Quick Impressions 

Well its that time of year again, no not that loving Christmas cheer time, but instead the sweet sweet relief of no school no job and plenty of free time to catch up on things I missed throughout the last 6 months or so. As is always the case around this time of year, I reach back and play games I missed or watch movies and television shows I neglected to see. Now I have already accrued a massive pile of games, movies and shows so I wont have time to review each let alone complete most, but I can write up a quick impression of each to at least jot down my thoughts and give anyone reading this some sort of barometer on the quality of said entertainment. This article will be updated, so scroll down often as I'm sure this will go on for awhile, like I said lots to catch up on.

A 2-D side-scrolling stealth game, a shame I didn't check this game out sooner as it would have easily made it into my Top 10 Games of the Year. Either way I'm enjoying the hell out of it now. Stealth games are traditionally frustrating as they can be hard to decipher, not knowing what the AI's line of sight is like and generally what the boundaries of the stealth mechanics are. Mark of the Ninja is a hugely empowering stealth game, one where the systems are front and center providing every bit of information you could ever need at any given situation. The game also provides you with tons of possibilities with upgradable abilities and multiple paths through a level. The game also looks great which should be no surprise as the game was made by Klei Entertainment the developers behind the badass Shank. Overall Mark of the Ninja is a fun stealth game with a lot of depth. Consensus: Highly Recommended.

Yeah I know what your thinking, "DLC a year after the games release and tepid response?". Sure shocked me, but with a $5 price tag it was a low barrier for entry and a decent reason to dust off an old game. I actually completed this but didn't feel it warranted a full review. At around two hours The Scorchers as this DLC is titled is a lot more of the same linear corridors with tons of enemies with great AI to fight. The DLC adds one new weapon which is pretty all purpose alternating from shooting fast, through walls, and pinning enemies to walls. But the content while good looking offers nothing exciting for even interesting. Unless you were a huge fan of Rage, which I can't imagine too many people were, then continue ignoring this games existence. Consensus: Ehh.

Did anyone think their needed to be a sequel to Taken, I mean sure the first film was a surprisingly good time and Liam Neeson proved he could carry an action film and look badass doing it, but really another one. This is another in a depressingly long list of movies that prove Hollywood is tapped out of new ideas. This film is mind numbingly boring and terribly directed. The action is so poorly cut together its disorienting and needlessly over choreographed. The plot is simple and predictable and really this write-up has already gone on longer than this movie deserves. Consensus: Late Night Cable Viewing ONLY

A Mass Effect anime may not be the first medium that springs to mind when expanding the fiction, but BioWare has sanctioned a side-story focusing on nobody's favorite character from Mass Effect 3, James Vega. Lets get this over with quickly so I can talk about quality things instead, the animation is terrible, the voice acting is sub-par and the ties to Mass Effect are poor. Mass Effect is a high-concept sci-fi rpg, not an over the top anime and any references to the games come off as bewildering and grasping for fan service. Consensus: Stay Clear

Another XBLA game I missed when it was initially released. Mixed review and a stiff price point made it hard to take the plunge but thanks to recent sales I got to try my hand at this throwback side-scroller. Deadlight is set in 1980's zombie apocalypse, and pays homage to classics like Flashback and Fade to Black. Gorgeous visuals, brooding atmosphere, and a measured pace make this an eerie but beautiful world to navigate. Which is really what the game is all about, combat even once you acquire a gun is a last resort and is more about avoidance than taking on a hoard of undead. Navigating the environment taking in the scenery and ambiance is where this game truly shines, great animation and a shadowy look to the world make it a pleasure to take in, unfortunately great visuals don't make for the most interesting game as the story is pretty flat and there isn't much to the game play. But if you could enjoy sitting back and soaking in some great aesthetics and mood this is a game bursting with atmosphere it just doesn't offer much else. Consensus: Good, Maybe for you