Non Spoiler Game Review: The Last Of Us Part II (Playstation 4)

Before we begin - this review will not contain ANY spoilers or revealing details for "The Last of Us Part II".

I enjoy Survival Horror and Action Adventure games, and it's those genres I see next to Fighting Games as my go to preferences whenever I choose a new title to play. When the original Resident Evil (aka Biohazard in Japan) came out for the Playstation in 1996, I was immediately hooked - drawn to the story and the fact the in this kind of game, going in guns a'blazing won't work and you needed to plan things through in order to progress through the game. It coined the term "Survival Horror" and started a genre that would soon see other games follow - including the Silent Hill series, EA's Dead Space Trilogy, and of course Naughty Dog's critically acclaimed Survival Adventure darling - The Last Of Us.

Thanks to Playstation Asia, I was able to get a review copy for "The Last Of Us Part II" - the long awaited sequel and follow-up which, at the time of this write-up, is NOW AVAILABLE exclusively for the Playstation 4. In a time when eyes are set towards the "Future of Gaming" with the Playstation 5, TLOU 2 proves there's plenty more greatness in the PS4 - pushing the envelope even further to deliver one of the most technologically impressive games ever made. It's a work of art and a love letter to fans of the original and video games - but before we dive further we should recap some of the original game (especially for those who haven't played it and YOU SHOULD especially since "The Last Of Us Remastered" is readily available in the PS4).

Game Review: Resident Evil 3 (2020)

Resident Evil, better known as "Biohazard" in Japan, is one of my favorite video game franchises of all time. The first game of the series, released in 1996, was the title that convinced me to buy a Sony Playstation - and I was intrigued by its plot because the setting was in an isolated mansion and you had to battle your way through hordes of monstrous zombies and other biological monstrosities created in a secret laboratory underneath the premises.Since then I was hooked, and have been a loyal follower of the mainline series that started the genre of "Survival Horror" - until series director Shinji Mikami took things in a different direction in 2004 with the critically acclaimed "Resident Evil 4". That game was great and gave us a different kind of biological mystery in that universe - but it also started the "Survival Action" era of sequels that would be radically different from past RE games, with Resident Evil 6 serving as the entry that saw the series "completely lose its identity" until 2017's Resident Evil 7 brought things back to Survival Horror.

Fast forward to today's gaming generation, and we get a brand new Resident Evil game in the third installment of the remake trilogy - the "Resident Evil 3 Remake". Last year saw a triumphant return to old school with the "Resident Evil 2 Remake" - a perfect blend of the "Over-The-Shoulder" style action gameplay of RE4, the tension, inventory management, and puzzle-solving of the original RE games, and the power and amazing graphics of the "RE Engine" that was first used in RE7. What we got was a 2019 reimagining of the Raccoon City Outbreak adventure and new versions of Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield as they tried to survive and escape from the zombies and biological experiments that plagued the city. That game exceeded expectations and was a critical comeback for the series - but how does RE3 fair as an entry that follows over a year after this hit? Well depending on your preferences and stance as a gamer and Resident Evil fan, that answer may vary and may very well define your experience with the game.

As a long time fan and having played the original RE3 back in 1999, it was a no brainer for me to pick up the game - and I got it physically and digitally as soon as Pre-Orders opened. Thanks to my digital purchase of the Deluxe Edition, I got the game on Day 1 (April 3) and finished it the next day. It's relatively fast paced and I'll discuss it in detail below. Due to the trying times however, my Collector's Edition of RE3 with the Jill Statue will have to wait until things get back to normal. For now, here's my review... And SPOILERS will obviously be discussed on this review, so be warned and read on if you need some opinions coming from an RE guy.

Movie Review: Bloodshot

There's no shortage of superhero movies in this day and age thanks to the advent of technology and a well of ideas to adapt into feature films. Whether it's a hero dressed in a vigilante suit or a regular person lucky enough to be endowed with special powers, there's a plot or twist that's capable of making them into something more than just your average joe... But what if it's some guy who was assassinated only to be brought back through nanotechnology and hungry to exact vengeance? That's exactly the type of hero Vin Diesel plays as he brings to life the Valiant Comics hero called "Bloodshot" - and it's an exact fit for an action star of his caliber.

Thanks to Columbia Pictures Philippines, I got to see the new film that serves as a doorway to a possible Valiant Cinematic Universe, with Diesel's character serving as the progenitor to the potential new series of superhero films. If you've watched movies like "Universal Soldier", "Terminator", and "Robocop", this is in the same league as those classic sci-fi hits and shows us a guy who is neither a boy scout nor a pure soul to begin with. As we follow the character of Ray Garrison and his unwitting conversion into a superhuman killing machine, we also see a man trying to make sense of his past while dealing with a conspiracy that blurs the line between what is real and what is fiction.

BLOODSHOT - International Trailer #2
As someone who barely has a passing knowledge of the character other than seeing issues of Valiant Comics back in the 90's, Diesel gives his typical tough guy demeanor and intensity into playing a walking nanotechnology wonder - who can literally heal from mortal wounds even after being shot point blank in the face with a shotgun. It's as sci-fi and straightforward as it comes, and here's my initial movie reactions expressing that sentiment.

Movie Reactions: Bloodshot (2020)
Directed by David S. F. Wilson and also co-starring the lovely Eiza Gonzalez and talented Guy Pearce, Bloodshot is superhero film material that doesn't go fancy and tries to keep things simple and familiar. Fast and Furious fans will be happy to know Vin Diesel is still his gritty self and delivers just what you'd expect, so if you're looking for that kind of action, this is made for you. While the editing can be messy and all over the place and the plot is fairly predictable, we need to remember it's a popcorn flick that will entertain anyone looking to escape from reality and dive into something brainless and fun.

Bloodshot is NOW SHOWING and is distributed by Columbia Pictures Philippines.