Mass Effect 2 really looks like it's shaping up to be a fantastic improvement on the first game - not that the first game was bad, it was great! But from the look of the recent string of video footage about the sequel it could be "Legend...wait for it...ary".
In the first game I hardly touched the super Jedi like powers that were called Biotics, instead focusing (as I usually do) on my engineer based skills for lock picking. One reason was that they seemed a bit pointless, only being able to use them sparodically before running out of Jedi-Juice.
Looks like thats all changing though with this latest video clip showing the newly redesigned Biotic abilities for the "Adept" character class. Take a look:
Its starting to remind me more of the powers you used to get in System Shock 2 now - which can only be a good thing!
Sunday, 29 November 2009
Saturday, 28 November 2009
Getting Wild? Wildhollow is out there!
This is one of those games that looks like it's one genre, but turns out to be completely another! The manga style characters certainly make this look like and RPG, which it isn't. It's actually closer to a casual hidden object game! But for non-casual gamers perhaps?
I played the demo for a good 30 minutes or so and I was very impressed by the art quality, especially the characters with talking animations. The gameplay consists of a number of mini-games where you collect apples, catch fish and find objects. However you also have to take care of any animals you own on your parents' ranch. It really is an interactive story and the dialogue isn't half bad.
Anyway, enough of my ramblings for now, check out the youtube video that should explain all!
I can see that this is going to tick all the boxes for some peeps out there. Luckily there's a playable demo (if you hadn't already gathered!) to see if you're one of those people!
Click here to visit the Wildhollow official page
I played the demo for a good 30 minutes or so and I was very impressed by the art quality, especially the characters with talking animations. The gameplay consists of a number of mini-games where you collect apples, catch fish and find objects. However you also have to take care of any animals you own on your parents' ranch. It really is an interactive story and the dialogue isn't half bad.
Anyway, enough of my ramblings for now, check out the youtube video that should explain all!
I can see that this is going to tick all the boxes for some peeps out there. Luckily there's a playable demo (if you hadn't already gathered!) to see if you're one of those people!
Click here to visit the Wildhollow official page
Yes, you can now play Creeper World in your browser. This isn't really news, it's been available for a while but it's still great.If you've still not played Creeper World (seriously?) and it's because you don't want to download anything or you didn't want to install adobe air or blah blah, then you can play it without worrying about anything. Well, not anything, there are a few loading ads, but it doesn't take long to load.
If you're still not sure, why not read my review and my tactics guide to get a better idea of what it's all about.
Friday, 27 November 2009
More Weekendly deals going on
Not to be left out in the cold, Gamersgate and Direct2Drive are also running some interesting deals right now. Some of these overlap other sites but they all seem to be equal discounts when they do.
Anyway, here are the more interesting ones I've spotted:
Gamersgate are selling a KingsBounty double pack, which is basically the latest installment (Armoured Princess) with the original tagged on for an extra £5. I did buy and play the original a while ago but I didn't get on with the concept, I do enjoy turn based battles but I would have prefered ally play pieces to have been specific characters rather than just generic archers, knights, bears and so on. But I know that sites such as RockPaperShotgun consider it to be something very special so perhaps it's worth your attention Click here for the Kingsbounty double set offer
Direct2Drive are doing some similar deals to impulse right now. The main differences being CitiesXL which they're selling for £15 and Grand Theft Auto 4 for £10, which from what I've heard is a bargain (if you're into that sort of thing). Check out their recent deals - and remember to check back there on monday for more deals.
Going briefly back to Gamersgate, my eagle eyes spot that they have East India Company going for only £10, which is a great price for this. I didn't think it was quite up to Anno-1404's fun level but if you just want to trade then it does that in more detail. Check out the deal here
Lastly, you've got to check out the Steam day 2 deals that are on - these are mental. Mental I tell you! Knights of the Old Republic for only £2? Majesty 2 for only £7? Left4Dead2 for cheaper than the pre-order price? Will I get that now...hmmmm... Anyway, Worth checking it out!
Anyway, here are the more interesting ones I've spotted:
Gamersgate are selling a KingsBounty double pack, which is basically the latest installment (Armoured Princess) with the original tagged on for an extra £5. I did buy and play the original a while ago but I didn't get on with the concept, I do enjoy turn based battles but I would have prefered ally play pieces to have been specific characters rather than just generic archers, knights, bears and so on. But I know that sites such as RockPaperShotgun consider it to be something very special so perhaps it's worth your attention Click here for the Kingsbounty double set offer
Direct2Drive are doing some similar deals to impulse right now. The main differences being CitiesXL which they're selling for £15 and Grand Theft Auto 4 for £10, which from what I've heard is a bargain (if you're into that sort of thing). Check out their recent deals - and remember to check back there on monday for more deals.
Going briefly back to Gamersgate, my eagle eyes spot that they have East India Company going for only £10, which is a great price for this. I didn't think it was quite up to Anno-1404's fun level but if you just want to trade then it does that in more detail. Check out the deal here
Lastly, you've got to check out the Steam day 2 deals that are on - these are mental. Mental I tell you! Knights of the Old Republic for only £2? Majesty 2 for only £7? Left4Dead2 for cheaper than the pre-order price? Will I get that now...hmmmm... Anyway, Worth checking it out!
AI War first expansion: The Zenith Remnant
The Zenith Remnant will soon be available from both the friendly Arcen Games' site and ImpulseDriven. It's not totally finalised yet but here's a list of the things they're planning to get into the expansion:
* 80 to 100 new ships, including:
* At least 12 new ship classes with a variety of abilities.
* At least 6 massive "Golem" ships.
* At least 5 new "capturables" other than Golems.
* Several new ships for allowing players expanded ways to control fleets.
* At least 4 new map styles.
* At least 12 new AI Types.
* A new, neutral minor faction in the galaxy: the Zenith Aliens (NPCs).
* 30-40 minutes of new in-game music tracks.
* At least two universal new AI ship subsystems (like Astro Trains).
The new ships look pretty good and it should be interesting what impact these new features will have on current gameplay, although I expect they'll simply build on the "thousands of ships fighting at once" gameplay that has made AI War so popular so far.
If you're a fan of the game you've seriously go to check out the expansion site.
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Impulsey Deals
With Steam doing it's big sale right now, it's important to note that other portals are doing some too! Making an informed decision and all that...
Impulse are doing a great deal at the moment in a similar style with many top titles going for a great price.
In particular I noticed:
- Resident Evil 5 is only £15 right now,
- Sword of the stars Ultimate edition is only £6 (but is missing Argos Naval Yard in this offer)
- Tank Universal is only £2.50 (bargain in my opinion)
- Sins of a Solar Empire - only £6
And many many many more! So it's worth downloading Impulse and taking a look.
(or alternatively go here to go directly to the sales page)
Impulse are doing a great deal at the moment in a similar style with many top titles going for a great price.
In particular I noticed:
- Resident Evil 5 is only £15 right now,
- Sword of the stars Ultimate edition is only £6 (but is missing Argos Naval Yard in this offer)
- Tank Universal is only £2.50 (bargain in my opinion)
- Sins of a Solar Empire - only £6
And many many many more! So it's worth downloading Impulse and taking a look.
(or alternatively go here to go directly to the sales page)
Driftmoon!
RPGs are a guilty pleasure of mine, so when I see a new one I'm always eager to play it as soon as possible - if only I had the time. So when I was told about Driftmoon I was immediately curious!
First off here's the video
It's certainly interesting looking, kind of like diablo but with a Gautnlet style viewpoint. In the email I recevied it describes the gameplay as: Explore the large open world and fight the evil forces that plague the land with your optional friends - egoistic panther and firefly with a mission to become a star.
And I immediately thought: when the firefly says he wants to be a star, is that like an "In the sky" star, or as in Elton John? I'm guessing the former, although the latter would have made for a great story in an rpg game like this!
Anyway, I don't want to poke fun because it's looking like a solid effort so far. They've reached the final of the 2BeeGames indie contest (I've not actually heard of that before, but some good lookin' games in there) - it's a public voting contest so get in there and click!
And you can find more out about Driftmoon at http://www.monkkonen.net/ where there is a playable version available!
First off here's the video
It's certainly interesting looking, kind of like diablo but with a Gautnlet style viewpoint. In the email I recevied it describes the gameplay as: Explore the large open world and fight the evil forces that plague the land with your optional friends - egoistic panther and firefly with a mission to become a star.
And I immediately thought: when the firefly says he wants to be a star, is that like an "In the sky" star, or as in Elton John? I'm guessing the former, although the latter would have made for a great story in an rpg game like this!
Anyway, I don't want to poke fun because it's looking like a solid effort so far. They've reached the final of the 2BeeGames indie contest (I've not actually heard of that before, but some good lookin' games in there) - it's a public voting contest so get in there and click!
And you can find more out about Driftmoon at http://www.monkkonen.net/ where there is a playable version available!
The Chicken and the Wii
As much as I don't like consoles too much, they do have their uses.
I do, to my shame, own a Wii - but I wanted to share my story of how this piece of living room entertainment equipment can actually be useful.
Hah! You may scoff, but this is a true story and luckily not a very long one, so stay with me on this...
On Sunday my folks were visiting and we had planned to cook a roast dinner, which is quite a stretch for us as our usual sunday meals consist of mostly muffins. So on Saturday I purchased a free range Chicken from the local Chicken shop and was quite proud of myself for doing so. How grown up of me. My fiancé told me that we would need to cook this beast for 20 minutes per pound-in-weight, which was duly noted.
On Sunday morning I woke at 8:30 in a panic - In all the rush I'd forgotten to remember how heavy the chicken was! I tried to weigh it on our tiny plastic scales - they broke. I tried to weigh it on the bathroom scales - they're digital and wouldn't register such a tiny non-person.
It was too early to bother the neighbours and I wasn't sure if it needed to go into the oven right then but suddenly a moment of genius overtook me and I booted up the Wii.
Wii-Fit-Plus, which I had bought the previous friday allows you to weigh your pet animals by first weighing yourself, then the combined weight of you holding your pet. The difference obviously being the weight of the animal. So by now it should be obvious that we have a "cat" registered on the Wii called "TheChicken" (stupid Wii short names means there is no space.) It follows me around when I do the cycling challenges.
The weird thing is I can't bring myself to remove it from the Wii, even after we've eaten the chicken. Strange.
I do, to my shame, own a Wii - but I wanted to share my story of how this piece of living room entertainment equipment can actually be useful.
Hah! You may scoff, but this is a true story and luckily not a very long one, so stay with me on this...
On Sunday my folks were visiting and we had planned to cook a roast dinner, which is quite a stretch for us as our usual sunday meals consist of mostly muffins. So on Saturday I purchased a free range Chicken from the local Chicken shop and was quite proud of myself for doing so. How grown up of me. My fiancé told me that we would need to cook this beast for 20 minutes per pound-in-weight, which was duly noted.
On Sunday morning I woke at 8:30 in a panic - In all the rush I'd forgotten to remember how heavy the chicken was! I tried to weigh it on our tiny plastic scales - they broke. I tried to weigh it on the bathroom scales - they're digital and wouldn't register such a tiny non-person.
It was too early to bother the neighbours and I wasn't sure if it needed to go into the oven right then but suddenly a moment of genius overtook me and I booted up the Wii.
Wii-Fit-Plus, which I had bought the previous friday allows you to weigh your pet animals by first weighing yourself, then the combined weight of you holding your pet. The difference obviously being the weight of the animal. So by now it should be obvious that we have a "cat" registered on the Wii called "TheChicken" (stupid Wii short names means there is no space.) It follows me around when I do the cycling challenges.
The weird thing is I can't bring myself to remove it from the Wii, even after we've eaten the chicken. Strange.
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
HUGE Steam sale!
Oh my oh my.
Christmas has come early my friends - steam are having a big sale on some very big titles right now.
The biggest of which is Dragon Age (25% off!) Batman:Arkham Asylum (50% off, this is a Must Buy)
Osmos is only £2, and well blimey. I'm not sure what else to say if I even need to say any more that is.
Go Forth and be merry!
(oh and don't forget their Plants Vs Zombies sale! )
Christmas has come early my friends - steam are having a big sale on some very big titles right now.
The biggest of which is Dragon Age (25% off!) Batman:Arkham Asylum (50% off, this is a Must Buy)
Osmos is only £2, and well blimey. I'm not sure what else to say if I even need to say any more that is.
Go Forth and be merry!
(oh and don't forget their Plants Vs Zombies sale! )
The Body Snatchers! (Left4Dead2)
I'm actually a little worried.
Actually that’s a bit of an understatement, its a kind of dread that something is happening to people who play Left4Dead2. They are changed people.
And I apologise for my over zealous use of italics but I've come to the conclusion that Left4Dead2 is in fact the zombie virus itself at work. "But Andy, you madman!" I hear you say, "such things are the work of fiction only!"
Perhaps, perhaps.
But I've noticed a trend in gamers who have previously declared L4D2 to be something avoided and have then gone on to play the game in full. This includes 95% of reviewers out there and 99% of boycotters who have all suddenly decided that the game is awesome.
On the subject of the boycott, it seems that most of this collective now own the title, including the leaders. These leaders were turned by the source (ho ho) of the infection, Valve HQ, who returned from their meeting with the host with a perspective turned around (ie, they decided L4D2 was good and not bad as they had previously spoken.) So not much of a boycott overall then.
Now I have friends who have also fallen foul to this affliction - I feel like I'm in that body snatchers film and everyone is trying to get at me whispering "Join ussss..."
...Help!
Actually that’s a bit of an understatement, its a kind of dread that something is happening to people who play Left4Dead2. They are changed people.
And I apologise for my over zealous use of italics but I've come to the conclusion that Left4Dead2 is in fact the zombie virus itself at work. "But Andy, you madman!" I hear you say, "such things are the work of fiction only!"
Perhaps, perhaps.
But I've noticed a trend in gamers who have previously declared L4D2 to be something avoided and have then gone on to play the game in full. This includes 95% of reviewers out there and 99% of boycotters who have all suddenly decided that the game is awesome.
On the subject of the boycott, it seems that most of this collective now own the title, including the leaders. These leaders were turned by the source (ho ho) of the infection, Valve HQ, who returned from their meeting with the host with a perspective turned around (ie, they decided L4D2 was good and not bad as they had previously spoken.) So not much of a boycott overall then.
Now I have friends who have also fallen foul to this affliction - I feel like I'm in that body snatchers film and everyone is trying to get at me whispering "Join ussss..."
...Help!
Monday, 23 November 2009
New Review: Snakeworlds!
Yes your jaws may well drop to the floor, I have indeed written a new review after nearly a month and a half of other bits and bobs off the site I've finally gotten my backside into gear with the site again. I've devised a clever way of working on 2 projects at once so...uh, anyway I'm getting sidetracked!
Snakeworlds is what we're talking about here, the guys have been very patient and probably thought I'd been after a freebee when asking for a review copy, but finally: Vindication! I hesitate to call it a snake "clone" because it visually has little resemblence to classic snake games. But I thought...Ah, well you'd better read the review to find out!
Click here to read the Snakeworlds review!
Snakeworlds is what we're talking about here, the guys have been very patient and probably thought I'd been after a freebee when asking for a review copy, but finally: Vindication! I hesitate to call it a snake "clone" because it visually has little resemblence to classic snake games. But I thought...Ah, well you'd better read the review to find out!Click here to read the Snakeworlds review!
Monday, 16 November 2009
When Two Worlds Unfortunately Collide
I'm probably going to come across as a whining little fanboy now so for those that have a higher opinion of me, it's probably best to ignore this ranting post!
Okay, now that <1% of readers have gone I also have to admit this post isn't about a PC game. In fact it's about one of the only console gaming series that I care about: Final Fantasy
If you're also a fan of the series you've probably already seen the recent announcement trailer from Square-Enix. If not, here it is again for you:
So yeah it starts off with some chap talking who looks like he'd never heard of the game series until his modelling agency cast him for this role. Then it gets into the little talks by the peeps involved - which actually is great. And they chat about the game, giving nothing away that we didn't really know already.
But, and if you've just watched this you probably already know what's getting to me, the sound guy tells us they've partnered with "Singer/Songwriter" (hmmm) Leona Lewis to write and sing the American/European theme song.
I just can't get on board with this idea - it's the worst possible thing that could happen to a series like this. Out of all of the possible "Singer/Songwriters" (and I still can't believe they called her a songwriter) they could only think of her?
Well, it's far more likely there's a marketing deal or the record company is co-owned by the owner of Square-Enix or something like that of course. This was the only console game I was planning to buy over the next year (aside from DS games, they don't count) but now I'm not so sure. I don't think I want to encourage this kind of music or celebrity appearing in the games I buy.
This would have never happened with Nobuo Uematsu running the sound side of things. Maybe it's time to ignore the FF series and pretend it ended at number 10 (which in some ways it did.) Let's hope Mistwalker can provide us with something new to play soon.
And if you want to hear the monstrosity that is the creation to be used (which I note wasn't especially written for the game) try this linky here. I'd advise against it of course...
Okay, now that <1% of readers have gone I also have to admit this post isn't about a PC game. In fact it's about one of the only console gaming series that I care about: Final Fantasy
If you're also a fan of the series you've probably already seen the recent announcement trailer from Square-Enix. If not, here it is again for you:
So yeah it starts off with some chap talking who looks like he'd never heard of the game series until his modelling agency cast him for this role. Then it gets into the little talks by the peeps involved - which actually is great. And they chat about the game, giving nothing away that we didn't really know already.
But, and if you've just watched this you probably already know what's getting to me, the sound guy tells us they've partnered with "Singer/Songwriter" (hmmm) Leona Lewis to write and sing the American/European theme song.
I just can't get on board with this idea - it's the worst possible thing that could happen to a series like this. Out of all of the possible "Singer/Songwriters" (and I still can't believe they called her a songwriter) they could only think of her?
Well, it's far more likely there's a marketing deal or the record company is co-owned by the owner of Square-Enix or something like that of course. This was the only console game I was planning to buy over the next year (aside from DS games, they don't count) but now I'm not so sure. I don't think I want to encourage this kind of music or celebrity appearing in the games I buy.
This would have never happened with Nobuo Uematsu running the sound side of things. Maybe it's time to ignore the FF series and pretend it ended at number 10 (which in some ways it did.) Let's hope Mistwalker can provide us with something new to play soon.
And if you want to hear the monstrosity that is the creation to be used (which I note wasn't especially written for the game) try this linky here. I'd advise against it of course...
Friday, 13 November 2009
Weekend Dealies!
Again, weekends are a time for the budget gamer to rejoyce and buy games at the price they should have arguably been sold at to start with - but that's another conversation. So in no particular order, here are my hot buying tips for this weekend:
Overlord Complete Pack!
Not sure if this is just a weekend deal, or if it's going to be around for a while, but this looked like a real bargain to me. It contains the original Overlord, the Add on and also Overlord 2, which only came out a few months ago - all for the price I paid for Overlord back in June (£25)
It is on steam, so steam-a-phobes should steer clear (not that I know many people who try to avoid steam). Otherwise clicky here: Overlord Complate Pack Link
Elven Legacy 50% Off
Now heres a game I've been meaning to review for weeks, but with everything else going on - well I've not reviewed anything since Mid-October! Soon to change...Anyway, going back on topic this is worth your attention, a pretty interesting strategy game from Paradox who seem to be taking over gamers gate with their vast quantity of releases!
So if you're looking for a good strategy title you could do worse than check this out: Elven Legacy 50% off link
The Indie Complete Pack!
Oooh this would be great if I didn't already own some of these. This pack going for £15 includes recent greats such as AaAAaaaaAAaah, And Yet It Moves, Crayon Physics just to name a few. I've played nearly all of these and can guarantee their excellence, especially AaaAAaa, Crayon Physics and Project Aftermath.
This really is a weekend-only deal (ends 16/11/09) so make sure you don't wait too long! Indie Complete Pack Link
Spirit Engine 2 - when did it go down this much?
Wow, the most excellent Spirit Engine 2 is now only £6 on gamers gate? I reviewed this back in Feb and it's on of the games that made me want to do reviewing to tell the world about these fantastic creations. Click here for the review!
So this is not a weekend deal, but one that you should check out for sure: Click here to get the Spirit Engine 2
Finally - are we having a Crysis?
Oh the puns, what fun! Anyway, Steam are doing a great weekend deal on both Crysis and it's expansion thing Crysis:Warhead - both 50% off. If you've not heard of Crysis and love First Person Shooter games (I'll be very surprised if you've not heard of it in this case but...) go here immediately!
I've only actually played Crysis recently and was impressed with the obviously fantastic look of the thing. The gameplay wasn't my favourite in terms of FPS, but for a tenner I wouldn't argue!
Click here to take a gander: Crysis Weekend Deal Link
Overlord Complete Pack!
Not sure if this is just a weekend deal, or if it's going to be around for a while, but this looked like a real bargain to me. It contains the original Overlord, the Add on and also Overlord 2, which only came out a few months ago - all for the price I paid for Overlord back in June (£25)
It is on steam, so steam-a-phobes should steer clear (not that I know many people who try to avoid steam). Otherwise clicky here: Overlord Complate Pack Link
Elven Legacy 50% Off
Now heres a game I've been meaning to review for weeks, but with everything else going on - well I've not reviewed anything since Mid-October! Soon to change...Anyway, going back on topic this is worth your attention, a pretty interesting strategy game from Paradox who seem to be taking over gamers gate with their vast quantity of releases!
So if you're looking for a good strategy title you could do worse than check this out: Elven Legacy 50% off link
The Indie Complete Pack!
Oooh this would be great if I didn't already own some of these. This pack going for £15 includes recent greats such as AaAAaaaaAAaah, And Yet It Moves, Crayon Physics just to name a few. I've played nearly all of these and can guarantee their excellence, especially AaaAAaa, Crayon Physics and Project Aftermath.
This really is a weekend-only deal (ends 16/11/09) so make sure you don't wait too long! Indie Complete Pack Link
Spirit Engine 2 - when did it go down this much?
Wow, the most excellent Spirit Engine 2 is now only £6 on gamers gate? I reviewed this back in Feb and it's on of the games that made me want to do reviewing to tell the world about these fantastic creations. Click here for the review!
So this is not a weekend deal, but one that you should check out for sure: Click here to get the Spirit Engine 2
Finally - are we having a Crysis?
Oh the puns, what fun! Anyway, Steam are doing a great weekend deal on both Crysis and it's expansion thing Crysis:Warhead - both 50% off. If you've not heard of Crysis and love First Person Shooter games (I'll be very surprised if you've not heard of it in this case but...) go here immediately!
I've only actually played Crysis recently and was impressed with the obviously fantastic look of the thing. The gameplay wasn't my favourite in terms of FPS, but for a tenner I wouldn't argue!
Click here to take a gander: Crysis Weekend Deal Link
Thursday, 12 November 2009
Left4Dead 2 - Not a Boycott
Not a Boycott, but not a purchase either.
If you've not played the demo yet I suggest you give it a go, because as much as I've tried not to be biased about this I'm not sure I've succeeded.
I won't go into the "I'm a Valve fan-boy" talk again, I did that before. Suffice to say I own anything else they've ever made. When L4D2 was announced I was intrigued - why a sequel after such a short period of time? What could they possibly add to improve this?
But after a few play throughs of the L4D2 demo, I have personally decided not to buy the full version. Because I feel quite strongly about the whole Boycott issue I'm going to go into my reasons why.
It feels very much like it was made for a certain audience, and that just isn't me. It's pretty much the same game as before but it goes that extra mile in terms of weapons, characterisation, the "director 2.0" but here's my problem. With Team Fortress 2 I get a sense of fun, things happen in a humourous way that you want to tell everyone about. With Half Life 2 I get a sense of awe, with a great story and emotional attachment to the characters I just can't wait for the next installment. However with Left4Dead the only memories I have are of when I got shot down by team mates or when one of them ran away while we were fighting a tank. It wasn't fun nor was it awe inspiring.
This experience pre-tainted my enjoyment of this sequel, which of course can solve neither of these issues as they are fundamental to this kind of multiplayer game. The same thing used to happen in Counter Strike, but somehow not as often.
So on my play through I was looking for what the sequel had to offer me that wasn't in the original, nor in the excellent "Killing Floor", released earlier this year by Tripwire Interactive. Melee Weapons? Killing Floor had those. 4 Player co-op? Nothing too new there - try Borderlands for mission based co-op! AI Director 2.0? Didn't notice anything significant on my subsequent playthroughs aside from different item/weapon drops.
I don't feel like getting this just for the chance to hit zombies with a cricket bat or electric guitar, which is the only reason I can see for buying this. Others may disagree and I'm sure they'll enjoy it as much as they are hoping, but aside from the fantastic trailer it hasn't impressed me enough.
It's not a boycott though, because I can quite firmly guarantee that if this had been offered as an expansion I wouldn't get that either!
If you've not played the demo yet I suggest you give it a go, because as much as I've tried not to be biased about this I'm not sure I've succeeded.
I won't go into the "I'm a Valve fan-boy" talk again, I did that before. Suffice to say I own anything else they've ever made. When L4D2 was announced I was intrigued - why a sequel after such a short period of time? What could they possibly add to improve this?
But after a few play throughs of the L4D2 demo, I have personally decided not to buy the full version. Because I feel quite strongly about the whole Boycott issue I'm going to go into my reasons why.
It feels very much like it was made for a certain audience, and that just isn't me. It's pretty much the same game as before but it goes that extra mile in terms of weapons, characterisation, the "director 2.0" but here's my problem. With Team Fortress 2 I get a sense of fun, things happen in a humourous way that you want to tell everyone about. With Half Life 2 I get a sense of awe, with a great story and emotional attachment to the characters I just can't wait for the next installment. However with Left4Dead the only memories I have are of when I got shot down by team mates or when one of them ran away while we were fighting a tank. It wasn't fun nor was it awe inspiring.
This experience pre-tainted my enjoyment of this sequel, which of course can solve neither of these issues as they are fundamental to this kind of multiplayer game. The same thing used to happen in Counter Strike, but somehow not as often.
So on my play through I was looking for what the sequel had to offer me that wasn't in the original, nor in the excellent "Killing Floor", released earlier this year by Tripwire Interactive. Melee Weapons? Killing Floor had those. 4 Player co-op? Nothing too new there - try Borderlands for mission based co-op! AI Director 2.0? Didn't notice anything significant on my subsequent playthroughs aside from different item/weapon drops.
I don't feel like getting this just for the chance to hit zombies with a cricket bat or electric guitar, which is the only reason I can see for buying this. Others may disagree and I'm sure they'll enjoy it as much as they are hoping, but aside from the fantastic trailer it hasn't impressed me enough.
It's not a boycott though, because I can quite firmly guarantee that if this had been offered as an expansion I wouldn't get that either!
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Modern Warfare 2 - Sorry, Did I miss something?
Although this looks quite good I can't bring myself to buy it yet, nor to get the first one (or the 4th one depending on what series it's trying to be at the time.)
I've seen clips of the famous bits from COD4 so there's not going to be any surprises here, and I was even given a copy for the xbox360, which I promptly gave back because playing an FPS on a console is like trying to play a platformer on the PC. It's unnatural.
The co-op "special ops" missions in this new offering sound really good fun and the now infamous Airport scene sounds like one of the more controversial gaming moments I've heard of since Bone Town was released. (You'll have to search for that one yourselves)
But while this is undoubtedly a good game I'm surprised at the fanatisism bubbling up behind it, as well as the bile pouring from the net regarding it's lesser attributes such as the lack of dedicated server support, steam dependancy, short length of the single player campain...I could go on. It feels on par with the Left4Dead-2 boycott, people are getting quite worked up about it which I understand because it's natural to get worked up about something your dedicated to.
I don't really want to go into the "there's plenty more games out there" talk, but there really are. Suggestions from me would be: Borderlands (ooh, review soon!), Torchlight (I wish I had the time to review this!), Gratuitous Space Battles, just to name a few!
So I wouldn't use the word Boycott, I would use the words alternative purchase choice or something else that actually sounds clever.
I've seen clips of the famous bits from COD4 so there's not going to be any surprises here, and I was even given a copy for the xbox360, which I promptly gave back because playing an FPS on a console is like trying to play a platformer on the PC. It's unnatural.
The co-op "special ops" missions in this new offering sound really good fun and the now infamous Airport scene sounds like one of the more controversial gaming moments I've heard of since Bone Town was released. (You'll have to search for that one yourselves)
But while this is undoubtedly a good game I'm surprised at the fanatisism bubbling up behind it, as well as the bile pouring from the net regarding it's lesser attributes such as the lack of dedicated server support, steam dependancy, short length of the single player campain...I could go on. It feels on par with the Left4Dead-2 boycott, people are getting quite worked up about it which I understand because it's natural to get worked up about something your dedicated to.
I don't really want to go into the "there's plenty more games out there" talk, but there really are. Suggestions from me would be: Borderlands (ooh, review soon!), Torchlight (I wish I had the time to review this!), Gratuitous Space Battles, just to name a few!
So I wouldn't use the word Boycott, I would use the words alternative purchase choice or something else that actually sounds clever.
Saturday, 7 November 2009
Weekend deals that are worth thinking about!
Oh my, there really are couple of fantastical deals around for those of you who haven't got these titles yet:
Grappling Hook - 50% off
Yes the FPS Puzzler I "recently" reviewed is 50% off this weekend at Gamers Gate
If you're a fan of Portal or other fps puzzlers (there was this great HL1 mod that was a puzzler but I can't remember it's name anymore) then this is well worth your attention.
Also, it's an Independent developer who wrote this, so you can feel good for buying this twice over!
Mass Effect - 50% off
Oh Mass Effect was a life saver a few months ago for me. I was quite skint and I found it for a Fiver on the second hand shelf.
Now, this isn't quite as cheap but it's as near as you'll get it digitally. Mass Effect is a Bioware game, if you didn't know, a developer whose games should be stored in buddist temples and revered as the pinacle of RPG gaming titles.
In other words, go get this now! (on steam)
Torchlight - cheapest retailer is...
And I know I get kudos for sales from them, but GamersGate have this at £12.95 which is a couple of squids less than Steam and Direct2Drive.
Otherwise try the official Torchlight site (I have no idea what conversion rates are doing at the moment) where it's $20, if that's any cheaper than £13!
Have you tried this yet? I quite liked it but my bro, who's a Diablo-Purist, really didn't. I guess it has something to do with the cartoonish style... Perhaps I need to review this...
Grappling Hook - 50% off
Yes the FPS Puzzler I "recently" reviewed is 50% off this weekend at Gamers Gate
If you're a fan of Portal or other fps puzzlers (there was this great HL1 mod that was a puzzler but I can't remember it's name anymore) then this is well worth your attention.
Also, it's an Independent developer who wrote this, so you can feel good for buying this twice over!
Mass Effect - 50% off
Oh Mass Effect was a life saver a few months ago for me. I was quite skint and I found it for a Fiver on the second hand shelf.
Now, this isn't quite as cheap but it's as near as you'll get it digitally. Mass Effect is a Bioware game, if you didn't know, a developer whose games should be stored in buddist temples and revered as the pinacle of RPG gaming titles.
In other words, go get this now! (on steam)
Torchlight - cheapest retailer is...
And I know I get kudos for sales from them, but GamersGate have this at £12.95 which is a couple of squids less than Steam and Direct2Drive.
Otherwise try the official Torchlight site (I have no idea what conversion rates are doing at the moment) where it's $20, if that's any cheaper than £13!
Have you tried this yet? I quite liked it but my bro, who's a Diablo-Purist, really didn't. I guess it has something to do with the cartoonish style... Perhaps I need to review this...
Friday, 6 November 2009
Where I've been...And whats going to happen
I've been busy with another project as previously mentioned and, since I'm coming to the end of it should have time to update pc-games-and-reviews once more!
For those interested, the other project is a game development partnership with my very good friend over at http://www.bumpkinbrothers.com/ where we will be attempting to write some games for both the PC and iPhone. In fact some of our projects are well underway.
Check out: http://themachine.bumpkinbrothers.com/ for Rich's fantastic browser based, cartoony, production-line, work in progress sim game The Machine - screenshot to the right - and my personal pet project http://block-a-drop.bumpkinbrothers.com/ which is a match-3 drop tile game called Block-A-Drop and when you notice it's a christmas project you should understand why I've been so busy with this instead recently!
I'm going to be blogging and reviewing again after this weekend (submitting the app to apple over the next few days so crunch time is almost over!) although some of my blogging will be over at the other blog now.
Creeper World Contest Note...
I hope the winners from the competition are enjoying their copies of Creeper World! No one has got back to me with any problems so I guess everything went smoothly!
I've had a few entries since the deadline (even with the removal of the contest page) - please note I have no more copies to give away... But thanks for your enthusiasm!
Also, thanks once again to Vigill Wall who donated the copies for the contest!
For those interested, the other project is a game development partnership with my very good friend over at http://www.bumpkinbrothers.com/ where we will be attempting to write some games for both the PC and iPhone. In fact some of our projects are well underway.
Check out: http://themachine.bumpkinbrothers.com/ for Rich's fantastic browser based, cartoony, production-line, work in progress sim game The Machine - screenshot to the right - and my personal pet project http://block-a-drop.bumpkinbrothers.com/ which is a match-3 drop tile game called Block-A-Drop and when you notice it's a christmas project you should understand why I've been so busy with this instead recently!I'm going to be blogging and reviewing again after this weekend (submitting the app to apple over the next few days so crunch time is almost over!) although some of my blogging will be over at the other blog now.
Creeper World Contest Note...
I hope the winners from the competition are enjoying their copies of Creeper World! No one has got back to me with any problems so I guess everything went smoothly!
I've had a few entries since the deadline (even with the removal of the contest page) - please note I have no more copies to give away... But thanks for your enthusiasm!
Also, thanks once again to Vigill Wall who donated the copies for the contest!
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