weekDAY gaming(2/1/10)- What are YOU still playing?

[Purple Santa]

It is lights out for the Weekend. Maybe leave a night light on for those who still are on their weekend retreat. For the rest, the fluorescent lighting of the weekday switch is flipped to the on position; another switch another sweet transition back to the longer part of the week. Our quests begin or continue whatever they are. To the quests of the week, success to them and the challenges they will bring.

My plans for the week include creating and finishing a presentation that will be done two weeks early. Satisfy the educrats cravings for more paperwork from their minions. And hopefully start this week the group work that was to begin last week. As for the weekend, some productive gaming done with these:

Silent Hill Shattered Memories- Less combat more disturbing storyline. And no waggle. Great way to revisit my favorite resort town.

GTA:CTW- working slowly through the mission tree.

PapiJump- my go to game now if I’m on the go or just need a minute of gaming. I will be joining a support group soon for my addiction.

Picked up put down: Forza 2, Mirror’s Edge. F2, I bought cheap because I keep thinking I like these games. ME2, I forgot how the combat worked, then was having nausea from all the movement.

Throw in some mandatory reading/writing for class and that was my weekend. Leave your weekend tales here as well as the week plans for your gaming needs. What did and will YOU play?

[Widgetcraft]

Well, I'm downloading the beta for Mortal Online (http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/showthread.php?p=474883), so I'm going to check that out later today. I bought Psychonauts early on Friday, and I've been playing a bit of that over the weekend (my progress was delayed by an unfortunate fever that put me on my ass for the entirety of Saturday).

I need to get back to some of these games I have sitting here, including Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, Demon's Souls and Mass Effect (the first one). I don't know that I will though.

[frederec]

I played more games than I expected to. I blame that partly on the fact that I've been sick for the past week. Still kinda am, but I can't just stay home from work indefinitely, much as my students might like that.

Fatal Frame IV: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse: After hearing about the translation patch, I bought this to try it out. It arrived early last week and I played through it with my wife watching, and finished it on Sunday. Good game, despite the occasional translation issues (largely with text formatting). It amazes me what people can do with persistence and dedication.

Dead Space: I picked this up cheap a little while back. Beat it yesterday also. I've seen some people say it's the scariest thing they've ever played. I know everyone's taste is different, but I don't honestly understand how this game could scare anyone. It tries to be scary, but never succeeds, at least for me (and my wife and sister, who would watch occasionally). It's decent fun as a cheap action game, though.

Persona: This is my PSP game to play in bed these days. I'm gradually nearing the point where I got the bad ending and quit way back when I first played this on the PS1. I'm determined to get past that and see the good ending. And if I'm ambitious enough (and SMT: Strange Journey isn't out yet), I may start over and go for the Snow Queen quest.

[menage]

Dead Space: I picked this up cheap a little while back. Beat it yesterday also. I've seen some people say it's the scariest thing they've ever played. I know everyone's taste is different, but I don't honestly understand how this game could scare anyone. It tries to be scary, but never succeeds, at least for me (and my wife and sister, who would watch occasionally). It's decent fun as a cheap action game, though.

Dead Space was mainly gory and relied on cheap scares a bit too much (although it got me panicking with the indestructable dude once in a while). It's still one hell of a fun game too me. Looks incredible as well. I will buy the sequel day one.

I played ME2. Which is goddamn incredible. After Bayonetta thsi is the second epic game this year and it's only January. I love 2010. I already preordered Bioshock 2 and Gow 3 as well.

I might cave and get Dante's Inferno this week. I love me some chopping and I still owe team Dead Space some money.

[LarsenNET]

Got through Orzammar in Dragon Age. Over 50 hours in and still a ways to go, I'm in the Landsmeet now.

[Kelegacy]

Beneath a Steel Sky. Never played it before and I've progressed quite a bit just playing yesterday. When I get home from my interview today, I'll probably play it some more.

And when that's finished, I will fire up another adventure game until I had my fill, like Gabriel Knight: SotF or Tex Murphy. Tried to start ME again but I'll probably have to push it aside again until I've satisfied my adventure gaming itch. Then maybe I'll give it another shot. I need to be in the right mindset.

[Commissar Rob]

Still working on a co-op playthough of Gears 2 with my son. Still amazed at how much easier and fun the game is with a thinking Dom. Plus he's a really great shot with the Sniper rifle.

Getting Monteriggioni up and running in AC2...honestly I'm having as much fun working on the town as I am in the game proper. I've got one more statue to find...and only about...oh....90 odd feathers to locate. All in all, I'm really glad I played AC1 before I started this...I don't think I could go back and find it nearly as fun.

Put some money down on AvP sans the hunter edition...the facehugger creeps me out. I'd played the PC game many, many moons ago. If my backlog wasn't already so stuffed, I'd pick it up again on Steam...might just do it anyway. Hard to go wrong for five bucks.

Tomorrow (Feb 2nd) is Illinois' primary...I'll be playing the part of an election judge. There's a stipend involved (which helps as does about anything these days), but I also feel like I'm doing a bit of civic duty. Long day though - polls open at six and close at seven. Plus there's set up and take down. Oi.

[Spigot]

Good luck on the interview, Kel!

I had a pretty good weekend for gaming. Of course, I probably would have played more 'real' games if I hadn't bought myself an

iPhone - Picked one of these babies up the other day. It's my very first cell phone so why not jump right into the deep end of the smartphone pool? Spent most of Saturday setting it up, playing with the interface and buying apps and goofy little games. Flight Control is probably my current addiction right now.

No More Heroes 2 (Wii) - I have only played a little bit of this but I'm in love. I'm torn between playing more of it or playing...

Mass Effect 2 (PC) - I didn't play a lot of this earlier in the weekend but last night was a pretty good 4-5 hour marathon session. I've got Archangel and the Professor on my crew now and I think I'll spend a bit of time in the lab today before I go to work so I can see what that's all about.

Plants Vs. Zombies (PC) - Yeah... Played this a bit too. Sigh.

[Commissar Rob]

iPhone - Picked one of these babies up the other day. It's my very first cell phone so why not jump right into the deep end of the smartphone pool? Spent most of Saturday setting it up, playing with the interface and buying apps and goofy little games. Flight Control is probably my current addiction right now.

Give Sword and Poker a go. It can be had on the cheap ($5 I think) and it's a blast! I don't think I could describe it well enough to do it justice, but it's a neat combination of card-based puzzles and lite RPG.

[Gorvi]

Dead Space: I picked this up cheap a little while back. Beat it yesterday also. I've seen some people say it's the scariest thing they've ever played. I know everyone's taste is different, but I don't honestly understand how this game could scare anyone. It tries to be scary, but never succeeds, at least for me (and my wife and sister, who would watch occasionally). It's decent fun as a cheap action game, though.
To me it wasn't that the game was scary, but that it pulled off it's atmosphere very well. I play with headphones on, so that may have had more of an impact for me than if you didn't.
Persona: This is my PSP game to play in bed these days. I'm gradually nearing the point where I got the bad ending and quit way back when I first played this on the PS1. I'm determined to get past that and see the good ending. And if I'm ambitious enough (and SMT: Strange Journey isn't out yet), I may start over and go for the Snow Queen quest.
I should go back to this when I'm done with FFT, if I don't start up Yggdra Union or Class of Heroes. The combat was just so damn bland, though, I'm not sure if I'll be able to.

For me this weekend/coming week:

Grand Theft Auto IV I'm enjoying the game more than when I picked it up again last week, but that's not saying a whole lot. It's fun, but it really is just GTA again with some better mechanics and graphics. I guess that's what people want, but I've grown kinda tired of the whole formula. I'll finish it eventually, but I won't have a problem putting it down for White Knight later in the week.

And that was it, mainly. I played more Critter Crunch and Braid, but not too much of each. I also, for some reason, went back in Bioshock and got the last 3 audio logs that I had missed. I really want to go back and play that again some time.

This week should mainly consist of a whole lot of White Knight Chronicles, unless some seriously negative reviews hit before Wednesday.

[frederec]

To me it wasn't that the game was scary, but that it pulled off it's atmosphere very well. I play with headphones on, so that may have had more of an impact for me than if you didn't.


And that was my complaint. I felt that it's big problem was that it didn't pull off its atmosphere well at all. The whole thing felt very sterile, clean, and predictable. However, Fatal Frame had admittedly worse graphics, but managed to creep me out over and over.

I can see using headphones making it more immersive. But I don't think it should require something like that to be scary. As always, I have to back off and admit that fear, just like fun, is very subjective. And what is scary for one person could be silly for another, and vice versa.

Except for clowns. Everyone knows those are scary.

[Spigot]

I loved Dead Space but I wouldn't label it as horror outside of being an homage to sci-fi/horror movies and games. It wasn't so much creepy as it was just gross and fun.

That said, the first part of the game when you're hearing the necromorphs slithering around in the vents, etc. was effective. Once the novelty wears off and you're blasting off limbs left and right it's not quite so spooky.

[menage]

Mass Effect 2 (PC) - I didn't play a lot of this earlier in the weekend but last night was a pretty good 4-5 hour marathon session. I've got Archangel and the Professor on my crew now and I think I'll spend a bit of time in the lab today before I go to work so I can see what that's all about.


How did you like the Archangel quest? I loved the way that played out.

Damn, I wish work was done already. I can play again tonight.

[Spigot]

How did you like the Archangel quest? I loved the way that played out. It was great. Totally did not see how it would play out.

I love the Solarian doctor. He's delightfully amoral.

[Xydarc]

I had a weekend of IT Crap, LittleBigPlanet, and Fun with My Nieces. Guess which I enjoyed more? I also managed to get enough Mass Effect 2 time in to recruit the Justicar and finish Jacob's loyalty mission. I also flirted with the Yeoman enough to get her to feed my fish.

This week I play on playing:

Mass Effect 2: I just started Jack's loyalty mission. After that, I'm off to recruit Tali, and work on the Professor's and Krogan's loyalty missions. I'm loving the loyalty missions. Once those are done, I'll recruit the Assassin. I wanna save him for last, since the last round of recruiting, I got shoved straight into a story mission. In between all those, I'll be probing those supple, ripe planets for their precious...resources.

[EternalGamer]

It was great. Totally did not see how it would play out.

I love the Solarian doctor. He's delightfully amoral.

Not amoral at all. He's just a hard core utilitarian.

One of my favorite characters, but almost all of them are fantastic. First RPG I've played where I literally want to take almost everybody on the missions with me and I vary it up a lot. I don't really like Miranda very much, but as a character she is pretty great and her loyalty mission was very well done.

In fact, almost all the character's side quests are well done. They really surprise me with how they introduce both new game play scenarios and many times touching narrative revelations.

[Spigot]

Not amoral at all. He's just a hard core utilitarian.
Good point. I haven't spent much time with him yet, so I'm just riffing on my first impressions.

[Philonious]

I am currently playing both Mass Effect 2 (360) & Dragon Age (PC)... Mostly because I'm stupid and forgot my own rule about playing games 'simultaneously'. Though I guess ME2 is more action than RPG.

[Wraith]

Played more Mass Effect (1). Finished up Feros mission. Went back and tied up a couple things at the Citadel. Did a few side planet quests, including one of Wrex's. Then went to Noveria and got through a good chunk of that mission, with Garrus and Wrex. I'm liking these Cryo rounds.

I noticed that Wrex had switched from shotgun to assault rifle. Fortunately, he didn't still have the assault rifle he started with, but I hadn't applied any weapon upgrades to it yet. I'm not sure when squad mates switch weapons, other than when instructed (which I'm pretty sure I didn't do). I had been leaving everyone with the weapon type they start with. My Engineer Shepard has been using a pistol for pretty much everything, and I've got Pistol leveled pretty high.

Also played some Forza Motorsport 3, getting a time for this week's COG Forza 3 Hot Lap Challenge (http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/showthread.php?t=15172).

[EternalGamer]

I played a ton of Mass Effect now. Recruited all the characters and did all of their special missions. I am now in what I think is the last segment of the game (or lead up to the last segment) and I've logged in about 25 hours with the game.

Overall, ME2 has surprised me alot. I know I would like it because I really enjoyed the original, but it really blows away the original in every department. It's like a generational jump. It has the best written narrative and characters I've ever seen in a videogame. In fact, sometimes they seem well written enough that they transcend the videogame narrative ghetto and could hold up in any medium. The combat is fantastic. The original game it was merely servicable (though it got better as you upgraded weapons and powers), but the combat in ME2 is, in my opinion, better and more interesting and varied than anything in Gears or Modern Warfare 2. They do a great job later in the game of introducing new gameplay twists. I'm playing as a Vanguard and the basic mechanics of the speed dash never get old: leap across the room from 50 feet away, shoulder tackle a guy, smack with a melee, shotgun, and biotic all within 4 seconds.

If the game ended right now it would not just be on of my favorite 360 games, but one of my favorite games of all time. There certainly are little details I think could be done better, but it is so heads and shoulders above most other games in terms of what it accomplishes that these complaints are pretty insignificant.

Awesome start with the year between Darksiders and this. I can't say that DS is anywhere near the same level of artistic achievement or as fun, but both are better than the majority of big titles that came out last year. Then there is White Knight Chronicles, Heavy Rain, Bioshock 2, and Final Fantasy XIII all within the next 5 weeks, an unprecedented amount of quality in a very short time..

[EternalGamer]

Good point. I haven't spent much time with him yet, so I'm just riffing on my first impressions.

Garris is still probably my favorite character. I just love his personality and the actor that does him is great. But I also really like the last character you get (avoiding spoilers), and Mordin. Surpringly, I really like Jax as a character as well. She's not quite the stereotype she is made out to be in preview material.

[menage]

I actually like Miranda, well, I actually like the way she dresses:P

[Purple Santa]

Tomorrow (Feb 2nd) is Illinois' primary...I'll be playing the part of an election judge. There's a stipend involved (which helps as does about anything these days), but I also feel like I'm doing a bit of civic duty. Long day though - polls open at six and close at seven. Plus there's set up and take down. Oi.
Funny, all the people in my district who do the poll stuff are old. I mean blue light special, senior homes old. And I know you aren't old cause you are younger than me. I love the blue light special though :D
Give Sword and Poker a go. It can be had on the cheap ($5 I think) and it's a blast! I don't think I could describe it well enough to do it justice, but it's a neat combination of card-based puzzles and lite RPG.
I might have to purchase this. Forget the might. I'm buying it unless I read something about it that is so awful. My consoles/handhelds will be collecting dust soon due to my iTouch. Damn you ADDGirl...damn you...


Except for clowns. Everyone knows those are scary.

Whats wrong with clowns? I love clowns. ;)

[Kelegacy]

The interview went okay, I couldn't gauge them. I thought it was going super smooth, and some of their comments seemed like a sure-thing for me. But the thing is, this place isn't going to be up and running until April or even May. So...I won't be hired in the next week or so.

At times, it seemed like they thought I was almost over-qualified for the job. I apparently talked myself up too much. It's the same thing I'm doing now (medical billing) but in a private pharmacy setting instead. Which means bigger bucks.

Now I'm going to grab some lunch, breathe a sigh of relief, go shopping with the wife for some groceries, and then come home and relax. I might need a beer or twelve as well.

[frederec]

Whats wrong with clowns? I love clowns. ;)

I like the example from Billy and Mandy.

http://www.vore.net/rodent/mpgs/TV-Animated/jpgs/th_TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy_AttackOfTheClo wns-02.jpg

Or the standard:

http://blog.filmjabber.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/it-clown.jpg

[Gorvi]

I like the example from Billy and Mandy.

http://www.vore.net/rodent/mpgs/TV-Animated/jpgs/th_TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy_AttackOfTheClo wns-02.jpg

Or the standard:

http://blog.filmjabber.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/it-clown.jpg
Oh, the crappy made for TV movie adaption of Pennywise doesn't hold a candle to these:

http://home.swipnet.se/~w-28870/mainkill.jpg

[EternalGamer]

At times, it seemed like they thought I was almost over-qualified for the job. I apparently talked myself up too much. It's the same thing I'm doing now (medical billing) but in a private pharmacy setting instead. Which means bigger bucks.


Bigger bucks and less time posting on COG during the day? ;)

[Jason]

Oh, the crappy made for TV movie adaption of Pennywise doesn't hold a candle to these:

http://home.swipnet.se/~w-28870/mainkill.jpg

Killer Clowns From Outer Space is an awesome cheesy movie. Haven't seen it in years though.

Playing this week:
Mass Effect 2- Very good game so far. I guess I'm 16 hours in so far or round about that.

Taxes- Hate doing these, but I will get it done at some point this week. If I can put down ME2 long enough.

Modern Warfare 2- Might get a little hardcore search or team deathmatch in some this week.

Dragon Age- Perhaps after I beat ME2 for the first time I'll return DA:O to finish my latest playthrough before getting back into ME2.

[jpublic]

Mass Effect 2 (PC) - Working on doing everyone's loyalty missions. I wish I could find some more cash - it's a lot harder to get money in this game, IMO.

Half-Minute Hero (PSP)- Picked this up on a whim from PSN after I admitted Dissidia wasn't for me. I'm enjoying it, but how the hell do you get the Straying title in the first stage? It won't work for me.

[Xydarc]

I actually like Miranda, well, I actually like the way she dresses:P
The outfit you unlock for her after her loyalty mission can be summed up in one word: giggity.:D

The interview went okay, I couldn't gauge them. I thought it was going super smooth, and some of their comments seemed like a sure-thing for me. But the thing is, this place isn't going to be up and running until April or even May. So...I won't be hired in the next week or so.

At times, it seemed like they thought I was almost over-qualified for the job. I apparently talked myself up too much. It's the same thing I'm doing now (medical billing) but in a private pharmacy setting instead. Which means bigger bucks.

Now I'm going to grab some lunch, breathe a sigh of relief, go shopping with the wife for some groceries, and then come home and relax. I might need a beer or twelve as well.
It's a catch-22: you want to present yourself as someone they want to hire, but you don't want to present yourself as too-good-to-be-true. Then again, you don't want to present yourself as too flawed, either. I don't envy you.

[Purple Santa]

It's a catch-22: you want to present yourself as someone they want to hire, but you don't want to present yourself as too-good-to-be-true. Then again, you don't want to present yourself as too flawed, either. I don't envy you.

That sounds a lot like the dating world. I'm so glad that part of my life is over.

[Gorvi]

I forgot to mention I also played the demo again for IL*2 Sturmovik. I bought the game yesterday since I saw it on sale for $20 and remembered really enjoying the demo. I'm also something of a nut for flight games, and we don't see those nearly enough.

So I had to try the demo again before I opened it just to make sure I wasn't remembering enjoying it and it's really a turd, and nope, the game is still quite a bit of fun. It's all WWII flying, so it's no Ace Combat (not a series I like), and you can set it to be like a sim or arcadey, so that's nice as well. It's almost sad that I was excited to see that you can put your landing gear down so there will be take off and landing missions. I'm a dork. :p

[Commissar Rob]

I forgot to mention I also played the demo again for IL*2 Sturmovik. I bought the game yesterday since I saw it on sale for $20 and remembered really enjoying the demo. I'm also something of a nut for flight games, and we don't see those nearly enough.

So I had to try the demo again before I opened it just to make sure I wasn't remembering enjoying it and it's really a turd, and nope, the game is still quite a bit of fun. It's all WWII flying, so it's no Ace Combat (not a series I like), and you can set it to be like a sim or arcadey, so that's nice as well. It's almost sad that I was excited to see that you can put your landing gear down so there will be take off and landing missions. I'm a dork. :p

Cool! I've got that one coming from Goozex...and I was hoping I hadn't been fooled by the demo. Can't wait to strafe me some Panzers! :D

[Commissar Rob]

Funny, all the people in my district who do the poll stuff are old. I mean blue light special, senior homes old. And I know you aren't old cause you are younger than me. I love the blue light special though :D

My work is pretty cool about civic duty and all, they're willing to give the time generally no problem as long as the work gets done. But, ja, my co-judges tend to be in the Matlock crowd...

[Kelegacy]

Bigger bucks and less time posting on COG during the day? ;)

Pretty much. And I'd have to go back to 5 days a week. That would suck donkey nuts, but it would also mean I'd be less tired and I could game later at night. So I guess there are benefits, but I really like my 3 day weekends.

[Troggles]

Mass Effect 2 - Put about 20 hours in this. Still working on loyalty missions. They're tons of fun.

[Vigil80]

Mass Effect 2 - Playing on the PC. I'm not in the mood to type out a speech about it at the moment. Simply put, the game's quality and my affinity for it is such that I see no other releases scheduled for this year that will threaten it as my personal GOTY. Almost disappointing to have it out of the way so soon in the year.

I've also joined the discontented ranks of RRoD victims. I dropped off my 360 with UPS earlier today.

I finally got Afrika from Gamefly today, but between ME2 and the launch of Star Trek Online, I honestly don't know when I'm going to play it.

[Spigot]

I finally got Afrika from Gamefly today, but between ME2 and the launch of Star Trek Online, I honestly don't know when I'm going to play it.Afrika is interesting. I have the Korean version and just monkeyed around with it a tiny bit but while it isn't the stunning HD version of Pokemon Snap that we all envisioned, it is a unique trip around the savanna. And getting trampled by a rhino is fun... right?

[Xydarc]

Mass Effect 2 - Put about 20 hours in this. Still working on loyalty missions. They're tons of fun.
I've enjoyed the loyalty missions more than the main storyline missions so far.

Mass Effect 2 - Playing on the PC. I'm not in the mood to type out a speech about it at the moment. Simply put, the game's quality and my affinity for it is such that I see no other releases scheduled for this year that will threaten it as my personal GOTY. Almost disappointing to have it out of the way so soon in the year.

I hear you on this. ME 2 is almost enough to make me forget FFXIII is dropping in a month.

Almost.

[Dostoyevsky]

The outfit you unlock for her after her loyalty mission can be summed up in one word: giggity.:D

After I got that outfit I made a special trip back to the Normandy just to change her into it. If Liara is going to be so cold to me, she's at least gonna see my new girlfriend in all her black leather splendor.

As for the rest of Mass Effect, it's awesome, of course, but it may be too streamlined for its own good. You know what? Everyone can go screw themselves for being so proud there is no Mako, I miss the Mako. It really added to the exploring a new world vibe. Still a pretty spectacular game though.

[Karak]

The interview went okay, I couldn't gauge them. I thought it was going super smooth, and some of their comments seemed like a sure-thing for me. But the thing is, this place isn't going to be up and running until April or even May. So...I won't be hired in the next week or so.

At times, it seemed like they thought I was almost over-qualified for the job. I apparently talked myself up too much. It's the same thing I'm doing now (medical billing) but in a private pharmacy setting instead. Which means bigger bucks.

Now I'm going to grab some lunch, breathe a sigh of relief, go shopping with the wife for some groceries, and then come home and relax. I might need a beer or twelve as well.

Just an FYI, I do hiring.
If you get to an interview and feel overqualified that is NOT a negative unless you add that to restriction in pay requests or seem like you would not be happy doing the job.

We have a hiring tree and basically if 1 does not match the other 2 your fine. If they do we think about it but don't instantly stop from hiring. Yuu did fine.

Oh and I just finished ME2 for the 3rd time, started Jade Empire and am LOVING it.

[pomeroy]

Grand Theft Auto IV I'm enjoying the game more than when I picked it up again last week, but that's not saying a whole lot. It's fun, but it really is just GTA again with some better mechanics and graphics. I guess that's what people want, but I've grown kinda tired of the whole formula. I'll finish it eventually, but I won't have a problem putting it down for White Knight later in the week.

I finished it, just a few minutes ago. Just a shade under 30 hours (even got the achievement that I didn't know about!).

I liked it. This was probably the first GTA where I really liked the protagonist...I felt bad for him at the end of the game. I was thinking about doing some of the side stuff I'd sort of abandoned once I got into the story (races, car stealing, assassins, most wanted), but I'm not sure I care to do that stuff if there's no story pushing me forward. Anyway, what a good game (especially divorced from the hype). It was by no means perfect (fix the driving, Rockstar!), but I definitely had fun. I'll definitely be picking up the DLC modules (when the backlog is cleared...so, probably in three years).

Now that that's done, I think I'm going to play Ninja Gaiden 2. It's been sitting there, taunting me about my weak-ass ninja skillz.

[Purple Santa]

Just an FYI, I do hiring.


Oh and I just finished ME2 for the 3rd time, started Jade Empire and am LOVING it.

Didn't the game just come out? 3 times already? Damn. I need some of your manic gaming skills. I could play and finish 3 games before Bioschock 2 comes out :D

A massive headache took me out for a few hours after the internship which meant very little gaming. No SH tonight. I did do a bit of GTA:CTW, easily could do a few more missions but that would mean staying up now that my sleep clock is off with the long nap earlier. Missions in GTA is like the potato chip line...can't just do one...

[Karak]

Didn't the game just come out? 3 times already? Damn. I need some of your manic gaming skills. I could play and finish 3 games before Bioschock 2 comes out :D

A massive headache took me out for a few hours after the internship which meant very little gaming. No SH tonight. I did do a bit of GTA:CTW, easily could do a few more missions but that would mean staying up now that my sleep clock is off with the long nap earlier. Missions in GTA is like the potato chip line...can't just do one...

I just beat it for the 3rd time tonight. Man I am not addicted hahahaha.
I have been playing it pretty much nonstop. Mostly because I like it and also because I want to get into STO and I know I need to burn out my love for ME2 before I can move on:)

As for GTA4. It never grabbed me as much as I would have liked. I had the 360 version then moved to the PC. The world is so alive and amazing but for me it falls apart during the missions.
BUT Gay Tony. Pure excellence. Its so good its like another game.

[menage]

The outfit you unlock for her after her loyalty mission can be summed up in one word: giggity.:D


I completed her loyalty quest yesterday (so far, the least interesting mission as a whole imo, still good, just a bit plain compared to other stuff). So I got her outfit.

Not to cream all over a game character again but damn that's some great T&A. Bioware's isn't really subtle about it either. "Hey, let's make her bend over again".

i personally have no clue how to romance her in the game though, maybe she isn't into women. Which would suck:D

I'm also finding the lack of Cerberus missions a but weird. I had 2 in the beginning but they feel flat silent after that. I did revisit the Normandy crash site, which was cool. Until I got stuck in the scenery and the only way I could get out was to put my monument onto a piece of ice:D. No big deal.

Despite all this I'm having an absolute blast.

[Banacek]

ME2: I couldn't imagine playing another game right now. It's the polar opposite of Dragon's Age. It's fun, fresh, well written, unique, etc... Man do I love this game. I think about it when I'm at work. I wish I could call out this week so I could stay home and play it. I cannot explain it, and I'm sure this is totally unjustified, but the game reminds me of Anachronox, which could be one of the highest compliments I could give a game.

I think I'm offically done with Tolkien-esque games. I'm just so tired of it. Demon's Souls proved you would make a fantastic game in the fantasy genre without being lazy (story and world-wise). It's time for other games to step up.

[Kelegacy]

I feel so goddamn dirty when I look up hints for adventure games. I wouldn't look hints up at all if there weren't so many areas to backtrack to; it's like I get overwhelmed with the amount of areas to travel back to to try out a new item or something and wind up giving in eventually. I try for a good while before looking one up. And almost everytime you look one up, it seems so fucking obvious and makes you upset for cheating.

I'm still playing Beneath a Steel Sky, which is good but it hasn't wowed me. Still, it's awesome to play a retro adventure game again.

[Spigot]

I feel so goddamn dirty when I look up hints for adventure games. I wouldn't look hints up at all if there weren't so many areas to backtrack to; it's like I get overwhelmed with the amount of areas to travel back to to try out a new item or something and wind up giving in eventually. I try for a good while before looking one up. And almost everytime you look one up, it seems so fucking obvious and makes you upset for cheating.

I'm still playing Beneath a Steel Sky, which is good but it hasn't wowed me. Still, it's awesome to play a retro adventure game again.I hear ya. I think the facepalm originated when the first adventure gamer looked up the solution to a puzzle and realized how obvious it was.

I do my damnedest not to look up hints in adventure games but there are times where you pretty much have to. This is most apparent in the lower quality games where the internal logic of the game defies anything remotely resembling reality... and when there is no context for such a warped sense of reality.

I still remember helping friends back in university with an adventure game of some sort. It was one of those things where you had to combine 4 different items that no human mind would ever contemplate combining in order to construct some gizmo to get you past the obstacle in your path. It was so apparent to me yet even after showing them how to do it, every single one of my friends just looked at me like I was some kind of crazy nut for coming up with that solution. That's when I realized the gamer/non-gamer divide.

My personal favourite kind of hint system is the type embodied by the UHS (Universal Hint System) that was sort of present in the Secret Of Monkey Island remake recently. Give the player 3-4 different levels of clues that gradually narrow their focus until the final one basically spells out exactly what to do in complete detail. That way you can get either a gentle nudge towards the solution or be carted there on the rickshaw of guidance but you don't always have to feel the shame for having the answer handed to you on a plate.

[Wraith]

Mass Effect (1) update: finished off Noveria mission, another side planet, then went to Knossos. Knossos is

actually a pretty quick mission. This was the one that gave me so much trouble the first time I tried to play the game. I went straight there before Feros or Noveria, maybe hitting one or two side planets first. I remember not being able to take out the geth units at the end of the outdoor zone, and instead just dying repeatedly. This time, it was a lot easier. Higher level, higher skills, better equipment made the difference, I guess. And being a bit more familiar with the combat.

One thing though, I picked up Liara after we killed Benezia on Noveria. I suppose it doesn't change the overall story, but the dialog in that mission might have changed significantly, had she been on that mission. Not going back to re-do it now, though.

Shut down for the night right after getting back to the Normandy after Knossos, so I haven't had a chance to make the rounds with the crew yet. Both Kaiden and Ashley specifically mentioned before about talking to Liara about Benezia's death, so I'm sure that will be the topic of conversation with her.

[Xydarc]

I recruited Tali and did her loyalty mission. Tali was one of my favorites from ME 1, and that hasn't changed in ME 2. I like that she is "grown up" now and her own person, but still has a bit of the old Tali in her. I'm not sure if she's one of the female romance options, but I couldn't do it. It would be like dating Shepard's sister.

I also finished Jack's and Samara's loyalty quests. Jack's was...kinda meh. Samara's was all sorts of messed up. I was expecting the psycho Asari to be related to her, but the fact that she gave birth to 3 of them was a cool twist. And when we took down Morinth, there was no question I was going to keep Samara. However, my next playthrough will be Renegade, and I'm curious to see if Morinth would actually join my crew if I kill Samara.

The plan now is to finish up the remaining loyalty missions, recruit the Assassin, then do some serious probing. I've got a laundry list of upgrades to buy, and they don't come cheap.

I wonder who the last team member slot is for?

[Spigot]

Got the upgraded scanner in ME2 and that has made searching the planets for iridium and eezo so much nicer. Is there something wrong with me for enjoying scouting out planets and scanning them for materials?

Just arrived at the Citadel. Let's see what kind of shenanigans I can get up to.

Also, it would be very nice if you had the option of removing your helmet with the special armour you get as DLC...

[Xydarc]

This is how I feel about ME 2 right now:

70Ak4nW1Rg8

[Spigot]

Hah! Line of the game so far:

"Sir Isaac Newton is the deadliest son of a bitch in space!"

And... is that Tigh as the voice of one of the security chiefs? *squeeee*

[Banacek]

Got the upgraded scanner in ME2 and that has made searching the planets for iridium and eezo so much nicer. Is there something wrong with me for enjoying scouting out planets and scanning them for materials?

Don't feel bad. I just got so exciting reading that they have an upgrade that I immediately felt embarrassed about it.

EDIT: I need to stop reading these threads. A bit too much details about ME2 in them. I want to discover everything myself :)

[Spigot]

Don't feel bad. I just got so exciting reading that they have an upgrade that I immediately felt embarrassed about it.

EDIT: I need to stop reading these threads. A bit too much details about ME2 in them. I want to discover everything myself :)I'm trying not to touch on very much. I'll shut up now...

That said, the riff on Gamestop was funny :)

[menage]

I recruited Tali and did her loyalty mission. Tali was one of my favorites from ME 1, and that hasn't changed in ME 2. I like that she is "grown up" now and her own person, but still has a bit of the old Tali in her. I'm not sure if she's one of the female romance options, but I couldn't do it. It would be like dating Shepard's sister.


Tali is great, matured indeed, but the quest to get to her was one of the highlights for me so far. The planet it's set on has a nice twist and looked awesome.

[Kelegacy]

My personal favourite kind of hint system is the type embodied by the UHS (Universal Hint System) that was sort of present in the Secret Of Monkey Island remake recently. Give the player 3-4 different levels of clues that gradually narrow their focus until the final one basically spells out exactly what to do in complete detail.

Yeah, that's a good system. I like being given a hint, not the solution.

[Blue]

Beat Mass Effect 2 last night and I finished Heavenly Sword today. Pretty decent for it just being Tuesday :).

I think now I'm going to start FF8. In my quest to beat every numbered FF as I had never beaten/finished any of them, I now move on to 8 and I've been itching to play it ever since finishing Chrono Trigger over the weekend. So that's now on tap I think. In between playing that I might get into God of War 2 if I need a break. I played through GoW1 and never finished the 2nd and I'd like to fix that before 3 hits.

Maybe some FF Tactics or Vice City Stories if I'm on the move this week.

[Xydarc]

Don't feel bad. I just got so exciting reading that they have an upgrade that I immediately felt embarrassed about it.

EDIT: I need to stop reading these threads. A bit too much details about ME2 in them. I want to discover everything myself :)
This is why I had to stop reading the ME 2 Discussion thread.

[Karak]

Hah! Line of the game so far:

"Sir Isaac Newton is the deadliest son of a bitch in space!"

And... is that Tigh as the voice of one of the security chiefs? *squeeee*

Yes it is him. And he is probably my favorite non party NPC in the game.

[Spigot]

This is why I had to stop reading the ME 2 Discussion thread.Yeah, I'm not even venturing anywhere near that thread until I finish the game. I'm trying to just toss in one-liners and be vague here.

Speaking of which, there are quite a lot of funny quests and throwaway dialogue in the game. Let's just leave it at two words: Krogan sushi. And their comments on Asari lovemaking: "Where do you even grab an asari? They're so... squishy."

And I'll stop. For real this time :)

[Dostoyevsky]

This is how I feel about ME 2 right now:

Great movie. "God damn brewery! You know that brewery makes 10,000 bottles of beer a day. I drink 45 of them, and I'm the asshole! " :D

On topic, I'm also trying to avoid as much ME2 talk as possible, which is nearly impossible as everyone in gaming is creaming their pants about it at the moment.

I haven't had so much fun role-playing a character in a while. I can't bring myself to stick to paragon or renegade, I just have to do what I feel my badass soldier Shepard would in any given situation. Sometimes it's the nice approach, and sometimes it's throwing a dude through a plate glass window 100 stories up.

[menage]

I picked up Dante's Inferno yesterday. I enjoyed the demo and love games like that in general. Was to tired to try it however. I've got a four day weekend starting on Friday so with that and ME2 my weekend is booked.

[Gorvi]

I played a crapload of Critter Crunch last night. Man, once you get used to that game's mechanics, holy shit. That is one great game. I hopped online to try the vs mode out and I got the old Bust A Move feeling all over again. I have to get my wife to try some of that tonight, we used to spend hours playing vs Bust A Move. I love the puzzle levels and well, damn, just everything about the game. Even the little sayings that come up when you fail a level, they're brilliant. If you don't own that game, BUY IT NOW!

As much as it pains me to say it, I think I'm going to pass for now on White Knight Chronicles. The more I think about it, and with the reviews coming out being "good", I just can't justify spending $60 on "good". I only bought 4 full price games last year (Uncharted 2, Demon's Souls, Ratchet & Clank Future: ACiT, and Fallout 3 GotYE), all great, I just can't do $60 for "good".

That, and this morning I watched this:

61531

If that even comes close to living up to the first, I must have it.

[menage]

Bioshock CG trailers are freaking awesome.

Can't wait.

[frederec]

I played a crapload of Critter Crunch last night. Man, once you get used to that game's mechanics, holy shit. That is one great game. I hopped online to try the vs mode out and I got the old Bust A Move feeling all over again. I have to get my wife to try some of that tonight, we used to spend hours playing vs Bust A Move. I love the puzzle levels and well, damn, just everything about the game. Even the little sayings that come up when you fail a level, they're brilliant. If you don't own that game, BUY IT NOW!


I downloaded the demo and played the first few levels after hearing people rave about this game for a while. It didn't really grab me. Does it get more engaging as you go? I usually consider myself into puzzle games (my wife and I love playing Bust a Move on the Wii, and have logged countless hours on Tetris, and Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo always has a special place). Is there something I'm missing?

[Gorvi]

I downloaded the demo and played the first few levels after hearing people rave about this game for a while. It didn't really grab me. Does it get more engaging as you go? I usually consider myself into puzzle games (my wife and I love playing Bust a Move on the Wii, and have logged countless hours on Tetris, and Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo always has a special place). Is there something I'm missing?
It does get a bit deeper the more you play. Does the demo let you lay Vs? There's some nice little effects that you can throw over at the other player to screw them over, though it does a poor job of explaining them. It's probably something I'll come across as I get deeper into the single player, I'm about half way through the Adventure mode I think, maybe a little less, and it's still adding in new mechanics that change things up.

It mixes things up a bit with the Puzzle and special levels, trying to do certain things under specific conditions. I got stuck on one last night for a good twenty minutes where you had to fill your hunger bar (how you finish most standard levels) without performing a food chain. For some reason it was just tough as hell.

I wasn't all that hot on the demo myself, it was okay but didn't really grab me. I probably wouldn't have bought it for a while if it wasn't for the sale they had a week or so ago. Now I'm really glad I did buy it, though, it's a whole lot of fun. Very much worth the price of admission.

[frederec]

I wasn't all that hot on the demo myself, it was okay but didn't really grab me. I probably wouldn't have bought it for a while if it wasn't for the sale they had a week or so ago. Now I'm really glad I did buy it, though, it's a whole lot of fun. Very much worth the price of admission.

I'll keep that in mind. After all, I've known at least a couple of games that had lackluster demos but good to excellent games (FFXII and Rogue Galaxy always come to mind).

[Xydarc]

Hah! Line of the game so far:

"Sir Isaac Newton is the deadliest son of a bitch in space!"

And... is that Tigh as the voice of one of the security chiefs? *squeeee*
EDI: "After defeating the Thresher Maw Urdnot Grunt now has several breeding requests. And one for Shepard."

Grunt: "Ha!"

[Wraith]

One thing I forgot to mention in my last Mass Effect (1) update: on Noveria, I ran into a dead NPC that was shooting at me. He had "died" off screen, as mentioned in a cutscene. But then, when I came back to the same area later (I was probably looping around from an area you can get to two different ways), the body was still lying flat on the ground, but I was getting shot at by him. Shooting his corpse didn't seem to do anything, so I just left him.

[Kelegacy]

Thinking of picking up a new PC this weekend. We haven't done our taxes yet (still waiting on a couple things that are in the mail) and I can't afford it, but if I put it on a credit card I should be able to pay it off by the end of the month.

I am in a PC gaming mood. I want to get a PC cheap but powerful enough to play all of today's existing games. A new monitor would be sweet too.

But I don't think I want to build my own right now. I don't want to run into any crazy hiccups. So I may just go to Best Buy and look around this weekend. I'm so out of the loop that I don't know what good specs are these days, how much ram, processor speed, or graphics card.

[Wraith]

I want to get a PC cheap but powerful enough to play all of today's existing games. A new monitor would be sweet too.

But I don't think I want to build my own right now. I don't want to run into any crazy hiccups. So I may just go to Best Buy and look around this weekend. I'm so out of the loop that I don't know what good specs are these days, how much ram, processor speed, or graphics card.First, what's your budget?

For RAM, get 4GB. If the system you want has more, great, but I wouldn't pay more just for going up to 6GB or 8GB.

Not sure what gaming PCs Best Buy offers. It may end up being cheaper to get a PC with decent specs, w/o a dedicated card and add one in yourself.

*Edit* On Best Buy's site, their cheapest "Gaming" PC with a decent graphics card is this ASUS (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+Essentio+Desktop+with+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%2 3153%3B+i7+Processor/9561146.p?id=1218124796858&skuId=9561146) for $1100. A lot of the PCs in that section have pretty low end cards.

[Purple Santa]

Bioshock CG trailers are freaking awesome.

Can't wait.

I'm tempted to go find them but I rather hold out. I haven't seen much on Bio2 and want to keep it that way. I can't wait for next week. I'm debating whether I want to go out at midnight if my GS has a midnight launch.

Almost one year later...I finally finished GTA:CTW. The last few missions sucked balls. I had no complaints up to that point with combat. I didn't like trying to lock on with "R" button as I attempted to shoot down a helicopter. What made those two missions before the end a bit of a pain were the lack of mid-check points. I knew I was close to the end so I just pushed on. Some interesting plot twists of course toward the end, but it was the "cheeky" dialogue that really kept me going. If there is ever another GTA on the handhelds I just hope R* leaves out use with aiming with the shoulder buttons.

I do have Chrono Trigger with me. I might start that.

[Kelegacy]

I got my PC up and working tonight. I unplugged the HDD (I couldn't remember which one failed), and it wouldn't work. Tried the other one and it's up and running. I could have sworn my C drive was the one that failed. Maybe I only got it to reboot for a short time. No idea. The other drive is the one that is unplugged right now, just a storage drive. Could a purely storage HDD (no Windows or important stuff on it) that dies make a PC stop starting up? Weird.

Anyway, I'll do a few more tests, then I'll be running to GoG to get some adventure games up and running. I'm going to have a massive retro revival here if this computer stays alive. It's also hooked to my 32" screen that I use for 360 gaming, so it looks awesome.

[Spigot]

I'm working the overnight shift tonight (after having spent the day in a training/refresher course), so I'm not sure how conscious I'll be. That said, I'm bringing my DS (and my shiny new iPhone) to tinker with if I start to drift off. I just want to go to sleep right now... and I've got to stay awake until 7am tomorrow. Gah!

[Purple Santa]

Anyway, I'll do a few more tests, then I'll be running to GoG to get some adventure games up and running. I'm going to have a massive retro revival here if this computer stays alive. It's also hooked to my 32" screen that I use for 360 gaming, so it looks awesome.

I'm jealous of your size. 32" inches...I have such envy issues :p

I finally broke down and bought a PSP memory stick. I was still using the puny one that comes with the PSP. I finally have enough games on there that I don't want to delete so it was either lose all my data for Persona etc or...stop being such a cheap bastard and buy one. All this so I can play Shadow of Destiny. I tried to put the memory stick in my PS3 so I could copy the files but it didn't work. I won't mention the disaster that was almost when i tried to put the stick in my laptop. It's suppose to be able to take the memory stick but didn't. I thought it was going to be stuck in my laptop forever. I shudder to think I want to actually build a PC.

[pomeroy]

Hooooboy.

Guys, I'm breaking my backlog rule (although I already sort of did for ODST, but I still think I'll probably finish that one out).

Ninja Gaiden 2 is fucking lame. It's so damn stupid...like, the combat is ok and whatever...but I feel like the game is trying to insult my intelligence the more I play it. Ninja dogs that use katanas? The worst swimming animation this gen? And the seller guy sounds like he's blowing his load every time you buy something...

Fuck it. I'm done with this. It's too stupid, even for my lowbrow tastes.

[Spigot]

I'm jealous of your size. 32" inches...I have such envy issues :pMan, that'd be like PC gaming on my TV. Yeeks!

And Purps, you're just now upgrading to a bigger memory stick on the PSP? That's nuts. I have 8GB on there and I'm still running out of room.

I spent a bit of time tonight futzing around with Dragon's Lair on the iPhone. I think I almost finished it though :) I know it's linear and short and just a giant QTE fest, but I have fond memories of plunking quarters into the machine and couldn't resist the chance to finally get around to actually finishing it. I might play it with my son tomorrow evening at bedtime :)

Now to get some work done and try to stay awake for the next 5.5 hours... zzz...

[Xydarc]

Grrr, my first real bug in ME 2: I had to play Thane's loyalty mission over 3 times because the "failure" animation kept kicking in prematurely.

[menage]

So far Dante's Inferno has a hard time grabbing me. It looks ok to great in places (sometimes bit dull) and the gameplay isn't really up to todays standards, the fighting is fine, but some stuff just annnoys like a dodge move which doesn't really work when surrounded or quicklime events which put you back to the start of a sequence instead having to fight through stuff again.

Some setpieces, especially involving huge bosses are cool, but the story is told in a pretty crap way. The mirror's edge mistake of interweaving animation with cg is a big mistake. Cause it looks pretty crap ad doesn't fit.

6-7 so far, just because I like the genre, but I sure hope it picks up a bit. I expected more form team Dead Space, I'm actually fearing DS 2 now.

Give it a rent.

[Spigot]

Thanks for the impressions, menage. It looks like a game that I'd like to try out but it's kind of nice to hear that it's rough around the edges... at least enough so that it can wait until things slow down.

[menage]

Not necessarily rough, just dated. It's pretty polished, but it just fails to excite me like Bayonetta or even Darksiders does. Although the combat is better than in that title. It's also pretty hard to like a game which is easy on the cheap deaths because you missed one bleeding qt event mid mission and sends you back to the start.

There are a lot of nice touches and cool set pieces though. But overall it just feels a bit dull even. Don't know why, it's maybe already repititive.

The camera is also pulled back to far. What's the point in having gory creatures when you're zoomed out too much.

I'll finish it, it did get better when I got further. The start is easely the worst part. I'm at lust now. Stage 1 of hell I think, or maybe that's Limbo.

Good point though, no loading times, at all, maybe a cutscnene here and there, that's it.

[Purple Santa]

Hooooboy.

Guys, I'm breaking my backlog rule (although I already sort of did for ODST, but I still think I'll probably finish that one out).

Ninja Gaiden 2 is fucking lame. It's so damn stupid...like, the combat is ok and whatever...but I feel like the game is trying to insult my intelligence the more I play it. Ninja dogs that use katanas? The worst swimming animation this gen? And the seller guy sounds like he's blowing his load every time you buy something...

Fuck it. I'm done with this. It's too stupid, even for my lowbrow tastes.
I never understand why someone forces themselves to finish a game just ...because. So no brow beating from me. I know you hate to have the backlog, but my perspective is if you at least attempt the games to completion that's good enough. Of course my backlog consists of games I bought at Kelegacy approved prices. I can afford to toss many aside then trade them back to GS.

And Purps, you're just now upgrading to a bigger memory stick on the PSP? That's nuts. I have 8GB on there and I'm still running out of room.

I'll be the first to admit I spend money to easily on stuff I don't really need. Spending it on a memory stick seemed silly. I don't often save games after they are done since I don't go back to them when done. And the idea of having to buy memory for my hobby...well I haven't done that in the past and wasn't liking the prices of something I didn't deem necessary. I use my PSP to play games and that's about it. Play it, done it...gone from the stick. I actually found another 256kb memory stick for two bucks. But between the shipping cost and being here late next week...I caved and bought a 4GB from Amazon for $13 that will be shipped here by Friday (I have Prime).

What do you have on your memory stick that it takes up so much room?

Hopefully you are still awake since you are most likely still at work and shouldn't be sleeping as I type this :p

@Menage: Thanks for the DI impressions. I'm almost with Spigot on the "i'll play this later" but I might hold onto it just to give it a brief fling. It's probably going to be a title that i'll pick up again during the summer months. EA is pushing DI pretty hard since I saw a "preview" of the game in the NY Times last week. I don't remember reading a preview of a game before in that paper. From your impressions though I don't know if DI is going to set the gaming world on fire as EA was hoping.

[menage]

I never understand why someone forces themselves to finish a game just ...because. So no brow beating from me. I know you hate to have the backlog, but my perspective is if you at least attempt the games to completion that's good enough. Of course my backlog consists of games I bought at Kelegacy approved prices. I can afford to toss many aside then trade them back to GS.


I agree, fuck games which aren't worth my time. Half of my collection actually isn't finished. Gaming is supposed to be fun, not a chore.

[Spigot]

What do you have on your memory stick that it takes up so much room?

Hopefully you are still awake since you are most likely still at work and shouldn't be sleeping as I type this :pOnce you start buying games off of the PSN store, it can pile up on the stick.

And I'm still awake... barely. I think I drifted off for a bit there. I'm watching Spaced and it's good and all, but it's a little too dry and low-key for 4-5am when you're hitting the wall. I knew I should have put the IT Crowd disc in first...

[frederec]

Could a purely storage HDD (no Windows or important stuff on it) that dies make a PC stop starting up? Weird.


You wouldn't think so, but that stuff can be strange sometimes. It's possible having the failed drive plugged in messed with your BIOS or something. My desktop refuses to start up if it has our iPod plugged in while booting. I don't think that makes any sense either.


What do you have on your memory stick that it takes up so much room?


Like Spigot said, if you start buying games of the PSN, it sucks up room fast. Or if you've gone the CFW route, and you rip either PSP or PSX games to your PSP, it takes up a lot of space. Some PSP games can be up to 1.7 gigs. And if you've got a PSX game that is multiple discs (like Xenogears or a Final Fantasy), that also takes up a ton of space.

[Kelegacy]

I'm jealous of your size. 32" inches...I have such envy issues :p


It's just a cheap LCD HDTV that's hooked up via VGA to my PC and HDMI to my 360. I may just hook up my old 17" LCD monitor to play PC games, as a 32 is a bit overkill (reading emails makes me swing my head back and forth as I'm too close to it when I'm at my keyboard). I'll try a few games to see how I like it.

Everytime a guest sees it on my computer desk, they mention on how porn must look on it. No comment.

[Gorvi]

Not necessarily rough, just dated. It's pretty polished, but it just fails to excite me like Bayonetta or even Darksiders does. Although the combat is better than in that title. It's also pretty hard to like a game which is easy on the cheap deaths because you missed one bleeding qt event mid mission and sends you back to the start.

There are a lot of nice touches and cool set pieces though. But overall it just feels a bit dull even. Don't know why, it's maybe already repititive.

The camera is also pulled back to far. What's the point in having gory creatures when you're zoomed out too much.

I'll finish it, it did get better when I got further. The start is easely the worst part. I'm at lust now. Stage 1 of hell I think, or maybe that's Limbo.

Good point though, no loading times, at all, maybe a cutscnene here and there, that's it.
The reviews so far have been a bit disappointing. They say the combat is good, but other design aspects of the game fail miserably. It'll probably still be a good $20 purchase in a year, though.
I agree, fuck games which aren't worth my time. Half of my collection actually isn't finished. Gaming is supposed to be fun, not a chore.
Yeah, that's why I stopped playing Folklore when I did, I just wasn't really having fun. I am on a mission to finish all of the current gen games I own, though. I'm actually pretty close, too, all I really have left (Folklore aside) is GTAIV (playing now), Far Cry 2, IL*2 Sturmovik (which I just bought), Disgaea 3 (which I need to restart), and Oblivion (I'm 120 hours in, just need to actually finish it). It's so much more satisfying to actually finish games, at least for me.
Like Spigot said, if you start buying games of the PSN, it sucks up room fast. Or if you've gone the CFW route, and you rip either PSP or PSX games to your PSP, it takes up a lot of space. Some PSP games can be up to 1.7 gigs. And if you've got a PSX game that is multiple discs (like Xenogears or a Final Fantasy), that also takes up a ton of space.
Xenogears is actually smaller than you'd think. I have both discs on one EBOOT file and it's only ~850 MB.

[frederec]

Xenogears is actually smaller than you'd think. I have both discs on one EBOOT file and it's only ~850 MB.

Really? I've got it on my PSP now I think, I just didn't remember how big it was.

[Purple Santa]

Once you start buying games off of the PSN store, it can pile up on the stick.

I forgot about that feature. I'm still too poor to think about buying games off the PSN store...yet. Soon though...soon...
You wouldn't think so, but that stuff can be strange sometimes. It's possible having the failed drive plugged in messed with your BIOS or something. My desktop refuses to start up if it has our iPod plugged in while booting. I don't think that makes any sense either.


I almost put in my comment about homebrew but I didn't remember if Spigot had one or not. That was part of the reason I have held off on homebrewing mine. I was to cheap (well really too broke) to think about a larger memory stick.

I really wish I could get away with playing my DS at my internship. We have busy periods but then periods of quiet...like today. I was really getting into Chrono Trigger last night...

[Gorvi]

Really? I've got it on my PSP now I think, I just didn't remember how big it was.
Yeah, I just checked, and it's 869 MB. Most of the cutscenes in Xenogears were done in engine, there was very little CG/anime, so it's not all that surprising.

I've been meaning to try to rip The Legend of Dragoon in to one EBOOT since I've never really played it, I think I read somewhere online that you can get it to around 1.6 GB, which isn't all that bad. It really makes me wish that I had a bigger memory stick, though, mine is only 2GB.

[menage]

The reviews so far have been a bit disappointing. They say the combat is good, but other design aspects of the game fail miserably. It'll probably still be a good $20 purchase in a year, though.

Yeah, do that. It's not worth what i paid for it, but fuck it, I'll keep it anyway. I really expected more form people who crapped all over Resi 5 with Deadspace though.

[Xydarc]

Yeah, I just checked, and it's 869 MB. Most of the cutscenes in Xenogears were done in engine, there was very little CG/anime, so it's not all that surprising.

I've been meaning to try to rip The Legend of Dragoon in to one EBOOT since I've never really played it, I think I read somewhere online that you can get it to around 1.6 GB, which isn't all that bad. It really makes me wish that I had a bigger memory stick, though, mine is only 2GB.
8 GB Memory Stick Pro Duo (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171311) from your friend and mine: Newegg.

So far, I've had no storage problems with my 4 GB, but I'm seriously thinking about picking up a couple 8 GB.

[Gorvi]

8 GB Memory Stick Pro Duo (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171311) from your friend and mine: Newegg.

So far, I've had no storage problems with my 4 GB, but I'm seriously thinking about picking up a couple 8 GB.
Oh, I know, I need to do that. I've had the 2GB stick since I bought the PSP almost 4 1/2 years ago.

[Spigot]

Ah, nothing like getting about 3.5 hours of sleep... I'm going to be delightful to be around later today.

Time for some ME2. Hopefully my paragon doesn't turn into a renegade due to my surliness.

And where's my WKC? According to UPS it's in transit, but it's like the shipped it an extra hundred kilometers from where they needed to before putting it on a truck bound for my house.

[Xydarc]

Oh, I know, I need to do that. I've had the 2GB stick since I bought the PSP almost 4 1/2 years ago.
I'd go for a 16 GB, but I don't think my CFW PSP would recognize it, and I think 8 GB is good enough for my OFW PSP.

[Xydarc]

Ah, nothing like getting about 3.5 hours of sleep... I'm going to be delightful to be around later today.

Time for some ME2. Hopefully my paragon doesn't turn into a renegade due to my surliness.

And where's my WKC? According to UPS it's in transit, but it's like the shipped it an extra hundred kilometers from where they needed to before putting it on a truck bound for my house.
Please post impressions, surly or not, of WKC ASAP. I've been reading some very medicore reviews and impressions, but I want to hear from someone I trust.

[Gorvi]

Ah, nothing like getting about 3.5 hours of sleep... I'm going to be delightful to be around later today.
I call that "normal". ;)
I'd go for a 16 GB, but I don't think my CFW PSP would recognize it, and I think 8 GB is good enough for my OFW PSP.
I don't think I'd use that much, though. Of course, I'm sure I could find a way to fill it, but I don't have a problem moving stuff back and forth from my PC.

[Spigot]

Please post impressions, surly or not, of WKC ASAP. I've been reading some very medicore reviews and impressions, but I want to hear from someone I trust.Can do... once it arrives.

IT DOES NOT TAKE 5 HOURS TO DRIVE FROM STONEY CREEK TO ACTON!!!

Sorry... I miss the good ol' days when Amazon still used Canada Post...

Now, what should I play in the meantime... NMH2 or ME2... arg!

[EternalGamer]

I'll be playing some WKC this weekend after I finish Mass Effect 2. My brother and a friend are picking it up from Gamefly so we can play some of the co-op side missions.

[Xydarc]

I'll be playing some WKC this weekend after I finish Mass Effect 2. My brother and a friend are picking it up from Gamefly so we can play some of the co-op side missions.
I'd be interesting in hearing how the co-op is. It's disappointing it's not local co-op, but something is better than nothing.

[Spigot]

My WKC arrived about a half hour ago. I installed it on the system and fired it up.

First impressions: the graphics are kind of rough. They're sharp and the texture work is nice, but it was really making me feel like I was playing a gussied-up PS2 game. Now this isn't necessarily bad. It really feels like a high-res version of, say, FFXII. That said, there is some stiffness to the animation and the character design is this odd hybrid of quasi-realism and anime plastic doll aesthetics.

I basically skipped through a few of the early cutscenes and ran around a bit. It is very smooth and the starting city has nice architecture and it's a very bright game... but like I said earlier, it has this feel of being a game from a few years ago.

I'll sit down to actually play some of the game proper and hopefully see what there is to the game's combat system. I made my hideous little avatar and he joins the main character as a party member in the single player story. I think I'm going to reroll him though. I mean, he's UGLY. Even my kids couldn't look directly at him.

[Xydarc]

Thanks for the initial impressions. I'm dying to hear about the battle system though.

[Spigot]

I've heard it is reminiscent of FFXI's system.

[menage]

Played ME2 again all evening. And Tali's loyalty's mission is goddamn epic. Incredible well written. Hats off Bioware.

[Dostoyevsky]

Yeah, also still working on ME2. I don't plan to go through it again (maybe before ME3 though) so I'm spending as much time in it as possible. My wife will be away over the weekend to visit her extended family and I'm off the hook because of a company meeting early Saturday morning. Then I can sneak a joint and flirt with Miranda. Aww yeah. Oh the things I do when she's away. hah.

DA:O also arrived in the mail! Just in time for Chinese New Year. I get two weeks off coming up so I'm ready to dig in to something momentous. I'm also trying to decide between Borderlands and Darksiders, I'll get both eventually but not sure which to pick up first. I think Darksiders.

[Lance Uppercut]

I'm pretty close to finishing MGS4, but I'm stuck in the beginning of Act 5. It's been established that I pretty much suck at sneaking in this game.

[pomeroy]

Since I gave Ninja Gaiden 2 the finger, I decided to try out Mercenaries 2. I liked it, but I'm definitely not in the mood for a sandboxy game after just beating GTA4. I'll put that back on the pile for later.

I've got a few games that are sitting around, but I'm tempted to give Mass Effect another shot. If it got violent to change his mind on it, maybe I'll get into it?

[Xydarc]

Since I gave Ninja Gaiden 2 the finger, I decided to try out Mercenaries 2. I liked it, but I'm definitely not in the mood for a sandboxy game after just beating GTA4. I'll put that back on the pile for later.

I've got a few games that are sitting around, but I'm tempted to give Mass Effect another shot. If it got violent to change his mind on it, maybe I'll get into it?
Mass Effect is worth the 2nd chance, IMO. I made the early mistake of calling it "KOTOR without the Star Wars license." I know better, now.

[Pale Ale]

Worry not, our long national terror is over. I have defeated New Destroyman! Let us rejoice!


I'm pretty close to finishing MGS4, but I'm stuck in the beginning of Act 5. It's been established that I pretty much suck at sneaking in this game.

Yeah you could fake it up till then, but now, boned. You need infinite patience, or a good aim and luck. Fuck that, all you need is luck! Go start combing the hillsides for a four leaf clover at first light.

Mass Effect is worth the 2nd chance, IMO. I made the early mistake of calling it "KOTOR without the Star Wars license." I know better, now.

Calling ME that is not actually a bad thing.

[Purple Santa]

I've got a few games that are sitting around, but I'm tempted to give Mass Effect another shot. If it got violent to change his mind on it, maybe I'll get into it?

Outside of Kelegacy so far, everyone who seemed who couldn't get into ME1 the first,second, third time eventually did seem they thought the game was "teh bomb". I think Gorvi and I are the only holdouts. I'm going to try again in a few months. EG keeps saying you need to leave the Citadel which I again, read others state similar observations. And I too think about Violent changing his mind on the game which I think was my deciding factor to eventually to try it again.

With Bioshock 2 so close to release, I couldn't decide what to play from my backlog. For some reason i'm not feeling SH:Shattered Memories. My unfinished games nothing there that I am ready to finish (Hello Mirror's Edge). Decided to play a few hours with my weepy plastic guitar, The Beatles Rock Band. I was in the mood to finish the easy level and again I say it's such a fun game for a Beatles fan. The only downside when playing, I want to look at the animations but its hard to look at them and play. I'll most likely fool around on Medium next then figure out how to play the drums without taking up half my living/crawl space which is already tight moving around in.

[Spigot]

With Bioshock 2 so close to release, I couldn't decide what to play from my backlog. For some reason i'm not feeling SH:Shattered Memories.Sob. I mean, it's only about 8 hours, tops, from start to finish. FINISH THE FRIGHT!

[Purple Santa]

Sob. I mean, it's only about 8 hours, tops, from start to finish. FINISH THE FRIGHT!

I will. But rather play the game and annoy myself...I took a minor break. I hate to say this but...I don't know if I love the nightmare sequences as much as everyone else does. I think it's clever, I love the way they injected a new idea into an old game but...I don't think I want to see this gameplay in my SH anytime soon. Other than that the game is as as good as you stated. I'll go back to play today because as always...it's the damn story that keeps me poking around the creepy little resort town.

[Spigot]

I don't really care that much for the Nightmare sections. I endured them for the rest of the game. They do get pretty cool near the end of the game when it's not just 'run here, dodge there'.

And I would still rather deal with that part of the game than the endless cheap deaths due to shoddy combat in the other games...

I think the part in the mall is the most confusing nightmare sequence because it's easy to get lost. Otherwise, they're pretty short segments and trust me, near the end you'll come to like, if not love, them.

[Purple Santa]

I don't really care that much for the Nightmare sections. I endured them for the rest of the game. They do get pretty cool near the end of the game when it's not just 'run here, dodge there'.

And I would still rather deal with that part of the game than the endless cheap deaths due to shoddy combat in the other games...

I think the part in the mall is the most confusing nightmare sequence because it's easy to get lost. Otherwise, they're pretty short segments and trust me, near the end you'll come to like, if not love, them.
I didn't realize you didn't care for the nightmare sequences. You were right about the later sequences. They are a tad more interesting. I think I got lucky with the mall. I must of stumbled on the correct way out because I was out on the first shot. I was so shocked I checked to see if there wasn't a "part two" to the sequence.

I can't see how they would implement further nightmare sequences in future games. For obvious reasons, it seemed to be a perfect fit for this game. I wouldn't mind if Climax were to continue to do the series and if they could evolve the nightmare gameplay into a new direction i'm all for it. Just the idea of as you said, less combat but not all about "fleeing for your life" either.

[Spigot]

I really liked the way the ice came over the world and what that would do in certain parts of the game, esp. if you weren't alone. That said, aside from the really trippy nightmare sections near the end, I didn't really care for them that much.