Hey guys, it's been awhile. yeah, I know, the Mass Effect review isn't posted yet. But just so you know, I'm almost done the gameplay part of it, which is the first of the two more difficult parts. But then again, you guys know that I don't pull any punches.
Speaking of not pulling any punches, I'm about 16 hours into Final Fantasy X, and frankly...I don't like it very much. Ever since Final Fantasy 6, the games have been so restrictive, and not having a world map to save on whenever you like - thus forcing oyu to rely on save checkpoints - is very frustrating when you have things to do. As far as I can tell, it does eventually become less linear, however...I personally dislike the direction the game has taken. The sphere grid, however, is a pretty slick character development tool, so at least there's one thing about the game that I like. I also dislike most of the characters, especially Tidus and Rikku.
I also finished Splinter Cell: Conviction and Rage. I'm on the fence regarding SC:C; the stealth mechanics are there, but the title's far more of a shooter than anything else. Oh, if only there was another Hitman game out before this one, maybe it would have attempted to compete. Rage is absolutely gorgeous, but it starts to wear down in the latter half of the game and the ending blows. The minigames, however, are quite enjoyable, especially the card game that's a new spin on War.
Further, I finally got the chance to play and finish Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Bayonetta. I have to say, these two are must-plays. Bayonetta to simply just experience it, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution to...well, live it. Absolutely amazing game.
That said, beyond the ME review, my workload now consists of Final Fantasy XII, Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 3 (have played and beaten 2 and 4) and earning a few more achievements in Dynasty Warriors 7 and Skyrim.
So, play safe, have fun and keep hoping because that ME review will eventually get finished!
Showing posts with label Update. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Update. Show all posts
Monday, April 2, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Yeah. Right. About that.
Right, I just more or less ripped the design of Metal Gear Solid 4 a new one and haven't reviewed Mass Effect yet.
Okay, here's why: The rippage of MGS4 was a blitzkrieg on crappy story telling (and seemingly unfocused). This is because I can't give the game a fair review due to my biases against the style of storytelling...and the unnecessary amount of it. I do not care for soap operas. No, this is not a disclaimer; I may write an actual review of MGS 4. You can like it or not. But I think it's about time I lay my biases bare, because I will call out stupid components/mechanics of games when I see them.
And, just so you all know, I was finally able to grab a PS2 with FF X and XII. Not expecting to necessarily enjoy X a lot, but XII looks extremely promising (and is the first FF I've been looking forward to since VII...and that was quite a disappointment to me). I alos got Hunter The Reckoning: Wayward, so the trilogy is now complete. Plus a few other goodies, including NOLF. Don't know how the gameplay will turn out, but the dialogue's right out of Black Adder and Fawlty Towers, so at least the humour looks promising.
Being that I'm finding a little more time to do things in, I will hopefully have the ME review up in the coming weeks. Need to beat the game again...I've kind of forgotten most of it other than that the series rips off Alistair Reynolds' Revelation Space series (although the two sidestories have so far been better than the main trilogy).
Anyway, keep safe and see you all soon.
Okay, here's why: The rippage of MGS4 was a blitzkrieg on crappy story telling (and seemingly unfocused). This is because I can't give the game a fair review due to my biases against the style of storytelling...and the unnecessary amount of it. I do not care for soap operas. No, this is not a disclaimer; I may write an actual review of MGS 4. You can like it or not. But I think it's about time I lay my biases bare, because I will call out stupid components/mechanics of games when I see them.
And, just so you all know, I was finally able to grab a PS2 with FF X and XII. Not expecting to necessarily enjoy X a lot, but XII looks extremely promising (and is the first FF I've been looking forward to since VII...and that was quite a disappointment to me). I alos got Hunter The Reckoning: Wayward, so the trilogy is now complete. Plus a few other goodies, including NOLF. Don't know how the gameplay will turn out, but the dialogue's right out of Black Adder and Fawlty Towers, so at least the humour looks promising.
Being that I'm finding a little more time to do things in, I will hopefully have the ME review up in the coming weeks. Need to beat the game again...I've kind of forgotten most of it other than that the series rips off Alistair Reynolds' Revelation Space series (although the two sidestories have so far been better than the main trilogy).
Anyway, keep safe and see you all soon.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Wow, It's Been A Long Time. And Oh...I Guess I Owe You Guys An Apology
Hey guys, it's been...what, almost three months, eh? Yeah, I kind of got a job working for a computer company called Canada Computers. I sold some stuff, helped customers through system builds, it was fun times. Now it's over. On the bright side, I have more time for Thrown Controllers again...so I guess I owe you all a review...I'll get around to Mass Effect, soon. I promise. I've already beaten it anyway.
So, that said, I guess it's time for an update. As you all know, I'm a huge fan of Fallout: New Vegas. So, I guess I should let you in on some opinions about the expansions.
Okay, so, the first one, Dead Money: Dead Money pissed a lot of people off, I can see. Probably because it was pretty GD hard. I actually rather enjoyed it because it was the only challenge I was pretty much getting without playing with the difficulty settings. The add-on was pretty good, but to be frank, the new waepons and whatnot were pretty mediocre.
Up next is Honest Hearts. What can I say about HH? Well, for starters, it's too short. It's maybe about 2 hours long, and if you finish it, it pretty much dries up the sidequests right then and there. Unlike DM, you can go back. Also, the weapons and items you get from HH are very, very awesome. A little too awesome, but great nonetheless.
Old World Blues is pretty much the best of the bunch. Not only because it's not two hours long, but it has an interesting story and most of the goodies are VERY awesome. HH awesome, but you'll actually need the firepower.
And finally, Lonesome Road. Lonesome Road is okay. It falls somewhere between DM and HH...more towards HH. There are some overly cheap encounters, and I really find that most of the equipment is inadequate for most of the later encounters.
Now, as an aside, I did also DL the Gunrunners' Arsenal Pack, and I have to say...It's an essential. It really is. Some of the stuff is just gear that Fallout players need to have, like the Bozar. I'm not saying it's amazing, just, you know, for continuity's sake (Fallout 2 fans know what I'm talking about).
The expansions themselves are also essential for people who care about loose ends; the expansions will do exactly that. Not sayin' which loose ends, but unlike Fallout 3, NV has far more loose ends to tie. If you have the game and the cash to burn, it can't do too much harm; it's another 20 or so hours of play. On the other hand, if you don't have the game, wait until the Game of the Year Ed. comes out; it's much better value.
So, what's new: Well, I caved and bought a PS3. I currently have Metal Gear Solid 4, Little Big Planet and the first two Resistance games.
I like MGS4 quite a bit. While still an inferior stealth title to Hitman: Blood Money and Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, it is still an excellent game. There are things about it that I don't like, though - namely stepping away from the item collecting to get around the environment. I'm at Chapter 3, and I'm not seeing anything like this. I really enjoyed this as it gave me a tangible sense of progress, and it really made you use your memory faculties. I'm not saying it's immaculate (Metal Gear on the NES is proof of this - but it's also like 18 years before MGS), but it certainly increases the depth of the game and gives it an adventure feel. This style of play is sadly lacking. I also dislike the 20 minute+ cutscenes. Kojima, you are a hack. Period. Luckily, the game doesn't suck.
Little Big Planet is very charming, and one thing I really like about it is there always seems to be something new about it. It was designed this way, I realise that, but few games that are deliver so well. And my girlfriend, K, absolutely loves being able to dress up Sack-Boy.
I've played the Resistance games for all of ten minutes each, so I can't really give them a thorough evaluation. However, they don't immediately impress me. They feel like something caught between Halo and Call of Duty, so I think a closer inspection is required.
Now, recently, I've been playing Skyrim, and anyone tracking me on Facebook or Raptr (Rabbi_Voody for those interested) will see this in spades. My initial impressions are fairly negative as far as RPGs go. Skyrim has done away with a lot of the stats that make TES a lot like DnD, which I know is a major piss-off to many fans. Regardless, it's actually a very good game. And that's all I'm going to say because I'm not going to spoil anything for you - which is why I'll be giving the Resistance games a fair go.
And yes, I did wait for it in line on the Midnight Release. Won't be doing that ever again; November plus sickness (which turned out to be strepthroat) equals really damned bad.
I also got a taste of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, and I have to say...it's alright. I can't figure out how to lean, though (only played it briefly), which is pretty major in tactical FPS's. It's pace is insane. I like that. I was introduced to it by way of my friend Jason D, who's more into wargames and such. And also competitive sports games. I can definitely see him getting NHL 2K12. Hopefully it's a lot better than 2K9, which has one hell of a learning curve (of course it is; the later ones always are, claimeth EA).
And finally, for all of the Halo fans, I have played Halo: Anniversary Edition. Didn't finish it - actually only did the first chapter. I'm saving that for a co-op playthrough with my friend Jason S; he bought it for me specifically for that purpose. And possibly playing on Live, which I did to see if it was old Halo redone. It's not. It's just Halo Reach, which actually caused me serious disappointment, but at least Halo Reach plays closer to classic Halo insofar as multiplayer is concerned, what with the shields and health. Halo CE with no shields is very, very, very, very fun to play. It's almost as fast - if not exactly as fast - as classic Doom.
And that is my gaming life over the past couple months in a nutshell. More like a busted nut.
Well, take care. I hope to see you all again soon.
So, that said, I guess it's time for an update. As you all know, I'm a huge fan of Fallout: New Vegas. So, I guess I should let you in on some opinions about the expansions.
Okay, so, the first one, Dead Money: Dead Money pissed a lot of people off, I can see. Probably because it was pretty GD hard. I actually rather enjoyed it because it was the only challenge I was pretty much getting without playing with the difficulty settings. The add-on was pretty good, but to be frank, the new waepons and whatnot were pretty mediocre.
Up next is Honest Hearts. What can I say about HH? Well, for starters, it's too short. It's maybe about 2 hours long, and if you finish it, it pretty much dries up the sidequests right then and there. Unlike DM, you can go back. Also, the weapons and items you get from HH are very, very awesome. A little too awesome, but great nonetheless.
Old World Blues is pretty much the best of the bunch. Not only because it's not two hours long, but it has an interesting story and most of the goodies are VERY awesome. HH awesome, but you'll actually need the firepower.
And finally, Lonesome Road. Lonesome Road is okay. It falls somewhere between DM and HH...more towards HH. There are some overly cheap encounters, and I really find that most of the equipment is inadequate for most of the later encounters.
Now, as an aside, I did also DL the Gunrunners' Arsenal Pack, and I have to say...It's an essential. It really is. Some of the stuff is just gear that Fallout players need to have, like the Bozar. I'm not saying it's amazing, just, you know, for continuity's sake (Fallout 2 fans know what I'm talking about).
The expansions themselves are also essential for people who care about loose ends; the expansions will do exactly that. Not sayin' which loose ends, but unlike Fallout 3, NV has far more loose ends to tie. If you have the game and the cash to burn, it can't do too much harm; it's another 20 or so hours of play. On the other hand, if you don't have the game, wait until the Game of the Year Ed. comes out; it's much better value.
So, what's new: Well, I caved and bought a PS3. I currently have Metal Gear Solid 4, Little Big Planet and the first two Resistance games.
I like MGS4 quite a bit. While still an inferior stealth title to Hitman: Blood Money and Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, it is still an excellent game. There are things about it that I don't like, though - namely stepping away from the item collecting to get around the environment. I'm at Chapter 3, and I'm not seeing anything like this. I really enjoyed this as it gave me a tangible sense of progress, and it really made you use your memory faculties. I'm not saying it's immaculate (Metal Gear on the NES is proof of this - but it's also like 18 years before MGS), but it certainly increases the depth of the game and gives it an adventure feel. This style of play is sadly lacking. I also dislike the 20 minute+ cutscenes. Kojima, you are a hack. Period. Luckily, the game doesn't suck.
Little Big Planet is very charming, and one thing I really like about it is there always seems to be something new about it. It was designed this way, I realise that, but few games that are deliver so well. And my girlfriend, K, absolutely loves being able to dress up Sack-Boy.
I've played the Resistance games for all of ten minutes each, so I can't really give them a thorough evaluation. However, they don't immediately impress me. They feel like something caught between Halo and Call of Duty, so I think a closer inspection is required.
Now, recently, I've been playing Skyrim, and anyone tracking me on Facebook or Raptr (Rabbi_Voody for those interested) will see this in spades. My initial impressions are fairly negative as far as RPGs go. Skyrim has done away with a lot of the stats that make TES a lot like DnD, which I know is a major piss-off to many fans. Regardless, it's actually a very good game. And that's all I'm going to say because I'm not going to spoil anything for you - which is why I'll be giving the Resistance games a fair go.
And yes, I did wait for it in line on the Midnight Release. Won't be doing that ever again; November plus sickness (which turned out to be strepthroat) equals really damned bad.
I also got a taste of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, and I have to say...it's alright. I can't figure out how to lean, though (only played it briefly), which is pretty major in tactical FPS's. It's pace is insane. I like that. I was introduced to it by way of my friend Jason D, who's more into wargames and such. And also competitive sports games. I can definitely see him getting NHL 2K12. Hopefully it's a lot better than 2K9, which has one hell of a learning curve (of course it is; the later ones always are, claimeth EA).
And finally, for all of the Halo fans, I have played Halo: Anniversary Edition. Didn't finish it - actually only did the first chapter. I'm saving that for a co-op playthrough with my friend Jason S; he bought it for me specifically for that purpose. And possibly playing on Live, which I did to see if it was old Halo redone. It's not. It's just Halo Reach, which actually caused me serious disappointment, but at least Halo Reach plays closer to classic Halo insofar as multiplayer is concerned, what with the shields and health. Halo CE with no shields is very, very, very, very fun to play. It's almost as fast - if not exactly as fast - as classic Doom.
And that is my gaming life over the past couple months in a nutshell. More like a busted nut.
Well, take care. I hope to see you all again soon.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Adventures In FanExpoLand
Adventures In FanExpoLand
Hey guys, on Aug. 27th, K. and I went to the Toronto FanExpo. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a huge cult convention that combines gaming, sci-fi, horror and anime. Celebrities come to give autographs, and there's an arseload of collectibles you can buy.
My initial reason for going was to get Lance Henrikson's signature on my copy of Red Faction 2 (ironic because I'm actually doing a review for Mass Effect, another game he provided voicework for)...but that didn't happen. The reason was because...well, I couldn't afford to blow $40 on an autograph. So...I'll wait until I can.
Anyway, being that I was there, I figured I could actually look at the gaming side of things. Ubisoft and Warner Interactive both had booths. Warner had posters up for The Lord of the Rings: War in the North and playable demos of Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 and Batman: Arkham City. Both looked fairly interesting, but I was honestly disappointed that there wasn't a demo of War in the North, too.
Ubisoft was showing off a playable demo of the new Assassin's Creed title, Just Dance 3 and a new game geared at what looks like training someone how to play a guitar. Pretty neat, actually. Unfortunately, I did not see a demo of the new Ghost Recon game, despite there being many posters littered about. However, I was really surprised that there wasn't demo material for Far Cry 3. Quite dismayed, actually. Especially considering that there was recently a new gameplay video on XBL. Hopefully it won't be a sleeper like Far Cry 2, which was an absolutely fantastic game.
There was also a Nintendo booth with 3DS's in full swing, although I wasn't able to actually see what was being played because it was basically the back of cube van, and of course, it was packed.
And finally, we come to the grand finale: The EB Games/Gamestop “booth”, which took up ¼ of the entire convention space. There were demos of Uncharted 3, the Halo CE remake and a new Disney game for the 360.
The whole event was sponsored by G4, Rogers (one of the three major media providers in Canada) and Gamestop, which is why an unnecessarily large portion of the floor was occupied by them. I hope that their presence is much more subdued next year. Gaming doesn't begin and end with those shills. It's not like they actually make the games they sell.
So, I thought the gaming section was pretty lacking. There were no local independent developers and neither EA Canada nor Bioware were present. And the only game-seller that could be considered “Canadian Content” was Zellers...oh wait, no, they're owned by Target.
I was also hoping to run into the guys from Reviews on the Run – they're one of the few pro reviewers I trust – but that didn't happen either. Oh well.
All and all, kinda neat – there were some pretty awesome costumes and the people were very nice. I'd like to thank John Waters on behalf of my girlfriend for being such a mensch and I'd like to thank the staff for being so helpful...even when they sent us in the wrong direction.
That said...gamers, unless the Reviews on the Run guys are there next year and/or you're a huge fan of everything else...you might want to avoid it until they get their priorities straight.
I'm still going to go next year. I didn't have enough time to play around with the gaming exhibits, so I'll definitely be doing that next time. I just hope that it's more than just Gamestop and their pets of the month because gaming is a lot more than Warner, Ubisoft, Disney and The Big Three (MS, Sony, Nintendo).
Monday, August 22, 2011
Metal Gear Review Is Up
Hey Guys and Gals,
The Metal Gear (NES) review is up. You can find it here. Enjoy. Bear in mind that I did play it on an FC Twin (an NES and SNES clone), but that does not cloud my review as I have played it on an original NES before.
So, what's next? Well, I still have to co-ordinate with Russell from The Real Life Gamer for another podcast. The goal will be to further expand on my AAA Games Length commentary (it's the post previous to this one, called "AAA Games Too Long My Ass").
Also, the Mass Effect (360) review is coming fairly soon. It is due at the end of the month as I recall.
I'm currently playing Darkstar One by Kalypso games on my 360. If you're yearning for something from the halcyon days of space sims, this one might be up your alley. It's fairly uncommon, so far that I can tell, but it's definitely worth a rent. I'll go deeper into it soon to see if it's worth the buy. Although...I only paid $10 for it...so...yeah.
I also found a wicked bargoon: Castlevania II: Simon's Quest for - I kid you not - $5. Granted, it was loose, but it goes for $30 or $40 loose on EBay, so I think I got a good deal, what say you?
Oh, and I'm getting rid of some games. Most are for the original XBox, but I'm also clearing out some of my SNES stuff that I no longer play. If you're interested, let me know.
That's all the news that's fit to print.
So, take care, hope you enjoyed your weekend and don't do anything I would.
The Metal Gear (NES) review is up. You can find it here. Enjoy. Bear in mind that I did play it on an FC Twin (an NES and SNES clone), but that does not cloud my review as I have played it on an original NES before.
So, what's next? Well, I still have to co-ordinate with Russell from The Real Life Gamer for another podcast. The goal will be to further expand on my AAA Games Length commentary (it's the post previous to this one, called "AAA Games Too Long My Ass").
Also, the Mass Effect (360) review is coming fairly soon. It is due at the end of the month as I recall.
I'm currently playing Darkstar One by Kalypso games on my 360. If you're yearning for something from the halcyon days of space sims, this one might be up your alley. It's fairly uncommon, so far that I can tell, but it's definitely worth a rent. I'll go deeper into it soon to see if it's worth the buy. Although...I only paid $10 for it...so...yeah.
I also found a wicked bargoon: Castlevania II: Simon's Quest for - I kid you not - $5. Granted, it was loose, but it goes for $30 or $40 loose on EBay, so I think I got a good deal, what say you?
Oh, and I'm getting rid of some games. Most are for the original XBox, but I'm also clearing out some of my SNES stuff that I no longer play. If you're interested, let me know.
That's all the news that's fit to print.
So, take care, hope you enjoyed your weekend and don't do anything I would.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Big Update - Aug. 5th, 2011
Hey everyone, as the title suggest, this update is frickin' huge.
First things first: the Beyond Good & Evil review is finally up. It has been finished since the beginning of the month, but because of a major glitch that erased most of the reviews, I had to painstakingly restore the page review by review. Now I really wish I had a newer computer.
Anyway, as the sign of the incompetent man-whore, Baldrick, says, GET IT HERE
Also, I didn't have time to brag about this, but I met Carrie Fisher (aka Princess frickin' Leia for the people who know Star Wars but not the real people that play the fictional characters) when I went to see her show "Wishful Drinking". If you haven't seen it on HBO, TMN, whatever, you have to. It's very, very funny. Better yet, see it live and get front-row seating; she interacts with the audience, it's very cool and much better than the HBO representation.
There's a book, too. To be honest, I haven't read any of Ms. Fisher's books, but at least one - Postcards From The Edge - has been made into a movie.
So, what does this have to do with gaming? Well...it's autograph #2. And not on Lego Star Wars, but one of my favourite Star Wars games - and games in general - on the XBox, Star Wars: Battlefront II. And she personalised it :D I was also hoping to get my Star Wars Trilogy and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back autographed, but to no avail. Meh. Well...not really "meh", it would have been cool, but she has better things to do than sign a million and a half things that everyone hands her.
So, here's the personalised autograph:
It's a crappy pic I know, so I'll tell ya what it says: "For Nate. Carrie Fisher".
Next up, new review poll. The title has changed, it's going to be based on the voting and writing time periods. But the product is still the same, so there.
So, the List is almost done, then after that, a new editorial about game length and then if nothing else, the Metal Gear NES review.
So, until the next posting, take care, play some games and don't play in the street. Unless you're playing street hockey. If so, watch our for the braindead ex; the last thing the world needs is another dented up classic car.
First things first: the Beyond Good & Evil review is finally up. It has been finished since the beginning of the month, but because of a major glitch that erased most of the reviews, I had to painstakingly restore the page review by review. Now I really wish I had a newer computer.
Anyway, as the sign of the incompetent man-whore, Baldrick, says, GET IT HERE
Also, I didn't have time to brag about this, but I met Carrie Fisher (aka Princess frickin' Leia for the people who know Star Wars but not the real people that play the fictional characters) when I went to see her show "Wishful Drinking". If you haven't seen it on HBO, TMN, whatever, you have to. It's very, very funny. Better yet, see it live and get front-row seating; she interacts with the audience, it's very cool and much better than the HBO representation.
There's a book, too. To be honest, I haven't read any of Ms. Fisher's books, but at least one - Postcards From The Edge - has been made into a movie.
So, what does this have to do with gaming? Well...it's autograph #2. And not on Lego Star Wars, but one of my favourite Star Wars games - and games in general - on the XBox, Star Wars: Battlefront II. And she personalised it :D I was also hoping to get my Star Wars Trilogy and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back autographed, but to no avail. Meh. Well...not really "meh", it would have been cool, but she has better things to do than sign a million and a half things that everyone hands her.
So, here's the personalised autograph:
Next up, new review poll. The title has changed, it's going to be based on the voting and writing time periods. But the product is still the same, so there.
So, the List is almost done, then after that, a new editorial about game length and then if nothing else, the Metal Gear NES review.
So, until the next posting, take care, play some games and don't play in the street. Unless you're playing street hockey. If so, watch our for the braindead ex; the last thing the world needs is another dented up classic car.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Review Poll Results for August
Hey everyone!
While the reviews page is being revamped, it's almost done! In more positive news, we actually have a clear lead for the review pool for August's review. This month, it will be Mass Effect for the XBox 360!
That said, after the reviews page is fixed, there will be a few articles. And the Beyond Good & Evil review will be with them, that's a promise!
First up is my long awaited list of ten games that need a reboot, followed by another article about a game being signed. After that, will be the posting of my Metal Gear (NES) review followed by an editorial about the length of AAA games.
Hope to see you back soon!
While the reviews page is being revamped, it's almost done! In more positive news, we actually have a clear lead for the review pool for August's review. This month, it will be Mass Effect for the XBox 360!
That said, after the reviews page is fixed, there will be a few articles. And the Beyond Good & Evil review will be with them, that's a promise!
First up is my long awaited list of ten games that need a reboot, followed by another article about a game being signed. After that, will be the posting of my Metal Gear (NES) review followed by an editorial about the length of AAA games.
Hope to see you back soon!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Update 08/02/2011
Hi, everyone!
To my fellow Canucks, I hope you're enjoying the long weekend! So, I realise I'm supposed to have a review up. Unfortunately, I actually have to fix my entire review page as two thirds of it has disappeared. No worries, I have the screens and text backed up to my hard drive.
That said, the review is done, it just needs to be posted. As you can imagine, I'm severel annoyed by this.
So, what's coming up?
Well, after the review, I'll be posting a list (*shudders*) of the ten games that I would most like to see either a modern sequel or a reboot, then an article about another game Igot signed by Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia to the uninformed) and then a review of Metal Gear for the NES. Oh, and I'll need to determine what the monthly review title will be and post a new poll.
After that, who knows?
Take it easy guys, enjoy the rest of the weekend (if you've got it off).
To my fellow Canucks, I hope you're enjoying the long weekend! So, I realise I'm supposed to have a review up. Unfortunately, I actually have to fix my entire review page as two thirds of it has disappeared. No worries, I have the screens and text backed up to my hard drive.
That said, the review is done, it just needs to be posted. As you can imagine, I'm severel annoyed by this.
So, what's coming up?
Well, after the review, I'll be posting a list (*shudders*) of the ten games that I would most like to see either a modern sequel or a reboot, then an article about another game Igot signed by Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia to the uninformed) and then a review of Metal Gear for the NES. Oh, and I'll need to determine what the monthly review title will be and post a new poll.
After that, who knows?
Take it easy guys, enjoy the rest of the weekend (if you've got it off).
Monday, July 25, 2011
Update
Hey guys,
I've been pretty silent as of late, so I figured I'd give you all an update of what's going on. First off, I actually have three articles on the go, and one of them is a freebie for a local newspaper to incentivise them into considering the creation of a gaming column (with my advice, of course). This one will be kept under wraps until they've actually read the article and gotten back to me.
The other two articles are a review for Metal Gear NES and a top ten list (I hate lists, but this was a challenge from a guy who's list I slagged, and I owe him the courtesy to return the favour) of games that I feel deserve a(n actual) reboot.
I will try to hammer out the Beyond Good and Evil review in the next couple of days. I've beaten it before, so playing it again is more of a memory refresher. Plus I still have the save file from when I beat it, so I could always go back to that if I so desired.
So, to the gentleman who I slagged (or at least his list), sorry it's taking a lot longer than anticipated. Digging in the old memory sometimes requires breaking through rock with a shovel as it were. But the articles are in the works. The Metal Gear NES review is bottom priority, so expect it last.
That said, sally forth with "paddles" in hand and kick some ass. When you're done, all should be right as Heavy Rain (hur hur hur).
I've been pretty silent as of late, so I figured I'd give you all an update of what's going on. First off, I actually have three articles on the go, and one of them is a freebie for a local newspaper to incentivise them into considering the creation of a gaming column (with my advice, of course). This one will be kept under wraps until they've actually read the article and gotten back to me.
The other two articles are a review for Metal Gear NES and a top ten list (I hate lists, but this was a challenge from a guy who's list I slagged, and I owe him the courtesy to return the favour) of games that I feel deserve a(n actual) reboot.
I will try to hammer out the Beyond Good and Evil review in the next couple of days. I've beaten it before, so playing it again is more of a memory refresher. Plus I still have the save file from when I beat it, so I could always go back to that if I so desired.
So, to the gentleman who I slagged (or at least his list), sorry it's taking a lot longer than anticipated. Digging in the old memory sometimes requires breaking through rock with a shovel as it were. But the articles are in the works. The Metal Gear NES review is bottom priority, so expect it last.
That said, sally forth with "paddles" in hand and kick some ass. When you're done, all should be right as Heavy Rain (hur hur hur).
Monday, July 4, 2011
New Review Poll
Hi everyone, how are you doing?
Hopefully my Canadian brethren had an awesome Canada day weekened, and the same to you Americans, who are just rolling out the end of your 4th of July weekend.
I've posted the new review poll for the month. Kind of forgot to do that when I made that fateful roll with my D6 to find out what the next game was, but it is indeed up.
No update on the editorial, though.
Play games, have fun, and dammit, get votin'!
Hopefully my Canadian brethren had an awesome Canada day weekened, and the same to you Americans, who are just rolling out the end of your 4th of July weekend.
I've posted the new review poll for the month. Kind of forgot to do that when I made that fateful roll with my D6 to find out what the next game was, but it is indeed up.
No update on the editorial, though.
Play games, have fun, and dammit, get votin'!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Reader Review Poll Results
Hey guys,
Looks like I was a little late with the review poll results; Canada Day weekend can be like that.
So, it looks like Beyond Good and Evil for the XBox is the next candidate for review. You can blame the dice.
Also, I'm in the process of writing a new editorial. It's not coming along at the pace I'd like it to, so I'm thinking it'll be done in a couple of weeks. Hopefully that's an underpromise followed by over-delivery.
Take it easy, and I'll see you all soon.
Looks like I was a little late with the review poll results; Canada Day weekend can be like that.
So, it looks like Beyond Good and Evil for the XBox is the next candidate for review. You can blame the dice.
Also, I'm in the process of writing a new editorial. It's not coming along at the pace I'd like it to, so I'm thinking it'll be done in a couple of weeks. Hopefully that's an underpromise followed by over-delivery.
Take it easy, and I'll see you all soon.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Update, June 28th, 2011
Hi everyone! Been awhile since an update. I must admit, I got lost in Fallout: New Vegas. Again.
At any rate, the review for Doom, the last game that you guys voted for (well, one of you did and it won the tie-breaker) is completed.
Also, you will notice that you have to log in to Blogger to comment. No worries, if you don't have a Blogger account, they're free.
Back onto the reason for this update: The Doom review. It can be found here.
While my review may come across as biased (and it is, I hold Doom with the highest level of esteem because few games have ever raised the bar so high), my perspective is also different because I've made a few mods for the game as well, and I briefly mention that in the review.
If you've never played the game, you really should. It's cheap, there's a crapload of quality user-made stuff for it and the multiplayer, as simple as it is, is frickin' amazing.
And of course, the source mods make what is old new again.
The ones I recommend are EDGE and ZDoom, and they're very easy to set up. Pretty much, you dump it into the directory where your main game file is (a .wad, or WADfile) and then run the executable for the source mod.
The only source mod I would recommend you stay away from is Doom 95, aka WinDoom (it's the one that comes with Doom: Collector's Edition). Mouse support is broken and I've had some major stability issues.
On that note, have a good weekend, everyone. In case I don't add anything until later next month, happy Canada Day (July 1st) to my fellow Canucks and happy Independence Day (July 4th) to my neighbours to the south.
At any rate, the review for Doom, the last game that you guys voted for (well, one of you did and it won the tie-breaker) is completed.
Also, you will notice that you have to log in to Blogger to comment. No worries, if you don't have a Blogger account, they're free.
Back onto the reason for this update: The Doom review. It can be found here.
While my review may come across as biased (and it is, I hold Doom with the highest level of esteem because few games have ever raised the bar so high), my perspective is also different because I've made a few mods for the game as well, and I briefly mention that in the review.
If you've never played the game, you really should. It's cheap, there's a crapload of quality user-made stuff for it and the multiplayer, as simple as it is, is frickin' amazing.
And of course, the source mods make what is old new again.
The ones I recommend are EDGE and ZDoom, and they're very easy to set up. Pretty much, you dump it into the directory where your main game file is (a .wad, or WADfile) and then run the executable for the source mod.
The only source mod I would recommend you stay away from is Doom 95, aka WinDoom (it's the one that comes with Doom: Collector's Edition). Mouse support is broken and I've had some major stability issues.
On that note, have a good weekend, everyone. In case I don't add anything until later next month, happy Canada Day (July 1st) to my fellow Canucks and happy Independence Day (July 4th) to my neighbours to the south.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Update June 1st, 2011
Hey guys,
For all those waiting with bated breath, the winner of the review poll is Doom. There was a 3-way tie, and my D4 came to the rescue to help me break it. Good thing, I had a bugger of a time tracking down my dice.
Time to clean the office again.
If you scroll down, you will also find the latest editorial, Video Games as Art. Sorry it took so long, I was trying not to come off as a pompous git. Oops, too late for that!
So, what's next month's poll going to include? You'll just have to find out. And vote. That always helps.
Until next time, and don't drop your controller on the tile. The tile will win.
For all those waiting with bated breath, the winner of the review poll is Doom. There was a 3-way tie, and my D4 came to the rescue to help me break it. Good thing, I had a bugger of a time tracking down my dice.
Time to clean the office again.
If you scroll down, you will also find the latest editorial, Video Games as Art. Sorry it took so long, I was trying not to come off as a pompous git. Oops, too late for that!
So, what's next month's poll going to include? You'll just have to find out. And vote. That always helps.
Until next time, and don't drop your controller on the tile. The tile will win.
New Article Template
Hey guys,
I have finished the template for the Series Review articles. These can branch across multiple platforms and while some may be short, others could wind up taking months to complete (if, for instance, I were to do an Elder Scrolls feature).
These will also be much lengthier review articles, and the games will not be scored. This isn't so much for the sake of objectivity and fairness so much as keeping it simple and straight-forward.
The Games as Art Editorial is also nearly ready. I'll post that up later this evening.
The first game series in the Series Review will be the NES Metal Gear titles, Metal Gear and Snake's Revenge. I have already finished Metal Gear (not like these are long games, after all), and Snake's Revenge is about the same length (having beaten it back in 1996), so I should be ready to post the prototype Series Review in a few days.
Take care, and I'll see you all again tonight!
I have finished the template for the Series Review articles. These can branch across multiple platforms and while some may be short, others could wind up taking months to complete (if, for instance, I were to do an Elder Scrolls feature).
These will also be much lengthier review articles, and the games will not be scored. This isn't so much for the sake of objectivity and fairness so much as keeping it simple and straight-forward.
The Games as Art Editorial is also nearly ready. I'll post that up later this evening.
The first game series in the Series Review will be the NES Metal Gear titles, Metal Gear and Snake's Revenge. I have already finished Metal Gear (not like these are long games, after all), and Snake's Revenge is about the same length (having beaten it back in 1996), so I should be ready to post the prototype Series Review in a few days.
Take care, and I'll see you all again tonight!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Update: May 22, 2011
Hey guys, I bought a system!
We've finally acquired a Wii. We bought it used, so my first impression was that it's a royal pain to set up.
We bought it from a Hock Shop in Orillia, ON. and it was a pretty wicked deal; $100 with 2 games and Wii-mote with the Nunchaku attachment, and we got a second for another $35, which is a steal because they go for almost $70 new. If it were any other pawn shop, or EB Games/Gamespot, this wouldn't have happened.
So, we take it home, clean the schmutz off of a controller and then...have to deal with a parental lock, which is the reason why I thought it was a pain to set up - so this is something that's going to transcend to just about any used system after the N64.
This is significant because the parental lock can stop you from web-browsing - let alone connecting to a network to do so, and with a secure Wi-Fi setup, this is a heck of a roadblock.
This is the first used console that I've bought from the current generation, and to be honest, I thought they all just came with a master reset button. That would be practical, but that isn't the case.
To fix this, we had to go to YouTube, krutz with the Parental Lock controls and then call Ninty to uncensor our Wii.
To anyone selling a console, I impore you, please - please - do your fellow gamers a solid and remove the parental lock codes if you've set any. You have no idea how much a pain it is getting something home and not even being able to use it because someone forgot to uncensor the system before getting rid of it. Also, it wouldn't hurt to clean the cheese-whiz off the controllers with a damp cloth and some Lysol. Yeah, it was just a little gross.
Luckily, the second controller was not only clean, but in near-mint condition.
After we got the parental lock removed, everything went smoothly and I've downloaded the browser, which I used to write this update. I wouldn't recommend doing that because you can only read two lines at a time - which is why I'm editing it on my PC.
However, the browser is more than functional, and I wish I had this on my 360. I can go to any webpage (that I normally go to, go Doomworld!) and if the text is too small, I can zoom in and out as I need to, and the Wii-mote is like a mouse. Unfortunately, the placement of the buttons on the Wii-Mote are not conducive to everything it does and using a keyboard is not as user-friendly as it could be because the Wii does not support text highlighting and the Home and End functions don't work. Feh.
So, yes, I'm late to the game with a Wii, and there's not a whole lot of Wii games I want. But the Virtual Console has River City Ransom and Kirby's Adventure for less than I'd pay for the cartridges. And I can get Ys I and II for the TG16 so I can actually play the series up to the third game (which is the only one I've played, on my SNES).
And despite the derivative gameplay of Quantum of Solace (one of my two free games - what can I say, the selection sucked), I REALLY like using the Wii-Mote for first-person shooting. That alone is a wicked-sick selling point, and from the Wii games I've played over the last couple years, I know it's been squandered.
So I'll be getting a few games on the VC, maybe get the Goldeneye remake, and I will definitely be holding out for New SMB Wii (it's a little too expensive for me at the moment). And probably Super Smash Brothers Brawl.
The Real Life Gamer also recommended The Conduit 2, and apparently Sangoku Basara: Samurai Heroes is available in North America, so there might be some more titles I'll be checking out. And remember, it's all free game for reviewing.
Being that it also plays NGC games, I'll also eventually be getting Super Smash Brothers Melee, Phantasy Star Online and maybe Viewtiful Joe.
And now there's a new system to add to my Now Playing articles. I'll also be adding my DS to that feature, too. I've had it for a couple years, but I hardly use it. And now I'm working through Breath of Fire 2 again. Go figure. Long story with that, and I'll tell you when I run the next feature, so you'll want to stay tuned for that.
I'm still working on the Games as Art article, it needs a lot of editing, plus I'm still in the process of tracking the graphics down, so I hope it will be done within the coming week. As far as reviews go, I'm more than 3/4 of the way through Bionic Commando, so that review will be ready in a week or so. You'll definitely want to stay tuned for that.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Happy Victoria Day to my fellow Canucks, and if you have a Wii, don't use it to write blog posts. Even as a lark. Oy.
We've finally acquired a Wii. We bought it used, so my first impression was that it's a royal pain to set up.
We bought it from a Hock Shop in Orillia, ON. and it was a pretty wicked deal; $100 with 2 games and Wii-mote with the Nunchaku attachment, and we got a second for another $35, which is a steal because they go for almost $70 new. If it were any other pawn shop, or EB Games/Gamespot, this wouldn't have happened.
So, we take it home, clean the schmutz off of a controller and then...have to deal with a parental lock, which is the reason why I thought it was a pain to set up - so this is something that's going to transcend to just about any used system after the N64.
This is significant because the parental lock can stop you from web-browsing - let alone connecting to a network to do so, and with a secure Wi-Fi setup, this is a heck of a roadblock.
This is the first used console that I've bought from the current generation, and to be honest, I thought they all just came with a master reset button. That would be practical, but that isn't the case.
To fix this, we had to go to YouTube, krutz with the Parental Lock controls and then call Ninty to uncensor our Wii.
To anyone selling a console, I impore you, please - please - do your fellow gamers a solid and remove the parental lock codes if you've set any. You have no idea how much a pain it is getting something home and not even being able to use it because someone forgot to uncensor the system before getting rid of it. Also, it wouldn't hurt to clean the cheese-whiz off the controllers with a damp cloth and some Lysol. Yeah, it was just a little gross.
Luckily, the second controller was not only clean, but in near-mint condition.
After we got the parental lock removed, everything went smoothly and I've downloaded the browser, which I used to write this update. I wouldn't recommend doing that because you can only read two lines at a time - which is why I'm editing it on my PC.
However, the browser is more than functional, and I wish I had this on my 360. I can go to any webpage (that I normally go to, go Doomworld!) and if the text is too small, I can zoom in and out as I need to, and the Wii-mote is like a mouse. Unfortunately, the placement of the buttons on the Wii-Mote are not conducive to everything it does and using a keyboard is not as user-friendly as it could be because the Wii does not support text highlighting and the Home and End functions don't work. Feh.
So, yes, I'm late to the game with a Wii, and there's not a whole lot of Wii games I want. But the Virtual Console has River City Ransom and Kirby's Adventure for less than I'd pay for the cartridges. And I can get Ys I and II for the TG16 so I can actually play the series up to the third game (which is the only one I've played, on my SNES).
And despite the derivative gameplay of Quantum of Solace (one of my two free games - what can I say, the selection sucked), I REALLY like using the Wii-Mote for first-person shooting. That alone is a wicked-sick selling point, and from the Wii games I've played over the last couple years, I know it's been squandered.
So I'll be getting a few games on the VC, maybe get the Goldeneye remake, and I will definitely be holding out for New SMB Wii (it's a little too expensive for me at the moment). And probably Super Smash Brothers Brawl.
The Real Life Gamer also recommended The Conduit 2, and apparently Sangoku Basara: Samurai Heroes is available in North America, so there might be some more titles I'll be checking out. And remember, it's all free game for reviewing.
Being that it also plays NGC games, I'll also eventually be getting Super Smash Brothers Melee, Phantasy Star Online and maybe Viewtiful Joe.
And now there's a new system to add to my Now Playing articles. I'll also be adding my DS to that feature, too. I've had it for a couple years, but I hardly use it. And now I'm working through Breath of Fire 2 again. Go figure. Long story with that, and I'll tell you when I run the next feature, so you'll want to stay tuned for that.
I'm still working on the Games as Art article, it needs a lot of editing, plus I'm still in the process of tracking the graphics down, so I hope it will be done within the coming week. As far as reviews go, I'm more than 3/4 of the way through Bionic Commando, so that review will be ready in a week or so. You'll definitely want to stay tuned for that.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Happy Victoria Day to my fellow Canucks, and if you have a Wii, don't use it to write blog posts. Even as a lark. Oy.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
New Review
Hey guys,
The Serious Sam 2 re-review is now finished. Catch it here!
Next review that I'll be working on will be Bionic Commando for the XBox 360. So, finally something a little modern, eh?
I'm also considering doctoring up all of my older reviews, including placing screenshots and anchors on the page for easier navigation. What do you think, would you guys like to see that? Maybe I'll even edit some of them, too, bring them up to the same quality as the new ones? What would you guys think of that?
By the way, don't forget to vote on the next game to be reviewed. A word to the wise, ignore Snake's Revenge. It's guaranteed to be reviewed in a new type of review concept that I will be planning, called Series Reviews. These will focus on games in a series, although not an entire series. For instance, I'm planning on doing one for Ninja Gaiden on the XBox and XBox 360. This will exclude Ninja Gaiden Black, Ninja Gaiden Sigma and Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma. It will also be excluding the NES and arcade versions, as well as console ports of the arcade game.
The Series Review is an article, so it will not have its own page, but instead will show up on the main page.
If my own reviews are an indication of anything, these will be just as deep, so expect lengthy articles when these guys hit.
The Serious Sam 2 re-review is now finished. Catch it here!
Next review that I'll be working on will be Bionic Commando for the XBox 360. So, finally something a little modern, eh?
I'm also considering doctoring up all of my older reviews, including placing screenshots and anchors on the page for easier navigation. What do you think, would you guys like to see that? Maybe I'll even edit some of them, too, bring them up to the same quality as the new ones? What would you guys think of that?
By the way, don't forget to vote on the next game to be reviewed. A word to the wise, ignore Snake's Revenge. It's guaranteed to be reviewed in a new type of review concept that I will be planning, called Series Reviews. These will focus on games in a series, although not an entire series. For instance, I'm planning on doing one for Ninja Gaiden on the XBox and XBox 360. This will exclude Ninja Gaiden Black, Ninja Gaiden Sigma and Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma. It will also be excluding the NES and arcade versions, as well as console ports of the arcade game.
The Series Review is an article, so it will not have its own page, but instead will show up on the main page.
If my own reviews are an indication of anything, these will be just as deep, so expect lengthy articles when these guys hit.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Podcast News
Hi everyone,
Some of you might have noticed/read that I would be on a podcast panel with Russell Carey from The Real Life Gamer about violence and censoreship in media. Give it a listen, have a laugh and a cringe!
Some of you might have noticed/read that I would be on a podcast panel with Russell Carey from The Real Life Gamer about violence and censoreship in media. Give it a listen, have a laugh and a cringe!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Update - May 11th, 2011
Hi everyone,
I think it's about time for an update. This week has been pretty interesting. I've been helping Russell Carey, the owner of The Real Life Gamer, edit his works. Yeah, yeah, yuck it up.
On top of that, I had to postpone the Winback reviewing first because my memory card fried and then I had to by a new N64 controller because the stick sensitivity was too reduced to play past this one point. I got the new controller yesterday, and I got past the part I needed to with bells on. First try at it. Now I'm more than half-way through and I've killed 4 of the bosses so far. I think. Meh.
I'm also about half-way through Serious Sam 2, so hopefully I'll even have a review up for it, too.
I'll be putting together another editorial soon, and I may be involved in a podcast about violence and gaming (as well as other media) with Russell and one other. I guess I'll just have to see if I can find a mic.
So, stay tuned, lots ahead. And keep your controller in-hand.
I think it's about time for an update. This week has been pretty interesting. I've been helping Russell Carey, the owner of The Real Life Gamer, edit his works. Yeah, yeah, yuck it up.
On top of that, I had to postpone the Winback reviewing first because my memory card fried and then I had to by a new N64 controller because the stick sensitivity was too reduced to play past this one point. I got the new controller yesterday, and I got past the part I needed to with bells on. First try at it. Now I'm more than half-way through and I've killed 4 of the bosses so far. I think. Meh.
I'm also about half-way through Serious Sam 2, so hopefully I'll even have a review up for it, too.
I'll be putting together another editorial soon, and I may be involved in a podcast about violence and gaming (as well as other media) with Russell and one other. I guess I'll just have to see if I can find a mic.
So, stay tuned, lots ahead. And keep your controller in-hand.
Update May 15, 2011
Hey everyone,
As you all know, the next review that I'm putting up is Winback: Covert Operations for the Nintendo 64. No, I'm not posting to remark on delays. In fact, I'm almost done writing the review, so expect it up by Tuesday, if not before.
I'll also be putting together a new editorial on the topic of video games as an art form, and I'm hoping that Russell over at The Real Life Gamer and I can get that podcast on media censorship done soon. When it's done, it'll be available over at his webpage.
Keep your eyes peeled and controllers in-hand.
As you all know, the next review that I'm putting up is Winback: Covert Operations for the Nintendo 64. No, I'm not posting to remark on delays. In fact, I'm almost done writing the review, so expect it up by Tuesday, if not before.
I'll also be putting together a new editorial on the topic of video games as an art form, and I'm hoping that Russell over at The Real Life Gamer and I can get that podcast on media censorship done soon. When it's done, it'll be available over at his webpage.
Keep your eyes peeled and controllers in-hand.
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