Arkham Asylum, and the Weekend That Was

I've gotten only a little bit of time to play games this weekend, thanks to family commitments and trying my hand at some minor home projects, but that time was well spent trapped in Arkham Asylum. From what I can tell so far, all the hype and internet love is justified. The game's aesthetics are incredibly appealing, I really enjoy the combat mechanics and slowly getting a grip on the stealth mechanics, but what I've really enjoyed so far is how the game advances the plot. It's hard to get tired of the Joker's insane ramblings over the intercom, Harley Quinn's videos, or even Oracle's popping in over the radio on occasion to keep ole' Bruce up to date on the happenings. The story itself is one that I can really appreciate and get behind, and I look forward to discovering all the different surprises that are in store later on.

Still working my way through Shadow Complex, and contemplating if I should try to get 100% completion on this playthrough or simply finishing the game and starting a second attempt. Like a wuss, I played this one on casual, but will obviously bump up at least one difficulty level, and possibly two for the next attempt. The one thing I can't seem to get that could cause some frustration is getting the last weapon, located near the last boss (I think). It involves activating a lever, which opens a door and me rushing back to try to get to that door before it closes again. If anyone has a suggestion about how to accomplish this, I'm all ears.

Other than not having much time to play games, it was a great weekend overall. Not being lucky enough to have the handy gene passed down from my dad, I managed despite that fact to replace a bathroom light fixture without dying tragically with my foot in a sink and my hands wrapped around live wires. Hey, I take the small victories where I can. In the 'I can't get this time in my life back' category, the wife and I watched Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Even knowing how badly this movie was panned when it came out, I really wanted to like it, if only because it was another Indy movie. Alas, it was more hokey and unbelievable than even I could handle. Seriously now, an alien skull? C'mon...

Fallout 3 (some more)

Revisited my on again, off again relationship with Fallout 3 this week. For some reason, no matter how many times I think that I'm finished with this game, the siren song of unexplored areas calls me back. This time it was to fully explore the Point Lookout map. In completing the main storyline of the game, I basically followed the yellow brick road and bypassed the tantalizing arrows for new locations on the compass. The ridiculous enemy difficulty (seriously, how many hillbilly mutants that look like they watched way too much "Deliverance" can take multiple plasma rifle shots to the head without going down? Geez...) turned me off to just wandering around the map, seeing what there was to see. After a few weeks away, I got the itch to give it another shot...

This time I loaded for bear. Realizing that I was saving the condition of all the uber powerful special weapons for nothing, I grabbed the gauss rifle and the Fat Man, and made the trek through the swamp. I wished I'd grabbed a screenshot of the pair of creeper legs that were left upright and minus the rest of the body after a near-direct mini-nuke hit. And, exploring some of my relatively newfound sneaking abilities, I discovered that I could blast apart creepers with one sniper shot from a gauss rifle while hidden. i can't imagine what was going through their minds as their buddies vaporized around them. "Gee, uh, um...Doh!"

It's probably an inevitability that I'll get Mothership Zeta at some point, once the call of the completionist draws me in once more, but for the time being, Fallout 3 is safely back in the recesses of my interests.

One other tidbit

I've been linked several times by other websites to Armor Games, a browser-based game site. The site seems to offer a plethora of games designed to suck away your free time and desire to work.

One of those games, Crush the Castle, kept me entertained for a bit. The entire point of the game is that you have a trebuchet, and you hurl different types of ammo at different castle structures with the goal of killing all inhabitants inside. There are physics to take into account, as well as different materials of construction for the walls, while the different ammo types have different effects on the building based on configuration and material. I've linked to a speedrun for the entire game, just so you can get a feel for the game.



The premise is simple, and the game is just fun. I highly recommend taking it for a spin.

Shadow Complex

I had the opportunity to play this some more last night and, at least for me, the game is living up to the pre-release hype. One of my favorite games of all time is still Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and this game borrows heavily from that game's design philosophy, along with Super Metroid. I'm going to hang my head in gaming shame and say that I haven't spent much time with Super Metroid, and after this experience it's clear I'll be finding a copy of that in my near future.

The graphics are great, the action is a lot of fun (without being difficult to pick up and play), and the story is believable enough to make me want to know what happens in the end. For a collectophile like myself, there are many weapon and health upgrades to search for and collect, some involving backtracking through already explored areas.

I've embedded the E3 trailer for the game, to give anyone not familiar a flavor of the game.



I dare say that, if the game continues to impress me the way it has, I may actually start up a second playthrough, which is unheard of in my gaming world. If you're playing (or already played) this, feel free to leave a comment in chat.

Also, I found this post on Jostiq that discusses a bit about Metroidvania games and provides a link to a picture history of other games that use similar mechanics. I was impressed to see several NES games, which I had played and enjoyed.

Monkey Island Final Thoughts

I'd love to be here, professing my undying love for Monkey Island, pining away for LucasArts to greenlight a remake of the second game. This reaction feels right, considering the outpouring of support the game has received from the enthusiast press, and how much the game is revered by those who played it when it was originally released. I want to fall in line with these people, who've forgotten more about games than I'll ever know...

But I can't. While the writing was spot on, even laugh out loud funny at times, and the voice acting in the remake was perfect for the script, the adventure game mechanic just didn't do it for me. This has the feel of a medium that overcame technical limitations back in the early '90s, which doesn't fly as readily here in twenty-aught-nine, when we can have 3D spectacles like Crysis and Bioshock, or 2.5D fare such as Shadow Complex. Take a script such as this, package it with game mechanics and an experience that utilizes today's tech, and...you have Brutal Legend. Maybe. That's the buzz going around, and Tim Schaefer, who worked on Monkey Island, penned Brutal Legend as well. Here's to hoping.

Anyway, in the eyes of video game snobs, I'm now one to be shunned, because I don't hold what clearly is a classic in the same regard as they do. However, I feel this is yet another example of how strongly nostalgia can impact one's opinion of things. We all have these feelings about something, whether it be a book, a movie, an experience, something. Our strong feelings that we experienced years ago continue to color our perception of the thing, long after everyone else has moved on.

But hey, that's why the retro game market continues to flourish, right? If you have an opinion on this, I'd love to hear it.

JRPGs and Monkey Island

Made some progress in Lost Odyssey over the past few days, to the first 'boss', Gilgram on the mountaintop. Disappointed that it seems I'll have to grind a few levels to be able to survive the encounter. Otherwise the game is really working for me. I'm probably in the minority, but I'm digging the story cutscenes that pop up here and there, and I can't get enough of the dreams. Well-written, and really flesh out the main character in a way that games often can't. Hopefully I'll be able to get past the current bottleneck and enjoy some more.

Still plugging away at Final Fantasy PSP. Currently in the dwarf tunnel, and looking for Nerrick, who needs the Nitro Powder for some purpose. This is a great distraction for me at lunchtime, a way to turn off the work part of my brain and enjoy some geeky pastime at work. Playing two games at the same time that involve random battles (considering that Lost Odyssey was made by Mistwalker Studios, a team whose pedigree include several of the early Final Fantasies and Blue Dragon) gets a bit monotonous in today's age of seeing your enemies and often having the option of avoiding conflict, but the story of LO and the nostalgia of FF should keep me coming back.

Which brings me to Monkey Island. I'm sad to say that I think this game plays far more off the nostalgia of people who really enjoyed them back in the day than still being a great game nowadays. Don't get me wrong, the writing is fantastic, and it's clear that the developers had a sense of humor that translated well to games. It's just that some of the puzzles, while far less obtuse and downright ridiculous than those in the Sierra games of nearly the same vintage, just seem a bit silly. At this point, because I didn't play the game when it was first release and have none of the warm and fuzzy nostalgia that many have for it, I'm going through the motions and using the hint system a lot to keep moving forward. Blasphemy, I know, but to each their own.

Really looking forward to Shadow Complex tomorrow. This game scratches an itch that I definitely have, which is the entire 'Metroidvania' experience, harkening back to Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night in spirit and function. There will be more discussion about that game in this space, you can be sure.

One final random aside. While serving as designated driver for my brother-in-law's bachelor party this past Saturday, I found out that prostitution is legal in the state of Rhode Island while indoors. Before anyone jumps to any conclusions, let me explain...Every 'lady' at the establishment we visited would, at some point during their talking to me, would slip in the fact that there was more available than the usual lap dances, and they would be happy to show me. For an exorbitant fee, of course. After about an hour of trying to hide from as many girls as I could, getting one dance, and several $4 diet sodas, I retired to the minivan while the rest of the guys enjoyed themselves. Note to self: I need to make sure that I'm far more intoxicated before setting foot in a place like that again. Live and learn, I guess.

Final Fantasy I (PSP)

Gotta say that I'm really enjoying the experience that is Final Fantasy I on the PSP. I haven't thought about this game since I completed it well over a decade and a half ago on the NES, so the story is new all over again. The relatively simplistic RPG concepts, combined with modern day conveniences (indicators to show how weapons and armor compare for each character in your party, save anywhere) really make for something I can play while listening to podcasts. It's been a while since I've had this much fun grinding levels. :)

If you have the PSP and a soft spot for RPGs from days gone by, I don't think you can go wrong with this one.

Random Question (Game Culture Related)

Why is it that gamers feel like every game that's made should be made especially for them, and deride games that they're not interested in, calling them 'baby games' or worse? For example, I have no real interest in the 'Imagine' series of games from Ubisoft, but they're not being marketed toward me, now are they? That doesn't make them bad games necessarily, just a type of game that I don't feel the need to play. Clearly they're doing something right, as they've sold millions, and created countless spinoffs, copycats, etc. I'm not going to insult them or even worry about them, and that's ok. I can go and enjoy RPGs, adventure games, and the occasional shooter as well, without stooping to the level of belittling a genre for which I have no interest.

Is it because, as a medium, gaming is young? People in general tend to accept the fact that there are types of books that they have no desire to read, or movies that they don't want to see, but it's acceptable that they're made. I'm not a particular fan of horror movies, but that doesn't mean I wish that they were never made. The same goes for romance novels; I find them pretty much useless and would rather read the instructions on how to put together a 493-piece article of furniture from IKEA (useful, yes, but particularly interesting or thought-provoking, no) than spend time with the latest bodice-ripper, but I respect the fact that 50% or more of the fiction sold in the US are romance novels. It's just not my bag, baby.

I don't have the answer for this question, and if I did, you can be sure I'd be getting paid to answer it, instead of writing a (probably) grammatically poor blog post during my lunch hour. It would just be nice if gamers could realize that all games aren't made for them personally, and that it's ok for games to cater to a wide variety of ages and interests. If anyone is reading this, and has an opinion, please leave a comment.

Ok, back to your regularly scheduled lives. I'm going to spend the rest of my lunch hour playing Final Fantasy, thank you.

Gaming Pet Peeve (Fixed Save Points vs. Save Anywhere)

While starting Lost Odyssey this evening, I was confronted by one of the most irritating gaming conventions that I can think of: a save point. As a responsible adult and one that often has to abandon my gaming at odd times, having to make a set amount of progress before I can save my game is aggravation. With today's modern systems and forgiving game styles, why does this exist anymore?

As an example of the opposite of this, I recently started up a game of the Final Fantasy remake on the PSP. While the original game allowed you to save only at inns, and only if you had the money to stay at the inn, the remake allows you to save anywhere. Admittedly, this could create a slightly easier experience, as anyone so inclined could save every few steps and reload whenever a battle doesn't go their way. But for me, who often has just a few minutes to game before being called to do some random chore or another, the ability to save anywhere encourages me to play more. I don't have to worry about losing any progress because I have to leave in a hurry. I can just save and come back later.

Just a random observation...Do any of you feel the same way?

Monkey Island

Judging from the discussions being held on podcasts and messageboards these days, I must be the only person to miss playing the Lucasarts games when they first came out. I did play Maniac Mansion, but only because it was on the NES. That was a game I really got into, from its strange story to quirky sense of humor, it was something that taxed my brain and tickled my funnybone at the same time. Hearing about how much everyone loves the recently released Secret of Monkey Island: SE, I decided that I'd jump in and test my adventure game abilities...

...Only to find out that I'm an idiot. It must be all the years of being spoonfed game content, or maybe it's because I have two young kids, a job, a wife, a house, etc. to worry about, but the puzzles that I think I could have figured out pretty quickly when I was 14 now involve me beating my head against a figurative brick wall until I give up and hit the hint button. I'd like to think that I'm starting to get back into the state of mind and thinking required to solve the later puzzles, but if my performance so far is any indication, I'm in for some trouble.

Don't get me wrong, the game is fantastic so far. I'm currently about 20% through the game, according to the handy dandy progress display on my latest save game. The writing is sharp, witty, and laugh-out-out funny, something that today's games (for the most part) lack, while the voice acting is spot on for the tone of the lines being conveyed. I just wish I could better grasp the puzzles without feeling like such a moron.

I'll continue to struggle with this game (which is a testament to its quality), and if I sense any improvement in my brain function, maybe I'll dive into the Telltale epsiodic experience, or possibly hunt down the older sequels to the original. I should ask my 18-month old twins to help me with it, as they probably would have more insight into these puzzles than me. :)

Fallout 3: Losing its Luster?

I think I may finally be finished with Fallout 3.

"Of course you are," you're saying. "We all are. Clearly you downloaded and ran through the last DLC, Mothership Zeta, just like the rest of us Fallout addicts, and now you're whining because there won't be any more new content until the New Vegas game next year."

Actually, no, Mr. Smartypants, that's not what I mean at all. In fact, I've only just finished the Point Lookout expansion last night. The main storyline, incredibly involving a brain in a jar and a pissed off ghoul, wasn't bad. It's definitely not something I expected. The reason why I bring this up is that, after nearly 80 hours played (according to my save file) I think I'm ready to leave this world behind. The thought of trudging through the swamp, fighting off mutated hillbillies to see all of the unique locations and sidequests that Point Lookout has to offer holds no real interest to me. This is coming from someone who discovered and explored every single point of interest on the main area map, before any of the expansions came out.

Trying to come up with a rationalization as to why I feel this way now, one point continues to jump out at me. If someone can tell me exactly how a mutated hillbilly, who runs as if he's got a stick caught in his behind and carries nothing but an axe, can take 6+ headshots from a Plasma rifle and still be standing, I'd be really appreciative. Or, how does same stick-in-bum hillbilly hit me with an axe, while I'm wearing fully repaired Enclave Hellfire Armor, and knock my health down by a third or more? Seriously? Call it a small quibble, and I can even see why this would happen from a game balance perspective (this is the 4th expansion of a game catered to a fanbase that's probably well past the intended level cap, so Bethesda had to amp up both the health bar and damage potential to create any form of challenge), but still, c'mon people...

Obviously, this outcome was inevitable. There's only so long a game can hold your interest, right? (Sit down, all you WoW players and your years played on one character; I'm not talking about MMOs here) I guess I'm just sad that the game that has provided me so much enjoyment, surprises and genuine fun since last October no longer shines like it once did in my mind. Maybe I will play through Mothership Zeta, just to see all the content that Bethesda has produced. I'm really wavering, though, and that may be the most telling sign of all.

So, what's the next shiny penny I should pick up and play with for, oh, 50-60 hours? I hear that The Witcher is now on sale on Steam, complete with free nudity. Hmm, maybe I should check that out. It has to be better than staring at deformed chicks with mohawks and shotguns, right?

What DO I Do?

Today I had the opportunity to talk with a college sophomore who was spending time in our office, learning about what each of the different areas of our company really does. He was brought to my cube, we were introduced, and he sat down, waiting expectantly for me to impart my wisdom.

And then it hit me: What the hell do I do anyway? I like what I do, I think I do it pretty well, but for the life of me I couldn't explain to this young man what I do for a living. As I tried to explain to him what I do, I felt like Lawrence from Office Space explaining his job to the consultants. It sounded hollow and useless, and at that moment I wanted to curl up and cry.

Well, it wasn't quite that bad, but unlike Lawrence I don't have my very own "Jump to Conclusions Mat" to fall back on. :)

Blast from the Past

Today's theme at work is: let's have you do something you haven't thought about since college. For me, this consisted of calculating the heat loss of sodium hydroxide out of a storage vessel, and then attempting to design an insulation and heat trace system to compensate for these losses. Just for the record, I graduated from college 11 years ago. Digging up and dusting off that knowledge from the inner workings of my twisted brain was painful to say the least.

None of the answers to the equations I worked through turned out to be 42. What a bummer...

Talk about headache inducing, but the masochistic thing is that I've enjoyed the exercise. I know...weird, huh?

Back to your regularly scheduled lives.

What I Did This Weekend (in checklist form)

Let's see...

- Play Bookworm Adventures, Volume 2 demo. Check. (Seriously considering buying this)

- Patch PC version of Fallout 3, so it doesn't crash every time I close out the game. Check.

- Inspired by release of Mothership Zeta on Monday, finish Fallout 3: Broken Steel DLC. Check.

- Download and start Fallout 3: Point Lookout DLC. Check.

- Spend time with wife and kids. Check. By far the highlight of the weekend.

- Foist kids off on their aunt and uncle (to go see farm animals) and spend a nice quiet lunch with wife. Check.

- Assemble used plastic jungle gym for kids, and discover strong animal urine smell. Check. (Note to self: clean jungle gym after work on Monday)

- End the weekend by getting puked on by overtired, overexcited 18-month old. Check.

All in all, a good weekend!