OmegaMouse

I eventually got round to playing this! I had the 2008 version on Steam, so I thought I'd give it a go instead of the recent remake. Note: if you're playing on Steam Deck, I'd recommend messing with the joystick deadzones for a smoother experience.

Despite being released 15 years ago, the graphics still look decent! Having no HUD elements is really neat. The gameplay was initially quite stiff and clunky feeling, but it's something you get used to. You may be aware that a unique mechanic for this game is the ability (and requirement) to cut off enemy limbs. I found this to be a very refreshing take on the standard shooter rule of going for the head. As you progress, you'll come across certain enemies that swing their limbs about wildly and this is where the 'stasis' power comes in very handy. Though more often than not I found myself unloading several bullets in panic, before remembering that stasis is a thing.

Ammo is very limited so you have to be conservative with it. In this respect (and perhaps in the claustrophobic nature of the game in general), I felt that there were a lot of similarities to the Resident Evil games. I was constantly running out of ammo for the plasma cutter (ol' reliable) which encouraged me to use the other weapons on offer, all of which were unique and fun.

I did feel like navigation of the ship was flawed. The layout was extremely confusing and same-y, so I usually depended on the guidance system to show me which way to go. If the game was designed from the ground up, I'd love to see a more open map approach with recognisable landmarks (akin to a Metroid Prime map).

The story is told in a similar manner to the first Bioshock game, with the lore explained through video/audio/text logs, and through the occasional NPC interaction from a distance. It was a straightforward story but it took interesting turns that I wasn't expecting.

I think Dead Space (2008) holds up really well, and is definitely worth playing in 2023. I don't know much about the remake, but assuming it improves the graphics and controls I'm guessing it would be the best option.

On to Dead Space 2!

Macro shots of e-ink, including colour e-ink devices.

Beautifully edited video essay about Studio Ghibli's animation and sound design.

The other month I asked for some help choosing plants for my boyfriend's birthday. Many thanks for all the suggestions! I decided to go for a Philodendron Plowmanii and a Jewel Orchid. They came as unpotted plants, so I just wanted to check that I've potted them correctly.

I put some clay pebbles at the bottom and then filled the rest with multi use compost. I made some little holes in the soil and gently placed the plants in, then covered up their roots.

Will they be ok like that, until next week when I can gift them? How much water should I give them?

Thanks for your help :)

A funny and sardonic look at some of the more invisible elements of Japanese roadsides

Fascinating exploration of the origin of certain food items and how they came to embed themselves in American culture.

What lightweight, practical flashlights would people recommend?

I want something that I could use while camping, dog walking, and general day-to-day tasks (finding something under the bed for example). Currently I use my phone torch, which isn't particularly practical. My previous (battery powered) torches have died after too short a space of time - I want something that will last.

One with a clip would be handy, so I could attach it to a cap.

I see lots of ones online with insane lumens. 1000 lumens seems like overkill for my purposes!

Not too worried about price (within reason!)

I want to add some consistency to the way to draw eyes. As it stands, I feel like I'm just improvising every time I try and draw them and when I finally get to a point where I'm happy with the result, I have no idea how I got there (which makes it hard to apply the same rules the next time).

Can anyone recommend a clear guide? I would love something that uses easily remembered construction lines.

Video exploring rack and pinion devices that can be scaled up to create unique motion.

I realised the other day that I've enjoyed lots of murder mystery games and shows, but I've hardly read any mystery novels. The only ones that come to mind are Altered Carbon and some of the Discworld Watch novels (all great!).

Can anyone recommend me some of their favourite books in this genre? I don't really mind the setting, as long as it's a satisfying mystery with a great payoff.

As mainly a console gamer over the years, I've become quite used to playing with a controller that has vibration. I feel that this is one thing the Deck is missing out on.

So I'm wondering if it's possible to somehow connect up a small vibration motor (externally) that can be connected to the Deck, and have it recognised as a controller?

Possibly more effort than it's worth but would be interesting to see if anyone has any ideas.