Blog Banter is a group of bloggers passionate about anything and everything video games. We enjoy getting together once a month to write about the same subject. You will be amazed at the different viewpoints so many people can have on the exact same topic! Links to all the participant’s articles can be found here. If you are interested in participating, contact bs angel for more information. Enjoy our stories!
This month’s Blog Banter topic is “New Year Resolutions” and gaming. I don’t really like the idea of “resolutions” as they often are nebulous and don’t have a tangible result. When I look out at the new year before me, I think of changes I’d like to make in terms of goals. Sure, a great resolution would be to “eat better” but that doesn’t get results. A goal of “lose 25 pounds” on the other hand, is what I need to motivate me to stick to the change. Rewards don’t hurt, either, but that’s a different subject.
So this year’s New Year’s Goal for Gaming for me is to branch out, try something new. I’ve always played the old stand-bys: I stick to a few specific genres like first person shooters (Halo 3, The Orange Box) or action games (Crackdown) or Nintendo propeties (Zelda Phantom Hourglass, Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3). It’s time to branch out!
Resident Evil was a series I never got into. I played a couple hours of the RE remake for the Gamecube, but that didn’t float my boat. I thought about giving Resident Evil Zero a try but never got around to it. It wasn’t until I played Resident Evil 4 at Game Crazy one afternoon that really got my attention. I picked it up and never looked back. RE4 has become one of my favorite games, ever. I never played any of the “survival horror” games before this but Resident Evil 4 opened my eyes.
I’m hoping the same thing will happen again this year. I’m not sure what game it will be, but it has to be something I never would have thought twice about before. Maybe it will be Culdcept Saga for the 360. Maybe I’ll pick up a PSP, a console I never would have thought I’d ever pick up. I may go totally off the deep-end and give Endless Ocean a try. The possibilities are limitless!
That’s a good goal. I’ve been trying to break out of my comfort zone lately too. Mass Effect is the first RPG I have ever played. Can’t say I’m that into it but it isn’t horrible, that’s for sure.
And I love my PSP. I can’t travel without it. 🙂
dear god PLEASE don’t get endless Ocean! PLEASE! It’s absolutely terrible! If you feel you absolutely MUST try it, rent it, or get it from gamefly or something but don’t buy it.
That Endless Ocean game looks neat but I’m definately renting it. I think it’s something my kid would love and I’d probably tinker with it for a while.
I kind of made a similar decision a while back and I want to play and actully get into an RTS. I’ve tried a few on the 360 and Company of Heroes and a few other ones a while back on my ex housemates PC, but always found I lost interest within hours.
Alternatively a GameCube or Wii are on my list, so I might actually play my first Zelda game!
Good Luck with yours!
Oooh!
I am so happy to hear someone mentioned Endless Ocean!
Its coming out in a few weeks, and I can’t wait for that game!
Sea exploration…online play.. beautiful graphics and music…so relaxing!
I have Resident Evil 4 myself, but am too scared to continue playing it.
I have a PSP, but I don’t use it much. Mainly for Lumines.
You never mentioned whether you played any of the other RE games, so if you haven’t, RE: Zero actually was fun for me.
I’m not one for CCGs, but the Culdcept Saga demo kept me interested. It’s also interesting what you said about the PSP. I’d written that console off a while ago, but now there are a few games that have me curious.
@BS – I would say give Mass Effect a little more time, but that isn’t fair. If you aren’t into it, more time probably won’t change that.
@FS – Why the Endless Ocean hate?
@Brock – It will definitely be a rental but I’m hoping the kids will like it.
@Cat – Playing a Zelda for the first time would be a great place to try something new.
@Silver – RE4 is one the best games. Do yourself a favor and give it another try.
@Deckard – I heard the control schemes for RE0 were a pain. I have a copy of it somewhere, maybe I’ll give it a try on the Wii.
@Terry – I’m not a fan of CCGs either, but the idea of Culdcept seems intriguing. The PSP seems like a sharp piece of kit. With some great games coming out this year, it may be worth it to finally take the plunge.
If you like survival horrors, you might like the Silent Hill series. If you’re planning to pick up a PSP, I HIGHLY recommend Silent Hill Origins.
The Silent Hill style of survival horror is quite different from Resident Evil though the control scheme is pretty similar from the PS versions. The Silent Hill storyline is so much more complex and enveloping and there are fewer cheap scares and more just plain creepy moments. The environments in the game are what nightmares are made of. Silent Hill is more disturbing and psychological as opposed to action packed and run-and-gun which is what makes me love it.
Check it out!
Now I can’t wait to start Silent Hill: Origins! That’s another game that still doesn’t have its seal broken yet.
And I haven’t gone back to Mass Effect. *sigh
“Maybe I’ll pick up a PSP, a console I never would have thought I’d ever pick up”
I never thought I’d get one either, but… that deal on ebay was just too good! So now I’m the proud owner of a PSP!
@fs – nice work. How much did you pick one up for?
$80. it even had custom firmware on it already (YAY FOR PORTABLE EMULATORS!)