Alien Isolation Walk-through Part 5 - Seegson Androids Part Two.

Alien Isolation gameplay, these damn Seegson Androids are everywhere; after watching the video come back and read more about these grey-skinned monsters. I am struggling to get past these Android menaces. Watch as I jump, sneak and attempt to avoid these Seegson Androids. The vent system is the key to victory.

Here is a little background blurp I found:

Working Joes, also referred to as Maintenance Synths, were a line of rudimentary androids manufactured and sold by the Seegson Corporation. They were encountered aboard the decommissioned space station, Sevastopol, in 2137 and later in 2202, on the surface of LV-895, by Amanda Ripley-McClaren and the Colonial Marine fireteam, respectively.

I want to make some of these for games of Alien or as Droids wandering the streets of Mega-City One. I hope to use some bolt action figures as the base and maybe make a crowd of these.

Book Review 167 // Alien Isolation by Keith R.A. DeCandido

Hopefully, you have been following my Alien: Isolation gameplay? If not for shame! Head over to Youtube now to watch. Okay, all caught up? This game has me hooked and scared in equal measures. While visiting my local library (support libraries, please), I discovered this title on the shelf and knew I owed it to myself to read. Definitely spoilers to the game in this book.

Title: Alien: Isolation 

Author: Keith R.A. DeCandido

Fluff:

The product of troubled and violent youth, Amanda Ripley is hell-bent on discovering what happened to her missing mother, Ellen Ripley. She joins a Weyland-Yutani team sent to retrieve the Nostromo flight recorder, only to find space station Sevastopol in chaos with a Xenomorph aboard. Flashbacks reveal Amanda's history and events that forced her mother to take the assignment aboard the Nostromo.

Amazon CA: Alien Isolation

Page Count: 336 pages

Review

As I already confessed, I am in the process of playing through Alien Isolation, and I have so far been really enjoying it. Such a scary game and sucks you in, so I was really hoping the book would do that too.

Firstly though a game adaptation, it would seem DeCandido was given space to fill out some back story. Allowing him to explain what happened to Amanda Ripley before we met her. Though interesting, they started to become rather annoying as we kept having "flashbacks," which for me ruined the flow of the story. These parts should have been combined to produce a prologue to the main story. That way, we still get the character's background without destroying the horror flow.

Thankfully the representation of the game is well portrayed and can create a lot of atmospheres and capture all the essential parts. He does well to showcase the environment as a critical part of the game; we read about the graffiti and posters that litter the station. We also hear about her creating items from scratch, another critical play point. These were very nice touches to help merge the two in my mind.

Overall I really enjoyed the book. It is an excellent adaptation; the author used the game and brought it to life. Yes, there are issues, but there will always be a computer game adaption. This excellent introduction to the Alien series and has enough horror to keep me hooked.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the review and will come back soon for my next post. Check out more of my Xenomorph adventures here. LINK.

Audio Review 62 // Deathfire by Nick Kyme (The Horus Heresy #32)

Diving into the Horus Heresy series once more, and we are at number 32 in the series. Deathfire by Nick Kyme continues the Salamander Story arc, and damn, is this a long story 15+ hours. Let us see how their role in the war evolves and get into the details:

Title: Deathfire (The Horus Heresy #32)

Author: Nick Kyme

Narrator: Saul Reichlin

Publisher: Black Library

Fluff:

Vulkan lies in state beneath the Fortress of Hera, yet many of his sons still refuse to believe that he is truly dead.

After a seemingly miraculous rescue by the Ultramarines, Artellus Numeon, once captain of the Pyre Guard, urges the other Salamanders on Macragge to leave Imperium Secundus and return their primarch's body to the homeworld of Nocturne - there to be reborn in the flames of Mount Deathfire. But Numeon grapples endlessly with his doubts and fears for the future of the Legion while their foes seek to carve out new destinies of their own...

Amazon link: Buy Now

Review

Well, that was long, worst yet was that it felt twice as long. What is going on with the Salamander arc? I don't think I have truly enjoyed any of them yet. I was initially excited when we had Ruinstorm travel, daemons and a fantastic chase happening, but then it started to fizzle out. We had a lot of "how many unexplained characters" can show up, "Why are some of the characters acting weird or out of character?", or why has this character gone from interesting to lame?

There are parts to enjoy in this book. Unfortunately, these points are buried under the noise, which is a lot. Like I said, the Ruinstorm chase, daemons, aka Sirens, and some of the Word Bearer action stand out for me, while being planetside on Nocturne was also intriguing and new to me as I've not read much on this Legion. Even that enjoyment was marred with downsides; the build-up of travelling through the Ruinstorm made it seem like we were going to have a horror of a time. Instead, they managed to jump in and out with hardly much issue. A lot of the characters were forgettable and played pointless roles. This also leaked into the Deathguard, who for scenes are super deadly, unbreakable wall of death killing all in their path, then they landed on Nocturne and become useless. Almost in a single paragraph, they are wiped out, and one of the main villains is instantly killed mid-sentence by a cheap shot? What the hell, Kyme?

Overall I think the flaws outweighed the pros. As a completionist, I need this title in my life but did it add to the entire arc or war? NOPE

Give this one a miss.

Beer Review 175 // Ball Dropper by Beyond the Pale Brewing Company Ottawa

Welcome to 2022 and another basic lockdown edition of me drinking. As I have mentioned in the past, Ontario has an indoor lockdown on dining, bars, cinemas etc. Meaning it is hard for me to explore new locations to grab new brews. Lucky for me, I work at a brewery that produces excellent beers. So though I would generally avoid promoting my job, I feel that this is the time to do it.

Today's beer is Ball Dropper and is released for the New Year's Eve crowd, and here are the details.

Name: Ball Dropper (BUY HERE)

Brewery: Beyond the Pale Brewing Company, Ottawa, Ontario. Canada.

Style: DIPA

ABV: 8.0%

Fluff:

"We didn't drop the ball this year!"

2021 deserves a big beer to help finish it off, so we brewed a DIPA loaded with Comet, Simcoe, Cryo Simcoe and Cryo Idaho7 hop. This combination has helped create a dank & resiny brew with Grapefruit, Pine and Tangerine note. This beer is a big, bold brew and will kick start your new year in style.

Grab them now!

Review

This is a big beer. It is an orange-hued brew on the pour with a beautiful, lively head. You get all the aromas of a classic American West Coast IPA. Pine, resins, citrus, grapefruit pith. It smells great and reminds me of all those traditional brews from 8 years ago. As you sip, you are greeted by the citrus again; there is also a little melon from Simcoe sneaking through, making for a pleasurable drink. I am taken by surprise by how easy this is to drink. At 8%, you expect a boozy hit in the end but are instead greeted with a gentle bitterness that makes you take another sip while completely forgetting that 8%. I did make the error of drinking too many in a row, but that is a personal mistake.

If you are in the Ottawa area, go treat yourself to some cans before it sells out. Otherwise, cheers to you all and see you next week.

Comic Review 169 // Alien: The Original Screenplay

I am so excited to review this comic book. I have read a lot of good things about this Aliens Original Screenplay. I really hope it delivers. Here are the details:

Title: Alien: The Original Screenplay

Notes: Collects issues #1-5

Illustrators: Cristiano Seixas, Guilherme Balbi, Walter Simonson & Candice Han (Color Artist).

Writer: Dan O'Bannon.

Fluff:

In 1976, Twentieth Century Fox bought a screenplay by Dan O'Bannon entitled Star Beast. Three years later, with Ridley Scott at the helm, Alien was unleashed on unsuspecting filmgoers.

En route back to Earth, the crew of the starship Snark intercepts an alien transmission. Their investigation leads them to a desolate planetoid, a crashed alien spacecraft and a pyramidic structure of unknown origin. Then the terror begins . . .

Writer Cristiano Seixas and artist Guilherme Balbi have attempted to stay true to the characters, settings, and creatures described in O'Bannon's original screenplay--without replicating the famous designs of Ron Cobb, Moebius, and H.R. Giger. A new experience, but still terrifying!

Page Count: 112

Buy Now: Alien: The Original Screenplay

Review

By now, you should all realize I am a big Alien fan, with the original film ranking in my top five of all time. I've been lucky over the last few years to get my hands on a lot of the Dark Horse comics and the old Bantham books. This has led to a reignition of my enjoyment for it, combined with the Gale Force Nine board game. So when I discovered via the web about an original screenplay, I had to go looking, and I am glad I did.

This version of the opening story was created using Dan O'Bannon's screenplay; this formed the base of the rewrite created by David Giler and Walter Hill. It is truly the first step into a series that has shaped my hobbies since I first saw it. It is hard not to try and compare it to the film, there is, of course, so much in common, and the script matches up at times as well, causing you to slip into the movie imagery before being grounded back into the comic. But these are rare moments as the comic artwork does a fantastic work of readjusting the known imagery. The plot though basically the same (crew find alien craft and shit hits the fan), is narratively different and exciting in its own way. One significant change is the gore. This comic has a lot! The film uses your imagination to create horror and fear; the comic instead just throw it at you? I can see how this version would not have worked in the cinemas at the time and the need for a rewrite.

The artwork is unique, but I can only imagine how hard it was for the art team to create. Imagine years of knowing "this is a xenomorph" before being told to 'change it!'. Overall, the Giger Alien wins. But let us be honest and state that this is a full-on bias opinion; how could I think otherwise?

 Once you are a few pages in, you forget the film for the most part as the artwork is beautiful, and I have to say the navigator of the comic creeped me out more than the film version. The comic version has this sense of otherworldly, cyclopean nightmare of a Lovecraft creation. It is so different and terrifying to look upon. Is the star head a helmet or its face?

Other keynotes are the crew, so many more characters to get killed off, and with the extra characters, we are treated to a more rounded view of how dangerous a Xenomorph is. The blood tears through crew and ship alike, causing them to react with more caution, which seems so much more believable than the film. This leads the comic team into attempting to capture the Alien rather than just shooting it. Opening up for the classic crawl through the vent system scene we all love.

Overall, this will be a classic case of you will either enjoy it or hate it. I can see hardcore fans/narrow-minded/gatekeepers hating it, stating that this is not their Alien! But for the open-minded, this is a view into what could have been. How different would our experiences be if this film had been made? All I can tell you is that I genuinely enjoyed this, and if you get the chance, pick it up and read it!

Thank you for stopping by and reading. If you are a fan of the alien series, you may enjoy my Youtube channel where I slowly build, paint and play the Gale Force Nine Game and play through the Alien: Isolation game. Here are some links:

Another Glorious Day in the Corps - Gale Force Nine

Alien: Isolation Playthrough

Cheers!

Alien Isolation Part 4 - Working Joe Android Update.

Just as I was fearing the Xenomorph, it turns out more than one villain is moving around the station. Enter the Working Joe Android by Seegson industry. Their primary function is to aid and repair the station as Seegson slowly decommission it. But with the arrival of the Xenomorph, it would seem a new priority program has taken over, one that allows the model to injure and kill humans. These are creepy androids having a more limited cosmetic look about them; they stand 5'9" and have a rubbery grey skin. Don't get to close!

I hope you enjoyed Part 4 of my Alien Isolation series. Missed any episodes? Head over to my youtube channel and catch up. You could also drop me a follow which would be amazing.

Youtube Link

Thanks for reading.

Book Review 166 // Silver Skulls: Portents by S.P. Cawkwell

Today is a title I didn't expect to review. I firstly didn't know it even existed, and secondly didn't ever expect to find it at a thrift store. This book was highly intriguing as I knew very little about the Silver Skulls Space Marines. I am definitely excited to learn more.

Book Title: Silver Skulls: Portents

Author: Sarah Cawkwell

Page Count: 362

Fluff: Combating an insurrection backed by the Traitor Legions, the Silver Skulls may be manipulated by the very powers they fight against...

They may be Ultramarines successors, but they're certainly not Codex-compliant... and the Inquisition wants to know why. How the Silver Skulls work and why it might just be their downfall is explored, with a series of shocking twists that will ensure that you never look at the silver-armoured Space Marines in the same way again.

The Silver Skulls Space Marine Chapter deployed on the world of Valoria Quintus to combat an insurrection backed by the dread forces of the Traitor Legions. Sent there by the visions of their Prognosticars, the mysterious psykers whose premonitions decree the path forged by the Chapter and the wars they wage, they expect victory to be swift and easy. But they have not reckoned with their own allies, the servants of the Inquisition who are interested in the Prognosticars, their importance within the Chapter and the possibility that the Silver Skulls may be being manipulated by the very powers they fight against...

Review

This story is all about the Silver Skulls and continues on plot seeds created in the Gildar Rift story. We have our main character Sergeant Gileas Ur'ten upfront and centre, and through him, we discover the culture and background of the Chapter.

The main plot is about the Silver Skulls having caught the eye of the Ordo Hereticus. They are now under investigation for heresy due to their reliance on the Librarians of the Chapter. To this end, an Inquisitor is sent to the Silver Skull's homeworld of Varsavia to seek out the proof to condemn this Chapter. They are called upon to wage war on a planet taken over by the Thousand Sons during this time. This was a significant part of the story, and I really enjoyed it. The Thousand Sons seemed deadly, while the flow of battle was well-paced and written.

Another aspect of the book that was rather interesting was the tribal/racial animosity of the people of Varsavia that seeps into the Silver Skulls Chapter. It would seem there is a North-South divide with the Northern tribe's men believing themselves to be better and nobler than the "feral" Southerners. This is unique and shows that a Chapter isn't necessarily a brotherhood and full of prejudices.

These twists made this novel such a joy. I rapidly consumed this novel and really enjoyed it; I am interested in finding more from this author and more Silver Skull novels.

Do you want to read this novel? Please use this link to purchase through Amazon and get me a kickback (hahaha): Kindle Edition.

Comic Review 168 // 2000 AD Prog 1330

Usually, Thursdays would be an audible review, but with the festive season, I have fallen behind on listening, so instead, we are having a second 2000 A.D. prog review. Prog 1330 was released in March 2003, and the cover hints straightaway at what to expect in the issue. We have Judge Dredd facing off against a Xenomorph horde. This is an impressive two-page wrap, but it is also fun to see Xeno getting his face blown off. Now to see if the stories impress.

Judge Dredd vs. Aliens: Incubus Part 10. Mr. Bones has blown a hole from the Undercity straight into the Halls of Justice. With Xenomorphs pouring through the breach, the Judges are quickly on the back foot. Luckily Judge Dredd and the exterminators are on hand, and the rally to secure the halls begins. Elsewhere, the Med Judges attempt to remove a chestbuster when it decides not to go quietly and attacks the Judges!

Great opener for the issue, plenty of action, and I really enjoy this part of the story. I am ready for more action and possibly Mr. Bones to enter the fray.

Bec & Kawl: Eeevil.com. Urgh. I can't do it; these over-the-top computer references and pop culture comments are crap. At best, the story itself is weak, and I couldn't care less for the characters. Thankfully this is the end, and I seriously hope they don't return. Wow. I haven't hated a comic strip so much.

The V.C.s: Bystander Part 1. Finally, after a few one-off stories, we seem to be getting a series. I have no idea what is going on, if I'm honest. I hope that I will start working it all out with a complete story. But we seem to have an entire battle happening, and though our cast is receiving a beating, they seem to be winning. Then the final panel hits hard as a mysterious spaceship that is massive and dwarves the other crafts appear out of nowhere.

I am definitely intrigued to see where this will go. I have faith in the creative team on this one, so I am sure it will be good.

Tales of Telguuth: Pagrok the Infalliable Part 1. Enjoying these high fantasy tales, they feel Conan about them with the classic, what goes around comes around mentality. In this tale, we meet Pagrok, who seems to read the knucklebones and see the future. After being requested to locate a missing girl, Pagrok discovers a lot of wealth and attempts to find the girl to claim some of the money. But so far, it seems the journey will be dangerous and maybe more troublesome than it is worth.

Atavar II: Part 2. Seems strange to have Abnett working on two sci-fi battle adventures but here we go! The Voidshaker Spaceship is wreaking havoc on the enemy forces, but their numbers seem more significant than even this Godship can handle. After losing contact, the alliance believes the ship to be lost. In truth, the ship has survived and has made contact with Atavar.

I am sure the final panel would have meant more to me if I had read the original series. Instead, I am left wanting answers and have to move on to the next issue to find out what is happening!

Overall a good issue, it misses being a great issue due to Bec & Kawl, but with that finished, we can hopefully move on to something more exciting and fun. I hope you enjoy these quick and dirty reviews and don't mind me producing them?

If you would like to learn more and support the blog, please consider purchasing through these links (as I get an amazon kickback).

Reading on a Pixelbook using the 2000 A.D. app.

Want to learn more about the world of 2000 A.D.? Get in on the pre-order of the 2000 A.D. Encyclopedia.

Beer Review 174 // Lager than Life by Beyond the Pale Brewing Company

First beer review of 2022. Where to begin? Wanted to get going on some special brews but with the pandemic moving into a new phase I was unable to go off exploring once more in December and had to stay closer to home (ie. work). So to kick off 2022, I will be reviewing Lager than Life by Beyond the Pale Brewing Company here in Ottawa.

Beer: Lager than Life.

Style: Lager

Format: Can 473ml

ABV: 5.0%

Brewery: Beyond the Pale Brewing Company (www.btpshop.ca) - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Fluff: A delicious new offering to add to the growing 'Flash Series' line. Lager than Life was created using the brew team's favourite German Pilsner Malt. Combining this malt with Saaz hopping has created a slightly sweet, crispy lager that they filtered to help pop.

Review

BTP have really been impressing me with the lager/Pilsner brews of late. On the pure you are greeted by a bright, clear, yellow brew, lively with carbonation and capped by a healthy white head.

The aromas is everything you expect from a pilsner style beer. Bready and a little sweet. The sip is refreshing and goes down easy. At 5% this is an very satisfying beer, the maltiness pairs with the sweet characters and with the carbonation on point the mouthfeel is clean and crisp. A really great brew to start the new year with. Hopefully this beer will be back soon.

Looking for an excellent beer drinker's gift? Check this out: Link to Amazon

Cheers to reading this review.

Comic Review 167 // 2000 AD Prog 1329

First comic review of 2022! I had to start strong, so we are diving straight in with a 2000 A.D. prog. Issue 1329 was released on the 25th of February 2003. The cover doesn't feel me with joy as it references Bec and Kawl, and I am genuinely over them. But let's hope for the best and dive in.

Judge Dredd vs Aliens: Incubus Part 9. A little filler piece, to be honest. We seem to be moving into the final stages of the comic story, with Mr. Bones ready to blow a hole in the justice department. Still a beautiful-looking comic, excited for the fighting to begin.

Bec & Kawl - Eeevil.com Part 2. Why does this bore me so much? I really don't enjoy this; we now have a matrix rip-off nerd group fighting the Anti-geek in a Ripley-style Powerloader. Absolute garbage.

The V.C.s - Tickover. It's a slow story for sure; we get an introduction to the team as they wait to see if they contact the enemy. What is going on with this issue? It is so slow this week.

Tales of the Telguuth - The Black Arts of Skrixlan Nort. A story following a Wizard who paints. It would seem that whoever the Wizard Paints he can summon, so many of his paintings involve demons and monsters. This comes in extremely useful as he has to combat a Necromancer!

It is a bit more exciting tale; it was nice to have a bit of fantasy in the comics.

ATAVAR II - Part 1. It is a sci-fi tale that I am unsure if there was a first season or not. Either way, we are dropped hot into a story of an intergalactic war. Seems like one race was pretty much wiped out and have become tactical advisors for another race. Together they have created a creature/weapon to turn the tide and have released it onto the galaxy. As it razes a world of the enemy, there seems to be an unknown issue arising, and we are left wanting more.

Interestingly enough, start a new series. Hopefully, this will improve and grow.

Overall a slow issue. Judge Dredd seemed to just be ticking over, Bec & Kawl is a full-on disaster, The V.C.s was also quiet, Tales of the Telguuth was a fun one-shot, and Atavar II has potential. So closer to an average issue all around. Seems a shame as the issues before have been relatively good. I hate to see it slide.

Want to learn more about 2000 A.D.? Why not start with the 2000 A.D. Encyclopedia (link is via Amazon, and I get a kickback). Thank you for reading, and if you want to chat more, come find me on Instagram.

Road to Badab Astral Claws Painting Guide

Fresh year, fresh start. Revisiting an out project of mine but modernizing. I am a big fan of the Badab War, and I enjoy the Forgeworld books. As you will see in the video, I wanted initially to make an Astral Claws force out of Primaris Space Marines. But with the announcement of the new Aeldari, I will not be pushing forwards at this time with that project. Instead, I will be making painting tutorials on the chapters involved in the war and doing up a fluff piece. So, where to begin? Where else than the Astral Claws.

History

The Astral Claws were founded during the mid-35th millennium as a Crusading Chapter to help stabilize the slowly crumbling Imperium during the Nova Terra Interregnum. Their founding Chapter is unknown, as most records of their existence have been destroyed in an Edict of Obliteration. However, speculation on their gene-seed stability and combat tactics point towards either the Ultramarines or the Dark Angels.

Before their downfall, the Astral Claws possessed a roll of battle-honours that would be the envy of many; after their performance in the Fifth Black Crusade, their Chapter Standard was placed in the halls of the Eternity Gate in the Imperial Palace on Terra.

According to the Apocrypha Kaali, the Astral Claws had "three sons" but only named one; the Tiger Claws. During the Badab War, Inquisitorial investigations found that the Astral Claws were hiding members of the long-thought lost Tiger Claws chapter within their own ranks, as well as illegally expanding their own numbers above Codex-approved norms.

After rebelling against the Imperium and being defeated in the ensuing Badab War, the Chapter's survivors fled into the Maelstrom, becoming the core of the Red Corsairs. As a chapter, they have been declared Excommunicate Traitoris, and any Chapter records are marked to be destroyed.

-Fin-

This chapter deserved better and was wronged during the Badab War (hopefully something we will delve into). Next up will be the Exorcists a chapter worthy of censorship!

Until enjoy the video and give me follow on YOUTUBE.