Wednesday 25 August 2010

Ethical, environmentally-friendly bike manufacturer

Bicycles are great for the planet - getting people out of cars and requiring little more than bananas, flapjacks and the odd bit of oil to run. But most bike manufacturers aren't taking the environment into account much in manufacture.
Racer Rosa Bicycles make made-to-measure handbuilt bikes. The frames are made in Italy from Italian steel and shipped to the UK, then assembled with components picked for ethical/environmental benefits as well as quality, all in Walthamstow, East London. Want to know more? I wrote them up for The Guardian's Environment site.
In-car satellite navigation systems from Garmin, Mio, Navman etc. get the once-over by me in The Mail On Sunday's Live Night & Day magazine. Pictured is the winning TomTom GO 750 Live.
Heavy Rain for the Sony PS3 is supposed to be an interactive movie. Actually, it's better than that - more on which as soon as I can here. But peep my reviews at MSN Tech & Gadgets and Electric Pig for the full emotional rollercoaster.
BioShock 2 also gets the review treatment at MSN Tech & Gadgets from me. The original was that rare beast: an intelligent, adult and philosophically sophisticated game that simultaneously looked great and kicked butt interactively. Can the sequel possibly live up to the original? Read the review and find out...
Finally, a lazy update of the rather brilliant 1999 PC game adds little beyond its at least inventive multi-player. Awkward controls and lazy design hamper Aliens vs Predator. For the full horror, see my reviews at MSN Tech & Gadgets and Electric Pig once more.
Monday 11 January 2010

Bayonetta and Darksiders reviews


Bayonetta and Darksiders reviews at MSN's Tech & Gadgets Gaming section, by me. The overspill from the Christmas avoidance of Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has begun - with two big games turning up for release on 8 January 2010.
Bayonetta's witch-with-guns-in-her-heels flamboyant take on the Devil May Cry shooting-punching combo genre is just about perfect in terms of its visuals and combats. But does it stack up in terms of longevity, script and progression?
Meanwhile, Darksiders is a grown-up, gothic take on a post-apocalyptic Legend Of Zelda - with one of the four horsemen hacking through demonic and angelic enemies and solving lots of environmental puzzles.
Which is better. Read the reviews and find out...