Video Games...Discuss Them

[D_Davis]

This is the first Wii game I've seen that I am actually excited about (http://kotaku.com/5164152/a-boy-and-his-blob-and-their-screenshots).

[Sycophant]

This is the first Wii game I've seen that I am actually excited about (http://kotaku.com/5164152/a-boy-and-his-blob-and-their-screenshots).

It looks gorgeous. It's by WayForward, and I like those guys. Very glad to see that developers are understanding that 2-D platformers on home consoles are not completely irrelevant.

[D_Davis]

It looks gorgeous. It's by WayForward, and I like those guys. Very glad to see that developers are understanding that 2-D platformers on home consoles are not completely irrelevant.

Totally - it looks awesome.

[Amnesiac]

This is the first Wii game I've seen that I am actually excited about (http://kotaku.com/5164152/a-boy-and-his-blob-and-their-screenshots).

I don't think I've ever seen something quite like this. Very cool.

Hopefully the gameplay won't suck.

[Sycophant]

Speaking of nifty-looking Wii games, I started up de Blob last night. It's pretty classy!

It's taking a lot of cues from Katamari in its level structure and its overall happy, poppy vibe. Gott say that I'm not in love with the jumping-by-Wii remote thing and the jumping itself is taking me more time to get used to than I would've expected.

Mirroring progress in the stage with the soundtrack, though, is a very nice touch. It's even got some little side missions that run just a couple minutes, so it's really an ideal kind of game for when I just want to play for ten to thirty minutes.

[megladon8]

Still loving "Super Mario Galaxy", though it seems to be a little easy. I've gotten 33 stars with no trouble at all, only dying because of issues with the camera.

And on that note...THE FUCKING CAMERA!! Holy crap, I know that saying a 3D platformer has a bad camera is one of the most redundant criticisms ever, but my god, this is ridiculous. It seems they actually choose the worst angles possible, so as to make each puzzle frurstratingly difficult to navigate.

It's like they realized the game was too easy, so they threw in a broken camera system to try to liven things up.

[Sycophant]

I played Super Mario Galaxy immediately after playing through Super Mario 64 for the first time, which may account for why I had no complaints against SMG's camera.

While SMG's pretty easy, it's a joy to play. It's much more linear than SM64 or SMS, and while I like both those games, that kind of return to classic Mario forum was welcome.

[EvilShoe]

Fallout 3 is as addictive as I was told...
Went out on a mission, ended up infiltrating a Raiders lair instead. Then I ran into feral ghouls. Then bounty hunters. Then Super Mutants.

I also met a scavenger, who had two dogs with her. Couldn't obtain one, though. I should look for that one in the scrapyard.

[Ezee E]

My dog died in a cave. I thought it was right behind me too. :(

[Dead & Messed Up]

This will easily be the best-selling game of the year (http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200903051145DOWJONESDJONLINE00 0881_FORTUNE5.htm).

Holy cow. It'll be frickin' enormous.

I can't wait.

:)

[Sycophant]

I was saying I was going to hold out for ELO DLC or on-disc content to buy a music game, but an entire Beatle game might be enough to break me down.

[D_Davis]

My dog died in a cave. I thought it was right behind me too. :(

My dog stays at home, where it is safe.

[D_Davis]

So that Boy and His Blob game doesn't look nearly as good in motion as it does in the screen caps. Hopefully those new videos on IGN are very early in development. There is very little animation, and the backgrounds are as static as can be - it almost looks like a glorified Flash game. Still interested though, but I would like to see more animation in a current-gen 2D game.

[Amnesiac]

They should make a new Viewtiful Joe game. I never played the first, but the second was absolutely awesome.

[EvilShoe]

My dog died in a cave. I thought it was right behind me too. :(
I'm still travelling on my own.
I should recruit some people.

[D_Davis]

They should make a new Viewtiful Joe game. I never played the first, but the second was absolutely awesome.

Viewtiful Joe is awesome - unfortunately, Capcom still owns the IP, but the developers, Clover, were dissolved by Capcom. I guess Capcom could make a new one, but without the talent of Clover, I don't think it would be the same. Maybe Capcom could hire Platinum Games (Clover's new company) to make one? Probably not gonna happen though, as the VJ games sold like crap.

[D_Davis]

I'm still travelling on my own.
I should recruit some people.

I wouldn't - you don't get as much experience when you travel with a hireling.

[Sycophant]

They should make a new Viewtiful Joe game. I never played the first, but the second was absolutely awesome.

You could pick up the first, which is the only one I've played at all. It's a blast, but I always get sidetracked by something else. It can usually be hard for $4 to $10 these days.

[EyesWideOpen]

This will easily be the best-selling game of the year (http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200903051145DOWJONESDJONLINE00 0881_FORTUNE5.htm).

Holy cow. It'll be frickin' enormous.

I can't wait.

:)

This got officially announced like two months ago why is that news article acting like it just happened.

[EvilShoe]

I wouldn't - you don't get as much experience when you travel with a hireling.
Well, maybe once I'm halfway through the game or something.

[Ezee E]

Well, maybe once I'm halfway through the game or something.
The only time I travelled with someone was at the end when you're more or less forced to.

Except for my dog, I went with him everywhere.

[bac0n]

Man, training mode in SF4 with input display is about the best thing that happened to my SF4 skillz. I can almost pull off the super/ultra combos with some measure of reliability. Oh - Gouken is one baaaad muthah.

[Ezee E]

Man, training mode in SF4 with input display is about the best thing that happened to my SF4 skillz. I can almost pull off the super/ultra combos with some measure of reliability. Oh - Gouken is one baaaad muthah.
Yeah, those Super/Ultra combos are tough.

I already returned my copy though, and got Mirror's Edge, which I'm digging a ton. Even if I don't know where to go sometimes.

Resident Evil 5... so soon.

[megladon8]

Now have 61 stars in "Super Mario Galaxy", as well as 5 of the 6 grand stars.

I've still had no real problems getting any of them. Still think the camera is absolute balls - even worse than usual with platformers - but I'm enjoying the heck out of the game nonetheless.

I do wish, though, that there were some more expansive worlds. Don't get me wrong, hopping around and back-and-forth on the nugget-sized asteroids is a lot of fun, but I was hoping for some larger levels as well. Even the levels that are large seem a bit small.

[bac0n]

Resident Evil 5... so soon.

WORD. I'm there opening day. The demo looks SO SO good. If it weren't for SF4, I'd be playing it right now. RE5 will be my third Capcom purchase in a row.

[Ezee E]

WORD. I'm there opening day. The demo looks SO SO good. If it weren't for SF4, I'd be playing it right now. RE5 will be my third Capcom purchase in a row.
Yeah, loved the demo. Died quickly, but that's all I needed. I deleted it afterwards so I'd see it all when it comes out.

[D_Davis]

The demo for R5 actually turned me off from the game. I just can't return to that archaic control scheme again, especially with the focus more on action, and not survival horror, than ever before. While I loved RE4, I'd actually like to see the franchise return to its slower, more puzzle-orientated, survival-horror roots.

I'm sure I'll end up picking the game up, and playing it with co-op should be fun, but I have a feeling I will be playing it while thinking "I wish I could move and shot; I wish I wasn't simply a movable turret," throughout.

It does look gorgeous though, and I am looking forward to seeing what kind of surprises the game has in store.

[megladon8]

The demo for R5 actually turned me off from the game. I just can't return to that archaic control scheme again, especially with the focus more on action, and not survival horror, than ever before. While I loved RE4, I'd actually like to see the franchise return to its slower, more puzzle-orientated, survival-horror roots.

I'm sure I'll end up picking the game up, and playing it with co-op should be fun, but I have a feeling I will be playing it while thinking "I wish I could move and shot; I wish I wasn't simply a movable turret," throughout.

It does look gorgeous though, and I am looking forward to seeing what kind of surprises the game has in store.


I would like to see more of a balance between the action and horror (maybe that's what you're saying?).

I find the first game in the series to be pretty good, but the second is where the series really topped, in my opinion. Perfect blend of action and horror - stayed tense throughout, wasn't too difficult, but enough to provide a challenge and make the enemies feel like a threat.

"RE4" is a freaking brilliant action game, but aside from a few small moments, I wasn't really scared by it. Having the bad guys take on the role of cannon fodder really took the game's scare factor out of it.

[Skitch]

Yeah, but RE4 did have a few good scares. Those dudes who are blind, but come after you when you make noise...some of the big bosses...

[megladon8]

Yeah, but RE4 did have a few good scares. Those dudes who are blind, but come after you when you make noise...some of the big bosses...


Yeah that's what I mean. It had a few moments that we're "ooo...creepy", but nothing that had me scared shitless the way the first "Condemned" game did.

[Dukefrukem]

Yeah that's what I mean. It had a few moments that we're "ooo...creepy", but nothing that had me scared shitless the way the first "Condemned" game did.

agreed. RE4 wasn't scary at all. neither was dead space for that matter. RE2 was the scariest IMO.

[D_Davis]

The haunting atmosphere of Dead Space freaked my out a little bit, but anywhere near as much as Condemned 2 did. I couldn't even play that game.

[megladon8]

Yeah, "Dead Space" had atmosphere up the wazoo, but most of its scares were jump-scares, and were horribly telegraphed.

Super-fun game for sure, but for me didn't succeed as a horror game.

D - did you find the second "Condemned" more frightening than the first? I actually felt the reverse.

The second game explained too much, and all the supernatural crap injected into it was really lame.

[D_Davis]

Both Condemned games scared me, but the difference is that I played the first one with a friends, while the second one I played alone, mainly at night, down in my basement. I could only play it for a few hours - it really creeped me out. It's so oppressive, and the violence feels very real, and very brutal. It's a highly effective game in the way it made me feel while playing it - the graphics and presentation played a large part in this. Unfortunately, I didn't like the way it made me feel and so I was unable to get into it.

[megladon8]

Both Condemned games scared me, but the difference is that I played the first one with a friends, while the second one I played alone, mainly at night, down in my basement. I could only play it for a few hours - it really creeped me out. It's so oppressive, and the violence feels very real, and very brutal. It's a highly effective game in the way it made me feel while playing it - the graphics and presentation played a large part in this. Unfortunately, I didn't like the way it made me feel and so I was unable to get into it.


I played both alone at night, but I definitely found the first one more frightening.

I agree about the violence in the second game. They refined the combat system and made it even more brutal and realistic.

It's just that - like I said before - when the supernatural stuff came into play, I almost completely lost interest.

[Dukefrukem]

Both Condemned games scared me, but the difference is that I played the first one with a friends, while the second one I played alone, mainly at night, down in my basement. I could only play it for a few hours - it really creeped me out. It's so oppressive, and the violence feels very real, and very brutal. It's a highly effective game in the way it made me feel while playing it - the graphics and presentation played a large part in this. Unfortunately, I didn't like the way it made me feel and so I was unable to get into it.

Scariest part... the bear.

[megladon8]

Got some more Wii stuff today.

Got "Mario Kart Wii" which comes with the Wii Wheel, and I also got another Wii Wheel (so there are no fights over "who gets the wheel" :)).

Also got the Nyko charging kit, which comes with two rechargable battery packs for the Wii controllers, as well as a charging station. Seems to work just dandy, and will save lots of money on batteries.

I also got a three-'fer on Amazon.com (to be delivered to Jen's place, because they only ship video game stuff to the USA)...

-RE4 Wii
-Okami
-No More Heroes

All for $50. Pretty great deal, I think.

[D_Davis]

Got "Mario Kart Wii" which comes with the Wii Wheel, and I also got another Wii Wheel (so there are no fights over "who gets the wheel" :)).


Don't worry...if you only had one wheel, after playing it you would be arguing over who GETS to use the controller, and who HAS to use the wheel.

Worst entry in the series, IMO.

[megladon8]

Don't worry...if you only had one wheel, after playing it you would be arguing over who GETS to use the controller, and who HAS to use the wheel.

Worst entry in the series, IMO.


Wha??

The wheel works great.

And saying it's the worst entry in the series really doesn't say much. "Super Mario Kart" and "Mario Kart 64" were some of the best racing games on each platform.

Neve rplayed the GC "Mario Kart" game.

But this one seems like a lot of fun.

[D_Davis]

Our group hated the wheel; thought it worked best with the controller.

I haven't loved a MC game since the SNES days, but the N64 one was cool - we played that a lot. I always preferred Ditty Kong Racing and Crash Team Racing. Ditty Kong is awesome, I love the open ended nature of it.

[megladon8]

Our group hated the wheel; thought it worked best with the controller.

I haven't loved a MC game since the SNES days, but the N64 one was cool - we played that a lot. I always preferred Ditty Kong Racing and Crash Team Racing. Ditty Kong is awesome, I love the open ended nature of it.


Yeah, I loved "Diddy Kong Racing" as well.

I've had no problems with the Wii wheel, though. Remote slips in and out easily, it's responsive and weighted well. My only possible complaint would be that I have larger-than-normal hands, so it feels a tad cramped.

My next Wii accessory purchase will be zappers. Get that with a copy of "House of the Dead: Overkill"...fun times :)

[megladon8]

Just packed up my Wii, games and all accessories for the trip to NYC. I knew one of those big Amazon boxes would come in handy one of these days :)

I also ordered the zapper, the perfect shot gun (http://www.amazon.com/Wii-Perfect-Shot-Gun-Nintendo/dp/B000X2RKOO/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1236435990&sr=8-1) and "House of the Dead: Overkill"...Jen and I are going to have some great zombie-blastin' fun!!

Oh and if anyone here owns a Wii and is still dealing with AA batteries for the controllers, I strongly recommend this product:

The Wii charge station by Nyko (http://www.amazon.com/Wii-Charge-Station-Nintendo/dp/B000LFJNF2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1236436052&sr=1-1). You load the battery packs into the controllers and use the special backings (supplied) which leave the charging contact exposed. Any time you want to charge the controllers, you just set them in the little docking station, and 3.5 hours later you have two fully charges controllers.

And different from many other charging packs I've owned over the years for various systems, these seem to stay charged for quite a while. My friend and I were playing "Mario Kart Wii" for a good 90 minutes last night, and later I played "Mario Galaxy" for about 2.5 hours, and the charge hadn't even decreased by one bar!

I'm really enjoying the hell out of the Wii. I'm finding now that the sacrifice in graphics is more than made up in the awesome gameplay these games have.

[Milky Joe]

I would hate to have to use the controller for Mario Kart Wii. The wheel works too perfectly and feels too good to go back. I bought a second wheel because of this.

Conclusion: D_Davis is a crotchety old man. :)

[Dukefrukem]

Anyone else here a PS3 trophy whore?

[D_Davis]

Conclusion: D_Davis is a crotchety old man. :)

GET OFF MY LAWN!

[megladon8]

GET OFF MY LAWN!


Quit actin' like some kinda damn zipperhead.

[Amnesiac]

A lot of people have been saying the controls for Resident Evil 5 suck. Which is kind of disheartening.

I wouldn't mind a return to its survival-horror roots, either. Resident Evil 2 was, indeed, great. A palpable sense of dread and menace hung in the air in that game (and, actually, the same can be said for the first and third installments), rather than the fast paced slaughter and perpetual shoot-outs of Resident Evil 4.

I do hope this game is actually scary and not just one bustling shoot-out after another. I mean, there is a certain level of anxiety and tension in Resident Evil 4 but it's markedly different from the kind of disconcertion and unease that the original games could so easily elicit.

So, yeah. I hope I will be pleased with this new one, and that it will try to channel the apprehension and dread that made the old games so effective. That kind of trepidation does exist in this new and 'improved' incarnation of Resident Evil, but now you have the means to blast it all away. And they just keep swarming in, they don't really jump out at you, there's no portentous lines by dying characters, or a well executed scene of some bloody, ominous aftermath. It's missing something. Maybe it also has to do with the old control scheme being missing (but is that what people are saying these new games are adopting? Because I don't think I totally minded the old control scheme...) or maybe it had to do with the jump-scares or a more meticulously crafted sense of atmosphere and imminent danger...

The old games have something the new ones don't, and I really want it back.

[Dukefrukem]

A lot of people have been saying the controls for Resident Evil 5 suck. Which is kind of disheartening.

I wouldn't mind a return to its survival-horror roots, either. Resident Evil 2 was, indeed, great. A palpable sense of dread and menace hung in the air in that game (and, actually, the same can be said for the first and third installments), rather than the fast paced slaughter and perpetual shoot-outs of Resident Evil 4.

I do hope this game is actually scary and not just one bustling shoot-out after another. I mean, there is a certain level of anxiety and tension in Resident Evil 4 but it's markedly different from the kind of disconcertion and unease that the original games could so easily elicit.

So, yeah. I hope I will be pleased with this new one, and that it will try to channel the apprehension and dread that made the old games so effective. That kind of trepidation does exist in this new and 'improved' incarnation of Resident Evil, but now you have the means to blast it all away. And they just keep swarming in, they don't really jump out at you, there's no portentous lines by dying characters, or a well executed scene of some bloody, ominous aftermath. It's missing something. Maybe it also has to do with the old control scheme being missing (but is that what people are saying these new games are adopting? Because I don't think I totally minded the old control scheme...) or maybe it had to do with the jump-scares or a more meticulously crafted sense of atmosphere and imminent danger...

The old games have something the new ones don't, and I really want it back.

quoted from someone who played and finished it already:


Two things. The game's not glitchy. I've twice had my 360 pause for a second when the enemy threw a grenade towards me, but that's it. One annoying change is the new save system. The game makes you miss the typewriter system from previous games.

Now we've got automatic checkpoints. And when ever the game is saved at a checkpoint your inventory is also saved. So you cant go back and restart the level with the stuff you had before. You can't load a previous save file to turn the clock back a few minutes. I always felt the save system worked for the type of game RE is, but they changed it to Gears style. You never know when you're going to take a step and trigger a cut-scene (and thereby a checkpoint) and lose the opportunity FOREVER of investigating a certain area to pick up treasures, cash and ammo.

My issues with the game are not technical, but design-related.

Onward:

Here some impression when I was about 40% through the game:

I'm on Chapter 3-3, so I've played through half the game so far and it didn't take me very long at all. Maybe four hours, and I'm a very slow, methodical, search-every-corner type of player. (I might be even farther in given the type of weapons I have at my disposal at this stage.)

RE4 was so polished, it would be a massive disappointment if the follow-up disappointed there. So, yes, the controls are sharp. The graphics are sharp. The voice acting is pretty good...but there is enough trademark silliness to ensure we're still playing an RE game. At one point early in the game, Chris finds the key to a certain room and just as he's about to use it, a boss materializes behind him. Instead of using the key, opening and door and locking the boss on the other side and moving on....Chris runs down a branching corridor to fight the boss.

The sidekick trend in games is still not perfected. Essentially, the game is meant to be played co-op. Otherwise, you have to manage twice the inventory. Capcom expects you to use Sheva in single player as a mule for carrying around inventory you'll need yourself, which is the reason you can carry so little yourself. It's a distracting chore that breaks the rhythm and pace of the game.

Is it better than Dead Space in spite of these flaws? I believe so. Dead Space only had about half a dozen different enemies throughout the game. You could fight virtually everything by standing in a corner sniping it from across the room. There are vast numbers of segments where this works in RE, but there are a number of others as well. I'd give DS a 7 or 7.5 and RE5 an 8 so far.

Now with about 90% of the campaign complete, I'd revise my score down a little. The game is short. There isn't much variety in the enemies and the bosses are rare. This game makes you realize how high RE4 raised the bar.

All the footage that first came out out for this game had me thinking this game was RE 4.5. Even after the minigun set pieces were revealed, I still wasn't impressed. When the action becomes that fast-paced it ceases to be RE. After seeing as much of the game as I've seen, and knowing how much is left, I am disappointed.

This isn't RE 4.5. It's RE 3.5.

[megladon8]

IGN wants players to be completely aware of the fact that "RE5" is in NO WAY a horror game.

They said this several times in both their written and video reviews of the game. It is not scary by any means, and they even went so far as to say it wasn't trying to be scary.

It's an out-and-out action game, and as that, they said it succeeds.

But don't go into expecting scares, because they're simply not there.

[D_Davis]

Based on what I've read thus far, it sounds like I am going to like Dead Space a lot more than RE5.

And that's totally cool by me.

[Winston*]

Finished Wind Waker. It pretty good. The boring search for the triforce pieces section kind of soured me on it. Twilight Princess is better.

[Winston*]

Bad news, meg (http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/facts/gaming-high.aspx?id=sprig-flash)

[Sycophant]

The boring search for the triforce pieces section kind of soured me on it.Agree.
Twilight Princess is better.Disagree.

Shouldn't picked up any PSP games before I actually got my PSP in the mail. This copy of Mega Man Powered Up is going to be haunting me for the next week.

[megladon8]

I really wish Capcom would make a good, suitably next-gen "Megaman" game.

For one of the most popular franchises of all time, it's actually really surprising that they haven't already.

"Megaman 9" was a neat little thing, but it pretty much runs on nostalgia value. At least, I didn't get much more out of it than that.


Oh, and anyone else picking up "MadWorld"?

[Sycophant]

The original Mega Man series never really fit into the next-gen when next-gen was Super NES or the PlayStation. I understand the reticence to bring it forward any farther. Frankly, I think a lot of the key to Mega Man's success is the size of the character on the screen, and that seems somehow more difficult to pull off with anything but an 8-bit aesthetic.

Also, Mega Man 9 is one of the best-designed games in the series. So I disagree with literally everything you said.

They've continued pushing a lot of the ideas in the series forward in the X, Zero, and ZX series. Despite the fact that ZX Advent is too talky, it's a pretty good game.

Except for the part about inquiring about the purchase of MadWorld, which I have on preorder.

[megladon8]

A great interview with VIn Diesel. (http://www.gamespot.com/news/blogs/preview-blog/909185203/26805962/vin-diesel-qandampa.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=picks&tag=picks;title;1)

He talks about the birth of Tigon Studios, what's in store in "Assault on Dark Athena", and when we'll be hearing more about the third Riddick film.

[megladon8]

Also, Mega Man 9 is one of the best-designed games in the series. So I disagree with literally everything you said.


Yeah looking back I didn't phrase that well at all.

I was meaning that, visually, its 8-bit look was nostalgia-driven. The gameplay itself was great sidescrolling, but I think it could have benefitted from a graphical overhaul.

Something like what they did to "Bionic Commando" for XBLA last summer. That game looked fantastic, and was still the same gameplay you get from the NES version.

I would LOVE a classic sidescrolling "Megaman", but with updated graphics.

[Sycophant]

Yeah, I see what you're saying, but I don't see the point. I could take another set of 8 Mega Man games in the NES stye if they're as impeccably crafted as 9 was. Because it still works.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop is okay. Pretty fun, what with all the ridiculous ways to fight zombies, but not nearly as lovely as the XBox version and, for some ridiculous reason, you can't take pictures in this one.

:confused:

[Justin]

Just finished Mirror's Edge today, and yes, while the game is pretty short, it was still an very inventive and impressive game. I still can not believe how beautiful the game is, such a brilliant visual style.

[megladon8]

Got this today for $10.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51cAdU7395L._SS400_.jpg

[Sycophant]

I've been curious about that one for a while. Nearly picked it up for $15 a few months back, but some friends advised me that it was almost impossibly short and I should just borrow it from one of them or something.

Would still like to play it and may pick it up in the future. The Phoenix Wright games are pretty good things.

[megladon8]

I've been curious about that one for a while. Nearly picked it up for $15 a few months back, but some friends advised me that it was almost impossibly short and I should just borrow it from one of them or something.

Would still like to play it and may pick it up in the future. The Phoenix Wright games are pretty good things.


Yeah I've read, like you, that it's really short (that is, that, similar to what you've read, it's short...not that you're short, like the game :P).

But really...$10. And I'm a huge Adult Swim fan, so it was a win-win situation.

I got it at Virgin Records, and unbeknownst to me, the entire chain of Virgin stores is closing down...that's why the sale was so freaking great.

All games, CDs and DVDs are 25-35% off, even if they're already on sale. There were a few other Wii games I nearly got, one of them being that "Wario Shake It" game.

[Morris Schæffer]

Got this today for $10.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51cAdU7395L._SS400_.jpg

Astounding! ;)

[Sycophant]

Just finished Tales of the Abyss and Chrono Trigger in the last few weeks. TotA had a really strong beginning and ending, but had about 10 hours of fat in the middle that really should've been shed. CT was entirely deserving of its reputation, and I'll do an NG+ sooner or later.

So now I'm playing:

Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga. The SMT games have made me fall in love with composer Shoji Meguro and character designer Kazuma Kaneko, whose creepy and sexualized designs positively come to life here. It's a JRPG, but its battle system is specially engineered for tactics, similar but just different enough from the Persona 3 & 4 systems, meaning that if you think you can just press attack over and over again like in most Final Fantasy games, you'll be dead in 30 seconds. It's crazy oozing with atmosphere.

Princess Debut. I am playing this for about 15 minutes before bed every night and am still completely smitten with it.

God Hand. Just picked it up for about an hour last night in anticipation of MadWorld and then decided I'm going to try it on easy for my first playthrough. Apparently, it's a throwback to 16-bit-era brawlers, but my experience with those is lacking. It is, however, totally awesome. I'm getting accustomed to its idiosyncratic groove and I'm digging it.

[D_Davis]

God Hand is a lot of fun.

Such a bizarre game.

[megladon8]

"No More Heroes" is such an odd game.

You save your game by taking a dump.

[Sycophant]

Have you just started playing it, Meg?

I fucking love that game. I've been tempted to go back and play through it again on Bitter difficulty. Maybe after MadWorld after God Hand. I think that (along with Suda51's Killer7) is really the game that restored my faith in video games as a medium when I played it last year.

[Winston*]

Agree. Disagree.


Why don't we like Twilight Princess? Better story, better graphics, less boring bits and you get to turn into a wolf.

[megladon8]

Have you just started playing it, Meg?

I fucking love that game. I've been tempted to go back and play through it again on Bitter difficulty. Maybe after MadWorld after God Hand. I think that (along with Suda51's Killer7) is really the game that restored my faith in video games as a medium when I played it last year.


Yep I just started. I beat the "Death Metal" assassin in his mansion, then saved and turned off when I got to my apartment.

What is it that you loved so much about it? Its totally random insanity and morbid sense of humor?

Does the gameplay change much throughout? I could see the combat becoming pretty dry after a while.

But yeah, enjoying it so far.

[Sycophant]

Why don't we like Twilight Princess? Better story, better graphics, less boring bits and you get to turn into a wolf.

I don't really dislike TP, but I was rather unimpressed with its midgame. It has a pretty stellar opening, and a nice sequence of final dungeons. Still, the dungeon design was usually disappointingly linear and empty and felt even more gimmick-ridden than previous Zelda games. There are certain elements in the Zelda series that feel outmoded, like rupees, that feel even more futile and pointless in TP than in the previous outings. Its appearance of an open Hyrule felt very much false, especially in comparison to the overworld in WW which I enjoyed exploring thoroughly.

I'd also disagree with the idea of TP having "better graphics." Wind Waker had some of the most solid and expressive visual design I've ever seen in a video game.

I'm probably too harsh on TP, and probably should play WW again to see if it actually holds up as well as my memory says it does. I have been thinking more critically about games in the last year or so, which is when I completed TP, while I cleared WW in 2005.

The final battle in WW also is one of my all-time favorite video game moments. The game really went out on a high note.

[Sycophant]

Yep I just started. I beat the "Death Metal" assassin in his mansion, then saved and turned off when I got to my apartment.

What is it that you loved so much about it? Its totally random insanity and morbid sense of humor?
The game works so well as a video game. It is just so unabashedly, shamelessly a video game. It's about video games. It's beautiful satire with an acid tongue and a loving smile.

I don't know that much about your taste in games, really; I've heard of a lot of people gettign bored with it (you have to do a fair amount of mission-grinding for money as the game goes on), but I never found it ceasing in its inventiveness.

Just when you get to the "open world," remember that this ain't no GTA, and think about why it might be the way it actually is.

EDIT: This is a thing I hastily wrote (http://www.whatnotstudios.com/2008/11/no-more-heroes-even-loading-screen.html) celebrating NMH's loading screens a few months back.

[D_Davis]

Killer7 was, for me, more of an interesting failure than anything. I loved its aesthetics, and the bizarro narrative was right up my alley, but the gameplay did absolutely nothing for me. The constant loading between tiny areas, and my constant battle with the controls did more than enough to turn me off from the overall experience.

Great sound design, though, that's a fact.

I definitely don't regret spending the time with it, and I did have some fun moments, bu I don't look back on the game with much fondness.

I appreciate Suda51 on some levels, but he doesn't jive with me on many others.

I recently started playing WH40K: Dawn of War II, and even though my graphics card can barely run the game, it's a total blast. This is a great evolution of the RTS genre, stripping away any notion of resource gathering and base building - I guess you could say it is more of a real time tactics game with the strategy in between the levels.

[Milky Joe]

I don't really dislike TP, but I was rather unimpressed with its midgame. It has a pretty stellar opening, and a nice sequence of final dungeons. Still, the dungeon design was usually disappointingly linear and empty and felt even more gimmick-ridden than previous Zelda games. There are certain elements in the Zelda series that feel outmoded, like rupees, that feel even more futile and pointless in TP than in the previous outings. Its appearance of an open Hyrule felt very much false, especially in comparison to the overworld in WW which I enjoyed exploring thoroughly.

Totally agree. TP lacked a soul, which is easily the most important thing in a Zelda game, I think. It felt like it was made using focus-group data, and not love. It did everything a Zelda game is "supposed" to do, covered all its bases without an interesting or original bone in its body.


I'd also disagree with the idea of TP having "better graphics." Wind Waker had some of the most solid and expressive visual design I've ever seen in a video game.

TOTALLY agree. Wind Waker isn't perfect, but it sure is beautiful.

[megladon8]

I thought "Wind Waker" was one of the very best examples of what could be done with cel-shade graphics.

I also thought it was a really fun game. I'm not exactly well-versed in "Zelda" games, but it was really good. And yeah, that final boss battle was great.

I'm eager to try "Twilight Princess", but it's one I can wait a while for, for a price-drop.

[Amnesiac]

Wind Waker's aesthetic will likely be far kinder to it over time than the one Twilight Princess decided to adopt. The game is absolutely gorgeous. Since it does not attempt a more realistic style, it is able to leap right over the uncanny valley. Its style is more 'durable', in a way. Not impervious to aging, but more resilient against it.

Also, as I've mentioned earlier in this thread, Ganondorf's characterization is more interesting here than in any of the other titles (this is especially the case when you compare WW to TP).

I often find myself shifting between Majora's Mask, Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time as the best Zelda title.

[Sycophant]

What Joe said.

And as for best Zelda? Link's Awakening FTW.

[Milky Joe]

And as for best Zelda? Link's Awakening FTW.

I tried to play this but I couldn't get past the first dungeon. Nay, the first screen of the first dungeon. Freaking game made me feel like an idiot. I literally had no idea what to do.

[Sycophant]

I tried to play this but I couldn't get past the first dungeon. Nay, the first screen of the first dungeon. Freaking game made me feel like an idiot. I literally had no idea what to do.

Really? It's been too long since I started up a fresh save to know how that was possible. Huh.

[Milky Joe]

I seem to remember it being some kind of maze-like area, where moving from screen to screen seemed almost random. Enemies would appear, I would kill them, then they would reappear. I think I was trying to find some entrance (it might have been even before the first dungeon even started), but I'm not sure. It's been a while. I gave up after about 20 minutes of wandering aimlessly around.

[Sycophant]

Also, as I've mentioned earlier in this thread, Ganondorf's characterization is more interesting here than in any of the other titles (this is especially the case when you compare WW to TP).

I think the characterization of Hyrule as a whole feels more interesting and vital. Link as silent protagonist is also a lot easier to buy in Wind Waker.

One gets the feelings that the development team for TP listened a lot to what the fans who were clamoring for in a more "mature" or "realistic" Zelda and gave them that, letting the fans dictate what a Zelda game should really be. Fans, of course, are idiots, so we're lucky we got a game as ultimately decent as we did.

[megladon8]

I still say the best "Zelda" title is "A Link to the Past".

[KK2.0]

Not every game has to be about dudes shooting each other and saying "fuck."

i'm enjoying the hell out of PSN's quirky new games FLOWER and NOBY NOBY BOY

Flower - if this game lasted more than a couple of hours it would have grabbed a lot more attention. I don't know if after the trophy hunt i'll put it away, but simply playing through it gives me such a different rush, it's relaxing, the non-violent, non-punishing gameplay and fluid controls (best use of sixaxis on the system), immersed me like very few games in recent memory, and there's a story to it, it's a sort of adventure game and perhaps the closest experience to playing a Ueda game in a while.

Not everything is happy-go-lucky though, there is a particularly dark and strangely disturbing level that surprised me the most, the game's own experiment with emotions do go through the unpleasant territory, which makes the ending all the more poignant and satisfying imo, although many people hated it. I really enjoyed it at my first play through, but replaying it for the trophies actually made love the game even more because i've discovered the hidden stuff in it.

I hope one day this Jenova Chen dude grabs more money and do a full disc-based game, i'd buy it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAQjvuyljZc

Noby Noby Boy - i didn't enjoy katamari much until the later levels, when you are actually rolling around entire cities. Noby starts right from that point, instead of rolling a ball and sticking stuff to it, you are stretching a snake-like character and eating everything, but you don't have a set of pre-determined lenght to achieve or itens to eat, you can just do whatever you like and as much as you like in the playground that is given to you.

What's the point? You just have to figure out what are the rules of it, and create your own challenges with them. If the scenario bores you, go back to your house and pick another randomly generated one. Some of them have little themes and surprises, and all players in the world report their lenghts to the leaderboard, which stretches GIRL far into space, we've reached the moon, which unlocked that world for everyone to visit, Mars is next, but it will take a while.

It shares the same relaxing, non-punishing aspect of flower, you simply play as much as you want. I've found surprising that such a concept would actually make me forget time and have fun, but it works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTkp67UcZxg

[Morris Schæffer]

http://www.gamersyde.com/stream_10298_en.html

New trailer batman: AA

And it looks astounding and indeed, as the article mentions, recalling the likes of Bioshock (visually) and Splinter Cell (gameplay).

[Scar]

Resident Evil 5:

I so do love having a dumb fucking cunt for a fucking partner who shoots me more in the fucking back then the fucking enemies.

[bac0n]

Resident Evil 5:

I so do love having a dumb fucking cunt for a fucking partner who shoots me more in the fucking back then the fucking enemies.

So, it's a thumbs-up then? :twisted:

[Scar]

So, it's a thumbs-up then? :twisted:

Jess fed me a couple beers, and its getting better. But the co-op is a touch aggravating.

[D_Davis]

So a couple of video reviews won me over, and I purchased RE5 today. It's pretty awesome, and I've, once again, grown accustomed to the controls, which seem even more out of place now because of just how much of an action game this really is.

But whatever - the game is fun, and it's much better paced than the demo led me to believe.

There are a few weird things though. For one, AI Sheva burns through ammo like it's growing on trees. Has the AI ever even played an RE game before? Holy crap!

And two: the setting. So far it is taking place in a run down slummy village: a shanty town. However, there are boxes and barrels scattered about filled with bags of gold. All the poor Africans need to do is open the boxes around their village and they would discover piles, and piles of gold pieces. Crazy!

[megladon8]

110 stars in "Super Mario Galaxy". Beat Bowser, now I'm just collecting all the purple comet stars and stuff I missed.

This game is really, really easy. None of the stars have taken me more than 2-3 tries to collect.

Lots of fun, but it feels like they really wanted young kids to be able to beat this one, as opposed to "Mario 64", where collecting all of the stars is pretty damn hard.

[D_Davis]

So Sheva wasted 5 bullets shooting at enemies in the air while they were attacking a helicopter - unfortunately for her, it was a scripted scene, and the enemies couldn't be killed.

And she keeps shooting at the enemies I stun before I can finish them off with a melee attack.

My God!

She wastes so much freaking ammo.

ARRGRGGHGHGHGH.

:)

[D_Davis]

Exploit

http://www.kongregate.com/games/GregoryWeir/exploit

A super cool, browser-based abstract puzzle game.

[Morris Schæffer]

110 stars in "Super Mario Galaxy". Beat Bowser, now I'm just collecting all the purple comet stars and stuff I missed.

This game is really, really easy. None of the stars have taken me more than 2-3 tries to collect.

Lots of fun, but it feels like they really wanted young kids to be able to beat this one, as opposed to "Mario 64", where collecting all of the stars is pretty damn hard.

Yeah, looks like the lack of challenge continues even after 35 stars. For all its wonderful colors and crazy levels, I was rarely taxed while collecting stars. And it was perhaps hard in Mario 64, but it was never frustrating such is the nature of Nintendo games.

[Morris Schæffer]

Apparently, in BIoshock 2, the player will assume the role of a big daddy!

[Scar]

So Sheva wasted 5 bullets shooting at enemies in the air while they were attacking a helicopter - unfortunately for her, it was a scripted scene, and the enemies couldn't be killed.

And she keeps shooting at the enemies I stun before I can finish them off with a melee attack.

My God!

She wastes so much freaking ammo.

ARRGRGGHGHGHGH.

:)

I find that more forgiveable then when she shoots you in the back.

Game has certainly grown on me considerably since my initial, uh, reaction....

[Sycophant]

i'm enjoying the hell out of PSN's quirky new games FLOWER and NOBY NOBY BOY

You make both of these things that I'm very interested in sound very appealing. The downloadable stuff on PSN really kind of has me leaning toward a PS3 over a 360 right now.

[megladon8]

Apparently, in BIoshock 2, the player will assume the role of a big daddy!


Do you mean, like, for the whole game?

Because the player gets to do that in the first one, too.

[EyesWideOpen]

Had over $320 in gamestop credit due to taking advantage of their bonus 50% trade in credit offer this week so I bought a 80gb PS3 for $399.99 and it came with a $50 gamestop gift card. I also bought Uncharted, Ratchet & Clank, and Valkryia Chronicles as part of the buy 2 get 1 free sale.

[D_Davis]

Had over $320 in gamestop credit due to taking advantage of their bonus 50% trade in credit offer this week so I bought a 80gb PS3 for $399.99 and it came with a $50 gamestop gift card. I also bought Uncharted, Ratchet & Clank, and Valkryia Chronicles as part of the buy 2 get 1 free sale.

Nice! Good score, man.

[EyesWideOpen]

Flower and Noby Noby Boy here I come!

[Dead & Messed Up]

110 stars in "Super Mario Galaxy". Beat Bowser, now I'm just collecting all the purple comet stars and stuff I missed.

This game is really, really easy. None of the stars have taken me more than 2-3 tries to collect.

Lots of fun, but it feels like they really wanted young kids to be able to beat this one, as opposed to "Mario 64", where collecting all of the stars is pretty damn hard.

I dunno. There were some towards the end that gave me headaches. But yeah, few of them were outright "difficult."

The purple coins were tedious as hell.

[Morris Schæffer]

Do you mean, like, for the whole game?

Because the player gets to do that in the first one, too.

That's the impression that I got from the article Meg.

[Justin]

Madworld is a pretty terrific game. It is just so refreshing to see a game so adult and original on the Wii. For a while I was contemplating selling my Wii, and this was the game that made me rethink that. Has any one else played it yet?

[Sycophant]

Madworld is a pretty terrific game. It is just so refreshing to see a game so adult and original on the Wii. For a while I was contemplating selling my Wii, and this was the game that made me rethink that. Has any one else played it yet?

My copy should be here by the end of the week. I'm stoked.

[D_Davis]

Madworld is a pretty terrific game. It is just so refreshing to see a game so adult and original on the Wii. For a while I was contemplating selling my Wii, and this was the game that made me rethink that. Has any one else played it yet?

I am just happy to hear that, by all accounts, it seems to be a well-made game. I was afraid that this would be one of the games the relies on the gimmick of ultra-violence as it's one and only selling point; glad that is not the case.

I'd like to check it out at some point. Hopefully one of my friends with a Wii picks it up.

[Sycophant]

My shiny new PSP was delivered to me at work today and it's sitting next to me. It is calling me.

[Amnesiac]

Those of you who already been playing through Resident Evil 5... is it scary? At all?

[megladon8]

I've been getting some amazing deals on Wii stuff. I can't believe how large my collection has gotten already.

Deadly Creatures
Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law
House of the Dead: Overkill
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Link's Crossbow Training
Mario Kart Wii
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Monster Lab
No More Heroes
Okami
Rayman Raving Rabbids
Resident Evil 4: Wii
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles
Super Mario Galaxy
Wario Land: Shake It!
Wii Sports
Zack & Wiki


And for peripherals...

2 remotes
2 nunchuks
2 steering wheels
Nyko perfect shot gun
Zapper
Nyko Charging Station

[Dukefrukem]

i'm obsessed with Killzone 2. Got my general rank. :)

[Sycophant]

BTW, Meg, once you can find a good price on it (I got mine for $40), you should pick up de Blob. It's good, Katamari-influenced platforming.

[megladon8]

BTW, Meg, once you can find a good price on it (I got mine for $40), you should pick up de Blob. It's good, Katamari-influenced platforming.


Thanks for the recommendation, it's been on my list for a while!

I watched the Video Review on IGN and one of the coolest things they mentioned/showed was how the music changes style every time you change the colour of paint.

[D_Davis]

Those of you who already been playing through Resident Evil 5... is it scary? At all?

Scary, no. Intense, yes. It's more Aliens than Alien.

Good game.

[Justin]

Wow, I will say that Madworld is a pretty short game though, I just beat it with a total game playing time of 3 hours and 28 minutes.

[megladon8]

Wow, I will say that Madworld is a pretty short game though, I just beat it with a total game playing time of 3 hours and 28 minutes.


I've been hearing this.

My pre-order didn't ship because of high demand for the game - my pre-order was later than lots of others.

I actually just cancelled the order. I will buy it in person here in NYC for a cheaper price.

[D_Davis]

Isn't it supposed to be played over and over again, trying to improve on your score, like an old-school game?

[Justin]

Isn't it supposed to be played over and over again, trying to improve on your score, like an old-school game?

It is, and I certainly will re-play it, but it is still surprising.

[Skitch]

Scary, no. Intense, yes. It's more Aliens than Alien.

Good game.



*sticks fingers in ears*


LALALLLALALALALALAAA!!!

I don't have sixty bucks!

[Sycophant]

The PSP (which I got yesterday) is a pretty sexy little system. My only qualm is that it feels fragile. Probably won't be able to stand up to the same kind of abuse I've put my DS Lite through.

My starting lineup:

Patapon, which I played for about 15 minutes last night. This is my kind of rhythm game, and seems to be an ideal short-bursts kind of game, which I value in a handheld.

Mega Man Powered Up!, which I put a little over an hour into. It's a fun remix of the original game and challenges my assertion that Mega Man doesn't work except in NES style. I'm still kind of right, because the out-and-out new stages and robot masters kind of suck and the level design in the original games (playable here with a new coat of 3-D paint) is still superior.

Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core, which I played till I got to the first two fights. Overlong, masturbatory opening cut scene that highlights where I think kind of represents the problem with the direction the FF franchise has ended up taking. The game looks excellent, though, and the battle system's fun. So long as it keeps the over-the-top cut scenes to minimum, it should be a pleasant experience.

Riviera: The Promised Land, which I only popped in to make sure it would play. But Atlus-translated RPG + relationship mechanic + friend's hearty recommendation should = win!

But I did make an awesome wallpaper for my PSP featuring Osaka from Azumanga Daioh!

[Scar]

I still get irritated when she shoots me in the back, but RE5 is pretty good.

[D_Davis]

I still get irritated when she shoots me in the back, but RE5 is pretty good.

I have friendly fire turned off.

F that S.

[Skitch]

I want Crisis Core pretty badly. Waiting for price to drop.

[Scar]

I have friendly fire turned off.

F that S.

Sounds like I'd better check the settings....

[D_Davis]

Sounds like I'd better check the settings....

At least I think I do...because I've never been shot be her.

[Scar]

At least I think I do...because I've never been shot be her.

I see no setting. I have her set to react to where I shoot, though.

[bac0n]

Plowed through 6 stages of SF4's Survival Mode the other day with Sagat, laying waste to all who came before me, even that steroid-addled commie Zangief.

At long last, I can feel the magic starting to come back. One of these days I might even venture online and *gasp* even win a match or two!

:crazy::pritch:

[Morris Schæffer]

I finished Killzone 2. Pretty epic. I think I'll try the multiplayer tonight. As for new games, I'll choose between Resi Evil 5 and attempting to play Bioshock again.

[Scar]

Beat RE5, and am playing through it again.

[D_Davis]

I see no setting. I have her set to react to where I shoot, though.

I thought that was a friendly fire setting - my bad.

Still though, I've never been shot by her. I am playing it on easy, though.

[Scar]

I thought that was a friendly fire setting - my bad.

Still though, I've never been shot by her. I am playing it on easy, though.

I don't get damaged by her when she shoots me, blood flies though, and she's not hitting the enemies.

[Dukefrukem]

just started fallout... meh

[Scar]

just started fallout... meh

MEH?!

[Morris Schæffer]

just started fallout... meh

Entirely not my thang either. So where do you fall? You love such games, but feel that Bethesda's latest is an unimpressive example of the genre or you generally steer well clear of such kinds of games?

[bac0n]

In other meh news, some of you know I've been anticipating the release of the superhero MMO Champions-Online for some time now. It's basically what finally pushed me into buying a current-gen console last summer, what with its planned Q2 2009 release. I know a few of you are interested in this game as well, so I thought I would share some info I've picked up around the web and on the message boards.

Well, Q2 2009 is a mere 2 weeks away, and Cryptic, the developers, have released bugger-all information about the XBox 360 version for months now. The only info they've been doling out was about the PC version of the game, which they've hinted at a late June release. In fact, the only bone that Cryptic's thrown to the XBox360 users was when one of the product managers let slip that all their efforts at this point were on getting the PC version right, and that the 360 would not be getting a simultaneous release as previously promised. As for the 360 version, they'll get to it when they get to it (if they get to it).

In fact, what with all the downplaying and backtracking being done by Cryptic, and the fact that Cryptic has been acquired by Atari, a lot of us are wondering if Champions Online will see a 360 release at all.

My opinion? Meh. A year ago I might have been upset about this, but these days, I really couldn't care less. If CO winds up not coming to the XBox 360, all that means is that I'll buy one of the other myriad games on my must-buy list. There're just too many awesome games out for the 360 to get my underwear in a bind over this one.

[Ezee E]

just started fallout... meh
You're getting predictable.

[D_Davis]

I put 60 hours into Fallout 3, finally made it to Rivet City, and then just stopped playing.

Doubt I'll ever finish, and I really don't care - I totally got my money's worth on that one.

Great game.


Last night I checked and I've already put 50+ hours into Street Fighter 4 - that's crazy!

[bac0n]

Last night I checked and I've already put 50+ hours into Street Fighter 4 - that's crazy!

Not really, when you take into account the fact that SF4 is the kinda game you actually practice at in addition to straight up playing. I've probably spent almost as much time in training mode as I've spent in all the others combined.

[D_Davis]

Not really, when you take into account the fact that SF4 is the kinda game you actually practice at in addition to straight up playing. I've probably spent almost as much time in training mode as I've spent in all the others combined.

It's more like work. I spend more time "practicing" than I do actually playing. It's the only game I can think of that I really want to be good at.

I've discovered that they really nerfed Honda, but he's my man, and I am determined to dominate with him. I'm definitely getting better, that's for sure.

[Skitch]

I'm struggling with Fallout 3 as well. Great game, just not my bag. Will keep and hopefully trudge through some more, but man, this game is like...work.

[monolith94]

I put 60 hours into Fallout 3, finally made it to Rivet City, and then just stopped playing.

Doubt I'll ever finish, and I really don't care - I totally got my money's worth on that one.

Great game.


Last night I checked and I've already put 50+ hours into Street Fighter 4 - that's crazy!
I think I put about 60 hours of play into FFX.

All of these numbers of hours absolutely pale in comparison to the time I've spent on the civilization series. Weeks upon weeks, probably.

[Sycophant]

Between the two different "episodes" in Persona 3 FES, I put in a combined 126 hours, the longest on a single playthrough of any game. I've probably chalked up more hours in, like, Super Mario Bros. 3 or maybe even the various incarnations of Lemmings. But when I'm done with my P3 replay(s), I'm sure that'll be the game I'll have spent the most time with.

[bac0n]

I've discovered that they really nerfed Honda, but he's my man, and I am determined to dominate with him. I'm definitely getting better, that's for sure.

Honda's fun. He's the guy I used to unlock everybody. His Ultra is the best, especially when you hit it in the airfield board.

[megladon8]

I have 4 stars left in "Super Mario Galaxy" - three purple coin stars, and one I'm not sure about.

And yeah, these last few purple coin stars can be incredibly frustrating. There's one that's all on a board made of the green and yellow tiles (green ones collapse when touched, yellow flip over). I have no idea how to complete that one.

[bac0n]

I think that of the last, maybe, 10 times I've played SF4, 9 of those times I had a baby strapped to my chest sleeping while I was playing. I won't be at all surprised if the first word she learns is "tiger!".

[EyesWideOpen]

Dammit. I already had to exchange my PS3. I only had the thing for 5 days and it had already frozen up 20 times during games. It also kept not recognizing disks in which i would have to hard reset the system (power switch in back) and turn it back on. The final straw today was when i started watching my first blu-ray on it today and 30 minutes in it froze up.

I'm setting up the new one now and hoping for the best. At least my 360 gave me a year and a half of no problems before i had to have it serviced.

[megladon8]

Jeez that sucks, EWO.

Hopefully you didn't have to pay anything, right? I mean, of course, it's still a damn pain-in-the-ass inconvenience, but I'd hope Sony would be understanding that you just had it for 5 days.

Even with the troubles I've had with my 360, I think Microsoft handled the problems very well and very quickly. I did have to pay a bit the second time, but they re-instated my warranty for a new 3-year period, which I really appreciated.

And now the reason why I popped in here...

Beat "Super Mario Galaxy" this afternoon - got all 120 stars. I was a little disappointed that the only thing you "get" for doing this is that you open up Luigi as a playable character for the story mode...and he plays exactly the same as Mario, so it's a pretty pointless little add-on.

Still, though, problems and all it was a fun game and I'll certainly play through as Luigi at some point.

But now I'm focusing all my gaming attention on beating "RE4: Wii Edition". I just finished chapter 1 (just beat the giant crocodile monster in the lake).

It's pretty much the definitive edition of (what I consider to be) one of the best games ever.

Even at nearly half a decade old, the gameplay trumps just about anything I've played on the current generation of systems.

And despite the graphics having aged a bit, it's still a nice looking game. And it sounds spectacular.

I really can't see "RE5" beating this.

[EyesWideOpen]

No didn't have to pay anything. I bought it at gamestop and just walked in and exchanged it since it was within 30 days. Another annoying thing is that the Playstation Network has been down or having problems for the last two days so i can't redownload my games right now to play them. I also can't play Ratchet and Clank because it has a glitch where it reads that you don't have any free HDD space if you haven't already downloaded something on to your HDD so it won't even let you start the game.

Luckily I had checked the Sony forums to know about these issues or else i would have been losing my mind trying to figure them out.

[D_Davis]

I really can't see "RE5" beating this.

It's pretty much the same game with better graphics, co-op and slight changes to the inventory system.

[D_Davis]

So far, I like Dead Space a lot more than RE5.

[Scar]

It's pretty much the same game with better graphics, co-op and slight changes to the inventory system.

And significantly shorter.

I just started run #3.

[D_Davis]

And significantly shorter.


Actually, that's a good thing for me. My only complaint about RE4 is that it was way too long - about 5 hours too long, IMO.

Especially since the RE games have always been about replay and quick multiple, run-throughs.

[megladon8]

I never found the "RE" games to be about that.

Longer = better with these, for me. The intensity just keeps ramping up and up and up.

But I agree "RE5"'s short length probably works for it, since it seems to basically be "Gears of War 3".

[Scar]

I've beaten RE4 numerous times, and I will admit that I have thought that it went on too long on almost every occassion.

[Dukefrukem]

MEH?!




Entirely not my thang either. So where do you fall? You love such games, but feel that Bethesda's latest is an unimpressive example of the genre or you generally steer well clear of such kinds of games?

before i respond to these... i'd like to know what E meant when he said...


You're getting predictable.

so why do you say that?

[D_Davis]

I never found the "RE" games to be about that.


Well, they are, which is why most of them give you unlockable stuff for speed runs, and allow you to use new weapons and costumes for multiple play-throughs.

Remember Tofu runs in RE2? Man, those were fun.

[megladon8]

Well, they are, which is why most of them give you unlockable stuff for speed runs, and allow you to use new weapons and costumes for multiple play-throughs.

Remember Tofu runs in RE2? Man, those were fun.


Yeah I agree they all warranted multiple play-throughs, I just never did the speed-run thing.

And I've never been able to beat the GameCube version of the original. I thought the "red heads" were very annoying.

[Dukefrukem]

Well, they are, which is why most of them give you unlockable stuff for speed runs, and allow you to use new weapons and costumes for multiple play-throughs.

Remember Tofu runs in RE2? Man, those were fun.

I loved all that shit. Before achievements, before trophies... there was awesomeness after the RE single player. Playing through RE5 now. So far so good. On 2-3.

[Ezee E]

Played the new maps on the CoD:World at War, but that's not what's awesome.

The Nazi Zombie Brigade is amazing though. May even be better than Left 4 Dead. Love that.

[Morris Schæffer]

And significantly shorter.

I just started run #3.

You don't seem to revere it (RE5), and I don't believe the game promotes genuine replayability (unless co-op once) so how can you blast through it again in such a short interval?

Isn't there another game you'd rather invest your time in dude?

[Scar]

You don't seem to revere it (RE5), and I don't believe the game promotes genuine replayability (unless co-op once) so how can you blast through it again in such a short interval?

Isn't there another game you'd rather invest your time in dude?

I'm enjoying it, and I want to pimp out the weapons. Nothing like a triple barrel sawed off shotgun.

Gotta get the S&W 500 Magnum, too....

[D_Davis]

Yeah I agree they all warranted multiple play-throughs, I just never did the speed-run thing.


Speed runs were how you got your end-game ranking up in order to unlock certain things.

Less time, and fewer saves = better ranking.

[D_Davis]

Duke - personally, I never beat a Tofu run, but my friend Brian did. He was like some kind of RE Master back in the day. He could do a speed run of RE 1 and 2 without a single save. It was awesome to watch him.

[Dukefrukem]

Duke - personally, I never beat a Tofu run, but my friend Brian did. He was like some kind of RE Master back in the day. He could do a speed run of RE 1 and 2 without a single save. It was awesome to watch him.

I never beat it either. I could beat Hunk with my eyes closed but not Tofu. Crazy mini game.

[D_Davis]

Got my wife addicted to Peggle on XBLA.

:)

[Morris Schæffer]

I'm enjoying it, and I want to pimp out the weapons. Nothing like a triple barrel sawed off shotgun.

Gotta get the S&W 500 Magnum, too....

You're a weapons guy. I remember that! Hunting for deer and stuff. :)

[Winston*]

Can you turn off trophies on the PS3? I find them to be stupid.

[Fezzik]

Got my wife addicted to Peggle on XBLA.

:)

They put Peggle on XBLA?

Oh dear....

(I will miss my social life)

[EyesWideOpen]

Got my wife addicted to Peggle on XBLA.

:)

I've yet to play Peggle, I'm afraid to.

[D_Davis]

They put Peggle on XBLA?

Oh dear....

(I will miss my social life)


I've yet to play Peggle, I'm afraid to.

Oh yeah - with multi-player.

It is so much fun.

[Morris Schæffer]

Good grief!!

David Hasselhof in Ready to Rumble commercial:

http://www.gamer.nl/doc/50704/David-Hasselhoff-speelt-met-zichzelf-in-Ready-2-Rumble

[Skitch]

Hooked up my 360 online at a buddys house. Got everything updated and a ton of downloads. Can't wait to start on the extra Fable 2 missions!

[Sycophant]

Cleared the first Digital Devil Saga game last night. Got my ass whupped by the final boss like three times, then did two hours of grinding. Then I realized all that grinding was pretty much unnecessary when I went to go fight her again, because the strategy pretty much clicked and while there were a couple of tense moments, I got through it pretty cleanly.

Game was tough. Took me 33 hours. Looking forward to starting on the second half in the near future here.

[megladon8]

Jen and I are enjoying the hell out of "The House of the Dead: Overkill" - especially when using the Nyko Perfect Shot gun. That thing's awesome.

I could write about lots of things that are "wrong" with the game - not enough mini-games and they're far too short; a couple of annoying graphical glitches; main campaign is too easy when played co-op - but the complete package is just such inspired lunacy I love it.

And while I guess the rail-shooter genre is pretty out of date now, I still love it.

I love this game.

[Morris Schæffer]

BIG NEWS:

Crytek showed the first video on Cryengine 3 at the GDC in San Francisco. More importantly, the video was preceded by the PS3 and Xbox360 logos. So Cryengine is definitely going console this time!

http://pc.ign.com/dor/articles/965172/cryengine-3-video/videos/cryengine3_trl_032309.html

[Sycophant]

New Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks coming to DS later this year. In this game, Link pilots a train that has cannons on it. Otherwise, looks a lot like Phantom Hourglass.

Also, you can now play downloaded games off your SD cards. Yay!

[number8]

OnLive (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/47079.html).

This is fascinating. If it works as well as it promises, I would sell my 360.

[Sycophant]

OnLive is an interesting idea, but with tech as it is now, I'm skeptical that it will be able to provide a truly satisfactory experience. But if they can pull it off, more power to 'em!

[number8]

With the continuing blend between home entertainment and computing, I've been thinking that console gaming will inevitably die out in the coming decade. This might be the next step towards that, and with HDTVs now carrying ethernet jacks or Wi-Fi receivers and is able to directly stream from Hulu, Netflix, etc. it's only a matter of time before they ship out with a firmware that supports gaming.

[D_Davis]

With the continuing blend between home entertainment and computing, I've been thinking that console gaming will inevitably die out in the coming decade. This might be the next step towards that, and with HDTVs now carrying ethernet jacks or Wi-Fi receivers and is able to directly stream from Hulu, Netflix, etc. it's only a matter of time before they ship out with a firmware that supports gaming.


Cloud Gaming.

Already done, or being done and coming soon.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/03/new-consoles-give-disc-media-the-finger-face-uphill-battle.ars

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/24/gdc09-rearden-studios-introduces-onlive-game-service-and-micro/

Although, they also tried this with the Phantom a few years ago. Broadband penetration is still pretty low in America.

[Sycophant]

Perhaps I'm old-fashioned I'm still not entirely sold on the imminent death of all physical media. I'm still wary of downloading games and movies to my consoles and memory cards. I'm even more wary of a game that's not even downloaded to a piece of hardware or storage media.

[number8]

Cloud Gaming.

Already done, or being done and coming soon.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/03/new-consoles-give-disc-media-the-finger-face-uphill-battle.ars

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/24/gdc09-rearden-studios-introduces-onlive-game-service-and-micro/.

That's... that's what we were talking about.

[number8]

Although, they also tried this with the Phantom a few years ago. Broadband penetration is still pretty low in America.

There's the problem I see with the whole virtual movement, especially when ISPs are capping bandwith.

[Winston*]

Katamari Damacy remake coming to PS3 (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/90457-HD-Katamari-Damacy-Coming-to-PS3)

Always meant to get this game but never did, now I can. So that's pretty sweet.

[megladon8]

Perhaps I'm old-fashioned I'm still not entirely sold on the imminent death of all physical media. I'm still wary of downloading games and movies to my consoles and memory cards. I'm even more wary of a game that's not even downloaded to a piece of hardware or storage media.


I'm with you here.

I think people who have sold/are selling all their physical media already jumped the gun a bit.

[D_Davis]

Besides books, I am totally done with physical media, at least in terms of anything with less space than a huge hd.

If I could have all of my games on some server (preferably off site) that I just accessed when I wanted to play, I would be very happy.

Better yet, just offer me a subscription fee to let me access the game I want to play, when I want to play it.

Kind of like Gamefly/Netflix, but with even less physical media.

Give me a MAME like interface with all the games cataloged by Developer/Genre/Year.

I have a feeling I'll come around to digital books in the near future as well. I just don't need to own the stuff - too much damn space and clutter.

[Winston*]

The reason I like having physical media for video games because it means I can buy them second hand then sell them on when I've completed them. Without physical media I would have to buy them all full price and would have no ability to recoup any of that money.

[Sycophant]

I like lending things. I also sometimes like how they look on my shelves.

[megladon8]

I like lending things. I also sometimes like how they look on my shelves.


Yes.

I like to collect these things - movies, books, music, games. I like the physica forms these media come in.

And I've said time and time again how there is a whole sensory experience that goes with reading a book. Reading off a screen just isn't the same, regardless of how "paper-like" the screen looks.

[D_Davis]

The reason I like having physical media for video games because it means I can buy them second hand then sell them on when I've completed them. Without physical media I would have to buy them all full price and would have no ability to recoup any of that money.

Well hopefully we would just be paying a subscription fee, like Netflix. Like $30 a month or something to have access to an off site library.

[D_Davis]

I've been done with collecting things for years.

I simply don't want shelves to clutter with crap.

The more I think about it, the more appealing digital books sound as well.

It's the words and narrative that matters.

[megladon8]

OK, but reading off a page is still leagues better.

The only situation where I could really see myself wanting something like the Amazon Kindle would be for school text books, so I didn't have to lug several 800+ page hardcovers around in my bag every day.

But since I'm not in school anymore, that doesn't really matter.

I like the smell of books, the crinkle of the pages being opened and turned, I like arranging my books nicely on my wall - I use all my mass-market-paperbacks as a neat decorative piece near the ceiling of my room.

Can't get any of this from a Kindle.

[Milky Joe]

Also, you can now play downloaded games off your SD cards. Yay!

I've been doing this for months... what are you talking about?

[Sycophant]

I've been doing this for months... what are you talking about?

You're talking about homebrew, aren't you? I haven't done any Wii hacking/homebrew.

[Milky Joe]

You're talking about homebrew, aren't you? I haven't done any Wii hacking/homebrew.

Well, I was talking about the DS flashcarts, including homebrew but not necessarily. I haven't bought a DS game in months. Flashcart + ROM site = happy times.

[Sycophant]

Eh, I haven't gotten into piracy for still-available stuff. Not that I'm gonna get all righteous or whatever in my position there.

Been thinking of picking up a flashcart for my DS anyway, though, for old stuff and homebrew, etc.

And, yeah, when I was talking about SD cards earlier, I was talking about for the Wii. Nintendo's rolling out the update today. Now I'll go download Sin & Punishment, for which I'd been waiting for room on my HD/2GB SD card to become available.

[D_Davis]

I think everyone draws their own lines regarding pirated games.

Me, I don't dl stuff that is commercially available, but I have no problems with ROMS of old arcade games that you can't possible play anymore.

That's where my line is drawn.

If I can buy the game in the store, thus supporting the developer in hopes of getting more games from them that I like, then I do.

Others don't - and that's cool.

I'm one of the only one of my game-playing friends that actually buys the games I play. Of course, I am also the oldest one, and the one with the 'real' job.

[D_Davis]

Now I'll go download Sin & Punishment, for which I'd been waiting for room on my HD/2GB SD card to become available.

Have fun - that game is amazing.

[megladon8]

You're the only one of all your friends that has a job?

[Sycophant]

There's a difference between a job and a "real" job.

[megladon8]

There's a difference between a job and a "real" job.


What's the difference?

Are we talking, like, "real" job = career, "job" = part-time/clerk/ whatever?

I don't see D_Davis as the type to hang out with drug dealers and prostitutes...but hey, it takes all kinds. :lol:


EDIT: Or maybe D_Davis is, himself, a drug dealer and a prostitute, and he sees people with careers in IT or whatever as total suckas.

[D_Davis]

There's a difference between a job and a "real" job.

Right.

Most of my gaming friends are a bit younger than I am (~5-7 years), and they are still finishing up college and getting into their careers and what not.

One is a full time grad student getting a PhD in physics, so he doesn't have time to work at a job.

[megladon8]

I sure wish I lived in this magical fantasy land where going to college locks you in to having a career.

But then I always forget that "college" is different between the USA and Canada. Sometimes I feel like I basically went to extended-high-school.

[Sycophant]

Of course, that's not what Davis said.

In fact, I did not graduate from college and I have a real job.

[megladon8]

Yeah I just tend to get a little sore when I hear about others prepping for their future careers, however they may be doing it.

I feel like I wasted 4 years of my life.

Of course I'm only 21 (22 in 2 months) but I wish I had taken more time to nail down exactly what I wanted to do with my life before I wasted several thousand dollars on college courses that got me nowhere.

And with the employment (or rather, unemployment) situation the way it is right now, it's not like the diplomas I have even count for anything when I apply for "regular" jobs.

*grumble grumble grumble*

[D_Davis]

I sure wish I lived in this magical fantasy land where going to college locks you in to having a career.

But then I always forget that "college" is different between the USA and Canada. Sometimes I feel like I basically went to extended-high-school.

I went to college to teach, and now I'm a paralegal.

There is no magical fantasy land...

[Sycophant]

Just having a college degree in whateverthefuck is very useful.

[D_Davis]

Don't let your job define you.

I should not have said "I am a paralegal," without the caveat .."for 7.5 hours a day."

The other hours of the day I am Daniel Davis - recording artist.

:)

[Sycophant]

I am a legal assistant for 9 hours a day. I'm okay with that.

[megladon8]

Just having a college degree in whateverthefuck is very useful.


Again, I think you're looking at this from the American view of college, which is like university in Canada.

College in Canada trains you to do one thing and one thing only, and your diploma only really counts for getting a job in that specific field.

It's not a "degree", it's a diploma that says you're qualified to do heating/air conditioning, plumbing, construction, whatever. It doesn't get you anything anywhere else.

[Sycophant]

Oh.

You wasted your life.

[number8]

Here, we call that Jobcorp.

[D_Davis]

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/2313/vlcsnap829802ps2.jpg

[Amnesiac]

The new Zelda DS title (Spirit Tracks (http://www.zeldauniverse.net/zelda-news/gdc-2009-nintendo-unveils-a-new-zelda-game/)) doesn't sound too interesting yet. I never really got into Phantom Hourglass and it looks like this might be more of the same... although it's apparently geared towards the hardcore fans.

I would have preferred an announcement regarding the next Zelda title for the Wii.

[Sycophant]

although it's apparently geared towards the hardcore fans.

Have no idea what this means.

Still haven't really given Phantom Hourglass much of a shot. The little time I've spent with it hasn't quite sold me on its mostly stylus control.

But I've still got some faith in the Zelda series. I'm sure I'll end up giving this a whirl.

[Amnesiac]

Have no idea what this means.

I guess that means it is difficult. Maybe.

[megladon8]

I find this whole "casual" vs. "hardcore" labeling system incredibly stupid, and mildly insulting.

[number8]

I'm not sure it has anything to do with difficulty.

[megladon8]

I'm not sure it has anything to do with difficulty.


Yeah I think it's more the type of game and dedication requred to complete it.

But "Gears of War" had casual and hardcore as the difficulty levels, in place of easy and hard respectively. So I can see the confusion.

I think both uses are stupid.

[Amnesiac]

I'm not sure it has anything to do with difficulty.

Then what? I've often assumed that a hardcore Zelda title was catered to those who were already familiar with the series and were thereby prepared for more difficult challenges.

It could also have an affect on the narrative, i.e. fan-service and nostalgia.

[megladon8]

Difficulty has a bit to do with it, but not as much as just the type of game.

A "casual" game is something like "Mario Party" or "Rayman Raving Rabbids" - while both of these games are party games, "casual" games aren't necessarily party games. They're games you can pick up and play for 15 minutes, or that could be used in place of a board game in a social situation.

A "hardcore" game requires more time and usually any multiplayer component is online. Something like "Call of Duty 4" or the "Final Fantasy" games would be hardcore.

But with modern culture the way it is, many people who may consider themselves more "casual" gamers are still interested in games labeled "hardcore". Look at the "Halo" phenomenon - lots of people played and got really good at these games, without being huge gamers otherwise.

Nintendo has attempted to blend the two groupings with the Wii, having single games that appeal to both the casual crowd, and the hardcore crowd. However, some argue that because of this, it's left both groups wanting (though I think it's got a great library of games).

This is why I find this labeling of "casual" and "hardcore" to be a little insulting..."casual" has become synonimous with "dumbed down". Just because I don't obsess over video games - playing them every day for hours and hours - doesn't mean I am only interested in something like "Mario Party". Nor does it mean that I would be unable to beat "Gears of War" on the "hardcore" setting.

[Amnesiac]

Well, I wasn't meaning to perpetuate a contentious term... I was really just quoting Iwata's statement.

But, given that explanation, I can see how the hardcore/casual dichotomy can be broken down in a variety of ways. Difficulty, accessibility, genre, the amount of time that has to be invested in order for it be satisfying (although this seems to be more subjective), the intuitiveness (pick up and play), etc.

As long as the dichotomy is nuanced and detailed, I can see how it could be useful rather than insulting. So long as the dichotomy is used to characterize the games rather than create a stringent divide among consumers.

[Dukefrukem]

Can you turn off trophies on the PS3? I find them to be stupid.

so just ignore them.

[Dukefrukem]

One is a full time grad student getting a PhD in physics, so he doesn't have time to work at a job.

You get paid to get your PhD so you don't need to work.

[Sycophant]

so just ignore them.

Thank you for bringing up a three-days-old post to offer your advice and insight.

Meanwhile, Winston*, I looked into it and apparently there's no way to turn them off at present. I know the 360 has a way to turn off achievement alerts, so hopefully Sony puts this option out there.

I really do dislike these trophy/achievement things.

[Skitch]

I traded in Fallout 3. Trade in now, its worth something. Maybe some time down the road I'll give it another try when its cheap.

[D_Davis]

There is a very interesting conversation on this week's episode of Gamers With Jobs. They looked at the two extreme ends of the gaming spectrum: games that are mostly pure system (games where gameplay trumps all like Peggle, Dwarf Fortress, etc), and games that are mostly pure environment (games where the milieu trumps all like Flower, Killer 7, The Path). They then explored, a bit (not enough for me) how these fringes inform the middle.
Give it a listen if this kind of thing interests you.

[KK2.0]

I really do dislike these trophy/achievement things.


I thought the same at first, but they can give a real push in replayability.

replaying Uncharted for completing all trophies was a blast, but then, i love the game, and all the objectives were possible within my limits.

going through Dead Space now, awesome game so far (stage 6 boss - hard difficulty). MAYBE, i'll try and complete the trophies.

[KK2.0]

I've beaten RE4 numerous times, and I will admit that I have thought that it went on too long on almost every occassion.

i would do fine without the entire "albino-midget" section of RE4.

[megladon8]

i would do fine without the entire "albino-midget" section of RE4.


You mean just the character, right?

Because the castle levels were some of the best in the game.

[Dead & Messed Up]

i would do fine without the entire "albino-midget" section of RE4.

I don't know. I think the game's very generous with its runtime, since playing it is so much damn fun. I love that albino midget - I think he's creepier and more interesting than Salazar.

[megladon8]

I don't know. I think the game's very generous with its runtime, since playing it is so much damn fun. I love that albino midget - I think he's creepier and more interesting than Salazar.


Yeah.

The game was so good, I didn't want it to end. I was never bored - environments and enemies constantly changing, new puzzles and bosses all the time, always tense and exciting.

If it had been a 20+ hour game I wouldn't have had a problem with it at all.

[bac0n]

I think most of the castle in RE4 was meh, but there were a few parts of it that were flat-out awesome in their creepiness/tension. The three I'm talking about are:

1. The jail.
2. The dungeon.
3. The pit.
All in all, my favorite part was the island.

[Dukefrukem]

I think most of the castle in RE4 was meh, but there were a few parts of it that were flat-out awesome in their creepiness/tension. The three I'm talking about are:

1. The jail.
2. The dungeon.
3. The pit.
All in all, my favorite part was the island.

I agree with this. There's a lot in RE5 that's very similar to RE4. And a lot they cut out... to dumb down gameplay.

[Winston*]

so just ignore them.

They are distracting when you keep getting them in cut scenes in a game like Prince of Persia. Or when you keep getting them for meaningless things in a game like Bioshock. It's not a big deal, but all in all I would rather have them not there than there.

Kind of liked them in Flower though, where they were like a parody of trophies.

[Dukefrukem]

They are distracting when you keep getting them in cut scenes in a game like Prince of Persia. Or when you keep getting them for meaningless things in a game like Bioshock. It's not a big deal, but all in all I would rather have them not there than there.

Kind of liked them in Flower though, where they were like a parody of trophies.

I will agree that playing Flower and getting those trophies were the most satisfying trophies I've ever received. The game (if you call it a game at all) is in a league of its own.

I can see why people would think trophies are annoying. I personally like the noise it makes.

[megladon8]

Woo-ho! Beat "Resident Evil 4". It's such a great game, would easily make my top 5 games of forever :)

I'm thinking I might play "Okami" next. I'm going to wait 'til I get home to continue playing "No More Heroes" because of the vulgarity of it, and having several young kids in the house here.

I also have "Twilight Princess" to play. I hate decisions!

[Dukefrukem]

Woo-ho! Beat "Resident Evil 4". It's such a great game, would easily make my top 5 games of forever :)

I'm thinking I might play "Okami" next. I'm going to wait 'til I get home to continue playing "No More Heroes" because of the vulgarity of it, and having several young kids in the house here.

I also have "Twilight Princess" to play. I hate decisions!

Did you finish RE5?

[megladon8]

Did you finish RE5?


I don't have it.

I just have the Wii here with me.

[EyesWideOpen]

I will agree that playing Flower and getting those trophies were the most satisfying trophies I've ever received. The game (if you call it a game at all) is in a league of its own.

I can see why people would think trophies are annoying. I personally like the noise it makes.

Flower is most definitely a game.

[Morris Schæffer]

http://www.gamersyde.com/stream_10404_en.html

Wow! The new Batman game looks exceptionally well designed gameplay-wise.

Check this out.

*******************
Top 10 reasons to buy Prototype video:

http://www.gamersyde.com/stream_10410_en.html

This might be the nutsiest game in a long time! The destruction looks colossal.

[Dukefrukem]

Flower is most definitely a game.

The only thing that really makes it a game is the trophies. You can't even die.

[Sycophant]

Rather than trying to convince you that you don't have to die for it to be a game, can you just define a game for us so we know not to even bother?

[Spaceman Spiff]

Am I the only person on the planet that thought RE4 was fairly meh? It's sooo repetitive, the puzzles was brain-dead easy and much of the writing and delivery (I consider these important things) was soooo shit. A few good scares and set-pieces, but not really enough for me to outright champion the game as a masterpiece of the form. Also, gah! I hated the entire Ashley stuff. Nothing worse in game design than having to protect imbecile AI.

Then again, I'm much more of a psychological horror than a run-and-gun kind of guy. Silent Hill 1 and 2, now those are games.

[Winston*]

You can't die in the latest Prince of Persia game. Verdicty: not a game.

You can't die in Wii Tennis. Verdict: not a game.

[Spun Lepton]

I turned back the clock on Fallout 3 after having discovered all the wonderfully evil opportunities I missed the first time around. This time I'm being a totally evil bastard in a different way.

I am constantly amazed at this game. The options for personalized gameplay are staggering. Each quest branches off then branches then branches then branches again, giving you so many opportunities for different resolutions and different hidden bonuses, it can be a little overwhelming at times. Then there's the staggering amount of quests and missions, the enormity of the map itself and all of the easter eggs hidden inside it.

What they accomplished really sets the bar very, very high for this new generation of RPGs. If you think GTA4's sandbox-ness is expansive, this will blow your fucking mind.

I'll tell you, being evil REALLY pays off in the game. I have more money and more health packs than I know what to do with.

I may soon learn pickpocketing so I can reverse-pickpocket a grenade into somebody's pants and watch them go BOOM.

[Milky Joe]

DS games I've been playing bits of:

GTA: Chinatown Wars - I don't have a PS3 and didn't really have much desire to play a "realistic" GTA game, so the top-down, arcadey (and portable) nature of this game greatly appeals to me. Feels more like a throwback to GTA3 than anything (which is still my favorite of the 3D GTA games). The PDA system with the touch screen works beautifully.

Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride - This might be the most perfect RPG I've ever played. Beautiful graphics, well-translated dialogue, simple yet engaging story, FUN battles, not too difficult but still challenging, and it moves at a quick pace so you're never bogged down with anything.

Space Invaders Extreme - Brilliant update on a classic formula. Works extremely well in short bits. A sequel just came out in Japan which I plan on playing soon.

[megladon8]

Que lindo!

"Okami" is one of the most beautiful games I've played in recent memory. Played it for about an hour today and I'm enjoying it so far.

[megladon8]

Am I the only person on the planet that thought RE4 was fairly meh? It's sooo repetitive, the puzzles was brain-dead easy and much of the writing and delivery (I consider these important things) was soooo shit. A few good scares and set-pieces, but not really enough for me to outright champion the game as a masterpiece of the form. Also, gah! I hated the entire Ashley stuff. Nothing worse in game design than having to protect imbecile AI.

Then again, I'm much more of a psychological horror than a run-and-gun kind of guy. Silent Hill 1 and 2, now those are games.


I dunno..."repetitive" is certainly not a word I'd use to describe "RE4". Locales are constantly changing, enemies are varied and often quite difficult, boss battles and challenging and diverse.

I still haven't played the first two "Silent Hill" games, but I've played every game in the series after those, and "RE4" > all of them.

What did you think of the "Fatal Frame" games?

[Scar]

Then again, I'm much more of a psychological horror than a run-and-gun kind of guy. Silent Hill 1 and 2, now those are games.

I was enjoying it, until the shitty combat mechanics drove me away.

[Milky Joe]

I still haven't played the first two "Silent Hill" games, but I've played every game in the series after those, and "RE4" > all of them.

I'm trying to think of a relevant comparison in film to illustrate exactly why this statement means nothing, but I'm drawing a blank. Play the first two games before you make sweeping judgments about the entire series.

[megladon8]

I'm trying to think of a relevant comparison in film to illustrate exactly why this statement means nothing, but I'm drawing a blank. Play the first two games before you make sweeping judgments about the entire series.


I didn't make sweeping judgments about the entire series.

I enjoyed "RE4" much more than any of the installments of the "Silent Hill" series that I played, and that's what I said. Is it like, because I haven't played 1 and 2, I can't say that the rest were bad?

I didn't say the first two were bad.

Look at what someone is saying before you get all defensive :)

[Milky Joe]

I'm just saying... there's no point in saying that RE4 is a better game than all the Silent Hill games... except for the first two. It's a non-statement, like saying 0 = 0. Nobody is going to argue with you. The first two games are genre-defining classics (much like RE4). The others are good-to-mediocre rehashes. If you're going to compare the two series, you should probably play the games that are the most worth-comparing-to.

I realize also that this is a petty and also pointless thing I'm trying to say here. I think the only really meaningful thing I have to say is: play the first two Silent Hill games. :)