I love Nintendo's newest system, the Wii U. Let's just get that out there in the open right from the get-go. But I do have some issues with it, as is to be expected with any new system that's in its infancy stage. One of my biggest gripes, so far, is the game library and Nintendo seemingly not understanding what it is or what to do with it in general. Sure, the launch was pretty good, all in all. Yes, it was filled with a bunch of games that were ports of already released games, just re-imagined for the new system and the GamePad controller. But they were all pretty damn good games, so it's not like they were porting rubbish. But after a launch that had almost 30 games, we haven't seen many new games for the system at all since then. I'm not complaining too much, as I am still very much enjoying the Wii U games I do own, and with this Year of Gaming project, I'm playing so many games that I don't know if I would even have time to enjoy a more extensive library. Nintendo did promise a lot more fascinating games, however, to be released in the Wii U "launch window," and it seems that "window" term is being used very liberally. My other gripe is that they don't understand that some games just aren't full retail games, and would be much better suited as downloadable eShop games instead of $50 or $60 retail boxed games. The game I played tonight, Tank! Tank! Tank! (yes, that is the real name of it), is the perfect example of Nintendo not knowing what to do. Was it a fun little game? Yeah, it was. Upgrading to newer and cooler tanks is fun, especially because you have to earn medals by completing levels with different tanks to be able to upgade your tank. You also use the same method to unlock new levels. The game is super easy to figure out, only a couple of weapons on each tank and power ups throughout each stage. The enemies, which are pretty much all boss battles, are fun, creative and look great in HD. But after an hour of playing, I felt like I saw everything the game had to offer. And that made me sad knowing that some people paid $50 for this game. (By the way, GameFly has proven to be an amazing tool in this year long journey thus far. Can you say sponsorship opportunities, anyone?) If I had paid $10-$15 through the eShop, could play a few levels here and there, play with my son when he was itching to play, and not feel ripped off, this would be a great game. But it is far, far from feeling like a full retail value game. If I ever see it in a bargain bin I might grab it just to add it to the collection of good family co-op games, but other than that, sadly, it won't get much play time from me in the future.
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Ok, so I took any easy road tonight. And it was actually early today that I played this game, but I originally didn't play it for this project, but rather just because Mega Man has been on my mind and I wanted to rediscover how well the development team did of making this game look like it was made in the late 80's. But due to a lot of distractions and unforeseen circumstances that greatly overshadowed my silly little gaming project, I was forced to use Mega Man 9 as my game of the day today. Not the worst choice, but not ideal to me since I had another Mega Man game featured just a couple of days ago. Yet after thinking about it, it sort of wraps up the themes of that blog entry nicely. The major thing it showcases, like I said earlier, was how amazing the creative team did in making this game look like it was made around the same time as Mega Man or Mega Man 2. Sure the backgrounds are a lot prettier, the action is smooth and all the little bugs and quirks of old school NES games are eliminated in this installment in the franchise, but the fact that they had to make a game to look like it was made with 8-bit graphics is an accomplishment only appreciated by real old school gamers. I read that they physically couldn't do it with modern technology, so they had to build something to literally deconstruct the game's graphics to 8-bit levels. That's just amazing, however you butter your bread. So this game was fun to play. It's a perfect homage to the series and the roots from which it sprouted, and it was fascinating to play this game after dusting off the original just a couple of days ago. I didn't quite beat it today, and wasn't nearly as efficient playing it as I was the original, but the bosses, levels and stages were are quite fun, if mainly because of their difficulty. In reality, I could have just left the game on pause on each level and just listened to the music and been quite happy. But alas, even though I'm not thrilled with picking a similar game this early into the year, it ended up not being a bad thing at all. I have a little, unplanned extra time on my hands today, so I figured I would take the time to write a blog post different than the norm so far. Since my goal is to play a ton of games this year, I figured I would give you some insight as to what games are scheduled to be released in 2013 that I am excited to play (not just for this project, but in general) and why I am looking forward to them. I'll list then in chronological order for there listed or suspected release date, and also include the system I plan on playing each game on (not just what systems they're released on).
Enjoy a sneak peak behind the curtains, folks! (Psssssssst! Click on the "Read More" link below!) Tonight, I played a little game you might have heard of - Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Not only did I play one most popular, fastest selling games of all time, but I also played Multiplayer online. That in itself is an accomplishment, because as much as I want to say I'm a social game player, I'm really not. I love the idea of playing online with a bunch of people, all interacting and enjoying the company, but when it comes down to it, it's just not my cup of tea. Growing up in the generation I did might have a lot to do with the fact that I am much happier playing games alone, or with someone watching me play. That's just how it was done back then. When it comes to playing with other people, I would much rather play with a couple of friends (or my kids) sitting on the couch with me, then connect to each other online. Just the personal connection is more enjoyable. If i had to choose, though, I'd play alone, late a night, in the dark. Except the first Resident Evil game, because that game scared the shit out of me in the dark as a kid. So anyway, tonight I gave Black Ops 2 a chance, diving into the online multiplayer experience with a couple of buddies of mine. I'm pretty sure they were shocked when I asked them to play with me, as they play (along with a few other buddies) quite frequently together, but I never join in on their reindeer games. Again, I like the idea of it ... it's just not for me. My oldest son, however, is quite the opposite. His generation, I fear, will be defined by online multiplayer gaming experiences. Good or bad, that's how future generations will see his - the "CoD Generation." I can't say I hated it tonight. I never really hate it. For one, I have more troubles using headsets than any gamer you will ever meet, which may have a lot to do with the fact that I just don't like using headsets. Aside from that, I had an enjoyable playing experience tonight. I don't suck at Call of Duty, or Halo, or any games like it, I just don't nearly play them enough to ever be elite. I'm usually really rusty the first couple of matches, but warm up and eventually get right in the mix, sitting near the top of the ranks more matches than not. And about the time when I get comfortable with what I'm doing in-game, that's when I start to get bored with it all. Be it my ADD or just my dislike for multiplayer, it always happens sooner than I hope. But when I'm done, I'm done. I can't keep pushing on, for no real reason. I'm not the "one last match" guy that says it 10 times before it really being his last match. I'll just up and quit, no warning, no hesitation. That's how I roll. The one man wolf pack. Besides, I had Far Cry 3 to play. My Year of Gaming – Project Stats
Games played: 9 Systems played on: NES = 2, PS Vita = 1, PS3 = 3, Wii U = 1, Xbox 360 = 2 Total time played: 13 hours Well, I knew this would happen eventually. Thanks in part to a couple different factors, I've actually been able to stave off one of the biggest threats to sidelining this project for a few days now, but after tonight, the flood gates are open. I started a really, really awesome, addicting and time-consuming game. I started, finally, Far Cry 3. Truth be told, I bought this game shortly after Christmas, but have kept it tucked away, unopened, since then in hopes of cleaning up some unfinished games (I'm looking at you, Sly Cooper 3), and getting this Blog off the ground. I was hesitant too start this game, or a game like it, because it's awesome, because it's addicting and above all else, it's time consuming. I didn't want to have to give up time playing this in favor of other games, when in reality I'll be thinking about it the entire time. It would be like going on a blind date you agreed to go on for your friend's behalf, despite just meeting the love of your life, only because you wanted to keep your commitment to your buddy. Ok, I'm sure your buddy would probably understand in that circumstance, so the analogy might be a little different, but you get the point. So Far Cry 3, so far, is wonderful. I initially had doubts about the game because of how bored I was with Far Cry 2, but everything and everyone told me this game was amazing, so took the bait. I've waited patiently, optimistic yet still a bit cautious, to give the game a test run. It was developed by Ubisoft, who made me fall in love with the Assassin's Creed franchise thanks to Assassin's Creed 3 a few months ago, so I felt confident they could wow me again. Well, color me "wowed", or however you want to say it. Just after the opening sequence, I know this is a game for me. It is ripe with exploration, looting, stealth, killing, surviving, story telling, leveling up ... everything that goes into a great game, all rolled into one. What has struck me so far is that for a game developed by the same company, Far Cry 3 runs a lot more smoothly and fluidly than Assassin's Creed 3 does, even after all the patches were released for it. Strikes me as odd how two huge titles can be so far apart, quality and frame-rate wise. Anyway, this is the first game I didn't want to stop playing to write about, but now that I have, I am very much eager to run over, un-pause it and jump back in to the mix, and start trying to figure out what the hell is going on with this crazy, war-riddled island. Love of my life, hear I come. And I apologize to any blind dates in the near future if I accidentally call you "Far Cry 3" while trying to avoid eye contact. It's not you, it's me. My Year of Gaming – Project Stats
Games played: 8 Systems played on: NES = 2, PS Vita = 1, PS3 = 3, Wii U = 1, Xbox 360 = 1 Total time played: 12 hours I made it. I made it through the influenza from Hell, and am now on the upswing of recovery. Also, I managed to make it one week of successfully updating this blog for my project of attempting to play a different game and write about it each day over the calendar year. One week. A small milestone, but a milestone none the less. I could go on and on about what just making a week means to me, why it is significant, so on and so on, but why bother? I am here to write about games, so let's get down to it. Tonight, I played the classic Mega Man, released by Capcom on the original NES back in 1987. Now before I go any further, I want to explain just why I selected this game, of all the games I could have chosen, to play tonight. Over at IGN.com, my favorite writer/editor/personality is Colin Moriarty, who is part of the Playstation team. I've actually heard that it's scary how much him and I are alike in personalities, which may be why I enjoy his work over at IGN so much. Anyway, long story short, he put up a video today showing his entire play through of the game, start to finish, while him and another editor, Andrew Goldfarb, did commentary over the video the entire time. It's no secret that Colin is an avid Mega Man fan, and has often bragged righteously of his speed runs through Mega Man 2 and 3. In this video he put up, he noted that it had been a long, long while since he played the original Mega Man, but you could hardly tell as he called out everything about to happen, before it happened, since Andrew wasn't too privy to game beforehand. I watched in amazement. Not because it was a perfect or flawless run, but because as many times as I have played and beat it over the years, he enlightened me to how the game is supposed to be played. As I kid, this was one of the first games I remember renting from Blockbuster over and over again, just because I loved playing it, despite how brutally hard it was. After seeing Colin play the game, I had to give it a try, focusing on all the little nuances and tricks that he pointed out. Now, I do own an original NES cartridge of the game, but because I had just finished the system transfer process from my old Wii to the Wii U, I figured I might as well play it on the Virtual Console since I already had is downloaded and everything. And so I played. Man oh man, did I play that game. I played that game hard. Granted, there was a little bit of rust early on, as I had to use a continue on the second stage, but then I got into a groove. I ended up beating the game after a little more than an hour, which is far faster than any time I could have ever dreamed of beating it before. Is it great time? No, not even close, but as a personal record? I'm floored by what I accomplished. The entire time I was playing, I felt like I had Colin in my head calling out each jump and shot I needed take before I needed to. He was my spiritual Game Genie tonight, and it felt great. Did I use more continues then I could have? Of course I did. Did I suck compare to great Mega Man players? Without question. Did I use in-game "cheats" effectively like Colin did in order to beat the game quickly, efficiently? You're damn right. Yet... was it the most fun I have ever had playing Mega Man? I can honestly say it was. Thanks, Colin, for enlightening me, and hopefully lots of others, in the ways of Power Blasters, Robot Masters, Magnet Beams, Rock-Paper-Scissors, and the Pause cheat. (Oh, and one last tip I learned that made my head spin: Don't worry about getting hit, keep moving and don't worry about collecting everything that drops. Advancing is more important than collecting or being perfect.) My Year of Gaming – Project Stats
Games played: 7 Systems played on: NES = 2, PS Vita = 1, PS3 = 2, Wii U = 1, Xbox 360 = 1 Total time played: 9.75 hours I'm not going to lie, this weekend has been a pretty horrific one for me. Sure, I would have spent the same amount of time watching football that I did had I not been sick, but having the Flu of Death has not made anything done these past couple of weeks enjoyable. While I am feeling significantly better than I was, say, two days ago, I'm not near 100% by any stretch of the imagination. I'm down to all the little annoying symptoms, like running nose, severe coughing and body fatigue. When I'm not sneezing or or blowing my nose, I'm coughing, and when I'm doing any of them, my chest is hurting. Plain and simple, I still don't feel like myself, and that's all I want right now. I know none of this has to do with gaming, and it's not the reason any of you are coming here to read this blog. But how I'm feeling tonight did impact which game I decided to play. Deadlight, an XBLA game that was released as part of the Summer of Arcade this past summer, is a unique twist on the zombie game genre. Yes, a zombie game: because that's how I have felt recently. Oh, and it takes place in rainy Seattle, which low and behold, is damn near my stomping grounds. And it rained today. So there. When I first got this game last summer, I was so excited for it before hand. It had a decent amount of hype surrounding it, considering it was just an XBLA game. Everything I had read and saw about it then made me feel like this was going to be just an amazing, mind-blowing gaming experience. And then I played it. And I felt then what I felt tonight, playing it. So much potential, poor execution. Granted, I felt like a zombie tonight while playing, but I'm pretty sure that didn't hinder my experience. If anything, it should have enhanced it. But as I sit here, deciding how much further I want to play to see where the story takes me, I have to ask myself if it's worth it. I didn't finish the game back then and I really don't feel like finishing it now. It's not that Deadlight is a bad game, I just thought it would be better. The visuals are stunning, in a grim, dirty, dark kind of way, but the puzzles are repetitive, and finding clues about the story just isn't that interesting. I think I've been spoiled with other awesome zombie games recently, so even going back to this game now, it just doesn't hold my interest. Neat little game, just not one I can spend significant time playing. Like I said, I have better zombie games to play. Even if I might not make it to them... My Year of Gaming – Project Stats
Games played: 6 Systems played on: NES = 1, PS Vita = 1, PS3 = 2, WiiU = 1, Xbox 360 = 1 Total time played: 8.25 hours Update for tonight, folks. I still feel like utter garbage, and aside from laying on the couch and watching football and basketball today, I really didn't do much of anything. I had all these grand plans of playing some games today, trying to get into the swing of things despite how I was feeling, but that just didn't happen. Hard to get a serious game session going when your head starts pounding the moment you move your eyes back and forth. Towards the end of the night, however, and after several hours of asking from my 7 year old, I buckled down and decided to play a game with him. He wanted to play NintendoLand for the newly released WiiU, and while I really wanted to save writing about this game for when I could formulate a really good post, tonight will just have to do. Maybe I'll do a followup some day down the road, just to shed more light on a game I think deserves more credit then it probably gets. Since it was a bundled game for the Deluxe edition of the WiiU, everyone immediately associates it with the likes of Wii Sports. While the basic comparisons are fair (pack-in game, developed to show off the new technology of the system and controllers), that's about where the comparisons should stop. The game is really deep, offering lots of replay-ability for both single-player games and co-op games, thanks in part to the stamp system (think achievements or trophies, but not system-based), the trophies, the stars and the unlockables. Some people won't ever dive that deep into this game, only playing it occasionally to show off to their friends or something, but that's a shame. With so many different mini games included in it, it's hard to see getting bored of this game for a long time. And that was the first thought that I had tonight while playing with my boy. Despite the fact we have played the Pikmin game countless times, and also the chasing games (Luigi's Mansion and Animal Crossing to be specific for tonight), we had a blast playing them again tonight. Each game is always a different experience, and it's great fun to just sit around and play a bunch of mini-games back-to-back. At one point (not tonight), I was playing with all three of my kids, and even thought my 4 year old doesn't quite have the gaming touch just yet, we all had a blast. Tonight, with just us two, was just as fun as the first time we played it. While it caters to several people playing at once, there are plenty of games to just play solo, and many of times I have found myself picking NintendoLand to play over other games, just because. My son and I would probably still be playing right now if it wasn't for the fact that I took some NyQuil, and I needed to get this blog post up before it kicks in and I pass out right where I sit. I have tons of games lines up for the upcoming weeks, but my health will greatly determine how that all plays out. For those of you reading, thanks for putting up with what is probably a garbled mess of text due to this sickness. I'll get back on track, don't worry. If this can't stop me, noth........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz My Year of Gaming – Project Stats
Games played: 5 Systems played on: NES = 1, PS Vita = 1, PS3 = 2, WiiU = 1 Total time played: 7.5 hours I'm going to make this short and sweet tonight, because in all honestly, I have been fighting a really nasty flu bug and I feel like death. In between full-body shakes, constant pain, headaches and some great naps, I still managed to play a little games. And tonight, due mainly in part to the fact I've been watching NBA games all night, I felt compelled to try out another fee offering from PS Plus, NBA Jam: On Fire Edition. Now, the rosters are set for before last season started, so there have been quite a few player moves in the league since the game, and while it would be cool if they updated the game to reflect the current rosters, the game is still fun. NBA Jam and I go way back to my youth, when I used to play it in every arcade I was in, and then play it at home for hours, typing in all the cheat codes and what not. The fact that EA Sports was smart enough to bring this franchise back is awesome, however I feel that it probably only is truly appreciated by my generation of gamers. The voice acting, the catch phrases, the dunks, everything is still as fun as I always remember it to be. Oh, and the computer still cheats badly, especially when you go up by a few buckets. Glad to see the developers brought that back as well ... not. Ok, that's it for tonight. Sorry for the short, mostly uninteresting post. I just need to go lie down again. Ugggghhhhh.... My Year of Gaming – Project Stats
Games played: 4 Systems played on: NES = 1, PS Vita = 1, PS3 = 2 Total time played: 6.5 hours For today's game, I worked a bit on Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves. This is a game I have been plugging away at for a little while now, playing in short increments at a time, trying to get the Platinum trophy for it. I got the Platinum for Sly Cooper last year, and then when Sly 4: Thieves in Time was announced for the PS3 and PS Vita (cross-buy!), I got really excited about the series again and decided to go back and finish 2 and 3, thanks to the wonderful Sly Cooper Collection released back in 2010. Playing this game, it makes me really excited for what the next game will bring to the table. While I was bummed that they ditched the clue bottles to collect throughout the game, the addition of all the types of new game play (RC car racing, plane dogfights, etc.) helped make the game special and feel unique, not just a rehashing of the older games. Tonight I was playing chapter 4, where Bentley recruits Panda King (from Sly 1) to join the group. I really enjoy playing as more than the main 3 characters, and I really like the fact that the new characters offer different types of attacks and game play mechanics as well. And the part when you got to play as Carmalita and had to "attack" Sly, but in reality was unknowingly charging the battery? That was fantastically clever. The Sly games have always offered really good story telling, and this game is no different. In fact, it may even be the best story of the 3, with all the different stories intertwined, from Penelope being the Black Baron, and Panda King fighting his internal self while trying to rescue his daughter. Another thing, while probably overlooked by many, is the fact that Bentley is now in a wheel chair due to the accident he had at the end of the last game. In the genre of platformers, and "cartoonish" games, it's really refreshing to see them actually implement story elements from one game to the next. This game is really making me excited for the next installment. Not only is the "cross-buy" feature that Sony has implemented in some recent games an amazing feature for owners of both systems, the promise of being able to use the Vita for in-game features when playing on the PS3 is looking to be a rad bonus. Can't wait, plain and simple. Now if you excuse me, I have some more pockets to loot. My Year of Gaming – Project Stats
Games played: 3 Systems played on: NES = 1, PS Vita = 1, PS3 = 1 Total time played: 6 hours |
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February 2014
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