REVIEW: The Infernal Machine (2022) - Starring Guy Pearce, Alice Eve, Jeremy Davies and Alex Pettyfer

The last time I saw Guy Pearce he was making a cameo in the last ever episode of Australian soap Neighbours, well he is back in a feature film called The Infernal Machine, sadly this is not some sci-fi film about erm.. an erm.. Infernal Machine, no that is the name of a book written by a reclusive author Bruce Cogburn, (played by Guy Pearce).

Cogburn has been living alone for years after a book he released inspired Dwight Tufford (Alex Pettyfer) to kill 13 people in a school shooting, he did so using a rifle while positioned on a clock tower, we learn of the tragic events through a news report. Cogburn hasn't written a book since the tragic events.

Despite living in the middle of nowhere, with no phone and no television, Cogburn starts receiving letters from someone called William DuKent, DuKent is seemingly a crazed fan, and he starts sending more and more letters and parcels, and keeps managing to find Cogburn's location.

Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2022/09/review-infernal-machine-2022-starring.html

REVIEW: Flashout 3 on PC (Steam)

For nearly 30 years we have been waiting for a game to truly take over the wipE′out mantel as THE anti-gravity racing game. Many contenders have come and go, and in recent years the best of the bunch was Pacer, but even that had a lot of flaws, which I upset the developers by pointing out in my review. More quietly a series of anti-grav games have come and go under the Flashout banner, in 2012 we had Flashout 3D, and then a few years later Flashout 2. both had moderate success, well now the long awaited third game in the sequel has been released, the imaginatively titled Flashout 3.

Now it is worth noting that the Original 2012 game Flashout 3D has also been released and remastered and is available for free!, so check that out.

Let us ignore the problem of calling the first game in the series Flashout 3D and then the third one Flashout 3, and hope that people don't confuse the two, as I did.

Full Review at

http://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2022/09/review-flashout-3-on-pc-steam.html

REVIEW: Tip Top: Don't Fall! - Nintendo Switch

I was asked to check out Tip Top: Don't Fall! on Nintendo Switch.

Tip Top is a simple climbing game, with procedurally generated routes, the idea is simple, climb from the bottom to the top, and once you reach the flag, you have completed the level. Sounds easy right? WRONG.

The game starts out with some surprisingly nice animation to set up the game. You will start off with the tutorial which should get you up to speed on how the controls work. Basically, you control each arm of the character, and using the bumper buttons one hand or the other will hold on to a surface, if that is available. You then need to position the character to reach the next ledge, switching between hands, and positioning the character in the best way is the key here. Before you know it, you will have to make strategically timed jumps, with just one mistake meaning death. You also have limited stamina in each arm, stamina runs out and you will fall, you can regain stamina by moving one hand over your chalk bag.

Full Review at

http://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2022/09/review-tip-top-dont-fall-nintendo-switch.html

REVIEW: Blank (2022) - Starring Rachel Shelley and Heida Reed

Take a look at the three posters for this film that I have conveniently put side by side for you. If you only looked at the posters, you would think these were three different films. The first one (red), would describe some kind of Terminator like film. The second one (white) kind of looks like a coming of age feminist type film, and the third one (blue) is probably the most accurate one of the three, but also the most boring one.

So we are back again with a film that has AI going wrong, Blank stars Rachel Shelley as Claire Rivers, Claire is a writer suffering from writer's block, as she looks at blank pages (blank hence the name of the film), she is having to put up with pressure from her agent and bills that need to be paid, but without a finished book, she finds herself stuck.

Claire decides to do what all writers do when they face writers block, she decides to go to a creepy futuristic retreat with AI and Robots. What could possibly go wrong?

Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2022/09/review-blank-2022-starring-rachel.html

REVIEW: NeverSynth on PC (Steam)

From Whale Rock Games comes NeverSynth, a self-described rhythm driving simulator.

The game itself is very simple, you control a vehicle on a never ending 4 lane highway, there are no other cars, no real obstacles, you just drive, pick up "beats" which is money, avoid pillars which slow you down, and that is about it. Once you have enough money you can drive in new locations and with different cars.

There are 6 locations to drive and 6 cars to drive. But forget about that, this is more about chilling out, listening to synth wave music. The graphics are pretty unique, and on the highest graphics settings are pretty damn cool to look at.

One cool feature is the ability to upload your own music to drive to.

Full Review at

http://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2022/09/review-neversynth-on-pc-steam.html

REVIEW: Stowaway (2022) Starring Ruby Rose and Frank Grillo

A tenacious party girl fights to survive after three thieves commandeer her luxury yacht. Unable to escape and trapped on the yacht at high seas, she turns the tables on the intruders and takes matters into her own hands.

I cannot remember the last time i saw a Ruby Rose film, however I seem to see Frank Grillo in films almost weekly. With that said, this is very much a Ruby Rose film.

Ruby Rose plays Bella Denton, her father has died and left her a beautiful yacht, despite her fear of water and being unable to swim, when she sees the fancy boat which includes a master bedroom, bar, and a jacuzzi, she quickly learns to appreciate this amazing gift her father has left for her.

After being shown around the boat, she is told she can't stay on it until the paperwork has been completed, so she heads off to a bar. She "pulls" Michael (Patrick Schwarzenegger) and invites him back to the yacht for a night of passion once the area is quiet. When waking up she realises the boat is no longer at the port and that a group of three men have taken over the boat with the aim of breaking into the safe. Michael decides to jump and swim for it to get help, Bella due to not being able to swim, stays on board.

Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2022/09/review-stowaway-2022-starring-ruby-rose.html

REVIEW: Blood Waves on Nintendo Switch

"Sometimes You" are back with their latest release Blood Waves. Released on consoles, Blood Waves is a hardcore and bloody shooter. Playing a bit like a mini game you might find in the Assassin's Creed franchise, but with a Lara Croft like character, your job is a simple one, repel wave after wave of zombies.

You start off the game with just a simple pistol and a knife, and are stuck in some kind of underground dungeon area. After dealing with the first wave of zombies, then the game opens up its main "gimmick", between waves part of the dungeon opens up and you spend a few minutes preparing yourself for the next wave. Luckily as you destroy zombies they will drop cash, you can then use this cash to buy ammo, upgrade your character or buy new weapons, but better still you can also buy and then place barricades and traps in the main fighting area. This brings in a whole extra level of tactics. Do you spend your money on more powerful weapons, do you place traps and barricades behind which you can hide, or do you spend the money upgrading yourself, giving you new abilities, more health and so on.

Full Review at

http://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2022/09/review-blood-waves-on-nintendo-switch.html

REVIEW: Wire Room (2022) - Starring Bruce Willis and Kevin Dillon

Lionsgate is back with a new release featuring Bruce Willis in one of the final films of his career. Willis stars as Home Security Agent Shane Mueller, who is in charge of the Wire Room, a high tech command centre that surveils dangerous criminals, watches them through hidden cameras, and listens in on conversations.

Now although Bruce Willis is the big name attached to the film, if you have been reading my reviews long enough, you know that often these films are actually vehicles for other actors, and this one is no different. Kevin Dillon is the real star of this film, he plays Justin Rosa, a new recruit to the Wire Room, he is tasked by Mueller to monitor an arms-smuggling cartel member called Eddie Flynn, played by Oliver Trevena. Despite being from London, Trevena has a pretty convincing Irish accent, and I would suggest the Eddie Flynn character has to be based in part on Conor McGregor.

Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2022/09/review-wire-room-2022-starring-bruce.html

REVIEW: Pinocchio (2022) - Starring Tom Hanks and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth

Pinocchio is one of those titles that has been made and remade many times, and although the Disney cartoon version is the most famous, there have been plenty of other films and cartoons made, mainly due to the fact the story went into the public domain in 1940.

Well for reasons that no one has explained, Disney has decided to remake their own version of Pinocchio from 1940, this time in a live action format with CGI characters.

We find ourselves in 1895 in a small village in Italy, Jiminy Cricket (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has entered the home of an elderly woodcarver Geppetto, played by a curly haired Tom Hanks.

Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2022/09/review-pinocchio-2022-starring-tom.html

REVIEW: GOLAZO! 2 on Nintendo Switch

It has been a while since I have played a simple arcade style "soccer" game, and despite most the of the civilised world calling it Football, I thought I would check out new arcade Soccer game "Golazo 2". Now I have never played the original, nor have i heard of it, so I am coming at this game from a totally new perspective.

Since this is an arcade game, there isn't much in the way of depth, so if you have been playing FIFA then this game might seem very simple in comparison.

When you start you are given a few choices, Quick match, Street Tour, Tournaments or World League. You can play with National Teams or "Street Teams", which craftily gets around any licensing issues. 58 national teams with 10 international stadiums, 6 Street fields with 12 street teams.

Full Review at

http://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2022/09/review-golazo-2-on-nintendo-switch.html

REVIEW: Chenso Club on Nintendo Switch

Chenso Club is a Japanese style 2D side scrolling action platformer, I say Japanese style as it is actually developed by Swedish studio Pixadome and published by Curve Games.

"The Chenso Club girls are sassy, strong and eager to show off their moves. Our heroines want any excuse to use their newfound powers. It's up to you to master their moves, increase their power and show the world the might of the Chenso Club."

As you start the game you will first be able to choose one character to play with, but as you progress more will be unlocked. All the characters are female, which is a cool touch and not something you see that often. You will start off with a character called "Blue" which is a Chainsaw wielding android, but you will soon gain access to Carmine who wields a heavy hammer. With 5 characters in total, all very unique with their own fighting style.

Full Review at

http://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2022/09/review-chenso-club-on-nintendo-switch.html

REVIEW: Fall (2022) - Starring Virginia Gardner and Grace Caroline Currey

Sometimes films are made which are totally predictable, almost from the very start to the very end, you the viewer can call out in advance pretty much everything that will happen. Fall is one of those films. But that doesn't always mean the film is bad, we as humans like patterns, we see them everywhere, we like to be able to predict things, as it makes us feel better about ourselves, throw in a story that will set your anxiety levels to the very top, and you can sometimes end up with a pretty decent outcome.

The film starts with Becky (Grace Caroline Currey) and Hunter (Virginia Gardner) climbing a mountain, along with Dan (Mason Gooding), everything is going well until Dan falls to his death. As you can imagine this is not an ideal situation.

Before you know it, Becky and Hunter have decided to honour Dan by climbing a 2000 foot, abandoned radio tower in the middle of nowhere, to not only conquer their fears and push their limits, but also so they can release Dan's ashes from the top.

Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2022/09/review-fall-2022-starring-virginia.html