I usually leave the video-game-food-blogging to the other sites, but this was too cool to pass up:
(Bioshock Big Daddy & Little Sister bento! from kickintheheadcomic’s Flickr Photostream)
Mashing buttons since 1984
by Tony 4 Comments
I usually leave the video-game-food-blogging to the other sites, but this was too cool to pass up:
(Bioshock Big Daddy & Little Sister bento! from kickintheheadcomic’s Flickr Photostream)
by Nat 5 Comments
It has a top-notch presentaiton and the audio and visuals are outstanding. I’m not too deep into the story, but I hear it gets convoluted really fast.
I’ve put about 45 minutes into this game.
I’ve pressed a controller button about ten times.
If this is the future of next generation gaming, count me out. I’m sure that this may change the deeper I get into the game, but for cryin’ out loud, let me play! I don’t know what the (seemingly) recent trend is to put 20-30 minute intros into a game before there is even any real gameplay, but it’s driving me nuts. Here are some recent games I’ve played: Okami, 20 minutes; about every Mario game since the Gamecube, 20 minutes, Eternal Sonata, 15 minutes; Final Fantasy Crisis Core, 10 minutes; and Metal Gear Solid 4, a whopping 40+ minutes.
Yes, some of the fluff can be skipped, but some of it cannot be. I guess that’s why I’m drawn to games such as Space Invaders Extreme and Galaga (a remake coming soon…another trend—but one I like). Give me the pew pews.
In looking back on the games I’ve enjoyed the most in the last year, they have been those that are either short on story or they use the gaming experience to tell the story. Bioshock is an excellent example of a game that uses itself to advance the storyline and Half-Life 2 is another example (somewhat). Assassin’s Creed with it’s forced cutscenes is not.
There were a lot of moments in the opening scenes of Metal Gear Solid 4 that I could have played, but I guess it was not to be. Apparently, this is the style of play that gamers want—at least in this instance for PS3 owners, who are coming close to pushing this title to over 1 million sold in the U.S.
Yes, the game is epic. I’ll give it that. The whole “press one button to play” mentality just reminds me of the people in the movie Wall-E. Of course, this trend might be going the other way if a game like Mega Man 9 (possible old-school difficult) proves to sell well.
Hopefully, we’ll have both. Some can pay $60+ for their glorified movie viewer, and some can pay $10+ for their buttonmashing pew pews.
I have been swamped (SWAMPED!) at work the past couple of weeks on a project that has sucked up a large portion of my free time. When I finally to get a free moment, I’m so spent from my other duties that I haven’t had a desire to do much gaming. I’m finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel at work and my mood is already lifting. I’m ready to pick up the familiar controller and get back in the game.
In order to gear up for a great week of gaming when GTA IV and Mario Kart Wii are released, I figure I should knock out another game in my queue before everything gets pushed back to make room for the newcomers. I got very close to finishing Bioshock last year, so I figure now would be a good time to get back to that and finish it up. I really want to see how it ends.
I’m also making my way through Super Mario Galaxy, which I am still thoroughly enjoying. The kids love to watch me play it, so that’s our bonding game. I can’t get over how much fun platforming is again.
I’m also eying a couple DS games, but I’ll probably hold off on those until the real gaming lull hits this summer. I’ve got enough on my plate.
What are you guys playing? Planning on picking up either Mario Kart Wii or GTA IV?
by Tony 4 Comments
I just did the unthinkable — I attacked a Big Daddy (an Elite Bouncer, to be exact) with my pipe wrench. I was near a vita-chamber (a respawn point) and decided to pound a Big Daddy to a pulp with my wrench. It actually took a while but I did it. I’m not sure why I did, maybe I was hoping it was one of the secret achievements or something, but I took him down. Down to Chinatown. Sure, I went down a dozen times myself, but that’s beside the point.
So, ya, I’ve been busy playing Bioshock. Absolutely excellent game. If you want to read more about the game, I suggest you read Tom’s piece over at G-pinions.
I’ve also been busy posting at my other blog, Men of the Scarlet and Gray. College Football started tonight and we’ve been in preview mode all week over there getting ready for the 2007 Ohio State Football season to begin.
But I am alive and I believe my co-bloggers are as well. We’re still playing games when we can and regular posting should resume shortly. As far as games go, I think it will be Bioshock with a dash of Everquest 2 until Halo 3 for me, and then copious amounts of Halo 3. I’ve been actively recruiting work-mates to get in on the Halo 3 bandwagon. The more the merry! Hard to believe it’s less than a month away.
by Tony 2 Comments
I won’t get around to playing this until the little mashers are tucked in bed, but I’m pretty stoked about how I got it for a killer price. You can read the details of what happened in this CAG forum post, but the gist of it is I had to go to Wal-mart since Circuit City had sold out. The CC ad had two prices, one for the 360 version of the game and one was for the PC version, which is ten dollars cheaper. I walked out of Wal-mart with Bioshock costing me $39.99. Not too shabby.
Update: I played Bioshock way too late last night and all I can think about now is getting back to Rapture. Never mind I have a conference tomorrow at 7:00AM! I can survive on four hours of sleep!
So Bioshock, native wide screen or not, is an amazing game thus far. My brother in law was in town last night, so I had a partner in crime for the first few hours in Rapture. Playing with others watching is always more fun. Visually, it’s stunning. The atmosphere feels perfect. The whole steam punk/dystopia motif works very well. Sounds and voices are equally up to the task. So far, so good.
I never really get into the “Are games Art?” debate because I don’t feel anywhere near qualified to say anything of value. But a lot has been made of Bioshock and the choices you’re presented with as a way to evoke emotion. I didn’t think much of it until I was actually presented with the “choice.” For those of you who have played it, you know which one I mean. What did you think of it? It actually made me pause to consider what path I should follow. For a brief moment it stopped being a fun game. That hardly ever happens to me.
So in short, Bioshock (moral choices or not) is a great ride so far. I hope to get a few more hours in tonight.
by Tony 8 Comments
I was just perusing the Sunday ads and noticed that Circuit City will be selling Bioshock for $49.99 (10$ off). Even though I haven’t played the demo and am packaging up my dead Xbox 360 as we speak, I will still be picking this up (I’ll be playing it on a borrowed 360).
I think it’s safe to recommend this game to everyone who loves videogames.