Mashing buttons since 1984
In what I believe to be a brilliant move Criterion has released an update for Burnout Paradise that adds motorcycles to the game.
I have played it and I claim it to be Good.TM
In this day of mass consumerism it takes a lot for a movie, a game—anything really—to strike a chord. With movies, I can think of only four times that it has happened to me. The first time was when I was five and the credits rolled at the end of Star Wars. The second was a year later when I screamed with Luke Skywalker in the scene in The Empire Strikes Back. It wasn’t until years later that Saving Private Ryan moved me to tears in realizing if I’m earning this. I reeled in shock as The Sixth Sense shattered my perceived notions of cinema.
Last night, I was a kid again.
However, it may have been a movie like The Sixth Sense that took our public’s perceptions of cinema where people tend to over-analyze each and every movie, book, video game, and other such type of entertainment. (Thank you, J.J. Abrams and Lost.) What I’m about to mention was not accepted by the public at large. However, that’s okay. I think that it’s a cinema tour de force.
The movie that caused my boys and I to literally stand up and cheer was Speed Racer.
It—to borrow the cliche—had it all: candy for kids, an underlying adult plot, eye candy, a mystery man, redemption, slapstick, drama, excellent sound effects, appropriate acting, an excellent soundtrack, and a monkey. A monkey!
If you have not seen this movie and you would like some escapism that doesn’t seem to care who is watching, but seems to enjoy itself then this is a movie for you. It is just self-indulgent fun. It has probably the best crescendo of excitement in a movie I’ve ever witnessed. It’s over-the-top and a blast.
I have no complaints (even with its length). We received the movie from Netflix and immediately went out and paid good money for the overpriced Blu-Ray. My one regret is that I did not experience it on the big screen.
I believe this movie will be a cult classic.
This is going to get long, as it’s a first-impressions post for some of these games, and probably more than you’d care to read. Here’s what we’ve been playing.
Tony:
360:
Soul Calibur IV
I’m still in the buttonmashing (duh) phase of my play-through, but I’m already hooked on the customization and unlocking. Can’t get enough of it. SC IV looks great and handles very well. I’m not fully comfortable with all the moves and combos but I’m getting the hang of it. I’ve got a long way to go, however. I got into a ranked game online the other night and got beat down pretty good. The guy I was fighting was pulling off five and six hit combos while I was flailing around trying to hit him.
I’ll be playing SC IV for a while.
Battlefield: Bad Company
GW2 – If you’ve seen me on Live lately, this is probably what I’ve been playing. I love the original Geometry Wars and GW2 is six times better. With the six different game modes, each one with a hook, I’m loving it. The integration with hi scores and your friend’s list is genius. Everytime you play a game, up in the corner where the high score is displayed, shows the score of whoever on your friends list has a higher score than you do. It’s absolute genius. Every time I play a game I’m reminded that I need to catch Greg on Pacifism, Kim on Evolved and Masem on just about everything else.
Pacifism, the game where you don’t get to shoot (you know, in a shooting game), is by far my favorite game mode. While they’re all a blast, I find myself playing Pacifism more than any other.
Grand Theft Auto IV
PC:
I’ve also been playing a few games on the PC, but mostly brower-based.
Corpse Craft – This is another one of those links I saw come across the Twitter wire. I don’t remember who linked this one but I’ve been playing it non-stop. The easiest way to explain Corpse Craft is to combine Bejeweled and an RTS-lite game. Then, take those two games and throw in Zombies. Yeah, I know, your mind is blown. Just check it out.
Also, check out Whirled while you’re at it. It’s another flash-based gaming site, a-la Kongregate, complete with achievements and other perks.
The last game I’ve been spending time with is another browser based game called Fallen Sword. It’s a simple little RPG, with a bit of an MMO-feel. It’s all turn based combat and moves, but it’s a bit addicting. I always sneak in a few turns any time I sit down at the PC.
So that’s what I’ve been playing. I know Nat will be updating this post later as well with his current line-up.
(And here I am…)Nat:
360
Too Human: I think you’ve heard enough from me about it.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed: I feel that this game, while good, is so full of lost potential that I hope to have it competed by the end of this week in order to get a good trade for it. There are some “wow!” moments, and there are some “what?” moments. I generally give out a lot of “sigh” moments.
PS3
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction: This is a game that is just fun to play. It helps that it’s a visual treat as well.
The Last Guy, Pain, Super Stardust HD, and Everyday Shooter: I’m finding some of the offerings on the PSN Store to be a real treat. I spend most of my time here.
PSP
Exit: I played the demo on XBLA and loved it. The style. The pacing. It fits. I don’t know why I never bought it. I guess I wanted to play it on the PSP first. Finding it for $10 was the best game deal I’ve had all year. It’s my, ahem, toilet title.
PC
Spore: I don’t know why I purchased this. I’ve played it a total of five times, and I think I may be done with it. I’ve not even reached the beloved space stage. I’d rather just create creatures and vehicles.
What I’ve not been playing.
The DS or the Wii. When we do play the Wii, it’s Bloom Blox.
(…and now back to Tony: Nat)
What have you been playing?
This is about crates and barrels in videogames.
(I’m gone on travel this week for business, so I’m working my way through my old drafts. Hope you enjoy some oldies and goldies)
I have specifically been avoiding professional reviews for this one because, frankly, I don’t trust them anymore. The only info I have about it is from a developer diary video. I think he’s an apprentice to Vader.
In what I think was the best ending to a game (Evar.), someone has redone it with type.
Portal – Still Alive typography from Trickster on Vimeo.
Thank you Aeropause.
Can a game that a blogger was so adamant against getting because of low “professionally reviewed” scores be any good?
Surprisingly, the reviewers got it all wrong. However, most “professional” reviewers compared it to what they thought it should be (i.e. what was promised) and they did not review it for how it stood as a final product. However, this game can be summed up in two words: lost potential. Is it still fun?
DO: Cut down anything that moves using the left thumbstick to move and the right thumbstick to attack. Gamepad buttons confer bonuses and a dodge.
TYPE: Third-person action.
PLATFORM: 360
PRICE: $59.99
MEAT: You play as Baldur, a semi-god, who with his brothers protects the human race in the future. The plot loosley follows Norse mythology. Actually, the plot is convoluted unless you know a little bit of the mythology. Even then, don’t try to understand it. There is a surprising twist at the end that does make some sense in the narrative. However, unintentionally, this is a game for just playing. (Did Pac Man need a story to be fun?) Your character progresses by loot grinding through four worlds. (There’s an alternate world that basically offers nothing called Cyberspace–an exploration map that nets you armor perks but is probably there just to frustrate you by getting you lost.) Every item has its own look, perks, and can be color customized. This is a game for weapon and armor customization nuts. This is also a game for those who like to RPG farm. There’s a wonderful co-op mode that blends well with the core gameplay and skips the narrative altogether. It only supports two players, but four may be coming via update. There may be some new classes added to the included five (Berserker, Defender, Champion, Commando, and Bioengineer). The classes don’t change the style of play that much because the enemies pretty much all attack the same way.
PERKS: excellent visuals; satisfying combat (sliding especially); loads of items; replayable for grind nuts; wonderful finishing moves
SCREAMS: to use it’s potential: story, combat, enemy variety; better class distinction; change a couple of boss battles to be fun and not grinds; eliminate enemy ranged attacks for the sake of difficulty–maybe actually code some enemey AI other than “mob the player”; add a defensive move other than dodge; it wants to be epic and there’s glimpses of that, but the potential is lost
VERDICT: Rent. Buy it when it’s a budget title.
Proof being in the pudding. Here’s my gamercard to show I beat the thing.
On oldie but goldie: Wario Gives an Account of a Mario Kart Race for Strangers at a Bar.
I HATE Rainbow Road with a burning rage.
If you would have asked me in January of this year what game I would have been looking forward to playing the most it would not have been Little Big Planet. Heh. I didn’t even expect to have a PS3.
What you’re about to see is all in-game.
I’ve been super busy this week, but obviously not around these parts. I’ve been working into the wee hours of the morning over at my Ohio State blog in preparation for one of, if not the, biggest college football games this season, Ohio State vs. USC.
That’s not to say I’m neglecting my video games. Not at all. In fact, we had just put in a bunch of time with the Geometry Wars 2 multiplayer modes. Absolutely fantastic. I didn’t think Pacifism would work with more than one person, but it is a riot with three people.
So stick with me over the next couple days. I’ll still be around, my mind is just elsewhere. If you don’t follow college football and you don’t hear from me in a week, you can rest assured things didn’t go how I had hoped.