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April 19th, 2021 Editorial, Featured 1 Comment »

PlayStation 2 Region Free Modification – MechaPwn Tutorial

2021 has been an incredible year for the PlayStation 2 modding scene. The PS2 may be over twenty years old now, but the community around it is still quite strong. Earlier this year, MechaCon was dumped in full. This allowed for people to investigate ways to modify this “security chip”. As a result, the MechaPwn exploit now exists.

MechaPwn allows certain models of the PS2 to break away from the system’s region locking. Once completed, it turns retail PS2s into a developer kit of sorts, enabling the ability to run retail PS1 and PS2 discs from any region on your system.

This is extremely exciting news for anyone who owns PS2 or PS1 discs from other regions but only has access to a PS2 from one specific region. Or, those who have multiple region systems may prefer to use one system for convivence sake. Yes, there have been many ways to play games from different regions on a PS2 in the past. These include modchips, Swap Magic discs and more. However, none of these are as convenient or cheap (if you don’t already have a solution in place) as the new MechaPwn option.

Before digging too deep into MechaPwn, interested parties must be aware of a few key points.

  1. This exploit only works on PS2 systems from model number SCPH-500xx and up. That includes some late model original PS2s and all PS2 Slim models.
  2. This exploit (as set up in my instructions below) only enables playing retail discs. It does not enable the ability to play burned discs.
  3. This exploit requires usage of a homebrew application to run initially. I will describe some methods of accessing the homebrew application below.
  4. If performed improperly, this mod can potentially brick your PS2. “Bricking” refers to rendering a system inoperable.
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May 24th, 2019 Featured, PC, Reviews No Comments »

Blood: Fresh Supply Review

Developer: Monolith Productions, Nightdive Studios
Publisher: Nightdive Studios
Platform: PC – GOG, Steam

I first tried to play Blood years ago but failed due to extreme inability on my part. The game seemed way too tough to even survive the first level! All these years later, Blood: Fresh Supply is out attempting to be the “best” version available. Fans seem to disagree, but from my vantage point, it’s a fine release.

My reason to try the game again after disliking it initially was simple. A friend (Anne from Chic Pixel) brought up playing it in co-op. So we did. This might be why the game was easier this time around. Either way, it took just around ten hours to finish the game.

As far as gameplay is concerned, it’s very much a title in the style of classic Doom. You fight cult members, zombies, gargoyles, and awful disembodied hands from a first person perspective. Enemies are still 2D, and sometimes get stuck on level geometry.

There’s very little strategy required in Blood: Fresh Supply. Mainly you just need to stay stocked up with weapons and shoot anything that moves. The real challenge (and annoyance) comes in level designs which sometimes prove confusing. That, and platforming which proves difficult with the control scheme. Also, maybe this was a bug, but the co-op mode never played any cutscenes!

While Blood: Fresh Supply may not have been the most astonishingly enjoyable and bug-free experience out there, it still whet my appetite for more retro FPSes.

2 out of 5 alpacas
May 2nd, 2019 Featured, Movies, Reviews No Comments »

Wacko (1982) Review

Director: Greydon Clark
Writer: Dana Olsen, Michael Spound

I didn’t know quite what to expect from Wacko. Horror comedies are all over the place these days, but they were still a fairly new concept in the 80s. And like many 80s comedies viewed today, I couldn’t help but worry that the jokes would fall entirely flat. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case (mostly).

Wacko begins with a flashback to prom night. Two young lovebirds are torn to shreds by a super-powered lawnmower driven by a killer wearing a pumpkin on his head. Thirteen later, one child who witnessed the gruesome murders is set to attend prom night. The trauma inflicted on her at an early age ensures she freaks out anytime she hears or sees a lawnmower.

The silly story doesn’t really go very far, but it provides a surprising amount of laughs along the way. I for one was fond of their out of left field reference to The Elephant Man. Horror-centric humor reigns supreme and the tropes of the genre ensure that the jokes are still relevant today.

It’s hardly the best horror comedy out there. Still, it’s a decent effort that is more enjoyable than it should be. If nothing else, it’s clear that it was made by people who adore the horror genre.

April 25th, 2019 Featured, Movies, Reviews No Comments »

Dominique (1979) Review

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Director: Michael Anderson
Writers: Edward Abraham, Valerie Abraham

I was recently introduced to Vinegar Syndrome. These purveyors of obscure genre films quickly caught my attention due to the fact that they released many films I wanted – and many I didn’t know I wanted until digging in further. Dominique (also known as Dominique is Dead) seems a bit out of their typical milieu, but not in a bad way.

This film is slow, subtly creepy and features a real Gothic flair. The story begins as we watch Dominique basically being gaslit by her husband David. After multiple cruel tricks, Dominique finally has enough and commits suicide. Yet, David keeps seeing her ghastly visage throughout the home. The question that the film poses is simple – is this woman really dead? Or is she truly haunting him to terrify her husband into an early grave?

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The story proceeds without giving much away as to the cause of all the haunting business. Only in the final few minutes is everything laid bare. The resolution admittedly disappointed me. Either way, it was still a mostly enjoyable trek. Somehow it does manage to make the 1 hour and 35 minute running time a slog at a few points, though.

Dominique is best watched by fans of British horror. It’s not particularly gory or fast-paced, and instead focuses on creating that dark atmosphere. There’s some surprising touches of colored lighting as well, which turn this into a slightly more stylish film than expected. All in all, it’s a neat (if predictable) twist on the story of a haunting.

February 14th, 2019 Featured, Movies, Reviews No Comments »

Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992) Review

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Director: Anthony Hickox
Writer: Clive Barker, Peter Atkins
Year: 1992

The original Hellraiser left quite an impression on me. Not only was it creepy, but it had a powerful visual aesthetic that stands up today. Years ago I watched the sequel and didn’t care for it quite as much. Of course, there are still a zillion more Hellraiser movies out there. I finally decided to watch Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth during the Shudder Discord watch-along. It was… interesting.

I love Clive Barker’s concept of “bondage hell” quite a bit. As such, it was initially exciting to see a BDSM club as a main locale of the story. What kind of craziness would be conjured up in The Boiler Room? Well, there was quite a huge murder scene, but other than that, I couldn’t help but be a little let down. I just don’t enjoy the concept of a “good” pre-Pinhead guy existing and being able to contend with his hellish self.

Of course, that’s often the fall of a great horror movie franchise. Revealing a backstory for a character can go well or fall flat. I think the more that Pinhead is humanized, the less interesting he becomes as an antagonist. Fortunately the cenobites are still pretty cool in this movie – even if they become a lot more Terminator-esque. The guy with CDs jammed in his head is a personal favorite of mine.

It was certainly worth watching Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth once. I don’t think I’ll be watching it again anytime soon, though. With that said, I still have plans to eventually watch all the sequels.

February 7th, 2019 Featured, Movies No Comments »

Macabre Review

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Director: Lamberto Bava
Writer: Antonio Avati, Pupi Avati
Year: 1980

It’s a pretty rare occurrence when a horror movie shocks me. Macabre managed to do so. Not by being scary, but by being absolutely ridiculous. It starts off at a breakneck pace with a woman’s son dying and her adulterous partner getting decapitated in a car crash. Things slow down a bit after that, before ramping up for a finale that just makes you go “WHAT?!?” as it unfolds.

Despite the hilarious nature of the film, there are a lot of lulls in between the fun. It almost feels like Lamberto Bava wanted to create a serious mystery. However, from moments like the closing shot, it’s clear that this entire film was made with a sense of humor at the forefront.

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I would have liked to see more character development for anyone (except the daughter who is perfect as is). It would have also been enjoyable if the entire movie goofed around rather than masqueraded as serious fare for a while. As is, it often bored me outside of the engaging intro and finale.

Macabre is still worth watching simply for the campy moments. However, when it comes to Bava films, I’m admittedly much more into his Demons series than this one. Those movies maintain an entertaining (if vapid) storyline, awesome practical effects, and still feature a fun, silly flair.

January 31st, 2019 Featured, Movies, Reviews No Comments »

Fire in the Sky Review

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Director: Robert Lieberman
Writer: Tracy Tormé
Year: 1993

Why did I even watch Fire in the Sky? I think it was due to some folks at Giant Bomb offhandedly referencing how much it scared them when they were children. It had something to do with aliens. Abduction movies aren’t necessarily my forte, but I went ahead and watched it.

It’s such a droll film. Simply put, the group of protagonists never really exist as three-dimensional characters. We know they’re all loggers that work together. Maybe they’re friends. Or maybe they’re just co-workers. At least one of them has a family and another wants to be in a relationship. Beyond that, though, they’re nobodies to the viewer.

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When one guy gets abducted by aliens, I certainly didn’t care. Nor did it bother me when the townsfolk all turned against this group of average dudes. After all, when someone claims their friend was “abducted by aliens” you’d think they’re lying. The goal of Fire in the Sky intends to make viewers question whether or not they are murders or if they truly witnessed an abduction. But again, none of it intrigued me. The whole film moved along much too slowly.

The best – and likely most memorable – moment in the film is when we see a glimpse of our missing man in the alien spacecraft. These scenes prove incredibly haunting. They’re practically on the same level as an iconic scene depicted in A Clockwork Orange. Whoever devised these scenes deserves a lot of credit. Without them, absolutely nobody would remember Fire in the Sky.

January 24th, 2019 Featured, Movies, Reviews No Comments »

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Review

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Director: Tobe Hooper
Writer: Kim Henkel, Tobe Hooper
Year: 1974

One of my great movie-watching shames was having never seen original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. At some point I actually saw the remake but never the 1974 version. After having finally watched it, I see what all the fuss was about.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a dismal movie. No, not in its quality but in what it presents to viewers. It begins with a semi-happy group of young adults trekking through the boonies. Upon getting to their destination, they can’t help but nose around and get mixed up with some seriously messed up neighbors. The film quickly turns into a bleak, terrifying experience.

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I don’t know quite what it is that makes the film so effective, but a lot of it has to do with how unhinged the antagonists are. Leatherface, for example, does not come across as an invincible super being like many iconic horror villains. Yet, he’s clearly deadly. It feels more realistic, which lends itself to a much scarier story.

This movie had my stomach in knots for the minutes leading up to the first death. From then on, I couldn’t help but clench my jaw and simply stare at all that transpired. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre may be a 45 year old film but it definitely hasn’t lost its bite.

January 17th, 2019 Featured, Movies, Reviews No Comments »

You Might Be the Killer Review

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Director: Brett Simmons
Writer:  Covis Berzoyne, Brett Simmons
Year: 2018

You Might Be the Killer landed on a few people’s favorite horror films of 2018 lists. Trusting the judgment of others, I decided to give it a watch. At first, I wasn’t sure how well the movie would play out. The basic concept is provided right in the title – the protagonist has been killing off camp counselors without realizing it.

How can you take something that would just be written off as a joke in a horror-themed skit and make a full film about it? As it turns out, they manage to make a coherent film based off a simple premise. You learn more about why and how our lead became a killer. Along the way expect tons of cheesy references to various horror films.

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It’s a cute movie, to be sure. But cuteness alone doesn’t make it compelling. I cared so little for the protagonist that I can’t even remember his name. In fact, I really only clearly recall his phone call buddy Chuck played by Alyson Hannigan! The fact that they got Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer hyped me up – but that’s clearly the point.

The movie was all about catering to horror fans. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! As a horror fan, I can definitely find enjoyment with copious amounts of horror trivia/fan service. But there’s not a lot of substance beyond it in the case of You Might Be the Killer. Still, it’s a decent watch to see what it offers.

January 14th, 2019 Editorial, Site News No Comments »

Welcome to the Year of Horror

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Movies are a necessary part of my life. In particular, horror films latched onto me at an early age and I’ve never been able to shake them off. It all started with glimpses of horror such as TV airings of Child’s Play and the Psycho remake of all things. Just stealing a quick peek at these was enough to scare the heck out of me, leaving years of worry in their wake. Would I be killed in the shower? Would Chucky somehow come and kill me – in the shower? Yes, these were legitimate fears at the time. Even Goosebumps and Alone in the Dark managed to creep me out on more than one occasion.

As I entered middle school – and started frequenting Blockbuster Video – my interest in horror began to grow. There I was able to access movies such as The Birds and The Shining. I wholeheartedly enjoyed them and wanted much more. Somehow my interest then veered fully into Italian horror and the wide world of giallo. While I don’t quite love giallo as much as I did back in high school, I do still appreciate when a horror film features a powerful visual aesthetic.

Unfortunately, life always seems to get in the way of movie-watching. Back in high school and through early college I’d watch one or more movies a week. This totally took a nosedive later in college and then once work began. Now, though, I think it’s time to rejoin the world of film fans.

My goal this year is to focus on horror movies because I’ve been neglecting them for way too long. I’ve still not seen so many cult and classic titles from the genre. I’d love to cross some off my list. To aid in that effort, I’ve joined streaming service Shudder. But that’s just in addition to the library of horror films that are already in my collection sitting unwatched. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d love to hear them.

Pixel Pacas began its life as a video game review site. However, it is also just the site that I own, and therefore I made the executive decision to include movie reviews as well. I’ll be attempting to keep the content “separate” by utilizing different tags for movie posts. Otherwise, there will indeed be a mix of video game and movie content posted here whenever there’s time to write it!