Doctor who Series 7 Theories and thoughts.

 

 

With the episode Asylum of the daleks starting series 7 within a week I kinda want to do kind of what I think is going to happen and what I think of what's been released so far.So let's get started with the leading man himself.The Doctor.

 

 

First off let's talk about what happened so far with number 11.He's gone through some changes since the regenerations from the tenth being more like a kid on the outside with the wise old man peaking through every now and then.Though he still does feel the consequences of the time war causing him to be very protective and between that and his growing anger the scenes of the exploded daleks with the doctor asking who do you think killed them there is a very big break coming.Now dealing with the daleks can cause alot of massive problems.Series 1 they nearly wiped out earth in three different ways.Series 4 they nearly wiped out everything literally.So the first episode starring the daleks is a big bit of pressure and because of how the trailers are leading it's believed that this season is going to be a snapping point for the doctor and possibly the height of his character arc in terms of time war backlash.

 

Now that being said I'm half and half on the idea that in the first episode he breaks his "no kill" Policy which is partially echoed by something amy said about him being alone too long something that was partially shown in the runaway bride when he went into that odd trance after dooming the racnoss.That and him saying that there are lives on his conscience "Because of my mercy" to quote him.It makes me think that davros when he exposed the true soul of the time lord to paraphrase him may have had a much bigger influence on him then we thought.That and I think that the events of waters of mars may have had an effect as well now that I think of it.

 

I'm not certain if this will change the doctor in any way since the anger seems completly built into the eleventh but if that is the case and he does break the no kill policy that's jumping the shark a bit since that's something the doctor has had in all of his incarnations and if this doesn't have massive reprecussions then it's gonna be insanely hard to top that.Now as for one of the bigger themes let's talk about daleks and as well the other big villain the master.

Yes I do think the master will return this season but whether he'll be played by john simm is a crap shoot.but how would he come back? He was sent back to the time war quickly losing energy from his revival.Well I do think that he survived somehow.Whether he regenerated or just absorbed rassilon using some kind of time lord tech and it healed him or something like that.the point is I do think that him being reintroduced into the time war will have some consequences and I think it's possible that the finale may actulally be a second time war between a returning davros and the daleks against the master now ruling the time lords.So where's my proof of this? Well It's minor thing but one line the doctor says in the trailers caught me by surprise.

"Today I honor the victims first.HIS,THE MASTER'S,the daleks,everyone who died because of my mercy"

While HIS I do think applies to the enemy from the town called mercy episode it could be davros though far more likely the cyborg cowboy.But why did he say THE MASTER'S? The eleventh has never mentioned the master before so I think he's coming back and will be back in the first episode along with another returning force.Davros.

Now how would Davros return then? He was in the dalek ship when it exploded right? Well first of all they didn't show his death for that exact reason but there is another one.In the asylum of the daleks trailers they showed what is potentially dalek caan.The dalek that was in the ship with davros when it was destroyed.Now it's possible it's not caan but It's also the first time I can think of I've seen a dalek outside of it's shell since caan.So yes I do think that both davros and the master are coming back and will restart the time war.It's a long shot but I'll take it.

And yes this does potentially kill my Master controlling the silence but one I do think that's another possibility but I also have another theory for them.Namely the reason why they controlled earth and who madame kovarian is.Yes I'm stretching this but I do think she's the Rani.Since her fate is up in the air it's a possibility and it lends creedence to the idea that the silence are mutated creatures with The Rani being a mad scientist.Plus she has taken planets for experiment subjects before at least according to the wiki I found.It's a weak theory and I don't think we'll even see the silence this season but there's just a few coincidences that I can't miss.

So what else is there? The odds of a multi doctor reunion.Small damn near 0% I'd say.It just seems unlikely with hows things are going.What about companions? More likely at the very least.I wouldn't say a sure thing but closer anyway.What about the new companion? I have no clue.Other then she's either a time traveler or is from victorian times since that's when the episode she debuts in takes place.Though I am happy to say it looks like madame vastra will return for that which I do like.

That's really all I got right now.All I can say other then this is I'm bouncing off the walls waiting for the premiere.

Time is NOT a wibbly wobbly timey wimey ball of stuff.

What Can I say? Doctor Insano got it right.

ISWT Review: Alice Madness returns

I wish I could sit here and tell you all about how much I love the original books by lewis carroll but I can't.In fact I had to look up who wrote it.I wish I could say that the disney movie was a massive inspiration to me as a child,but I have yet to actually see it to my recollection.I wish I could say that after the tim burton movie I felt completly ripped off......alright that one is actually true but nonetheless I've never had a massive connection to the alice in wonderland franchise but for some reason I've always loved the characters and places of this series and I really do think it's genius.I know that sounds odd but I love the setting,the characters and yet for some reason I never really set out to look up stuff or watch the movies or read the books even though I love the characters.Even being a huge batman fan the villain mad hatter was always kind of just there.Like I knew he was obsessed with alice in wonderland and I thought it was cool but it never really attached myself to him like I did scarecrow or even riddler.

Why did they make a rabid wonderland fanboy a villain anyway?

Where was I? Oh yes,I've always known about a game made years ago called "American mcgee's alice" and that people loved it for it's creepy atomosphere and very deranged approach to the fairy tale.And after recently playing it I will say that it's certainly got those two things but I will say due to the very......rough controls I'm not a huge fan.It's not bad by any means just kind of hard to control being a bit archaic or old in control style.Not helping it was made for the PC and I've been playing the ps3 port but again I'm getting sidetracked.But a few years ago a sequel was finally released.I just recently got to playing it and I've got to say I really enjoy this game but let me explain.

The main story of the two games is that years after the second book through the looking glass alice is placed in a mental asylum after her family dies in a fire and she survives,and once again is sent to wonderland which has become alot more warped and chaotic due to her mental damage.She had to confront the red queen to cure her mental damage.It makes more sense if you just play the first game trust me on this.

Wrong red queen.....Oh shit why'd I remind myself of this stupid movie



Years afterwards Alice liddel (yes she does in fact have a last name) is out of the asylum and trying to make a living for herself as well as forget the deaths of her family that have still been bothering her even after the events of the first game.And of course she travels back to wonderland to discover that a train has been going around wonderland causing massive damage and releasing creatures known as ruin.I have to say while maybe simple the plot is pretty good for what it is.There are a few odd parts like how between the second and third worlds for some reason she really wants to find her old stuffed rabbit and goes to her old therapist from the asylum to get it back.I'm not really sure why is the issue.But one thing I do like is how if you find memories(Read collectables) that give some hints at what is causing all of this.It's a fairly obvious near the 4th world via a flashback you get there but a pretty good twist that honestly gets pretty dark.It's a bit morbid but handled well.

So the story is pretty good how about the graphics.Well I think let's player helloween 4545 said it best.You could take a snapshot of any scene in the game and make it an awesome desktop wallpaper.The game is incredible looking and it adds so much to the style and the overall presentation.Going from beautiful in the first part to dark and sinister in the second to a steampunk factory all in the same chapter.The game is both beautiful and disturbing.In fact later on in the game there is an area that goes from creepy to "Oh god my eyes,my eyes.The goggles they do nothing!" Levels of horror.To give you an idea I've played through all of "Dante's inferno" a game in which you travel through hell and the final area of madness returns out freaks me by a landslide.

First off this is not I repeat NOT the creepy part of the final stage and second yes this does look like someone took the doctor who episode "Night terrors" and gave it crystal meth.

Now the gameplay is where fans start getting divided by this game.While most of the people I've heard talk about this game will generally say that the atomosphere is just slightly less impressive then the original (Something I do disagree with.I find this game is slightly more atomospheric then the original) most fans of the first game will immediatly turn on the gameplay saying it's bland or "Just another beat 'em up" I can't fully disagree in the sense that the gameplay is more generic then the first game.However this is a case of uniqueness vs playability.While the original has more unique gameplay to itself and some interesting platforming situations but my god it is stiff.That combined with the decent combat at best and it's only okay in terms of gameplay.While madness returns has basic combat that could be found in any given beat 'em up this gen and the same with platforming.However the gameplay feels so much less stiff and the combat is so much less hit or miss that it just feels alot better.So it's uniqueness at the cost of fluid gameplay or solid feeling gameplay at the cost of originality.It's a debate but to me I enjoy madness returns more in terms of base gameplay

One of the major differences though is the use of mini games and this is another point of fracture for the fanbase and this one I'm more or less agreeing with.Anywhere from a weird shooter segments with the mock turtles new boat or the really terrible slider puzzles that haunt a couple of levels.Some like the shooter segement are mandatory but you can actually skip the slider puzzles and the melody guitar hero style rhythm parts and all I can think of is "Why did this need to be here?" this is probably the weakest point of the game and it just serves no purpose all in all.It feels very forced though two of these I will defend.namely the slide sections cause those are actually quite fun and the giant segments in queensland which again are quite fine.

One other thing is that the 3rd level for it's enemies,and iffy level design all in all can drag quite a lot compared to the varied second level and very fun fourth level.It's a minor thing but even then I prefer it to the veil of tears level in the original.

Finally the collectables are ripe and are everywhere between the pig snouts,bottles of.....I have no idea but for some reason I assume piss,Memories,and radula rooms which you get heart pieces from and yes you get four you get another heart added to your total.

So in the end how is it? Well the style is out in full and the graphics are amazing but you may have issues with the gameplay being fairly bland and the constant minigames that are few and far between for actually good ones.But all in all I say at least rent it for the story and style.This game can easily be a good playthrough but just know what you're getting into with the gameplay.It's far from bad just not anything special.