FishyFish

Yep! That's the bit that got me - Chunky Kongs section where you have to fight an INVISIBLE!!! King K. Rool. INVISIBLE FFS!!! Despite reading numerous guides I never managed to hit him once and eventually gave up in disgust! Fishy

Noticed that C&VG claim to have the map of the new GTA game according to the cover of the latest issue. As it was sealed in a plastic bag I didn't take a look though. Anyone seen it? Fishy

Thought I'd drag up this old rant again... I've got a few games now sat on the shelf that are un-completed despite my great enjoyment of them. Why? Because the developers saw fit to end them with pointlessly difficult, tedious or frustrating end-of-game boss fights. I just can't see the point in it. I spent hour upon hour enjoying, for example, Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and DK64 only to be driven to the brink of tears (and if I'd come across those responsible, murder) because of the sheer fuckwitedness displayed in the diffculty setting of the final challenges. After my investment of time I want to be given a fair chance of completing the game Yes, I do like a bit of spectacle to round things off, but there is NO NEED WHATSOEVER to suddenly ramp up the difficulty levels to near impossible levels. It's not extending my enjoyment. It's ruining it! To inflame the sitution even more many games see fit to add tedious re-treading sections before the final encounter (e.g. see Metroid Prime where you need to pass through three pointless caverns, including the one with those bastard Fission Metroids, every time you attempt to fight the final boss), or give the boss several dfferent forms where you never quite know when it's all finished and just when you think it is, POW! they change again and hit you with a new attack that you couldn't possibly anticipate. This wouldn't be so bad if the battles were short and sharp but unfortunately it seems that these days it's just not good enough unless the big fight lasts at least 15 minutes or so. Much frustrating re-treading then ensues. So what I want is this. I want a spectacular ending, but I want to have a reasonable chance of beating it (and to have a sense of satisfaction on doing so, rather than relief!). A health bar for the boss would be nice too as this way I can see that I'm actually making progress. And finally, if the boss HAS to be a multi stage endurance battle then let me save the game at some reasonable point. Doing the same frustrating thing over and over and over again ISN'T fun. Note that this rant doesn't apply to all games (I'd say that I complete 80% of the games I play without the frustrations mentioned above), just the ones that take the piss. I honestly believe that the enjoyment and challenge in a game is in getting from A to B, the playing of the game as a whole and that there's no point whatsoever in making the final sections so difficult as to prevent many players from having a chance to complete the thing. Any thoughts? Or should I just put on some slippers and take up pipe smoking? Fishy

Superior Software are still on the go. Fishy

The Fog's a fantastic film from when Carpenter was at the height of his powers. Only watched a few snippets last night though as I'm saving myself for the special edition DVD out later this year. Maximum Overdrive is not so hot but I still like it because a ) It's Stephen King, and b ) because it was the cover feature on the first issue of Fangoria I bought nearly 20 years ago. Fishy

My own experience.... As my broadband modem has a USB connection it means I either need to buy a router (expensive) or an ethernet card (cheap, but as my PC is decrepit and constantly crashing, I can't be arsed with the hassle). End result = I can't be arsed with XBOX Live. Would it really have been so hard for Microsoft to have coverd their bases and included a USB connection? Or were they terrified of the potential "Ha HA!! XBOX is TEH PC!!!!!!" comments they might have got? Surely it wouldn't have cost too much to include? OK, so it's not the most technically complex issue for me to solve, but as I was on the fence about XBOX Live in the first place, Microsoft effectively made the decision for me not to bother. Whinge, whinge, whinge etc... Fishy

That's what I get for typing without thinking. I did, of course, know it was Seeds of Doom all along (which is why it's in the list a bit further down). Fishy

I can remember being terrified by the Pertwee story Planet of the Daleks as a child (and the massive spider in Planet of the Spiders!). Best memories are of the late Pertwee and Tom Baker episodes. Favourite stories include: The Sea Devils The Green Death - esp the transformation of the man into the Krynoid (sp?) Terror of the Zygons Seeds of Doom Image of the Fendahl Stones of Blood Horror of Fang Rock That one where they meet K-9 and the doctor has to fight the virus. Forgotten it's name temporarily. I've got a pile of old Target paperbacks on the shelf behind me right now and I presume my huge childhood collection is in the loft at my Dad's. Fishy

Oh I don't know, Five usually treat films pretty well. ITV on the other hand... Fishy

Heh! Whilst perusing the excellent TV Ark website I found this. I remember watching it on TV 21 years ago. Even the groovy synth soundtrack rings bells. Now if only the Shackletons High Seat Chair advert was working my life would be complete. [1] Fishy [1] May contain exageration.

I fell asleep watching it on DVD the other week. Could've been so much better. Fishy

Finished at £207. Thought it would get more to be honest. Wonder if the new owner will recover and make public the contents of the discs? Fishy

Watch it and enjoy. It's like the Die Hard movie that never was. Fishy

Ahhh...Defender. 'tis truly a thing of beauty. Early 80's arcade memories...<sigh> Fishy

Cheers folks. Yellow River Kingdom is the one. I knew it had "kingdom" in there somewhere but I too couldn't get Twin Kingdom Valley out of my head. Fishy

My wife and I saw this at the flicks and for some reason (don't ask) she didn't realise it was a vampire movie. She just thought it was a crime thriller and went to see it purely because George Clooney was in it. The WTF! look of shock and disbelief on her face when all the vampires appeared in the Titty Twister was pure fried gold. Fishy

The helicopter rescue on the bridge in True Lies Opening sequence from Goldeneye (in fact loads of Bond opening sequences) Asteroid sequence in The Empire Strikes Back Highway Chase - Matrix Reloaded Arnie escaping through the subway in Total Recall Light Cycles - TRON Fishy

...that simple strategy thing where you had to plant crops and prevent floods and stuff. I seem to remember foxes being a problem too. I'm pretty certain it was included with the computer and so every school computer room in the land probably had a copy. Ease my suffering! Fishy

Ultra Cool TRON costume He IS Bruce Boxleitner! Fishy Master Control Program: You're getting brutal, Sark. Brutal and needlessly sadistic. Sark: Thank you, Master Control.

Another one... Night of the Comet. Forgot all about that one. Haven't seen it since it was on Videodrome years ago but seem to remember it being pretty good. Fishy

IIRC the NotLD Milennium Edition is the one with the extra scenes which are supposedly awful and not the work of Romero. Not seen it myself though, so just hearsay. Dawn of the Dead - yes, but there's an even more definitive version due out later this year featuring, I believe, several different cuts of the film on multiple DVD's, plus extras. Day of the Dead - yes, and it's a cracker, lovingly presented in a gorgeous fold out case. Fishy

Actually, scratch my original post - I watched it last night and it was fine. I must've been sat too close to the screen during my "preview". The extra's on disc two are pretty good too. Now to listen to the comentaries (one by Romero / Savini, the other by Roger Avery). Fishy

21 extra minutes, souped-up special effects, re-mastered print and a new sound mix! http://www.empireonline.co.uk/site/news/Ne...p?news_id=15779 Fishy

I think Wade Davis published The Serpent and the Rainbow sometime in the early 80's and Wes Craven made his film version a few years later. Don't think he was influenced by Romero though... Fishy

Ooh! Just thought of a couple more... Night of the Creeps and Dead Heat Night of the Creeps features one of the best movie lines ever