Telltale's The Walking Dead

It’s been a while since I last posted, sometimes it can be hard to override your day’s events to write or even think, so it goes.

2012′s Game of the Year is one of the “never-was-dead” Adventure genre’s crowning jewels, and has been the subject of much debate involving racial depiction in videogames, (being that it actually depicts other races) but with it having been released in dreary old 2012, has The Walking Dead been outshone by the new and spunky 2013?

No. Because some people have an attention spanning longer than a fucking year.

The game is based on the original comic ‘The Walking Dead‘ by Robert Kirkman, which basically nobody had ever heard of or given two fresh craps about because it’s another bloody zombie thing without even the advantage of a special incentive to watch it, you know, fantastic pair-ups like; funghi and children, black people and children or just defenstration and children. The comic began serialisation in 2003 and is ongoing thanks to the irritating popularity when American TV got their igneous hands on it, channel AMC picked it up for a television adaptation in 2010, which is also still going despite the second season comprising solely of them hanging around a farm without any animals on.

Initially released for the PC and digital versions for home consoles, the game is as a point and click with fully 3D functionality, it is split into episodes and released periodically through the year – Telltale’s traditional format. They were ported and bug-fixed for the console physical retail releases, which was released ahead of the upcoming  ’The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct”  game, probably aware that the gamers that would play it, would need some consolation beforehand.

The main character is Lee Everett, a man from Georgia who is being transferred to prison after being convicted of murder. The apocalypse has just begun when the police vehicle is swerved off the road by a jaywalking zombie, where Lee finds his escape. Lee eventually finds a young girl called Clementine who is waiting for her parents to come home, she accompanies Lee and the game focuses on the maturation of their relationship.

The game serves as a portent for the style used in two of 2013′s most lauded games, Bioshock Infinite and The Last of Us, in that it uses two characters which have a father-daughter relationship to inform the development of a game and its mechanics in a new and innovative way. Well less the mechanics on this one, as Clementine has little input with your gaming outside of character dialogues.

The character is controlled in 3rd person and you are able to interact with objects and people, it looks much like an action game, however without battle capabilities and health systems. Peril is used effectively with dangerous situations hinging on decision-making, using items you have acquired on objects/people or Quick time events, which involve pressing a button quickly or repeatedly hammering a button.

The online features only include stats at the end of each chapter, showing the percentage of people who made the same choices as you did.

The game is dotted with decisions which can change the outcome of some of the plotline, depending on how much of a dick you are. The choices are given to you either in conversation with other non-playable characters or in situations, this can lead to characters not continuing the play-through with you or altering the story in some ways, although it doesn’t make huge differences to the over-arcing plot,the personalisation of the experience is the largest and most forefront aspects when playing it, meaning that you will pay a lot of attention to your own decision-making and how you play the game.

I was left stranded due to some of my ‘seemingly’ negative choices throughout which led to none of the characters liking me, which is a different story to tell to another person who had played the game.

I have previously written a little about The Walking Dead as an example of one of few games that portray black people without lots of negative stereotypes, Lee is a fantastic character who has been carefully created to resemble not only a realistic person, but an engaging and empathetic character, unlike most sops in games. He is my favourite character in the game by far which is no small compliment when all of the characters are fun and more than just typical zombie-bait and drama-starters.

The overall writing is of a high standard, with many smaller plotlines and layers to characters without damaging the established personalities, you might like a character early on  and grow to despise them later and vice-versa. The episodic format gives a steady pacing, and are fairly short and contained at about 2 hours apiece, ideal for short or long gaming sessions and can be finished in about 10 to 12 hours. The standard length of an adventure game is usually a lot shorter, however this manages to feel like it isn’t too long or dragged out, while also provided good amount of playtime per pound, which is somewhat important given how short and sour some games like Killer is Dead are.

There is a sequel series of episodes that have begun release centered around the aftermath of the first, cementing the success of the franchise and is still very popular now.

The Walking Dead is a nifty game, that excels the genre and reinvigorated interest, the story and characters are solid and you don’t want them to be brutally gored all the time, the visuals are stylistic, fitting and a whole lot better than any triple A game that came out in 2012. Right now it’s great value for money if you’re a tight git and well worth the time invested if you’re a busy one.

Telltale's The Walking Dead

The Earthsea Cycle

Considered one of the best Fantasy series ever, The Earthsea Cycle begun in 1968 with A Wizard of Earthsea and began as a trilogy, however there have since been additional sequels with the gap between the 3rd and 4th books spanning 18 years.  They have been poorly adapted numerous times so have not entered popular knowledge yet, the most well-known adaptation being “Tales from the Earthsea” an animé film created by Studio Ghibli.

A Wizard of Earthsea

Following an enemy raid, a young boy uses his gifts to save the village from its would-be captors, and begins his new life as an apprentice mage. He sets off to the Island of Roke, where the school of magic is and soon discovers the perils of magic-use. The series has a pretty grim start, making one fully aware that its intended audience is mature teens and not children like might be expected. The novel (and the series) has strong themes of growing and development, especially so for the character of Sparrowhawk, who quickly learns to fend for himself as he takes to the seas.

As usual Le Guin’s writing is beautiful in the book, she uses powerful imagery and poetic language to vividly detail not only what Earthsea looks like, but what it feels like in the pacing of her language. As a first novel to a series, it doesn’t suffer from any kind of lack of scope or direction that starters often do, the world is well built and not too exposition-filled, there are numerous references to outside ideas, cultures and forces which all inform the plot.

It’s a fun adventure, that doesn’t feel like retrodden ground, despite the usual assets and manages to feel singularly complete as the others never do. The drive of the novel meets fruition well at the end, leaving a great opening for more or not.

The Tombs of Atuan

Where the previous book had a young man zipping around the world, The Tombs of Atuan sees Arha, the high priestess of the Tombs, whose soul is forever reborn, and with every reincarnation, a young girl is taken from her family to live a secluded existence of servitude and obedience. The majority of the novel is at a standstill, learning of the isolated culture of the Kargish lands, in particular, this religious sect who worship the ‘Dark Ones’ and explores the role of the high priestess and how she accepts and uses it in order to gain the approval of those around her.

Whereas the struggle for Sparrowhawk was self-recognition, Arha’s is of recognition, she uses the tombs as a way to escape the others, who are part of a larger machine to which she feels she doesn’t belong, and as the book progresses, she starts to actively question her own upbringing. The new perspective of a different race of people adds some flavour to the world of Earthsea, as it can be so easy to forget that not all islanders are the same.

Although engaging, this novel is weaker than its former, as the less active parts of the plot begin to bore and the somewhat skewed thinking and narrow mind of the protagonist offer little insight to anything too interesting, however, the growth of Arha allows for a more personal, youthful and rebellious book.

The Farthest Shore

As the series takes a bit of a time-jump, we see Sparrowhawk as the new arch-mage, who gets word that people all over Earthsea are starting to lose their magical powers, and takes off with his new sidekick, Arren to find the cause. It has been 20 years since the happenings from the previous book, we see a Sparrowhawk who has become more wise and knowing, but is now himself a teacher or guide, to Arren, fulfilling the ‘cycle’ aspect of the series.

With the addition of an antagonist, the pair go sailing around the archipelago of Earthsea, not unlike the first book, here we see the final resolution to the character of Sparrowhawk, and what feels like the beginning for Arren. There is more toil and pain, leaving behind wonders of before and plunging into darkness. The series has featured many Taoist ideas however the equilibrium balance is more emphasised and referred to often by the characters.

Overall, the best in the series, the novel features all that is the best of Earthsea, thick and heavy concepts, strong characters with emotional depth and an epic plot with narrative turns and a different moral image, like the philosophical principles of Taoism, the final part of the trilogy concludes the cycle as well as begins one.

Tehanu

After a huge timegap, Le Guin decided to raise once again Earthsea, but perhaps she should have left it submerged.

Just days after the events of the previous book, Arha (now known as Goha) who has become a widowed housewife and has taken in a young girl who was violently attacked and now bears vicious burn scars.

Le Guin must have had some revisionist doubts about the feminist angle of Earthsea, where all mages are men and women do housework. However, what some perceive as feminist others, such as myself believe otherwise what with the fact that she merely ends up reinforcing the patriarchy and losing all sense of Earthsea.

Characters such as Sparrowhawk have become psychologically castrated, rape is used as a generic form of subjugation of women and all the magical essence has drained out of this book, leaving the whole experience sour and tainted. I wasn’t aware that there was such a time jump between the writing of the two books, which now makes the situation and the reasoning for its difference rather clear. The Taoist themes are still prevalent, but never amount to much more than what was inferred at the end of the previous book, and there are many opinions of women and men being different bearers of power being thrown around, only to have the last scene take away all meaning of these differences.

Dull and stationary in both plot and concepts, don’t even bother.

The Earthsea Cycle

Fire Emblem Awakening

The newest instalment to the Fire Emblem series came as a bit of a surprise, after the unusual move of not releasing the Shadow Dragon game on the DS. Reception was the highest in the west for any FE game, and has topped lots of Game of the Year, and even came 5th on my list.

Fire Emblem is a Strategy RPG series created by Nintendo and first was released on the NES in 1990, it was unreleased and unknown in the west until the release of Super Smash Bros Melée on the Gamecube where a character from the series, Marth appeared. Many fans were keen to play the series after and Nintendo released Fire Emblem on the Gameboy Advance.

Fire Emblem Awakening is the 13th game in the series and the 6th released in the west, it is also the first Nintendo 3DS Fire Emblem game and features 3D EVERYWHERE, fortunately the game looks great without it. The sprites and playing field is in 3 dimensions but retains 2D hand-drawn portraits for dialogue segments. This also features animé-styled cel-shaded graphics during FMV cutscenes, which look very impressive.

Fire Emblem Awakening’s presentation is much better than its other 3D instalments, where the feel of the game is lost. The game retains the look and feel of the GBA titles, the characters are very colourful and have nice armour design, the layout of the maps are similar and the battles have the same pompous showyness. However there are some key differences to the gameplay, the terrain appears to have no effect in this game where in former ones it was integral to winning a map, this means formation and marches were more important than anything else and you can also choose who you would like to use based on the enemy and not on the terrain on the map and their ability to traverse it.

Awakening sees the first FE game with dating sim elements in, characters can level their relationships up with one another by standing on adjacent squares of teaming up during battles, when the level reaches S the characters marry one another. Unfortunately, characters can only marry persons of the opposite gender and can only do this with one person.  Once this happens the couple are then able to have a child which can be used during battles with much better statistics and abilities. The new tactician is customisable and has a much larger role in the game and battles as well as the story, this is great and gives a lot of variety with how you choose to play through, especially as it changes the children that can be had.

The story is vastly improved compared to the only other title I have played, the first one released here on the Gameboy Advance, there are many more characters and the bigger focus on player control allowed me to enjoy the game outside of battles, the character dialogues are much better translated and more relevant, the relationships can be fun to progress and the new children characters and their situation add greater depth to the lore of the franchise.

The turn-based combat is a lot easier in this game as the enemies are not as difficult and player team-ups can grant extremely high chances of avoiding attacks, the overworld is a lot more detailed and you aren’t forced to progress, there are random enemy battles as well as other things that happen which can improve characters allowing players that have a hard time to level up.

When characters have reached max, they can promote to a higher class, when they max that, it  is possible to ‘reclass’ in either the same class or a new one. This allows the character to continue increasing the statistics relevant to that class and getting better and better.

Sound effects are pretty much the same as in earlier games, inspired by 8 bit soundchip as in the game’s roots,  the music isn’t incredibly memorable, but is fitting with a few rather good tracks. Voice acting is minimal still, with a choice between Japanese or English, but you can’t go wrong with either, unlike the one I played the translation appears to be accurate and well scripted, with no typos.

Tere are lots of features that enhance the experience and it is a lot more welcoming to newcomers, with useful abilities and ways of enhancing the character. The user experience is improved with the likes of speeding up battle animations and skipping them completely on the fly, instead of having to choose either long or short animations in the menu.

Is this the best Fire Emblem game? I would say so. A great game for completionists or people who like to replay games, this one refreshes the series and has re-established as a truly important Nintendo franchise not to be left on the sidelines.

Fire Emblem Awakening

Ancillary Justice - Ann Leckie

I don’t get round to reading new books often, but this was touted as a very promising debut novel published late last year, Ancillary Justice is written by a female Sci-Fi writer, Ann Leckie, and is on first glance, a military sci-fi, judging by the cover, however it is actually more of an Action Sci-fi, utilising a high concept socio-cultural theme, much like Herbert’s Dune and Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness as well as adopting similar gender themes as the latter comparison.

Ancillary Justice is difficult to summarise without mild confusion, it follows the consciousness of a military warship formerly under servitude to a large empire called the Radch. She exists in a single human body called an ‘ancillary’ and is on a mission to exact revenge.

The story is told in first person, meaning everything is seen from the protagonist’s perspective, who goes by many names, most notably ‘One Esk’, and as a ship who used to function using multiple units, she has difficulty adjusting to the form of a single entity, there is some pretty absorbing depth to the novel as it tackles hive-mind and/VS individual identity issues, by way of the well-conceived dual plotline featuring the present and past that the book operates on.

There is a fantastic scope with this format we first begin to follow the personal events of One Esk in the present, known as Breq an individual ‘ancillary’, learning about her newfound isolation from… herself and her former identity, she explores these conflicting emotions whilst journeying with another, rather problematic, character.

The other storyline is a brilliantly conceived Space Opera take on the universe, with The Justice of Toren in her former glory, a large cast of characters, political intrigue that socks it to the Borgias and a vast and believably realised world backdrop, whose environment and culture reinforces the rich immersion here.

The novel features characteristic sci-fi elements, however subverts them by using gender roles in a unique way, unlike The Left Hand of Darkness which features a single male pronoun for the featured fictional gender-neutral race, Leckie’s work features a race which doesn’t identify gender and does so by using all-female pronouns.

The gender identity themes are very unusual and differ greatly in content and results as well as execution in comparison to The Left Hand, and manage to make the entire book self-revelatory. By making the character not relate in gender form and having other race characters mention their deficiency, it allows the reader to explore their own idea of the misnomered true gender of characters, and then inevitably feel guilty when they realise their own gender bias.

The essence of the novel comes from the perspective, the unique outlook, that One Esk has, as a ship amongst humans, and also what sets her apart from other vessels. She is a part of the the large colonial empire of the Radch whose powerful reach spans entire galaxies whose religion is assimilated into the vast mosaic of spirituality which culminates with an all-powerful figure who is the focus of One Esk’s vengeance. These people use an unusual form of hierarchical systems and customs from which the ship has adopted its views and mannerisms, which further alienate her from her new peers.

As well as Le Guin, Ancillary Justice has been compared to Iain Banks’ work on Sci-Fi, due to the noir-ish and morally ambiguous ‘protagonist’ as well as hard-boiled action scenes, however, Leckie isn’t a Banks clone, the perfectly woven commentary within the plot is more  cautionary than Banks’ work.

Overall the book reads impeccably, the pacing is good, which is difficult (as The Lord of the Rings goes to prove) especially when dealing with multiple scenarios, as often the stories can become lopsided, leading to the reader just wishing to remain on one of the diverging paths instead of eagerly loving both. The brilliant ideas and concepts feel new, unlike many modern sci-fi I have read, it feels almost like it was written during the Golden Era of Sci-fi.

This is the first book in a while that made me feel genuinely excited about the genre, and is a perfect and engrossing read whether you’re into cyberpunk, space opera or sci-fi action, as there is something there for everyone.

Ann Leckie – One of the few authors who actually replied to one of my gushy emails.[/caption]

Ancillary Justice - Ann Leckie

Top 10 Videogames of 2013

One of the best years of gaming finally comes to an end. It was really hard to make this list, especially as I hadn’t time to play some titles that I wanted to, but in the end I had to wrestle some sort of formation out and here it is. Also, if something isn’t included on the list, it’s either because I didn’t play it, or it is shit.

10. Pokemon X

The jump to cel-shaded and (somewhat) 3D gameplay sold it for me, but was never able to stand fully by itself or compare to my favourites of the series, Pokemon X/Y is a step in the right direction, but there’s still a distance to go.

9. Wonderful 101

Pikmin with superheroes, I’m not usually a fan of this kind of RTS game, but the comical gameplay and nifty visual design make it on the list. Unfortunately difficulty issues and poor tutorials let it down making it difficult to progress.

8. Tomb Raider

Modernising the franchise proved to be a great move, as Lara travels to a remote a Japanese island when things begin to get awry. Gameplay is improved and features some open-world and adventure elements, as well as the usual platforming and combat. The story was weak, but characterisation was pretty solid, making it the first engaging Tomb Raider ever, perhaps with some more insertions the series can improve enough to make the money Squenix so wish it earned.

7. Mario 3D World

Nintendo finally decided to make good on a Mario 3D sequel, this time you can equip a cat suit which allows you to run up walls. I didn’t play the previous game on the N3DS, but this one features fantastic gameplay and some really catchy music, which makes a change from the recycled gameplay, design and soundtrack to the 2D Mario games. Bit of a price tag though.

6. Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

My most anticipated game this year might not have been what I was expecting, but it still managed to make it here. Ollie travels to another world in order to help save someone he loves, rescuing hearts and going on a grand adventure. the gameplay was fun and the visuals, amazing, but an essence lost from other games and Ghibli films makes it slightly disappointing.

5. Fire Emblem: Awakening

I haven’t finished playing this RTS game with dating SIM elements, but I have immensely enjoyed it so far, before I played this, I put it in as number six as a placeholder, but after playing I liked it more than I expected.  I have only previously played the first one released here on the GBA, but the additional gameplay features including team-ups, generation match-ups and the more useful transformations when promoting characters has made the game massively surpass it. The addition of a ‘Casual’ mode where characters don’t perma-die when defeated in battle has been a godsend.

4. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Dual Destinies

Words need not apply to this series.

3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

This one didn’t get a lot of hype, but the sequel to A Link to the Past, not only exceeded expectations, but for many like myself, it rivalled some of the best that Zelda games have to offer. The dungeons are expertly crafted and memorable, perhaps even to a fault if you were to replay it, look incredible, sound beautiful and all while having any equipment you care to rent or purchase from virtually the start of the game.

Since I played this game, I have been listening to its soundtrack non-stop, there are some old classics in there that are revamped but it’s mostly  new tracks in the dungeons and as you continue to play some of the songs evolve, which is real attention to detail. There are quite a few sidequests which are great to seek out and complete, but the game is so fun that it didn’t feel enough and I wish there were some more. It’s not a clone of A Link to the Past, it merely uses its assets to give an experience as perfect as it does, while also pushing the series to freedoms they’ve never had before. In a lesser year, it might have been number one.

2. The Last of Us

An emotional and gripping game, The Last of Us hit it out of the ball park for Naughty Dog whose previous exploits Uncharted and Jak & Daxter were not exactly game of the year contenders, despite the quality. The Last of Us follows Joel and Ellie as they attempt to journey across America in a post-apocayptic world featuring fungus zombies. Another zombie game? After all the hype I was finally convinced to play, and boy, was it a worthy purchase!

There is more than a skin deep relationship between the two main characters, and set against the backdrop of chapters and some really fantastic plot  decisions it easily is one of the most rewarding experiences this year, but it’s also got enough action and scares if you aren’t into the drama. The gameplay comes easily as it blends survival and action, with some mild puzzles which mostly serve for narrative purposes. It’s great for people who are interested in gameplay over plot as it is fairly challenging and offers some great incentive to replay in order to find all the items and unlock conversations with Ellie. The survival alchemy function is great and forces you to make some hard decisions about your strategy.

If you have a PS3 and you’re into arty or action games, it manages to satisfy most who play it, which is why it remains number two on this list.

1. Bioshock Infinite

When it really comes down to it, the battle for number one was between these two, but in the end there was only one winner and Bioshock Infinite simply had to be it. Unlike The Last of Us, I enjoyed every moment, from the enchanting beginning, the addictive middle and the awe-inspiring finale. I loved the first game and it really is hard to decide the superior game, Bioshock had more RPG elements and tactical fights, Bioshock Infinite had improved feel to the movement and a heavy focus on characterisation. That one had a great thematic story, this one had an explosive final chapter. Overall, it’s about even, showing that some franchises can return on form, even with Bioshock 2 in the mix.

The story has been lauded as one of the most brilliant in the medium and you won’t meet a single person who has played it, that would neglect to mention the terrific ending, free from tropes and guessable twists that we tend to  expect to garner such glory.

It really is that big of a deal.

The inclusions of in-game mechanics, such as the skyhook have given a new dimension to the gameplay and with the ability to use the guns and your powers gained from the vigors (no longer called plasmids as in Bioshock) it adds a whole different dynamic to the calm calculated fights from Bioshock, with large frays involving about 20 enemies, bullets come from all sides at both sides as you use Elizabeth’s abilities to make objects work. The world of Columbia is a great place to fight in and explore as it looks astounding, with lots of things to find scattered about. Its occupants comical caricatures of frightful figures of America’s  past and present. Every step is a new wonder when the very city rests in the sky, connected with skyhooks and littered with propaganda.

But after all this, it’s the wonderful characters of Elizabeth and Booker that truly captivate us, their journey to escape Columbia while it unravels around us, fleeting exchanges while exploring empty streets, dark conversations in elevators while the clouds whirl outside. Elizabeth is not a girl you lug around, she helps and gives the narrative its own breath of life,  in a year where the spotlight was on how women were portrayed in games, Elizabeth was a shining beacon that you can make a game about a woman and still make it exciting and fun.

In the end, Bioshock Infinite has many facets, but the one that makes it so spectacular is its cool blend of awe and excitement. Every moment is magic, proving that games can really go where films and books don’t, it truly wouldn’t be possible to adapt this, a work made entirely as a game, every second a celebration of gaming and how far it’s come.

Top 10 Videogames of 2013

Top 10 Films of 2013

10. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The sequel to the surprisingly entertaining, ‘The Hunger Games’ is better paced than its top heavy predecessor and has action which you can actually make sense of. The plot drive is about as good as possible considering that they’re just dragging them back for another pop at the sponsored Battle Royale-style fest and takes the series in a more exciting direction than one might expect. Returning characters are more fleshed out and the new roster is more likeable, allowing the film more room to actually get on with the story and not soppy romances.

9. The Great Gatsby

A not too shabby adaptation of one of the best books ever written, this film is directed by Baz Luhrmann with some shockingly apt cast choices bringing to life the 20′s, an era of beauty and glamour, rarely seen with such enthusiasm thanks to its own very lavish budget. If you can get over the toned down sentiments and Fitzgerald’s lost wit, you’ll surely love it.

8. The Worlds End

A disappointing sequel to the first two of the Cornetto Trilogy, but a funny film nonetheless. Pegg, Frost & co relive their pub crawl days, just in time for an apocalypse. Overall rather depressing and only kicks in halfway through the film, and by the end I wished I was watching a film made up entirely of ideas from the last 5 minutes of it. It’s probably best to watch when you’re as drunk as the characters.

7. Elysium

A modern day parable allegory for American racism, Elysium sees the return of District 9 director, Neill Blomkamp and actor, Sharlto Copley in a Sci-Fi action about a future impoverished Earth and a rich colony. Of course I was bound to love this based on the fact that it features a Stanford Torus and an exo-skeleton in the same film, also there’s some pretty good fight scenes, however lack of commitment that is seen in District 9, fail to top it or get higher on this list.

6. The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug

Where the first in the trilogy got off to a rocky start, the sequel clears up some of the direction while also remaining more faithful to the book’s intent. Covering some of the journeying aspect and parts that feel more relevant to The Lord of the Rings, Bilbo and his Dwarf company make their way through Mirkwood, home of the wood-elves and on to the Lonely Mountain where Smaug the dragon awaits in Erebor. Featuring a new character made for the film and Legolas EVERYWHERE, the personalities and development of the characters begin to show some real promise. Although less exciting, this installment was able to inspire some excitement for the final film.

5. Thor: The Dark World

Unlike the other heroes from the Avengers, there is no address needed for Thor’s adventures as his home planet of Asgard is attacked by a dark force from its troubled past. Seeing more of Asgard was a good move, with more attention on the societal structure and the aftermath of Loki’s rebellion. Some great action scenes and beautiful design giving it a vibe akin to Doctor Who, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings all being squashed together make this much more enjoyable and re-watchable than the first Thor, even if there’s a bit too much fan service.

4. Iron Man 3

Where do you go from saving the entire world from alien forces with a team comprised of superheroes? Iron Man can’t rely on aliens and visuals like Thor can, but thankfully Shane Black of Lethal Weapon and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang came up with a more personal solution. Stark is suffering from post-New York trauma and a terrorist is on the warpath, stripped of suit and home, he is left to his own devices in an unknown town.  A spiffier screenplay and brilliant acting from Robert Downey Jr refresh the movie sequel formula proving that bigger is not always better.

3. Gravity

What originally looked like another stranded true story-esque film, Gravity follows a pair of astronauts who experience an accident on a space walk and are trying to return to Earth. Fortunately it isn’t a boring and dull, hangaround kind of movie, and has more action and story development than expected. Like Cuaron’s previous film, Children of Men, the cinematography is excellent and visuals look good, this is also the first film where Sandra Bullock and George Clooney are actually acting instead of playing overtrodden career characters.

2. Frozen

The biggest surprise entry for this year is Frozen, a Disney tale inspired by the Snow Queen story by Hans Christian Anderson and made by the same team as Tangled. Probably the best Disney animated feature, and that’s even including Pixar, to come out since the Lion King, instead of trying to retread the same ground as others by trying to tug on heartstrings or worse, become a nostalgia fest, it opts to tell a modern story through the visuals of an old folktale. Nearly all of the songs are amazing and one in particular accompanies and reinforces a very memorable scene, etching it into Disney lore. The only problem is its marketing, which is too afraid try and sell women as the main focus in this film, but even the snowman the main focus of the advertising campaign isn’t annoying. Hopefully this will see Disney back on track, instead of being shown up by Pixar all the time.

1. Pacific Rim

Of course this was going to be my number one, giant mecha AND Kaiju? Who could possibly say no? Well, tonnes of people who went to see Grown Ups 2 did, a film that I had never heard of until I found out it bested Pacific Rim at the Box Office. One might expect a jumped-up Sci-Fi action film with such a ludicrous premise to have little to no lore or plot, however, there isn’t a moment wasted in the film, with lots going on and brilliant characters and arcs, this at times can feel a little rushed but necessary considering how packed it is.

Pacific Rim could have gotten away with just a great plot, fun premise and lots of in-world padding, however add a great cast, including Luther’s Idris Elba, great visual design and effects and an unnecessarily thought-out visual planning in colour coding scenes, the whole package just make film of the year by default.

America has never made a film so dedicated to just fun, Guillermo Del Toro really outdid himself, creating a piece of cultural importance for America as well as cementing his own work with the animé and films that inspired him.

Top 10 Films of 2013