I'm finally back in the gaming groove this week and got some good time in on two more PS3 games.
Dragon's Crown - I really surprised myself by getting a lot farther in this game than ever before playing a Wizard character. After you get through all 9 locations in the game, new paths open up in each one of them to harder bosses. New areas within the levels are revealed as well. This game is basically an old school arcade brawler like Final Fight, or more accurately like the Chronicles of Mystara games, or Magic Sword. Additions are being able to bring in four AI fighters/mages that you've resurrected and using a cursor that allows you to explore a level for secrets and activate runes for a temporary benefit.
The game looks and sounds amazing of course. After many hours of this I was getting a little bit overwhelmed by options and a little frustrated by losing my character in a wild melee of enemies. Especially if I had another wizard in my party, I often lost sight of who I was controlling. Big spells take some time to cast, resulting in getting hit and some levels require you to activate cannon or ballistae during a battle. It can get pretty chaotic in some boss fights. I should've boosted my levitate ability some more so I could fly above the action. In any case, I needed a break. I had three of the nine talismans you need to battle the big dragon. Fantastic game!
Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds - This is more of the same after Fore! on PS2. It's the fifth game in the, now called "Everybody's Golf", series.
There's a new advanced shot system that has you watch the club movement instead of a power meter. I actually liked this a bit better, but with shots between 50% and 100% power, it's very hard to find the right timing. So I mainly went back to standard mode. I played all of the first set of novice tournaments, unlocked Sophie, and started the next round of tournaments before having to stop for the week. I'm pretty happy with it. I need the sixth game for my PS3 now, World Invitational.
And that's the week. My working weekend begins again.
Dragon' Crown is great! I thought it was really interesting how they got more from the levels with the different routes and bosses.
The different routes really are different and not just the same with tougher foes. I appreciate that.
Whenever I get a chance to do my next podcast (don't hold your breath for one anytime soon(, I want to do it on favorite fighting games and beat 'em ups and I really want to make sure I remember to put in Dragon's Crown.
Namco published the last Everybody's Golf and I wish I could've gotten it because Pac-Man was one of the secret players you could get. But I just can't play everything out there, you know?
Beat 'em ups are some of my favorite arcade games. I hope you do that podcast. I'll be listening.
I'm slowly collecting and playing all the Everybody's Golf games. I didn't find World Invitational the other day, though, but I'll keep looking.
I will do that podcast, it's just a matter of when. I want to do the podcast with my brother but it's so hard to get together anymore. I miss the days when it wasn't like that.