Started and played 8 hours of 1000xRESIST today, not finished the story but about over the half-way point. This game has turned into some Evangelion/NieR style insanity with its story and I'm looking forward to continuing it tomorrow. If the ending hits the landing, I might give it a perfect 10/10.

I finished Metal Eden again, this time on Brutal difficulty and got the Platinum trophy. Still very fun and a lot of challenging fights here and there. Playtime was 6 hours for Hard difficulty playthrough, 4 hours for trophy clean-up and 6 hours for Brutal difficulty playthrough.

I finished Metal Eden today but replaying it on Brutal difficulty so that I can get the final trophy. It's a really good game but the story does falter at the end. Gameplay is super solid and I recommend the higher difficulties for a good balance of challenge and chaotic fun.

Started my first game for 2026 with Reikon's Metal Eden. This game is really good, a mix of Metroid, Quake and Doom 2016 combined with Ruiner's aesthetics. Playing on Hard mode as I might go through the game on Brutal difficulty later.

Feels good to get a lot of those blog write-ups out of the way as it took hours to get it all done. From this point I can decide what to do with no rush. May start another game or watch something I haven't decided yet.

Catching up on Fallout Season 2 on Prime Video. These bloody ads are so random. One moment it's tidying up dust and then the next round of ads is baby milk and tampons... on a FALLOUT EPISODE.

Also posted the Q1 2026 (January-March) UK home video release slates for #AsianCinema releases on my blog! On the schedule we have Hard Boiled, Japanese Godfather Trilogy, Save the Green Planet!, Angel Guts Collection and more! Read here: normanicgrav.co.uk/2026/01/03/q... #PhysicalMedia #Bluray

Now posted the Q1 2026 (January-March) UK home video release slates for #Anime releases on my blog! On the schedule we have Haikyu!! Season 1, Konosuba Season 3, Lycoris Recoil, Naruto Shippuden and more coming to Blu-ray. Read here: normanicgrav.co.uk/2026/01/03/q... #PhysicalMedia #Bluray

I've compiled my overall thoughts on the #VideoGames I played in 2025 in a two-part blog post! Part 1 covers January through to June. Read here: wp.me/pajoBm-eMB Part 2 covers July through to December. Read here: wp.me/pajoBm-eOz

Some New Year's announcements! First up... Various things are waiting for approvals and/or aren't ready to discuss, so unfortunately, no January livestream. We hope to be able to do one sooner rather than later, but just not the right time to do one right now. But...

Stranger Things Season 5 "Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up". Directed by The Duffer Brothers

An update to my progress. The December 2025 pickups post had a slight delay but will still be ready in the next 15-18 hours. My Video Games Played in 2025 post may need an extra day or two due to various factors.

Happy new year from the UK! 2025 has been a weird year in general with work being a bit of a mess with various things going on (work drama and changes in the role) but apart from that, managed to lose weight (14st 6lb in July to 13st 11lb before Xmas) and kept my head up high as much as possible.

Since 2026 is almost here in the UK, here's my top 15 favourite films for 2025. As much as I really loved both Marty Supreme and One Battle After Another, Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc was an absolute cinema experience (also watched it in IMAX). #Film #Cinema

Here's a look at my entire #anime, #manga, #videogames and #asiancinema collection as of the end of 2025. Another year means more cinema, games, anime and books You can read more here: normanicgrav.co.uk/2025/12/31/g...

As we're approaching the new year, I have a couple blog posts planned for the next few days. Later Today: My complete otaku collection update for 2025 Tomorrow: My December 2025 pickups + The Video Games I Played in 2025 Friday: Q1 2026 Anime & Asian Cinema UK home video release slates

Also arrived are 13 more Sentai Filmworks Blu-rays from their sales. A mixture of newer shows plus a bunch of re-releases that I waited to happen which was handy. (see thread below for the pickups) #Anime #PhysicalMedia #SentaiFilmworks #Bluray

My final packages of the year arrived today. I'll split them up to avoid the post rows being too packed. Let's start off with 13 more Discotek Media Blu-rays, which came from Crunchyroll Store, eBay and Robert's Anime Corner Store. #Anime #PhysicalMedia #DiscotekMedia #Bluray

Finished another game to wrap up the year of 2025 and that's Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for the PlayStation 3. A pretty solid instalment to the franchise and outside of a few janky moments with the controls, plays pretty well for the most part. 8 hours playtime with Platinum trophy.

I finished TimeSplitters 2 via PS Plus Premium, the 2002 PlayStation 2 classic by Free Radical Design. A big improvement to the first game with a decent story, better level structure and a fun Arcade mode with various objectives.

As for anything else, can confirm I've been playing TimeSplitters 2 via the PS Plus Premium service. I was going to play this last year but felt dizzy. Thankfully I'm currently not having any issues this time around. I have finished the story mode as well as 2 of 3 Arcade league difficulties.

Also I town I bought F1 the Movie and Weapons on 4K Ultra HD from HMV as part of their 2 for £40 sale they had. Both films I watched at the cinema earlier in the year and liked them a lot.

Yesterday in town I picked up more Viz Media manga volumes from Travelling Man. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean Volumes 3, 5, 6, 8 & 9 (they didn't have 4 & 7 for context), and because its 3 for 2 on the manga I also added Fist of the North Star Volume 6.

I watched Marty Supreme. It was actually pretty stressful to watch because you have Marty just do so much and every moment is him dealing with denial and stopping points non-stop it was bonkers. Timothée Chalamet was really good in the film and the final act was great.

Going to town tomorrow as I'll be watching Marty Supreme at the cinema in the city centre. The usual cinema that I go to isn't screening the film until January so I wanted to sort it sooner due to work being a nightmare next month.

I got a majority of my Asian Cinema pre-orders sorted for the next few months. Man 2026 is off to a banger start already - 4K releases for Save the Green Planet, Hard Boiled, Fudoh, Peking Opera Blues, and Dragon Lord.

Last night I finished once again another PS Plus Premium title, this time it's Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings, the 2009 PlayStation 2 version by Artificial Mind & Movement (who would later rename as Behaviour Interactive, aka the Dead by Daylight devs). An intriguing but flawed experience.

Merry Christmas! Here's my haul with a mix of everything and a few surprises. Not pictured is a Snack Verse box as one of the items included has been ripped during transit.

Yesterday I finished another PS Plus Premium title and it was Star Wars: The Clone Wars (PS2) from developer Pandemic Studios, who would later develop the Battlefront 1 & 2 games a few years later. This game is honestly better than I had expected and is really fun.

I have most of the Asian Cinema releases ordered that are out in January and February. The only ones not yet sorted are from Arrow Video. There's a lot from their February slate that I would like to get (including American Yakuza) so I may look into ordering directly from them or HMV.

I finished three games via the PS Plus Premium service these past two days! LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (PSP) Star Wars: Demolition (PS1) 2Xtreme (PS1) All have their Platinum trophies achieved as well.

Welcome back to the stage of history

Picked up a couple digital games on sale recently. 1000xRESIST, Dispatch, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising and Metal Eden for PlayStation 5, plus Resonance of Fate 4K/HD Remaster and Voice of Cards for PlayStation 4.

Last Friday after I went to the cinema, I went to town and picked up the latest Radiance Films release Splendid Outing (화려한 외출) from Korean director Kim Soo-yong which released this month. Very uncommon to see Korean films released on home video so I got it as soon as I could.

Been playing LEGO Star Wars II (PSP Version) this past weekend. A lot of repetition with the replays but making a lot of progress reaching the 100% completion. PSP version has extra stuff not in the PS2 version so its longer than usual. Episode IV & V are 100% done, just Episode VI to go.

As it's been a week since HEALTH's new album CONFLICT DLC got released, I wanted to post my overall thoughts on it. They were cooking hard. Their previous album RAT WARS was one of my favourites in recent years but this one is just as good. Honestly I could play all of the songs without an issue.

Watched Avatar: Fire and Ash today in IMAX 3D. I really enjoyed the experience, and there's various parts that I liked, but as I think about it more I can see a few faults here and there. The story is not as strong but the subplots and theme of grief and hate were really good.

Since I'm watching Avatar: Fire and Ash tomorrow (in IMAX 3D format) I recently rewatched both Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water. The first film holds up really well especially with pacing and structure, while the second has some faults but both were really interesting story-wise.

Exploring what games to play next. Want to go through shorter titles like I did at this time of year before. Honestly thinking of playing LEGO Star Wars II (the PSP version) that's available on PlayStation 5 because I'm curious to see how it plays compared to the PS2 version. And also trophies haha.

I am now officially on annual leave! At least until January 2nd. I did some work last night and during that I realised that I didn't need to do too much as the rest of the team should be able to cover the rest or I can make progress in January.

More new arrivals this past week! These posts will focus on the anime and manga pickups! Bleach Parts 5 & 9 from Anime Limited in their limited edition Blu-ray sets! Part 5 was trapped by the delayed release of I'm Standing on a Million Lives so I didn't get it back in May like everyone else did.

Other new arrivals this past week! These posts will focus on the Asian Cinema titles. Starting with a individual pickup for Kaizô Hayashi's 1986 film To Sleep So As To Dream (夢みるように眠りたい) on Blu-ray from Arrow Video to go with the recent Third Window box set. Also includes the first print booklet.

New #anime unboxings now available! Below you can view the UK collector's/deluxe edition releases of... Call of the Night Season 1 (Blu-ray) wp.me/pajoBm-euL Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (Blu-ray) wp.me/pajoBm-euo Dandadan Season 1 (Blu-ray) wp.me/pajoBm-evd Devilman Crybaby (Blu-ray) wp.me/pajoBm-et7

I got back home much earlier than I had anticipated this morning from the work trip. Overall was a good time and enjoyed about two-thirds of it. Had a lot of fun meeting the rest of my team from the other branch. The latter portion of the party was the weakest for me for personal reasons.

Going to be away for the next day due to an offsite work outing, but I have been working hard on getting prep ready for at least 7 anime unboxings that I plan to get finished for this Sunday. I'll be saving the Shawscope Vol. 4 unboxing for a few days after as there's a lot of anime to go over.

Happy to confirm there's finally movement on my Sentai haul, was starting to worry due to lack of updates. The Discotek haul has also been expanded so I'm looking to see how I can get them altogether.

Received a dispatch notice for Bleach Part 9 and DANDADAN plus after a 7 month delay both Bleach Part 5 and I'm Standing on a Million Lives also shipped out. Noice.

Call of the Night and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners UK collector's edition sets have finally been dispatched, should be here before the end of the week if shipping doesn't run into issues. That means I can get unboxings for both of them ready for this weekend also.

My PlayStation stats for 2025. Death Stranding 2 taking the top spot makes sense as I spent the whole of July going through that game. Persona 5 Royal was as long as the original so almost 100 hours makes sense as well.