Video Games...Discuss Them

[Skitch]

Most FPS focus more on online multiplayer nowadays. BioShock put more effort in the campaign.


Absolutely right. Which completely leaves people like me, who don't give a rats ass about online/multiplayer, out in the cold. Halo 3...WAY too short.

[Scar]

Absolutely right. Which completely leaves people like me, who don't give a rats ass about online/multiplayer, out in the cold. Halo 3...WAY too short.

Goddamn right.

[Skitch]

Blurb I heard on the radio..."If you spent half the time you spend on Guitar Hero learning to play real guitar, you'd be Zack fucking Wylde, banging hot chicks on matresses made of money. Just a thought."

:lol:

I concur.

[number8]

Blurb I heard on the radio..."If you spent half the time you spend on Guitar Hero learning to play real guitar, you'd be Zack fucking Wylde, banging hot chicks on matresses made of money. Just a thought."

:lol:

I concur.

The dude who said it obviously don't know that you can be banging more chicks than Zack Wylde by showing off Guitar Hero skills nowadays,

[D_Davis]

The dude who said it obviously don't know that you can be banging more chicks than Zack Wylde by showing off Guitar Hero skills nowadays,

Yep.

Chicks dig nerds now.

Zack Wylde's a douche.

[number8]

I lol'd.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2008/20081020.jpg

In case you didn't get the joke:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9c/Golden_Axe_Beast_Rider.jpg

[Saya]

The reviews for Fable II are starting to come in now. Eurogamer (http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=263778) gave the game a 10/10. And Edge a 9. :)

[D_Davis]

The reviews for Fable II are starting to come in now. Eurogamer (http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=263778) gave the game a 10/10. And Edge a 9. :)

I know. As if I couldn't get any more excited. Although, the European press LOVES European made games...but still.

[Saya]

That is true, they are a little bit biased sometimes. Still, pretty great scores from some of the more critical game review sites out there. I'm just happy that the game is being received really well. :)

Ars Technica (http://arstechnica.com/reviews/games/fable-2-review.ars) put up a great review as well, no score though. I loved this little quote at the end:


Deciding to put off questing for that rare treasure you've been seeking for weeks on your one day off from real-life work because the townspeople want your blood for overcharging, your wife is pregnant with your third child and she wants more money and nice furniture for the family, your ex-wife is sleeping with the blacksmith at the store you own, and your first-born son is attacking the neighbor's chickens with the toy sword you gave him.

[D_Davis]

Nice!

IGN's scores are in, too: 8.8 US, and 9.5 UK.

I was expecting this game to get slammed due to the empty promises of the first one. At least I expected reviewers to be ultra-critical. I hope they were and that the game is seriously as good as it sounds.

And dammit, I have band practice tomorrow night, so it looks like I won't get to play it until Wednesday.

[Ezee E]

The dude who said it obviously don't know that you can be banging more chicks than Zack Wylde by showing off Guitar Hero skills nowadays,
Name one Guitar Hero stud.

But wait, who is Zack?

Breaks even.

[Saya]

Remember that one achievement in Dead Rising called Zombie Genocide? You had to kill 53,594 zombies. Well, Left 4 Dead has an achievement called Zombie Genocidest and you have to kill 53,595 zombies (1 more zombie than the Dead Rising achievement). :)

Also, a bunch of new Left 4 Dead screens:


http://i36.tinypic.com/n3wy0h.gif

http://i34.tinypic.com/24g3s4h.gif

http://i35.tinypic.com/242da47.gif

http://i38.tinypic.com/975ffn.gif

http://i34.tinypic.com/2zpiflj.gif

http://i36.tinypic.com/25q4xht.gif

http://i34.tinypic.com/i4pkwk.gif

http://i38.tinypic.com/2jdgtc1.gif

http://i36.tinypic.com/qr0k6q.gif

http://i35.tinypic.com/2qlv82c.gif

http://i35.tinypic.com/2ytvc06.gif

http://i36.tinypic.com/20r5rgw.gif

http://i34.tinypic.com/16ify12.gif

[D_Davis]

How much does Valve rule?

[megladon8]

I'm still pretty concerned about "Left 4 Dead".

On one hand, it's Valve, doing a zombie game - should rock.

But on the other hand, I'm really not interested in a game that can only be played co-op. In my experience with co-op games, there is always some douche who either flies through the level and finishes everything without the others, or purposely gets his teammates killed so he can basically play solo.

[Watashi]

Is Assassin's Creed worth 20 bucks?

I heard it got less than stellar reviews.

[Scar]

Is Assassin's Creed worth 20 bucks?

I heard it got less than stellar reviews.

Its very pretty. I've done a couple assassinations, and I enjoy it. Not everyone will enjoy it, but I paid $30 or so, and have no complaints.

[D_Davis]

I'm still pretty concerned about "Left 4 Dead".

On one hand, it's Valve, doing a zombie game - should rock.

But on the other hand, I'm really not interested in a game that can only be played co-op. In my experience with co-op games, there is always some douche who either flies through the level and finishes everything without the others, or purposely gets his teammates killed so he can basically play solo.

You can play solo and have the other characters controlled by AI.

You can also play as the zombies and try to kill other players.

There are all kinds of ways to play this game.

[D_Davis]

Is Assassin's Creed worth 20 bucks?

I heard it got less than stellar reviews.

Totally worth $20.

I bought it for $60, played it for about 20 hours, sold it, and I don't regret it at all.

[megladon8]

You can play solo and have the other characters controlled by AI.

You can also play as the zombies and try to kill other players.

There are all kinds of ways to play this game.


OK, I thought it was an online-only co-op game.

I was also expecting that there'd be some monthly/annual fee because of this.

Well, colour me excited then :)

[number8]

Its very pretty. I've done a couple assassinations, and I enjoy it. Not everyone will enjoy it, but I paid $30 or so, and have no complaints.

I didn't finish it because of how extremely repetitive it was.

[Scar]

I didn't finish it because of how extremely repetitive it was.

Yeah, don't know if I'll ever finish it, but I sure do love the bird's eye panoramic shots....

[Skitch]

And dammit, I have band practice tomorrow night, so it looks like I won't get to play it until Wednesday.

Whoa, you're in a band? Cool...or...am I the only one that didn't know this?

The band I was in for the last 3.5 years folded. Taking autumn off, writing new stuff over winter, starting up anew in spring.

I can't wait for tomorrow! I could pick up Fable 2 tonight at midnight, but I'm a workin' man.

[number8]

I've been following Penny Arcade for years now, and it's amazing to watch Gabe's art improving with each year. That's what I love about being a regular comic book fan, seeing some of these artists really try and improve their art.

They just launched the Prince of Persia storybook here (http://prince-of-persia.us.ubi.com/PA/html/index.php). The coloring is gorgeous.

[D_Davis]

Whoa, you're in a band? Cool...or...am I the only one that didn't know this?

The band I was in for the last 3.5 years folded. Taking autumn off, writing new stuff over winter, starting up anew in spring.


I've been playing in bands and recording music for over 15 years now. I recently joined the band I am in now as a bassist. Their bass player left after they recorded their first album. We're called The Golden Greys - straightforward indie rock, a kind of Sebadoh meets Elvis Costello thing. It's fun, nice guys too.

http://www.myspace.com/thegoldengreys

My solo page...

http://www.myspace.com/zphantom4

I have 13 solo albums recorded, and I recently started on my next solo project, Carl Sagan's Ghost.

What kind of band/music did you play? Any recordings?


Back on topic...

8, I totally agree. I've been following PA for years, must be over a decade, since they first started, and to see the improvement in the art is one of my favorite things.

[KK2.0]

I am. PSN Dukefrukem

added you Duke, let's play some Wipeout anyday...

but it seems you can't put Dead Space down :) I can't wait to play it too.



Nice!

IGN's scores are in, too: 8.8 US, and 9.5 UK.

I was expecting this game to get slammed due to the empty promises of the first one. At least I expected reviewers to be ultra-critical. I hope they were and that the game is seriously as good as it sounds.

I thought the first game was excellent actually. But maybe because I've played it much later on PC and forgot most of Molyneux's hype, which was ridiculous at the time.

Fable 2 must have been received with a lot less prejudice, i guess. Too bad my Notebook sucks for gaming (damn you Intel graphics), but i'll still try it as soon as it's available for it.

[D_Davis]

I thought the first game was excellent actually. But maybe because I've played it much later on PC and forgot most of Molyneux's hype, which was ridiculous at the time.


I like Fable as well. I like PM's hype. He is a dreamer, and I think we need more dreamers involved in media. He thinks big, and likes to talk about his ideas. On some he delivers, on others he doesn't, but that's cool. He is almost always fascinating to listen to, and well spoken and thoughtful.

[KK2.0]

I love to hear him speak too, but i've learned not to expect half of it to become true in his next project. :lol:

[D_Davis]

I love to hear him speak too, but i've learned not to expect half of it to become true in his next project. :lol:

I think he is the kind of guy who has to externalize his thoughts and bounce things off of lots of other people before realizing that it either can or can't be done.

He's a maverick.

[megladon8]

John Carpenter's The Thing + "Resident Evil 4" + "Metroid Prime" = "Dead Space"

[D_Davis]

John Carpenter's The Thing + "Resident Evil 4" + "Metroid Prime" = "Dead Space"

That's pretty much what I was hoping for. I've heard it's pretty easy and short, too, which is a good thing. I have no patience for really hard games any more.

[megladon8]

That's pretty much what I was hoping for. I've heard it's pretty easy and short, too, which is a good thing. I have no patience for really hard games any more.


What have you been playing lately? I realize you just got back from your trip, but I was just wondering.

And are my PM's even getting through? I wonder if this is a side-effect from the weird, huge empty spaces I had yesterday...


EDIT: Forgot to mention that I thought the map system in "Dead Space" was really cool.

You have a map, but you also have this locator device on your hand. You hold out your hand and it projects a linear laser, showing you what direction you should be heading in.

It's a simple thing, but it's really neat.

[megladon8]

And it's funny you mention not having the patience for hard games anymore, yet you're so enamoured with "N+".

That gave drove me batshit crazy. I couldn't get past the first stage of the 4th set of levels.

[Skitch]

I've been playing in bands and recording music for over 15 years now. I recently joined the band I am in now as a bassist. Their bass player left after they recorded their first album. We're called The Golden Greys - straightforward indie rock, a kind of Sebadoh meets Elvis Costello thing. It's fun, nice guys too.

http://www.myspace.com/thegoldengreys

My solo page...

http://www.myspace.com/zphantom4

I have 13 solo albums recorded, and I recently started on my next solo project, Carl Sagan's Ghost.

What kind of band/music did you play? Any recordings?


Back on topic...

8, I totally agree. I've been following PA for years, must be over a decade, since they first started, and to see the improvement in the art is one of my favorite things.

I'll get with on myspace, so as not to totally derail this thread.

:)

[D_Davis]

And are my PM's even getting through? I wonder if this is a side-effect from the weird, huge empty spaces I had yesterday...


I just haven't responded yet. Sorry...

I haven't been playing anything at all lately. I can't even remember what the last video game I played was. I guess it was Too Human.

[megladon8]

I just haven't responded yet. Sorry...

Don't worry about it. I don't mean to hound you with messages about it, but I was afraid you weren't getting them.

Hope all's well on that front.


More on "Dead Space"...

The sound design is phenomenal and even outshines the great graphics. I have to say, sound design could very well be the most integral part of creating the atmosphere in a good horror game. Just about any good, genuinely scary game I can think of had great sound.

I find the upgrading system (by using a Work Bench to incorporate power nodes into your gear/weapons) to be needlessly convoluted, especially in its presentation. Your given a big chart of all these different coloured dots, some of them can and can't be upgraded, and I really don't understand why. Some of the blank dots can be upgraded as well, but that doesn't seem to do anything.

I just don't get it, and there's absolutely nothing in the manual about it. It's pretty annoying, actually.

And some of the weapons just don't seem powerful at all. The Plasma Cutter takes sometimes 6-10 shots to kill an enemy. The assault rifle can take a whole clip or more to kill one enemy.

I've resorted to almost solely using the Line Gun, though ammo for it is so scarce and so expensive to buy.

[D_Davis]

I just picked up Dead Space. I am going to wait on Fable 2 until I have more time - I'd like to take a couple of days off to play it.

[Sycophant]

Chicks dig nerds now.This myth needs to die.

Chicks dig nerds who have redeeming and otherwise attractive qualities.

[Sycophant]

Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility stole my entire weekend. Yes, my entire goddamned weekend.

I love it.

[megladon8]

It's weird that IGN doesn't have reviews up for "Far Cry 2" or "Spider-Man: Web of Shadows" yet.

They both come out today, and they're both pretty big releases. Usually they're ahead of the game with this stuff.

[SirNewt]

Goddamn right.


No kidding. I love Halo:CE's multiplayer but what made them think that's all we loved about it? After CE it's like they quit even trying on the campaign.

[SirNewt]

I like Fable as well. I like PM's hype. He is a dreamer, and I think we need more dreamers involved in media. He thinks big, and likes to talk about his ideas. On some he delivers, on others he doesn't, but that's cool. He is almost always fascinating to listen to, and well spoken and thoughtful.

ehh, this would be fine with me if even 1/10th of the shit that left his mouth was remotely possible. Anyone can sit back and say what games should be. Molyneux is pretty worthless in my book, relevant 10 years ago, worthless today.

EDIT:

I'm not sure why you'd expect a backlash against Fable II over what Fable I lacked. That game scored quite well.

I'm cynical bout F2 but a 9 from EDGE is nothing to be ignored.

[Dukefrukem]

anyone beat Dead Space yet?

[Justin]

It's weird that IGN doesn't have reviews up for "Far Cry 2" or "Spider-Man: Web of Shadows" yet.

They both come out today, and they're both pretty big releases. Usually they're ahead of the game with this stuff.

They could be bad reviews and the companies are paying to hold them off until later. Look at how long it took NBA Live 09's review to come after 2k9.

[D_Davis]

Molyneux is pretty worthless in my book, relevant 10 years ago, worthless today.


Wrong.

[Saya]

The new Alan Wake trailer is up. (http://www.gamersyde.com/stream_9115_en.html)

It's all looking pretty good now. The animations could use some more work, but the game is still so far off I'm sure they will fix that.

[Saya]

Screenshots from the trailer:

http://images.gamersyde.com/gallery/public/9614/759_0005.jpg

http://images.gamersyde.com/gallery/public/9614/759_0006.jpg

http://images.gamersyde.com/gallery/public/9614/759_0008.jpg

http://images.gamersyde.com/gallery/public/9614/759_0009.jpg

http://images.gamersyde.com/gallery/public/9614/759_0013.jpg

http://images.gamersyde.com/gallery/public/9614/759_0014.jpg

http://images.gamersyde.com/gallery/public/9614/759_0017.jpg

http://images.gamersyde.com/gallery/public/9614/759_0018.jpg

[D_Davis]

anyone beat Dead Space yet?

I just started, just freed the tram system.

Neat game so far, although there are some control issues. Why do so many games still insist on having a run button when they could easily implement such a feature into the analog controls? I have having a sprint button. Just let me control how fast my dude walks or runs with the analog stick. This is an archaic design decision that needs to die.

So far it reminds me of a perfect mix between Resident Evil 4 and Doom 3, and that's a pretty awesome thing.

The sound design is blowing my mind.

[Dukefrukem]

I just started, just freed the tram system.

Neat game so far, although there are some control issues. Why do so many games still insist on having a run button when they could easily implement such a feature into the analog controls? I have having a sprint button. Just let me control how fast my dude walks or runs with the analog stick. This is an archaic design decision that needs to die.

So far it reminds me of a perfect mix between Resident Evil 4 and Doom 3, and that's a pretty awesome thing.

The sound design is blowing my mind.

I actually have a lot of quarrels about how many games/movies/books Dead Space rips off it's material from. It will become painfully more obvious later in the game. BUt these are just a few;

Alien
Event Horizon
the Thing
Doom 3
System Shock

[D_Davis]

I actually have a lot of quarrels about how many games/movies/books Dead Space rips off it's material from. It will become painfully more obvious later in the game. BUt these are just a few;

Alien
Event Horizon
the Thing
Doom 3
System Shock

Apparently, this game was originally going to be System Shock 3 (early design docs attest to this), but somewhere along the line they decided against it. I can totally see this, and knowing that helps to make sense of the game.

I don't have a problem with derivative narratives in video games, as story in games is rarely something that is important to me. That is, I've never been emotionally or intellectually stimulated by a video game narrative, and I don't expect to be. The best video game narrative I've experienced is only on par with that of the most mediocre fantasy or SF novel, and most are just poorly written knock offs.

I am far more interested in solid game play mechanics, atmosphere, graphics, sound, and immersion, and so far Dead Space gets many of these aspects right. So long as DS keeps on this track, I think I'll enjoy it quite a bit.

[Saya]

More Alan Wake pics:

http://images.gamersyde.com/gallery/public/9613/759_0001.jpg

http://images.gamersyde.com/gallery/public/9613/759_0002.jpg

http://images.gamersyde.com/gallery/public/9613/759_0004.jpg

http://images.gamersyde.com/gallery/public/9613/759_0005.jpg

[Dukefrukem]

Apparently, this game was originally going to be System Shock 3 (early design docs attest to this), but somewhere along the line they decided against it. I can totally see this, and knowing that helps to make sense of the game.

I don't have a problem with derivative narratives in video games, as story in games is rarely something that is important to me. That is, I've never been emotionally or intellectually stimulated by a video game narrative, and I don't expect to be.

I am far more interested in solid game play mechanics, atmosphere, graphics, sound, and immersion, and so far Dead Space gets many of these aspects right. So long as DS keeps on this track, I think I'll enjoy it quite a bit.

I'm not saying I didn't enjoy the play through because I did. The Zero-G gameplay was one of the coolest aspects of the game. But the parallels stay burned in my mind. It something that will always bother me.

[Dukefrukem]

how about the alan wake trailer

http://gamersyde.com/stream_9115_hq_en.html

[Saya]

how about the alan wake trailer

http://gamersyde.com/stream_9115_hq_en.html

I posted that a couple posts ago. Along with some screenshots. ;)

The co-op in Fable II sounds a little bit disappointing after reading some impressions. It seems that you can't join another person's game with your own character. You have to pick a pre-made henchman.

It's a little bit disappointing, but in no way will it change my mind about the game though. Can't wait to play it.

[D_Davis]

The co-op in Fable II sounds a little bit disappointing after reading some impressions. It seems that you can't join another person's game with your own character. You have to pick a pre-made henchman.

It's a little bit disappointing, but in no way will it change my mind about the game though. Can't wait to play it.

I believe this is only in couch co-cop mode, co-op on the same system. Through live you can join a game with your own character.

[Yxklyx]

It's weird that IGN doesn't have reviews up for "Far Cry 2" or "Spider-Man: Web of Shadows" yet.

They both come out today, and they're both pretty big releases. Usually they're ahead of the game with this stuff.

Oooo, have to check out FC2!

Ack! A great review but I'm firmly entrenched in a major XCOM campaign so it will have to wait... too many games...

[Stay Puft]

I believe this is only in couch co-cop mode, co-op on the same system. Through live you can join a game with your own character.

I've been hearing what Saya said. Online co-op is no different: Second player will be a henchman and has to share the screen with the host.

[megladon8]

EA really needs to fix some bugs in "Dead Space", namely the one where you can't switch suits once you've put on one of the downloadable ones.

Even when you unlock another suit later in the game, you can't put it on if you've already tried on either the Scorpion or Elite suit available for download on XBL.

[Biff Justice]

I don't have a problem with derivative narratives in video games, as story in games is rarely something that is important to me. That is, I've never been emotionally or intellectually stimulated by a video game narrative, and I don't expect to be. The best video game narrative I've experienced is only on par with that of the most mediocre fantasy or SF novel, and most are just poorly written knock offs.



Having played both Bioshock and Mass Effect, I don't think this is entirely true anymore. Both of these games really push the envelope with story telling in a video game, and have proven to me that truly interactive movies probably are not that far off.

These are the first two video games that I've heard they're making films out of that I was actually excited about, knowing that the material they have to work from could make for an absolutely amazing film.

[D_Davis]

Having played both Bioshock and Mass Effect, I don't think this is entirely true anymore. Both of these games really push the envelope with story telling in a video game, and have proven to me that truly interactive movies probably are not that far off.


I still have to disagree. Neither of these narratives have engaged me on the same level as a good SF novel (I haven't beaten either game, but I know the basics of their narratives). While these examples are steps in the right direction (Bioshock especially in the way it presents its narrative, Mass Effect less because it is a simply compilation of Sci-fi cliche), the medium still needs to inject some major talent into the writing of the dialog, scenarios, and dramatic impetus. The plots of games may be getting better, more complex, and more interesting, but the writing itself is still hopelessly dated, amateurish, and stale. Games still sound and read like poorly written YA novels.

[megladon8]

I honestly don't think the "average gamer" cares too much about story or dialogue.

"BioShock" is i nthe upper tier of story and writing the gaming world, but I agree with you, D, that it doesn't compare to a good novel or film.

Unfortunately it's just not an aspect of gaming that many really care about.

I really liked the writing in "Braid".

[Watashi]

I bought both Fable and Elder Scrolls Oblivion for 20 bucks.

Am I about to have my life surrendered?

[D_Davis]

I honestly don't think the "average gamer" cares too much about story or dialogue.

"BioShock" is i nthe upper tier of story and writing the gaming world, but I agree with you, D, that it doesn't compare to a good novel or film.

Unfortunately it's just not an aspect of gaming that many really care about.

I really liked the writing in "Braid".

If I had to choose, I'd rather see a dev spend time and money of making the gameplay mechanics solid over a well written narrative. These are games after all, meant to be played. I can't imagine a time when I would ever chose a video game over a book for a place to go to get a good story.

Speaking of fun gameplay, I am enjoying the heck out of Dead Space. It is so clearly meant to be System Shock 3 that it's not even funny. I like that it is more of an action game than a survival horror game. It's a limited ammo action game.

If Resident Evil 5 is even better than this, well, that's just going to rock.

[SirNewt]

I still have to disagree. Neither of these narratives have engaged me on the same level as a good SF novel (I haven't beaten either game, but I know the basics of their narratives). While these examples are steps in the right direction (Bioshock especially in the way it presents its narrative, Mass Effect less because it is a simply compilation of Sci-fi cliche), the medium still needs to inject some major talent into the writing of the dialog, scenarios, and dramatic impetus. The plots of games may be getting better, more complex, and more interesting, but the writing itself is still hopelessly dated, amateurish, and stale. Games still sound and read like poorly written YA novels.


I honestly don't think the "average gamer" cares too much about story or dialogue.

"BioShock" is i nthe upper tier of story and writing the gaming world, but I agree with you, D, that it doesn't compare to a good novel or film.

Unfortunately it's just not an aspect of gaming that many really care about.

I really liked the writing in "Braid".

The only reason games are failing at telling stories is because they're trying to tell the wrong stories the wrong ways. The game makers with ambition want to make big hollywood films out of games. In fact the story aspect of most large scale games is just to roll a film after gameplay in this fashion: cinema, play, cinema, play on and on and on. This will never be effective for many reasons. For one it doesn't really allow interactive experiences to develop as an art. Games are reliant on the language of cinema and radio to express almost anything. As long as this persists and is pushed as an agenda to make games equal with hollywood, interactive entertainment will struggle to develop a language of it's own. What game's need is a language not built on moving pictures, not built on written words, not built on radio soundscapes but a language built on interaction and cause and effect. Convention IS KILLING interactive art.

Games are wonderfully suited to telling very simple stories over a long period. They're suited to nuance, something they so rarely contain. This is why ICO blew my mind. The game builds a relationship between two characters on game mechanics. Then, everything else comes in to enhance the idea and not steal the spotlight. The game is probably the only game I'd call art. Sound, cinema, dialogue, it is all brought in to reinforce not dictate an idea. And damn if I wasn't riveted, staring at my screen to see if the game's protagonists would be reunited in game's final moment. And damn if I wasn't disappointed when 3 hours into 'Shadow of the Colossus' the game propped itself up on the crutch of lengthy cinemas. Even the guys who made it didn't know what they had done with ICO.

[megladon8]

Glad you're enjoying "Dead Space", D.

I really love the sound.

[Scar]

I bought both Fable and Elder Scrolls Oblivion for 20 bucks.

Am I about to have my life surrendered?

I pissed a pile of hours away with Oblivion. I went and did all sorts of side quests and artifact hunting before I did the main storyline.

My guy was rather pimped out by the time I got back to the main storyline.....

All in all, it was fun. I should go back and try it again with another class. I did fighter first.

[Skitch]

I bought both Fable and Elder Scrolls Oblivion for 20 bucks.

Am I about to have my life surrendered?


Lol! Yes.

[Ezee E]

I didn't like the fighting system in Elder Scrolls at all. Fable seemed fun, but it was at my parents' house after I moved out, and never finished it.

[Saya]

Just finished Kameo. It's a very mediocre game, but I had fun with it even though it has a lot problems. Not recommended unless you can find it for cheap somewhere. I hope there will be a sequel someday that fixes most of the issues I had with it.

Now on to Tomb Raider Legend.

[D_Davis]

Now on to Tomb Raider Legend.

This game is awesome. The best TR since the first, easily. Totally returned the series to greatness.

Can't wait for Underworld.

[D_Davis]

So Saya and co. were right about the co-op Fable 2. That kind of sucks, but it's not that big of a deal. While the feature sounded cool, I like the whole orb thing, I probably wouldn't have played co-op much, if at all.

[number8]

Disturbingly true:

http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2008/20081022.jpg

[D_Davis]

http://asinkingship.com/Uploader/imgs/da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef956018 90afd80709.2.png

[Skitch]

I can't wait to start Fable 2...but Family Guy volume 6 is too awesome.

[Saya]

This game is awesome. The best TR since the first, easily. Totally returned the series to greatness.

Can't wait for Underworld.

Sweet! I hope it's good... I've only played the first two on the playstation. I'm not really sure why I haven't bothered with the other entries in the series, because I really like action / adventure games.

[megladon8]

I'm damn disappointed that "Spider-Man: Web of Shadows" has gotten pretty lukewarm reviews.

I was looking forward to that one. Looked like it could have been a great superhero game.

And since I'm not too interested in "Far Cry 2", I guess I won't be buying a new game for some time.

[D_Davis]

Sweet! I hope it's good... I've only played the first two on the playstation. I'm not really sure why I haven't bothered with the other entries in the series, because I really like action / adventure games.

The first 2 are the only good ones before legends.

the remake of the first game is awesome as well.

Tomb Raider 1 is my #1 game of all time.

[megladon8]

Parents suspect child's disappearance is due to "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" (http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc/081021/canada/canada_missing_boy_1)

I wonder if infinity ward will have to put a warning on the game now...

"YOUR CHILD MAY DISAPPEAR PLAYING THIS GAME"

/inappropriate humor

But seriously, I find the article's title a bit misleading. It makes it sound like that type of "GTA makes kids commit school shootings" scare mongering, but in fact the actual game seems to have nothing to do with the child's disappearance. The same thing could have happened if his parents told him he had to stop eating so many Cheetos.

I hope he's all right.

[megladon8]

Wow I'm loving the music from "Mirror's Edge".

[SirNewt]

Wow I'm loving the music from "Mirror's Edge".

Orchestrated?

Electronic?

Licensed?

Original?

[megladon8]

Orchestrated?

Electronic?

Licensed?

Original?


Original electronic/ambient. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp1WY2ldjxE)

Very cool.

I might just have to check out this game, despite my loathing the whole parkour thing.

[Skitch]

First hour of Fable 2...soooooo pretty....

[Saya]

The first 2 are the only good ones before legends.

the remake of the first game is awesome as well.

Tomb Raider 1 is my #1 game of all time.

I think I'll definitely will pick up Anniversary later this year. I'm really digging Legend. I've finished the first two areas (Bolivia and Peru) already and I am doing Japan now. I like it, but the levels feel really short to me. I thought the levels in TR 1 & 2 were bigger. The gameplay and controls are really good though.

[D_Davis]

I think I'll definitely will pick up Anniversary later this year. I'm really digging Legend. I've finished the first two areas (Bolivia and Peru) already and I am doing Japan now. I like it, but the levels feel really short to me. I thought the levels in TR 1 & 2 were bigger. The gameplay and controls are really good though.

It's a very short game. I think the devs were just playing it safe by keeping things tight and under control. It's amazing how much better the new control scheme makes the game. Actually, it's not that amazing seeing as how the old control scheme is so archaic now. But yes, they did a great job of bringing Lara into the modern world without making her too superhuman ala the prince from Persia.

[Dukefrukem]

New Knights of the Republic MMO announced



http://www.straferight.com/photopost/data/500/kotr01.JPG

http://www.straferight.com/photopost/data/500/kotr02.JPG

http://www.straferight.com/photopost/data/500/kotr03.JPG

[Ezee E]

Spoiler those pics.

And why do all the RPG games have to be MMO now? I want a RPG with an actual story without having to interact with WedgeNUTSCK1 jumping around like a moron.

[D_Davis]

Can't say I am excited for yet another Star Wars game. I'm way past done with that franchise.

[Ezee E]

The Force Unleashed ain't bad, simply because you get to use more Force moves than the lightsaber. You get to pick up enemies and toss them, blow stuff up with your mind, and so on.

I hate the camera in the game though.

[KK2.0]

On a lighter note, you can now torture David Hasselhoff in PAIN. :P I guess it's time to dust off the game from my hard drive.

http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2008/10/22/david-hasselhoff-to-star-in-pain-expansion-pack/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3246/2964746197_ccb7c95a53.jpg


The Force Unleashed ain't bad, simply because you get to use more Force moves than the lightsaber. You get to pick up enemies and toss them, blow stuff up with your mind, and so on.

I hate the camera in the game though.

Force Unleashed demo was very underwhelming to me, it looks nice but gameplay felt like a lot of cool ideas poorly implemented, the same with Fracture.

LucasArts sucks at game design today, not surprisingly the only good Star Wars games of recent memory came from different developers, like Bioware.

[Dukefrukem]

it looks like Bond.

[megladon8]

Scar, you totally have to pick up "Dead Space". I command you.

There's a weapon that shoots out a rotating circular saw blade and suspends it about 10 feet in front of you, and you can just drag it through enemies, tearing their limbs off.

It's freaking awesome.

[Scar]

Scar, you totally have to pick up "Dead Space". I command you.

There's a weapon that shoots out a rotating circular saw blade and suspends it about 10 feet in front of you, and you can just drag it through enemies, tearing their limbs off.

It's freaking awesome.

I'll get it in time. I've spent an obscene amount of cash lately.

[megladon8]

I'll get it in time. I've spent an obscene amount of cash lately.


Yeah totally. Just thought you should know how awesome it is - it's totally the type of game I think you'd enjoy.

[Morris Schæffer]

I'm about to go pick up Dead Space and Far Cry 2. Seems like a killer combo!

[Scar]

Yeah totally. Just thought you should know how awesome it is - it's totally the type of game I think you'd enjoy.

I've been very close to pulling the trigger on buying it, but its at least on my Christmas list.

We'll see how much traveling for work I do in the near future, and if I get a new job lined up for next year.

[EyesWideOpen]

I just played about 2 hours of Dead Space and that was enough for me to use gamefly's "keep it" feature. $40 not too shabby.

[D_Davis]

I just played about 2 hours of Dead Space and that was enough for me to use gamefly's "keep it" feature. $40 not too shabby.

It's a really solid game.

[Saya]

Good to hear all the positive feedback about Dead Space. I think I'll start the game tonight.

I finished Tomb Raider Legend today. A good game overall, although a bit short. I think I finished the game in under 7 hours and I didn't rush at all. Loved the controls and gameplay. Like I said before I wish the levels were a bit bigger and that there was some more exploration in certain areas. I really enjoyed the platforming and puzzling though. Also, the game looked fantastic at times, especially some of the outdoor environments.

The weak parts of the game were the combat, which felt a bit shallow, and the awful motorcycle driving parts. They should've also got rid of the QTE parts. I always hate that stuff.

I kind of wish that the next Tomb Raider would get rid of the combat all together and just have it focusing on exploration, puzzling, platforming and finding artifacts. That would be awesome.

[D_Davis]

TR:L definitely left me wanting more, which I guess is a good thing considering that the last 5 TR games left me wanting less, much less.

Definitely pick up TR:A - it's awesome.

Can't freaking wait for Underworld....

[Saya]

Yeah, I'll definitely get TR:A. I hope I can find it for cheap somewhere. It's been out for a while and I don't want to pay full price. :)

Also, I just started Dead Space and it is amazing. The sound design is damn creepy. The game had me on the edge of my seat. Will play more tomorrow.

[Saya]

Heh, Dario Argento voices Kyne in the Italian version of Dead Space. Pretty neat.

[Dukefrukem]

Wow Bioshock looks like shit on the PS3.

[Ezee E]

Wow, sports games are getting pretty tough.

The new NHL game makes you use both joysticks. One to move, the other for the stick. You deke and shoot. It's been tough to figure out. I might pick that one up though. First NHL game since the N64 days.

[Stay Puft]

Far Cry 2 tributes:

Stop! Hammertime. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLFTxBqY4VM&feature=related)

Gnu killed by parked vehicle. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HmDUsDykdM&feature=related)

[SirNewt]

Wow Bioshock looks like shit on the PS3.

Yeah, I guess they're going to patch those shit textures that got left in for some reason. Also, on the demo you can't unlock the frame rate like you could on the 360 so I'm pretty sure it's not running as well.

[Skitch]

Wow Bioshock looks like shit on the PS3.


That sucks to hear. Its the best looking game I've seen on 360, that is, with the exception of Fable 2, which I'm only a few hours into. I'd say Fable is as good as Bioshock.

I am loving Fable 2. Anybody else?

[Saya]

I am loving Fable 2. Anybody else?

My copy still hasn't arrived yet. I hope it will arrive in the mail this week.

[Skitch]

My copy still hasn't arrived yet. I hope it will arrive in the mail this week.

I can't remember the last time I was giddy to get home a play a game for hours. :)

The magic system, the quest system, the expirience system...all totally rock. If you like the first one, you will love this one. That being said, I'm only several hours in...so it could potentially epic fail.

Oh, and the guns?

\m/ \m/

[Ezee E]

I'm not sure what that \m/ means.

[Scar]

I'm not sure what that \m/ means.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b113/shehauntsme/pope-guitar.jpg

[Ezee E]

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b113/shehauntsme/pope-guitar.jpg
Ah. Word up. Go Longhorns.

[Dukefrukem]

Yeah, I guess they're going to patch those shit textures that got left in for some reason. Also, on the demo you can't unlock the frame rate like you could on the 360 so I'm pretty sure it's not running as well.

I'm being overly critical because every knows it's a good looking game, but I already played and beat it on PC (which looks 100 times better than the PS3). It's a bad port on PS3.

[megladon8]

"BioShock" is definitley the best looking on 360 so far, I agree.

Other games beat it slightly in the technical departments ("Gears of War"), but combining great graphics with beautiful art design beats it out.

[SirNewt]

Playing Starcraft again. I beat it once 8 or 9 years ago and am enjoying it my second time. I have to say, though, that the game hasn't held up as well as the fanboys make out. The gameplay is still very solid don't get me wrong but the game has problems registering clicks sometimes and input overall can feel kind of klunky. Also, how is there not a high res solution for this game yet?

[EyesWideOpen]

I just finished Dead Space (total play time of a little more than 10 hours) and it stayed great all the way through the end. I love the fact that you get stuff when you finish it and if you choose can play through it again with all your stuff saved. I played through pretty much solely with the cutter so i'm looking forward to playing through again and trying out the other weapons.

[Morris Schæffer]

Started playing Dead Space. Intitial impressions are strong enough, but I was a bit dissapointed that the monsters are shown so damn soon. I was hoping for some more build-up a la Aliens.

[Saya]

I also finished Dead Space earlier today on medium. It was a lot of fun. The final boss was a bit too easy and ending was really lame, but I liked the game overall. I think I finished it in about 12 hours. The levels had just the right length (about 1 hour for each level).

I decided to only use the Plasma Cutter for my first run and was surprised that it wasn't that hard. You get plenty of ammo for the cutter and when fully upgraded this weapon is pretty strong. I ended my first run with over 100k in credits and about 17 nodes to spare. Then I saw that rewards screen at the end. :lol: Among some other stuff, you get an additional 50k in credits and 10 nodes. This will help with maxing out everything.

Towards the end it felt like a lot of fights were the same though. You enter a room, doors lock, enemies rush out and after killing all the enemies the doors open again. It's not bad, but it was very predictable after a while. And it sucks that you can't carry over your items and stats to a new game on a higher difficulty level...

[origami_mustache]

LittleBigPlanet looks fucking adorable...I must have it.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Fallout 3, people.

Very unfortunate that nobody else has played some of the greatest games ever. I've been waiting for this game for 10 bloomin' years.

[megladon8]

Fallout 3, people.

Very unfortunate that nobody else has played some of the greatest games ever. I've been waiting for this game for 10 bloomin' years.


Eh, I'm really not interested.

Like "Oblivion", I'm just not interested in a game that's so big and detailed I have no freaking idea where to start, where to go, what to do or how to go about anything.

[D_Davis]

Fallout 3, people.

Very unfortunate that nobody else has played some of the greatest games ever. I've been waiting for this game for 10 bloomin' years.

Definitely on my list - after I finish Dead Space and then Fable 2.

[Ezee E]

What is Fallout 3 all about?

[Skitch]

Fallout is definately on my horizon, sometime.

[D_Davis]

What is Fallout 3 all about?

Post-apocalyptic RPG. A new entry into the uber-classic PC franchise of the same name. For an easy comparison, think Oblivion meets Mad Max, with a healthy dose of dark subversive humor.

The first two games cane be dl'ed here for only $5 each, and they are totally worth it.

http://www.gog.com/en/frontpage/

These games set the standards for Western developed RPGs.

[number8]

I don't even like RPGs and I want to play Fallout 3.

[Saya]

D, the demo for Tomb Raider: Underworld just went up on XBL. It's about 1,3 GB though. I downloaded it and just finished it. It is really good. The demo takes place in Thailand and the ruins / environment looks absolutely amazing. You fight a bunch of tigers in the demo and they look fantastic as well. Lara moves a lot faster compared to Legend, which is nice. And she has a bunch of cool new moves like wall jumping. Oh, yeah you can also customize the game in some areas (enemy health, damage to Lara, ammo and time for saving grabs). I'm really impressed by the demo and will buy this game day one. Can't wait to play the full game.

[Saya]

And I also received Fable II in the mail yesterday and started a bit today. I haven't played much though. I just go to the gypsy camp. Love it so far. The game looks and plays great and it is also very funny at times. The dog is awesome as well. Will play more in the coming days.

[Skitch]

The dog is one of the best additions. Notifying you of treasures, danger, dig up spots...fetching the rubber ball...

:lol:

[D_Davis]

D, the demo for Tomb Raider: Underworld just went up on XBL. It's about 1,3 GB though. I downloaded it and just finished it. It is really good. The demo takes place in Thailand and the ruins / environment looks absolutely amazing. You fight a bunch of tigers in the demo and they look fantastic as well. Lara moves a lot faster compared to Legend, which is nice. And she has a bunch of cool new moves like wall jumping. Oh, yeah you can also customize the game in some areas (enemy health, damage to Lara, ammo and time for saving grabs). I'm really impressed by the demo and will buy this game day one. Can't wait to play the full game.

/drools....

:)

I am so glad that Crystal D revamped this series.

[Saya]

/drools....

:)

I am so glad that Crystal D revamped this series.

Yeah, it's looking real good. The only thing that can use some more work is the camera when you are on a ledge or bar near a wall.

Gamersyde put up a playthrough video of the demo:

Part 1 (http://www.gamersyde.com/stream_9193_en.html)
Part 2 (http://www.gamersyde.com/stream_9196_en.html)

[megladon8]

"Resistance 2" is making me want a PS3.

[bac0n]

Wow, Fallout 3 looks totally awesome. But I'm afraid to get it, as I wouldn't have the time to really enjoy it. Oh, bother.

[D_Davis]

"Resistance 2" is making me want a PS3.

The first one was okay - fun on co-op, but nothing that I found remarkable. The second one looks like it will be fun.

[megladon8]

Weird, I seem to be getting a copy of "Fallout 3" for free.

I never ordered it from Amazon.ca, yet I got an e-mail today notifying me that it's on it's way.

I checked the payment portion of the bill, and there's no credit card number, nothing.

So I called my credit card company to see if there'd been a recent transaction with Amazon, and they said no, that I still have the full credit amount available to me - nothing's been spent.

And yeah, the package is definitely on it's way, there's even a tracking number.

[Skitch]

Don't worry Meg, I'll buy it off you for $20.

[megladon8]

Don't worry Meg, I'll buy it off you for $20.


Nah, don't worry about it.

I'll play it.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Eh, I'm really not interested.

Like "Oblivion", I'm just not interested in a game that's so big and detailed I have no freaking idea where to start, where to go, what to do or how to go about anything.

Play the first two.

They are incredibly deep, atmospheric and engrossing sci-fi masterpieces, and not at all Oblivion-like. The first Fallout also has what has to be one of the greatest endings in any work of art that I've ever experienced. Masterful stuff.

They're edgy games too, especially in the second when you can make profit in the slave market and the drug trade.

[Duncan]

I only buy one game per year and Fallout 3 is going to be it.

[D_Davis]

Following the main story in Oblivion is very easy - it tells you where to go and marks everything on your map for you. There is even a GPS-like system that tracks your movement in real time. It's a great system that holds your hand as much as you want it to. You can totally ignore the main story, or totally ignore the side quests. It's up to you, but what ever you should choose to do the game tells you exactly where to go. The map and quest system is quite good.

[D_Davis]

I only buy one game per year and Fallout 3 is going to be it.

Probably a good buy.

[megladon8]

"Call of Duty: World at War" features a mode where you fight against Nazi zombies.

No joke. Fast forward to 18:35 in this video (http://www.gametrailers.com/gametrailerstv_player.php?ep=4 3&ch=4&sd=1) to see some of it.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I only buy one game per year and Fallout 3 is going to be it.

Nice.

I do urge the rest of you to give the previous 2 Fallouts a try. Due to poor marketing and retarded gamers, the games never really saw an audience, but they (along with Planescape Torment) represent the very best RPGs ever made. Plus, they're old enough so that even your crappy rigs should be able to run them no problem. (That is, if you aren't using the worst OS known to man - I don't think I need to tell you what that is.)

[EyesWideOpen]

I just got the email from gamefly saying their shipping me Fallout 3 so i'll be giving it a chance. I know nothing of the franchise other then it was made by the Oblivion people which i didn't care for so i'll be going in fresh.

[megladon8]

Someone explain this to me, please...

Why is "Fallout 3" all like, 1950s and stuff? The music, the art design, the spoof ads for nuclear safety.

The story takes place in 2277. So...what the hell is all this 1950s stuff still doing around there?

I get the feeling it wants to capitalize on "BioShock"'s success.

[Sven]

I get the feeling it wants to capitalize on "BioShock"'s success.

If anything, BioShock is heavily derived from the other Fallout games.

[megladon8]

If anything, BioShock is heavily derived from the other Fallout games.


See I wouldn't know that, I haven't played them :)

But "BioShock" takes place in the '40s/'50s, whereas "Fallout 3" takes place in 2277.

So my question still stands - what's with all the '50s art-deco and jazz music?

[Morris Schæffer]

See I wouldn't know that, I haven't played them :)

But "BioShock" takes place in the '40s/'50s, whereas "Fallout 3" takes place in 2277.

So my question still stands - what's with all the '50s art-deco and jazz music?

Society has stagnated after the nuclear fires? Remaining rooted in the 50's? When did the bombs drop in Fallout 3?

[Saya]

Cool little secret from Dead Space (story spoiler):

Take the first letter of all the chapter names.

New Arrivals
Intensive Care
Course Correction
Obliteration Imminent
Lethal Devotion
Environmental Hazard
Into the Void
Search and Rescue
Dead on Arrival
End of Days
Alternate Solutions
Dead Space

[Skitch]

Nah, don't worry about it.

I'll play it.

Weell, I'm just lookin' out for yah. Let me know if you, um, need a hand.


:pritch:

[D_Davis]

See I wouldn't know that, I haven't played them :)

But "BioShock" takes place in the '40s/'50s, whereas "Fallout 3" takes place in 2277.

So my question still stands - what's with all the '50s art-deco and jazz music?

It's also a play on American culture in the 1950s - everyone worried and concerned about the atomic age.

The Fallout games have always excelled as humor and satire, in addition to their genre defining game play.

[Morris Schæffer]

Fallout 3 sounds so mouth-wateringly tantalizing, but since I gave up on Oblivion after two hours, I guess Bethesda's latest isn't for me either?

[D_Davis]

Fallout 3 sounds so mouth-wateringly tantalizing, but since I gave up on Oblivion after two hours, I guess Bethesda's latest isn't for me either?

Probably so.

[Fezzik]

I've at least liked most Bethesda games, but the one thing that Fallout 3 has done that the Elder Scrolls game didnt is that it made the central quest intensely personal.

No saving the world (at least, not yet), just a personal journey. And, like Oblivion, when I get a new quest, I get a new waypoint on my screen that I know to travel to.

Combat is a blast, with the new targeting system taking the cake.

The Character Creation / Tutorial system is, again, turned into a "personal experience" - I think its a very clever twist on the Bethesda Chargen system.

I'm loving it so far, even if I do have an irrational fear of cockroaches. :/

[Stay Puft]

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts demo is on XBLM right now. It's fun (and very funny).

Also, Mirror's Edge demo will be available tomorrow for PS3 users and Friday for X360 users.

It's that time of year. Too many good games.

[number8]

See I wouldn't know that, I haven't played them :)

But "BioShock" takes place in the '40s/'50s, whereas "Fallout 3" takes place in 2277.

So my question still stands - what's with all the '50s art-deco and jazz music?

It's a humorous game. The series has always been a satire on the 50's bomb scare and parodies post-apocalyptic movies like Mad Max. Why take it so literally?

[number8]

BTW, did you guys read the Penny Arcade comics on the official Fallout site? It's pretty boss.

http://fallout.bethsoft.com/images/vault/comic/fallout_1_sm.jpg

[monolith94]

Nice.

I do urge the rest of you to give the previous 2 Fallouts a try. Due to poor marketing and retarded gamers, the games never really saw an audience, but they (along with Planescape Torment) represent the very best RPGs ever made. Plus, they're old enough so that even your crappy rigs should be able to run them no problem. (That is, if you aren't using the worst OS known to man - I don't think I need to tell you what that is.)
The learning curve was too steep for me.

[Winston*]

I gots me a Playstation 3.

[Watashi]

Does anyone know if Fable II is coming out for PC?

[Spaceman Spiff]

The learning curve was too steep for me.

That might have something to do with how you played it. You can get past many sticky situations by talking your way out instead of shooting everyone in your path. Makes for a more interesting game, too.

[Skitch]

Does anyone know if Fable II is coming out for PC?

I was asked the same question yesterday.

No idea. I assume it will.

[Scar]

I gots me a Playstation 3.

Sweet.

[Duncan]

Picked up Fallout 3 yesterday. Pretty sweet so far. The combat system is way cool.

[Dukefrukem]

I gots me a Playstation 3.

PSN: Dukefrukem!

I also got LittleBigPlanet is people want to play!

[D_Davis]

Does anyone know if Fable II is coming out for PC?

I would bet yes, but probably not for 6 months or so.

[Rowland]

I've decided to start playing games again on a casual basis. Since I'm a broke college student right now, I can only afford old used games. As such, I just purchased Sly Cooper: The Thievous Raccoon for a mere $5. I've invested a few hours into it so far, and it seems like a fine game. Anyone play it or the sequels? Worthwhile?

[Fezzik]

I've decided to start playing games again on a casual basis. Since I'm a broke college student right now, I can only afford old used games. As such, I just purchased Sly Cooper: The Thievous Raccoon for a mere $5. I've invested a few hours into it so far, and it seems like a fine game. Anyone play it or the sequels? Worthwhile?

I played Sly Cooper when it came out. I enjoyed it a lot. It was a nice combination of platformer and adventure. Nice use of Cel Shading too, as I remember.

[Saya]

Finished my second run of Dead Space today. It was fun, but Isaac was way too overpowered with the new suit and all the weapons maxed out. You could just blaze through every level. I'm done for now and I'll give impossible mode a try in a few months.

I also played some more Fable II and am on my way to Oakfield now to speak to some Abbot. The game has some technical problems here and there, but I'm still having a blast with it. The art style is so wonderful and the voicework is really well done and often hilarious. The maps are very shitty though.

[KK2.0]

I gots me a Playstation 3.

cool! add me

PSNid: amjr72


LittleBigPlanet looks fucking adorable...I must have it.

too many games, my wallet cries

[Spaceman Spiff]

I've decided to start playing games again on a casual basis. Since I'm a broke college student right now, I can only afford old used games. As such, I just purchased Sly Cooper: The Thievous Raccoon for a mere $5. I've invested a few hours into it so far, and it seems like a fine game. Anyone play it or the sequels? Worthwhile?

Sly 3 is the best platformer of last gen. The first one is cool too

[D_Davis]

I've decided to start playing games again on a casual basis. Since I'm a broke college student right now, I can only afford old used games. As such, I just purchased Sly Cooper: The Thievous Raccoon for a mere $5. I've invested a few hours into it so far, and it seems like a fine game. Anyone play it or the sequels? Worthwhile?

I only played the first one, but I loved it.

[Scar]

Just started playing MGS4, and just got my Operator and tranq gun. Oh Nelly, I'm glad I'll be home from work really early tomorrow!

[megladon8]

Yahtzee Croshaw's review of "Saints Row 2" (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/312-Saints-Row-2) is great (as they usually are).

I especially liked this one because he goes into a lot of why I'm often underwhelmed with modern games.

[Morris Schæffer]

Killzone 2 keeps looking sharp:

http://www.gamersyde.com/stream_9226_en.html

[Dukefrukem]

Killzone 2 keeps looking sharp:

http://www.gamersyde.com/stream_9226_en.html

so hot...........

[Justin]

I am sold on Mirror's Edge, that demo was fantastic.

[D_Davis]

I especially liked this one because he goes into a lot of why I'm often underwhelmed with modern games.

What is is about modern games that underwhelms you?

From what year onward do you classify as modern?

What is about "classic" games that you find so appealing?

[Stay Puft]

I am sold on Mirror's Edge, that demo was fantastic.

Yeah, satsifying stuff. Love the music. Solid presentation, and solid, smooth controls. Smashing open doors mid-run feels great.

Hopefully I can find some time this year to play it, but I might have to put it off until next year (as I suspect I will with most of this fall's releases). So little time right now...

[Saya]

New PA:

http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2008/20081031.jpg

Too many games!

[D_Davis]

^ oH man, that is exactly how I feel right now. I'm going to try my damn hardest to not buy a new game until I finish the previous one, but I doubt that will happen.

Left 4 Dead....cannot wait.

[megladon8]

What is is about modern games that underwhelms you?

From what year onward do you classify as modern?

What is about "classic" games that you find so appealing?


It's that so many modern games sacrifice the whole "fun" aspect for "let's make things realistic and tedious".

Don't get me wrong, realism is good - but in moderation. Take "CoD4". Campaign length aside, it was a fantastic example of what can be done with a military shooter. Realistic yet still over-the-top, a wide variety of gameplay modes to keep anything from feeling monotonous, and it's all just presented so damn well.

But it seems like every second shooter out these days does this. Look at the number of series' that tackle WWII or other military-based situations, and do it fairly realistically. "Brothers in Arms", "Medal of Honor", "Call of Duty", "Battlefield"...the list goes on.

But it's not just the military shooter. Shooters in general are taking this "gritty = better" approach. "Gears of War" is one of the most drab, uninteresting games I have ever played. Sure it was a technical treat for the eyes the first time around, but I haven't popped it into my 360 again since that one week I spent with it like 8 months ago. I just don't care. The graphics are impressive in their detail and animations, but everything is brown and grey, every environment looks and sounds the same, aside from the chainsaw bayonnet and the Hammer of Dawn the weapons feel like Fisher Price toys, and overall it's just a very bland feeling game. The vehicle sections are freaking laughable.

It's why a game like "BioShock" really hit so many great notes with me. It's vibrant, the world feels alive and fun, and it has style and personality.

I remember back to a post a while ago where you countered this argument by saying that, basically, "variety does not a good game make". And I totally agree with you that gameplay is what matters most...but why do these things need to be mutually exclusive?

Like Yahtzee said in that review of "Saints Row 2", so many game developers seem to have forgotten the main purpose of games - FUN!

It actually reminds me of another review of his, I believe it was for one of the more recent handheld "Zelda" games, where there were unskippable scenes of a boat sailing through the ocean, often lasting for several minutes at a time. He found himself looking for other things to do while these cutscenes ran by.

If you need to find other ways to entertain yourself while playing a video game, well, I'm sorry, but that video game is not doing anything right at all.

Sorry if this post is a bit scatterbrained, I'm tired and had a bit to drink, but I hope my message is fairly clear. I want games to be fun, to be immersive and vibrant and dynamic. Wandering around a world coloured shit-brown and metal-grey for hours at a time, shooting hordes of enemies that not only all look the same but all behave exactly the same as well...that's not a good time to me. That's boring.

[Ezee E]

I'll agree Meg. Although, the problem with the shooter games is that if you've played one, it feels like you've played them all. In Gears of War, all you do is hide behind a rock, shoot away, and advance. It's monotonous.

And now with Grand Theft Auto, we have plenty of hybrids from that. What's the difference between Saints Row and this? From what I've seen, there isn't much.

That's why a game like Resident Evil 4 is awesome. Yes, it's a sequel, but it's different from the rest of the games, there's also the arcade mini-game, and besides being a horror game, it's nearly an action game as well. Something a little different.

Condemned, which I tried, is okay, it has a creepy approach, but in the end, it's a poor man's Resident Evil (without zombies) instead of actually solving a crime, which I thought could've been brilliant.

[Saya]

I've played a lot of Fable II these last days. Still like it a lot, but the fighting system is a bit too limited though. I'm playing my first run as a "good" guy and I just finished the Spire part. I have two wives now (Alex in Bowerstone and some random gypsy in the gypsy camp) that both have one kid, but I can't seem to get them pregnant again and I want a couple more kids. My gypsy wife gave me an STD though and I don't know how to get rid of it. I also taught my dog to pee on other people.

I also got Fallout 3 yesterday and played it for a bit. I just got to Megaton, so I'm really not that far in, but it's really cool. So far it feels like Oblivion with guns.

[D_Davis]

It's that so many modern games sacrifice the whole "fun" aspect for "let's make things realistic and tedious".

I don't like tedious games either - but I don't think that realistic = tedious. As a matter of fact, I try not to play games that are tedious, but this is not a trait monopolized by modern games. I could point you to plenty of tedious games on the 2600, Colecovision, NES, SNES, Genesis and so on.


Don't get me wrong, realism is good - but in moderation. Take "CoD4". Campaign length aside, it was a fantastic example of what can be done with a military shooter. Realistic yet still over-the-top, a wide variety of gameplay modes to keep anything from feeling monotonous, and it's all just presented so damn well.

I agree here. CoD 4 is one of me favorite games of this gen. The first "realistic" shooter I've ever really enjoyed.


But it seems like every second shooter out these days does this. Look at the number of series' that tackle WWII or other military-based situations, and do it fairly realistically. "Brothers in Arms", "Medal of Honor", "Call of Duty", "Battlefield"...the list goes on.

Why focus on those? Why define "modern video games" by the games that you don't like? Why not define it by the games you do like? Why define something by the worst examples? Why not define it with games like Katamari Damaci, Ico, Okami, JSRF, Bioshock, Half Life 2, and so? Just because there are bad and derivative games out there doesn't mean they represent modern gaming.


But it's not just the military shooter. Shooters in general are taking this "gritty = better" approach. "Gears of War" is one of the most drab, uninteresting games I have ever played. Sure it was a technical treat for the eyes the first time around, but I haven't popped it into my 360 again since that one week I spent with it like 8 months ago. I just don't care. The graphics are impressive in their detail and animations, but everything is brown and grey, every environment looks and sounds the same, aside from the chainsaw bayonnet and the Hammer of Dawn the weapons feel like Fisher Price toys, and overall it's just a very bland feeling game. The vehicle sections are freaking laughable.

Okay so you don't like Gears of War - move on to games you do like, and if there aren't enough that satisfy your craving, play older games.


It's why a game like "BioShock" really hit so many great notes with me. It's vibrant, the world feels alive and fun, and it has style and personality.

I remember back to a post a while ago where you countered this argument by saying that, basically, "variety does not a good game make". And I totally agree with you that gameplay is what matters most...but why do these things need to be mutually exclusive?

I never thought Bioshock had much variety. I grew tired of it pretty quickly actually. But I am not going to use this slightly negative experience as a baramoter for modern gaming. For every game I play like this, there are a number of game like Half Life 2 to play and enjoy.



Like Yahtzee said in that review of "Saints Row 2", so many game developers seem to have forgotten the main purpose of games - FUN!

Is this the main point of gaming? Is escapism and "fun" the main point of books, music, and movies? I don't think so. Sure, sometimes I want to have a more fun, more "gamey" experience, but sometimes I want more.

I also don't think Yahtzee is very funny or insightful. He focuses on the negative in a sarcastic and droll tone echoing the negativity often spouted off by jaded gamers on every video game message board I've ever been to.


It actually reminds me of another review of his, I believe it was for one of the more recent handheld "Zelda" games, where there were unskippable scenes of a boat sailing through the ocean, often lasting for several minutes at a time. He found himself looking for other things to do while these cutscenes ran by.

Well then, I would ask him why he continued to play a game he didn't like. Seems stupid to me.


If you need to find other ways to entertain yourself while playing a video game, well, I'm sorry, but that video game is not doing anything right at all.

Well, yeah. We should all try not to play games, watch movies, read books, or listen to music that sucks!

:)



Wandering around a world coloured shit-brown and metal-grey for hours at a time, shooting hordes of enemies that not only all look the same but all behave exactly the same as well...that's not a good time to me. That's boring.

Well, then don't play those games! But also, don't define something by the negatives, or worst examples. Always try to define something by the best examples, and there are plenty of awesome games out right now that aren't examples of the things you hate.

[Milky Joe]

Nintendo DS + Flashcart + Mother 3 + NES ROMs = all the gaming I need.

[monolith94]

I also don't think Yahtzee is very funny or insightful. He focuses on the negative in a sarcastic and droll tone echoing the negativity often spouted off by jaded gamers on every video game message board I've ever been to.

For a little while there, I thought he was declining in humor, but with the last few entries, I've laughed at least a few times each.

[D_Davis]

Nintendo DS + Flashcart + Mother 3 + NES ROMs = all the gaming I need.

ROMs are definitely awesome.

Lord knows how many hours I've spent on MAME.

[D_Davis]

I guess my response to meg could be said more succinctly like this:

I don't blame modern games for the things I dislike about gaming, I blame poorly made games, and I try not to play these or spend large amounts of time with these.

[Stay Puft]

But also, don't define something by the negatives, or worst examples. Always try to define something by the best examples, and there are plenty of awesome games out right now that aren't examples of the things you hate.

I think this is a pertinent summary of your response, D, because it hints at perspective.

I understand where meg is coming from, but at the same time, I think his perspective has, in turn, colored his perception of certain games. Lumping WWII shooters together, or pulling out the "Greys of War" card, are at this point popular internet memes. They reproduce for themselves, and actually remove us from genuine criticism.


For example, it is absolutely meaningless to say:


But it seems like every second shooter out these days does this. Look at the number of series' that tackle WWII or other military-based situations, and do it fairly realistically. "Brothers in Arms", "Medal of Honor", "Call of Duty", "Battlefield"...the list goes on.

You cannot lump these games together, certainly not under any cateogry of "realism." They do not play similarly, they do not approach their setting or subject matter (WWII, played out, I agree) with similar philosophies, etc. And besides, there is nothing realistic about Battlefield. Particularly when discussing 1942, the WWII entry, I would argue that this game is essentially arcade - it is, I think, one of the funniest games I've played, because of its particular brand of emergent gameplay (if Call of Duty is a serious war drama, Battlefield is a cartoonish war comedy, etc.).

Similarly, Gears of War is a popular punching bag because it is arguably the most popular shooter of its given year of release, and as such has become (erroneously) emblematic of of the "bald space marine" (even though they all have hair) or "brown/grey" (even though Gears makes predominant use of primary colors) negative value memes.

When you describe the game as such:


The graphics are impressive in their detail and animations, but everything is brown and grey, every environment looks and sounds the same

You are not actually describing Gears of War, as an objective presence, but inscribing bias onto an objectively present game.

It is meaningless to say that everything is brown and grey, when that is clearly not the case (Immulsion Fields = White/Yellow/Gold, argument annihilated), or that every environment looks the same, when that is clearly not the case (University /= Immulsion Fields, argument annihilated). You are not simply reducing the game to a generic (and dismissive) judgment, but ignoring the game as it actually exists, in all its myriad detail.

That, and this:


Is this the main point of gaming? Is escapism and "fun" the main point of books, music, and movies? I don't think so. Sure, sometimes I want to have a more fun, more "gamey" experience, but sometimes I want more.

With which I agree, and is the entire point. There is room for all kinds of different games and different experiences. There's "fun," but there can and should be other reasons for videogames to exist as well.

[megladon8]

You seem to be implying that a lot of my criticisms of these games is due to an "it's popular to hate on" type attitude, which is kind of insulting.

"Gears of War" is a drab, uninteresting looking game, and this isn't some internet phenomenon that I'm joining in on. Fine, there is the occasional level with some colour to it, but it would be just as dismissive of my arguments to try to say that it's a vibrant, colourful game. The world you inhabit is mostly ruined building after ruined building, and it gets repetitive. I'm not saying this to be "cool" or whatever, that's a load of crap and I have better things to do than pretend to be dismissive on a message board.

And while I admit I got my examples mixed up for the realism argument (my examples were more showing how played out I find the whole WWII setting to be), but realism is a prevalent trait in a lot of games these days, and more often than not I find shooters incorporate one or more of these traits.

It worked in "CoD4", but when a game like "Turok" (terrible game by the way) tries to incorporate these elements into a game about space marines fighting dinosaurs on another planet, I can't help but roll my eyes.



Is this the main point of gaming? Is escapism and "fun" the main point of books, music, and movies? I don't think so. Sure, sometimes I want to have a more fun, more "gamey" experience, but sometimes I want more.

Sorry, but I have to call you out on this one.

I like books, films and games to have "something more" as well, but they're still entertaining.

If a game is not fun to play, it's failed on the most basic level. I don't see how this can be argued at all. It's a game. It can be philosophical, it can have new and strange game mechanics, bizarro ideas and trippy A/V, but if it's not entertaining to play it's a failure.

[D_Davis]

It worked in "CoD4", but when a game like "Turok" (terrible game by the way) tries to incorporate these elements into a game about space marines fighting dinosaurs on another planet, I can't help but roll my eyes.


Again - this is not a problem of "modern gaming" it's simply a problem of poorly designed games - which the new Turok is. It's not the conventions it is incorporating, but the poor way in which they are incorporated.

2-D platforming was a staple of classic gaming, and these games had many problems and many perks. The good games implemented the conventions of these games in good ways, while the bad ones didn't. It wasn't a problem of that particular era of gaming, it was emblematic of shoddy game design.

And you may think GoW is drab and uninteresting, but the problems you have with this game have nothing to do with modern game design beyond an aesthetic level. Truth is, GoW is a very well designed game, perhaps it doesn't offer to you the things you enjoy, but to argue that it is some kind of blemish on the gaming industry is absurd.

[D_Davis]

"Gears of War" is a drab, uninteresting looking game, and this isn't some internet phenomenon that I'm joining in on. Fine, there is the occasional level with some colour to it, but it would be just as dismissive of my arguments to try to say that it's a vibrant, colourful game. The world you inhabit is mostly ruined building after ruined building, and it gets repetitive. I'm not saying this to be "cool" or whatever, that's a load of crap and I have better things to do than pretend to be dismissive on a message board.


Why do you think that so many, including myself, thought that GoW was so awesome? I don't like drab and uninteresting things, and yet I like GoW. It's a fun game with some fantastic mechanics and engaging game play. Does it have problems? Sure it does, but these problems in no way got in the way of my enjoyment.

[megladon8]

You thought "Gears of War" was awesome? Since when?

I distinctly remember you agreeing with me when I was disappointed by it several months back.

The boring-ness of the visuals is echoed in the gameplay. As E said earlier, it consists entirely of "take cover, shoot, repeat", with some terrible vehicle sections.

[D_Davis]

You thought "Gears of War" was awesome? Since when?

I distinctly remember you agreeing with me when I was disappointed by it several months back.

The boring-ness of the visuals is echoed in the gameplay. As E said earlier, it consists entirely of "take cover, shoot, repeat", with some terrible vehicle sections.

Perhaps awesome was an overstatement on my part. I definitely don't like it to level of many of its fans, but in no way do I think it is a problematic game.

I don't think it is the best game ever, but I enjoyed most of what I played of it, and I think it had some very fun things going for it - especially co-op. Sure, it is a bit generic, but it was still fun to play.

I don't remember exactly what I said, and perhaps I was a bit down on it at some point. But I also remember really liking it when it first came out. Eh, what can I say? If my opinion has changed, it has. Haven't played it in a while, and I never beat it (my biggest problem with games - I never finish them!) but I remember having more fun than not with it.

[D_Davis]

Here it is:


I'm enjoying "Gears of War", but I feel like it's the type of game that will run out of new stuff pretty soon.

The whole "cover...shoot...cover...shoot" thing is already starting to get old, and I've only played for about 90 minutes total.

EDIT: Also, the graphics are mighty pretty, but talk about drab, dull environments...is the whole game like this? Ruined churches and stuff?


I definitely agree. The textures are super-crisp, but the environments fail to evoke a shred of wonder and emotional connection. There's a booklet that comes with the collector's edition that talks of "destroyed beauty" and whatnot, but all I could see was opportunities for taking cover. And perhaps I've missed this, was it explained in the beginning, but are the only survivors hulking soldiers? Yes, there were a few civilians, but not nearly enough for my taste. And those driving sequences were pretty unremarkable. Still, it was a fairly intense blast - control scheme as well as soundtrack are totally ace! - but I actually gave up when combating the final baddie on the train. Pretty bland design in places.


I agree with all of this. It is a fun game, but the environments are boring.

It is also way too long.

For what it has to offer, it should have been a solid 5-6 hours, tops. They should have gone for a more arcade-like experience, and encouraged multiple plays with the hopes of improving score and time. It's just way too long to be doing the same thing over and over. I think I got about 1/2 through it, and felt like I had had enough.

I thought it was fun, but too long with boring environments.

So "awesome" was an overstatement, but I still like the game. I just wish is was shorter for what it had to offer. Still have the game, and I don't regret the purchase.

[Stay Puft]

You seem to be implying that a lot of my criticisms of these games is due to an "it's popular to hate on" type attitude, which is kind of insulting.

I don't mean to imply that, actually. I'm not questioning opinion or whether or not your feelings are genuine (of course they are). If anything, I'm questioning language. I'm saying there is no merit to phrases such as "everything is grey/brown" or its more general variant "everything looks the same." When I mentioned memes, I wasn't implying that you were "posing" or whatever. Only that your bias has led you to reproduce them. They have nothing to do with Gears specifically, which is my point. Calling out a game for being "brown/grey" happens all the time, is a common "criticism" of modern gaming, that everything is brown, everything is a military shooter or about bald space marines, etc. This goes back to what Davis said - that these things simply aren't true unless you let them affect you.

We are too prone to simplify, generalize, and categorize. I guess I'm just tired of talking about "Greys of War" or these kinds of arguments because the language seems too dismissive to me, not in a qualitative sense of one's opinion on a game, but as langauge itself, in its refusal to address an experience in its plurality. I'm skeptical whenever I hear such langauge because I don't think we can actually name one game that fulfills such a description. We are simply talking around games at that point, not about them in their individuality and specificity. But this language proliferates and colors our perspective on individual games.

[D_Davis]

So I broke my own rule I set for myself only a few days ago.

:(

I bought Fable 2 without having completed Dead Space.

Dammit.

I just couldn't stand it any more - Fable 2 sounded like too much fun.

And it is!

One of my biggest complaints about the first Fable was the lack of cool dungeons - well, in Fable 2 one of the first places you get to explore is a crypt!

Yay!

:)

It's pretty fun so far, although the control is a tad sloppy, and the menus take just a bit too long to access, making them kind of annoying. Not as bad as Too Human, but still, in these kinds of games accessing the menus should be instant. This should be one of the very first things playtesters look for, especially in action-RPGs where you access the menus a lot.

Inexcusable.

The art is fantastic. I love how bright and colorful everything is without feeling childish and "Rare" like. It really does feel like a living fable - pretty cool.

[megladon8]

I may just have to check out "Fable 2" at some point.

I am almost finished "Dead Space". Once I'm done, I'll really give "Fallout 3" a workout.

I tried it the other night for about an hour, but that's really not enough time to really do anything.

The game pretty much forces you to use VATS for combat, because if you approach it like a typical FPS, well, the combat sucks donkey ass. But VATS is pretty much just a turn-based combat system like any old JRPG, so I can't say I'm too happy about that.

The world looks beautiful from afar, but the textures are pretty bad up close. Very muddy and low-res when under close inspection.

And the character animations are outright bad.

But the story seems to be pretty cool. The way that you learn the controls and skills is really original, as the "tutorials" are executed as your character grows up.

At about 3 months old, your father (played by Liam Neeson!) teaches you how to walk, jump, etc., and this coincides with the game showing you how to go about movement.

Really cool.

[D_Davis]

The VATS system is an extension of the turn-based combat found in the original Fallout games. And yes, part 3 should not be approached as an action-based shooter - all the shots and damage are reliant upon your skills and points. Every time you attack, there is a "die roll" done by the game.

[megladon8]

Is anyone else interested in "Legendary"?


EDIT: Does anyone know if extra harddrives are still available for the 360? And if so, where to get them?

I was thinking of buying the 120G drive (or, if that's too expensive, another 20G one).

But no one seems to have them. Amazon.ca doesn't even have them listed. Amazon.com only sells them on the marketplace, but the shipping to Canada is so high it's not worth it. Best Buy and Futureshop don't seem to have them either.

I'm getting down to the last 2-3 gig's of space on my drive, so I'll need the space relatively soon.

[EyesWideOpen]

Is anyone else interested in "Legendary"?


EDIT: Does anyone know if extra harddrives are still available for the 360? And if so, where to get them?

I was thinking of buying the 120G drive (or, if that's too expensive, another 20G one).

But no one seems to have them. Amazon.ca doesn't even have them listed. Amazon.com only sells them on the marketplace, but the shipping to Canada is so high it's not worth it. Best Buy and Futureshop don't seem to have them either.

I'm getting down to the last 2-3 gig's of space on my drive, so I'll need the space relatively soon.

The only 360 HDD's available are the 20GB and the 120GB which is $149.99. It's being clearanced at Target (it's currently $125) which people are taking as a precursor to Microsoft either releasing a seperate 60GB one or dropping the price of the 120 soon.

[Winston*]

PSN: Dukefrukem!



cool! add me

PSNid: amjr72


Okay, I added you two to the thing. You guys wanna play a multiplayer game of Uncharted? I'll be Nathan Fillion and you two can play as members of unspecified non-Caucasian race.

[Scar]

MGS4 is all kinds of awesomeness. I'll definately be playing through it a few times.

[Saya]

Ok, Fallout 3 is amazing. I've played for about 9 hours now and hardly touched the main quest. I'm just exploring and doing some side quests. The world looks great. Killing Super Mutants is so awesome with VATS. It kinda feels like like playing in the world of McCarthy's The Road and I wouldn't be surprised if there's a man with a kid and a shopping cart walking around somewhere as an easter egg.

Can't wait to play more, but first I'm going to finish Fable II so I can give Fallout 3 my full attention. Playing two RPGs at the same time is a bit too much.

D, have you already opened the chest at the end of the first dungeon? I think it was called Bower Lake Tomb or something. If not, then I definitely recommend doing the special games on the official website first so you get some free exclusive stuff like a chicken suit, pink dye, a doll and some money. I think you also get a special title. I don't think you can get this stuff if you've already opened the chest.

[megladon8]

Here's a trailer (http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/853443/mortal-kombat-next-gen/videos/MKvsDC_StoryIntro_102908.html) giving a peek at the storyline of "Mortal Kombat vs. DCU".

Man, some of those voices are terrible.

I'm still looking forward to playing it, though.

[D_Davis]

D, have you already opened the chest at the end of the first dungeon? I think it was called Bower Lake Tomb or something. If not, then I definitely recommend doing the special games on the official website first so you get some free exclusive stuff like a chicken suit, pink dye, a doll and some money. I think you also get a special title. I don't think you can get this stuff if you've already opened the chest.

No I did not. I went to the website and got really bored and said screw it.

[D_Davis]

Here's a trailer (http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/853443/mortal-kombat-next-gen/videos/MKvsDC_StoryIntro_102908.html) giving a peek at the storyline of "Mortal Kombat vs. DCU".

Man, some of those voices are terrible.

I'm still looking forward to playing it, though.


I'm still totally uninterested in this, I just don't care for MK's mechanics, and SF4 is due out soon. However, I've heard from many people on many podcasts that the game is awesome, and totally fun.

[SirNewt]

See I wouldn't know that, I haven't played them :)

But "BioShock" takes place in the '40s/'50s, whereas "Fallout 3" takes place in 2277.

So my question still stands - what's with all the '50s art-deco and jazz music?

I don't know if anyone explained this or not already but Fallout has a 50's style to it because the nuclear holocaust happened in the 50's so the remnants of human culture are from the 50's. The world of Bioshock, however, collapsed in the 30's. The styles are different except for the music, which reeks of laziness on the part of the Fallout designers. I think they just loved the idea of murder and violence occurring to "I don't want to set the world on fire". That music Al Jolson style music was most popular in the 30's not the 50's. So I think that is a straight up ripoff of "Bioshock".

[megladon8]

I don't know if anyone explained this or not already but Fallout has a 50's style to it because the nuclear holocaust happened in the 50's so the remnants of human culture are from the 50's. The world of Bioshock, however, collapsed in the 30's. The styles are different except for the music, which reeks of laziness on the part of the Fallout designers. I think they just loved the idea of murder and violence occurring to "I don't want to set the world on fire". That music Al Jolson style music was most popular in the 30's not the 50's. So I think that is a straight up ripoff of "Bioshock".


But in "Fallout 3", the holocaust happened way in the future. Not in the '50s.

But yeah, others explained that the series (which I had never played 'til this point) is very tongue-in-cheek, and has consistently had this tone.

I like it, I just didn't get why this would occur so far in the future, when the world had moved way past the 1950s.

[megladon8]

Beat "Dead Space".

Flaws aside, it was a great experience. And wow, what an ending!

EA really needs to patch this sucker up, though.

[EyesWideOpen]

Beat "Dead Space".

Flaws aside, it was a great experience. And wow, what an ending!

EA really needs to patch this sucker up, though.

What needs to be patched? I've finished two playthroughs and logged over 20 hours in the game and i can't think of a single thing that needs to be patched.

[megladon8]

What needs to be patched? I've finished two playthroughs and in a month or so when my gamelog dies down i'll play a third.


Problems with the suits.

If you use one of the downloaded suits, you cannot switch out of it, ever.

It's annoying because, frankly, they make the game way too easy.

[EyesWideOpen]

Problems with the suits.

If you use one of the downloaded suits, you cannot switch out of it, ever.

It's annoying because, frankly, they make the game way too easy.

Yes you can, it lets you switch suits of the same level or higher. I had the Scorpion suit (one of the downloaded ones) and switched to the Elite suit (the other downloaded one) and when i beat the game and unlocked the Military suit i switched to that one.

Think of the suit levels as an upgrade, once you upgrade your weapon and it gets too powerful they don't let you downgrade it to make it easier. Also if you think the game is way to easy, go play the impossible mode that unlocks once you beat the game and let me know how that goes.

[megladon8]

Yes you can, it lets you switch suits of the same level or higher. I had the Scorpion suit (one of the downloaded ones) and switched to the Elite suit (the other downloaded one) and when i beat the game and unlocked the Military suit i switched to that one.

Think of the suit levels as an upgrade, once you upgrade your weapon and it gets too powerful they don't let you downgrade it to make it easier. Also if you think the game is way to easy, go play the impossible mode that unlocks once you beat the game and let me know how that goes.

Fine, but I would like to be able to go back and replay the game with the regular suits.

But no, I can only upgrade, even after I've beaten the game.

Having the monsters pose no challenge at all pretty much rid a lot of the game of its tension.

[EyesWideOpen]

Fine, but I would like to be able to go back and replay the game with the regular suits.

But no, I can only upgrade, even after I've beaten the game.

Having the monsters pose no challenge at all pretty much rid a lot of the game of its tension.

You can replay the game with the regular suits by using a new save file. You have to do that anyways if you want to play on a different difficulty level.

If you replay the game on the same save file you keep all your upgrades and the new suit you unlock but you can't play on a higher difficulty level.

[megladon8]

If you replay the game on the same save file you keep all your upgrades and the new suit you unlock but you can't play on a higher difficulty level.


Which, in itself, is stupid.

[EyesWideOpen]

Which, in itself, is stupid.

Why? If they allowed you to do that you could just max everything out on easy, collect a ton of nodes and ammo and then have a cake walk on the hard mode.

[megladon8]

Why? If they allowed you to do that you could just max everything out on easy, collect a ton of nodes and ammo and then have a cake walk on the hard mode.


Because the game will just be even more ridiculously easy on the same difficulty over and over again.

This is a complaint towards the game that's appeared in every review I've read and seen, it's not like I'm breaking new ground here.

It was a mistake for them to implement that inability to change the difficulty setting with your upgrades.

When I replay something, I almost always replay it on a higher difficulty. Not being able to do so is a misstep.

[EyesWideOpen]

Because the game will just be even more ridiculously easy on the same difficulty over and over again.

This is a complaint towards the game that's appeared in every review I've read and seen, it's not like I'm breaking new ground here.

It was a mistake for them to implement that inability to change the difficulty setting with your upgrades.

When I replay something, I almost always replay it on a higher difficulty. Not being able to do so is a misstep.

And I still don't understand what your complaning about everything you keep mentioning about the game it allows you to do.

Very few games let you replay the game and keep all your upgrades for a second playthrough. Dead Space lets you do this if you want and feel overpowered for your second playthrough which I don't understand how you keep bringing this up as a negative when if you want to replay on a different difficulty level you can do that but you start fresh just like almost every other video game ever made.

[megladon8]

Fine, whatever.

I'm going to go play something.

[number8]

This is why I don't replay games.

[Ezee E]

I typically don't replay games either. In fact, since middle school, I can't think of one.

[Skitch]

I've played a lot of Fable II these last days. Still like it a lot, but the fighting system is a bit too limited though. I'm playing my first run as a "good" guy and I just finished the Spire part. I have two wives now (Alex in Bowerstone and some random gypsy in the gypsy camp) that both have one kid, but I can't seem to get them pregnant again and I want a couple more kids. My gypsy wife gave me an STD though and I don't know how to get rid of it. I also taught my dog to pee on other people.

.

How the hell do you have sex?! I've got married, and I just can't seem to seal the deal. I flirt and seduce and gift...

UPDATE: My wife left me because I'm never around. I told her she couldn't leave because I was throwing her out for never putting out. Bitch! Oh, and I'm keeping the house too. Rent that shit out, put some coin in my pocket, gonna get me a hooker in Bloodstone.

:lol:

[Skitch]

I also started playing the Madden game I got for 360...'07. So far, I'm hangin' in there.

[Ezee E]

I also started playing the Madden game I got for 360...'07. So far, I'm hangin' in there.
'07.

Kill everyone with Reggie Bush! He'll get 5-6 yards every carry.

I remember a few seasons earlier when Michael Vick was practically the reincarnated Bo Jackson.

[Saya]

How the hell do you have sex?! I've got married, and I just can't seem to seal the deal. I flirt and seduce and gift...

UPDATE: My wife left me because I'm never around. I told her she couldn't leave because I was throwing her out for never putting out. Bitch! Oh, and I'm keeping the house too. Rent that shit out, put some coin in my pocket, gonna get me a hooker in Bloodstone.

:lol:

Go to the bookstore in Bowerstone and buy the "Come Back To My Place" expression book, I think it was called "Come Hither Dear". Just use that on a woman (or man) and lead her to a bed. Then you have the choice to have protected or unprotected sex. The unprotected sex can give you STD's though and I don't think you can remove them, but then again it seems they don't do anything either. :)

I just got a blackmail letter from some anonymous guy that said I had to pay 2000 gold or he would tell my wife in Bowerstone that I cheated on her and that I have other wives. Not sure if I should pay him or kill him.

I also found out how you can have more kids with the same wife. You just have to wait until the kid is grown up a bit. There can be only one crib in the house at any time.

Also, if you are in need of money, do the bartending job. You can make tons of money relatively fast compared to other jobs.

[Skitch]

Ah. Thats what I was missing.

Hilarious. Kill him.

Oh, I'm a five star bartender. Thats the best job. The woodcutting and blacksmithing gets pretty tough, though I'm four star in both. I'm becoming quite the real estate mogul too. I also own the inn over the hobbe cave.

God I love this game. That spire shit was crazy. I'm wrapping up a ton of side missions before talking to the thief. The last mission I completed was retrieving body parts of Lady Grey for Dr. Victor. Then she fell in love with me, not him. Yes...I have an undead girlfriend. I wonder if I can have undead kids.

[Saya]

Hah, great!

I think I'm at the same part of the story as you and I'm going to do the same thing. I'm gonna try to finish most of the sidequests now before finishing the main story quest.

I also just did that Love Hurts quest too today, but I choose to let her fall in love with that guy. Mostly because I want to play the "good" guy now. When I play the game again in couple months, I'm going to got he "evil" route.

[Skitch]

Hah, great!

I think I'm at the same part of the story as you and I'm going to do the same thing. I'm gonna try to finish most of the sidequests now before finishing the main story quest.

I also just did that Love Hurts quest too today, but I choose to let her fall in love with that guy. Mostly because I want to play the "good" guy now. When I play the game again in couple months, I'm going to got he "evil" route.


I'm playing the good route as well. Surprisingly letting her fall for me didn't go down as evil or good. I love being absolutely good. It's hard for me to be bad. Hero complex. :lol:

[D_Davis]

I just found and completed the first hero's quest - Hammer.

That was awesome. I love the cave with all the undead.

The game is quite fun, and beautiful to look at.

However, it lacks a certain polish that I expect from a AAA title:

Sometimes, I cannot lock on to an enemy and use my gun - the buttons fail to do anything. Other times, when in an enemy is out of lock on range, rather than do nothing the camera spins around and around in circles.

The movement and hit detection can be weird at times as well. I like how the character will move sideways through thin passages, but I hate how he does this when he is too close to a wall, thus slowing him down when he shouldn't.

The menus are also troublesome. They take too long to access - not very long, but just long enough to where I notice and think that something is wrong.

Also, unless I am mistaken, there is no way to check your old equipment's strength when buying new equipment. Is there not a "compare" feature to make sure that what you are buying is actually better than what you have? Most games have a little red or green arrow showing this.

These are all problems that a) should have been pointed out in Q&A, and b) could have easily been fixed before launch.

Again, however, these problems do not interfere with how fun everything else is.

[Skitch]

I've stopped using the lock on feature, unless fighting a boss. I just point the stick till the enemy is highlighted, and blast away. I like to melee an enemy, and spin around to blast one sneaking up on me with the blunderbuss, then turn back to the original enemy. Awesome.

Yes, their is no compare feature. You have check how strong they are before you go to the buy menu. Sucks, but oh well.

[Saya]

I'm playing the good route as well. Surprisingly letting her fall for me didn't go down as evil or good. I love being absolutely good. It's hard for me to be bad. Hero complex. :lol:

Oh crap, I should've done that then too! I really thought I would get evil points for stealing the love of his life. :)

D, I completely agree with all that you've said. And like you, I also am still having a lot of fun with game despite the flaws/bugs.

[Saya]

As for the combat, I'm hardly ever use the range weapons. I'm more of a melee guy. I usually use the time control spell first and then slash away. Works great. :)

[megladon8]

UPDATE: My wife left me because I'm never around. I told her she couldn't leave because I was throwing her out for never putting out. Bitch! Oh, and I'm keeping the house too. Rent that shit out, put some coin in my pocket, gonna get me a hooker in Bloodstone.


It took me a second to realize that you were talking about the game.

I couldn't figure out why you seemed so damn 'lax about your wife leaving you.

:lol:

[Ezee E]

It took me a second to realize that you were talking about the game.

I couldn't figure out why you seemed so damn 'lax about your wife leaving you.

:lol:
Same thing happened here. Ha.

But if I play that game, I surely plan on having my character rot his dick out by contacting multiple STDs with multiple partners. Create an army of kids as well.

Who cares about the story...

[Skitch]

That's why I typed it that way. Faaaaar more funny to the un-coffee'd eye.

:lol:

[megladon8]

Been playing more "Fallout 3" probably a total of about 2 hours now.

I'm baffled as to how you can possibly get things done in this game. I just keep getting more and more quests. Quest after quest after quest gets added to my PipBoy, and none of them are getting finished.

The first one I got was to deactivate the nuke in Megaton, but I have no idea how to go about this.

Then I went to deliver the letter to that girl's family who turn out to have been murdered, and I have to find her little brother who is missing. But I have no idea where I'm supposed to go looking for him.

I'm just totally overwhelmed by the game, because there's so much that has to be done and not much of it makes sense to me regarding how I should complete the task.

[D_Davis]

Dude - just relax.

It's just a game.

:)

Part of the fun of these kinds of games is in taking your time, exploring the world, and discovering what it has to offer.

Don't look at your quest log as some kind of NEED TO DO NOW! list. Look at it as a guide pointing in certain directions towards things to be done when you get there.

It's all about the journey - the times in between the points.

[megladon8]

In other news, I enjoyed the heck out of the "Mirror's Edge" demo.

I still freaking love the music. It's cool how a lot of the music in the game and its menus consists entirely of variations of that one song, "Still Alive". It gives this great, bitter-sweet feeling to the action and story.

And I love the animated cutscenes.

It controls like a dream, and you can do some incredible things.

I may not give two shits about the whole parkour sport and lifestyle, but this is a cool game.

[Ezee E]

Fallout 3 sounds like my type of game. No set pattern on where to go, and endless possibilities.

Is the battle system fun? That's what kept me away from the original Morrowind.

[megladon8]

Fallout 3 sounds like my type of game. No set pattern on where to go, and endless possibilities.

Is the battle system fun? That's what kept me away from the original Morrowind.


I enjoy it, but it took some getting used to.

You have action points, which instantly recharge after you've used them.

You use them in the VATS system, where the game pauses, and you choose what body part(s) to focus your attacks on. Then it goes into a cinematic slow-motion as you blast away at those parts, and spend the action points.

VERY gory. Blowing someone's head off results in a huge fountain of gushing blood and gore.

[Ezee E]

I enjoy it, but it took some getting used to.

You have action points, which instantly recharge after you've used them.

You use them in the VATS system, where the game pauses, and you choose what body part(s) to focus your attacks on. Then it goes into a cinematic slow-motion as you blast away at those parts, and spend the action points.

VERY gory. Blowing someone's head off results in a huge fountain of gushing blood and gore.
Hmm... I'll have to play it to see if I like it. Typically I don't like systems where it stops like that.

The old Final Fantasy turn-based system drove me nuts sometimes. Luckily I was intrigued by the story enough to at least make it to the third disc. Never finished them. :(

[megladon8]

Hmm... I'll have to play it to see if I like it. Typically I don't like systems where it stops like that.

The old Final Fantasy turn-based system drove me nuts sometimes. Luckily I was intrigued by the story enough to at least make it to the third disc. Never finished them. :(


I was worried about the stopping being an interruption, but it actually flows really nicely.

You just click the shoulder button, it pauses and a chart pops up on the enemy's body. You choose where to attack, then press A and sit back to watch the violence unfold.

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/3155/falloutvatsbe3.jpg

This is what pops up when you press the VATS button. Those percentages show the percentage chance you have of hitting the body part it corresponds with.

And there are some really cool weapons.

I already got a gun called a "Fat Boy", which shoots mini tactical nukes. How cool is that?

And if you up your stats in being able to make and repair things, you can find a work-bench and use collected materials to build your own weapons with custom stats.

[Winston*]

That xtreme-slow-motion-body-parts-exploding-in-pillars of blood thing sounds annoying as hell. I'm interested enough in the rest of Fallout 3 that I'll buy it eventually though. Too many PS3 games I want to play.

[Raiders]

World of Goo is ridiculously awesome.

[Ezee E]

Yeah, is it all slo-mo? Otherwise it doesn't sound all that bad.

[megladon8]

Yeah, is it all slo-mo? Otherwise it doesn't sound all that bad.


In VATS, yes, it's all slow-mo.

But you can also approach it like a shooter, and just aim your reticle at the enemy and fire away.

I don't suggest that, though. It's really clunky.

[Ezee E]

In VATS, yes, it's all slow-mo.

But you can also approach it like a shooter, and just aim your reticle at the enemy and fire away.

I don't suggest that, though. It's really clunky.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see when I try it then.

[megladon8]

Played through the "Mirror's Edge" demo again.

There are so many refreshing things in the game.

-Being rewarded for playing non-violently. Disarming foes rather than taking their gun and blowing them away.

-A strong female lead who doesn't have impossibly large breasts and ass; Faith is very attractive, but also believably strong and agile...she looks real

And I haven't felt so free in a game in a while. Granted, the demo is limited, but man, it was incredible to scale buildings, jump these incredible distances, practically feel the wind as I swooshed down a long cable.

I hope the whole game is this fun.

[SirNewt]

Played through the "Mirror's Edge" demo again.

There are so many refreshing things in the game.

-Being rewarded for playing non-violently. Disarming foes rather than taking their gun and blowing them away.

-A strong female lead who doesn't have impossibly large breasts and ass; Faith is very attractive, but also believably strong and agile...she looks real

And I haven't felt so free in a game in a while. Granted, the demo is limited, but man, it was incredible to scale buildings, jump these incredible distances, practically feel the wind as I swooshed down a long cable.

I hope the whole game is this fun.

Yes, I got a chance to play this at PAX but the demo is much more impressive. I don't know if the controls have been tweaked or what but I fell much more comfortable. The build I played there combined the tutorial and the level the demo has.

Back when EDGE magazine got the uber exclusive on this thing I was pretty stoked but none of the sites had picked it up yet and nobody else cared. I tried to explain how awesome the game was going to be and failed. I kind of didn't care for awhile and the PAX play session did little to ignite my interest but this demo has me excited again, except for those cartoon cut scenes. They kinda suck.

EDIT: OH an I'm gonna pimpBreakdownquick cause they totally rippedthatgameoff.

[megladon8]

Whaaaaaaaaaaaat!

The animated cut scenes rock!


So I just played another 2 hours of "Fallout 3". Colour me officially addicted. If I didn't have to work in 2 hours, I'd totally pull an all-nighter with this one.

I just fixed the comm. array for Three Dog, and then disarmed the nuke in Megaton. Now I have my own place, and a robot butler who tells me jokes.

Nooch.