an ocean in a storm

One thing that's kind of bothered me lately is all this talk of game properties being bought to make into movies as if it was some kind of race. Uwe Boll - the same guy that brought us the dismal House of the Dead - acquired the rights to Far Cry and there's talk of a Soul Calibur movie. As if comic books weren't enough, the Hollywood Machine is comfortable to move in on this territory as well. The most interesting (in my opinion, anyway) is that Jerry "There's no such thing as over the top" Bruckheimer is in talks with Jordan Mechner about bringing The Sands of Time to the big screen. The game could potentially yield a fantastic adaptation in the right hands - it has the love story and is full of light-hearted adventure - but it would require a few more assurances. The main character would have to be of genuine middle-eastern descent and posess the same flair as the game's lead; someone we've never seen before and not the heart-throb of the week. It would also require excellent special effects work - there is no way this movie could capture audiences without the sky-scraping palace, menacing sand zombies and the Prince's gravity-defying stunts. Apparently the Prince will also be in a new adventure in time for Christmas; I can already feel my list changing shape.

I'd like to add some final thoughts on The Sands of Time if I can manage, because after witnessing the ending I'm having a hard time of it. As I was approaching the culmination of the adventure, I was faced with extremely tedious battles where I would be swarmed by sand zombies in close quarters and they would use their creative curb-stomping tactics. This prompted a few controller lobs on my part (just ask The Wife), especially when Farah reached the ultimate pinnacle of uselessness in the Elevator sequence. And I must admit the final battle with the sand zombies and the Vizier were kind of anti-climactic - they weren't that challenging. Despite the difficulty in combat being a little inconsistent, it still makes for an excellent experience overall, because with the Prince's catalogue of attacks and rebounds you can at least make combat interesting to watch. The final exchange between Farah and the Prince made me believe I was witnessing the end of a fantastic film, and one of the year's best games.

The soundtrack cannot be left unmentioned; it is a marvel unto itself. Chatwood's influences from the Edges of Twilight/Alhambra era are clear, and skillfully provide a great backdrop to the story. I'm still trying to get a bead on how to acquire the thing; Game Music is no help in that department. From looking at the official messageboards it's clear the fans demand it. I think it would be a smart move for UbiSoft, especially with the likes of the XIII soundtrack doing so well.

I've been having some problems with SecuRom and KotOR lately, which prompted an uninstall of the game (after backing up my savegames, of course). For some reason SecuRom finds it amusing to check my CD-RW drive every 5 seconds whether or not I'm playing the game, and now I can't write CDs. It doesn't matter; most of the time spent on this computer lately has been in the world of Divine Divinity, something any fan of action RPGs must play if you can find it.

the thrill of the massacre's over