For the past few days, I've been spending my evening free time playing through Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light on the 360. The game really grabbed me with its visual style and game mechanics. I really enjoy the platforming elements as well as the nearly twin-stick shooter combat mechanic. The mix of combat, platforming and puzzle-solving keeps things interesting, and the constant carrot of finding or earning some new weapon, relic or artifact has maintained my attention to this downloadable game, even when Read Dead Redemption showed up in the mail recently (thanks, Goozex!).
One element that I really enjoy is the challenge rooms in each level, allowing you to attempt a completely optional puzzle to earn a reward of an item, artifact or weapon. Another aspect I enjoy are the goals set for each level, which also reward you with a power-up or item. The goal may be "Destroy all the vases," or "Cross the river without touching the water." These add spice to the game and have made me change my playstyle to achieve the rewards. Little touches such as this add depth and replayability to a relatively inexpensive downloadable title.
Here's some footage of the game in action, in case you're interested:
Work has been rather busy lately, to the point where I've been struggling with the proper home/work balance. There are times when it would be far too easy to let everything I need to accomplish at work overwhelm my family time and free time, which isn't healthy. There's a wonderful wife and three amazing kids waiting for me every day when I come home, and they are the ones that keep me grounded and centered. To lose sight of that would be unhealthy, and to miss this time with the kids as they grow and develop would (in my opinion) be tragic, as there is no second chance. Finding special time to spend with my wife, that doesn't involve herding young 'uns, cleaning up the living room when it looks like Toys 'R Us has exploded in there, or wrestling with bedtime, is a challenge but one that I need to keep working on. Our connection is a special one, and even though it takes a conscious effort to maintain the 'spark', it's worth it.
My kids become more and more amazing each passing day. Isabelle has an infectious smile and boundless energy. She's the whirling dervish dancing around the house, her imagination running wild. Nick is the quiet one, content to play with his cars, but never ceases to surprise me with his gentleness as he entertains Emily with shared toys. Emily, on the verge of walking, putters around the house, never stopping, but content to entertain herself or join into whatever mischief her bigger siblings are causing. She is a mix of both her brother and sister, rarely stopping like Isabelle but able to happily entertain herself like Nick. The joy they bring to my life is something I can't put into words.
Showing posts with label Impressions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Impressions. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Minecraft
Having succumbed to the vast amount of gushing in the video game corners of the Internet, I'm giving Minecraft a shot. Typically I'm not a very creative person, preferring instead to follow a predetermined path with maybe a few branching options here and there. I love RPGs that allow me to have control over how my party is constructed while guiding me on rails through the story. Especially now, where I get far too little sleep and my free time is precious, I appreciate a game taking me by the hand and leading me through a satisfying experience.
With all of that being said, Minecraft is a completely opposite experience. This game has no story to speak of, other than what you as the player create. You spawn in the middle of a randomly generated world with absolutely nothing on your person, and are expected to figure out what to do. The version of the game I'm playing (Alpha release, single player Survival) has you gathering resources during the day and scrambling for shelter at night, because that's when the bad guys come out to get you.
Instead of trying to describe the game in words, I found a fantastic YouTube video, which walks you through your first day in Minecraft. It's a bit long, but definitely worth it if you're at all interested.
With all of that being said, Minecraft is a completely opposite experience. This game has no story to speak of, other than what you as the player create. You spawn in the middle of a randomly generated world with absolutely nothing on your person, and are expected to figure out what to do. The version of the game I'm playing (Alpha release, single player Survival) has you gathering resources during the day and scrambling for shelter at night, because that's when the bad guys come out to get you.
Instead of trying to describe the game in words, I found a fantastic YouTube video, which walks you through your first day in Minecraft. It's a bit long, but definitely worth it if you're at all interested.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Dragon Quest IX Quick Impressions
After some serious debating on my part, I decided to spend some money we didn't have and buy Dragon Quest IX yesterday. I've been a fan of the genre since the original Dragon Warrior on the NES, even though I can admit to not having played every iteration, due to time constraints, money constraints, or both. My favorite entry into the series which I've experienced is Dragon Warrior 4, now available as Dragon Quest 4 on the DS. I've been in a bit of a gaming funk as of late, and reading reviews and impressions of the game made me think that this could be just what I needed pick me up again.
So far, I was right. Even with the necessary and welcome changes to the tried and true mechanics (no more random battles, yay!) that could have altered my perception after all of these years, playing this game has felt...right. The use of familiar creature designs, sound effects and music make this the gaming equivalent of Norm walking into Cheers, or what I imagine that woman feels from those cheesy '80s commercials as she slips into the Calgon bubble bath. It's just where I was meant to be, and I hope the feeling doesn't end.
Now all I have to do is find enough time to play consistently, and life will be good. :)
So far, I was right. Even with the necessary and welcome changes to the tried and true mechanics (no more random battles, yay!) that could have altered my perception after all of these years, playing this game has felt...right. The use of familiar creature designs, sound effects and music make this the gaming equivalent of Norm walking into Cheers, or what I imagine that woman feels from those cheesy '80s commercials as she slips into the Calgon bubble bath. It's just where I was meant to be, and I hope the feeling doesn't end.
Now all I have to do is find enough time to play consistently, and life will be good. :)
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Game Project #1 - Red Faction: Guerrilla
This post didn't start out as what it ended up being, the first entry of 'The Project,' but I'm glad it did. Hopefully it spurs me on to other games, and topics...
Revisited Red Faction this evening for a bit, and discovered that I can get it to play at a reasonable framerate by dialing down most of the settings and playing in windowed mode. Most of the time, I wouldn't be happy about playing in such a 'neutered' state, but with this game high quality graphics take a backseat to the destruction. Fortunately the havoc you can wreak comes through loud and clear, regardless of what video card resides in your computer.
I've played probably 45 minutes to an hour of the game, long enough to complete one mission, one guerrilla action, as well as demolish 5-6 EDF controlled targets not associated with any mission. During this time, I messed around with the remote charges and the sledge hammer as my primary weapons, and briefly toyed with the rifle and the pistol. It's pretty clear that the shooting mechanic plays second fiddle to the destructible environments, as I far prefer to go into a fire fight swinging my hammer wildly. Killing an EDF soldier with the sledge hammer feels incredibly satisfying, as if there's actual weight to the weapon. Not only that, but there's the added bonus of damaging nearby buildings and structures with a missed hammer swing, which should help contribute to the overall goal of demolishing the target.
Speaking of demolishing, I have never played a game where the destruction felt so good. During the tutorial mission, I spent probably 5 minutes or more destroying the starter building from the inside out. Even though the walls, ceilings and other structural elements break away in 'gamey' chunks, it's the sum of the parts that really shines here. I watched a building teeter back and forth like a wobbly top before folding under the weight of the second floor (I had nearly wiped out the first floor). As it crashed to the ground with a groan and flurry of dust and debris, I couldn't help but smile and think, "I did that." At that moment, I think I discovered what caused so many people to enjoy it when it first was released last May. Giving the player total control of the mayhem is a genius move on the developer's part. There's just enough story to provide a framework to the demolition, but it's not complex or in your face to have to think too hard about it. Just go and trash stuff, and you're most likely going to succeed at this game.
Long story short, as what can be considered the inaugural entry in my Game Project, I would recommend this game to anyone, whether it be on the PC or console. It also seems that I could jump in and out of this game while playing other games, and not feel lost or need to 'catch up' on the plot, which could add to its longevity in my gaming rotation.
Now, at some point I'm going to have to define the parameters of this Game Project in more depth than my original speculative post, and that should happen over the weekend. In the meantime, I'm going to dig through the archive and choose the next target to install and experience. Hopefully it will be as fun as this one.
Revisited Red Faction this evening for a bit, and discovered that I can get it to play at a reasonable framerate by dialing down most of the settings and playing in windowed mode. Most of the time, I wouldn't be happy about playing in such a 'neutered' state, but with this game high quality graphics take a backseat to the destruction. Fortunately the havoc you can wreak comes through loud and clear, regardless of what video card resides in your computer.
I've played probably 45 minutes to an hour of the game, long enough to complete one mission, one guerrilla action, as well as demolish 5-6 EDF controlled targets not associated with any mission. During this time, I messed around with the remote charges and the sledge hammer as my primary weapons, and briefly toyed with the rifle and the pistol. It's pretty clear that the shooting mechanic plays second fiddle to the destructible environments, as I far prefer to go into a fire fight swinging my hammer wildly. Killing an EDF soldier with the sledge hammer feels incredibly satisfying, as if there's actual weight to the weapon. Not only that, but there's the added bonus of damaging nearby buildings and structures with a missed hammer swing, which should help contribute to the overall goal of demolishing the target.
Speaking of demolishing, I have never played a game where the destruction felt so good. During the tutorial mission, I spent probably 5 minutes or more destroying the starter building from the inside out. Even though the walls, ceilings and other structural elements break away in 'gamey' chunks, it's the sum of the parts that really shines here. I watched a building teeter back and forth like a wobbly top before folding under the weight of the second floor (I had nearly wiped out the first floor). As it crashed to the ground with a groan and flurry of dust and debris, I couldn't help but smile and think, "I did that." At that moment, I think I discovered what caused so many people to enjoy it when it first was released last May. Giving the player total control of the mayhem is a genius move on the developer's part. There's just enough story to provide a framework to the demolition, but it's not complex or in your face to have to think too hard about it. Just go and trash stuff, and you're most likely going to succeed at this game.
Long story short, as what can be considered the inaugural entry in my Game Project, I would recommend this game to anyone, whether it be on the PC or console. It also seems that I could jump in and out of this game while playing other games, and not feel lost or need to 'catch up' on the plot, which could add to its longevity in my gaming rotation.
Now, at some point I'm going to have to define the parameters of this Game Project in more depth than my original speculative post, and that should happen over the weekend. In the meantime, I'm going to dig through the archive and choose the next target to install and experience. Hopefully it will be as fun as this one.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Gaming Magazines: Pleasant Surprise
Today's mail brought two pleasant surprises, in the form of the latest Gamepro and PC Gamer magazines. My thoughts on these are found within the post. Along with that, I'm getting excited that January is almost over and I will have achieved my goal of posting every day. Woohoo!
Going out to get the mail this afternoon, I was fairly certain that I would find two things contained among the rest of the junk mail and bills: the copy of Hellgate: London I requested from Goozex and a package of assorted iPhone accessories that I'd ordered from a cheap online outlet. My assumption was correct, as both items were safely nestled in the mailbox. However, two other pieces of mail caught my eye as I scanned through the pile on the way back to the house. My first issue of Gamepro had finally arrived, as well as the latest issue of PC Gamer. Still being a sucker for media I can hold in my hand and flip through, it's always a treat to get magazines in the mail. Getting a free moment after the little monsters were all safely tucked into bed, I perused both and was very pleasantly surprised.
Having no prior experience with Gamepro, I signed up for a subscription after reading and hearing about the new direction the magazine and website was taking under their new Executive VP of Content, John Davison. I first read and heard Davison while he was at Ziff Davis Media, working with the former incarnation of EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly), Games for Windows/Computer Gaming World, and 1UP.com. Honestly, I loved his British accent, but more so it was refreshing to hear his opinions on games and the industry. He had insights and ideas that clearly showed he understood the industry, its highs and lows, and if given the right opportunity would be able to use this knowledge and experience to do great things. It seems that opportunity has come at Gamepro. The magazine has a crisp feel, and a focus not just on the games, but on the people behind the games. This is a facet that is often under-represented in the gaming press, and the treatment by the staff indicates high quality content will not be in short supply. I can't rave enough about this, and look forward to watching John and his talented team recreate the magazine's image over the next year..
PC Gamer has been a staple of my reading diet for some time now, and have seen it change editors-in-chief three times since I started subscribing (from Greg Vederman to Kristen Salvatore to Gary Steinman), with the reins now in Logan Decker's hands. This issue marks the second of his official run, and it feels as if he's moving in the right direction. There's something about the new layout, content and page design that appeals to me, as if it's cleaner in some way. The writing continues to be top-notch, and I look forward to it every month. Between this and Gamepro, my evening reading just got better.
In other news, today felt like a success. Between my wife and I, we completed our taxes, and were pleasantly surprised to determine that we are, in fact, going to be receiving more in our return than last year. This is due in no small part to my wife figuring out that we could deduct the sales tax paid when we purchased the minivan. Overall, this will allow us to dig out of some of the self-imposed debt of the past year, and also to perform some much needed home improvements. Our twins are getting older, and some changes are required to keep them from killing themselves on the electronics in the living room.
That's all for tonight. Tomorrow is Sunday, and hopefully I'll have some earth-shattering topic to discuss. I wouldn't hold your breath, though.
Going out to get the mail this afternoon, I was fairly certain that I would find two things contained among the rest of the junk mail and bills: the copy of Hellgate: London I requested from Goozex and a package of assorted iPhone accessories that I'd ordered from a cheap online outlet. My assumption was correct, as both items were safely nestled in the mailbox. However, two other pieces of mail caught my eye as I scanned through the pile on the way back to the house. My first issue of Gamepro had finally arrived, as well as the latest issue of PC Gamer. Still being a sucker for media I can hold in my hand and flip through, it's always a treat to get magazines in the mail. Getting a free moment after the little monsters were all safely tucked into bed, I perused both and was very pleasantly surprised.
Having no prior experience with Gamepro, I signed up for a subscription after reading and hearing about the new direction the magazine and website was taking under their new Executive VP of Content, John Davison. I first read and heard Davison while he was at Ziff Davis Media, working with the former incarnation of EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly), Games for Windows/Computer Gaming World, and 1UP.com. Honestly, I loved his British accent, but more so it was refreshing to hear his opinions on games and the industry. He had insights and ideas that clearly showed he understood the industry, its highs and lows, and if given the right opportunity would be able to use this knowledge and experience to do great things. It seems that opportunity has come at Gamepro. The magazine has a crisp feel, and a focus not just on the games, but on the people behind the games. This is a facet that is often under-represented in the gaming press, and the treatment by the staff indicates high quality content will not be in short supply. I can't rave enough about this, and look forward to watching John and his talented team recreate the magazine's image over the next year..
PC Gamer has been a staple of my reading diet for some time now, and have seen it change editors-in-chief three times since I started subscribing (from Greg Vederman to Kristen Salvatore to Gary Steinman), with the reins now in Logan Decker's hands. This issue marks the second of his official run, and it feels as if he's moving in the right direction. There's something about the new layout, content and page design that appeals to me, as if it's cleaner in some way. The writing continues to be top-notch, and I look forward to it every month. Between this and Gamepro, my evening reading just got better.
In other news, today felt like a success. Between my wife and I, we completed our taxes, and were pleasantly surprised to determine that we are, in fact, going to be receiving more in our return than last year. This is due in no small part to my wife figuring out that we could deduct the sales tax paid when we purchased the minivan. Overall, this will allow us to dig out of some of the self-imposed debt of the past year, and also to perform some much needed home improvements. Our twins are getting older, and some changes are required to keep them from killing themselves on the electronics in the living room.
That's all for tonight. Tomorrow is Sunday, and hopefully I'll have some earth-shattering topic to discuss. I wouldn't hold your breath, though.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Swords & Poker
Another day, another entry for NaBloPoMo. Today's entry focuses on the iPhone game Swords & Poker, my current go-to gaming fix.
One of the distinct advantages to having an iPhone is the ability to experience 'snack-sized' gaming sessions regardless of where I happen to be at the moment. Obviously, the type of game that can be played on the system differs greatly from that which can be found on the PC or XBox 360, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy them. Since I bought it on a whim a couple of days ago, the game sucking the most of my battery life is Swords & Poker.
The blurb I wrote about the game in this blog entry does not do the game justice. The game is a very simple one; you travel through floors of a dungeon, fighting battles with monsters to progress on your journey. The battles take place on a 5x5 grid which holds cards. The center of the grid (a 3x3 grid) is filled with cards at the beginning of the round, and each combatant (the AI-controlled monster and you) is dealt 4 random cards. The object is to create poker hands with the cards in your hand and the cards on the grid, consisting of 5 card hands going horizontally, vertically and diagonally on the board. When you create a hand, you do 'damage' to your opponent, represented by coins in a coin purse, based upon the weapon you carry. For example, the starting weapon you have allows you to do one point of damage for a single pair, two points for two pair, and so on. This damage scales as you upgrade your weapon, so I am now doing 6 points of damage for a pair, 12 points for two pairs, etc., with the Stylet weapon. By defeating your opponents, you earn bounty money, and by clearing a floor, you also earn money. Items you find along the way in chests also reward you with coins or abilities.
To make a long story short, this game makes use of a very simple mechanic to represent battles. I'm currently on the 16th floor of the dungeon, and have played on the order of 75-80 battles, and the mechanic still hasn't gotten old. It takes time to really see the gameboard and all of the possibilities, and to become truly good you need to learn how to look a few moves ahead and anticipate your opponent's plays. There is a fair amount of strategy involved in this simple game. In the immortal words of Kenny Rogers, "You gotta know when to hold 'em, and know when to fold 'em."
Not surprisingly, this type of game lends itself very well to the portable gaming platform. Another game I likened this to, Puzzle Quest, was best experienced on the go (my personal preference being the DS), even though it is available on the XBox 360 and PC. Both games can be picked up, complete a battle or two, and then put it away, without losing the thread of the game, and that is a quality suited to a mobile platform such as the iPhone.
For those of your still reading, hopefully I haven't lost you too much in all of this topic jumping. Going from yesterday's deep introspective topic to this rather light-hearted subject must seem strange. It's just a window into the bizarre, jumbled and often incoherent workings of my brain. I go back to work tomorrow and have a long commute from my parents' home to my company's closest office, so there's no predicting what I'll come up with to talk about tomorrow. Hopefully you'll be back to find out!
One of the distinct advantages to having an iPhone is the ability to experience 'snack-sized' gaming sessions regardless of where I happen to be at the moment. Obviously, the type of game that can be played on the system differs greatly from that which can be found on the PC or XBox 360, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy them. Since I bought it on a whim a couple of days ago, the game sucking the most of my battery life is Swords & Poker.
The blurb I wrote about the game in this blog entry does not do the game justice. The game is a very simple one; you travel through floors of a dungeon, fighting battles with monsters to progress on your journey. The battles take place on a 5x5 grid which holds cards. The center of the grid (a 3x3 grid) is filled with cards at the beginning of the round, and each combatant (the AI-controlled monster and you) is dealt 4 random cards. The object is to create poker hands with the cards in your hand and the cards on the grid, consisting of 5 card hands going horizontally, vertically and diagonally on the board. When you create a hand, you do 'damage' to your opponent, represented by coins in a coin purse, based upon the weapon you carry. For example, the starting weapon you have allows you to do one point of damage for a single pair, two points for two pair, and so on. This damage scales as you upgrade your weapon, so I am now doing 6 points of damage for a pair, 12 points for two pairs, etc., with the Stylet weapon. By defeating your opponents, you earn bounty money, and by clearing a floor, you also earn money. Items you find along the way in chests also reward you with coins or abilities.
To make a long story short, this game makes use of a very simple mechanic to represent battles. I'm currently on the 16th floor of the dungeon, and have played on the order of 75-80 battles, and the mechanic still hasn't gotten old. It takes time to really see the gameboard and all of the possibilities, and to become truly good you need to learn how to look a few moves ahead and anticipate your opponent's plays. There is a fair amount of strategy involved in this simple game. In the immortal words of Kenny Rogers, "You gotta know when to hold 'em, and know when to fold 'em."
Not surprisingly, this type of game lends itself very well to the portable gaming platform. Another game I likened this to, Puzzle Quest, was best experienced on the go (my personal preference being the DS), even though it is available on the XBox 360 and PC. Both games can be picked up, complete a battle or two, and then put it away, without losing the thread of the game, and that is a quality suited to a mobile platform such as the iPhone.
For those of your still reading, hopefully I haven't lost you too much in all of this topic jumping. Going from yesterday's deep introspective topic to this rather light-hearted subject must seem strange. It's just a window into the bizarre, jumbled and often incoherent workings of my brain. I go back to work tomorrow and have a long commute from my parents' home to my company's closest office, so there's no predicting what I'll come up with to talk about tomorrow. Hopefully you'll be back to find out!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
iPhone Gaming and Apps
NaBloPoMo, day 16. Enjoying the relative peace of the folks' house while they spend time with my kids, it seemed like a good time to talk about the iPhone games I've tested out so far.
Having gotten a bit of sleep after what felt like a day on the road (actually only 6 hours, but long enough), I took the opportunity to try out some of the many games which have found their way onto the iPhone over the past few days, today included. This is just a simple list of the games I've tried so far, and my initial impressions of each one. Included after the title of the game, in parentheses, is the price I paid for it, if any.
Flight Control ($0.99) - A 'line drawing' game where you trace the path for planes to take to land at an airport. Planes can't run into each other or the game will end. There are red planes, yellow planes and helicopters, and each type has a specific place to land. It's a test of your ability to monitor and control multiple moving objects at the same time, while trying to plan out the most efficient routes for each. I'm not very good at it yet, but it's definitely something I play at least once a day. Well worth the $0.99 price tag.
Mass Effect Galaxy ($1.99) - An interesting use of characters and setting, basically a tie-in game for the franchise. You control a soldier fighting enemies using the tilt controls of the iPhone, tapping the screen to use special abilities at times. The game itself, including the random control mechanic is ok, but I enjoy it for the story, since Bioware did such a fantastic job creating the Mass Effect universe. There also appears to be unlockable bonus content for Mass Effect 2 if I complete this game and log into my EA.com account. Overall, I'm not sure if it was really worth $1.99, but I'll keep playing, if only to feel that I got my money's worth out of it.
Kapowie (free) - Tap the screen to 'shoot' a certain amount of targets in a certain time. Longer streaks of hitting targets without missing increases your score. I picked it up because it was free, so it's worth at least that much, though I'm quite sure I wouldn't pay for something like this.
Mr. Aah Lite (free) - A stick figure swinging from platform to platform, trying to hit a target on each platform. Your control is limited to tapping when you want the stick figure to let go of the rope he's swinging on. There are added wind and gravity effects to change the rate and distance of the figure's drop, which creates the challenge. It's fun, and I keep going back to it, but I don't think I see myself upgrading to the full version.
Poker Quest Lite (free) - A dice rolling game where you use dice to create poker hands and try to beat an AI opponent. It reminds me of Yahtzee in a way, set in Egyptian pyramids. It's fun as a short diversion, as the match structure allows for play in short bursts. Right now, I wouldn't pay to unlock the full game, but I do play it a fair amount, so we'll see.
DoodleJump ($0.99) - This game gets the most play for me right now. A simple game where you control what looks like a hand drawn sketch (a doodle, get it?) jumping up platforms on a piece of graph paper, avoiding obstacles and trying not to fall. Tilt the iPhone left or right to steer and tap the screen to shoot. It's the most addictive game I've found on the system so far, and one I would highly recommend to anyone.
Star Hogs Lite (free) - Feels like a more advanced version of the old Scorched Earth game and its many clones. You have a ship that has a certain amount of action points to spend each round, which can be used to shoot or move. You use up your points, then your opponent does the same. The objective is to destroy your opponent before they destroy you. Not having played a lot of it, I think you earn points or money you can spend to upgrade your ship, for different weapons and abilities. There's also online multiplayer. The verdict is out on this one, as I've played it a couple of times and it just hasn't grabbed me yet.
Dark Nebula (free) - A fun little game I picked up on sale, the object is to guide a ball through an obstacle course and pick up canister like objects, while avoiding traps and ledges. The control is achieved through the tilt of the iPhone, with right and left movement, plus tilting forward to accelerate and back to decelerate. I've only played two or three levels, but it's a game I will spend more time with. The premise is simple, the graphics are clean and fit the game, the challenges are fun, and the control is intuitive.
Swords & Poker ($0.99) - Picked up on sale after reading a glowing review and noticing that all reviews submitted to iTunes were 5-stars, I've yet to really get into it. It's a Puzzle Quest meets Texas Hold 'em game, where instead of gems to match, you use cards to generate hands to damage your enemy. I tried 3-4 battles and will play more, as I didn't get the hang of the system yet. It appears to have an RPG skin over what could be a simple but addictive game mechanic, and anyone who reads this blog knows I love that type of thing.
Paper Toss (free) - It's really a silly physics demonstration as you try to throw wads of paper into a trash can, where the trajectory of the paper is affected by a fan. Useless time waster and nothing more.
Having gotten a bit of sleep after what felt like a day on the road (actually only 6 hours, but long enough), I took the opportunity to try out some of the many games which have found their way onto the iPhone over the past few days, today included. This is just a simple list of the games I've tried so far, and my initial impressions of each one. Included after the title of the game, in parentheses, is the price I paid for it, if any.
Flight Control ($0.99) - A 'line drawing' game where you trace the path for planes to take to land at an airport. Planes can't run into each other or the game will end. There are red planes, yellow planes and helicopters, and each type has a specific place to land. It's a test of your ability to monitor and control multiple moving objects at the same time, while trying to plan out the most efficient routes for each. I'm not very good at it yet, but it's definitely something I play at least once a day. Well worth the $0.99 price tag.
Mass Effect Galaxy ($1.99) - An interesting use of characters and setting, basically a tie-in game for the franchise. You control a soldier fighting enemies using the tilt controls of the iPhone, tapping the screen to use special abilities at times. The game itself, including the random control mechanic is ok, but I enjoy it for the story, since Bioware did such a fantastic job creating the Mass Effect universe. There also appears to be unlockable bonus content for Mass Effect 2 if I complete this game and log into my EA.com account. Overall, I'm not sure if it was really worth $1.99, but I'll keep playing, if only to feel that I got my money's worth out of it.
Kapowie (free) - Tap the screen to 'shoot' a certain amount of targets in a certain time. Longer streaks of hitting targets without missing increases your score. I picked it up because it was free, so it's worth at least that much, though I'm quite sure I wouldn't pay for something like this.
Mr. Aah Lite (free) - A stick figure swinging from platform to platform, trying to hit a target on each platform. Your control is limited to tapping when you want the stick figure to let go of the rope he's swinging on. There are added wind and gravity effects to change the rate and distance of the figure's drop, which creates the challenge. It's fun, and I keep going back to it, but I don't think I see myself upgrading to the full version.
Poker Quest Lite (free) - A dice rolling game where you use dice to create poker hands and try to beat an AI opponent. It reminds me of Yahtzee in a way, set in Egyptian pyramids. It's fun as a short diversion, as the match structure allows for play in short bursts. Right now, I wouldn't pay to unlock the full game, but I do play it a fair amount, so we'll see.
DoodleJump ($0.99) - This game gets the most play for me right now. A simple game where you control what looks like a hand drawn sketch (a doodle, get it?) jumping up platforms on a piece of graph paper, avoiding obstacles and trying not to fall. Tilt the iPhone left or right to steer and tap the screen to shoot. It's the most addictive game I've found on the system so far, and one I would highly recommend to anyone.
Star Hogs Lite (free) - Feels like a more advanced version of the old Scorched Earth game and its many clones. You have a ship that has a certain amount of action points to spend each round, which can be used to shoot or move. You use up your points, then your opponent does the same. The objective is to destroy your opponent before they destroy you. Not having played a lot of it, I think you earn points or money you can spend to upgrade your ship, for different weapons and abilities. There's also online multiplayer. The verdict is out on this one, as I've played it a couple of times and it just hasn't grabbed me yet.
Dark Nebula (free) - A fun little game I picked up on sale, the object is to guide a ball through an obstacle course and pick up canister like objects, while avoiding traps and ledges. The control is achieved through the tilt of the iPhone, with right and left movement, plus tilting forward to accelerate and back to decelerate. I've only played two or three levels, but it's a game I will spend more time with. The premise is simple, the graphics are clean and fit the game, the challenges are fun, and the control is intuitive.
Swords & Poker ($0.99) - Picked up on sale after reading a glowing review and noticing that all reviews submitted to iTunes were 5-stars, I've yet to really get into it. It's a Puzzle Quest meets Texas Hold 'em game, where instead of gems to match, you use cards to generate hands to damage your enemy. I tried 3-4 battles and will play more, as I didn't get the hang of the system yet. It appears to have an RPG skin over what could be a simple but addictive game mechanic, and anyone who reads this blog knows I love that type of thing.
Paper Toss (free) - It's really a silly physics demonstration as you try to throw wads of paper into a trash can, where the trajectory of the paper is affected by a fan. Useless time waster and nothing more.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
LTTP - Harry Potter 6 Movie Review
Day 9 of NaBloPoMo finds me at home with the kids, so not much chance for a tech topic today. Instead, I focused on our Saturday evening entertainment, a movie we finally saw, only about 6-7 months late.
Today was a Saturday and, as most Saturdays are, it was a blur of diaper changes, mini-tantrums (the kids had a few too) and endless circuits around the first floor, picking up a menagerie of stuffed animals, a shopping cart full of fake plastic food and tripping over wooden train sets. One of the highlights of my day? Escaping the house for a peaceful hour of grocery shopping. Yes folks, banging carts and fighting over deals with the old ladies at Shaws ranks up there on my list these days.THE highlight of the day, however, was the viewing of the movie version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince my wife and I shared after the twins went to bed.
Now I've long since given up being disappointed with what nuggets of story or scenes from the books that I felt should have made the translation to the big screen. It was a losing battle that ultimately made me think less of some pretty well done adaptations of source material that would have been impossible to cram into a movie. This movie clearly carried the ominous and 'this isn't kiddie stuff anymore' atmosphere directly from the book, which made for a rather sad experience overall. There were some brief moments of levity, mostly focused around the inevitable teens discovering the opposite sex and the joys of snogging all the time, but not enough to lighten the mood at all. In my opinion, they handled the entire climactic scene very tastefully, capturing the essence of the mood and characters well. I will give a specific nod to the actors cast to play young Tom Riddle. Even though I knew it was just a movie, the intense looks they gave the camera in their scenes gave me the creeps, and that's the mark of good casting and framing the scene.
The only part of the book which didn't make the screen version, and I wished had, were the scene where Harry and Ginny kissed for the first time. In the book, it was after a Quidditch match, and it felt probable, as harry was on such a rush from the victory that he just 'went for it'. It felt believable, and most of all (at least for me), it shined a ray of good feelings and hope through the dark cloud of impending doom hanging over the rest of the book. This movie could have used that hope and good feeling, although to be fair it's dealing with very dark events.
Long story short, I enjoyed this movie. It will be interesting to see how the material in the final book is handled, because let's face it, there's not a lot to be happy about there. It could be tough to ask audiences to sit through two multiple hour installments of dreariness and death without some levity. We'll find out later this year.
So, with that off my chest, I'm off to bed to dream about iPhones and dirty diapers. Leave a comment on what you thought of HP6, if you'd like. I'd love to hear what others have to say.
Today was a Saturday and, as most Saturdays are, it was a blur of diaper changes, mini-tantrums (the kids had a few too) and endless circuits around the first floor, picking up a menagerie of stuffed animals, a shopping cart full of fake plastic food and tripping over wooden train sets. One of the highlights of my day? Escaping the house for a peaceful hour of grocery shopping. Yes folks, banging carts and fighting over deals with the old ladies at Shaws ranks up there on my list these days.THE highlight of the day, however, was the viewing of the movie version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince my wife and I shared after the twins went to bed.
Now I've long since given up being disappointed with what nuggets of story or scenes from the books that I felt should have made the translation to the big screen. It was a losing battle that ultimately made me think less of some pretty well done adaptations of source material that would have been impossible to cram into a movie. This movie clearly carried the ominous and 'this isn't kiddie stuff anymore' atmosphere directly from the book, which made for a rather sad experience overall. There were some brief moments of levity, mostly focused around the inevitable teens discovering the opposite sex and the joys of snogging all the time, but not enough to lighten the mood at all. In my opinion, they handled the entire climactic scene very tastefully, capturing the essence of the mood and characters well. I will give a specific nod to the actors cast to play young Tom Riddle. Even though I knew it was just a movie, the intense looks they gave the camera in their scenes gave me the creeps, and that's the mark of good casting and framing the scene.
The only part of the book which didn't make the screen version, and I wished had, were the scene where Harry and Ginny kissed for the first time. In the book, it was after a Quidditch match, and it felt probable, as harry was on such a rush from the victory that he just 'went for it'. It felt believable, and most of all (at least for me), it shined a ray of good feelings and hope through the dark cloud of impending doom hanging over the rest of the book. This movie could have used that hope and good feeling, although to be fair it's dealing with very dark events.
Long story short, I enjoyed this movie. It will be interesting to see how the material in the final book is handled, because let's face it, there's not a lot to be happy about there. It could be tough to ask audiences to sit through two multiple hour installments of dreariness and death without some levity. We'll find out later this year.
So, with that off my chest, I'm off to bed to dream about iPhones and dirty diapers. Leave a comment on what you thought of HP6, if you'd like. I'd love to hear what others have to say.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Defense Grid: The Awakening
The sixth installment in my quest to 'win' NaBloPoMo has me talking about a particular game, and wondering more about its genre.
Tonight provided the opportunity, after putting all three kids to bed, to load and try Defense Grid: The Awakening, yet another one of my budget buys during the massive Steam sale that ended this past weekend. Considering that my only other tower defense gaming experience to this point is Plants vs. Zombies (PvZ), I was interested to see if a more traditional tower defense game would interest me.
I'm happy to say that the initial returns are positive. Only having time to squeeze in the first 3-4 missions, before being summoned for baby cuddling duty, it was an interesting experience, especially in comparison of the two. In PvZ, the resource is sunlight, generated by units built by the player, with a small amount randomly appearing in daylight stages, thus giving the player a direct influence over the factor limiting the amount of units you can create. The resource in Defense grid, cleverly called "Resources," is generated by destroying enemies, so there is a bit less control by the player over the amount of resource available in a single mission. The friendly and enemy units are both occupying the same path in PvZ, whereas the towers and aliens in Defense Grid do not actually come in contact. In PvZ, the enemy can destroy friendly units, while the towers in Defense Grid are invincible. In PvZ, the enemies march in a straight line, from the right side of the screen to the left, while the paths the aliens take are more winding. These differences allow for two distinctly different strategies and mindsets the player must have to succeed.
The enjoyment I've had playing these two games makes me wonder what other games I've been missing in the tower defense genre. If you're reading this and you have any suggestions as to games I should try, please let me know, as I'm interested in seeing what else is out there. One game that comes to mind is Pixeljunk Monsters, which is the big tower defense game on PSN. Another one I've heard decent things about is the South Park downloadable game on XBLA. Please, if you know of others, I'm all ears.
On another note, I did use some Christmas fun money to buy an XBox 360 wired controller for my PC. This should allow me to play Braid in a less clumsy manner, and I've also been saving a copy of Assassin's Creed until I had a game pad to play. There are just some games that play better with an analog stick.
That's all for now. Hopefully I'll have a meatier post for you tomorrow.
Tonight provided the opportunity, after putting all three kids to bed, to load and try Defense Grid: The Awakening, yet another one of my budget buys during the massive Steam sale that ended this past weekend. Considering that my only other tower defense gaming experience to this point is Plants vs. Zombies (PvZ), I was interested to see if a more traditional tower defense game would interest me.
I'm happy to say that the initial returns are positive. Only having time to squeeze in the first 3-4 missions, before being summoned for baby cuddling duty, it was an interesting experience, especially in comparison of the two. In PvZ, the resource is sunlight, generated by units built by the player, with a small amount randomly appearing in daylight stages, thus giving the player a direct influence over the factor limiting the amount of units you can create. The resource in Defense grid, cleverly called "Resources," is generated by destroying enemies, so there is a bit less control by the player over the amount of resource available in a single mission. The friendly and enemy units are both occupying the same path in PvZ, whereas the towers and aliens in Defense Grid do not actually come in contact. In PvZ, the enemy can destroy friendly units, while the towers in Defense Grid are invincible. In PvZ, the enemies march in a straight line, from the right side of the screen to the left, while the paths the aliens take are more winding. These differences allow for two distinctly different strategies and mindsets the player must have to succeed.
The enjoyment I've had playing these two games makes me wonder what other games I've been missing in the tower defense genre. If you're reading this and you have any suggestions as to games I should try, please let me know, as I'm interested in seeing what else is out there. One game that comes to mind is Pixeljunk Monsters, which is the big tower defense game on PSN. Another one I've heard decent things about is the South Park downloadable game on XBLA. Please, if you know of others, I'm all ears.
On another note, I did use some Christmas fun money to buy an XBox 360 wired controller for my PC. This should allow me to play Braid in a less clumsy manner, and I've also been saving a copy of Assassin's Creed until I had a game pad to play. There are just some games that play better with an analog stick.
That's all for now. Hopefully I'll have a meatier post for you tomorrow.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
New (to me) Game Impressions
Today is day 2 of NaBloPoMo, and I don't want to give up just yet. Seriously, could I even look at myself in the mirror if I couldn't post on my blog for 2 consecutive days? Probably not, so here is the latest effort.
Having spent some money over the past few days on games from Steam during their big holiday sale, it came time to actually install the games on my computer and test drive my purchases. Here are my impressions from the games that were installed at this point in time: Braid, Osmos and Trine.
First, let's talk about Braid. It's the first game installed and played, and the one I spent the least amount of time with. Not because of anything involving the atmosphere, the graphics, the story or the challenge, because all of those aspects were just as advertised by the gaming press. The problem I'm dealing with right now is the PC control scheme, which involves the keyboard. At this point, I don't own a PC gamepad, and, strange as it may sound, this is the straw that might break that camel's back. The best analogy I can come up with to liken my experience of playing Braid with the keyboard is to try to play the first Super Mario Bros. with the keyboard. It's doable, sure, but is it fun? Acknowledging the fact I'm human, I don't want a somewhat artificial struggle with the controls to color the experience with a highly regarded game in a negative light. I'll certainly revisit this one after picking up a decent game pad.
Next, to touch on Osmos. Essentially an atmospheric puzzle game in the vein of fLOw, but with a failure state that fLOw didn't, it possesses a charm and aesthetic that's hard to ignore. The Green Pixels review describes the game better than I ever could. Having only spent a minimal time with it so far (20-25 minutes), I can safely say that I'll be coming back to it, most likely at a time when I could use a breath of fresh air or something to help me relax. Also, since I picked it up during the Steam sale for $1.99, I consider it a fantastic buy.
Finally, Trine. This is the game that piqued my interest the most, mostly after playing through most of the Steam demo earlier in the year, but not buying the game at that time solely as a financial decision (I do have a family to support, as much as the inner child in me may not want to admit). It's easiest to describe this game as a physics-based puzzle-platformer that allows you to freely switch between 3 different characters at will. What's not to love? There's great voice narration and character voices which are used to flesh out the story, and the keyboard and mouse controls work in this instance. I've worked my way through the intro level and the first level so far, which means I have a long way to go. It's not often I say this, considering the constraints on my gaming time, but I can definitely see myself completing this game.
If you read my earlier post talking about what I've bought from the Steam sale so far, you'll notice that these games represent about 30% of what I've purchased, so there's still some work to do to sample all of the new purchases. My impressions on these will follow in the next few weeks, unless some other shiny penny distracts me. I'm similar to a crow in that respect, in that I can't resist the urge to get wrapped up in something new when I have plenty of things (in this case, video games) to keep me occupied already in my possession. Maybe that's another challenge to work on in 2010, to stop being distracted by other things and keep my focu...hey, wait! Is that a new Mass Effect game coming out soon?
Having spent some money over the past few days on games from Steam during their big holiday sale, it came time to actually install the games on my computer and test drive my purchases. Here are my impressions from the games that were installed at this point in time: Braid, Osmos and Trine.
First, let's talk about Braid. It's the first game installed and played, and the one I spent the least amount of time with. Not because of anything involving the atmosphere, the graphics, the story or the challenge, because all of those aspects were just as advertised by the gaming press. The problem I'm dealing with right now is the PC control scheme, which involves the keyboard. At this point, I don't own a PC gamepad, and, strange as it may sound, this is the straw that might break that camel's back. The best analogy I can come up with to liken my experience of playing Braid with the keyboard is to try to play the first Super Mario Bros. with the keyboard. It's doable, sure, but is it fun? Acknowledging the fact I'm human, I don't want a somewhat artificial struggle with the controls to color the experience with a highly regarded game in a negative light. I'll certainly revisit this one after picking up a decent game pad.
Next, to touch on Osmos. Essentially an atmospheric puzzle game in the vein of fLOw, but with a failure state that fLOw didn't, it possesses a charm and aesthetic that's hard to ignore. The Green Pixels review describes the game better than I ever could. Having only spent a minimal time with it so far (20-25 minutes), I can safely say that I'll be coming back to it, most likely at a time when I could use a breath of fresh air or something to help me relax. Also, since I picked it up during the Steam sale for $1.99, I consider it a fantastic buy.
Finally, Trine. This is the game that piqued my interest the most, mostly after playing through most of the Steam demo earlier in the year, but not buying the game at that time solely as a financial decision (I do have a family to support, as much as the inner child in me may not want to admit). It's easiest to describe this game as a physics-based puzzle-platformer that allows you to freely switch between 3 different characters at will. What's not to love? There's great voice narration and character voices which are used to flesh out the story, and the keyboard and mouse controls work in this instance. I've worked my way through the intro level and the first level so far, which means I have a long way to go. It's not often I say this, considering the constraints on my gaming time, but I can definitely see myself completing this game.
If you read my earlier post talking about what I've bought from the Steam sale so far, you'll notice that these games represent about 30% of what I've purchased, so there's still some work to do to sample all of the new purchases. My impressions on these will follow in the next few weeks, unless some other shiny penny distracts me. I'm similar to a crow in that respect, in that I can't resist the urge to get wrapped up in something new when I have plenty of things (in this case, video games) to keep me occupied already in my possession. Maybe that's another challenge to work on in 2010, to stop being distracted by other things and keep my focu...hey, wait! Is that a new Mass Effect game coming out soon?
Friday, November 6, 2009
My Mea Culpa re: Dragon Age
So I'm only about an hour and a half into Dragon Age: Origins, for several reasons.
1. Tuesday evening (the day the game was available) saw me doing a lot of necessary housework to help my very pregnant wife. Instead of sitting down to play at 7pm or so, it turned out I was free to play around 9pm. That allowed me enough time to get my character (Raist, a human mage) to the point where he's been confronted with what (I think) is a very important decision. Since I don't do very well on not enough sleep, I decided to call it a night.
2. It was at this point I stopped playing and started thinking about how I would respond to the question. The gravity of the situation, and the apparent ramifications for both paths, seemed to be so weighty that I actually discussed them with my wife as we settled into sleep. I felt that her extensive experience with fantasy novels and the fantasy setting might lend to a different perspective on the decision. At this point, I think I've determined the path I'm going to choose, but it gives me no pleasure to make the choice.
3. While driving back from a jobsite and listening to a gaming podcast, the Borderlands conversation got me excited enough to jump back to Pandora for a while. Gaiden is now level 24 and has unlocked the New Haven area, with all of the quests and challenges to go along with it. After my latest adventure, it's clear that I need to get some Corrosive weaponry, because there are a lot of beasties with armored heads that love to charge me, and it would be nice to have something to weaken that.
4. My gaming ADD is kicking in even more, as I'm fighting the urge to buy Torchlight and load that onto my work PC. Since it can run on just about anything, it would be a great way to kill lunch hours.
All in all, it's not a bad thing, but there's some inherent guilt to not have more time invested in the game. Tonight is Friday night, so I'll try to stay up a bit later than usual to make some progress.
(If you're wondering why I feel guilty at all, it's because I like to try to keep up with the gaming community as a whole with some select releases, and it just so happens that all 3 of the game releases that I'm interested in this holiday season all fall within a 2-3 week span. There are worse problems to deal with.)
1. Tuesday evening (the day the game was available) saw me doing a lot of necessary housework to help my very pregnant wife. Instead of sitting down to play at 7pm or so, it turned out I was free to play around 9pm. That allowed me enough time to get my character (Raist, a human mage) to the point where he's been confronted with what (I think) is a very important decision. Since I don't do very well on not enough sleep, I decided to call it a night.
2. It was at this point I stopped playing and started thinking about how I would respond to the question. The gravity of the situation, and the apparent ramifications for both paths, seemed to be so weighty that I actually discussed them with my wife as we settled into sleep. I felt that her extensive experience with fantasy novels and the fantasy setting might lend to a different perspective on the decision. At this point, I think I've determined the path I'm going to choose, but it gives me no pleasure to make the choice.
3. While driving back from a jobsite and listening to a gaming podcast, the Borderlands conversation got me excited enough to jump back to Pandora for a while. Gaiden is now level 24 and has unlocked the New Haven area, with all of the quests and challenges to go along with it. After my latest adventure, it's clear that I need to get some Corrosive weaponry, because there are a lot of beasties with armored heads that love to charge me, and it would be nice to have something to weaken that.
4. My gaming ADD is kicking in even more, as I'm fighting the urge to buy Torchlight and load that onto my work PC. Since it can run on just about anything, it would be a great way to kill lunch hours.
All in all, it's not a bad thing, but there's some inherent guilt to not have more time invested in the game. Tonight is Friday night, so I'll try to stay up a bit later than usual to make some progress.
(If you're wondering why I feel guilty at all, it's because I like to try to keep up with the gaming community as a whole with some select releases, and it just so happens that all 3 of the game releases that I'm interested in this holiday season all fall within a 2-3 week span. There are worse problems to deal with.)
Sunday, November 1, 2009
More Borderlands
After 11 or so hours of playtime, my hunter (named Gaiden, because I had a copy of the DS game Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword on my desk while thinking of a name) is now level 21 and has completed a few quests in the Dahl Headlands. He's settled into a routine of using a sniper rifle, revolver and shotgun in a 3-weapon rotation. The sniper rifle has fire-elemental power (x3), which is great for added damage on fleshy beasts and raiders. The revolver has explosive ability (also x3) and a zoom feature, which is almost as effective as the sniper rifle at range. There's nothing more fun than headshots with a Dirty Harry gun from 90 yards. The shotgun is effective for really close range combat, meaning keeping skags at bay when they charge me.
One thing this game does very well is make you keep searching for that perfect gun. Every drop from a raider, every gun chest, every undigested bit of loot from the belly of a skag could be the ONE, the weapon that makes it all worth it. I've visited areas multiple times, just to try my luck at getting a decent drop. Right now I feel pretty comfortable with the loot I have, but I'm always on the hunt for a better shield. For some reason I have a requirement for healing in my shields, which doesn't roll around all that often, so I'm hoping for some luck in a drop or a vending machine soon. It must be said that I have transfusion grenades that, if used properly, could take the place of the healing requirement, thus allowing me to use a different type of shield. Too many bad experiences with no healing leaves me hesitant to pull the trigger on that one, but we'll see.
While I'm writing this, Dragon Age: Origins is downloading in the background. Between that and Borderlands, not to mention a copy of The Witcher I haven't yet started up, my winter is shaping up with lots of RPG goodness, in several different flavors. Last year at this time, my free time was consumed in Fallout 3, and this year looks like my attention will be split. It's a good thing, though, to mix a bit of high fantasy into my gaming, as Borderlands and Fallout 3, even though the stories are very different, share a somewhat similar 'feel'. The raiders in both games are reminiscent of each other, and the settings are similar (desolate, not a huge amount of variety, run down buildings, an atmosphere of civilization's decay), although Fallout 3 is a bit grittier than Borderlands, probably due to the art style.
One thing this game does very well is make you keep searching for that perfect gun. Every drop from a raider, every gun chest, every undigested bit of loot from the belly of a skag could be the ONE, the weapon that makes it all worth it. I've visited areas multiple times, just to try my luck at getting a decent drop. Right now I feel pretty comfortable with the loot I have, but I'm always on the hunt for a better shield. For some reason I have a requirement for healing in my shields, which doesn't roll around all that often, so I'm hoping for some luck in a drop or a vending machine soon. It must be said that I have transfusion grenades that, if used properly, could take the place of the healing requirement, thus allowing me to use a different type of shield. Too many bad experiences with no healing leaves me hesitant to pull the trigger on that one, but we'll see.
While I'm writing this, Dragon Age: Origins is downloading in the background. Between that and Borderlands, not to mention a copy of The Witcher I haven't yet started up, my winter is shaping up with lots of RPG goodness, in several different flavors. Last year at this time, my free time was consumed in Fallout 3, and this year looks like my attention will be split. It's a good thing, though, to mix a bit of high fantasy into my gaming, as Borderlands and Fallout 3, even though the stories are very different, share a somewhat similar 'feel'. The raiders in both games are reminiscent of each other, and the settings are similar (desolate, not a huge amount of variety, run down buildings, an atmosphere of civilization's decay), although Fallout 3 is a bit grittier than Borderlands, probably due to the art style.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Borderlands Impressions
Sometime around the middle of last week, the somewhat dangerous habit I've tried to quell known as 'impulsive game buying' reared its ugly head and convinced me to pre-purchase Borderlands on Steam. I'd been following the game for some time, prior to its major artistic change from more realistic to 'Concept Art', but considering that I will soon be attempting to guide the lives of three little children, the thought of actually consuming the game had been banished. Unfortunately (for my wallet) the impulse to have the shiny new toy and be able to relate with all the media buzz that has been generated by its release got the better of me, and here we are. As background, the following impressions come from a total playtime, over the past two evenings, of approximately 3-1/2 hours, while my character (a soldier) stands at level 10, and beginning the quests that will allow him to leave the starting town.
It has to be said that the tutorial section of this game was done with some character. The little robot that greets you as you get off the bus, Claptrap, possesses a charm that makes me smile whenever I see him (although I could do with a few less repetitions of his standard 'I'm standing next to the Bounty Board and need to sing and dance every time the character comes near' animations and voice). The game lays out the basic controls and mechanics in a way that feels relatively natural, while using it to lay the groundwork for some of the early quests. So far, the nameless woman who appears in your character's 'mind', giving you advice and talking about Pandora doesn't grab me. There must have been a different way to tell the story, rather than this.
Overall, the aiming and shooting mechanic feel crisp and responsive, although I have been frustrated at times when I miss a target that clearly is in the middle of my sights. It's moments like these that underline the fact that while it looks like a first person shooter, sounds like a first person shooter and may even smell like a first person shooter, at it's core the game is an RPG with better than average FPS mechanics grafted on top. This fact apparently hasn't bothered too many people, but to me it occasionally feels like Fallout 3 without the option of its VATS mode. Ever so frustrating are the times when an enemy is running toward you, your crosshairs are dead center on the target and you can see bullets ricocheting all around them, with the occasional hit. I've emptied entire clips trying to take down a charging skag, with an approximate 50% hit rate while the target never left my targeting reticle. It is a fault I am willing to forgive for a while, knowing that eventually my RPG skills will come into line with my meager FPS skills and everything will feel more natural again.
The RPG underpinnings of the game seem to be (from the short time I've interacted with them) fairly satisfying. Skill trees allow for some customization of your base character to better suit your playstyle, while the weapon proficiencies increase the more you use that particular style of weapon. Basically, in a manner similar to the Ratchet & Clank series, the more stuff you shoot with a particular class of weapon, the better you get with that weapon. Because I haven't had that much time with the game, I don't think I have the full feel for what all of the skills do, nor have I settled into a playstyle yet. Even though I chose the soldier class, the way I've been approaching battles leans more toward the hunter class. It may not be long before I start again and give Mordecai a chance, to see if his strengths fit more into line with my playing habits.
I won't waste time on the graphical presentation as it has been discussed and dissected ad nauseum. The overall visual effect makes me happy, as it does give a comic book feel to a game that could have been yet another muddy, depressing world in the vein of Fallout 3.
Oh, the guns! Even with my relatively meager experience in the world, the loot-whoring side of me has reveled in the amount of guns that are dropped. The system to procedurally generate the individual stats and bonuses allow for a nearly infinite variety of weapons, which makes picking up the loot that's dropped a lot of fun, because you never know when the gun with just the right bonuses is going to appear and make your character the talk of the wasteland.
Overall, my initial impressions of the game are pretty positive. I hope to spend a bit more quality time with the game, before my free time is reduced. I'd like to check back in later with some more advanced discussion after some time to really understand the mechanics and game better. If you have any thoughts, feel free to leave a comment.
It has to be said that the tutorial section of this game was done with some character. The little robot that greets you as you get off the bus, Claptrap, possesses a charm that makes me smile whenever I see him (although I could do with a few less repetitions of his standard 'I'm standing next to the Bounty Board and need to sing and dance every time the character comes near' animations and voice). The game lays out the basic controls and mechanics in a way that feels relatively natural, while using it to lay the groundwork for some of the early quests. So far, the nameless woman who appears in your character's 'mind', giving you advice and talking about Pandora doesn't grab me. There must have been a different way to tell the story, rather than this.
Overall, the aiming and shooting mechanic feel crisp and responsive, although I have been frustrated at times when I miss a target that clearly is in the middle of my sights. It's moments like these that underline the fact that while it looks like a first person shooter, sounds like a first person shooter and may even smell like a first person shooter, at it's core the game is an RPG with better than average FPS mechanics grafted on top. This fact apparently hasn't bothered too many people, but to me it occasionally feels like Fallout 3 without the option of its VATS mode. Ever so frustrating are the times when an enemy is running toward you, your crosshairs are dead center on the target and you can see bullets ricocheting all around them, with the occasional hit. I've emptied entire clips trying to take down a charging skag, with an approximate 50% hit rate while the target never left my targeting reticle. It is a fault I am willing to forgive for a while, knowing that eventually my RPG skills will come into line with my meager FPS skills and everything will feel more natural again.
The RPG underpinnings of the game seem to be (from the short time I've interacted with them) fairly satisfying. Skill trees allow for some customization of your base character to better suit your playstyle, while the weapon proficiencies increase the more you use that particular style of weapon. Basically, in a manner similar to the Ratchet & Clank series, the more stuff you shoot with a particular class of weapon, the better you get with that weapon. Because I haven't had that much time with the game, I don't think I have the full feel for what all of the skills do, nor have I settled into a playstyle yet. Even though I chose the soldier class, the way I've been approaching battles leans more toward the hunter class. It may not be long before I start again and give Mordecai a chance, to see if his strengths fit more into line with my playing habits.
I won't waste time on the graphical presentation as it has been discussed and dissected ad nauseum. The overall visual effect makes me happy, as it does give a comic book feel to a game that could have been yet another muddy, depressing world in the vein of Fallout 3.
Oh, the guns! Even with my relatively meager experience in the world, the loot-whoring side of me has reveled in the amount of guns that are dropped. The system to procedurally generate the individual stats and bonuses allow for a nearly infinite variety of weapons, which makes picking up the loot that's dropped a lot of fun, because you never know when the gun with just the right bonuses is going to appear and make your character the talk of the wasteland.
Overall, my initial impressions of the game are pretty positive. I hope to spend a bit more quality time with the game, before my free time is reduced. I'd like to check back in later with some more advanced discussion after some time to really understand the mechanics and game better. If you have any thoughts, feel free to leave a comment.
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