Jumping back into the blogging thing, and onto the bandwagon of the innumerable 'best' and 'worst' lists that inevitably appear at this time, I've decided to put together my list of 'Top 5 Games of 2009.' This list is compiled with the understanding that I simply didn't have the time and/or money to really delve into the incredible amount of quality games that appeared on the scene in twenty-aught-nine.
So, without further ado, here are my choices for the 5 best games I played in 2009.
5. Retro Game Challenge (DS) - There's nothing I enjoy more than being reminded of the carefree days of my youth, rabidly consuming all of the NES games I could get my hands on. Retro Game Challenge scratched that itch incredibly well, with 8-bit style games, fused with 2+ of game design evolution. The developer's understanding of what makes a great game coupled with the desire to evoke the 'golden years' of gaming produced a loving trip down memory lane, even though none of these games existed back then.
4. Batman: Arkham Asylum (XBox 360) - I chronicled my journey with this game in some detail in previous entries in this blog. Multiple game mechanics, smooth melee combat, impressive visuals, and doing justice to one of the most maligned franchise licenses in gaming history makes this game worthy of anyone's year-end best list.
3. Shadow Complex (XBox Live Arcade) - This game stirred up a tempest in a teapot when it was released, because of the beliefs of the game's lead writer, but looking beyond this will find you looking at a game that plays like Super Metroid, powered by the Unreal Engine. Need I say more?
2. Plants Vs. Zombies (PC) - I arrived late to this party, but boy am I glad I came. Simple tower defense game mechanics made challenging and interesting, all wrapped in a well-written, genuinely funny and cute shell continues to suck precious time out of my day. The additional puzzles, challenge, and survival modes, combined with the expensive items in the store to save up and buy, give this game some serious legs.
1. Borderlands (PC) - Very good FPS mechanics, Diablo style loot system and a paper-thin story you forget about 5 minutes in? The perfect recipe for my top game of 2009. I sunk 30+ hours into this game, and enjoyed every minute of it. The need to find the perfect gun, and then when you find it, wanting to find the next perfect gun kept me playing for a long time. If Gearbox, the developer, can find a way to include more story into the inevitable sequel, it will be a monster.
Honorable Mention: Fallout 3 DLC (PC) - Another hit of my favorite gaming drug from 2008? Yes please. Wait, 5 more hits? Most definitely! The addition of the 5 DLC packs to Fallout 3 pushed my total game time to over 100 hours in the post-apocalyptic wasteland. I could talk about this game for hours, and regale you with stories of exploration and discovery. That's a good thing, because the original ending (and essentially its removal with the third DLC pack, Broken Steel) makes this a case of 'the sum of the journey is greater than the destination.'
So there you have it, my modest 'best of' list for the past year. 2010 is shaping up to be even leaner than 2009, considering that I now have 3 little ones vying for my attention, but I'll never give up the dream of enough money to pay for my gaming habit and enough time to play the games I want. It doesn't hurt to dream, right?
Showing posts with label PSP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PSP. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Five Things I'm Pretty Sure I Think (Tuesday Edition)
It's another edition of everyone's favorite catchall! Yet again, I toss out five random topics that have been bouncing around in this head of mine, as a form of navel-gazing or simply to get them out of my head and clutter up the Internet a bit more.
1. The Canton, MA arm of the Columbia Falls Grants are now the proud owners of a minivan. To accomplish this feat, there has been a relative flurry of automobile dealing going on. Over the past 4-5 weeks, we have (a) sold our 2007 Toyota Corolla S, (b) sold our 2002 Toyota Highlander Limited, and (c) purchased a 2008 Toyota Sienna LE. From the previous sentence, you can correctly infer that we are both a Toyota family and an expanding one, as the van was needed to fit the inevitable third car seat. One thing you might not infer is that we are completely sick of the auto buying/selling process, and hope to not have to partake in it for some time. The purchase of the minivan does have its upsides, as it puts the twins in the 3rd row bench seat, which will make it more difficult for them to pelt Mom and Dad with french fries. I can also now affectionately refer to our vehicle as the 'family boat.' :)
2. It was a fantastic showing for the Patriots this past Sunday, returning to 2007 form against the hapless Tennessee Titans, 59-0. Brady had 380 yards and 6 touchdowns...after one drive in the third quarter. Needless to say he finished the game on the sidelines sipping hot cocoa and watching Brian Hoyer get some experience under actual game conditions. It's not absurd to think that the Pats offensive unit experienced more pressure in practice the week leading up to the game than during it. Now, let's hope that this was not just a fluke game against a terrible opponent, and that this is just Brady returning to pre-knee injury form and the rest of the team starting to click, not that this week will be any test either. They'll face the pitiful 0-6 Buccaneers in London before having a bye week.
3. Taking far longer than it should have, I finally finished Final Fantasy PSP, with liberal use of online FAQs and guides. At first, I felt bad about having to rely on them to make my way through a game that's older than my brother (who's 21, by the way), but it dawned on me that the game design was obtuse in such a way that it encouraged far too much aimless wandering. Sadly, with the amount of free time I now have, I'd prefer to spend it pursuing a concrete goal, and the guides allowed me to stay focused and finish the game. My party, a Knight, Red Wizard, White Wizard and Black Wizard, were level 46 by the end, and even then faced a tough test in defeating Chaos. Now it's on to Final Fantasy II, also on the PSP, which should be a bit more interesting for me, as I've never experienced this game before (I'd completed Final Fantasy back on the NES, many many moons ago).
4. Hanging my head in shame and defeat, I will admit to the fact that Arkham Asylum was shipped out yesterday (via Goozex trade) without actually being completed. After several failed attempts at the Joker fight, somewhere around 10-15, I had no desire to go back and try again. The overall game experience itself was still positive, but the design of the final battle still boggles me, and feels like a letdown after the high quality displayed by the rest of the game. Maybe someday I'll rent it and finish the game and the remaining Riddler challenges, but not right now. The game has been converted to 1000 Goozex points, which will help me net another few titles in the near future.
5. Last, but most certainly not least, the wife and I enjoyed a rugrat-free extended vacation last week, when my parents so graciously offered to take them off our hands. We met in the middle (we live 6 hours apart), transferred the precious cargo, and each party enjoyed a different experience from Friday evening to Wednesday afternoon. My wife and I reconnected as a couple (read: we didn't kill each other), and my parents soaked up some grandkid time. The kids probably benefitted the most, as they were able to spend time with people who weren't beaten down by life and the grind of parenthood, but were energetic, excited and ready to spoil them rotten. I took some time to indulge my gaming hobby, at one point playing for 4 hours straight with no guilt or neglecting of family duties. It will be some time before this happens again, but I certainly appreciated it.
1. The Canton, MA arm of the Columbia Falls Grants are now the proud owners of a minivan. To accomplish this feat, there has been a relative flurry of automobile dealing going on. Over the past 4-5 weeks, we have (a) sold our 2007 Toyota Corolla S, (b) sold our 2002 Toyota Highlander Limited, and (c) purchased a 2008 Toyota Sienna LE. From the previous sentence, you can correctly infer that we are both a Toyota family and an expanding one, as the van was needed to fit the inevitable third car seat. One thing you might not infer is that we are completely sick of the auto buying/selling process, and hope to not have to partake in it for some time. The purchase of the minivan does have its upsides, as it puts the twins in the 3rd row bench seat, which will make it more difficult for them to pelt Mom and Dad with french fries. I can also now affectionately refer to our vehicle as the 'family boat.' :)
2. It was a fantastic showing for the Patriots this past Sunday, returning to 2007 form against the hapless Tennessee Titans, 59-0. Brady had 380 yards and 6 touchdowns...after one drive in the third quarter. Needless to say he finished the game on the sidelines sipping hot cocoa and watching Brian Hoyer get some experience under actual game conditions. It's not absurd to think that the Pats offensive unit experienced more pressure in practice the week leading up to the game than during it. Now, let's hope that this was not just a fluke game against a terrible opponent, and that this is just Brady returning to pre-knee injury form and the rest of the team starting to click, not that this week will be any test either. They'll face the pitiful 0-6 Buccaneers in London before having a bye week.
3. Taking far longer than it should have, I finally finished Final Fantasy PSP, with liberal use of online FAQs and guides. At first, I felt bad about having to rely on them to make my way through a game that's older than my brother (who's 21, by the way), but it dawned on me that the game design was obtuse in such a way that it encouraged far too much aimless wandering. Sadly, with the amount of free time I now have, I'd prefer to spend it pursuing a concrete goal, and the guides allowed me to stay focused and finish the game. My party, a Knight, Red Wizard, White Wizard and Black Wizard, were level 46 by the end, and even then faced a tough test in defeating Chaos. Now it's on to Final Fantasy II, also on the PSP, which should be a bit more interesting for me, as I've never experienced this game before (I'd completed Final Fantasy back on the NES, many many moons ago).
4. Hanging my head in shame and defeat, I will admit to the fact that Arkham Asylum was shipped out yesterday (via Goozex trade) without actually being completed. After several failed attempts at the Joker fight, somewhere around 10-15, I had no desire to go back and try again. The overall game experience itself was still positive, but the design of the final battle still boggles me, and feels like a letdown after the high quality displayed by the rest of the game. Maybe someday I'll rent it and finish the game and the remaining Riddler challenges, but not right now. The game has been converted to 1000 Goozex points, which will help me net another few titles in the near future.
5. Last, but most certainly not least, the wife and I enjoyed a rugrat-free extended vacation last week, when my parents so graciously offered to take them off our hands. We met in the middle (we live 6 hours apart), transferred the precious cargo, and each party enjoyed a different experience from Friday evening to Wednesday afternoon. My wife and I reconnected as a couple (read: we didn't kill each other), and my parents soaked up some grandkid time. The kids probably benefitted the most, as they were able to spend time with people who weren't beaten down by life and the grind of parenthood, but were energetic, excited and ready to spoil them rotten. I took some time to indulge my gaming hobby, at one point playing for 4 hours straight with no guilt or neglecting of family duties. It will be some time before this happens again, but I certainly appreciated it.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Five Things I'm Pretty Sure I Think
Here's another installment of the Five Things I'm Pretty Sure I Think:
1. Psyched that the Patriots won this week against a very tough Ravens team, but I was disappointed in the officiating. The roughing the passer penalties were just ridiculous, and that's coming from someone who's team benefited from the calls. It's a shame when (arguably) the outcome of the game was affected by questionable calls. It's far better to win or lose based on talent and execution, as opposed to needing the ref's whistle. Here's to hoping the frequency and accuracy of these calls improve.
2. Haven't yet completed Arkham Asylum, because of my frustration with the final boss battle. Considering how great the game to this point has been, the tone of this encounter just doesn't fit with the rest of the story and atmosphere. This probably isn't the case, but considering that the mechanic is very similar to other boss battles (the swarms of thugs to fight through) and that the tone feels out of step with the rest of the narrative, this particular sequence feels rushed and not very polished. I'm going to give it another shot this evening, and hopefully put it behind me. Definitely looking forward to going back through and solving the Riddler challenges.
3. Finally moved on from being 'stuck' in Final Fantasy PSP (just plain stupidity on my part, nothing else), and made good progress over the weekend. Sitting at level 30, having completed the class change quest, getting the airship, and now moving on to lighting the other three crystals. After this, I'll move on to Final Fantasy II PSP, in an incredibly slow but dogged attempt to complete all the major numbered Final Fantasy games, with the notable exception of XI, the MMO entry. I just received an e-mail from Goozex that Final Fantasy III DS is in the mail. I own IV already (on GBA), I have requested V through Goozex, and have VI on SNES. I also have other games for the PSOne and PS2, but I do have some holes to fill in the catalog.
4. I started Dragon Quest V on DS a couple of days ago, before being consumed again by Final Fantasy. This game has a lot of promise, just from the couple of hours I've put in already. The game displays a refinement from its predecessor, which I played and thoroughly enjoyed, and the combat mechanics 'feel' good. I'll have more to say on this one as I progress further into it.
5. Though I don't normally talk about it here, work has been an absolute bear over the past few weeks, cutting drastically into my time for anything else. I think there's a light at the end of the tunnel which is encouraging for me, considering my 20-month old daughter's favorite phrase appears to be, "Bye Daddy!" Makes me proud and sad at the same time. One of my goals is to be there with them every morning when they wake up, and be there to help read stories and put them to bed every night. It makes putting in the extra hours at work a challenge, but I hope the results will be kids that know and love me, and see me as a part of their lives, instead of an outsider looking in.
That's all for now. Talk to you all again soon. I'd love to hear from you (if there's anyone out there reading this), so please leave comments if you feel so inclined.
1. Psyched that the Patriots won this week against a very tough Ravens team, but I was disappointed in the officiating. The roughing the passer penalties were just ridiculous, and that's coming from someone who's team benefited from the calls. It's a shame when (arguably) the outcome of the game was affected by questionable calls. It's far better to win or lose based on talent and execution, as opposed to needing the ref's whistle. Here's to hoping the frequency and accuracy of these calls improve.
2. Haven't yet completed Arkham Asylum, because of my frustration with the final boss battle. Considering how great the game to this point has been, the tone of this encounter just doesn't fit with the rest of the story and atmosphere. This probably isn't the case, but considering that the mechanic is very similar to other boss battles (the swarms of thugs to fight through) and that the tone feels out of step with the rest of the narrative, this particular sequence feels rushed and not very polished. I'm going to give it another shot this evening, and hopefully put it behind me. Definitely looking forward to going back through and solving the Riddler challenges.
3. Finally moved on from being 'stuck' in Final Fantasy PSP (just plain stupidity on my part, nothing else), and made good progress over the weekend. Sitting at level 30, having completed the class change quest, getting the airship, and now moving on to lighting the other three crystals. After this, I'll move on to Final Fantasy II PSP, in an incredibly slow but dogged attempt to complete all the major numbered Final Fantasy games, with the notable exception of XI, the MMO entry. I just received an e-mail from Goozex that Final Fantasy III DS is in the mail. I own IV already (on GBA), I have requested V through Goozex, and have VI on SNES. I also have other games for the PSOne and PS2, but I do have some holes to fill in the catalog.
4. I started Dragon Quest V on DS a couple of days ago, before being consumed again by Final Fantasy. This game has a lot of promise, just from the couple of hours I've put in already. The game displays a refinement from its predecessor, which I played and thoroughly enjoyed, and the combat mechanics 'feel' good. I'll have more to say on this one as I progress further into it.
5. Though I don't normally talk about it here, work has been an absolute bear over the past few weeks, cutting drastically into my time for anything else. I think there's a light at the end of the tunnel which is encouraging for me, considering my 20-month old daughter's favorite phrase appears to be, "Bye Daddy!" Makes me proud and sad at the same time. One of my goals is to be there with them every morning when they wake up, and be there to help read stories and put them to bed every night. It makes putting in the extra hours at work a challenge, but I hope the results will be kids that know and love me, and see me as a part of their lives, instead of an outsider looking in.
That's all for now. Talk to you all again soon. I'd love to hear from you (if there's anyone out there reading this), so please leave comments if you feel so inclined.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Five Things I'm Pretty Sure I Think
(Title is a modified version of the fantastic segment in every week's Monday Morning Quarterback column from SI's Peter King, who is one of the best, and most prolific, sportswriters I've ever seen).
Here are a few of the things I think about during the course of an average week. The subjects may vary, based on whatever is going on, but the common thread is this: if my brain were to devote as much time to useful pursuits as it does to useless knowledge, questions, fantasies, etc., maybe I would have contributed something useful to society by now. But, since I don't, you're stuck with this...
1. Listening to the Out of the Game podcast today, Jeff Green mentioned that World of Warcraft's gaudy subscriber number of 11 million. Is this number the number of paying customers of the service? Does this number include lapsed subscribers, such as myself? Does this number include the ridiculous number of trial accounts set up by people who never subscribed, or those accounts set up by gold farmers for the sole purpose of spamming ads for their services? Maybe that information exists somewhere, but I'm fairly certain it's not available for public consumption.
2. Is there such a thing as 'too many games coming out'? As a father of two, and soon to be three, there just aren't enough hours in the day to sleep, eat, work, spend time with the family, do chores, and experience all of the games that interest me. As an example, Braid is only $5 on Steam this weekend and I should buy it. It was one of the best games of 2008, and I still haven't tried it yet, which makes me sad. I like to think of myself as up on all things video games, but because of time constraints, I don't often get to experience what I listen to or read about firsthand.
3. I don't like first person shooters. There, I've said it. Now all I have to do is keep repeating it, so I don't convince myself that the Next Big Thing(TM) will be the one that I like. There are so many games I've bought and played, only because everyone in the gaming world was raving about them. Halo 3? Check. Played a little bit of multiplayer with coworkers, and sucked. Didn't get past the first mission in single-player. And yet I still feel guilty for some reason that I don't like it more. CoD4? Fortunately haven't spent the money on it yet. Left 4 Dead? Got it from Goozex a few weeks ago, thinking that I would play it with friends, and so far it hasn't found its way into my 360. It's time for me to realize that it's ok to not like the genre, and that it doesn't make me a bad person.
4. I may have screwed myself out of about 7 hours of progress in Final Fantasy. After releasing the earth crystal from the Lich, I immediately went to the Earthgift shrine, and currently have a save game (my only savegame for this adventure, sadly) on the deepest level of this dungeon. The problem with this scenario is that all of the exits appear to be guarded by boss creatures scaled for at least 10 levels higher than my current level (24). Does anyone know if I can leave this place, or am I stuck here and have to start over? If I have to start over, it probably will spell the end of my quest to complete this particular game, since I don't have the time or patience to go through all of this again.
5. As I'm sitting here writing this, I probably should be getting back to Arkham Asylum. Still haven't touched it since midweek last week. Also, I finally got Lost Odyssey in the mail from Goozex. When I played it the first time, it was on a whim from Gamefly, I enjoyed it enough to put it on my Goozex request list and send back the Gamefly copy. Now I can continue on with that story, which was entertaining enough for me to want to know what happens.
Well, that's all for now. Hopefully I'll get the chance to watch some football (it is the opening weekend, after all) or some Red Sox baseball (second game of a doubleheader vs. the Rays), but the wife is playing a mean round of 'Flip TV', so that may not happen. See you next time!
Here are a few of the things I think about during the course of an average week. The subjects may vary, based on whatever is going on, but the common thread is this: if my brain were to devote as much time to useful pursuits as it does to useless knowledge, questions, fantasies, etc., maybe I would have contributed something useful to society by now. But, since I don't, you're stuck with this...
1. Listening to the Out of the Game podcast today, Jeff Green mentioned that World of Warcraft's gaudy subscriber number of 11 million. Is this number the number of paying customers of the service? Does this number include lapsed subscribers, such as myself? Does this number include the ridiculous number of trial accounts set up by people who never subscribed, or those accounts set up by gold farmers for the sole purpose of spamming ads for their services? Maybe that information exists somewhere, but I'm fairly certain it's not available for public consumption.
2. Is there such a thing as 'too many games coming out'? As a father of two, and soon to be three, there just aren't enough hours in the day to sleep, eat, work, spend time with the family, do chores, and experience all of the games that interest me. As an example, Braid is only $5 on Steam this weekend and I should buy it. It was one of the best games of 2008, and I still haven't tried it yet, which makes me sad. I like to think of myself as up on all things video games, but because of time constraints, I don't often get to experience what I listen to or read about firsthand.
3. I don't like first person shooters. There, I've said it. Now all I have to do is keep repeating it, so I don't convince myself that the Next Big Thing(TM) will be the one that I like. There are so many games I've bought and played, only because everyone in the gaming world was raving about them. Halo 3? Check. Played a little bit of multiplayer with coworkers, and sucked. Didn't get past the first mission in single-player. And yet I still feel guilty for some reason that I don't like it more. CoD4? Fortunately haven't spent the money on it yet. Left 4 Dead? Got it from Goozex a few weeks ago, thinking that I would play it with friends, and so far it hasn't found its way into my 360. It's time for me to realize that it's ok to not like the genre, and that it doesn't make me a bad person.
4. I may have screwed myself out of about 7 hours of progress in Final Fantasy. After releasing the earth crystal from the Lich, I immediately went to the Earthgift shrine, and currently have a save game (my only savegame for this adventure, sadly) on the deepest level of this dungeon. The problem with this scenario is that all of the exits appear to be guarded by boss creatures scaled for at least 10 levels higher than my current level (24). Does anyone know if I can leave this place, or am I stuck here and have to start over? If I have to start over, it probably will spell the end of my quest to complete this particular game, since I don't have the time or patience to go through all of this again.
5. As I'm sitting here writing this, I probably should be getting back to Arkham Asylum. Still haven't touched it since midweek last week. Also, I finally got Lost Odyssey in the mail from Goozex. When I played it the first time, it was on a whim from Gamefly, I enjoyed it enough to put it on my Goozex request list and send back the Gamefly copy. Now I can continue on with that story, which was entertaining enough for me to want to know what happens.
Well, that's all for now. Hopefully I'll get the chance to watch some football (it is the opening weekend, after all) or some Red Sox baseball (second game of a doubleheader vs. the Rays), but the wife is playing a mean round of 'Flip TV', so that may not happen. See you next time!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Happy Labor Day!
As any good American did, I celebrated Labor Day...by going to work. It makes sense, right? At least it was only for a few hours, and it allowed me the opportunity to escape the bedlam of the house and gather myself and my thoughts after a LONG, draining week of family drama, culminating at my brother-in-law's wedding on Saturday. It's over now, and the only hope is that things will settle down from here on out. There's trouble on the wind, though, which may cause this to be more than a one-time incident. Time will tell, and it may not be a pretty story. At least there were some attractive ladies in formal wear there, enough for me to deem the event worth attending. You have to take the little victories when they come...:)
Because of the wedding and the visit to my mother-in-law's house on Sunday (so my wife could see some of her family staying there before they departed for home), I haven't spent a lot of time with the electronic entertainment this weekend. When I could, I grabbed some time with Arkham Asylum, and in the evenings after going to bed I would wind down with some Final Fantasy PSP. Batman continues to impress, and I'm seriously considering buying this one, as it looks to have some replay value. Final Fantasy PSP is just a nice trip down memory lane, except for the fact that I played the original version of this game too long ago to really remember. :)
As I sit in the basement, sipping a Cap'n and Coke, I wish everyone a great holiday and hopefully your long weekend was much less stressful and drama-filled than mine was.
Because of the wedding and the visit to my mother-in-law's house on Sunday (so my wife could see some of her family staying there before they departed for home), I haven't spent a lot of time with the electronic entertainment this weekend. When I could, I grabbed some time with Arkham Asylum, and in the evenings after going to bed I would wind down with some Final Fantasy PSP. Batman continues to impress, and I'm seriously considering buying this one, as it looks to have some replay value. Final Fantasy PSP is just a nice trip down memory lane, except for the fact that I played the original version of this game too long ago to really remember. :)
As I sit in the basement, sipping a Cap'n and Coke, I wish everyone a great holiday and hopefully your long weekend was much less stressful and drama-filled than mine was.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Repost from MTG: Handheld Gaming and the New Dad
If you'll indulge yet another session of navel-gazing on my part, this is (what is shaping up to be) my last post on the old blog. It erupted from an evening of way too many rum and cokes, and the desire to get some of the things I'd been doing out of my head and into a readable form. The finished product wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and I repost it here for my own amusement. I can tell you that it was difficult to get to work the next day (I believe I wrote this over the course of a late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning), something I hope not to repeat too often. :)
Has it really been nearly 7 months since I last posted here? Looking at the calendar…Yes, it really has. I have a good reason, two of them, to explain why I haven’t been here, and they’re both teething a lot and keeping us up at night. Since I last posted here, my wife and I have been blessed with the arrival of twins. On January 25th, Nicholas and Isabelle joined the fray and I can truly say that my life hasn’t been the same, nor will it ever be again.Just to clarify, fLOw is a trippy game whether you're drunk or not. I've played it since and I still get that feeling of an acid trip that you can control with an analog stick.
That’s not to say that I’ve completely reformed my game-playing ways. No sir! I still sneak in gaming when I can, it’s just changed forms. Prior to the kids’ arrival, I wisely invested in both a PSP and a DS, which now look far better than they did at the time. The 360 is no longer, residing with my brother back home. He’s in college, which basically means he has all the time in the world to get use out of it. My gaming is now accomplished in fits and starts, usually just before I fall asleep, because that means the kids are down too. Even though my gaming time and means have changed, I have had some opportunity to mess around with a pretty varied assortment of titles, which I’ll run down (by system), including my impressions of each one. Most of these were acquired by trading in other games that I didn’t want or play anymore, aided with some fortuitous Gamestop promos (like get 50% extra on our trade-ins, get 20% off used games, things of that sort), and some were downloaded from the Playstation Store on the web. In another post I’ll document the DS experiences I’ve had. But for now, without further ado, check out the list of PSP titles I’ve dabbled with (in no particular order) after the jump.
(My version of editor’s note: As I am writing this entry, I am indulging in, for me at least, a copious amount of beverages of the adult variety, so I feel the need to include a disclaimer that if anything seems badly worded or just sounds stupid, blame it on the Caribbean rum and cokes I’m consuming, not on my general grasp of the English language. It just so happens that I’ve been given the night off from child duty, so I’m taking the opportunity to indulge. It doesn’t happen often, so the alcohol affects me more than it used to. You have been warned.)
PSP
Echochrome (demo)
The first demo I downloaded from the Playstation Store for the PSP was Echochrome. This game was interesting, as it evoked the artwork of M.C. Escher (I don’t know who Escher is, I will admit, as I found this out reading another review of the game), and the protagonist is essentially a mannequin. The point of the game is to change the perspective of the object that the mannequin is walking on to create pathways for the mannequin to reach other stationary mannequins. The premise is unique, the game controls well, there appears to be some mind-bending challenges in there…it just wasn’t for me. I made it through the 4 or 5 levels in the demo, shrugged and moved on. I would love to be more articulate and wordy about this game, but I can’t bring myself to do so.
Patapon (demo)
I will admit that I was really excited about this demo, because the game reviewed really well. The game’s controls are based on rhythmically tapping the buttons in certain patterns to make your little characters on the screen do different things. As a drum-beating ‘god’, apparently, you control the little dudes and have them go to battle, move forward and backward, and so on. You can amass an army of different units, collect loot to better equip your army, and battle monsters to save the world, or something like that. I tried to like the demo, but whether it be that I can’t play the game very loudly (for fear of waking the kids) or maybe I don’t have any rhythm, I just couldn’t get the hang of the controls. The demo failed to grab me in the 15 or so minutes I played it, so as with Echochrome, I just moved on.
Ape Quest (demo)
As with Patapon, this was a demo I psyched myself up for as I waited for it to download onto my PSP (I’d love to rant about why we need to have the PSP connected to the PC so we can download directly to it, instead of being able to download to the PC and then transfer to the PSP at my leisure, but that’s another entry entirely). The premise of this game was unique: you take control of the inept son of the Ape King, ready to go off into the world and try to prove he’s not an idiot, as everyone believes. As an ape, the son of the king loves bananas, and that’s what gets him in trouble. Apparently not far from the palace, there are three statues of evil beings who many years ago were imprisoned as statues and are now held in place by a magical…banana. You can probably see where this is leading. You eat the banana, the evil beings are released, and now it falls to you to save the kingdom.
The whole premise aside, the game does have some promise. There is the whole RPG-aspect of gaining levels and collecting loot, improving your equipment and learning new skills. My problem with the game was that some of the random encounters were turn-based battles (fine by me) and some were completely inane mini-games that were counter-intuitive and not fun at all to deal with. I enjoyed the battles, even though the animations were a bit slow and the interface seems a bit clunky. Even with some of the good points that the game had, I couldn’t get past the mini-games, so it went the way of Echochrome and Patapon.
Lego Indiana Jones
Being a fan of Lego Star Wars, I was looking forward to Lego Indiana Jones. I went to Gamestop on release day and picked it up, along with 4 UMD movies (Joe Dirt, Starship Troopers, The Dark Crystal and The Fifth Element, all $4.99 each). Sadly the Lego magic, at least in a video game sense, was sadly gone. I played through the first level or two of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and just couldn’t bring myself to go on. I’m not quite sure why, since I completed the first Lego Star Wars, and had a good time with the second. Maybe it was the simplistic play, maybe it was the fact that the view felt a bit cramped on the PSP, maybe it was that I was just past the hook of the Lego games, whatever it was I just couldn’t get into this installment in the Lego franchise. It has since been returned for other games.
(On a side note, my parents have begun the tradition of getting me a Lego set for my birthday and Christmas. Since I’m 32 and the father of twins, that might seem a bit childish, and maybe it is, but I can’t begin to tell you the fun I have putting those things together. So far (the tradition is only a year old), I have a ship from the Star Wars prequels and the Temple set from Raiders of the Lost Ark. If I only had more disposable income, I would buy the Millenium Falcon and Death Star sets that are currently out, at a price of $499 and $399, respectively.)
Secret Agent Clank (demo)
I’ve downloaded this demo and played it for about 5 minutes. I don’t believe I’ve given it a fair shake, and plan on going back to it and trying once more to see what I think about it. It sounds strange, but I hope I like this one, because from all I’ve read, it’s obviously similar in playstyle, perspective, etc. to the Ratchet and Clank installment on the PSP (Size Matters). For some reason, I’d really like to play this game, because of some of the game mechanics it contains. Unfortunately, I’ve read mixed reviews on that game, which is why I’m holding off at this time. Oops, I digress. This isn’t a wish list of games I’d like to play (another blog entry as well), so let’s move on…
Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles
Strangely enough, this was one of the games that I purchased the PSP for in the first place. I was drawn to the fact that it was a Castlevania game that included not only a remake of the Rondo of Blood title (not released in the US until now), but also had the original Rondo of Blood game as well as one of my top 5 games of all time on the UMD, Symphony of the Night! The Rondo remake (the Dracula X in the title, as far as I know) proves to be as hard as billed, and I’ve spent quite a bit of time trying to get through it. Since one of my main motivations in buying the game was to get access to Symphony on the PSP, I finally broke down and read an FAQ on how to unlock that game. The process to do this involved taking a path through the game that was previously unknown to me, because in Dracula X, there are the main stages (known as 1, 2 3, 4, etc.) and alternate paths (designated as 2’, 3’, 4’, and so on). As it goes, I had been following the main path, while the item to unlock Symphony lay on the alternate path, so back I went, to get the object of my affection. After some time in figuring out what I had to do, it was in my grasp. I excitedly exited to the main screen, and fired up Symphony of the Night…
To say I find the version on the UMD disappointing is an understatement. To maintain the original aspect ratio, the game plays in a window that’s smaller than the PSP screen, which is small to begin with. Squinting to see what I’m doing takes a fair amount of the enjoyment out of the experience. Also it seems that they’ve redone the voice acting from the original, which doesn’t make sense to me, because the horribly bad voice acting was part of the charm of the original. These two issues combined are making me consider downloading the $10 PS1 version available at the Playstation Store, which I may do if and when I get confirmation of how it’s rendered on the PSP screen and if the original voice acting is retained. If those two aspects meet my (relatively0 strict standards, Sony may get more of my money.
(Just to shed some light on this: I’ve played through Symphony at least 8 times, between the original PS1 version and the Live Arcade version available last year. It seems I have a sad obsession with this game that has yet to be resolved. Oh well…)
God of War: Chains of Olympus (demo and full game)
I have a confession to make. Before playing the Chains of Olympus demo, I had never played a God of War game. That is an admission I’m not proud to make, but I feel it important to do so. For some reason, I have never owned a PS2, which has shut me out of many, many great games of the previous generation. Because I’m horrible at twitch-based games (when I play Halo 2 or 3 with co-workers, I’m basically out there to pad kill stats for everyone else on the opposing team, while I scream obscenities at my plasma TV), I never thought I’d be good at this series. Then, on a whim (and the fact that it was free), I downloaded the Chains demo from the Playstation Store, and gave it a shot. I’m not having any delusions of grandeur that I’m good at it, but I had a great time playing through the demo that was available, so much so that I ended up ordering the full version from Toys R’ Us (utilizing a glitch I discovered on the Cheap Ass Gamer forums, I got both Chains and Crisis Core, the next game I’ll talk about, for the price of one, woohoo!) the next day.
Once the game arrived, I played through the demo section, and was surprised to find the three-way mini-game had been omitted from the demo (I know, shocker, huh?). Since I hadn’t played any of the other games, it came as a bit of a surprise to me, and was rather amused to complete it. It really is segments like that which clearly show what demographic this and most games on the market are aimed toward. Of course, I didn’t give up until I successfully completed it. :)
Anyway, the graphics on this game are incredible for a PSP game. They appear to be comparable to the PS2 games, albeit in a smaller package. I’ve found the gameplay to be a lot of fun, even though I’ve only made it through the first level or so (I’ve been distracted by another game, but will get back to this game in due time). In the short amount of game I have played, I’ve really enjoyed how smooth the controls work, and am amazed at how much I can enjoy eviscerating the incredible amount of enemies the game throws at me. As you can see, I’m thoroughly impressed with this game, and hope that we see more and more games of this caliber on the PSP. If nothing else, I want to justify the money I spent to acquire it (which I did on a whim, as always).
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
I can honestly say that I haven’t followed the Final Fantasy series for a long time. The last game in the series that I played (this is going to be heresy for some people, so please be prepared) was Final Fantasy III on the SNES (in my mostly inebriated state, I can’t even begin to translate that to its Japanese counterpart), but I thoroughly enjoyed those games. Just to keep score, that means I missed the transcendent Final Fantasy VII, although I watched my roommate in college, Jason, play a fair amount of it. So when I got the urge to purchase the Crisis Core game, it was from reading reviews of how it was a fun game, one that fit well in the handheld world with its bite-size missions and decent storyline. Because of my family commitments (which I’m thoroughly shirking tonight, at the detriment of sleep), I don’t get a whole lot of contiguous time to play games, so anything that can honestly boast about meaningful bite-sized missions that improve character advancement will gain points in my eyes.
As with Chains of Olympus, this is a visually stunning game. The rendered cutscenes are of a quality that I wouldn’t have expected from the PSP, and the in-game graphics are excellent as well. According to the game clock, I’ve played about 3 ½ hours now, and I’m only 5% completed on the game, so I have a really long way to go, but so far my impressions of the game are positive. The story has some depth (so far, my character’s best friend has seemingly betrayed our cause and aligned himself with the enemy, and murdered his mom in the process), and the missions, both main story and side-quests, provide adequate distraction and enjoyment.
The battle system takes some getting used to (I’ll admit I haven’t looked at the game manual in depth, so I’m not sure if I’m utilizing some of the game features the way I should), but it’s engaging and fun. It’s taken some time getting used to cycling through the available combat options using the R and L buttons and then executing using the X button, but I’m getting more and more used to it. As someone who doesn’t have a lot of time to invest at this point, I appreciate some of the simplicity the game affords (4 materia slots, 2 accessory slots). So far, the ‘Materia Fusion’ option remains grayed out on my menu, so I’m not sure what other avenues that will open, but I look forward to finding out.
Overall, this is the game I’ve spent the most time with in the past week or so, but I tend to bounce around between games and systems (at this time, between the PSP and DS), so who knows what next week will bring?
So this concludes my trials and tribulations on the PSP. My next installment will cover my experiences on the DS. Until then, thanks for reading and I’ll see you all soon!
(Yet another feeble attempt at an Editor’s Note: During the execution of this blog entry and while sufficiently inebriated, I downloaded the Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 Beginner demo, the Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow demo, which were both free, and the full game fLOw to the PSP. Subconsciously, I’m obviously creating more to talk about for a future blog entry. On a related note, since I need to be saving money for my kids’ college fund, I clearly need to avoid drinking and spending time on the computer. This time, it’s an $8 downloadable game. Next time, I might not be so lucky and I’ll impulse-buy a car. That is all.)
(One final Editor’s Note: I know I’m not using the editor’s note tag correctly, but it’s amusing me, so I guess you’ll have to deal with it. I just tried fLOw, and it’s really quite a trippy game, especially in my state. It’s clearly going to involve some serious thought or simply letting go and allowing the game to just show me the way. Either way, I’m impressed so far.)
Monday, October 6, 2008
My Personal Backlog
As I mentioned in passing in the "I Am Not Alone" post, I have quite a list of games for various systems that I currently own which I haven't played to substantial completion. For posterity, I'm going to list them all now, in hopes that I can start to whittle this list down, as opposed to going out and spending more money on games that will take their place on this list in due time. Without further ado, here is my list, sorted by system, in no particular order...
PC
Final note: Compiling this list makes me want to go ahead and put together a personal Pile of Shame, those games I should have played when they came out but either missed or purposely ignored. This list would include games of the caliber of Shadow of the Colossus, Ico, Okami, Indigo Prophecy, Beyond Good & Evil, and many, many more that I can't come up with right now. That's a project for another day.
PC
- Starcraft (complete game, including Brood Wars)
- Baldurs's Gate I and II (played about 10 hours of the first one and then got sidetracked)
- Diablo II (played 4-6 hours of this)
- Fallout (played a fair amount of this when it was new, but never completed)
- Fallout 2 (never played this)
- Half Life 2 (played a lot of this but never finished)
- Psychonauts (played 5 hours or so of this, and got sidetracked)
- Jade Empire (played only about an hour of this)
- GTA: Libery City Stories
- Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
- Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters
- Crisis Core; Final Fantasy VII
- Sega Genesis Collection
- Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony
- Professor Layton and the Curious Village
- Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
- Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
- Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja
- Etrian Odyssey
- Lunar Knights
- Shiren: Mystery Dungeon
- Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
- Metroid: Fusion
- Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
- Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
- Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
Final note: Compiling this list makes me want to go ahead and put together a personal Pile of Shame, those games I should have played when they came out but either missed or purposely ignored. This list would include games of the caliber of Shadow of the Colossus, Ico, Okami, Indigo Prophecy, Beyond Good & Evil, and many, many more that I can't come up with right now. That's a project for another day.
I Am Not Alone
Finally, I've found them. I've found someone like me. Someone who can't resist the siren's song of electronic whimsy, someone who goes weak at the knees at the latest preview of 'the next big thing' (or even 'something similar to last year's big thing, but not quite as good'), someone who happily goes through their discretionary spending fund buying video games. I thought I was alone in this endeavor, and that everyone else had the common sense to pick and choose their game purchases carefully, and not fall victim to every flashy ad campaign or 'come-hither' intro video that shows up in their RSS reader. It seems there's at least one more person like me, and they've identified themselves here.
The gist of the fine piece of prose I've linked to, and coincidentally the paragraph that sums up my feelings and attitudes toward game purchases, is this:
Even with this stark realization, the sheer amount of content sitting on my shelf that I have yet to fully experience and appreciate, the daily trolls through the gaming blogosphere continues, searching desperately for 'the next big thing' or something that will grab my attention and hold it firmly. While quality titles like Crisis Core, Phantom Hourglass, Psychonauts and the Baldur's Gate series (definitely ancient in terms of video game life span but games that deserve to be played regardless of age) sit sad and feeling unwanted in my collection, the relentless quest for games to buy continues.
Is it an obsession? Probably. I often placate my growing concern for the large stack of unfinished games by telling myself, "At least I'm not sitting in a bar drinking every night, or blowing my cash in a casino," but there may not be a big difference between these pastimes (looked on with disdain by a large portion of the population) and my current pastime of game buying (ironically also looked on with disdain by a large portion of the population).
There is a passage in Elysium's discourse that gives me some comfort:
Sadly, even after this journey of awareness and self-discovery, am I likely to change my ways? Most likely not. Like a junkie craving that next fix, I'll most likely continue to buy games in bunches, and have the best of intentions of playing them all to completion. Like those ill-fated titles that stare back at me all the time, these new games have a great chance of joining their predecessors, forlornly taking up space on a dusty shelf (or haunting me every time I open the Steam interface, in some cases), begging for one more chance to dominate my ever-shrinking entertainment time. Unlike before, walking this path is not a solo experience. I can hold my head high, knowing that at least one person is walking that path with me.
The gist of the fine piece of prose I've linked to, and coincidentally the paragraph that sums up my feelings and attitudes toward game purchases, is this:
But, as I said, I am not a compulsive spender. I can’t even find solace in suggesting that I am the victim of one of those unscientific, pseudo-addictions that have replaced the space once reserved for personal responsibility in the lexicon. I will simultaneously agonize for weeks before pulling the trigger on buying a new CD or DVD, while thoughtlessly ejecting forty dollars for a game that I have no intention of playing for at least a fortnight. I haven’t purchased a new shirt or pair of pants in more than a year, simply because I can not bring myself to spend money on woven fabrics. I recently bought a pair of sunglasses at one of those knock-off kiosks in the mall for $10 bucks and had the temerity to feel proud of myself for spending the money.The main point that really rang true with me was the line about "...while thoughtlessly ejecting forty dollars for a game that I have no intention of playing for at least a fortnight." I often go to the game store and come home with multiple titles that, considering the length of today's games, I have no chance of getting to all of them in a reasonable amount of time. I have a stack of games in my possession that would take me months to get through, especially since the change in pace at which I'm able to digest gaming content after the kids were born, and that's without adding a single new title to the stack until I'm through with them. In fact, that's a fascinating idea for a project or challenge (or hell, just a blog post), to list all of the games I currently own that I have not played to substantial completion, and then try to plow through them before buying a single new game.
Even with this stark realization, the sheer amount of content sitting on my shelf that I have yet to fully experience and appreciate, the daily trolls through the gaming blogosphere continues, searching desperately for 'the next big thing' or something that will grab my attention and hold it firmly. While quality titles like Crisis Core, Phantom Hourglass, Psychonauts and the Baldur's Gate series (definitely ancient in terms of video game life span but games that deserve to be played regardless of age) sit sad and feeling unwanted in my collection, the relentless quest for games to buy continues.
Is it an obsession? Probably. I often placate my growing concern for the large stack of unfinished games by telling myself, "At least I'm not sitting in a bar drinking every night, or blowing my cash in a casino," but there may not be a big difference between these pastimes (looked on with disdain by a large portion of the population) and my current pastime of game buying (ironically also looked on with disdain by a large portion of the population).
There is a passage in Elysium's discourse that gives me some comfort:
But, there’s more at play here, and it’s the part of this self realization that I can take comfort in. I love video games. Sometimes I feel like the last of that dying breed, an unabashed fan of the industry, of its excesses, of its creatively compromised, morally bankrupt, lowest-common-denominator indulgences. Unlike less pleasant and more physically debilitating addictions, I still get the high when I install that new game and fire it up for the first time. I’ve been playing fake songs on plastic instruments for two years now, and I still bounce around like a professional fool when the lights are out and everyone else has gone to bed. I’ve been running fetch quests for digital avatars in artificial worlds for half a decade, and that ding of a new level is still fundamentally Pavlovian. I’ve dispatched ten million bad guys from their multitude of nefarious, world-ending deeds, and I still am close to that thrill of the hunt."Why does this give you comfort?" you might ask, and well you would be entitled to ask just such a question. It's easy for me to find solace with my perceived shortcomings and lack of willpower when some of the exact feelings I've had countless times are put into words by another. The feeling of 'not being alone' is strong and comforting, and is a feeling I'm sure everyone can associate with and appreciate.
Sadly, even after this journey of awareness and self-discovery, am I likely to change my ways? Most likely not. Like a junkie craving that next fix, I'll most likely continue to buy games in bunches, and have the best of intentions of playing them all to completion. Like those ill-fated titles that stare back at me all the time, these new games have a great chance of joining their predecessors, forlornly taking up space on a dusty shelf (or haunting me every time I open the Steam interface, in some cases), begging for one more chance to dominate my ever-shrinking entertainment time. Unlike before, walking this path is not a solo experience. I can hold my head high, knowing that at least one person is walking that path with me.
Monday, September 29, 2008
PSP to get MMOs?
Being the proud owner of a PSP (that sounds strange, but it's true), I was excited to see this news about Sony Online Entertainment considering bringing MMO content to the handheld market. I've played a few MMOs over the years (with the vast majority of that time spent in SOE's original Everquest), and the thought of an MMO coming to the PSP intrigues me. If done right, it could open up the genre to even more interesting concepts. If tied in with a larger-scale game, the PSP could be used for crafting or auction house access on the go. Even more interesting would be a ground-up game meant for the PSP, possibly with an Internet access portal, for examining characters, inventory management, etc.
Sony Online Considering MMOs On PSP (MTV Multiplayer Blog)
Sony Online Considering MMOs On PSP (MTV Multiplayer Blog)
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