RIG BUSTERS FOR 2011
By Eshpelin Mishtak
Every New Year brings in new games; new names spill down the sides, bombs go off, shootings start, races kick off, bats beat off like bludgers, legs and hands start "kicking". Slowly, popular names lose popularity, new names gain respect, level of fun expected increases, and mostly always; gaming changes as a whole. 2011, definitely, is no exception; this year promises to bring out the biggest names of the century. Of course, some will live up to our expectations, some will fail beyond imagination, and some will just stay alive; barely able to breath under the pressure of expectations. Popular names that expect to surface this year include:
Assassin's Creed - Brotherhood: Released for rigs last November, Assassins Creed has raised quite a hype and continues to do so. It has lived up to its expectations and is keeping PC gamers in a horrible wait until Q4 of 2011 for their share of the treat.
Mass Effect 3: BioWare is all up for bringing out the new franchise from the Mass Effect series, and the respect gained from the previous games will definitely nudge their heels for something good. The new one has to come out better and shining. Sadly though, it is coming out for PS3 first, PC version will follow suit much later. And yes, rumours are that Q4 of 2011 will see the third game come out.
Dead Space 2: The first Dead Space game was a winner, with its mind blowing graphics (not detailed graphics, just mind-blowing use of colours) and the sheer awesome game play, it definitely has shot up expectations for the next part. It is supposed to come out on January 25th.
CRYSIS 2: Gamers have had enough with the flashy graphics and the boring game play, if EA cannot dig out Crysis from this mind-numbing puppet show business (even with the change in release date); I believe they will see the end of the Crysis series then and there. It is coming next March; and everyone has their fingers crossed.
F.E.A.R. 3: Fear 2 was good and that is what is going to make expectations breath down on their neck next March; this had better be good and scary or you are out of business! Oh, well, not out of business, but a bad game would surely smack down in the face of horror actions altogether. It will come a few days before Crysis. Bad timing.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Future Soldier: Splinter Cell Conviction was a good treat; especially the sneaking and the ducking, where I believe that game pioneered in making them an easy business. Hopes are high for this one even though it has a mouthful of a name. April is the month for it.
Star Wars the Old Republic: Star Wars is always legendary, starting from its movies to its cartoons and finishing in its games; thus, hopes are high. And coming to think of it, when was the last time anything of Star Wars was bad? Never. Oh yes, it will be the only good game out in June.
RAGE: The trailer for rage created quite a stir, and thus, hopes are equally high. But yes, considering the fact that games that raise much hype never actually deliver, you should not get that much hopeful this September!
Diablo 3: Now here is something worth waiting for, elements of hack and slash mixed with darkness in a horror-themed game is surely going to be the treat of the year; even without considering the fact that Diablo 2 was great. Wait till October for it.
Popular games that I have cut out of the list, but are still worth mention are: Test drive Unlimited 2 (I hear they are gearing up for a much needed slap in NFS's face), GTA 5 (nothing but more power-hungry gaming is expected), Hitman 5 (they are never better than before), The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, Bulletstorm, Battlefield 3, Shogun 2: Total War ( yeah, too many FPS's this year), Mortal Combat (old friend), Final Fantasy XIV, and something about SpongeBob Squarepants (which I will dearly wait for).
Well, I believe that is it fellows; happy gaming in 2011.
MOVIES OF 2011
By Orin
The last decade has been quite a success for the movie industry; the last few years have been particularly amazing. What a bunch of financially successful movies leave behind is a ton of sequels. Movie buffs have a lot to look forward to this year, as there is a wide array of good movie sequels coming up. Some of these will definitely end up being 2011 blockbuster films, while others may wind up as letdowns. The year will also see the rapid increase in 3D movies, 25 movies will be released in 3D this year. There is also a surge of superhero movies in the year. Anyway, it looks as though there are plenty of projects to be excited about. Here we have a list of some (potentially) good movies to look forward to:
1.Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (Releases May 20): Perhaps no other movie sequel is as widely anticipated as the next of the Pirates saga. Our beloved Captain Jack Sparrow crosses paths with a woman from his past, and he's not sure if it's love or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the legendary Fountain of Youth. He is forced to aboard Blackbeard's ship and lands himself on some wild adventures. It's just wise to say that when Jack Sparrow is there, it's going to be a treat. It's a shame we have to wait five months for it.
2. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Releases July 1): The second movie released didn't manage to earn much critical acclaim, but was a summer blockbuster. The third one aspires to do better. The story: The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the Moon, and they race against the Decepticons to reach it and learn its secrets, which could turn the tide in the Transformers' final battle. Shia LeBouf is paired with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in this one and since Michael Bay is directing, we can at least expect some blasts.
3. Thor (Releases May 6): Marvel Studio's Thor is given life by British director Kenneth Branagh and is coming out this summer. The story here is: mighty and arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of the realm of Asgard and is sent to live amongst humans on Earth where he becomes one of their finest defenders.
4. The Hangover Part II (Releases May 26): The month of May seems to be full of potential blockbusters. The Hangover was an unlikely candidate for a blockbuster in 2009 but turned out to be an epic guy-flick, which are becoming increasingly hard to come by these days. Nothing much is known about the story but Tyson is rumoured to be back again.
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Releases July 22): What more can be said about this series? But for the fans who have stuck with the series, this is truly the end of the end. The series is finally coming to an end while Harry, Ron and Hermione search and fight for the last remaining Horcruxes.
6. Captain America: The First Avenger (Releases July 22): This year is not just for sequels, some new superhero movies will stand as a testament of that. This movie tells the story of Steve Rogers, who, after being deemed unfit for military service volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, a superhero dedicated to defending America's ideals.
7. The Green Hornet (Releases January 14): Who doesn't like Seth Rogan? He stars as the newest superhero, The Green Hornet, who is newspaper publisher Britt Reid by day and crime fighting superhero by night, along with his side-kick marshal arts expert Kato. And did I mention it's all in 3D?
8. Cowboys & Aliens (Releases July 29): Set in the old west in 1873, this tells the tale of the town Absolution, which lives in fear constantly. A stranger with no memory whom the townspeople rejected becomes their only salvation as marauders come from the sky to abduct them. This is the movie that boasts Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford. Hopefully this won't disappoint.
9. The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (Releases December 21): Steven Spielberg brings the classic Herge character to life in this animated film. Steven Moffat is supposed to have written the script and Peter Jackson produced it. The movie has stars like Daniel Craig and Simon Pegg and is widely anticipated. And the movie is in 3D.
Let's not forget the Kung Fu Panda sequel and the end (thankfully!) of the Twilight saga, Breaking Dawn. More than half the movies of the year have some kind of number in their names and this leads to the conclusion that, 2011 is indeed, the year of the sequels.
Source: IMDb.com
10. The Green Lantern (Release June 17): Ryan Reynolds seems to be all over the place but if the trailers are any indication this movie is looking to be good. Reynolds maybe the chick-flick hero Hollywood has been waiting for ever since the sad demise of Richard Gere (from the screen, not life) but we hope this time around he manages to convince that he is in fact, a guy.
Wintersun
By Fahim Rezwan
Winter has been famous for wearing leather jackets. But it is also about a basket full of beginnings, endings and love and departure that falls right on top of your temple. These songs are the souvenirs of winter, classics that shot heavy rotations all over the world. And it doesn't have to be a downer. Cheerfuls along with the cold and lethargy should be preferred. Here's how it goes-
Fast Car by Tracy Chapman
Recorded in 1987, with the persuasive acoustic guitar and unique voice, the song couldn't get any better but earn her a Grammy. The song is about breaking free and starting things all over again, striving for new beginnings. Murdering rampage charges are applicable for not having heard it.
Steamy Windows by Tony Joe White
A classic from 1989, written and sung by White with his surprising velvet voice and signature harmonica.
Fool in the Rain by Led Zeppelin
This 1979 hit is a rock song with a Latin feel. The Jimmy Page guitar and John Bonham samba clad drum earns the cigar. The lyrics make it more of a liquid, about a man who fooled himself about a woman. It has got the winter-love-feeling.
Sailing to Philadelphia by Mark Knopfler
This is a roots rock song from Knopfler's solo album of the same title. It's a Mills and Boon story about a boy who found the 'land of opportunity'. The guitars in the song are the greatest part, along with Knopfler's raw voice and his signature slow strut of playing.
King of Pain by The Police
A new wave song from early 1983 it is about the morbid things one notices while being depressed.
For Absent Friends by Opeth
This is a peaceful and soft instrumental rock number, but so intense that it makes one think about the happy memories with friends. Not so much of a big hit but not bad either. And please don't show up with reddened trails.
Sunshine on My Shoulders by John Denver
This soft-rock song from 1973 shot to no.1 in the US. Written on a cold day waiting for the sun to shine, sung by Denver's distinctive voice.
Sonnet by The Verve
From the year 1998, Sonnet has got both the acoustic and electric guitar on. The lyrics are more of an ordered type of poetry but go well as a love tale.
Reference and facts from Wikipedia.
