 days remaining” without much more added context. Your character, known only as Dragon, doesn’t really know much either as he suffers from nightmare-filled PTSD from a very fuzzy past. In the meantime, you work under your therapist, of all people, who not only provides you with a mystery drug called Chronos but also assigns you with assassination missions.

MOVIES / TV / GAMES / COMICS

GAME ON AUS The mind started to boggle as I’m trying to put the pieces together. But I knew from that point that the confusion would ultimately be worth it. Katana ZERO was about to take me on a wild ride not only with its gameplay but with its question filled story as well. Without spoiling too much, the story does contain some heavily themed elements including drug use and lots of swearing. It’s safe to say this isn’t like your typical 90’s platformer.

to pull off some pretty cool and very satisfying kills. The beauty of the gameplay and the level design is that there was more than one way to clear a room. It gave me plenty of freedom to experiment with different strategies if I was ever stuck with the same dilemma.

This meant that the none of the levels ever felt entirely the same. No matter how frustrated I felt about the room that I had just cleared, I was always keen to see what sort of challenges I The confusion as to what was going on wasn’t would face next. The coolest part about using the frustrating part though. I learned that pro- this ability was that a replay at the end of the gression was a slow and steady process set at level shows off all your tricky attacks at normal high speed. The way this is presented is throughspeed. a somewhat time loop-esque mechanic where you plan out your attack. Essentially, it has a lot to do with trial and error. There are times where I nailed my execution on the first try. However, The aesthetic of Katana ZERO is very 80’s/90’s inthere were plenty of moments where I would spired but that isn’t solely limited to its pixel graphgo in, get shot down, go in again, get killed, go ics. It’s teamed with an upbeat electro soundtrack again…you get the picture. There were the odd that Dragon keeps in his tapedeck. This kept the occasions that left me swearing like a sailor but adrenaline flowing while I sliced and diced through was calm enough to not throw my controller enemies. The menu, HUD and some elements of across the room. As repetitive and frustrating level design also scream 80’s with heavy splashes of as it is, you start to learn how these enemies neon colours. act and how to efficiently take them down. They aren’t all a walk in the park though. Dragon also Honestly it’s hard to find a flaw in Katana ZERO. It’s has the ability to slow down time, meaning an addictive process of strategic trial and error, no I was able to dodge and parry enemies with matter how frustrated you get. Combined with it’s ease. By taking advantage of this, I was able retro aesthetic, it’s an action-packed joyride for platformer lovers who like just a bit more punishment with their games.

At the time of publication, Katana ZERO has been refused classification in Australia and New Zealand.

It’s currently unavailable for the Nintendo Switch but it’s still available now for purchase on Steam.

UPDATE: Katana Zero has now bee classified as R18+ in Australia & New Zealand and will be available on Nintendo Switch later this month.

MOVIES / TV / GAMES / COMICS

LEITHAL FINDS SOME HEART If you are looking for the next big Playstation game to throw up against the likes of God Of War and Horizon : Zero Dawn, regrettably this is not the game you have been looking for. What Bend Studio have done is deliver a satisfying and enjoyable experience with an open world zombie mechanic that delivers a similar experience to ones we have seen in this genre before.

While it doesn’t re-invent the wheel or offer anything overwhelmingly new, it does deliver a great experience that doesn’t quite get to the heights of the current PS4 exclusives

we have witnessed previously. That being said it is still an enjoyable experience that is about 15 hours too long, some further editing and tweaks may have delivered a more concise and fluid experience.

You play as biker Deacon St.John, who has survived with his best friend and fellow biker Boozer. The story is told through a series of flashbacks and exploration as we uncover government conspiracies, attempt to find the whereabouts of Deacon’s girlfriend after being separated and solve the

IN BEND STUDIOS LATEST GAME mystery of the Freakers (zombies!) Then the game opens up into other survivors, bringing them into the foray as they figure out how to get along with the rest of the human race and survive freaker hordes.

Unfortunately the side characters are as plan and boring as the NPC’s are which is a massive let down for what could have been a great community based story. Playing as Deacon the primary mode of transport is a motorbike. Before the game was released the footage of riding through the desolate world looked exciting, in reality it is the

complete opposite. Any little kind of nick or jump from a Freaker send the bike into repair mode. It is the most frustrating part of this game (apart from the cheesy dialogue) constantly having to repair little run ins that surprisingly damage your bike beyond reasonable use. Fortunately though you can customize the bike as well as upgrade and make repairs. Petrol is also a big part of getting around the map and should be part of your planning process (particularly if you are driving at night!) The missions are ok, it is nothing that you haven’t seen

or done before in a game of this type. This sounds like I am being negative and I don’t meant for it to sound that bad, there are some missions that were exciting and gave glimpses of greatness, but these moments were fleeting and far and few between.

Gameplay wise it is an interesting mix of open world exploration, shooting and when you have levelled up enough comes the Hordes. An overwhelming amount of zombies pile up against you and if caught off guard it can be quite the challenge. After playing World War Z in the last two weeks, the similarities between the two in these modes are strikingly similar. The world is littered with the usual amount of people who

need help or items from you. In addition there was WAY too many stealth missions that are necessary to complete to progress through the game (it is as annoying and frustrating as it sounds!) To top this off the fact that Deacon yells during these missions makes no logical sense. The melee combat and gun mechanics are solid and offer nothing new to the genre.

The most disappointing thing about the game is the amount of hype that has been built up for it. There have been many push backs and date changes (which also happened with the masterpiece that was Spiderman for the PS4) regrettably none of this has resulted in a better game.

It is an interesting experience, there is a lot of world building and setup which is fine, if it wasn’t so generic. Graphically again this game is fine. There were quite a few times where I experienced audio dropouts and some hilarious syncing issues (I will be posting a video reel in a few days!) it is also important to note that this was reviewed on a PS4 Pro. All of these technical issues could be accepted if the game was spectacular on a Spiderman or Horizon Zero Dawn scale. As the issues with the performance and story go hand in hand it just delivers a mediocre experience. While it may not join the ranks of God Of War or Horizon : Zero Dawn, it does deliver a new IP that could possibly get better in future instalments.

Days Gone is available exclusively on the Playstation 4.

Score: 9/10 | MAYHEM

OPEN WORLD | ZOMBIE | PLAYSTATION YEAH

Borderlands 3 Click here to watch Nicco’s first playthrough

Score: 9/10 | BLOODY FIGHTER | WORLDS COLLIDE | FINISH HIM!

LEITHAL EXPERIENCES MK FOR Netherealm are back for another instalment in the MK franchise. This time around they are pressing the reset button (sort of?) complete with dopplegangers and a single and multiplayer mode with a slew of options that offer a ton of different options that give this game a massive lifetime for fans and newcomers alike. Fans of the series love this game for the imcredible amount of gore and violence that this franchise is known for and here is no different.

With stomach churning fatalaties and a large amount of blood, this is definitely not

for the faint of heart. While fighting games may sound monotonous, MK has really worked on its story mode in recent years (since 9) and it stands out as just as good as the multiplayer mode which is a rare thing for a fighting game. As a newcomer to this series after not playing the most recent ones, the first thing to note is the fantastic tutorial. To compare them, the Injustice games have some of the most frustrating and disappointing tutorials of any game I have ever played. MK11 takes this all and fixes it providing a basic setup

THE FIRST TIME AND LOVES IT! that will let you easily get into the game if you are going with easty mode, once I found my way through the game I went back and finished the tutorial to learn more advanced moves and upped the difficulty level which offered a more challenging experience. Story wise Kronika shows up and starts messing up the timeline. She is pulling in past versions of both heroes and villains and pitting them against each other. This ends up with a lot of different combinations and a lot of team ups that allow you to choose the character you wish

to battle with. There are a lot of cinematic cut scenes that have some great voice acting and direction. For the majority of the story it is great however at the end it felt a little rushed and the conclusion was nowhere near as satisfying as it could or should have been. This is only a minor niggle as the majority of it is far and above many other games in story driven genres.

When it comes to the fight MK11 slows it down a fair bit. Compared to the insane flurry of Injustice 2, this felt more skill based than button masher. The fatalaty moves are back with extreme prejudice.

They are completely over the top and graphic with litres of blood pouring everywhere, spikes going through heads and skull shattering cinematic moments gives your fingers enough of a rest to get ready to complete the battle. There are fatal blow moves that you can move depending on your health that can really turn the tide of a fight in its supposed final moments. It

is worth spending time going through the different moves and combinations outside of story mode, this will also really help with online multiplayer mode. Visually the game is beautiful. The locations and backgrounds are extremely detailed and look incredible on the PS4 Pro that I reviewed it on. The characters are rendered spectacularly and are among some of the best seen in a fighting game to date. The seamless transititons from cinematic scene to gameplay is flawless and the loading times (once the game has started up initially) is astounding.Â

Fans of the series will be satisfied with the There is so much customisation on offer here, each character has a large option of incredible amount of love and effort that has skins,over 40 I’m up to so far with custom- gone into this game and newcomers will be won over. iseable gear and techniques. These are unlocked through Krypt and Towers Of Time modes which offer treasure chests that you Be prepared to sink hours and hours into need currency to unlock. The online mode is this title playing in both solo mode and with probably one of the best I have ever played. friends online. Mortal Kombat 11 is the Connecting was easy and fast. Usually on- ultimate fighting game for current consoles, line games of this calibre give me many lag and the addition of the version for Nintendo issues (Injustice 2!) and fortunately when- Switch is the icing on the cake. Mortal Komever I jumped on this mode it was smooth bat 11 is available on PS4, Xbox One and and enjoyable experience. Mortal Kombat Nintendo Switch now.

11 surprised me, I haven’t had played too Review by Alaisdair Leith* many fighting games of this type with an extensive story mode that can also offer up *This game was played with a code provida smooth multiplayer experience. I found myself immersed in the world and the mul- ed by the publisher** tiverse, time travelling story did pull me into this world and has made me a huge fan of the series. While the Krypt and Towers of Time modes didn’t have anything much to offer me as they appeared to be loot boxy, The characters themselves are expertly detailed and fit into the environments perfectly.