Long time fans of Blackadder will know Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie are incredible at absurd and silly humour.

Then after watching Hugh Laurie with his serious drama movies, and Stephen Fry as a witty and incredibly smart man from his documentaries and QI, it’s easy to forget this.

I only discovered that the two had a sketch show embarrassingly recently. I saw some fantastic clips, but never a massive amount. Well this changed with the release of A Bit Of Fry And Laurie: The Complete Collection on DVD, and my life is the better for it!

A Bit Of Fry And Laurie is a show consisting of short skits.  The collection grabs all 4 seasons encompassing 26 episodes of their brilliance. There aren’t any special features I spotted, so you are unfortunately just left to watch this timeless and brilliant comedy.

Skits vary massively from the thought provoking to the absurd.

The best thing they do is break the fourth wall, but not in the usual way.

I mean they speak to the audience plenty in some skits but some of the best comedy is when they reference the skits. One of the early ones does this best where Stephen walks up to a counter and Hugh says he’s ugly. Then Stephen says no we weren’t going to do that skit, I didn’t like it. Then they return to their starting points and do a different skit.

There are heaps of jokes that crap on their skit ideas and it’s consistently brilliant.

Then on top of that is the brilliant variation between skits.

There are some with absurd physical humour that feel like they could nestle into a Monty Python collection perfectly. Then they have some clever musical pieces scattered throughout, and it’s at it’s best when they play with language for jokes. They can vary from longer skits that play on themselves, to clever bits where a critic criticises a skit, then a new critic criticises the critic, to simple gags that last a few seconds.

It’s hard to speak too much more to it, because each bit is it’s own thing and most of them are at their funniest the first time you watch it out of the blue. But the best part is most of the jokes are amazing watching and rewatching things, as you start to notice other clever bits, or gags that are played on later, making the earlier ones funnier on the second watch.

If you at all like British comedy, clever skits, or Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, then this is a must add to your collection. A full rewatch has reminded me how brilliant they are, and it’s the perfect rewatch show for when you just want to relax and have a laugh.

The post A Bit of Fry and Laurie Complete Collection (DVD) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

It’s not exactly a surprise that Martin Scorses is a damn incredible filmmaker.

What was a surprise, well to me at least, was his interest in spirituality. This collection puts this into perspective the three fascinating faith based movies released over 30 years.

The first movie in the collection is The Last Temptation of Christ which was released back in 1988.

This movie stars Willem Dafoe as our main man Jesus. It starts with him being an innocent carpenter, well kinda innocent, he’s carving crosses for crucifixions. Only a little bit awkward. The movie then follows him as he discovers he’s the son of god, does some miracles, builds up a gang of disciples, and then follows through to his crucifixion.

It’s a shockingly good tale that shows Jesus as a man, dealing with the issues of being a man while discovering who he is. The biggest issue with the movie is it can really drag at times.

There were plenty of scenes that seemed to take ages and add sod all value.

The flip side there were moments that were really interesting that they seemed to skim past real fast. On the whole the three hour movie could have been cut down by nearly an hour and achieved the same. One area I am glad they gave real time to was the Mary Magdalene line where Jesus really had to struggle with his desires. But it doesn’t just focus on Jesus, and Mary really pops as a strong character who is dealing with all kinds of crap in her life, but stays an awesome badass.

The next movie in the collection is Kundun.

This one was made in 1997 and tells the story of the 14th, and current, Dali Lama. It shows a young Tibetan child who is a crazy curious and quirky kid. He is discovered to be the new reborn Dali Lama and as such is brought into the education of being the holiest man in Tibet.

The story follows his life with some solid jumps in years to then show the life he has to deal with as China decides to do what China does. Invade Tibet that is.

The movie follows this, through to his interactions with Mao, and then follows through to his exile.  It’s a fascinating story, especially if you don’t know a lot about how the idea of the Dali Lama works. Best of all a couple of actors are relations of the actual Dali Lama. This fact alone gives the movie an air of authenticity. It’s a cracking and fascinating tale that is well worth anyone watching. Like The Last Temptation of Christ, it can drag at moments, but not as much.

Then there is Silence.

This one is only 8 years old and stars Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver as Portuguese missionaries who have traveled to Japan. The challenge is this is the Edo period where christianity is brutally outlawed.

They went to find an older missionary played by Liam Neeson. What they find is a small group of Japanese christians who have found clever ways to honour their faith in hiding. Because of this they hide the two missionaries, but when they are found the brutal leaders start getting their executions on.

They find their own faith challenged as they watch their fellow christians who are expected to either disrespect their faith or die.

It is an incredible movie that thanks to some excellent sets and filming, paired up with some incredible acting really makes for some ruthless moments. The creative ways of killing christians, paired with the impacts it has on the other christians faith make this a rough ride. A rough ride it may be, but it is an incredible film.

Like the other Imprint box sets, this one comes in a nice hard cover box.

Inside it are the three Bluray cases and a hardcover book. Previous collections had included a softcover book, so the upgrade to hardcover is a really nice touch. The book itself has a couple of short essays about Martin Scorsese’s religious works that are great reads. They are supplemented with stills from the movies, making it a fantastic addition.

Then there are all the special features added to each movie. They are loaded with older and newer special features that are fantastic for anyone wanting to know more.

Martin Scorsese: Films of Faith is a fantastic box set that is well worth collecting. It collects three interesting movies, and then slots them into a nice box with a great book. Fans of Martin Scorsese or just fans of great films should add this to their collection.

The post Martin Scorses’ Films of Faith Collection (Bluray) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Blackadder is one of the greatest comedies that has ever existed.

I came across it when a friend told me that there was an awesome comedy with the actor that played Mr Bean and that it is super witty.

Skeptically I watched an episode from Blackadder The Third, and I was immediately hooked. After owning, then loaning out my DVD collection many years ago and it never returning, I was stoked to see a new release with Black Adder: The Complete Collection Remastered, and I must say, you should own this collection.

If you don’t know Blackadder, you are in for a serious treat.

Rowan Atkinson plays the fictitious Edmund Blackadder in different historical settings. The first season has him as a weasley Duke of Edinburgh in the 1400’s. He is the kings son, but the king doesn’t like him so he does what he can to get power.

The second season follows Edmund Blackadder in the 1500’s where he is constantly trying to gain power by making Queen Elizabeth I happy.

The third season jumps to the 18th century where Blackadder is the butler to Prince George and the forth season jumps to World War I where he is a Captain in the trenches. Each of them have recurring characters in new roles, and none more famous than his servant style character Baldrick.

These massively changing settings allow for resets, and brand new material to make comedy from.

I was never the biggest fan of the first season, and in rewatching it I have realised why. The other three seasons have Blackadder as a very clever and conniving character who is always in it for himself.  The first season on the other hand he is the bumbling idiot, and his assistants like Baldrick tend to be the smarter ones helping him out. On this rewatch I enjoyed the season a lot more than I had before, but it’s still not the strongest of the four.

Season three and four are still the best ones, with Blackadder The Third showing him as a man twisting and manipulating the idiotic Prince George who is played by Hugh Lawry.

It has some of the funniest and most iconic moments from the series, and Hugh Lawry makes me laugh every time. Blackadder Goes Forth is a mastery of making a comedy in such a tragic time. Blackadder does everything in his power to avoid going over the top to certain death. In his company is Hugh Lawry again, playing the same style of idiot as he was as George, except this time as a lieutenant. And consistently, Baldrick is one of the funniest characters ever created with his practical attempts to solve problems, his lack of general knowledge, and just excellent consistent humor.

Now for why this collection is extra brilliant.

Previous releases just had the series, and I had to buy the specials on their own. Not this time.  Blackadder: The Cavalier Years, Blackadder’s Christmas Carol, and Blackadder: Back & Forth are all included in the collection.  The Cavalier years is set in the English Civil War which is a familiar style to the series.

Blackadder’s Christmas Carol shows a Blackadder who is the kindest person around, is shown his past lives as a reward where he discovers that being greedy is better, and becomes the classic Blackadder at the end.

Blackadder: Back & Forth was made way later, and has Blackadder trying to trick his friends with a fake time machine. It turns out Baldrick accidentally made a real one and they whip through time settings seeing other Blackadders and Baldricks. The specials are as consistently brilliant as the show.

Blackadder: The Complete Collection Remastered hasn’t had a massive overhaul, and looks pretty old, but that doesn’t stop it from being as brilliant now as it ever was. If you don’t already have all the series and specials in your collection, you owe it to yourself to pick this up.

There are some additional special features which are great to watch and enjoy, but it’s the core show and specials that make this collection worth every cent.

The post Blackadder – The Complete Collection (DVD) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Dragon Ball Z is truly one of the anime epics with almost 300 episodes, so as with many other long time series like Naruto, it is terrifying for a newbie to even consider jumping into.

Fortunately Dragon Ball Z did a thing to help people enjoy this amazing series, they cut a lot of the fat in a new series called Dragon Ball Z Kai down to…. well still 167 episodes.

Watching Dragon Ball Z Kai was interesting given I haven’t watched the original series in years. There is a lot I forgot and a lot I remembered that the show has cut. So despite knowing a lot of the story beats there are a lot of details that were either new, or I completely forgot which made the watch good.

Old viewers who haven’t encountered Dragon Ball Z Kai yet will likely have a mixed set of emotions. Anytime fake Namek isn’t involved I am certainly a happier person.

I swear fake Namek replayed more than any other stretch of episodes on TV2 back in the days, and I hated it more every time it replayed. But there was some dumb filler that I enjoyed like Goku and Piccolo getting their drivers licences which I definitely missed. Though on the scale of things, if I have to miss out on the driving test to remove any time with Fake Namek, I am happy to make that sacrifice.

For new viewers this is certainly an easier way to watch the series as 100ish episodes is a significant amount of time to cut out. The main story beats we loved are there, like seeing Super Saiyan for the first time, the epic battles, Gohan becoming the best character then the lamest one, and Saiyan ape battles.

It’s a cracking watch and well worth it for newbies to the series. Sure they spent time cutting some of the things like blood, but it wasn’t an overly graphic show in the first place so that’s hardly why you are watching.

The DVD collection itself isn’t overly built with special features and the sort. This is because it is an absolute blitz of discs filled with Dragon Ball Z Kai episodes. Seriously with this much content, do you need more? If so I would recommend watching Dragon Ball Z as there is even more content there, though you will have to watch fake Namek.

Seriously guys, I hate Fake Namek.

If you are wanting to watch Dragon Ball Z for the first time, or revisit it many years later, I highly recommend checking out this DVD collection. It has the important bits of the show and is a lot easier to watch. With those saved 100 episodes worth of time you can check out some more shows.

Can I recommend The Promised Neverland?  It is good.

The post Dragon Ball Z Kai – Complete Series (Anime) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Elton John today announces the forthcoming release of ‘Elton: Jewel Box’. Released on November 13th via UMC / EMI, ‘Elton: Jewel Box’ is an unrivaled collection containing 148 songs spanning 1965 to 2019 on 8CD, 4LP, 3LP, 2LP, digital download and streaming formats.

The ultimate exploration into Elton’s extensive back catalogue, ‘Elton: Jewel Box’ covers deep cuts, rarities from the earliest stages of his and Bernie Taupin’s musical journey, B-side spanning 30 years and songs discussed in his best-selling, critically acclaimed 2019 memoir ‘Me’. The 8 CD boxset of buried treasures comes in a beautiful hardcover book with the discs housed in the back, all wrapped in an outer slipcase. Each section comes accompanied with extensive notes including a track-by-track commentary by Elton for Deep Cuts.

Three different LP collections are also available to pre-order now – a 4LP gatefold black vinyl set of Deep Cuts (curated by Elton himself), a 3LP gatefold black vinyl set of Rarities and B-side highlights and a 2LP gatefold black vinyl set “And This Is Me…”. All audio was mastered at Abbey Road Studios by GRAMMY winning mastering engineer Sean Magee. With an unprecedented number of previously unheard and unreleased tracks painstakingly excavated from deep within the UMG archives, this is the ultimate treasure trove for Elton John fans.

As a first taster of some of the many gems gathered within ‘Elton: Jewel Box’, ‘Sing Me No Sad Songs’ is today unveiled for the very first time. Previously unreleased, the track was written and recorded as a band demo in 1969. ‘Sing Me No Sad Songs’ is a fascinating first taste of what was to come from Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin, and one that mentions not one, but two, future smashes in its lyrics – ‘Sad Songs (Say So Much)’ from 1984’s ‘Breaking Hearts’ album and Elton’s first UK chart-topping single ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ from 1976.

Speaking of the release, Elton says ‘To delve back through every period of my career in such detail for ‘Jewel Box’ has been an absolute pleasure. Hearing these long lost tracks again, I find it hard to comprehend just how prolific Bernie and I were during the early days. The songs just poured out of us and the band were just unbelievable in the studio. I always want to push forward with everything I do and look to the future, but having time during lockdown to take stock and pull these moments from my memory from each era has been a joy.

As a devout record collector myself, this project has really excited me and I couldn’t be happier with the level of craft involved in such a carefully curated, lovingly constructed boxset. I’m sure my fans will enjoy it as much as I have.’

Available to pre-order here now.

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The post ELTON JOHN: JEWEL BOX – Rarities from 1965 – 1971 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Paul McCartney proudly announces the thirteenth installment in his GRAMMY Award-winning Archive Collection: On July 31, 2020 Paul’s critically acclaimed and universally beloved tenth solo album Flaming Pie will be the latest to receive the Archive Collection treatment, being released  locally on formats including the 2LP, Deluxe LP and Box Set.

All digital pre-orders for the Archive Collection release of Flaming Pie will include ‘Young Boy’. Also available as a stand-alone for digital download & streaming, the EP recreates the 1997 ‘Young Boy’ maxi single and features the remastered Flaming Pie single ‘Young Boy,’ a home-recorded version of the song, the original B-side ‘Looking For You,’ and excerpts of ‘Oobu Joobu Part 1,’ also from the original single. The two music videos for the track have been restored and will also be published on the same day.

Two additional EP’s will be available with ‘The World Tonight’ arriving on June 26 and ‘Beautiful Night’ on July 17, 2020.

Originally released May 5, 1997, Flaming Pie ended a four-year gap between McCartney studio albums. Recorded largely in the wake of Paul’s involvement in the curation and release of The Beatles Anthology series, Flaming Pie was shaped and inspired by that experience, with Paul remarking at the time “(The Beatles Anthology) reminded me of The Beatles’ standards and the standards that we reached with the songs. So in a way it was a refresher course that set the framework for this album.” Produced by Paul, Jeff Lynne and George Martin and featuring a supporting cast of family and friends including Ringo Starr, Steve Miller, Linda McCartney and son James, Flaming Pie is equal parts a masterclass in song craft and a sustained burst of joyful spontaneity.

With highlights ranging from the uplifting and inspirational opener ‘The Song We Were Singing’ to the raucous title track (named for a quote from an early John Lennon interview on the origin of The Beatles’ name: “It came in a vision – a man appeared on a flaming pie and said unto them, ‘from this day on you are Beatles with an A.’”) to the pensive ‘Calico Skies,’ and featuring singles ‘Young Boy,’ ‘The World Tonight’ and ‘Beautiful Night,’ Flaming Pie would represent yet another pinnacle in Paul’s solo catalogue: Released to rapturous reviews, the album would be Paul’s most commercially successful release of the ‘90s, achieving his highest chart positions since the ‘80s and would receive gold certifications in the US, UK, Japan and more.

As the thirteenth release in the Paul McCartney Archive Collection, Flaming Pie will be available in formats including a numbered, limited seven-disc (5CD/2DVD) Deluxe Edition Box Set comprised of the original album remastered at Abbey Road Studios, 32 bonus audio tracks including unheard home recordings and demos, alternative studio recordings, rough mixes and B-sides including selections from Oobu Joobu parts 1-6, Flaming Pie At The Mill CD (Paul’s hour-long tour of his studio), video content including the  In The World Tonight documentary, original music videos, EPKs, interviews, performances and behind-the-scenes material, a 128-page book containing previously unpublished images by Linda McCartney, expanded album artwork from the archives and the story behind the album written by Chris Heath – including track-by-track information, recipes and new interviews with Paul, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne, Steve Miller and key album personnel, studio notes, handwritten lyrics, the 1997 Flaming Pie issue of Club Sandwich, the official newspaper of the Paul McCartney Fanclub, downloadable 24bit 96kHz HD audio, and more.

Locally additional Flaming Pie Archive Collection formats will include, 2LP (remastered album cut at half speed across two 180g LPs in gate-fold sleeve with booklet), and the release will also be available on streaming platforms.

The Paul McCartney Archive Collection debuted with the November 2, 2010 re-release of Paul McCartney and Wings’ 1973 milestone Band on the Run, which won the 2010 GRAMMY Award for Best Historical Album, while the Archive Collection’s Deluxe Edition Box Set of the 1976 classic Wings Over America took the 2013 GRAMMY for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package.

Every release in the ongoing Paul McCartney Archive Collection is supervised by Paul himself, who oversees all aspects of each and every title from remastering to the curation of lost tracks, outtakes, artwork, photographs and video from his personal vaults, and much more.

The result is one of the most ambitious and personal undertakings of its kind, one that encompasses more than 50 years of cherished, classic material from the most successful songwriter and recording artist in music history.

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Live the life of a gangster across three distinct eras of organized crime in America with Definitive Editions of all three Mafia games from 2K and Hangar 13.

2K and its Hangar 13 development studio have announced Mafia: Trilogy, a new collection featuring the only interactive entertainment series that lets players live the life of a gangster across three distinct eras of organized crime in America.

Combined, the critically acclaimed Mafia crime dramas have sold-in more than 18 million units worldwide. Now, for the first time on modern consoles, experience all three entries of the revered action-adventure series together in one definitive organized crime saga. Mafia: Trilogy includes:

Mafia: Definitive Edition – The built-from-the-ground-up remake of the beloved classic;
Mafia II: Definitive Edition – The ultra HD remaster of the fan favourite;
Mafia III: Definitive Edition – The re-introduction of the award-winning narrative masterpiece.

Players who purchase Mafia: Trilogy digitally prior to release will be able to access Mafia II: Definitive Edition and Mafia III: Definitive Edition immediately on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam, and will be able to download Mafia: Definitive Edition as soon as it becomes available.

Mafia: Definitive Edition, Mafia II: Definitive Edition, and Mafia III: Definition Edition are also available for purchase individually. The Definitive Editions for Mafia II and Mafia III are available today within the Mafia: Trilogy and as standalone purchases on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam, and will be coming to the Epic Games Store and Stadia at a later date. Both Mafia II: Definitive Edition and Mafia III: Definitive Edition feature all original bonus add-on content, plus completely remastered 4K compatible visuals for Mafia II.

Mafia: Definitive Edition is the centrepiece of the collection, a comprehensive, rebuilt-from-the-ground-up remake of the original Mafia, complete with an updated script filled with rich new dialogue, expanded backstories, and additional cutscenes; all-new gameplay sequences and features; the same stellar game engine that powered Mafia III’s best-in-class cinematics; and other enhancements. It’s the Mafia players remember, only much more.
“The original Mafia made such a lasting impact on how video games can tell serious stories, and we know how much the series’ fans still revere it,” said Haden Blackman, President and CCO at Hangar 13, who led the development of Mafia: Definitive Edition across the studio’s offices in Brno and Prague, Czech Republic; Brighton, United Kingdom; and Novato, Calif. “Nearly 20 years after the Mafia series started, we now have an amazing opportunity to introduce this beloved game to a new generation of players and give long-time fans a chance to relive Tommy’s story with a stellar modern presentation, as well as new story elements and gameplay features.”

Players who pre-order Mafia: Definitive Edition – as well as players who purchase the digital version or pre-order the physical version of Mafia: Trilogy – prior to release will receive “The Chicago Outfit” bonus add-on content for Mafia: Definitive Edition. This content pack includes:

Mafia: Definitive Edition: Black Cats Motorcycle Pack
Mafia II: Definitive Edition: Made Man Pack
Mafia III: Definitive Edition: Classico Three-piece Suit & IL Duca Revolver

Mafia II: Definitive Edition will be automatically granted to all existing owners of Mafia II on Steam today at no additional cost.

Additionally, all existing Mafia III owners on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam will be upgraded to Mafia III: Definitive Edition today at no additional cost. Customers who own a combination of titles will receive special reduced-price upgrade offers to complete their trilogy via in-game menus within each of the Mafia titles.

The Mafia: Trilogy physical edition will release in full in Australia and New Zealand on August 28th, 2020.

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On November 16th, 2018 fans can celebrate the recorded legacy of musical icon and singer / songwriter Chris Cornell, with the 17-track self-titled album, Chris Cornell and a 64-track limited-edition deluxe box set (11 of them unreleased).  The first release since his passing in 2017, the album will be released by Cornell’s wife, Vicky Cornell on behalf of The Chris Cornell Estate through UMe.

Chris Cornell commemorates his life and legacy not only as a singer, but as a poet and one of the most prolific writers and greatest voices of the modern rock era. Vicky, worked extensively with Chris’ bandmates and friends to compile a collection of material from the late artist’s expansive career, showcasing his contribution to music history with selections culled from the deep catalogues of his three influential bands – Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog and Audioslave – as well as songs from his solo career. She turned to producer Brendan O’Brien, who was a trusted partner to Cornell over the years and Jeff Ament who created the packaging for Chris Cornell.  

The first unreleased track, “When Bad Does Good,” was produced, recorded, and mixed by Cornell and was found in his personal recordings archive. The track was a favorite of his and it wasn’t until friend Josh Brolin, reminded Vicky of the unreleased song, that she decided to share it with his fans. 

“Since Chris’ sudden passing I have put all my efforts and energy into sharing his music and legacy with his fans from all over the world”, says Vicky.  “I felt we needed to create a special collection to represent all of him – the friend, husband and father, the risk taker and innovator, the poet and artist.  His soaring vocals found their way into the hearts and souls of so many.  His voice was his vision and his words were his peace. This album is for his fans”.

The track is also accompanied by a lyric video (watch above).

The breadth of all 17 selections on Chris Cornell display the full span of his artistic achievements, from the full-on kick of Soundgarden’s seminal “Black Hole Sun” to the mournful yearning of Temple of the Dog’s “Hunger Strike” to the sensitive depth of Audioslave’s “Like A Stone” to his spot-on solo theme to the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, “You Know My Name.” This collection also contains a pair of unreleased recordings: a touching cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” that was cut live at Sirius XM, and “When Bad Does Good.” 

The November 16 2018 release will also include a limited-edition 4CD Deluxe box set of the same name, consisting of 64 tracks total (11 of them unreleased.)  

Chris Cornell comes housed in a jewel case with a limited-edition custom die-cut slipcase that showcases Seattle with tree-line graphics on the front and other various cities he lived in throughout his life on the back, a 32-page booklet with many unreleased photos, and liner notes from bandmates and colleagues Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, Tom Morello, Mike McCready, and Brendan O’Brien. The 180g 2LP edition comes in a gatefold jacket with similar limited-edition slipcase graphics, a 12-page booklet, and the aforementioned liner notes, while the 4CD limited-edition box boasts a further expanded 54-page booklet.

Additionally, a limited-edition Super Deluxe 4CD, 1DVD, and 180-gram 7LP box set is set for release on November 16. The Super Deluxe edition holds 88 tracks — 64 songs plus 24 videos, with 13 entries (11 audio + 2 video) previously unreleased overall. Also included in the Super Deluxe box are a 66-page hardcover photo book wrapped in linen with a red foil signature cover, three artist lithos, three photochromatic lithos inspired by Cornell’s lyrical fascination about the sun (images are brought to life by holding under direct sunlight), a turntable mat, a microfiber vinyl cleaning cloth, and a 36×48-inch wall poster.

The box set’s ten unreleased live performances include Cornell’s duet with Yusuf/Cat Stevens on “Wild World” and another duet with his daughter, Toni Cornell, on Bob Marley’s indelible classic, “Redemption Song.” Temple of the Dog’s 25th anniversary reunion / first-ever-official tour in 2016 is highlighted with hometown performances of “Reach Down” and the Andy Wood / Mother Love Bone favorite “Stargazer,” Chris’ personal arrangement of “One” featuring the lyrics to Metallica’s song set to the music of U2’s song of same name, and a first ever album release of Audioslave’s 2005 ground-breaking performance on Cuban soil of “Show Me How To Live.” Also in 2016, one of Chris’ personal career-topping moments was performing at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London where he covered The Beatles’ “A Day In The Life.”

Three additional live selections from Sweden in 2006 include “Wide Awake,” “All Night Thing” and Led Zeppelin’s “Thank You” are from the very first show ever where Chris performed by himself with an acoustic guitar in front of an audience which became the creative spark for his future, highly successful Songbook tours. Two unreleased music videos spotlight a solo acoustic performance of “Scream” and the newly edited Soundgarden video “Live To Rise,” showcasing the band only without The Avengers movie footage included.

The post CHRIS CORNELL: AN ARTIST’S LEGACY appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The LEGO Harry Potter: Collection unites the signature humour of LEGO games and the expansive Wizarding World for a thrilling journey full of spell-casting, potion-making, and puzzle-solving fun. Gamers can experience the entire LEGO Harry Potter adventure featuring content from the eight films with enhanced graphics, environments, lighting and visual effects, along with two downloadable content (DLC) packs.

“The LEGO Harry Potter: Collection for Nintendo Switch and Xbox One grants access for a new generation of players to experience Harry Potter’s magical journey through the imaginative lens of LEGO,” said Jonathan Smith, Head of Production and Strategic Director, TT Games. “Fans of all ages can embark on a light-hearted and interactive journey inspired by beloved characters and iconic locations from the Harry Potter films.”

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 is based on the first four films: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, allowing fans to experience Harry’s first four years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in full LEGO form.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 transports players through the final four films: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 & 2 to experience Harry’s last years at Hogwarts and his battle against Lord Voldemort in the ultimate fight between good and evil.

This action-packed adventure also offers two previously released DLC packs, including a Character Pack featuring Godric Gryffindor, Harry (Yule Ball), Helga Hufflepuff, Lockhart (Straightjacket), Luna (Lion Head), Peeves, Hermione (Pink Dress), Ron Weasley (Ghoul), Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin, as well as a Spell Pack featuring Cantis, Densaugeo, Ducklifors, Melofors and Tentaclifors.

Release date is still to be confirmed.

The post Journey Back to a Remastered Hogwarts appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Mega Man is one of the most iconic series in the gaming landscape, and for good reason. Over 20 years of history, with games that are still beloved and playable to this day, it’s no real surprise that the name is so recognisable. To someone like myself who has never actually played a Mega Man game though, the Mega Man X series was something I knew nothing of, so when given the chance to see what this series is like through 2018 eyes was a challenge I was eager to jump at.

For those who like me are uninitiated to the series, Mega Man X doesn’t follow the original character, but instead follows a new character named X. X was built much more advanced with a freer mind, as well as morality, but more advanced androids were created called Reploids. With these ones having free will, some went rogue, leaving them needing to be hunted down. X and another hunter Zero are sent to destroy them.

The story does get more advanced as the series progresses, but through 2018, it’s another generic story that I quickly didn’t care for, what I did care for was the gameplay. Said gameplay is so good, at the start anyway.

The collection is split into two with the first containing Mega Man X through X4, and these games surprisingly stand up. When I started playing X I could have easily been convinced that this 25-year-old game was an indie game made recently, if not for the aspect ratio. The gameplay which has your platforming and wall jumping your way through levels is simple, but still works so well. Movement and action doesn’t move slowly like you may expect from a game this old, it genuinely felt like a great 2018 indie game.

This feeling of a simple, fun and beautiful games carries on throughout the first four games (a.k.a. Collection 1). Each of these games progressively get more detailed, and better in every way with beautiful pixel art that has aged beautifully. Admittedly I stopped caring about the story quickly, but that’s only because it was an unnecessary delay from more of that sweet, sweet gameplay.

The Mega Man X Level loop itself that I built so much affection towards is not dissimilar to the classic Mega Man style whereby once you get through the start, you then choose which Level and boss you will take on next. Beating a Level then faces you with the boss and ability to claim their powers. It’s a simple, fun, and engaging loop that allows you to sink into a one more try mentality far too easily.

The gameplay itself has you jumping, wall jumping, and shooting around the platforms. The wall jumping is key to the games because it makes the game feel more energetic. Later games even let you start to play as Zero where you can switch the blaster for a sword, which can be harder or easier depending on which enemies you are trying to kill at any given time.

So that’s the first collection, the second starts off with a hiss and a bang, but becomes brutally average, quickly. Mega Man X5 and X6, like the first four titles, is a more detailed advancement of the series. They look gorgeous but for the most part, it’s more Mega Man X. At this point, if you are spending hours playing the series back to back then it starts to get a bit samey, along comes Mega Man X7.

Mega Man X7 takes the series to the world of 3D action, and after an hour of frustration and annoyance I was out. It’s bad 3D action, there not much more to say. Dreading what might come of Mega Man X8, I was delighted to discover its art sits in that sweet spot of chunky 3D graphics, that looks charming and fun. More importantly than that though, it takes the game to 2.5D meaning it’s the classic Mega Man X gameplay again, with some twists and turns.

The collection of course comes with an art gallery in each one, which is always fun to look through when appreciating a historic series, and more importantly a boss rush mode called challenge mode. This mode lets you fight bosses from across the series, and since that’s 80% of the fun of these games, it’s a sweet way to finish of your time with the games.

As someone with no experience of the series, even I was surprised to find out how much I enjoyed the games. The first six are great side scrolling action with beautiful pixel art, and the eighth is a fun mix of the classic gameplay with a 2.5D spin. Don’t play X7 however and your life will be more complete.

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