Believe it or not, I have actually been playing this game over the past few days. I'm a little over 25 hours in, and I just cleared all of the green mist out of sei-an City. I spent the better part of today doing little side quests, gaining praise and yen to buy new items and powers. Tomorrow I'll head back to the temple and find the Fox Rods.
Seriously, Fox Rods? wtf? it sounds like what you get when you cut off a fox's arms and legs and freeze it.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Half-Life 2 - Retrospective
Sometimes I start wondering why I put myself through this ordeal. Games become more of a chore than something fun, and I begin to question why I even play them. Do other people find them fun? Am I just playing the wrong games, or am I just jaded? Am I not as big of a gamer as I've always considered myself to be?
Then I play a game like Half-Life 2, and it completely redeems my efforts. I'm fairly certain there's nothing I can say about Half-Life 2 that hasn't already been said a thousand times before by reviewers much more talented than I. But I can at least give my own praise to it. This game was absolutely incredible.
Even without playing the first game, I was able to be immersed into the sequel right off the bat as you're introduced to the unashamedly Orwellian City 17. Faceless masked guards will abuse their power, forcing you to throw trash away for them, whacking you with a laser-powered nightstick if you get too close, as annoying-as-sin flying cameras blind you if you do something as unthinkable as go exploring off the beaten path. This all does well to set the atmosphere for what can only be described as a truly cinematic experience.
Every mission in the game feels so distinctly different from the last, you start to wonder whether you're actually playing the same game. It's an excellent testament to the versatility of the Source engine and the talent of the Valve game designers. In one mission, you find yourself crawling through an underground railroad of back alleys and train graveyards, in the next you'll find yourself riding a one-man hovercraft through toxic sludge in an attempt to avoid a helicopter, and in another you'll find yourself arranging turrets to defend against a wave of spawning soldiers as you wait for a can-not-possibly-be-any-slower platform to reset itself.
Half-Life 2 straddles the amazingly thin line between physics puzzles and FPS action, with even touches of squad-based shooters, pokemon, tower defense, and Boom Blox mixed in. Level design follows a mantra I like to call "If you can do it, you probably should." You're never led through a level by any artificial means, instead the game expects you to explore and find your own path. While there is generally only one correct linear path through any particular level, it usually feels like you are free to go anywhere. This illusion of free will is a perfect metaphor for the game's oppressive government regime.
Other less tangible features like the game's sound, music, and voice acting are all top notch. When I told my mom I beat the game, she commented that she was glad she wouldn't have to hear the subwoofer anymore for every explosion. There are a lot of explosions in the game. Character design, dialogue, and storyline are all excellently handled, with a number of memorable characters that rival any summer blockbuster. Half Life 2 is a multiple oscar-award winning action movie or best-selling novel in video game form.
While no game is perfect, Half-Life 2 comes damn close. The largest problem is the plot progression of the game. In general, it feels pretty much like the storyline is only there to lead you from one level to the next. The phrase "When suddenly..." does indeed come to mind. You're hoping to go to the next area, when suddenly, something happens and you have to find a new way to get there. The game plays this trump card just a little bit too much. Also, while most people will get a kick out of the technobabble of the game, it feels like it's there to mask the fact that NOBODY knows what the fuck is going on. Your companion may tell you WHERE you need to go, but if you want to know WHY, you're probably going to have to consult the Combine Overwiki.
The only other problems I would be able to bring up would be minor nitpicks. There are occasional glitches that ruin immersion, a slightly high difficulty spike in the middle of Nova Prospekt that I needed to cheat to pass, and there are a number of times I would have paid money for an objective arrow, but all of these are very minor compared to the absolute greatness of this game.
Anyone who thinks that video games are a waste of time, a stupid hobby, or not art, I urge not to bother with Katamari Damacy, Echochrome, or Braid. (Actually, no. Braid is still fucking awesome) Instead, play Half-Life 2. If you're losing faith that the game industry has anything more than space marines and World War II on its mind, play Half-Life 2. This is the kind of game that every other game wishes it could be. Fuck Metroid Prime. Half Life 2 is the Citizen Kane of gaming.
The Good
Then I play a game like Half-Life 2, and it completely redeems my efforts. I'm fairly certain there's nothing I can say about Half-Life 2 that hasn't already been said a thousand times before by reviewers much more talented than I. But I can at least give my own praise to it. This game was absolutely incredible.
Even without playing the first game, I was able to be immersed into the sequel right off the bat as you're introduced to the unashamedly Orwellian City 17. Faceless masked guards will abuse their power, forcing you to throw trash away for them, whacking you with a laser-powered nightstick if you get too close, as annoying-as-sin flying cameras blind you if you do something as unthinkable as go exploring off the beaten path. This all does well to set the atmosphere for what can only be described as a truly cinematic experience.
Every mission in the game feels so distinctly different from the last, you start to wonder whether you're actually playing the same game. It's an excellent testament to the versatility of the Source engine and the talent of the Valve game designers. In one mission, you find yourself crawling through an underground railroad of back alleys and train graveyards, in the next you'll find yourself riding a one-man hovercraft through toxic sludge in an attempt to avoid a helicopter, and in another you'll find yourself arranging turrets to defend against a wave of spawning soldiers as you wait for a can-not-possibly-be-any-slower platform to reset itself.
Half-Life 2 straddles the amazingly thin line between physics puzzles and FPS action, with even touches of squad-based shooters, pokemon, tower defense, and Boom Blox mixed in. Level design follows a mantra I like to call "If you can do it, you probably should." You're never led through a level by any artificial means, instead the game expects you to explore and find your own path. While there is generally only one correct linear path through any particular level, it usually feels like you are free to go anywhere. This illusion of free will is a perfect metaphor for the game's oppressive government regime.
Other less tangible features like the game's sound, music, and voice acting are all top notch. When I told my mom I beat the game, she commented that she was glad she wouldn't have to hear the subwoofer anymore for every explosion. There are a lot of explosions in the game. Character design, dialogue, and storyline are all excellently handled, with a number of memorable characters that rival any summer blockbuster. Half Life 2 is a multiple oscar-award winning action movie or best-selling novel in video game form.
While no game is perfect, Half-Life 2 comes damn close. The largest problem is the plot progression of the game. In general, it feels pretty much like the storyline is only there to lead you from one level to the next. The phrase "When suddenly..." does indeed come to mind. You're hoping to go to the next area, when suddenly, something happens and you have to find a new way to get there. The game plays this trump card just a little bit too much. Also, while most people will get a kick out of the technobabble of the game, it feels like it's there to mask the fact that NOBODY knows what the fuck is going on. Your companion may tell you WHERE you need to go, but if you want to know WHY, you're probably going to have to consult the Combine Overwiki.
The only other problems I would be able to bring up would be minor nitpicks. There are occasional glitches that ruin immersion, a slightly high difficulty spike in the middle of Nova Prospekt that I needed to cheat to pass, and there are a number of times I would have paid money for an objective arrow, but all of these are very minor compared to the absolute greatness of this game.
Anyone who thinks that video games are a waste of time, a stupid hobby, or not art, I urge not to bother with Katamari Damacy, Echochrome, or Braid. (Actually, no. Braid is still fucking awesome) Instead, play Half-Life 2. If you're losing faith that the game industry has anything more than space marines and World War II on its mind, play Half-Life 2. This is the kind of game that every other game wishes it could be. Fuck Metroid Prime. Half Life 2 is the Citizen Kane of gaming.
The Good
- Puzzles make excellent use of the Havok physics engine.
- Weapons are versatile and feel different enough from one another to avoid feelings of redundancy.
- Level designs feel natural and varied, with dozens of noticeable locations and settings.
- Every god damned thing I haven't mentioned yet.
- Many enemies can be annoyingly difficult to kill. Mostly the small ones. Oh, and Striders. I fucking hate Striders.
- Overall storyline is seems to rely too heavily on "When suddenly..." plot twists and story progression.
- Squad mates don't do shit except get in your way.
- Spending an hour and a half killing Antlions, only to suddenly have them on your side, then discovering that they're better teammates than a human squad.
- Seriously, Gordon Freeman can't climb a chain link fence?
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Progress for November 29-30, 2009 - Half-Life 2 - COMPLETED
"You've accomplished a great deal in a very short amount of time."
I'd say that's about accurate. I just beat it in two marathon sessions over the course of 2 days.
This game was... Wow. It was incredible for all the right reasons. Every level I came across felt distinctly different from all the previous ones. At times it's a survival horror, at times it's a run-and-gun, at times it's a squad-shooter, and at times it's a puzzle game, all within the span of 13 chapters.
But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Review tomorrow or sometime soon after.
I'd say that's about accurate. I just beat it in two marathon sessions over the course of 2 days.
This game was... Wow. It was incredible for all the right reasons. Every level I came across felt distinctly different from all the previous ones. At times it's a survival horror, at times it's a run-and-gun, at times it's a squad-shooter, and at times it's a puzzle game, all within the span of 13 chapters.
But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Review tomorrow or sometime soon after.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Progress for October 18, 2009
Well, I beat Orochi. For the first time. That was probably one of the most enjoyably epic boss battles I've experienced since Shadow of the Colossus. I wanted to continue today, but I spent the afternoon finishing up a project I'd been working on all week. But now that that's done, I can... start working on the next project.
Yeah, I'm busy. But I have been putting time aside for games. I should explore the festival tomorrow.
Yeah, I'm busy. But I have been putting time aside for games. I should explore the festival tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
"Who's the best?" A gaming essay from 53games
I was hanging out at home, playing Starcraft, when a friend of mine came over. He had never played before, but thought it looked like fun, so he wanted to try out a local multiplayer match. I installed a spawn of the game on his laptop and hooked it up to my PC, setting the two systems up back-to-back on my desk. We connected to the LAN and set up the game. I picked Terran because it's the race I've had the most experience with. As I waited for him to pick, he looked over at me and asked, "Who's the best?"
I punched him in the face.
There is something so wrong about this simple question that begs an explanation as to why it even exists. In the interest of competitive spirit, I can understand wanting to be the best. But when you're starting out in a game, you're likely going to get your ass kicked no matter how much of an advantage you have.
I've been asked this question numerous times in various settings. I'd be showing my Magic cards to friends and one of them would ask "What's the best card in the game?" A question like this is not only pointless, but unanswerable. How do you define "best"? and for that matter, wouldn't it simply be one player's opinion in the first place? A card that is good in one deck might be completely useless in another. Or if you get a generally less useful card when the situation begs for you to use it, that's a whole different matter altogether.
The worst insinuation this question makes is that there actually is an answer to it. The primary reason Starcraft is so popular is that it is so wonderfully balanced. There is no "best race." Every race has distinct advantages and disadvantages over the others. Trying to determine the best is folly. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
You should be wary of any game where a player CAN answer this question without thinking about it. In a game like Clayfighter, it doesn't take any thought to pick Blob, because he's just broken as hell. This is indicative of the poor balance in the game, and makes the game that much less fun.
If he were to ask a question like "Who's the easiest to use?" or "Who's the best for beginners?" that would be a much more acceptable query. It shows he doesn't want to be overwhelmed. In Brawl, you don't want to start with a character like Jigglypuff, Olimar, or Luigi, because all of their little nuances require some experience to use effectively. Or in the case of Magic, using a Blue permission deck takes more strategy and knowledge of the game than using a Red spitfire deck or a Green overrun deck.
People who ask "Who's the best?" Almost seem to expect that simply by picking the best character in the game, it can overcome their lack of skill and experience. They don't want to learn anything about the game, they just want to win. They don't want to work to win either, they just want it handed to them.
It's not even a matter of giving the beginner an advantage over the more skilled player to even the playing field, like when I let my friend use Minion in Twisted Metal II. They want to pick the best character because they don't want to waste their time learning any strategies of the lower-tier characters. If they can't be the best, it's not worth their time to even bother playing. This same thing happens in the console wars. People who are only going to buy one system want to buy the best one. But in reality, they can have plenty of fun with any system. There are plenty of enjoyable games available for any system on the market, including the DS and the PSP. If you're a true gamer, you don't let should-haves and might-have-beens get in your way of just enjoying the game.
(Besides, everyone knows the Zerg is the best.)
I punched him in the face.
There is something so wrong about this simple question that begs an explanation as to why it even exists. In the interest of competitive spirit, I can understand wanting to be the best. But when you're starting out in a game, you're likely going to get your ass kicked no matter how much of an advantage you have.
I've been asked this question numerous times in various settings. I'd be showing my Magic cards to friends and one of them would ask "What's the best card in the game?" A question like this is not only pointless, but unanswerable. How do you define "best"? and for that matter, wouldn't it simply be one player's opinion in the first place? A card that is good in one deck might be completely useless in another. Or if you get a generally less useful card when the situation begs for you to use it, that's a whole different matter altogether.
The worst insinuation this question makes is that there actually is an answer to it. The primary reason Starcraft is so popular is that it is so wonderfully balanced. There is no "best race." Every race has distinct advantages and disadvantages over the others. Trying to determine the best is folly. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
You should be wary of any game where a player CAN answer this question without thinking about it. In a game like Clayfighter, it doesn't take any thought to pick Blob, because he's just broken as hell. This is indicative of the poor balance in the game, and makes the game that much less fun.
If he were to ask a question like "Who's the easiest to use?" or "Who's the best for beginners?" that would be a much more acceptable query. It shows he doesn't want to be overwhelmed. In Brawl, you don't want to start with a character like Jigglypuff, Olimar, or Luigi, because all of their little nuances require some experience to use effectively. Or in the case of Magic, using a Blue permission deck takes more strategy and knowledge of the game than using a Red spitfire deck or a Green overrun deck.
People who ask "Who's the best?" Almost seem to expect that simply by picking the best character in the game, it can overcome their lack of skill and experience. They don't want to learn anything about the game, they just want to win. They don't want to work to win either, they just want it handed to them.
It's not even a matter of giving the beginner an advantage over the more skilled player to even the playing field, like when I let my friend use Minion in Twisted Metal II. They want to pick the best character because they don't want to waste their time learning any strategies of the lower-tier characters. If they can't be the best, it's not worth their time to even bother playing. This same thing happens in the console wars. People who are only going to buy one system want to buy the best one. But in reality, they can have plenty of fun with any system. There are plenty of enjoyable games available for any system on the market, including the DS and the PSP. If you're a true gamer, you don't let should-haves and might-have-beens get in your way of just enjoying the game.
(Besides, everyone knows the Zerg is the best.)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Progress for September 16, 2009 - Okami
Spent so much time playing yesterday, I completely forgot to put up the update.
It's going alright, I suppose. The game is actually rather slow to develop. You tend to spend a lot of time in towns doing fetch quests (fetch. Dog. yeah.) and the brief time you do spend outdoors is just to get to a new area.
I went about 6 hours straight and kinda got overwhelmed from that. I didn't even want to play again today. But I'll probably continue tomorrow. I still have to find that last dog before I can go on.
Elapsed time: 10 hours
It's going alright, I suppose. The game is actually rather slow to develop. You tend to spend a lot of time in towns doing fetch quests (fetch. Dog. yeah.) and the brief time you do spend outdoors is just to get to a new area.
I went about 6 hours straight and kinda got overwhelmed from that. I didn't even want to play again today. But I'll probably continue tomorrow. I still have to find that last dog before I can go on.
Elapsed time: 10 hours
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Progress for September 15, 2009 - Okami
Like Gun, I started playing Okami a long time ago. In fact, I bought the game at launch and even pre-ordered it to get the free caligraphy pad. But they were out of them when I went to go pick it up. Damn you Electronics Boutique!
After spending about 30 minutes skipping through the absurdly long intro, I finally reached the first save point. Unfortunately my memory card didn't have enough space on it. Luckily my sister's PS2 was available for my file-swapping needs. I don't know why more PS2 games don't have card file management built into them. At any rate, I was able to continue after 5 minutes of maintenance.
This game always reminds me of tuna fish and breathmints. Probably because the first time I played it, I was snacking on a "Starkist lunch pack" that contains tuna in a pouch, crackers, mayonaise and relish, and interestingly enough a breathmint for afterward. I suppose they take the term "tuna-breath" seriously. I don't know why I remember that among all other benign memories, but I guess it seemed unusual enough to merit a place in my brain. Right next to the license plate of our family's old station wagon that we got rid of 15 years ago. I don't even know my own car's license plate from memory.
Oh yeah, Okami! I'm 4:48 into the game and I have 5 of the 13 brush techniques. I just got the Water Lily and I'll be exploring the new area tomorrow.
After spending about 30 minutes skipping through the absurdly long intro, I finally reached the first save point. Unfortunately my memory card didn't have enough space on it. Luckily my sister's PS2 was available for my file-swapping needs. I don't know why more PS2 games don't have card file management built into them. At any rate, I was able to continue after 5 minutes of maintenance.
This game always reminds me of tuna fish and breathmints. Probably because the first time I played it, I was snacking on a "Starkist lunch pack" that contains tuna in a pouch, crackers, mayonaise and relish, and interestingly enough a breathmint for afterward. I suppose they take the term "tuna-breath" seriously. I don't know why I remember that among all other benign memories, but I guess it seemed unusual enough to merit a place in my brain. Right next to the license plate of our family's old station wagon that we got rid of 15 years ago. I don't even know my own car's license plate from memory.
Oh yeah, Okami! I'm 4:48 into the game and I have 5 of the 13 brush techniques. I just got the Water Lily and I'll be exploring the new area tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Progress for September 15, 2009 - Starcraft
Woo! Terran Campaign is fucking done!
This was easily the most time-consuming mission yet. It might look like I've been slacking off, but seriously, I've been playing almost every day. (Save for the weekends when I go out partying.)
I started off by following the strategy guide pretty much to the letter, but ran into massive problems when trying to expand to the central mineral deposits. I kept reloading the game, hoping to fortify the area before being overrun with siege tanks and ghosts, but kept butting my head against the same wall.
Checking online, I came across a speedrun hosted on SpeedDemosArchive.com which gave me my eventual strategy. A wraith rush.
I built the bare minimum of structures required to keep myself up and running (bunkers and supply depots, mostly) before working my way up the tech tree to build 3 simultaneous starports. Then I just started building wraiths. Once I had 2 control groups of 12, I brought them to the eastern border of the army and went all out. One time I had gotten SO close to completing it. I only had 6 wraiths left, but they were cloaked and undetectable, slowly picking away at the Ion cannon. I had it down to a mere 65 life when some damn science vessel drifted by and exposed my Wraiths. I hoped it would burn down on its own, but by the time I'd built an academy and comsat station to check, it had apparently been repaired. I gave up at this point.
I tried once more, this time only having 2 wraiths left from my original 24. But instead, I just kept building more. Before my two were exposed I had amassed a third strike force of 12 more wraiths with even more in production. I swooped in with my third group and finished the cannon off. Booyah!
I'm taking a hiatus from Starcraft for now. I have to send my laptop in to be repaired and this seems like a logical stopping point, since I'll have to relearn pretty much everything when I move over to the zerg campaign. I'll be playing Okami for a while now.
Missions Completed:
The Hammer Falls
Total Complete: 33%
This was easily the most time-consuming mission yet. It might look like I've been slacking off, but seriously, I've been playing almost every day. (Save for the weekends when I go out partying.)
I started off by following the strategy guide pretty much to the letter, but ran into massive problems when trying to expand to the central mineral deposits. I kept reloading the game, hoping to fortify the area before being overrun with siege tanks and ghosts, but kept butting my head against the same wall.
Checking online, I came across a speedrun hosted on SpeedDemosArchive.com which gave me my eventual strategy. A wraith rush.
I built the bare minimum of structures required to keep myself up and running (bunkers and supply depots, mostly) before working my way up the tech tree to build 3 simultaneous starports. Then I just started building wraiths. Once I had 2 control groups of 12, I brought them to the eastern border of the army and went all out. One time I had gotten SO close to completing it. I only had 6 wraiths left, but they were cloaked and undetectable, slowly picking away at the Ion cannon. I had it down to a mere 65 life when some damn science vessel drifted by and exposed my Wraiths. I hoped it would burn down on its own, but by the time I'd built an academy and comsat station to check, it had apparently been repaired. I gave up at this point.
I tried once more, this time only having 2 wraiths left from my original 24. But instead, I just kept building more. Before my two were exposed I had amassed a third strike force of 12 more wraiths with even more in production. I swooped in with my third group and finished the cannon off. Booyah!
I'm taking a hiatus from Starcraft for now. I have to send my laptop in to be repaired and this seems like a logical stopping point, since I'll have to relearn pretty much everything when I move over to the zerg campaign. I'll be playing Okami for a while now.
Missions Completed:
The Hammer Falls
Total Complete: 33%
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Progress for September 10, 2009 - Starcraft
I finally completed a mission without consulting the strategy guide! :D
It took me 5 hours and I depleted every mineral deposit and vespene geyser on the map, but I still did it!
I built bunkers and turrets all around my base, and around every ramp to keep the Zerg contained, then built up a small army of ghosts after I effectively harassed a good number of Zealots with Kerrigan cloaked and assumed it meant they were really good for that.
My basic strategy was to bring in my battlecruiser to take out photon cannons, then sneak my ghosts in to call in a nuclear strike, and then move in my dragoons and siege tanks to clean up the rest.
The strategy guide said to pretty much build 8+ battlecruisers and just annihilate everything.
That may have been a better way to do it, but it wasn't MY way.
Missions Completed:
New Gettysburg
Total Complete: 30%
It took me 5 hours and I depleted every mineral deposit and vespene geyser on the map, but I still did it!
I built bunkers and turrets all around my base, and around every ramp to keep the Zerg contained, then built up a small army of ghosts after I effectively harassed a good number of Zealots with Kerrigan cloaked and assumed it meant they were really good for that.
My basic strategy was to bring in my battlecruiser to take out photon cannons, then sneak my ghosts in to call in a nuclear strike, and then move in my dragoons and siege tanks to clean up the rest.
The strategy guide said to pretty much build 8+ battlecruisers and just annihilate everything.
That may have been a better way to do it, but it wasn't MY way.
Missions Completed:
New Gettysburg
Total Complete: 30%
Monday, September 7, 2009
Progress for September 7, 2009 - Starcraft
Finally beat it. The mission time said 3:36, but I'm fairly sure it was longer than that. Probably because I was playing it on slowest speed so I would actually have time to think. I saved copiously, but I never had to reload an earlier save due to mission-ending mistakes.
I'm starting to get the hang of the game better. I'm noticing how many units of whatever type it takes to effectively take out various structures and units. And showing a nuclear missile right up an enemy's command center is just as cathartic as I've always heard.
The book is really helping me, but it's starting to get a lot more straightforward with its strategies. Will the next level be more of the same? "Use siege tanks and goliaths to slowly push forward into the enemy's areas. Repeat."
Once I finish the Terran campaign, I'm going to send my laptop in to be repaired, then I'll start on Okami. I'm sooo close to being done with this chapter. Just two missions to go!
Missions Completed:
The Big Push
Total Complete: 27%
I'm starting to get the hang of the game better. I'm noticing how many units of whatever type it takes to effectively take out various structures and units. And showing a nuclear missile right up an enemy's command center is just as cathartic as I've always heard.
The book is really helping me, but it's starting to get a lot more straightforward with its strategies. Will the next level be more of the same? "Use siege tanks and goliaths to slowly push forward into the enemy's areas. Repeat."
Once I finish the Terran campaign, I'm going to send my laptop in to be repaired, then I'll start on Okami. I'm sooo close to being done with this chapter. Just two missions to go!
Missions Completed:
The Big Push
Total Complete: 27%
Friday, September 4, 2009
Progress for September 4, 2009 - Starcraft
Well, I beat Mission 7, and moved right on to Mission 8. After a 6 hour hiatus of course.
Mission 7 went alright once I built up a massive enough force of vultures, goliaths, siege tanks, and wraiths (quickly becoming my favorite unit). I was able to completely blow through the upper corridor without much resistance. I actually made it the first time I tried, but Kerrigan died the exact second I reached the beacon. It even delivered her closing speech over the "Defeated" dialog box. Damn.
I like how Mission 8 starts you right off with a bunch of add-ons that you can land all your buildings right next to, including TWO command centers with nuclear silos. As well as a pair of ghosts.
I detect nuclear launches in the future.
Missions Completed:
The Trump Card
Total Complete: 23%
Mission 7 went alright once I built up a massive enough force of vultures, goliaths, siege tanks, and wraiths (quickly becoming my favorite unit). I was able to completely blow through the upper corridor without much resistance. I actually made it the first time I tried, but Kerrigan died the exact second I reached the beacon. It even delivered her closing speech over the "Defeated" dialog box. Damn.
I like how Mission 8 starts you right off with a bunch of add-ons that you can land all your buildings right next to, including TWO command centers with nuclear silos. As well as a pair of ghosts.
I detect nuclear launches in the future.
Missions Completed:
The Trump Card
Total Complete: 23%
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Progress for August 30, 2009 - Starcraft
*sighs* I'm about to hit the wall. This game is straddling the line between enjoyable and annoying. It's really quite remarkable; Sometimes I'm having fun, sometimes I'm completely bemused. And I don't know what to do about it. I know if I stop now, I won't get back into it for a long, LONG time. The strategy guide that came with the battle chest has been very helpful, but I have been trying every mission at least once on my own before consulting it. Needless to say, today's mission was an "on my own" attempt. I wasn't doing too badly. I took out the bunkers on the topmost expansion well enough, but I lost my Science Facility to the initial assault. I know next time I'll do better and hold it from the start. I'm sure that will make my Science Vessels much more useful.
Progress for August 29, 2009 - Starcraft
Well, that's another level beaten. Actually rather easy when you know how. But still, the Zerg protector units are ludicrously overpowered. And you know what? I'm pretty damn sure when I'm playing the Zerg campaign, they'll suddenly be crap.
Missions Completed:
Norad II
Total Complete: 20%
Missions Completed:
Norad II
Total Complete: 20%
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Progress for August 27, 2009 - Starcraft
I am really starting to hate this game, and I'm only 6 missions in. I tried 3 times to rescue the Norad II, and every time, the Zerg AI cheats. Honestly, how the hell is this supposed to be fair? You're up against an enemy that can control every one of its units at the same time, issue unique commands to every single one, AND use every unit more effectively than you can without even thinking about it.
The Zerg are supposed to be WEAKER than the Terran! How the fuck can 2 Mutalisks take out a missile turret, when the exact equivalent unit, a spore colony, can stand up to 8 FUCKING WRAITHS AT ONCE?
The Zerg are supposed to be WEAKER than the Terran! How the fuck can 2 Mutalisks take out a missile turret, when the exact equivalent unit, a spore colony, can stand up to 8 FUCKING WRAITHS AT ONCE?
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Progress for August 23, 2009 - Starcraft
Yeah, I officially suck at this game. Mission 3: Desperate Alliance Ended with me surviving with about a dozen units left from my peak of 50+. I won, but only by mere seconds. My first real battle (Mission 5: Revolution) Took me about an hour and a half to complete, and I was constantly losing units and dropships. Literally. I couldn't figure out where the hell they went to.
I managed to beat this one as well on my first try, but it took a long time. There is just way WAY too much going on in this game for me to make intelligent decisions in time. I'm definitely more of a turn-based strategist.
Completed Missions:
Desperate Alliance
The Jacobs Installation
Revolution
Total Progress: 16%
I managed to beat this one as well on my first try, but it took a long time. There is just way WAY too much going on in this game for me to make intelligent decisions in time. I'm definitely more of a turn-based strategist.
Completed Missions:
Desperate Alliance
The Jacobs Installation
Revolution
Total Progress: 16%
Progress for August 22, 2009 - Starcraft
Thus begins my descent into insanity.
I am really going to try to enjoy this game moreso for the story than for the gameplay. That's not to say it's not a good game, but being bad at any game kinda makes it hard for it to be really fun for the player. I think the main reason I always get destroyed in Starcraft, be it by human, computer, or Korean, is that I play it as if I were playing an RPG or a city building sim. I spend time leveling up and building up my little units, occasionally fending off attacks from enemies until I either get annihilated by an all-out better player, or I have such a huge army that I can completely steamroll the opponent. The latter rarely ever happens.
Anyway, I played through the first 3 missions, including the tutorial, and watched the first movie. I'll probably do one more quest before I go to bed.
Completed Missions:
(Tutorial)
Wasteland
Backwater Station
Total Progress: 6%
I am really going to try to enjoy this game moreso for the story than for the gameplay. That's not to say it's not a good game, but being bad at any game kinda makes it hard for it to be really fun for the player. I think the main reason I always get destroyed in Starcraft, be it by human, computer, or Korean, is that I play it as if I were playing an RPG or a city building sim. I spend time leveling up and building up my little units, occasionally fending off attacks from enemies until I either get annihilated by an all-out better player, or I have such a huge army that I can completely steamroll the opponent. The latter rarely ever happens.
Anyway, I played through the first 3 missions, including the tutorial, and watched the first movie. I'll probably do one more quest before I go to bed.
Completed Missions:
(Tutorial)
Wasteland
Backwater Station
Total Progress: 6%
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Gun - Retrospective
I really liked this game. Unlike most of the other games I've completed during this blog, Gun was one in particular that I enjoyed from beginning to end. It never got boring, and in fact left me wanting to play more of it even once it was over. This was in part due to its short length; I just didn't want the game to end!
Gun's strongest point is its spectacular storyline and voice acting, sporting such talent as Thomas Jane (The Punisher), Lance Henriksen (Millennium), and Ron Perlman (Hellboy). While it sounds cliche, the story literally had me hooked and playing the game from beginning to end almost non-stop, and I don't even watch westerns. See that jump from 37.2% to completion? That's all in one day, bitches!
That's not to say the game isn't without it's flaws. I won't comment on the difficulty, since I was playing the game on the easy setting, but the game world is considerably smaller than other games of the genre such as GTA or even Simpsons: Hit and Run. But this is occasionally a good thing when your horse arbitrarily disappears after completing a random side-mission, leaving you forced to hike back to the nearest town on foot. However, it does leave you realizing that you will be revisiting the same locations multiple times for different reasons, whether they be bounty hunting, pony express message delivery, searching for hidden gold, or progressing the storyline.
Unlike other GTA clones, Gun uses a refreshing mechanic normally reserved for action games. Known to most people as "bullet-time," The Quickdraw system lets you slow time and automatically target your enemies to quickly dispatch them. This can be lengthened by doing special feats like getting head shots, disarming enemies weapons, knocking enemies off of their horse, or trampling them with your own. While the Quickdraw mechanic is a life saver when you're surrounded by bandits who want your blood and money, switching between targets is a tad finnicky. Targets are always defined as being either left or right of your current lock-on, even if it is quite clearly above or below. So you will often find yourself pressing right to aim at the nogoodnick below the one you just killed. Additionally, moving targets can force the crosshairs to lock onto them more than once, so it can sometimes be difficult to aim at exactly who you want to kill.
The game also suffers from occasional glitches. In addition to the CRASH I got a few days ago, my game doesn't display any ammo or clip animation for the final shotgun upgrade, which led me to believe it had infinite ammo until I ran out.
Despite its flaws, short length, and smaller scope, the Gun IP is a strong newcomer entry into the sandbox genre. I look forward to seeing how the rumored sequels fare against similarly themed Red Dead Redemption from genre juggernaut Rockstar.
The Good
The Ugly
Defining Moment
Gun's strongest point is its spectacular storyline and voice acting, sporting such talent as Thomas Jane (The Punisher), Lance Henriksen (Millennium), and Ron Perlman (Hellboy). While it sounds cliche, the story literally had me hooked and playing the game from beginning to end almost non-stop, and I don't even watch westerns. See that jump from 37.2% to completion? That's all in one day, bitches!
That's not to say the game isn't without it's flaws. I won't comment on the difficulty, since I was playing the game on the easy setting, but the game world is considerably smaller than other games of the genre such as GTA or even Simpsons: Hit and Run. But this is occasionally a good thing when your horse arbitrarily disappears after completing a random side-mission, leaving you forced to hike back to the nearest town on foot. However, it does leave you realizing that you will be revisiting the same locations multiple times for different reasons, whether they be bounty hunting, pony express message delivery, searching for hidden gold, or progressing the storyline.
Unlike other GTA clones, Gun uses a refreshing mechanic normally reserved for action games. Known to most people as "bullet-time," The Quickdraw system lets you slow time and automatically target your enemies to quickly dispatch them. This can be lengthened by doing special feats like getting head shots, disarming enemies weapons, knocking enemies off of their horse, or trampling them with your own. While the Quickdraw mechanic is a life saver when you're surrounded by bandits who want your blood and money, switching between targets is a tad finnicky. Targets are always defined as being either left or right of your current lock-on, even if it is quite clearly above or below. So you will often find yourself pressing right to aim at the nogoodnick below the one you just killed. Additionally, moving targets can force the crosshairs to lock onto them more than once, so it can sometimes be difficult to aim at exactly who you want to kill.
The game also suffers from occasional glitches. In addition to the CRASH I got a few days ago, my game doesn't display any ammo or clip animation for the final shotgun upgrade, which led me to believe it had infinite ammo until I ran out.
Despite its flaws, short length, and smaller scope, the Gun IP is a strong newcomer entry into the sandbox genre. I look forward to seeing how the rumored sequels fare against similarly themed Red Dead Redemption from genre juggernaut Rockstar.
The Good
- Fantastic storyline
- A+ voice acting
- Comparatively small map
- Short storyline with not enough side-missions
Defining Moment
- Running around shooting buffalo and sheep with exploding bow and arrow after completing the story missions. POP!
- Why do I have less to say about good games than bad games?
Monday, August 17, 2009
Progress for August 16, 2009 - Gun - COMPLETED
And another one bites the dust. This game was fun as hell. I spent all of today playing through the rest of the story mode and almost all of the side-missions. All I have left to do are the hunting missions, which are made ultra-fun with my exploding freaking arrows.
Seriously. I must have spent like half an hour tonight just launching them willy-nilly into herds of buffalo and cattle, and watching them go *POP*
Of course, review tomorrow. Good night, America!
Seriously. I must have spent like half an hour tonight just launching them willy-nilly into herds of buffalo and cattle, and watching them go *POP*
Of course, review tomorrow. Good night, America!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Progress for August 15, 2009 - Gun
Just lost an hour and a half of gameplay because the fucking game decided to crash and some designer decided it would be a good idea to create a game that doesn't automatically save your progress. Fuck you Neversoft!
Progress: 37.2, but it should be a lot higher. Fuck you.
Progress: 37.2, but it should be a lot higher. Fuck you.
Kill.Switch - Retrospective
I'm probably not going to go as in-depth into this game review as I have with others. For one thing, it really didn't last long enough for me to really find it memorable. An 8 hour timestamp tends to do that. But for as long as it did last, I did enjoy it. To a point.
The first issue I'd like to bring up is something I've noticed in a lot of recent video games, mostly ones that are based around real-world situations like Kill.Switch, Call of Duty, Splinter Cell, or the previous bane of my existence, 24: The Game. What on earth happened to calling guns what they are? In Wolfenstein and Doom, you had pretty standard weapons and they were called rather universal names: Pistol, Shotgun, Chaingun, Rocket Launcher, Plasma Rifle, Flamethrower, etc. The only exception to the rule was the BFG-9000, which gave an excellently ominous and mysterious feel to the weapon when you read about it and finally found one buried in the lava in Pandemonium. But Kill.Switch, like so many other modern games, uses this naming convention for every weapon in the game. Why do you have to call it an MCRT 300 or M1 when you can just as easily say Sniper Rifle or Shotgun?
Kill.Switch also very much lacks variety in its weapons. You basically have a shotgun, a sniper rifle, a grenade launcher, and then 7 different kinds of machine guns that all use different ammunition. This is really the only distinguishing characteristic between these guns; the fact that enemies drop ammo depending on the weapon they're using. So it's in your best interest to use the same gun as they are. With the exception of the first 3 I mentioned, all guns feel very similar to one another, with minor differences in accuracy, recoil, and clip capacity.
Kill.Switch's story is forgettable to say the least. The premise of the game involves a controller taking command of a field operative via a neural uplink. This means you are controlling a soldier, being controlled by another person, who is in turn being controlled by you. Gameplay-wise this, of course, means absolutely nothing. While the plot involves a rogue agent trying to use the main character as an instrument to start a war and then profiteer from the arms rush, the missions really don't get any deeper than "Go here" "Get this" and the occasional "Kill this person." And that's really all you need to enjoy the game.
For what it's worth, I did find Kill.Switch quite enjoyable. You literally can not just run right out into the open or you will be torn to ribbons within a matter of seconds. The entire purpose of gameplay is based around finding and utilizing waist-height and head-height cover. You can lean around corners or over low cover in order to fire, Which is also the only time you can use the scope on your weapons, but you can aim your crosshair at any time, whether hiding or exposed. You can also blindfire without exposing yourself, which greatly decreases your accuracy, but allows you to remain safely out of harm's way. This engine is very well done and makes most levels very systematic to complete, which is a plus for people like me who prefer a slow methodical approach to war than an overzealous twitch-laden trigger-fest.
However, the engine is not without its flaws. There are many times when the game's idea of "cover" will not agree with the enemy placement, and you will find yourself having to choose between not being able to hit anyone from a semi-exposed position, or being able to hit most of the enemies, but being fully vulnerable yourself. You can also only turn a limited amount in any direction while you're using cover, so many times you will be forced to completely reposition yourself to hit a target that is just out of range. Additionally, the location of the crosshair and your character's ability to actually hit that target are two different things. Often you will be able to see a shot in third person mode that you can't see in first person scope-mode -- The trajectory that actually matters.
Despite its incredibly short length (As I said before, I was able to beat this game in under 8 hours) Kill.Switch is an enjoyable playthrough, although these days it is forgotten in favor of other games that use cover like Gears of War or Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, but Kill.Switch was one of the first to use the cover system, and if you like the newer games, it might be worth it to you to check out the system in its infancy, especially if you can find it in the bargain bin.
The Good
The first issue I'd like to bring up is something I've noticed in a lot of recent video games, mostly ones that are based around real-world situations like Kill.Switch, Call of Duty, Splinter Cell, or the previous bane of my existence, 24: The Game. What on earth happened to calling guns what they are? In Wolfenstein and Doom, you had pretty standard weapons and they were called rather universal names: Pistol, Shotgun, Chaingun, Rocket Launcher, Plasma Rifle, Flamethrower, etc. The only exception to the rule was the BFG-9000, which gave an excellently ominous and mysterious feel to the weapon when you read about it and finally found one buried in the lava in Pandemonium. But Kill.Switch, like so many other modern games, uses this naming convention for every weapon in the game. Why do you have to call it an MCRT 300 or M1 when you can just as easily say Sniper Rifle or Shotgun?
Kill.Switch also very much lacks variety in its weapons. You basically have a shotgun, a sniper rifle, a grenade launcher, and then 7 different kinds of machine guns that all use different ammunition. This is really the only distinguishing characteristic between these guns; the fact that enemies drop ammo depending on the weapon they're using. So it's in your best interest to use the same gun as they are. With the exception of the first 3 I mentioned, all guns feel very similar to one another, with minor differences in accuracy, recoil, and clip capacity.
Kill.Switch's story is forgettable to say the least. The premise of the game involves a controller taking command of a field operative via a neural uplink. This means you are controlling a soldier, being controlled by another person, who is in turn being controlled by you. Gameplay-wise this, of course, means absolutely nothing. While the plot involves a rogue agent trying to use the main character as an instrument to start a war and then profiteer from the arms rush, the missions really don't get any deeper than "Go here" "Get this" and the occasional "Kill this person." And that's really all you need to enjoy the game.
For what it's worth, I did find Kill.Switch quite enjoyable. You literally can not just run right out into the open or you will be torn to ribbons within a matter of seconds. The entire purpose of gameplay is based around finding and utilizing waist-height and head-height cover. You can lean around corners or over low cover in order to fire, Which is also the only time you can use the scope on your weapons, but you can aim your crosshair at any time, whether hiding or exposed. You can also blindfire without exposing yourself, which greatly decreases your accuracy, but allows you to remain safely out of harm's way. This engine is very well done and makes most levels very systematic to complete, which is a plus for people like me who prefer a slow methodical approach to war than an overzealous twitch-laden trigger-fest.
However, the engine is not without its flaws. There are many times when the game's idea of "cover" will not agree with the enemy placement, and you will find yourself having to choose between not being able to hit anyone from a semi-exposed position, or being able to hit most of the enemies, but being fully vulnerable yourself. You can also only turn a limited amount in any direction while you're using cover, so many times you will be forced to completely reposition yourself to hit a target that is just out of range. Additionally, the location of the crosshair and your character's ability to actually hit that target are two different things. Often you will be able to see a shot in third person mode that you can't see in first person scope-mode -- The trajectory that actually matters.
Despite its incredibly short length (As I said before, I was able to beat this game in under 8 hours) Kill.Switch is an enjoyable playthrough, although these days it is forgotten in favor of other games that use cover like Gears of War or Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, but Kill.Switch was one of the first to use the cover system, and if you like the newer games, it might be worth it to you to check out the system in its infancy, especially if you can find it in the bargain bin.
The Good
- Fluid integration of the then-innovative cover system.
- Clever AI that will use cover as well.
- Grenades actually feel necessary to complete certain levels rather than superfluous.
- Too short: only 5 scenarios of 3-4 sections apiece, plus a 1-section training arena.
- Insubstantial plot and pointless neural uplink story premise.
- Weapons are not very memorable.
- Throwing a flash grenade around a corner to blind an enemy, then diving over a tripwire and meleeing the guy in the face. Sweet!
- Okay, what is with the dot in the title anyway? It's always shown as in online listings as "Kill.Switch" with a period, but my punctuation knowledge tells me it's an interpunct, and should be "Kill·Switch."
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Progress for August 12, 2009 - Gun
Wow. Jumping from Kill.Switch to this was interesting to say the least. Gun is MUCH easier, and a lot more versatile. But I suppose that's why they call it an open-world game.
The most recent save file in Gun is dated April 23, 2007. Over 2 years ago. I'm probably going to be running into a lot of these kinds of situations where my previous save file is still intact, but I start the entire game over simply because I don't remember any of the storyline.
In essence, it's what's kept me from finishing a lot of these games; I don't want to start all over again because I've already made so much progress. But I don't want to continue from where I was because I'd be stuck without the storyline. So the games just sit there gathering dust.
Progress: 21.8%
The most recent save file in Gun is dated April 23, 2007. Over 2 years ago. I'm probably going to be running into a lot of these kinds of situations where my previous save file is still intact, but I start the entire game over simply because I don't remember any of the storyline.
In essence, it's what's kept me from finishing a lot of these games; I don't want to start all over again because I've already made so much progress. But I don't want to continue from where I was because I'd be stuck without the storyline. So the games just sit there gathering dust.
Progress: 21.8%
Progress for August 12, 2009 - Kill.Switch
I just beat this game in a single day. It's that short. My final time was 7:19:11
Review tomorrow.
Review tomorrow.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Progress for May 6, 2009 - BioShock
Welp, another day, another chapter. I'm starting to really regret playing the game on Easy; It's, well, TOO easy. I'm spending too much time each chapter doing tiny minutiae like searching bodies for loot and components and hacking safes, all of which invariably lead to more of the same.
Maybe I should stop concentrating on the little stuff and just keep focusing on the quest items. Sure, I might miss some weapons and ammo. But it's not I couldn't do with some increased difficulty.
Maybe I should stop concentrating on the little stuff and just keep focusing on the quest items. Sure, I might miss some weapons and ammo. But it's not I couldn't do with some increased difficulty.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Progress for May 5, 2009 - BioShock
These levels are TOO DAMN LONG! Every time I sit down to play, it's like committing myself to watching a double feature of 1984 and Metropolis. The back and forth between Andrew Ryan and Atlas is enjoyable to listen to, but I'm usually too busy tracking down splicers to pay much attention to them.
I'm starting to notice a lot of minor bugs. For about an hour, the same piece of Subtitle was plastered on the bottom of the screen, even after toggling the subtitles setting and refreshing the view multiple times. Also, the game has a nasty habit of interrupting audio log playbacks with new communiques from Atlas or Ryan, and then replaying an earlier audio log completely unrelated to the current ones.
I know bugs are unavoidable in games, especially in one this huge, but it really takes you out of the immersion when you notice polygonal seams in the water.
I'm starting to notice a lot of minor bugs. For about an hour, the same piece of Subtitle was plastered on the bottom of the screen, even after toggling the subtitles setting and refreshing the view multiple times. Also, the game has a nasty habit of interrupting audio log playbacks with new communiques from Atlas or Ryan, and then replaying an earlier audio log completely unrelated to the current ones.
I know bugs are unavoidable in games, especially in one this huge, but it really takes you out of the immersion when you notice polygonal seams in the water.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Progress for April 21, 2009 - BioShock
Talk about night and day. This game is so completely different from Chrono Trigger.
I started the game on the easy setting, because I want to be able to appreciate the storyline without too much hassle. If all goes well, I'll be playing the game again at least once more on a higher difficulty.
The logistic issue I've noticed about BioShock is how long the levels are. I played for 6 hours today and just now made it to the smuggler's hideout. It's going to be tough to find the 1-2 hours I'll need to complete just one chapter.
So far, I have two minor complaints:
I started the game on the easy setting, because I want to be able to appreciate the storyline without too much hassle. If all goes well, I'll be playing the game again at least once more on a higher difficulty.
The logistic issue I've noticed about BioShock is how long the levels are. I played for 6 hours today and just now made it to the smuggler's hideout. It's going to be tough to find the 1-2 hours I'll need to complete just one chapter.
So far, I have two minor complaints:
- Dear 2K games, Don't fucking map a context-sensitive action to the same button that uses a consumable! I've wasted so god damned many EVE Hypo's trying to hack cameras and turrets just because the crosshair is half an inch out of range.
- And once I'm into the hacking game, the controls are JUST sensitive enough to be annoying. If they were any less sensitive, you'd be ready for it and be able to overcompensate for their latency and inaccuracy. But because they're that specific kind of slow, you don't know what to expect.
Chrono Trigger - Retrospective
Ask any Square Fanboy their top 5 Super Nintendo RPGs and you will inevitably hear Chrono Trigger at or near the top. For what it's worth, I did enjoy the game, and I can see where the game earns its "masterpiece" title. The graphics are impressive for its time, the combat system is somewhat unique, and it deals with a subject matter that rarely gets old: Time travel. However, there are many points in the game that shocked me not for what happened in the game, but for didn't happen. The game is given numerous opportunities to shock the player with an jaw dropping plot twist, but never pulls the trigger.
The game started off by lulling me into a false sense of epicness with the brilliantly written leene/marle quest. But then it degraded into a simple episodic. For the first half of the game, nearly every quest you do is self-contained and unrelated to the quest before it or after it. This style continues throughout most of the rest of the game; You find an area with a problem, you fix that problem, then move on to a new area. The locales and characters are all different enough so this doesn't feel very monotonous, but it is awfully shallow.
There were multiple times when playing the game that I thought I was sensing a devastating plot twist, gearing up to be blown away when it finally happens... only to be disappointed when it doesn't. The first time this happened was when approaching Magus to prevent him from summoning Lavos. You find out that Magus is trying to summon Lavos to destroy him, but is unsuccessful regardless of whether or not the party interferes. Now, tell me this isn't a much more dark and epic plot twist:
The party prevents Magus from summoning Lavos, but then discovers that he was trying to summon it in order to destroy the monster. By defeating Magus, the party THEMSELVES are responsible for Lavos destroying the world. Magus would have done it too, if it weren't for those meddling kids.
Another time the game disappointed me was during the Dalton thread. Dalton has stolen a FREAKING TIME MACHINE! and all he wants to do with it is fly around the world as a king on some sort of airborne throne? What kind of evil overlord sets his sights so low? In my director's cut, Dalton would have taken the Epoch and used it to travel through time and rewrite history to make himself into a god. It worked for Kefka. This would have also done well to add several hours to an already short game.
Chrono Trigger is an RPG that tries to do too many things at once. It tries to have humor, irony, slapstick, plot twists, epic storylines, and even boasts 12 unique endings. But it tries too hard to cover so many bases, it simply stretches itself too thin to be effective. The game is 50 feet wide, but only 3 inches deep. I can only hope Chrono Cross is more my speed.
The Good
The game started off by lulling me into a false sense of epicness with the brilliantly written leene/marle quest. But then it degraded into a simple episodic. For the first half of the game, nearly every quest you do is self-contained and unrelated to the quest before it or after it. This style continues throughout most of the rest of the game; You find an area with a problem, you fix that problem, then move on to a new area. The locales and characters are all different enough so this doesn't feel very monotonous, but it is awfully shallow.
There were multiple times when playing the game that I thought I was sensing a devastating plot twist, gearing up to be blown away when it finally happens... only to be disappointed when it doesn't. The first time this happened was when approaching Magus to prevent him from summoning Lavos. You find out that Magus is trying to summon Lavos to destroy him, but is unsuccessful regardless of whether or not the party interferes. Now, tell me this isn't a much more dark and epic plot twist:
The party prevents Magus from summoning Lavos, but then discovers that he was trying to summon it in order to destroy the monster. By defeating Magus, the party THEMSELVES are responsible for Lavos destroying the world. Magus would have done it too, if it weren't for those meddling kids.
Another time the game disappointed me was during the Dalton thread. Dalton has stolen a FREAKING TIME MACHINE! and all he wants to do with it is fly around the world as a king on some sort of airborne throne? What kind of evil overlord sets his sights so low? In my director's cut, Dalton would have taken the Epoch and used it to travel through time and rewrite history to make himself into a god. It worked for Kefka. This would have also done well to add several hours to an already short game.
Chrono Trigger is an RPG that tries to do too many things at once. It tries to have humor, irony, slapstick, plot twists, epic storylines, and even boasts 12 unique endings. But it tries too hard to cover so many bases, it simply stretches itself too thin to be effective. The game is 50 feet wide, but only 3 inches deep. I can only hope Chrono Cross is more my speed.
The Good
- Excellent music. Some of the best ever from the 16 bit era.
- Simple but satisfying combat that uses position as a legitimate tactic.
- Perfectly balanced enemies and skills reduce the need for grinding to almost nil.
- Meandering storyline that defies all rules of the hero's journey.
- Lack of character development for all but a few party members.
- Frustratingly non-epic
- Chrono dying. Not because of how unexpected it was, but because it was the ONLY plot point I had managed to avoid spoilers for all these years.
- Why is Marle doing Fire Sword on the cover of the game box with Chrono? Marle is an ice tech user.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Progress for April 20, 2009 - Chrono Trigger - COMPLETED
Done. The ending did a lot to wrap up a lot of loose ends, especially when accompanied by the anime cutscenes from the PS1 version, Then when you think you're done, you find out you only got 1 of the 12-some endings in the game. I think only a total completionist or someone who really REALLY likes the game will go to such insane lengths to 100% a game like this.
Personally, I'm just going to watch the endings on Youtube and consider it done.
Expect a review tomorrow. I have many choice words to say about this game.
Personally, I'm just going to watch the endings on Youtube and consider it done.
Expect a review tomorrow. I have many choice words to say about this game.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Progress for April 14, 2009 - Chrono Trigger
Well, Almost done. I revived Chrono and completed 2 of the final missions. I'll likely be finished tomorrow and I can finally start playing something I want to.
Not that I'm not enjoying the game. I do like the relationships in the game, especially between Lucca and Robo, Even though Lucca's storyline and time travel experience reeks of Deus ex Machina.
Not that I'm not enjoying the game. I do like the relationships in the game, especially between Lucca and Robo, Even though Lucca's storyline and time travel experience reeks of Deus ex Machina.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Progress for April 10, 2009 - Chrono Trigger
Well, I'm back in the game, and I'm starting to get tantalizingly close to the end, which is really the only thing that's keeping me going. I've had to replay parts of the game numerous times because my guide decided to fake me out. I will admit, Chrono dying DID catch me off guard. I'm shocked that with so many spoilers around the internet I caught that Magus would join the party, but never found out about Chrono.
I beat Dalton, and now I'm just going around the maps doing some sidequests. I did the Prometheus quest and defeated the sun stone. I suppose it's time to climb Death Peak now.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Legalese
Mark today. Thursday April 9, 2009, 10:49 AM Pacific Standard Time.
In regards to the upcoming Wii Game "Dead Space: Extraction" I am officially coining the phrase "House of the Dead Space"
That is all. Thank you for your time.
In regards to the upcoming Wii Game "Dead Space: Extraction" I am officially coining the phrase "House of the Dead Space"
That is all. Thank you for your time.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Progress for April 7, 2009 - Chrono Trigger
I don't understand what the hell is wrong. I don't want to play this game. I've been holding off ever since beating Super Mario Galaxy. I don't want to start anything else until I've finished Chrono Trigger, but I don't want to play it anymore. Thus, I haven't really been playing anything the last few weeks except Rom Check Fail. Super Mario Galaxy was a deliberate distraction from Chrono Trigger, but I don't feel like putting it off anymore.
I suppose it's good practice. Part of being a professional is doing things when you don't want to do them. I've played games long after they got boring when testing at Vivendi and SnapTV, So this should be a cakewalk for me. Eyes on the prize, bro. Just keep thinking about the next game you're going to play.
I suppose it's good practice. Part of being a professional is doing things when you don't want to do them. I've played games long after they got boring when testing at Vivendi and SnapTV, So this should be a cakewalk for me. Eyes on the prize, bro. Just keep thinking about the next game you're going to play.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
New Games!
This just goes to show you; it pays to make friends with people in other countries. Today I received a package from someone in Canada who was getting rid of his games. He didn't want to sell them, just wanted someone else to be able to enjoy them. So for the piddly sum of $10.50, I was able to ship this
Brigandine is the rarest of the bunch, which can sell for as much as $120 on eBay used, and this thing has all of the documentation and booklets still in the case.
But I didn't get these games to turn right around and sell them. In fact, I think that's the LAST thing the original owner wants me to do. I want to actually play them first.
Brigandine is the rarest of the bunch, which can sell for as much as $120 on eBay used, and this thing has all of the documentation and booklets still in the case.
But I didn't get these games to turn right around and sell them. In fact, I think that's the LAST thing the original owner wants me to do. I want to actually play them first.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Site update
I tried recording a video of this. Three times. But every time, the footage was unusable. It reflects poorly on me a filmmaker and it's not up to my standards.
Anyway, 3 games are off my list, and they're being replaced by 3 others.
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is gone. I last played it about 6 months ago, and honestly, I can't remember a damn thing about the story. All I can remember is it went ON and ON without ever getting anywhere.
In its place, I will be playing Bioshock.
Yeah, tough decision there.
Ultimate Spider-Man is also gone. I already beat it before I even started 53games, And getting 100% is the next step. But that means finding all the tokens, stopping all the crime, and beating all the races at the fastest time, which is FUCKING IMPOSSIBLE. So in its place is another game where you run around on rooftops, climb buildings, and help civilians: Assassin's Creed.
Finally, Doom 3 wasn't even mine. It belonged to a friend who sold it to me when he needed money, then I sold it back to him later. So to replace that, I have another game. A game with zombies, a number in the title, and is a PC FPS: Left 4 Dead.
Also, if you look to the side, you will see a video for my new ustream account, where I will be playing my games live for the select few who actually feel like viewing it.
Anyway, 3 games are off my list, and they're being replaced by 3 others.
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is gone. I last played it about 6 months ago, and honestly, I can't remember a damn thing about the story. All I can remember is it went ON and ON without ever getting anywhere.
In its place, I will be playing Bioshock.
Yeah, tough decision there.
Ultimate Spider-Man is also gone. I already beat it before I even started 53games, And getting 100% is the next step. But that means finding all the tokens, stopping all the crime, and beating all the races at the fastest time, which is FUCKING IMPOSSIBLE. So in its place is another game where you run around on rooftops, climb buildings, and help civilians: Assassin's Creed.
Finally, Doom 3 wasn't even mine. It belonged to a friend who sold it to me when he needed money, then I sold it back to him later. So to replace that, I have another game. A game with zombies, a number in the title, and is a PC FPS: Left 4 Dead.
Also, if you look to the side, you will see a video for my new ustream account, where I will be playing my games live for the select few who actually feel like viewing it.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Super Mario Galaxy - Retrospective
This game was a very mixed blessing. It starts off simple enough and never really gets ridiculously hard. You can easily obtain the minimum required 60 stars before the game hits the infamous "Stops being fun" wall. However, it suffers from numerous design choices that seem arbitrary and capricious. The first of which is the evil, satanic, posessed camera.
During the height of 2D gaming, the camera was a non-issue. You never even thought about it; the game showed what was on the screen and you could see it. The closest thing we had to the camera being an enemy was scrolling levels where you could get crushed behind walls, and leaps of faith where you can't see the landing. But with the onset of 3D games, the camera suddenly became a living entity. Super Mario 64 knew this and not only anthropomorphised the camera as the oft-underrated Lakitu, but gave the players full control over where it pointed. For some unknown reason, this control is missing from Super Mario Galaxy. Suddenly, full 360 degree control of the camera becomes the exception, rather than the rule.
The most frustrating aspect of this limitation is that it comes with no reason or logic behind its constraints. You will want desperately to turn the camera around in order to search for hidden ledges or line up a particularly difficult jump, only to be told "bernp!" by the sadistic little camera icon on the top right of the screen. Why? It's not like there's a tree or a wall in the way. It's just empty air! Other times, the camera will immediately swoop around to give you a different viewing angle when you're in the middle of crossing a narrow platform or trying to stick a landing. The player can usually use the C button to recenter the camera, but this too has a strange path of logic when it comes to where it believes "centered" to be. This can often mean looking up at the ground. Timed levels and Luigi's inherent lack of traction only magnify how frustrating the worst parts of the game can be.
Another issue present in this game started to develop in Super Mario 64, and continued in Sunshine and Galaxy. This is not a problem with the game itself, but the direction of the series in general. While it is not necessarily a bad thing, it is misleading. The problem comes from the concept of powerups. Super Mario Galaxy boasts numerous "powers" including Bee Mario, Boo Mario, and Spring Mario (One of the lamest powerups ever, by the way) as well as the Fire Flower, Ice Flower, and everyone's favorite, the invincibility star. While these powerups do change the way Mario moves and grants him new abilities, as well as new limitations, it's all simply a tease.
Look back in Mario's history, back to the original Super Mario Bros. How many ways were there to defeat Bowser at the end of World 1-4? If you were small, you could jump over him or run under him and grab the axe. If you were big, you could try to jump through his barage of hammers, or even simply run through the lizard directly. If you were Fire Mario, you could stand back and take him out with a few well-placed projectiles of your own. Or, if you were lucky enough to find a star near the end of the level, you could kill him that way. Super Mario Bros 3 took this idea and expanded on it even more, giving you frog suits, tanooki suits, hammer bros. suits, raccoon mario, fire mario, even super P-wing mario. The game simply gave you a goal, and didn't care how you got there.
Now look at Super Mario Galaxy. Almost every level has the exact same path through it. You solve the puzzles on one planet, or find your way through a maze or platform gauntlet in order to get to the fling star and jump to the next planet. Every powerup you recieve is only there to help you solve a puzzle. Every boss has a single correct method to defeating it, with one or two minor variations if you're lucky. Strangely enough, the flat world of Super Mario Bros. gave you more freedom than the free-roaming 3D environments of modern Mario games.
The next Mario game should get back to the series' roots like New Super Mario Bros. on the DS did. Give Mario a goal and let us find our own way to get him there.
During the height of 2D gaming, the camera was a non-issue. You never even thought about it; the game showed what was on the screen and you could see it. The closest thing we had to the camera being an enemy was scrolling levels where you could get crushed behind walls, and leaps of faith where you can't see the landing. But with the onset of 3D games, the camera suddenly became a living entity. Super Mario 64 knew this and not only anthropomorphised the camera as the oft-underrated Lakitu, but gave the players full control over where it pointed. For some unknown reason, this control is missing from Super Mario Galaxy. Suddenly, full 360 degree control of the camera becomes the exception, rather than the rule.
The most frustrating aspect of this limitation is that it comes with no reason or logic behind its constraints. You will want desperately to turn the camera around in order to search for hidden ledges or line up a particularly difficult jump, only to be told "bernp!" by the sadistic little camera icon on the top right of the screen. Why? It's not like there's a tree or a wall in the way. It's just empty air! Other times, the camera will immediately swoop around to give you a different viewing angle when you're in the middle of crossing a narrow platform or trying to stick a landing. The player can usually use the C button to recenter the camera, but this too has a strange path of logic when it comes to where it believes "centered" to be. This can often mean looking up at the ground. Timed levels and Luigi's inherent lack of traction only magnify how frustrating the worst parts of the game can be.
Another issue present in this game started to develop in Super Mario 64, and continued in Sunshine and Galaxy. This is not a problem with the game itself, but the direction of the series in general. While it is not necessarily a bad thing, it is misleading. The problem comes from the concept of powerups. Super Mario Galaxy boasts numerous "powers" including Bee Mario, Boo Mario, and Spring Mario (One of the lamest powerups ever, by the way) as well as the Fire Flower, Ice Flower, and everyone's favorite, the invincibility star. While these powerups do change the way Mario moves and grants him new abilities, as well as new limitations, it's all simply a tease.
Look back in Mario's history, back to the original Super Mario Bros. How many ways were there to defeat Bowser at the end of World 1-4? If you were small, you could jump over him or run under him and grab the axe. If you were big, you could try to jump through his barage of hammers, or even simply run through the lizard directly. If you were Fire Mario, you could stand back and take him out with a few well-placed projectiles of your own. Or, if you were lucky enough to find a star near the end of the level, you could kill him that way. Super Mario Bros 3 took this idea and expanded on it even more, giving you frog suits, tanooki suits, hammer bros. suits, raccoon mario, fire mario, even super P-wing mario. The game simply gave you a goal, and didn't care how you got there.
Now look at Super Mario Galaxy. Almost every level has the exact same path through it. You solve the puzzles on one planet, or find your way through a maze or platform gauntlet in order to get to the fling star and jump to the next planet. Every powerup you recieve is only there to help you solve a puzzle. Every boss has a single correct method to defeating it, with one or two minor variations if you're lucky. Strangely enough, the flat world of Super Mario Bros. gave you more freedom than the free-roaming 3D environments of modern Mario games.
The next Mario game should get back to the series' roots like New Super Mario Bros. on the DS did. Give Mario a goal and let us find our own way to get him there.
Progress for March 30, 2008 - Super Mario Galaxy - COMPLETED
Mario and Luigi now both have all 121 stars. Now I never have to touch this game again.
But odds are I probably will. A few years down the line.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Progress for March 29, 2008 - Super Mario Galaxy
What the fuck is wrong with the camera in Super Mario Galaxy? Super Mario 64 was one of the oldest 3D platformers ever. 3D movement and visuals were still in their infancy, and we were still graced with better camera controls than in Galaxy. I blame the level designers. Level designers become so proud of their work; all of the time they've spent tweaking every little nuance and vertex to make the level look perfect forces them to make compromises when it comes to the gameplay. They care so much about their work, it would pain them to death to have a player look at it in any angle other than intended, even if that angle isn't one of the principal directions or a 45 degree derivative thereof. So you end up trying to hold the joystick at an arbitrary direction halfway between left and up-left. Then as soon as you go to make the jump, the camera swoops around to put you in a completely different viewing angle, just soon enough to see Mario go careening into the abyss.
FUCK YOU! Is it too much to ask for a game where the camera stays nicely put and out of the way so we can see exactly what we're doing, exactly where we're going, and exactly where we're going to land?
FUCK YOU! Is it too much to ask for a game where the camera stays nicely put and out of the way so we can see exactly what we're doing, exactly where we're going, and exactly where we're going to land?
| All | Galaxy | Stars | Earned Today |
| \|/ | Good Egg Galaxy | ****** | |
| Honey Hive Galaxy | ****** | Cosmic Luigi Race | |
| \|/ | Space Junk Galaxy | ****** | |
| \|/ | Battlerock Galaxy | ******* | Purple Coins on the Battlerock Battlerock's Garbage Dump Luigi Under the Saucer |
| \|/ | Beach Bowl Galaxy | ****** | |
| Ghostly Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Gusty Garden Galaxy | ****** | ||
| \|/ | Freezeflame Galaxy | ****** | |
| Dusty Dune Galaxy | ******* | ||
| Gold Leaf Galaxy | ****** | The Bell on the Big Tree Cataquack to the skies When it rains it pours | |
| Sea Slide Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Toy Time Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Deep Dark Galaxy | ****** | The Underground Ghost Ship Bubble Blastoff | |
| Dreadnought Galaxy | ****** | Revenge of the Topman Tribe | |
| \|/ | Melty Molten Galaxy | ****** | |
| \|/ | Gateway Galaxy | ** | |
| \|/ | Bowser Jr's Robot Reactor | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser's Star Reactor | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser Jr's Airship Armada | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser's Dark Matter Plant | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser Jr's Lava Reactor | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser's Galaxy Reactor | * | |
| Loopdeeloop Galaxy | * | ||
| \|/ | Flipswitch Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Rolling Green Galaxy | * | Rolling in the Clouds |
| \|/ | Hurry-Scurry Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Bubble Breeze Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Sweet Sweet Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Sling Pod Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Buoy Base Galaxy | ** | |
| \|/ | Drip Drop Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Honey Climb Galaxy | * | |
| Bonefin Galaxy | * | ||
| \|/ | Sand Spiral Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Matter Splatter Galaxy | * | |
| Bigmouth Galaxy | * | ||
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Progress for March 24, 2008 - Super Mario Galaxy
It's weird going to bed at 8:30 PM. You wake up at 4 AM with nothing else to do but face the day. And play Super Mario Galaxy. I'm not sure why exactly it is, but I really enjoy the Purple Comet levels, as long as they're untimed. Just the idea of exploration and collection I find really appealing.
| All | Galaxy | Stars | Earned Today |
| \|/ | Good Egg Galaxy | ****** | |
| Honey Hive Galaxy | ****** | The Honeyhive's Purple Coins | |
| \|/ | Space Junk Galaxy | ****** | |
| Battlerock Galaxy | ******* | ||
| \|/ | Beach Bowl Galaxy | ****** | Beachcombing for Purple Coins |
| Ghostly Galaxy | ****** | Purple Coins in the Bone Pen | |
| Gusty Garden Galaxy | ****** | The Dirty Tricks of Major Burrows The Golden Chomp Gusty Garden Gravity Scramble | |
| \|/ | Freezeflame Galaxy | ****** | Freezeflame's Blistering Core Hot and Cold Collide Purple Coins on the Summit Frosty Cosmic Luigi Race |
| Dusty Dune Galaxy | ******* | Blasting Through the Sand Purple Coins in the Desert Bullet Bill in your Back Sunbaked Sand Castle | |
| Gold Leaf Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Sea Slide Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Toy Time Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Deep Dark Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Deadnought Galaxy | ****** | ||
| \|/ | Melty Molten Galaxy | ****** | |
| \|/ | Gateway Galaxy | ** | |
| \|/ | Bowser Jr's Robot Reactor | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser's Star Reactor | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser Jr's Airship Armada | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser's Dark Matter Plant | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser Jr's Lava Reactor | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser's Galaxy Reactor | * | |
| Loopdeeloop Galaxy | * | ||
| \|/ | Flipswitch Galaxy | * | |
| Rolling Green Galaxy | * | ||
| \|/ | Hurry-Scurry Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Bubble Breeze Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Sweet Sweet Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Sling Pod Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Buoy Base Galaxy | ** | |
| \|/ | Drip Drop Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Honey Climb Galaxy | * | Scaling the Sticky Wall |
| Bonefin Galaxy | * | ||
| \|/ | Sand Spiral Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Matter Splatter Galaxy | * | |
| Bigmouth Galaxy | * | ||
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Progress for March 22, 2008 - Super Mario Galaxy
I already got 120 stars in Super Mario Galaxy with Mario, and I beat it with Luigi a few months ago after being inspired by the Mario Marathon to keep playing the game. I completed all 60 necessary stars over the course of a single night, so now I'm going to finish it all up.
| All | Galaxy | Stars | Earned Today |
| \|/ | Good Egg Galaxy | ****** | Purple Coin Omelet |
| Honey Hive Galaxy | ****** | ||
| \|/ | Space Junk Galaxy | ****** | Purple Coin Spacewalk |
| Battlerock Galaxy | ******* | ||
| Beach Bowl Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Ghostly Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Gusty Garden Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Freezeflame Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Dusty Dune Galaxy | ******* | ||
| Gold Leaf Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Sea Slide Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Toy Time Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Deep Dark Galaxy | ****** | ||
| Deadnought Galaxy | ****** | Dreadnought's Colossal Cannons | |
| Melty Molten Galaxy | ****** | Burning Tide, The Sinking Lava Spire, Through the Meteor Storm, Lava Spire Daredevil Run, Fiery Dino Piranha, Red-Hot Purple Coins | |
| \|/ | Gateway Galaxy | ** | |
| \|/ | Bowser Jr's Robot Reactor | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser's Star Reactor | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser Jr's Airship Armada | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser's Dark Matter Plant | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser Jr's Lava Reactor | * | |
| \|/ | Bowser's Galaxy Reactor | * | |
| Loopdeeloop Galaxy | * | ||
| \|/ | Flipswitch Galaxy | * | |
| Rolling Green Galaxy | * | ||
| \|/ | Hurry-Scurry Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Bubble Breeze Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Sweet Sweet Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Sling Pod Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Buoy Base Galaxy | ** | |
| \|/ | Drip Drop Galaxy | * | |
| Honey Climb Galaxy | * | ||
| Bonefin Galaxy | * | ||
| \|/ | Sand Spiral Galaxy | * | |
| \|/ | Matter Splatter Galaxy | * | |
| Bigmouth Galaxy | * | ||
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Chrono Trigger on Hiatus
I know I've been neglecting 53Games for a while; I haven't been playing much of anything really recently. After a nasty fall, my DS is having trouble functioning at full capacity. The L button doesn't work right, and the hinge is cracked. Chrono Trigger will have to be on hiatus for a while. I'll probably start playing something else soon; either on emulator or console.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Progress for February 11-12, 2008 - Chrono Trigger
I honestly don't know what to think about this game. It's a fairly standard RPG. Combat takes place right in the middle of the field; which is different than most games, but it's all just seeming so casual and straightforward. I reached a few sections where the game almost blew me away, but it didn't seem to continue to run with the idea.
I finished Magus' castle.. for what I assume is the first time. now I'm in the Tyrano fortress. I hope I have the drive to continue tomorrow.
I finished Magus' castle.. for what I assume is the first time. now I'm in the Tyrano fortress. I hope I have the drive to continue tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Progress for February 8-10, 2008 - Chrono Trigger
Oh crap, I have a blog, don't I?
I've tried to play this game on numerous occasions; each time I ended up getting unnecessarily bored for one reason or another and quitting for months at a time. So I end up at a standstill: I don't want to continue where I left off because I don't remember the story up to that point, and I don't want to start a new game because I'd have to play through the beginning all over again.
I'm playing the DS version, which seems to be a better translation than the SNES version. I'm also using a guide from one of my favorite LPers on youtube, HC Bailly. His videos have really helped me keep on track and not get lost, which is usually one of the reasons I quit playing any game.
Over the past few days, I've made it a good 8 hours into the game. I've gotten the Masamune and just re-recruited Frog before bed last night. Now to take on Magus and beat the game! (yeah right)
I've tried to play this game on numerous occasions; each time I ended up getting unnecessarily bored for one reason or another and quitting for months at a time. So I end up at a standstill: I don't want to continue where I left off because I don't remember the story up to that point, and I don't want to start a new game because I'd have to play through the beginning all over again.
I'm playing the DS version, which seems to be a better translation than the SNES version. I'm also using a guide from one of my favorite LPers on youtube, HC Bailly. His videos have really helped me keep on track and not get lost, which is usually one of the reasons I quit playing any game.
Over the past few days, I've made it a good 8 hours into the game. I've gotten the Masamune and just re-recruited Frog before bed last night. Now to take on Magus and beat the game! (yeah right)
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
24 The Game - Retrospective
This game will go down in infamy alongside Super Mario Land 2 and 8 Eyes as "games that have caused physical damage to my property." Super Mario Land 2 cost me a Game Boy and 8 Eyes cost me an entire laptop hard drive. 24: The Game cost me... A frying pan.
The game can be described in 2 words: Frustratingly addictive. Or maybe addictively frustrating. Missions run the gamut in length from 3 to 25 minutes, so they don't take that much investment to play through... If you're lucky. If not, you will find yourself staring down the exact same mission over and over, each time wanting the last 5 minutes of your life back. You forget everything else, including pots of water boiling on the stove, because you can't let the game win like that. This game will suck out your soul and force you to go through hell in order to get it back.
As a fan of the series, I figured this game was a must-play. In a way, it is, because the story presentation is very well done. In fact, everything that isn't an action sequence is a fun distraction, but the on-foot and driving missions are mediocre at best, and unplayably annoying at worst. The controls are a mess, with completely different context-sensitive actions sharing the same button. If you're standing a few inches off the mark, you'll end up punching a surrendered assailant instead of checking a dead body for ammo, and thus hurting your mission percentage.
24 does do a few things right. The lock on system feels very natural for a third person shooter and makes it easy to pinpoint your weapon and go for the headshot, but switching targets is unresponsive, like all the other controls. The hacking and computer simulation missions are an enjoyable departure, and the interrogation missions are probably the best parts of the game. But these oases are few and far between in a desolately mediocre desert.
24 is not a terrible game, but it is terribly mediocre. The highs and lows of the game average out to a fairly unremarkable playthrough. As a third person shooter, it has almost no staying power. The only way I can reccommend this game is if you're a hardcore 24 fan and you have the patience of a saint.
The Good:
The Bad:
Defining Moment:
Burning Question:
The game can be described in 2 words: Frustratingly addictive. Or maybe addictively frustrating. Missions run the gamut in length from 3 to 25 minutes, so they don't take that much investment to play through... If you're lucky. If not, you will find yourself staring down the exact same mission over and over, each time wanting the last 5 minutes of your life back. You forget everything else, including pots of water boiling on the stove, because you can't let the game win like that. This game will suck out your soul and force you to go through hell in order to get it back.
As a fan of the series, I figured this game was a must-play. In a way, it is, because the story presentation is very well done. In fact, everything that isn't an action sequence is a fun distraction, but the on-foot and driving missions are mediocre at best, and unplayably annoying at worst. The controls are a mess, with completely different context-sensitive actions sharing the same button. If you're standing a few inches off the mark, you'll end up punching a surrendered assailant instead of checking a dead body for ammo, and thus hurting your mission percentage.
24 does do a few things right. The lock on system feels very natural for a third person shooter and makes it easy to pinpoint your weapon and go for the headshot, but switching targets is unresponsive, like all the other controls. The hacking and computer simulation missions are an enjoyable departure, and the interrogation missions are probably the best parts of the game. But these oases are few and far between in a desolately mediocre desert.
24 is not a terrible game, but it is terribly mediocre. The highs and lows of the game average out to a fairly unremarkable playthrough. As a third person shooter, it has almost no staying power. The only way I can reccommend this game is if you're a hardcore 24 fan and you have the patience of a saint.
The Good:
- Storyline by the actual show's writers and cutscenes done in the show's style truly sell the game as part of 24 canon
- Voiceovers by the actual 24 cast.
- Computer scanning minigames and interrogation missions are fun, albiet brief.
The Bad:
- Crippled and unresponsive controls make playthrough needlessly frustrating.
- Mission objectives are often unclear, forcing the player to rely on trial-and-error in order to complete them.
Defining Moment:
- The game says "Your car is on fire, press Δ to exit" but your passenger says "Don't leave me, please!"
Burning Question:
- See January 12, 2009
Progress for February 4, 2009 - 24: The Game - COMPLETED!
The following takes- oh who the hell cares anymore.
I beat it this afternoon. That's all there is to say about it. The last 2 hours was some of the least enjoyable I've experienced in a while.
That is all. Review tomorrow.
I beat it this afternoon. That's all there is to say about it. The last 2 hours was some of the least enjoyable I've experienced in a while.
That is all. Review tomorrow.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Progress for January 16, 2009 - 24: The Game
The following take place between 3 PM and 10 PM
24: The Game is just as addictive as 24: The Show. Once you finish an hour, they're always sure to leave you with a cliffhanger that makes you want to keep playing. It's a fairly effective way to keep the player interested in what would otherwise be an overall mediocre action game. The more I play, the more I dislike the driving levels, but the more I'm starting to like the standard mission levels. It's made better by the fact that the game is set in and around Los Angeles, my hometown, but I highly doubt the in-game map of the freeways are very accurate.
24: The Game is just as addictive as 24: The Show. Once you finish an hour, they're always sure to leave you with a cliffhanger that makes you want to keep playing. It's a fairly effective way to keep the player interested in what would otherwise be an overall mediocre action game. The more I play, the more I dislike the driving levels, but the more I'm starting to like the standard mission levels. It's made better by the fact that the game is set in and around Los Angeles, my hometown, but I highly doubt the in-game map of the freeways are very accurate.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Progress for January 12, 2009 - 24: The Game
The following takes place between 6 AM and 3 PM
To celebrate the return of 24 to Fox after the writers strike, it's a no-brainer which game I'll be playing next.
So far, I've been enjoying the game. The cinematic cutscenes are expertly done, following the layout and presentation of the TV show perfectly. Oddly enough, I'm enjoying the puzzle-based minigames more than third-person mission levels.
The worst thing I've encountered so far is the driving mechanics of the game, the worst of which so far was in mission #13 where Tony has to escort Lee Jin Yu to CTU while EVERY SINGLE CAR ON THE ROAD tries to stop you. Apparently whoever's in charge of the hit has enough men at his disposal to have 2 black vans and 3 silver sedans in every square mile of Los Angeles.
Couldn't someone with that kind of money just buy an island somewhere and retire?
To celebrate the return of 24 to Fox after the writers strike, it's a no-brainer which game I'll be playing next.
So far, I've been enjoying the game. The cinematic cutscenes are expertly done, following the layout and presentation of the TV show perfectly. Oddly enough, I'm enjoying the puzzle-based minigames more than third-person mission levels.
The worst thing I've encountered so far is the driving mechanics of the game, the worst of which so far was in mission #13 where Tony has to escort Lee Jin Yu to CTU while EVERY SINGLE CAR ON THE ROAD tries to stop you. Apparently whoever's in charge of the hit has enough men at his disposal to have 2 black vans and 3 silver sedans in every square mile of Los Angeles.
Couldn't someone with that kind of money just buy an island somewhere and retire?
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