Games of the Decade: Expansion Pass #8/Blog a Day #23
I missed the first two days of BaD. I have an excuse. I was sick; chest colds are terrible things. So this is a three-in-one covering what I played last week.
Mark and I hunted down the last of the evil doer’s assets in Crackdown 3. Then I got silver on every Rooftop Race and Driving challenge. I messed around with wall climbing in a car. Finally, I started a Legendary playthrough to see how tough the game gets.
In 1998, Final Fantasy Tactics got me into strategy RPGs. For years, FFT was the basic template for most console SRPGs. Ten years later, Sega brought the genre into the contemporary generation of consoles in grand style by releasing Valkyria Chronicles in the US.
One of my favorite things about playing strategy/role playing games is the sense of satisfaction that comes from executing on a well-laid plan. The thrill of deftly maneuvering units into place for a swift and deadly strike after multiple turns of meticulous consideration is something that few games deliver. I love strategy/RPGs, and I was excited to tear into Valkyria Chronicles 4; a return to form of sorts for a series held in high regard by a rabid fanbase, and a franchise I have little experience with. Sadly, instead of tearing into this game because I couldn’t get enough, I will now need to tear into this bizarre title that not only doesn’t reward sound strategy but does everything in its power to undermine player agency.
The original Titanfall had such an amazing idea: Soldiers who can run on walls with jetpacks summon giant mech suits known as Titans. Normally I play a few matches of multiplayer before getting bored and back to the single player, but I took a gamble in Titanfall’s multiplayer only offering. And despite being too light on content, there was enough depth to keep my 200th match in Titanfall as fun as my second.
Since I want to play Killzone 3 I feel like playing Killzone 2 first. KZ3 is a continuation of KZ2. The first Killzone is pretty much a stand alone game so Im skipping it.
I almost finished Uncharted 2 yesterday. I got to Shangri la before I had to stop for the night. What a fantastic game but what a pain in the shooter. I think I've discovered what I love best about games. It's not the presentation and good story telling that the critics love, it's the gunplay controls.
Finished up the game yesterday after Mother's Day celebrations. It was one tough slog through some of the biggest firefights of the game. They really hold back the ammo. In the church area you're given a sniper rifle and just about enough ammo to take out the half dozen or so snipers that have laser guidance systems. You've got to do them first, and quickly too, or be overwelmed by the troops on the the floor. Later you're fighting both ground troops and cursed spaniards and laser snipers. What a pain, but I did it on Normal difficulty.
To be honest im not sure im in the mood for im getting excited for
Batman: Arkham Origins is a great game. Over the eight to nine hours I spent with the game, I went on a roller coaster full of action, stealth and narrative high points. Arkham Origins provides some of the best character moments in the series, along with some interesting new twists to the gameplay. Unfortunately, game bugs and various gameplay oddities keep the game from reaching the heights of the previous entries.
If I'm lucky, I cleaned up my last senior football game of the year and the school won't have the home field advantage and host a tournament. It was Senior Night last night and it took me a full 3 1/2 hours to clear the field. It's not the end of the world if they do (one big game a week isn't that bad but I hate how close it would come to Thanksgiving) but I'm ready for this to be over. Just smaller who-gives-a-shit games from here on out, okay guys?
Happy Tuesday Pixlbit! I just want to say that my Fantasy Football team earned a win on Sunday, in what was the worst game of the league. Both teams scored 20 points under their projected scores but thanks to Philip Rivers going colorblind, and Sebastian Janikowski hitting some FG’s, I scored a W. I’m currently waiting to see if I get the kicker I need for when Janikowski goes on his bye week.
I completed the campaign mode on Uncharted 3 mere minutes ago and just right off the bat I can say that it was as enjoyable an gaming experience as the last Uncharted. Like the previous game, there were plenty of jaw-dropping sequences: the escape from the cruise ship, the hijacking and fisticuffs on the jumbo jet, the assault on a convoy on horseback and of course the escape from the lost city as its crumbling to the ground. The sights are amazing as well: the abandoned chateau in France (and the forestry surrounding it) and the desert sequences (which is probably the only time the game takes a breather).
I’m sure that many were nervous when they learned that Halo 4 was being helmed by a brand new studio. After an impressive showing at this year’s E3, it’s been becoming more and more apparent that not only does 343 Industries know what they are doing, but they are pushing the series in a fresh, yet familiar direction.
