Opinion: Shinji Mikami – The Master Of Horror Returns

The revelation that Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami is working on a new survival-horror has set gaming sites and internet forums ablaze. Mark Butler salutes Mikami’s return to the genre he pioneered – and argues it couldn’t have come at a better time. It’s fair to say that the once mighty survival-horror genre has rather declined in recent years. There have been some occasional terrifying highlights, sure, but for the most part a genre once renowned... Read More

Game Review: The Walking Dead – Episode 1

Jonathan Szafran delivers his verdict on the first installment in Telltale’s apocalyptic zombie adventure, out now to download for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox360. If there’s one thing you’ll take away from the first episode of The Walking Dead: The Game, it’s that Telltale are certainly getting better at telling fresh stories for already-established franchises. Their work on Back To The Future was great and they span a terrific side story, but when it comes... Read More

Cinema Review: Battleship

A welcome return to Tom Chapman who reviews Battleship starring Liam Neeson, Taylor Kitsch and directed by Peter Berg. Currently on General Release at UK Cinemas. What do you get when you cross a board game, Rihanna and Liam ‘Taken’ Neeson? A big bucks, techathon Battleship. Pegged as Rihanna’s film début it is all hands on deck but ultimately ends up a bit dead in the water. The preposterous premise of communicating with another planet leads to an Alien invasion,... Read More

DVD Review: Death Wish 4 & Death Wish 5

Jonathon Dabell reviews Death Wish 4: The Crackdown; directed by  J. Lee Thompson & Death Wish 5: The Face of Death; directed by Allan A. Goldstein, both starrng Charles Bronson. Both movies making their DVD Region 2 debut on Monday April 30th, 2012 Following DVD releases of Death Wish 2 & 3 earlier this year, anyone with a mind to pursue the saga further can now catch Death Wish 4: The Crackdown and Death Wish 5: The Face of Death as they make their Region 2 debut. Charles... Read More

Game News: Rayman Legends Trailer Leaked

The follow-up to 2011′s hit platformer Rayman Origins has been revealed via a leaked trailer, offering juicy details about both the new game and the capabilities of the Wii U. This confirms that Ubisoft are indeed working on a new title entitled ‘Rayman Legends’, and the trailer features gameplay similar to Rayman Origins, including the beautiful environments and fast-paced platforming that made the game a critical and commercial success. The trailer... Read More

Opinion: If You Value Graphics Over Gameplay – You’re An Idiot

Irritated by the way in which some gamers continue to prioritize style over substance, Mark Butler argues that great gameplay will always count more than great graphics. Earlier this week, my faith in humanity was weakened a little when I stumbled upon some rather ignorant forum comments about acclaimed indie title Lone Survivor. Masterminded by the ingenious Jasper Byrne and presented in old-school, side-scrolling 2D, the game is a shining example of substance over style; a... Read More

Gaming News: Resident Evil Creator Working On New Survival Horror

Legendary game designer Shinji Mikami is working on a new “pure survival horror” title, it has been revealed.  Horror genius Mikami – who masterminded the original Resident Evil and the best of the iconic series that followed – is directing the project at his new company Tango Gameworks. Currently codenamed ‘Zwei’, it will be his first bona fide survival-horror since 2002′s Resident Evil Zero, with Mikami promising an experience that... Read More

Music News: Jack White On Course To Top Album Chart

Jack White has shown he still has that golden touch, overtaking Adele to reach the No. 1 spot in the mid-week album charts. His new solo-effort managed to fend off competition from Welsh rockers Feeder and American singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright, who charted at 5 and 2 respectively. White’s new album, entitled Blunderbuss, has been a hit with the critics, garnering 5-star reviews from Mojo, The Guardian and The Telegraph, leaving it with an impressive metacritic... Read More

Music News: Newton Faulkner Back With New Album

Fiery-haired solo singer Newton Faulkner will return with a new studio album this summer, entitled Write It On Your Own Skin.  His third full-length recording and the slightly belated follow-up to 2009′s Rebuilt By Humans, it is set for release on July 9th – with first single ‘Clouds’ out a week earlier. Famed for his acoustic-guitar flair and distinctive ginger dreads, Faulkner shot to stardom in 2007 with his debut album Hand Built By Robots, which topped... Read More

Opinion: Top Ten Terrifying Video Game Moments

When gaming gets it right, it does horror better than any other medium out there. But just what are the most terrifying video game moments of all time? Horror enthusiast Mark Butler picks out the best. NB. This article contains spoilers. While researching and writing a book on the history of video game horror last year, I was eager to seek out, and in many cases revisit, some of the most frightening moments in the history of the medium. In my opinion, the following ten examples... Read More