Little Big Planet Karting Review: Fasten Your Seatbelts

I never imagined that the iconic Stephen Fry would aid me in learning how to drift my car, until I experienced Little Big Planet Karting that is. Our favourite Sackboy returns armed with a thirst for competitive motor racing. With action-packed racing splendour in abundance, is Little Big Planet Karting simply the PlayStation equivalent to Mario Kart? It’s time to rev up the engines and find out!

Little Big Planet Karting begins by delving into a tutorial, narrated aptly by the magnificent Mr Fry. The tutorial allows you to allocate suitable buttons to accelerate and drift. During the tutorial, demonstrations such as drifting and use of weaponry are provided. Upon viewing the demonstrations, you are required to replicate them, to clarify that you understand the controls. The tutorial allows you to select a difficult for the gameplay. The casual difficulty provides little challenge from the computerised opponents. The normal difficulty sees the computerised opponents providing a challenge and acting competitively.  Utilising a difficulty system is useful, as this allows the game to be accessible for children to play, but challenging enough for adults to enjoy.

Little Big Planet Karting provides a story and multiplayer experience. The focal point of the story is for Sackboy and his Sackbot teammates to rid the kingdom of the Hoarders.  Your Sackboy races alongside the Sackbots to defeat the Hoarders. The story takes place across an eclectic range of themed worlds.  There are seventy one levels included within the game, scattered across the various worlds within Little Big Planet Karting. Alongside the racing levels, the title provides mini-games in which you can partake. Some require you to play cooperatively with an individual. If you proceed and have no friends to play with, the game allocates an individual for you to progress through the level alongside. As you delve into the levels and mini-games, you have the opportunity to unlock stickers and customisation items. Whilst racing, you can also collect prize bubbles which provide you with a score upon completion of the track. Dependant on how many prize bubbles you collect, you are placed within a community leaderboard for that specific track.

The multiplayer experience allows you to search for other budding Sackboy enthusiasts to race against. The game provides a quick search for individuals who wish to delve straight into the action-packed mischief. For those seeking a particular race type or track, you can search manually for the perfect race in which you seek. Upon completing a race, you have the opportunity to vote for the next race type and track, or replay the previous race.

Whether you’ve experienced a Little Big Planet title or not, it’s fair to say the titles are renowned for the customisation capabilities they possess. The title allows you to allocate a unique identity to your Sackboy through thorough customisation. Little Big Planet Karting allows you to customise the vehicle that you utilise to race. The game allows you to adjust an array of parts, a handful of examples are the wheels, seats, engine sounds and kart horns. The quirky customisation options are particularly interesting to observe when you do partake in the multiplayer section of the game. Whilst playing online, I saw an individual’s Sackboy dressed as a bunny rabbit. Looking back, this was probably tactical as it distracted my attention from the racing for a split second. That rabbit was certainly rampant…

Little Big Planet Karting is a title that is extremely easy on the eyes. The colour schemes within the various themed worlds are vibrant and add to the quirkiness of this title. I feel passionately that music plays an integral part within video games and racing games in particular. It would be unusual to find an operatic soundtrack to such a fast-paced title. The music within Little Big Planet Karting is quite wacky and eccentric, which replicates the racing experiences throughout the title. If anything, such a quirky soundtrack lightens the competitive situation before you, and allows you to enjoy the light-heartedness of this title.

With high-speed action and over the top weaponry in abundance, it’s easy to see why people may state that Little Big Planet Karting is simply another Mario Kart. There are obvious similarities between the two titles, but Little Big Planet Karting allows a more personal racing experience. The intricate customisation tools does this title justice and enhances the playability immensely. The various scenarios and tasks involved within the story levels will keep any individual entertained. The game isn’t completely focused around the idea of competitive racing as it allows you to delve into trials and other mini-games. Little Big Planet Karting takes the foundations that Mario Kart unveiled and takes them that one step further. So what are you waiting for? Fasten your seatbelts and propel yourself into the wonders of Little Big Planet Karting. Don’t forget though, drive safely… ;)

Exclusives

Following the cancellation of Mass Effect 3’s Collector’s Edition merely a week before release, I’ve been feeling apprehensive about pre-ordering a title with GAME again. Unfortunately I’ve discovered that the Ultimate Songbird Edition of Bioshock is a GAME exclusive. Despite my interest in this particular special edition release, my past experience with GAME leaves me reluctant to purchase. The above got me thinking about companies that allocate exclusive releases and content to specific retailers. Is separating content across an array of retailers to entice people to pre-order really the most sensible move?

I think it’s safe to say everyone has a preferred retailer when pre-ordering titles. This favouritism may boil down to attractive pricing or swift deliveries of products in the past. When a company announces that their special editions or exclusive content will be allocated to a specific retailer, I can’t help but feel cheated. An individual will lose out on content that probably should have been implemented within the game anyway, simply owing to their choice of retailer. Does this seem like insanity to anyone else?

I understand that the majority of this is business related, but what about loyalty and fairness to the customers? Why should an individual utilise another retailer to make a purchase because two major companies have struck up a ‘deal.’ Many of you may dispute that people should simply take a chance on another retailer if they want the content that badly. My argument is, many people have experienced delays and disappointment with particular retailers regarding game releases. Some of the exclusives released are specific to one retailer. If someone has a troublesome experience with that specific store, why on earth would they trust them to deliver?

I’d love to hear your opinions regarding this topic. It’s something I passionately feel needs to be resolved, not just for the sake of the consumer, but for the sake of other retailers. Do any of you feel the same way regarding exclusives? Feel free to get in touch and express your opinions on this potentially controversial topic!

My Favourite Game Series: The Sims

Everyone has a game series within their collection that they simply adore. It’s often a series that truly shapes and revolutionises the way in which they approach gaming. It’s safe to say anyone who knows me is well aware of my favourite game series. With plumbobs, simoleons and ‘WooHoo’ in abundance, who doesn’t love the occasional game of The Sims!?

I discovered The Sims whilst visiting a friend’s house shortly after it had released. Being described as a ‘virtual dollhouse’ me, being  a ten year old became overwhelmed with excitement. Needless to say, my parents were greeted with countless hours of nagging when I returned home. Knowing how destructive my behaviour was with a real dollhouse, the prospect of owning a virtual one to destroy was irresistible. 

It felt like an age had passed as I patiently waited for The Sims to install. Little did I know, this title I discovered by chance would shape my gaming experiences for many years.  Although I enjoyed The Sims immensely upon discovering it, as I became more mature, I began to understand the concepts and possibilities the series provides. 

The Sims series has come a long way since it was released just twelve years ago. As an avid fan, I was delighted when The Sims was introduced to console. Despite owning every PC release within The Sims series, I swiftly purchased the console releases that followed. Just when I thought my passion for The Sims could develop no further, I found myself partaking in a balancing act between experiencing The Sims on console and on PC. There were simply not enough hours in the day to satisfy my obsession at this stage

.

Having collected an astronomical amount of The Sims titles, people often ask me ‘What’s your favourite title?’ The Sims 2 is probably my favourite title released within the series, owing to the amount of time I spent playing it. The possibilities were truly endless, so much so that I delved into story-writing and creating my own attire for The Sims 2. It truly was an accessible game for an eclectic audience. My favourite expansion packs from The Sims 2 series were Seasons and Pets. Implementing weather into The Sims really did the series some justice, and provided a further degree of realism to the game.

Having purchased two PCs just to play the latest release in the series, The Sims 3, people would argue that I am obsessed. In my opinion, The Sims is merely a passion to me, not an obsession. Thus far, I’ve collected every expansion pack released for this instalment of the series.  The Sims 3: Pets has been my favourite expansion pack to date, owing to my profound love of animals. I’m delighted that my other favourite expansion pack is finally being implemented into The Sims 3 experience. The Seasons expansion pack is a fan-favourite and including weather is something Simmers have wanted for quite some time.

I found it difficult to provide a ‘summary’ regarding my experience of The Sims. If I were given the opportunity, I know I could write reams of facts and experiences regarding The Sims. If anyone does have any questions regarding The Sims or this article, feel free to tweet me on @xsuperhan.

Thanks for reading, happy simming!

Silent Hill: Downpour Review - Unleash The Downpour

Silent Hill: Downpour is a title that immediately captured my attention when it was announced. Following the completion of Silent Hill: Homecoming, I swiftly became engrossed with the series and another installment triggered my interest once more. The revelation that water and weather would play a primary role within the title heightened my curiosity further. So, did Silent Hill: Downpour, conjure the perfect storm or was it simply a wash-out?

The beginning of Silent Hill: Downpour allows you to take control of the protagonist Murphy Pendleton within a federal correctional facility. The story is gradually introduced to us throughout the introduction and integrated tutorial. This allows the player to grasp both the basic controls and narrative present within the title. The introduction reveals that Murphy will be transported to another penitentiary along with some other cellmates. They board the transportation vehicle only for it to detour off-road and inevitably crash owing to treacherous weather conditions and the road mysteriously coming to an end. Murphy regains consciousness to discover that the crash site has been abandoned. Alone, he traverses the desolate environment making his way towards Silent Hill. Murphy innocently explores the eerie town of Silent Hill seeking an escape route. Little does he know, his time in Silent Hill will become a harrowing journey of self-discovery and torment regarding his past.

The protagonist reacts to his surroundings immensely which conjures tension for the player in abundance. His reactions often prompt you to discover things you may not have observed previously. The desolate environment present within the game is extremely effective in keeping an individual on edge. If the town possessed an array of sprawling enemies, the eerie environment would not be so evident. The utilisation of sound when traversing Silent Hill often escalated my fear as opposed to an enemy lunging at me. The weather alerts the player that something dangerous lies ahead. Enemies are also stronger when it begins to rain. The player is then required to either combat the enemies or enter a building until the rain subsides. For your protagonist, Silent Hill: Downpour includes moral choices during certain events within the game. Negative and positive responses to these choices will alter the ending received. There are six endings based on two central narratives within the game.

Silent Hill: Downpour includes an array of side-quests which are scattered throughout the town of Silent Hill. The inclusion of side-quests to this title attracted me immensely, as it provides an optional extension to your experience of Silent Hill. The player will meet a diverse range of people whilst undertaking side-quests within the game. Side-quests and locations throughout may require you to complete puzzles and utilise code inputs. Clues will be present within the environment owing to the difficulty level you select. Along with rewards for completing the side-quests, the player will also gain intricate insight into Murphy and Silent Hill. Finding the side-quests and objectives related can be an arduous task upon occasion. The player may lose their way frequently within Silent Hill owing to waypoints not being included in the game. To traverse the town of Silent Hill, you may find yourself relying on the map within the journal more than you would like to.

Whilst traversing the town, equipping a weapon is vital to survive the enemies that lurk the streets. The town is littered with an array of weapons for the protagonist to utilise. The vast selection of weapons included within the game are crucial as the weapons eventually break and become useless. The elevation in tension when a weapon breaks whilst combating an enemy is immense, as you desperately attempt to flee seeking another weapon. Players have access to an inventory which allows you to store a weapon and items you collect along your travels. Silent Hill: Downpour allows the player to carry one melee weapon and one firearm which adds to the suspense and tension when combating enemies. Various weapons will aid you in bypassing obstacles throughout Silent Hill. A downside to the weaponry within Silent Hill: Downpour is that it can often be lost in various cutscenes and moments within the game. The inventory will store important items you retrieve in relation to the plot and side-quests. Scattered across Silent Hill, the protagonist will discover first aid kits. These are a mandatory item when traversing Silent Hill and infinite amounts can be stored in your inventory.

Silent Hill: Downpour grants the player discretion regarding the method in which they utilise to defeat an enemy. When combating an individual, the player has the ability to incapacitate, kill or flee the enemy. Fleeing is an extremely useful option when a group of enemies pursue the protagonist. The combat system is somewhat flawed when attempting to combat numerous enemies simultaneously. Whilst fleeing, the player is able to glance over the protagonist's shoulder to observe the surroundings behind them. This is especially effective when an enemy is pursuing you as it conjures a high level of tension for the player. Something I observed upon occasion when traversing the town is the frame rates dropping. It was not a regular occurrence but I can understand this revelation being slightly off-putting for a player. I found it tolerable as I became engrossed in the storyline and overall experience the game provides.

Overall, Silent Hill: Downpour provides intricate survival horror experience that on the surface most people could appreciate. Delving into the realms of this eerie title, the way the story is unraveled entices the player to progress. The inclusion of side-quests may broaden the target audience as it allows the players to explore and complete optional challenges/objectives. As with many games, Silent Hill: Downpour possesses some issues such as frame rate drops, but for the most part they can be overlooked owing to the quality of the gameplay and content. Fans of Silent Hill who were apprehensive about this title should at least try it before writing it off. I found that Silent Hill: Downpour was a much more immersive and powerful title as opposed to Homecoming. With a powerful storyline and countless opportunities to explore the desolate town of Silent Hill, what are you waiting for? Unleash the downpour for yourself and immerse yourself in the vapours of Silent Hill and Murphy's troubled past.

8/10

We Built This City On...

Swiftly after successfully mastering Sim City 4, my city building desires became apparent once more. Following numerous hours of gameplay, I began searching for an alternative to Sim City 4. Owing to an advertisment on Steam, I discovered Cities XL 2012. It immediately appealed to me owing to it being a more recent release as opposed to Sim City 4. With a new Sim City being released, will Cities XL ensure that your hunger for sculpting and conjuring cities is appeased?

Upon commencing Cities XL 2012, you are given the opportunity to delve into the tutorial. I recommended playing the tutorial if you are new to the series or the city-building genre itself. The tutorial covers some basic tools that the player will need to utilise to construct their city. It explains how to place roads and zone lots throughout your city. You are given the opportunity to select an area within a region to commence building your city. These regions are displayed on a globe that offers an extensive array of maps. You can filter these maps by their difficulty, region and the resources available. This menu also keeps a list of all your cities allowing you to swap cities as you please. It also tracks the achievements you earn whilst your city grows.

Cities XL 2012 allows you to construct an array of buildings within your city. These buildings are divided into categories. The housing category must be utilised within your city to grant workers a home. The individuals that reside in your city comprise of four categories. These residential categories are unskilled and skilled workers, executives and elites. Each category will possess their own wishes and demands for the city. Unskilled workers are relatively satisfied with minimal services and leisure as opposed to elites who will demand more from your city. As your city expands, you gain access to medium and high density lots.

As individuals flock your city seeking vast opportunities and housing, they will also be seeking employment. A large amount of the population will proceed to work in the industrial field. The industrial category is divided into categories including the food industry, heavy industry, manufacturing industry, high tech industry and offices. Each industrial category will employ individuals from different residential backgrounds. For example, the heavy industry employs primarily unskilled workers. Once again, as the city's growth increases, higher density lots will become available to you.

Another category of lots you have access to within the game is commerce. This includes retail buildings, hotels and leisure facilities. The quality and quantity of the commerce buildings within your city can have a negative or positive impact on the population's overall satisfaction. The commerce buildings also generate numerous jobs for individuals living within your city.

Utilities play a fundamentally important role regarding the progression of your city. People may demand access to certain utilities such as electricity and water. They may become unhappy if the cost of utilities becomes extortionate. City services are crucial in keeping the population of your city satisfied. As the residential categories expand within your city, so will their demands. Executives and elites demand more inclusion of city services such as schools and police stations. Cities XL 2012 allows you to decorate your city to an extent. It allows you to place areas such as plazas and include landmarks within your city. This not only improves the appearance of your city but your population's satisfaction too.

The transportation panel grants you access to an array of tools that make commuting and traversing your city easy for your inhabitants. As the growth of your city increases, the amount of road types will increase. Each road type possesses a unique price and maximum capacity of commuters.

The budget panel is an important tool when attempting to successfully run a city. The general tab highlights the overall income and expenses of the city. The taxes panel allows you to raise and lower the taxes throughout the city. Always keep in mind that this will also have an impending impact upon your population. The third panel provides a breakdown of the most profitable and expensive resources within the city. The loans section grants you access to loans that help you combat debt or improve your city in someway.

Satisfaction is a crucial concept within this title. The population panel provides a breakdown of statistics regarding the circumstances of your inhabitants within the city. It highlights numerous statistics such as the home filling rate, the quantity of jobs available and the amount of citizens that reside within your city. It also highlights unemployment which allows you to act and place suitable career lots for various residential categories. There is a panel that displays the citizens' satisfaction regarding their expenses and how much money they earn from their career. There is also a panel that demonstrates how happy the citizens are regarding the environment and services available within the city. The resource panel provides an intricate look at the usage of freight and transportation. This grants you the opportunity to improve or remove resources where you see fit. The public transport panel highlights the efficiency of public transport such as taking the bus. This allows you to determine if inclusion of more buses is necessary for your city.

The satisfaction panels located in the top right hand corner allow you to hover over a category to reveal their satisfaction levels. These are presented with a percentage and is a swift method of discovering the satisfaction present within your city. If you click an individual category, it grants you access to an intricate breakdown of what that category is pleased with, what they demand and anything they are unhappy about.

The side panel located on the right hand side grants you access to even more panels displaying satisfaction. It's becoming abundantly clear that satisfaction is what allows your city to grow and progress. The population tab locates the four categories individually and pinpoints where they reside within your city.  The satisfaction tab highlights the population's satisfaction with the quality and quantity of services within the city such as schools and hospitals. The economy tab highlights jobs and vacant jobs within the city. Noise and air pollution are exposed in the environment tab. The resources tab locates areas within your city that resources such as oil and water can be retrieved. The transportation tab measures traffic satisfaction within your city and highlights the bus/metro lines utilised.

I approached this game with an open mind, trying extremely hard not to compare it to Sim City 4. It is an extremely enjoyable title which will indeed fill the void for city builders everywhere awaiting the release of Sim City in 2013. The title is extremely in-depth with the statistics and criteria a player may have to meet to keep people happy. Overall, it is an accessible game for someone who may not be familiar with a city-building game. With the range of difficulties available, it provides a challenge for a range of individuals. Cities XL 2012 is no Sim City by any means, but that being said, why would anyone want that? It's a fresh spin to the city-building genre and a title I think everyone should at least try.

Thanks for reading,

Hannah

The Month Ahead - April 2012

The month of April sees releases decline slightly but still promises an eclectic range of titles for you to enjoy. Hopefully having less of a selection this month will allow your bank account to recover from March’s spending spree. That being said, these titles do look pretty tempting…

Kinect Star Wars

Developer(s): Terminal Reality

Publisher(s): LucasArts

Genre(s): Action

Mode(s): Single play, local co-op

Platform(s): Xbox 360

Release date(s): April 3, 2012

Kinect Star Wars is arguably the most anticipated title for the Kinect to date. With a console and limited edition Kinect designed around the game, it has successfully captured the imagination of budding Star Wars fans. 

The player is required to take the role of a Jedi within Kinect Star Wars. Several new characters are introduced throughout the game as you make progress.  Utilising the Kinect the player possesses the ability to throw objects with the Force or wield a lightsaber merely by using their hands. The player can use their body to control X-wing starfighters and podracers and can also utilise a voice component to make additional commands.

The events of Kinect Star Wars takes place during the prequel trilogy timeline of the Star Wars universe. It begins shortly after Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and concludes during the events of Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith. Settings from the original trilogy are included in the game such as planet Bespin featured in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. The player also gets the opportunity to fight Darth Vader in the game.

Prototype 2

Developer(s): Radical Entertainment

Publisher(s): Activision

Genre(s): Action

Mode(s): Single play

Platform(s): Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC

Release date(s): April 24, 2012 (NA) April 27, 2012 (EU) (Playstation 3 & Xbox 360) July 24, 2012 (NA) (PC)

The protagonist in Prototype 2 is James Heller, an individual that holds Alex Mercer responsible for the deaths of his family members. Following his survival of a suicide mission and having the virus administered by Alex Mercer, Heller wishes to kill Mercer. Mercer is the game’s primary antagonist. Owing to the mutation of the virus, Heller does not completely resemble Mercer. The virus’ mutation has formed tendrils which makes Heller’s appearance a more organic and fluid look as opposed to Mercer’s black and red metallic coloration. 

The events within Prototype 2 take place 14 months after the events of Prototype.  Manhattan has been quarantined and cordoned off from the other boroughs of New York City. These boroughs have been divided into three categories, the Red, Yellow and Green zones. Each region symbolises how affected that segment of New York City is by the Blacklight virus. The Red zone is Manhattan which happens to be the home of Alex Mercer. Within this zone, the virus proceeds to grow unhindered.  The Yellow zone is a triage full of the poor and shanty towns. The Green zone highlights the non-infected area of New York City. Heller will have missions within each zone to complete. The difficulty of the mission will depend on which zone it resides within.

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (Console)

Developer(s): CD Projekt Red

Publisher(s): Namco Bandai

Genre(s): Role-playing game

Mode(s): Single play

Platform(s): Xbox 360

Release date(s): April 17, 2012 (INT)

Owing to the popularity of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings on the PC, a decision has been made to transfer it to console to allow console gamers to delve into its splendour. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings allows the player to traverse various paths and storylines which include multiple endings. The player takes control of Geralt of Rivia, one of the few remaining witchers. Witchers are humans who are genetically enhanced to allow them to combat monsters from a young age. Each witcher possesses unique special powers. These range from alchemy, magic and sword handling. 

During the prologue, Geralt is interrogated within a prison in the kingdom of Temeria by Vernon Roche. He is the commander of a group of Temerian special forces by the name of the Blue Stripes. He is being interrogated regarding the assassination of the king of Temeria, King Foltest. Geralt recalls the events leading up to Foltest’s death, during which he acted as Foltest’s bodyguard. During an uprising against Foltest by noble families of Temeria, Foltest personally handles the battle to locate his illegitimate children, Anais and Boussy, who are being held captive by the rebels.  Once Foltest locates his children, he is assassinated by an assassin disguised as a blind monk, who proceeds to escape before Geralt has time to react. Temerian forces then locate Geralt and falsely accuse him of killing Foltest. After Geralt protesting his innocence, Roche decides to aid him in escaping prison.

With a slim selection of games being released, is this the calm before the storm in terms of the release calendar? We’ll have to wait and see. I thank you for reading and I hope you have a lovely month of gaming. Below is a list of other titles that are being released for you to contemplate purchasing.

Many thanks,

Hannah

List of releases: VGReleases

Sources: IGN, Gamespot, Wikipedia

And So Our Story Begins...

Following the renowned discussion regarding the Mass Effect 3 ending, the events got me thinking about the very structure of a story and how fundamental it can be within gaming. Many individuals expressed their sheer disappointment and criticisms of the ending they experienced within Mass Effect 3. The volume of complaints received reflects the abundant importance of a sufficient ending, despite the quality of the game throughout. Is this the way stories within video games should be perceived? I’ll be challenging and discussing this observation and expressing my own opinion on the matter. 

People often forget that stories utilised within video games are creative concepts conjured by individuals who adore storytelling. They are quick to forget that these individuals are masters in their field, thus being appointed to deliver the story. No matter how talented these individuals are, it is simply an impossible task to create a conclusion to a series which is going to satisfy each and every person who embarks on that journey.

That being said, people often neglect the journey they take whilst delving into a story. This is especially apparent in the gaming industry. People are impatient and often plough through a game without observing everything and allowing time to absorb the storyline. For me personally, a game that includes an immersive storyline and powerful character development is something I thoroughly enjoy and feel is often overlooked. I feel that the journey and events throughout the game are a necessity and can often make up for an ending that is deemed as poor.

People are also quick to forget that some titles possess alternate endings. These endings can be altered and activated depending on decisions you make throughout the game. This again raises the problem where people merely rush through the storyline. They will miss fundamental segments in the game which could drastically alter the ending they receive.

One thing I will stress is that people are entitled to express their opinion, which is completely acceptable. What I feel should not be deemed as acceptable is that people are posing death threats to developers because they aren’t happy with a product. No level of disappointment excuses any sort of threat when people are merely doing their job. 

Although this has been a swift glance at this topic, it is already abundantly clear that it can provide a heated debate amongst gamers. The key concept to keep in mind is that games are of course sources of entertainment for us budding gamers, but their very creation counts for the livelihood of those individuals involved in the development. A product cannot be altered constantly owing to this dissatisfaction of a group of people. If you are dissatisfied with a product, simply boycott future titles instead of complaining and continuing to invest in their creations.

Something else to consider is the gaming industry is populated by an astronomical amount of individuals, each with their unique interests and hobbies. This alone will determine how an individual will perceive a game and what titles will interest them. 

I’m extremely interested in how people received this article and your opinions regarding the content included. Feedback would be appreciated immensely; I encourage people to challenge and comment on my articles. Individual opinions are extremely important in helping me determine what to write about next.

Thanks for reading,

Hannah