Go Back   Freethought Forum > The Amphitheater > The Colosseum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #301  
Old 01-12-2010, 09:00 PM
Adam's Avatar
Adam Adam is offline
Vice Cobra Assistant Commander
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA
Posts: XMVDCCXLIX
Images: 29
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Awesome, thanks. I was already thinking about picking it up and playing through it before I finish the game.
__________________
"Trans Am Jesus" is "what hanged me"
ARMORED HOT DOG
Reply With Quote
  #302  
Old 01-12-2010, 09:13 PM
Joshua Adams's Avatar
Joshua Adams Joshua Adams is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: PA
Gender: Male
Posts: MMMXCVII
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Bring Down the Sky was decent, Pinnacle Station was pretty lackluster. DLC is basically buying achievements though, so you get 50 and 150 Gamerscore, respectively.

Just, if you're doing your insanity playthrough it might be pretty much impossible to beat PS, so keep a save around and switch it to casual after you unlock Medal of Valor...
Reply With Quote
Thanks, from:
Adam (01-13-2010)
  #303  
Old 01-13-2010, 10:12 AM
Joshua Adams's Avatar
Joshua Adams Joshua Adams is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: PA
Gender: Male
Posts: MMMXCVII
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

I haven't actually posted about what I've been playing in awhile, so...

I've just about mopped up Pure, an ATV racing game. Now, I'm normally no fan of racers--the last one I played more than a game or two of was probably Mario Kart--but I had a lot of fun with it. The tracks incorporate lots of branching paths, shortcuts, and so forth, so part of playing is figuring out which way to go in order to gain the upper hand. But you also have to be good at doing tricks. You frequently find yourself doings jumps off of ramps and so forth, and while airborne you can pull various button combinations to do death-defying stunts before you land. Doing so charges your Thrill Bar, get it high enough and you can do more difficult tricks, or you can spend it by boosting, so there's a bit of a balancing act. Naturally because of the trick system there must be lots of big jumps, so the game features a lot of great mountainous landscapes. Everything looks a lot more impressive than you'd expect.

As you go through the world tour mode you unlock new parts for your ATVs. You can build about ten of them and the number of options is borderline ridiculous. Thankfully you can have the game quick build one for you, optimized either for straight up racing or for pulling tricks -- which helps because you need to have different vehicles for different types of events. There are normal races, but there are also sprints (short, few jumps, all about precise driving and knowing the track) and free style, where you rack up points by doing many tricks in succession. Anyway, really fun game, but can be frustrating sometimes until you figure out the perfect way to go through the tracks.



Next, I've been playing Halo Wars. For those who don't know this is an RTS game that is specifically built for the Xbox 360. While you might balk at playing such a game with anything other than a keyboard and mouse, the developers pretty much pulled off the impossible because it works pretty well. Base construction is simplified so that there are specific base spots on each map. Each base has 3, 5, or 7 slots that you can build a structure on, depending on how many times you have upgraded the base itself. Then you click on the structure and choose which units or upgrades to buy from a radial menu. D-pad buttons scroll between bases and unit groups, and general stuff like that, so it's never a problem to get your cursor where it needs to go..

The greatest thing about this game is that you can play co-op. I don't know if other RTS games have this or not since my exposure is limited to basically old C&C games and Starcraft, but it's brilliant. It's not only inherently more fun to play games this way, but it also mitigates against the limitations of the controller interface (It's easier when you can focus on fewer things and not have to jump around as much). My co-op buddy's favorite thing to do in RTS games is build, so he can happily do that while feeding me units, and I handle the objectives and attacking. Each unit is owned by one player or another so it's not total anarchy there, but you can transfer command easily, and either person can use any structures to build stuff. Credits and so forth are shared. Speaking of which, there's no need to collect resources in this game. You can find crates lying around to supplement your income, but all you need to do is build supply pads and they will generate credits at a constant rate.

There are, of course, plenty of cool units and abilities and things, inspired by Halo, with a few new ones. The only big disappointment is that there's no Covenant campaign. Sure, you can use them in multiplayer, but the game feels kind of like it's only half an RTS without multiple campaigns. You also encounter Flood, as well as a bit of Forerunner stuff, but it's never possible to play as them. I'm not sure if that's good or bad, it might not be very interesting to be the Flood... Maybe if there's a sequel they can be a little more ambitious.
Reply With Quote
  #304  
Old 01-14-2010, 03:17 AM
erimir's Avatar
erimir erimir is offline
Projecting my phallogos with long, hard diction
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dee Cee
Gender: Male
Posts: XMMMDCCCVI
Images: 11
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

I just finished Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days for the DS. It was the same gameplay, pretty much, as the other KH games, so that part was good. The mission-based structure was kinda iffy, and the story dragged a bit (in addition to being not entirely clear).

Now I'm playing Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, also for the DS. It's fun, like its predecessor, Phantom Hourglass. Unfortunately, it does suffer a little bit from the problems of Wind Waker - namely that the world map traveling is significantly less fun than the dungeons are, and a bit time consuming. But Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks are both better than Wind Waker, since the time periods are significantly shorter and it's not as boring to do in the first place... so it's ok. But even if I don't quite see why they couldn't let you just run around a world map like in A Link to the Past or what have you, which would be even better.

Oh yeah, and like Phantom Hourglass, prolonged periods of play (since it forces you to use the stylus to control Link, because uh... allowing you to use the D-pad would make the game worse somehow?) will hurt your hands.

Those are faults with the game, but it's still fun anyway.
Reply With Quote
  #305  
Old 01-22-2010, 12:55 PM
Malloch's Avatar
Malloch Malloch is offline
Unlimited Pwnage
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Gender: Male
Posts: CCXCVI
Images: 1
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Going through Fallout 3 very thoroughly. Playing various Wii games when I have the time.ie Sega Bass Fishing, Zelda:The Twilight Princess, and Final Fantasy: My Life as a Dark Lord.
__________________
A Tachyon walks out of a bar.
A Tachyon walks into a bar.
The bartender says" Hey, We don't serve your kind"
The Tachyon says" OK" and turns to leave.
Reply With Quote
  #306  
Old 01-22-2010, 03:00 PM
Adam's Avatar
Adam Adam is offline
Vice Cobra Assistant Commander
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA
Posts: XMVDCCXLIX
Images: 29
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Been playing a bit of Torchlight, thanks to a friend who Steam-gifted it to me. If you like quirky Diablo clones, it's totally worth the $5 Steam wants for it.
__________________
"Trans Am Jesus" is "what hanged me"
ARMORED HOT DOG
Reply With Quote
  #307  
Old 01-22-2010, 03:50 PM
Kael's Avatar
Kael Kael is offline
the internet says I'm right
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Western U.S.
Gender: Male
Posts: VMCDXLV
Blog Entries: 11
Images: 23
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Still just playing WoW and some of my old games, but since I may be a productive citizen again in a week here I'll finally be able to buy a game or two by February. Gotta sit down sometime and prioritize which ones I want the most.
__________________
For Science!
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur.
Reply With Quote
  #308  
Old 01-22-2010, 11:17 PM
Joshua Adams's Avatar
Joshua Adams Joshua Adams is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: PA
Gender: Male
Posts: MMMXCVII
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Shadow Complex - Xbox Live Arcade Game

It's absolutely amazing. Everyone says it plays pretty much just like Super Metroid, but I've never played that :shiftier: I went through it five times in a row before getting even a little sick of it. I'm sure I'll be back to complete the master challenges one day (Beat it on Insane difficulty, with 100% of items collected, in under 2 hours? lol).
It takes a bit of getting used to because there can be enemies in the foreground and background. You have to aim and hit them, and the right stick aiming can be a little weird at first. Also, Insane is total bullshit, but I did manage to beat it once. Other than that no complaints.

Now I started Lego Star Wars - The Complete Saga. It's alright, and that's all I have to say about that.
Reply With Quote
  #309  
Old 01-23-2010, 07:49 AM
seebs seebs is offline
God Made Me A Skeptic
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Minnesota
Posts: VMMCMLXVII
Images: 1
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

DJ Hero. Surprisingly fun!
__________________
Hear me / and if I close my mind in fear / please pry it open
See me / and if my face becomes sincere / beware
Hold me / and when I start to come undone / stitch me together
Save me / and when you see me strut / remind me of what left this outlaw torn
Reply With Quote
  #310  
Old 01-23-2010, 02:25 PM
Kael's Avatar
Kael Kael is offline
the internet says I'm right
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Western U.S.
Gender: Male
Posts: VMCDXLV
Blog Entries: 11
Images: 23
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

I liked the Lego Star Wars games. Trouble is, I'm something of a compulsive completionist, so I would spend hours running around looking for lamp posts to blow up or broken toilets to reassemble into fusion generators for coins and secrets, instead of actually playing the game. It became quite boring, but I couldn't stop myself from doing it.
__________________
For Science!
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur.
Reply With Quote
  #311  
Old 01-23-2010, 10:58 PM
seebs seebs is offline
God Made Me A Skeptic
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Minnesota
Posts: VMMCMLXVII
Images: 1
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Yeah, I had similar problems. I really did enjoy the setting, though.
__________________
Hear me / and if I close my mind in fear / please pry it open
See me / and if my face becomes sincere / beware
Hold me / and when I start to come undone / stitch me together
Save me / and when you see me strut / remind me of what left this outlaw torn
Reply With Quote
  #312  
Old 01-24-2010, 05:00 AM
Joshua Adams's Avatar
Joshua Adams Joshua Adams is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: PA
Gender: Male
Posts: MMMXCVII
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Well, obviously I'm going for the 100%, and that includes getting True Jedi ratings on all the levels so you have to collect a lot of coins. But once I get all those and the minikits and garbage, I wouldn't see much reason to keep manipulating all the objects.

I don't like the vehicle levels. Seems to me, the game should be about exploring to find secrets, not being on rails speeding past stuff and trying to pass over/shoot it... and it's too hard to control yourself.
Reply With Quote
  #313  
Old 01-24-2010, 10:10 PM
Getfed's Avatar
Getfed Getfed is offline
1 tE@cH j00 +HE Ov3Rm@N
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Virginia, US
Gender: Male
Posts: LXXVI
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Far Cry 2.

I'm afraid to tell friends of mine I've wasted a couple entire weekends on this, in fact I'm afraid to tell them that I play it at all. Apparently people really hate this game. I think it's one of the best shooters I've ever played in my opinion, and were it a women I'd probably marry it. Then divorce it later on because thats just how I am with games.

But yeah, I think gamespot, IGN, pretty much all the big name sites got the ranking right on this one.
__________________
:shoot: :zombits: :zombie: :zombieglomp: :zombieflomp: :scaredno: :eyesbleed:
:screaming:
:zombhit: :stab: :hung::zombcan: :eatlead:
Reply With Quote
  #314  
Old 01-24-2010, 11:43 PM
Joshua Adams's Avatar
Joshua Adams Joshua Adams is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: PA
Gender: Male
Posts: MMMXCVII
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

I have that game, and I'm really looking forward to it because open world games are my absolute favorite genre. I heard it was pretty buggy though so I hope they have patched it since then.
Reply With Quote
  #315  
Old 01-25-2010, 02:27 AM
viscousmemories's Avatar
viscousmemories viscousmemories is offline
Admin
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Ypsilanti, Mi
Gender: Male
Posts: XXXDCCXLVI
Blog Entries: 1
Images: 9
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

It makes me sad that Bioshock 2 can't possibly please me as much as the first did, but I'll still be getting it as soon as it's out.
Reply With Quote
  #316  
Old 01-25-2010, 05:11 PM
Adam's Avatar
Adam Adam is offline
Vice Cobra Assistant Commander
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA
Posts: XMVDCCXLIX
Images: 29
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Mass Effect 2 hits tomorrow. I'm seriously considering taking Wednesday off work.
__________________
"Trans Am Jesus" is "what hanged me"
ARMORED HOT DOG
Reply With Quote
  #317  
Old 01-25-2010, 09:58 PM
It's Me!'s Avatar
It's Me! It's Me! is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sock drawer
Posts: CCXLI
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Now: Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising for the Gameboy Advance.

Tomorrow: Tatsunoko vs. Capcom for the Wii (probably taking the day off of work to get it early and play it all day).
__________________
Socker is for puppets!
Reply With Quote
  #318  
Old 01-27-2010, 06:58 PM
Adam's Avatar
Adam Adam is offline
Vice Cobra Assistant Commander
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA
Posts: XMVDCCXLIX
Images: 29
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

I'm about two hours into Mass Effect 2. My first impression is that the story is top notch, but I preferred the gameplay in the first one. It may just be a matter of my needing to get used to it, though. One design decision I simply do not understand is the change to how weapons work.

For those who didn't play the first game, your pistols, shotguns, assault rifles, etc. do not use ammunition. The in universe explanation is that each weapon contains a block of extremely dense metal suspended in a mass effect field, and it shaves slugs off of that as needed, giving each weapon unlimited ammunition for all practical purposes. You couldn't just go crazy spraying bullets everywhere, though, because your weapon was limited by heat. You had a heat meter for each weapon, and you could see it increase as you fired and decrease over time if you stopped shooting. If it ever hit the maximum, your weapon would overheat and could not be fired again until the meter was completely empty. I thought it was a very elegant design that forced you to fire in controlled bursts while eliminating the need to play inventory manager with an ammo supply.

In the second game, ammo is back, although it's not called ammo. Your weapon does not overheat in ME2 because heat is dissipated by "thermal clips", which are ammo in all but name. You pick one up, it has 10 uses, you fire 10 shots, those uses are gone. In universe, they are supposedly an improvement over the old system, but i can't see why any designer in his right mind would take an infinitely usable tool and re-engineer it to be dependent on a limited resource. It would have been cool if the thermal clip were a resource that you could expend in critical situations to extend the length of time you could fire a gun without overheating, but sneaking ammo in through the back door is inelegant and irritating.
__________________
"Trans Am Jesus" is "what hanged me"
ARMORED HOT DOG
Reply With Quote
  #319  
Old 01-28-2010, 04:10 AM
Nightson's Avatar
Nightson Nightson is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: California
Posts: MCCCLXXIX
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

And it makes you run around afterwards looking for all the ammo because your sniper rifle has a whole ten shots.
__________________
We all carry within us our places of exile, our crimes and our ravages. But our task is not to unleash them on the world; it is to fight them in ourselves and in others. ~Albert Camus
Reply With Quote
  #320  
Old 01-28-2010, 04:58 AM
Kael's Avatar
Kael Kael is offline
the internet says I'm right
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Western U.S.
Gender: Male
Posts: VMCDXLV
Blog Entries: 11
Images: 23
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Damn, that almost makes me want to take it off my list of games to buy this year. Shitty move, Bioware.
__________________
For Science!
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur.
Reply With Quote
  #321  
Old 01-28-2010, 09:00 AM
Nightson's Avatar
Nightson Nightson is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: California
Posts: MCCCLXXIX
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kael View Post
Damn, that almost makes me want to take it off my list of games to buy this year. Shitty move, Bioware.
Keep in mind I am complaining about a game I play for twelve hours straight.
__________________
We all carry within us our places of exile, our crimes and our ravages. But our task is not to unleash them on the world; it is to fight them in ourselves and in others. ~Albert Camus
Reply With Quote
  #322  
Old 02-06-2010, 03:18 AM
seebs seebs is offline
God Made Me A Skeptic
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Minnesota
Posts: VMMCMLXVII
Images: 1
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Heroes of Might & Magic 3.

Because it's DRM-free from good old games, and MAN is it fun.
__________________
Hear me / and if I close my mind in fear / please pry it open
See me / and if my face becomes sincere / beware
Hold me / and when I start to come undone / stitch me together
Save me / and when you see me strut / remind me of what left this outlaw torn
Reply With Quote
  #323  
Old 02-06-2010, 04:27 AM
Kael's Avatar
Kael Kael is offline
the internet says I'm right
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Western U.S.
Gender: Male
Posts: VMCDXLV
Blog Entries: 11
Images: 23
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Oh, man, Heroes 3. So many good times... I should bust that out again, but if I do right now I'll never get caught up with school. It's too bad 4 wasn't as good. I actually really liked what Ubisoft did with Heroes V, gameplay-wise, which is far and above the horrible butchery they perpetrated on the regular Might & Magic franchise. 'Course, they dropped all the old story-line stuff, but the last time I was playing V I found a site that was working on a restoration mod to continue the old story with the new engine.
__________________
For Science!
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur.
Reply With Quote
  #324  
Old 02-06-2010, 05:27 AM
seebs seebs is offline
God Made Me A Skeptic
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Minnesota
Posts: VMMCMLXVII
Images: 1
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

I played V for about an hour. But:

1. The message "Not enought movement points" pretty much put me off it.
2. Holy crap the copy protection hassle.

That was actually very close to the last time I ever bought a PC game with copy protection of any sort.

I miss some of 4's features -- the higher resolution support, for instance. But 3 did have amazing game balance.
__________________
Hear me / and if I close my mind in fear / please pry it open
See me / and if my face becomes sincere / beware
Hold me / and when I start to come undone / stitch me together
Save me / and when you see me strut / remind me of what left this outlaw torn
Reply With Quote
  #325  
Old 02-06-2010, 06:26 AM
Kael's Avatar
Kael Kael is offline
the internet says I'm right
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Western U.S.
Gender: Male
Posts: VMCDXLV
Blog Entries: 11
Images: 23
Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

Yeah, 3 is still the best of the whole franchise, IMO.

Why would the movement points message bother you, though? It's not like the other games haven't had the same mechanic. Is it just the game spelling it out for you that put you off?
__________________
For Science!
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  Freethought Forum > The Amphitheater > The Colosseum


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 3 (0 members and 3 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

 

All times are GMT +1. The time now is 05:51 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Page generated in 0.55809 seconds with 14 queries