Sunday 29 May 2011

How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse - Zombie Poster


My girlfriend brought me a cool zombie poster quite a while ago now, the poster rather than just have a picture actually offers advice in case of zombie apocalypse.

The first section of the poster is guide lines on what to do, this includes such useful tips as preparing for an apocalypse by watching zombie films, and keeping a sense of humour.  This is followed by a what not to do section, again quite useful with tips such as 'don't impersonate zombies' to assuming a zombie is dead when it has been beaten.

The next section of the poster is an explanation of what a zombie is, the usual information is contained here as well as a flow chart to follow to recognise if the zombie is actually a zombie or just something else (such as a teenager).

The last section of the poster deals with the important info of how to kill a zombie.  It gives the usual weapons such as guns and blades and then details weapons that shouldn't be used such as a cat, a fly swatter, and a toilet roll.

The poster gives basic information, but due to its large size is a useful quick thing to look at if you want to refresh your knowledge at any time.

Saturday 28 May 2011

Botched (2007) - Horror Film Review


Botched is one of the many films I got for Christmas, I have now finally gotten around to watching it. It is a horror comedy set in Russia but actually filmed in Ireland.

Ritchie Donovan; a professional thief (played well by Stephen Dorff) is sent to Russia to retrieve an ornate golden crucifix after a job he worked on in the films intro went bad. He must retrieve the crucifix or his life is forfeit to his boss. Ritchie and his two accomplices steal the crucifix from the penthouse of an office block but things start to go wrong when the lift they are making their escape in breaks down, making one of the accomplices panic and take the other people in the lift hostage. They all get out the elevator and onto a mysterious secret floor of the building. Expecting to negotiate with the police they instead discover the person they are communicating with over a security guards' radio is in fact a deranged killer who plans on killing everyone; hostages and criminals alike. It seems the floor they are trapped on is the killers playground and they must work together if they are to escape him.

Tuesday 24 May 2011

Resistance 2 - Horror Videogame Review (Playstation 3)


I recently had quite a bad time with Resistance: Fall of Man, it had lots of issues, mostly concerning the antique feel of everything and the sub-par graphics.  I don't know why I decided to play Resistance 2 after that ordeal, but play it I did.  The question is; did the sequel address the issues of the first and become a better game?

Resistance 2 (a first person shooter by the way) takes place immediately after the events of Resistance with Nathan Hale captured by a band of mysterious soldiers.  These soon reveal themselves to be a special American army branch that consists of soldiers immune to the Chimera virus (much like Hale).  They all go off to an Icelandic base which is under attack by a Chimeran army.  In the chaos a monstrous test subject known as Daedalus escapes.  Two years later and America has been near over run by the Chimeran army.  The apparent leader of this army is the escaped Daedalus.  Working with his group Sentinels Hale and the army must find a way to stop Daedalus's (probably evil) plan.


The story for this game is pretty terrible once again, though the pieces of hidden Intel dotted around the levels are quite interesting this time around.  Resistance 2 I am shocked to say is a damn good game!  The game looks fantastic, is exciting, and really empowers you as bad-ass Nathan Hale.

Saturday 21 May 2011

Shock Horror Issue 4 (Horror Magazine)


I don't know what it is with Northampton post but this magazine always seems to get lost in it, my address sometimes seems like a black hole.  Anyway I finally got issue 4 of Shock Horror.

The text in this months issue is tiny!  Near had to get out a magnifying glass to read it, but I guess if it means there is more content then this is a good thing.  This months retrospective looks back at the films of Peter Cushing, as usual this section is well researched and interesting to read.  Dr Dale's guide on how to survive a zombie apocalypse is as hilarious as ever, a real highlight to the magazine.

Friday 20 May 2011

The Strangers - Horror Film Review


My girlfriend swears that this is the scariest film she has ever seen, while I don't agree, it is still a competent horror that is at the least well made.

The Strangers starts with a couple Kristen and James turning up at James's parents summer house after a disastrous night at his brothers wedding reception.  The atmosphere between the two is tense but events soon bring them together.  A trio of psychos have chosen them as victims in a bout of random terrorising.  Will the couple last the night?

Thursday 19 May 2011

Resistance: Fall of Man - Horror Videogame Review (PS3)


Resistance was one of the early games to be released for the Playstation 3 and an exclusive for the console.  The game is a first person shooter and not a very good one at that.

Resistance takes place on an alternate reality Earth.  In the early 20th Century a mysterious plague of mutants swept over Russia, this plague then spread to the rest of Europe before finally in the early 1950's it arrived at Britain.  Despite defences the Country was soon over run by the mutant horde.  1951 and a squad of American Soldiers arrive in Britain to help the Soldiers fighting there.  You take control of Nathan Hale; an American Soldier who upon exposure to the Chimera virus (the mutant army is made up of mutated humans) found he was immune to it.  It is up to you to travel around Britain doing various jobs in an effort to free the Country from the alien Chimera threat.

Wednesday 18 May 2011

Zombie Science 1Z by Dr Austin - Zombie Book Review


There are quite a lot of zombie books out nowadays, people may complain of over saturation but I think there can never be too much of a good thing, and zombies (though rotten and smelly) are a good thing!  There seems to be two different sort of zombie books; those that tell stories and those that profess to offer knowledge for use in the event of a real life zombie apocalypse.  Zombie Science 1Z falls into the later category but rather than the usual survival guide this incorporates real medical knowledge to predict just what an actual zombie apocalypse could entail.

Zombie Science 1Z is set out as a University course book.  It is made up of 3 modules that culminates with an online exam to be completed (found on Dr Austin's ace website Zombie Science 1Z).  As a side note I did the exam but fear I have not done too well on it!

Sunday 15 May 2011

Blogger issues - May 2011


Hey there, just a quick update to say that thanks to the clowns at Blogger a days worth of blogs were deleted off of Blogspot last week.  I like many others have suffered, we are told all posts deleted will be back again, but then the staff at Blogger later went on to declare that all missing posts are now all back (when that obviously is not the case).

Hopefully my missing posts will show up soon, but in the meantime I want to wait and see before committing to doing any new posts.  I know I shouldn't complain as Blogspot is free but it is still frustrating to be told everything has been fixed when that just isn't the case.

Thanks for your patience and hopefully I will be back to posting soon!

Wednesday 11 May 2011

Live Action Nazi Zombies - Call of Duty Zombie Mode Recreation

I recently stumbled across the video below which recreates the Call of Duty Nazi Zombies mode.  This mode first appeared in Call of Duty: World at War.  The mode has you in a safe house fighting off waves of Nazi zombies.  Additional weapons can be purchased as well as new areas opened up.  The game is designed for co-op play and so I never lasted long in it (I have no one to play games with!), despite the hardness it was kinda fun.

The video below recreates the feeling of being in the game quite well, kinda cool using the games sound effects and music riffs.  Maybe one day I will get to play this mode in co-op!


Sunday 8 May 2011

The Worlds First Purpose Built Zombie Proof House


My Girlfriend recently discovered the worlds first zombie proof house (she didn't actually stumble across it, she heard about it from a friend), the house was apparently custom built purposely for the event of a zombie apocalypse by the designers at KWK Promes.  Being an avid believer in the inevitable zombie apocalypse (well ok maybe I don't actually think it will ever happen, but I can dream!) here is my critique of this unique creation.

Saturday 7 May 2011

Insidious - Horror Film Review


Insidious is from the makers of Saw and Paranormal Activity.  The trailer made it look near identical to Paranormal Activity, It is so much more scary though. I feel confident in saying that I do not think I will ever watch this film again, I swear I felt like sprinting out of the Cinema screaming for a large portion of this fright fest!

Insidious starts off with a married couple moving into a new house with their 3 children.  Soon after moving in their son Daltan trips and hurts his head.  All seems well but in the morning his frantic parents are unable to wake him up, he is in a coma which Doctors just cannot explain.  Three months later and with Daltan still in a coma bizarre things start to happen with Renai (the boys mother) hearing strange creepy voices on the baby monitor, seeing strange figures who vanish and doors that slam shut for no reason.  Not really believing her but wanting to help, her husband Josh agrees to move home thinking his wife is just under a lot of pressure with her tales of a haunted house.  The hauntings follow though and it isn't long before Josh too is seeing unexplainable things.  In desperation a spirit medium is called who gives them shocking news...

Friday 6 May 2011

Fallout New Vegas: Dead Money (2010) - Post Apocalyptic Video Game DLC Review


I have had quite a break from Fallout: New Vegas so I thought what better way to get back into it by playing the games first add on pack 'Dead Money'. Recently I discovered that there is to be three additional add ons over the next couple of months, so really is a fine time to play it.

Dead Money is set in a separate part of the Fallout world. A radio broadcast talking about an exclusive casino brings you to an underground bunker. Upon investigating the bunker sleeping gas is released and your character passes out. You awake in a mysterious villa complex where the sky is a blood red, a giant casino sits on a hilltop in the distance, and you have a bomb collar around your neck. A transmission from an old man named Elijah informs you that you have been brought to the Sierra Madre casino; a casino full of riches from the old world, hidden in a cloud of toxic fog, a place that was thought to be nothing more than a myth. The voice tells you that he wants you to recruit three strangers located around the villa compound and then together break into the Sierra Madre Casino to pull off 'the heist of a lifetime'. If any one of you die then you all die as your collars are linked, should you be successful and get the hidden treasure for Elijah then you will be released from your collar and allowed to return back to the wasteland.

Tuesday 3 May 2011

General Update for May 2011 - May-hem Edition


Another month, another general update, apparently May is zombie awareness month. I still need to find time to update as much as I would like, I would like to do a post at least once every couple of days, rather than 2 or 3 posts a week!

Insidious is at the Cinema at the moment, from the director of Paranormal Activity.  The film sounds quite similar to Paranormal except that this time a young boy is haunted rather than a house.  I shall be seeing this on Thursday 5th, the trailer was not great but having spoken to people who have seen it I think it may be good.


I am currently reading two books, the first titled 'Zombies' is an anthology of short tales that has been quite interesting so far (am at around the half way point).  The tales are not that different to the usual format but are well written.  The second book I am reading is 'Zombie Science 1Z' by Dr Austin.  The book set out like a University coursebook mixes real medical facts with humour to good effects.  Both of these books shall be reviewed soon (ish).

I have gotten back to the world of New Vegas in Fallout: New Vegas. Having recently completed the games first DLC 'Blood Money' a review of that will be forth coming.  My main problem with the main game is the faction system that blocks off entire missions based on various groups opinions of you.  For a completionist like me this is annoying as I want to do all the missions the game has to offer!  Other games I am currently playing include the boring Puzzle Quest 2 (features zombies!), Final Fantasy XIII (at the mid-way point, apparently the game should get better!), and Burn Zombie Burn that is kinda dull.


So that's another months update; exciting times.  Oh yeah, my sources have discovered the location of the worlds first purpose built zombie proof house just outside of Warsaw. I shall be covering that soon!