I just did a quick playthrough of the Bayonetta Demo, and guess what? I loved it!
I understand that I haven't really been critiquing games, just discussing them more on an "I like it" basis. I will need to work on that.
Anyway, I enjoyed the Bayonetta demo, which I was pretty sure I would. I have always enjoyed the Devil May Cry games that I've played, except for DMC2... I never played 3, but Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 4 spun in my drives for quite a while. Bayonetta is helmed by the man who made the first Devil May Cry game, and it is a great competitor for that series.
The visuals are all great, I really enjoy the angelic enemy designs. The combo system seems to be a little simplified, but I'm sure there will be higher difficulty settings in the full product. The music is also great.
Overall, I am very excited for the title. I will give the demo a few more tries as I get time.
17.11.09
Bayonetta
I received my early access code to the Bayonetta Demo. I was almost a day late signing up, I figured the 12 year olds without jobs would have easily filled the 40,000 slots they had before I got a chance.
But they didn't! I shall report on it when I get a chance to play!
(Also, still loving Dragon Age)
But they didn't! I shall report on it when I get a chance to play!
(Also, still loving Dragon Age)
8.11.09
Dragon Age Origins
It finally got here! I've been playing it in my spare time during the week, and finally got to spend some quality time with it over the last few days. Thus far, I have enjoyed it immensely. In the dark recesses of the past, I played a bit of Neverwinter Nights, but it never grabbed me. I also played some Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance, which I understand wasn't developed by Bioware. However, I LOVED Mass Effect, and with that title, Bioware has grabbed my attention.
Dragon Age is a very different game from Mass Effect, and not just in setting. The combat still takes place in real time, but you don't directly control every attack your character makes. It is an old fashioned right click on the enemy and your character will continue attacking until they or the enemy perish-type of game. The real strategy comes from the strategic pause, which you can use any time. Right clicking on an enemy will start basic combat, and you are able to script out your hero and parties actions and reactions to a point, but strategic pausing allows you to select specific powers and abilities they use. It seems cumbersome at first, but once you get used to it, this method of controlling the action is very natural and easy to use. I'm playing on the PC, but I imagine that the console versions are very similar to this. I did read that the console doesn't allow you to zoom out to an overhead perspective of the battle, and I can't imagine how hard that must make things. My main character is a rogue, and she needs to get behind foes to do real damage, doing so from the close in perspective is nigh impossible!
As is typical of Bioware, the story is engaging. I read that the team was heavily inspired by George R.R. Martin, and it is readily apparent, but the story is no rip-off. It definitely has hooks. I very much enjoyed the origin story of my human noble, and can only imagine that the other stories are equally interesting. I look forward to trying them on subsequent playthroughs.
I think it is a hallmark of Bioware games to have brilliant character interactions and dialogues. Dragon Age lives up to this expectation well. I enjoy the conversations between characters more than the combat, I think. I miss Mass Effect's interface for the conversations, but perhaps it wasn't a good fit for Medieval times.
I am not terribly far into the game, but I have played several hours and am greatly enjoying the game so far!
Dragon Age is a very different game from Mass Effect, and not just in setting. The combat still takes place in real time, but you don't directly control every attack your character makes. It is an old fashioned right click on the enemy and your character will continue attacking until they or the enemy perish-type of game. The real strategy comes from the strategic pause, which you can use any time. Right clicking on an enemy will start basic combat, and you are able to script out your hero and parties actions and reactions to a point, but strategic pausing allows you to select specific powers and abilities they use. It seems cumbersome at first, but once you get used to it, this method of controlling the action is very natural and easy to use. I'm playing on the PC, but I imagine that the console versions are very similar to this. I did read that the console doesn't allow you to zoom out to an overhead perspective of the battle, and I can't imagine how hard that must make things. My main character is a rogue, and she needs to get behind foes to do real damage, doing so from the close in perspective is nigh impossible!
As is typical of Bioware, the story is engaging. I read that the team was heavily inspired by George R.R. Martin, and it is readily apparent, but the story is no rip-off. It definitely has hooks. I very much enjoyed the origin story of my human noble, and can only imagine that the other stories are equally interesting. I look forward to trying them on subsequent playthroughs.
I think it is a hallmark of Bioware games to have brilliant character interactions and dialogues. Dragon Age lives up to this expectation well. I enjoy the conversations between characters more than the combat, I think. I miss Mass Effect's interface for the conversations, but perhaps it wasn't a good fit for Medieval times.
I am not terribly far into the game, but I have played several hours and am greatly enjoying the game so far!
4.11.09
Dragon Age Origins
I unboxed my Dragon Age: Origins Collectors Edition for the pc last night. I was able to play the game for about an hour after it installed while I ate dinner.
So far... I LOVE IT! I played Neverwinter Nights when it came out, but it did not stick for me. In the times between then and now, I have played other Bioware games, including Mass Effect, and loved them. This game just seems perfect so far. The story is great thus far, with its setting being similar to George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. The fantasy game with adult themes is great. I like the combat, which is more group-based tactical than other RPG fare of late. Being able to pause and decide on your next move is very traditional for these kind of games, but feels kind of new for this "generation."
I was never a fan of the Dog in Fable II. For some reason, my Mabari War Hound, Phobos, had me hooked from the minute I met him.
I have also enjoyed the voice acting and story scenes. My character is a Human Rogue, MeAra Cousland. Bad things are happening in her origin story, we shall see how she prevails against the forces of darkness!
So far... I LOVE IT! I played Neverwinter Nights when it came out, but it did not stick for me. In the times between then and now, I have played other Bioware games, including Mass Effect, and loved them. This game just seems perfect so far. The story is great thus far, with its setting being similar to George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. The fantasy game with adult themes is great. I like the combat, which is more group-based tactical than other RPG fare of late. Being able to pause and decide on your next move is very traditional for these kind of games, but feels kind of new for this "generation."
I was never a fan of the Dog in Fable II. For some reason, my Mabari War Hound, Phobos, had me hooked from the minute I met him.
I have also enjoyed the voice acting and story scenes. My character is a Human Rogue, MeAra Cousland. Bad things are happening in her origin story, we shall see how she prevails against the forces of darkness!
30.10.09
25.10.09
Borderlands
My wife was very kind and picked up Borderlands for me as an early birthday present! I have been excited about this game for quite a while. I think the first time I took interest in the game was an article on Kotaku on the art direction. In much the same way that the art invigorated the team members, it really brought my interest level up.
So how is it?
FUN! I have been enjoying it immensely! The media released for this game basically says it all, in my opinions. The gameplay is pretty straightforward shooter. It has a sort of "old school" feeling, exhilerating in a way that reminds me of how I felt about playing Perfect Dark on the N64.
I am about level 16 with the Siren character so far. Until last night, I hadn't really stumbled upon any of the games super interesting guns. I did find a pistol that fired incendiary rounds, but I've had that in other games. But last night I was raiding a bandit safe-house, and I came across a semi-automatic pistol with moderate damage, but an insanely fast firing rate. (reminding me of the Cyclone from Perfect Dark...) Basically, with this weapon, I can take an enemy down with an extended squeeze of the trigger. I also found one of the games more.. silly weapons. A rocket firing-shotgun. I had to agree with my friend, Nathan, that such weapons seem pretty stupid. However.. when I picked it up and started using it.. Well, I've flagged in my commitment to "pure" weapons. The gun is basically a rocket launcher, but it fires quicker and uses my shotgun ammo.. Oh, and it does a ton of damage to my foes. Despite my doubts, it was an exciting pickup.
The vehicles add a lot to the game as well. Early on in the game, you are fighting these dog-like creatures with chitinous armour on their head and shoulders. They are tougher at low-levels for a player on foot. However, once you have access to the dune-buggy, you are able to run them, and any bandits, over with ease. The vehicles add a very mad-max kind of feel to the game.
At first I was worried that the game was too easy. I walked through the intro and several of the missions without being punished for my mistakes. I started to fear that the game was going to be very slow and boring. Then, I started accepting more quests and exploring. If you aren't careful, you can walk into areas filled with higher level enemies who will take you apart. Lot's of the classic techniques: circle strafing, diagonal jumping, running backwards, etc.. come in handy here.
So far, the game is a blast. I had a buddy stop over for some split-screen co-op, and that was great. We didn't have access to the vehicle yet, but I have a good feeling that having a separate driver/gunner will be amazing. It has taken a great deal of willpower for me to write this and not play the game, but alas, it is wearing me down, and I must cave to the pressure!
Good hunting!
So how is it?
FUN! I have been enjoying it immensely! The media released for this game basically says it all, in my opinions. The gameplay is pretty straightforward shooter. It has a sort of "old school" feeling, exhilerating in a way that reminds me of how I felt about playing Perfect Dark on the N64.
I am about level 16 with the Siren character so far. Until last night, I hadn't really stumbled upon any of the games super interesting guns. I did find a pistol that fired incendiary rounds, but I've had that in other games. But last night I was raiding a bandit safe-house, and I came across a semi-automatic pistol with moderate damage, but an insanely fast firing rate. (reminding me of the Cyclone from Perfect Dark...) Basically, with this weapon, I can take an enemy down with an extended squeeze of the trigger. I also found one of the games more.. silly weapons. A rocket firing-shotgun. I had to agree with my friend, Nathan, that such weapons seem pretty stupid. However.. when I picked it up and started using it.. Well, I've flagged in my commitment to "pure" weapons. The gun is basically a rocket launcher, but it fires quicker and uses my shotgun ammo.. Oh, and it does a ton of damage to my foes. Despite my doubts, it was an exciting pickup.
The vehicles add a lot to the game as well. Early on in the game, you are fighting these dog-like creatures with chitinous armour on their head and shoulders. They are tougher at low-levels for a player on foot. However, once you have access to the dune-buggy, you are able to run them, and any bandits, over with ease. The vehicles add a very mad-max kind of feel to the game.
At first I was worried that the game was too easy. I walked through the intro and several of the missions without being punished for my mistakes. I started to fear that the game was going to be very slow and boring. Then, I started accepting more quests and exploring. If you aren't careful, you can walk into areas filled with higher level enemies who will take you apart. Lot's of the classic techniques: circle strafing, diagonal jumping, running backwards, etc.. come in handy here.
So far, the game is a blast. I had a buddy stop over for some split-screen co-op, and that was great. We didn't have access to the vehicle yet, but I have a good feeling that having a separate driver/gunner will be amazing. It has taken a great deal of willpower for me to write this and not play the game, but alas, it is wearing me down, and I must cave to the pressure!
Good hunting!
8.10.09
Lost time...
I must apologize gentle reader. It has been far too long since I last posted. What happened?
Batman: Arkham Asylum started it. Blame Batman. Or maybe the Joker is more deserving of blame. Anyway, this game is amazing! I had a ton of fun playing it. I listened to a podcast recently where one of the members said that he would be happy if it was just a bunch of Batman set-pieces. Well they were in there for sure, but the gameplay backed them up in a great way.
All of the buzz about the "free-flow combat" was worth it. The hand-to-hand fights in Batman: AA are just great. It takes a bit to understand the mechanics and timing, but once you get it going, you really feel like Batman taking out a large group of thugs. If you liked the scenes in the recent movies where Batman is taking on 5 or 6 guys all at once, you will love playing these parts of the game. Even when you get hit, the effects are amazing. If a thug has a melee weapon like a pipe and manages to score a hit, the screen goes fuzzy and the image doubles, which is a perfect effect for such a hit. As you take damage, the color slowly bleeds out of the picture, giving you a sort of life-bar without actually having one. Batman's "health" replenishes when he isn't hit for a while, so you are never low on resources in that way.
So, hand to hand combat is great and all.. But Batman is really all about the stealth and fear. These elements are present as well. Throughout the game there are various situations that require to you take out enemies silently and without being seen. This could be traps set off by thugs when they see you, or simply thugs carrying guns, and guns will stop you pretty quickly if you get hit multiple times. As you progress and acquire more of Batman's gadgets your mobility increases greatly, and your ability to take out foes in a stealthy manner is further enhanced.
Mobility is something I love in games. Batman has the means to move quickly through areas. Zip-lines, cape-gliding, grappling hooks, and more. Batman is rarely seen strolling about, and this game lets you emulate that in spades.
Batman Arkham Asylum is simply a great game. Penny-Arcade's Tycho called it a "metroidvania" title, an apt description. You are constantly moving through parts of the island, acquiring new tools to help you reach new areas. There is a lot of revisiting, I suppose, but somehow this game manages not to become boring. Of course, the scenery does change after parts.. But no spoilers here. Any fan of Batman will love this game, and I'm certain that anyone who likes fun games will love it too.
But Batman came out over a month ago, what the heck have I been doing? Well, Batman kept me entertained to the point where I preferred to play the game instead of blogging it for quite a while. Longer than most games lately. Since I decided to let the disc cool, and since budgetary constraints are growing, I've been re-playing some older titles.
I got back into Fallout 3 for a while.. Until it kept crashing on me. One of the perils of PC gaming and modding I suppose. I've tried to reinstall the game and play the vanilla game, modding slowly and keeping track of things that cause problems.. But there just doesn't seem to be any way for me to run that game in a stable way with Mods. This is pretty upsetting. The vanilla build is fun and kept me entertained for a LOOONG time... But now I want the new content as well. I'll keep at it.
I was on a Star Wars kick for a few weeks (still am, actually). As a result, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed found its way back into my 360. I still love this game. I think the critics panned it for various troubles, but the game is a lot of fun anyway. If you have ever wanted to wreak havoc with the force and a lightsaber... This is your game. The story is fairly true to Star Wars (I'm serious.. Watch the movies again if you think I'm full of it) and the extra costumes and such are just fun. Some elements were added (The dark troopers) that are there simply to make the game more challenging than throwing stormtroopers around all day. I turned the difficulty up once I started playing again, and was rewarded for doing so. On the easier levels, the combat is pretty straight-forward, but as you increase the difficulty, tactical prowess becomes a necessity. I'm sure this game is pretty inexpensive these days, or wait for the Ultimate Sith Edition this winter!
And as for right now, I'm replaying Mass Effect. I loved this game the first time around, and am enjoying it this time as well. I've tried most of the classes, and I think Infiltrator is my go-to. I am very excited for the sequel, as well. I hope that in their "streamlining" of some of the features they don't just dumb everything down. If you don't keep your character upgraded organically as you play, it can get tedious, but I love all of the micro-managing when it comes to gun upgrades and ammo types. I guess this is gone in the sequel.. We'll see how that works out. From the videos and information I've read, they are going for more visceral combat in the sequel, so shooter fans should find more challenge and excitement there. It is hard to wrap your head around the fact that the game is not really a shooter. It is an RPG that just happens to use guns. Further developments should be interesting. I just had a taste of Pinnacle Station before I decided to start over. I had to kill one of my favorite characters to advance the story.. And I can't have that happen, especially since he will stay dead in the sequel! So I get to see the beginning again. Not my favorite part, but hopefully I can soldier on and get to the meaty parts of the game.
List Time:
Titles I am excited for:
Borderlands (probably for Xbox) The art style and classes interest me. Should be fun.
Dragon Age: Origins (PC) I've actually pre-ordered this game. I love bioware titles, and especially dungeon crawl RPGs a-la Baldurs Gate.
Bayonetta (Xbox) I am a huge Devil May Cry fan, so some competition (from the original creator) should be a great thing, hopefully pushing future titles of both series to greater heights. Sort of creeped out by the hair thing though.
There, a load of content. Doesn't make up for my lack of posts, but catches people up.
Batman: Arkham Asylum started it. Blame Batman. Or maybe the Joker is more deserving of blame. Anyway, this game is amazing! I had a ton of fun playing it. I listened to a podcast recently where one of the members said that he would be happy if it was just a bunch of Batman set-pieces. Well they were in there for sure, but the gameplay backed them up in a great way.
All of the buzz about the "free-flow combat" was worth it. The hand-to-hand fights in Batman: AA are just great. It takes a bit to understand the mechanics and timing, but once you get it going, you really feel like Batman taking out a large group of thugs. If you liked the scenes in the recent movies where Batman is taking on 5 or 6 guys all at once, you will love playing these parts of the game. Even when you get hit, the effects are amazing. If a thug has a melee weapon like a pipe and manages to score a hit, the screen goes fuzzy and the image doubles, which is a perfect effect for such a hit. As you take damage, the color slowly bleeds out of the picture, giving you a sort of life-bar without actually having one. Batman's "health" replenishes when he isn't hit for a while, so you are never low on resources in that way.
So, hand to hand combat is great and all.. But Batman is really all about the stealth and fear. These elements are present as well. Throughout the game there are various situations that require to you take out enemies silently and without being seen. This could be traps set off by thugs when they see you, or simply thugs carrying guns, and guns will stop you pretty quickly if you get hit multiple times. As you progress and acquire more of Batman's gadgets your mobility increases greatly, and your ability to take out foes in a stealthy manner is further enhanced.
Mobility is something I love in games. Batman has the means to move quickly through areas. Zip-lines, cape-gliding, grappling hooks, and more. Batman is rarely seen strolling about, and this game lets you emulate that in spades.
Batman Arkham Asylum is simply a great game. Penny-Arcade's Tycho called it a "metroidvania" title, an apt description. You are constantly moving through parts of the island, acquiring new tools to help you reach new areas. There is a lot of revisiting, I suppose, but somehow this game manages not to become boring. Of course, the scenery does change after parts.. But no spoilers here. Any fan of Batman will love this game, and I'm certain that anyone who likes fun games will love it too.
But Batman came out over a month ago, what the heck have I been doing? Well, Batman kept me entertained to the point where I preferred to play the game instead of blogging it for quite a while. Longer than most games lately. Since I decided to let the disc cool, and since budgetary constraints are growing, I've been re-playing some older titles.
I got back into Fallout 3 for a while.. Until it kept crashing on me. One of the perils of PC gaming and modding I suppose. I've tried to reinstall the game and play the vanilla game, modding slowly and keeping track of things that cause problems.. But there just doesn't seem to be any way for me to run that game in a stable way with Mods. This is pretty upsetting. The vanilla build is fun and kept me entertained for a LOOONG time... But now I want the new content as well. I'll keep at it.
I was on a Star Wars kick for a few weeks (still am, actually). As a result, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed found its way back into my 360. I still love this game. I think the critics panned it for various troubles, but the game is a lot of fun anyway. If you have ever wanted to wreak havoc with the force and a lightsaber... This is your game. The story is fairly true to Star Wars (I'm serious.. Watch the movies again if you think I'm full of it) and the extra costumes and such are just fun. Some elements were added (The dark troopers) that are there simply to make the game more challenging than throwing stormtroopers around all day. I turned the difficulty up once I started playing again, and was rewarded for doing so. On the easier levels, the combat is pretty straight-forward, but as you increase the difficulty, tactical prowess becomes a necessity. I'm sure this game is pretty inexpensive these days, or wait for the Ultimate Sith Edition this winter!
And as for right now, I'm replaying Mass Effect. I loved this game the first time around, and am enjoying it this time as well. I've tried most of the classes, and I think Infiltrator is my go-to. I am very excited for the sequel, as well. I hope that in their "streamlining" of some of the features they don't just dumb everything down. If you don't keep your character upgraded organically as you play, it can get tedious, but I love all of the micro-managing when it comes to gun upgrades and ammo types. I guess this is gone in the sequel.. We'll see how that works out. From the videos and information I've read, they are going for more visceral combat in the sequel, so shooter fans should find more challenge and excitement there. It is hard to wrap your head around the fact that the game is not really a shooter. It is an RPG that just happens to use guns. Further developments should be interesting. I just had a taste of Pinnacle Station before I decided to start over. I had to kill one of my favorite characters to advance the story.. And I can't have that happen, especially since he will stay dead in the sequel! So I get to see the beginning again. Not my favorite part, but hopefully I can soldier on and get to the meaty parts of the game.
List Time:
Titles I am excited for:
Borderlands (probably for Xbox) The art style and classes interest me. Should be fun.
Dragon Age: Origins (PC) I've actually pre-ordered this game. I love bioware titles, and especially dungeon crawl RPGs a-la Baldurs Gate.
Bayonetta (Xbox) I am a huge Devil May Cry fan, so some competition (from the original creator) should be a great thing, hopefully pushing future titles of both series to greater heights. Sort of creeped out by the hair thing though.
There, a load of content. Doesn't make up for my lack of posts, but catches people up.
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