What Game Are You Playing At The Moment?

[Junkenstein]

After having played top to bottom and after a bit of time to cool my head, AA is definitely the top game of last year. The challenges are uber fun, and the attention to detail is just gorgeous. I hope they dont fuck it up with the sequel.

With same cool head i can say that actually bioshock 2 has dropped from an enthusiastic 9 to a 7.5. It is still tops in the atmosphere department, but the overall experience seems a bit more of a remix of the first chapter, far more simplistic and with way too much scripting. Re-playing Half Life 2 has showed me how simply charming a game could be, and B2 simply lacks that magic (that the first one had in spades).

For this year, the top is Mass Effect 2 (which was insanely entertaining and intelligent).

Playing HL2: Episode one for the first time now. The charcter design of Alyx is still incredible, even at today's standards. I cant think of another virtual character with such a large scale of emotions and an abilty to connect with the player. I know that comes from extensive beta testing by the Valve workaholics, but i still find amazing how they managed to create a bunch of pixels that feels like an actual living (and extremely likeable, and i'm not talking about looks) person. Her animations and reactions give me the goosebumps.

On a sillier level, King's bounty is genius. Has the same nuttygoose approach to fantasy that the best King's Quest games had. ("You're probably the most intelligent and charming dwarf i ever met! And i say that cause i never met another dwarf! Farewell, my short friend!").

Gave a look at the Wolvering Origins game. Too repetitive and very frustrating.

Pondering about Plant Vs Zombies. I know everyone loves it, but i dont really like that genre.

Anyway, back to City 17...

[standardman]

Originally Posted by Junkenstein

After having played top to bottom and after a bit of time to cool my head, AA is definitely the top game of last year. The challenges are uber fun, and the attention to detail is just gorgeous. I hope they dont fuck it up with the sequel.

I'm leaning in that direction myself. I think it might even be up there in my favourite games period. I need another playthrough to decide; I think I'll be Zur-en-arrh this time

With same cool head i can say that actually bioshock 2 has dropped from an enthusiastic 9 to a 7.5. It is still tops in the atmosphere department, but the overall experience seems a bit more of a remix of the first chapter, far more simplistic and with way too much scripting. Re-playing Half Life 2 has showed me how simply charming a game could be, and B2 simply lacks that magic (that the first one had in spades).

For this year, the top is Mass Effect 2 (which was insanely entertaining and intelligent).

Playing HL2: Episode one for the first time now. The charcter design of Alyx is still incredible, even at today's standards. I cant think of another virtual character with such a large scale of emotions and an abilty to connect with the player. I know that comes from extensive beta testing by the Valve workaholics, but i still find amazing how they managed to create a bunch of pixels that feels like an actual living (and extremely likeable, and i'm not talking about looks) person. Her animations and reactions give me the goosebumps.

I've restarted Bioshock now that 2K released a patch that sorta fixes most of the widescreen issue kindaish if I set it to 16:9. Too early to give real thoughts but I love the level design, hate having control taken away from me.

I noticed that the new steam redesign has added achievements to Half-Life 2 and Episode 1, that's a damn good excuse to go back to City 17.

Alyx makes me angry at other games; in a medium full of ridiculous adolescent sex objects with all the characterisation of a paper bag, she's a believable person that you empathise with and care about.

On a sillier level, King's bounty is genius. Has the same nuttygoose approach to fantasy that the best King's Quest games had. ("You're probably the most intelligent and charming dwarf i ever met! And i say that cause i never met another dwarf! Farewell, my short friend!").

I bought this twice in one week but haven't been able to play much, I'm looking forward to it.

Gave a look at the Wolvering Origins game. Too repetitive and very frustrating.

Wolverine is a rushed, repetitive grab bag of the last five years of third person action games but it makes an ok rental and you can unlock his yellow and blue costume, which made the game 90% better.

Pondering about Plant Vs Zombies. I know everyone loves it, but i dont really like that genre.

It's PopCap, it doesn't matter if you don't like the genre! There's a quick, free, limited flash demo here with a link to a downloadable trial. Give it a go.

It's on iPhone too but you'll get slowdown without a 3GS.

[Junkenstein]

Originally Posted by standardman

I've restarted Bioshock now that 2K released a patch that sorta fixes most of the widescreen issue kindaish if I set it to 16:9. Too early to give real thoughts but I love the level design, hate having control taken away from me..

The main problem, without spoiling anything, is that Bioshock 2 is.. welll.... 1)"Whoa. what an intro!" 2)"Well that's cool!" 3)"Wait that's it?"

Originally Posted by standardman

Alyx makes me angry at other games; in a medium full of ridiculous adolescent sex objects with all the characterisation of a paper bag, she's a believable person that you empathise with and care about. ..

The little touches are so cool. When she pulled the "Ha Ha! Gotcha!", i laughed. She reminds me of people i know. That's almost creepy.

Of course the fanboys of the net are watching her Lara Croft side (that's why i hate mods. I know they're cool, but nude pics of video game characters are something that lowers the public opinion about gaming). But she's an AI wonder.


It's kinda weird how Valve, that has created two of the most compelling viurtual characters ever (Alyx and GlaDOS), made a funny but paper thin game like L4D. I think that's because it's mostly a multiplayer game, and i havent played in depth yet, but it seemed so "light" in comparison to their standards.

That said, i'm postponing the moment i'll play HL2:ep2 because i know that there wont be anything for at least a couple of years (And that's a douche move from Valve, no matter how you justify it)

Then again we live in a world where Ragnar Tornquist has left us without April Ryan (The other greatest female character of gaming history). But also a world where Guybrush Threepwood is alive and well.

[standardman]

Originally Posted by Junkenstein

The main problem, without spoiling anything, is that Bioshock 2 is.. welll.... 1)"Whoa. what an intro!" 2)"Well that's cool!" 3)"Wait that's it?"



The little touches are so cool. When she pulled the "Ha Ha! Gotcha!", i laughed. She reminds me of people i know. That's almost creepy.

Of course the fanboys of the net are watching her Lara Croft side (that's why i hate mods. I know they're cool, but nude pics of video game characters are something that lowers the public opinion about gaming). But she's an AI wonder.

It's kinda weird how Valve, that has created two of the most compelling viurtual characters ever (Alyx and GlaDOS), made a funny but paper thin game like L4D. I think that's because it's mostly a multiplayer game, and i havent played in depth yet, but it seemed so "light" in comparison to their standards.

That said, i'm postponing the moment i'll play HL2:ep2 because i know that there wont be anything for at least a couple of years (And that's a douche move from Valve, no matter how you justify it)

Haha, I know exactly the moment you mean and it made me laugh too and gave that nice mix of humour and tension. Have you seen the mods where they remodel her? just awful.

In L4D it is just a multiplayer thing but they do a lot of nice things in the sequel with expressions and dialogue without stopping your play.

I think Valve's episodic experiment was a failure and not at all suited to their style but it did give some more suited developers that extra bit of courage to try it out.

[Junkenstein]

Originally Posted by standardman

Haha, I know exactly the moment you mean and it made me laugh too and gave that nice mix of humour and tension. Have you seen the mods where they remodel her? just awful.

In L4D it is just a multiplayer thing but they do a lot of nice things in the sequel with expressions and dialogue without stopping your play.

I think Valve's episodic experiment was a failure and not at all suited to their style but it did give some more suited developers that extra bit of courage to try it out.

On the "brave developers" side, Telltale are definitely my heroes, but yeah they probably got the start when Steam and the episodic idea started working. And i got Sam And Max (sigh)

Yeah, the remodeling sucks, especially considering that her looks are just fine the way they are (and her model actress had impressive and charismathic features on her own).

I love how she jokes around the absolute silence of Gordon (Have they ever explained why he's silent?) and the "brute with smarts" nature of the character. Seeing her stare behind a glass while i Mario jumped to the top of the room, made me feel warm inside.

And Dog... Oh... Dog....

Srry for the constant geeking out on HL2.... It was like discovering a tresure you forgot with time...

[standardman]

Originally Posted by Junkenstein

On the "brave developers" side, Telltale are definitely my heroes, but yeah they probably got the start when Steam and the episodic idea started working. And i got Sam And Max (sigh)

Yeah, the remodeling sucks, especially considering that her looks are just fine the way they are (and her model actress had impressive and charismathic features on her own).

I love how she jokes around the absolute silence of Gordon (Have they ever explained why he's silent?) and the "brute with smarts" nature of the character. Seeing her stare behind a glass while i Mario jumped to the top of the room, made me feel warm inside.

And Dog... Oh... Dog....

heh, exactly the developers I was thinking of.

It's a nice touch and a funny poke at themselves. They have talked about why he's silent and it has a lot to do with the player inhabiting the character and allowing the world in. It's effective even if you do get the odd moment. I love the elevator bit with Alyx, it uses all the investment you have in her to really affect you as you leave her and carry on alone.

I love Dog, such a good dog

[standardman]

On the subject of Arkham Asylum, Games for Windows Live has it on sale - 75% off £8.75/$12.49.

[FlyingCamel]

I am loving Desktop Defender - Facebook game - That and Madden 10

[Junkenstein]

Well. Finished Half Life 2 : Ep 2

FUCK. YOU. VALVE.

YOU DONT TAKE OUT A PLAYER'S HEART AND STOMP IT LIKE THAT! I DIDNT KNOW!

AND I'M SUPPOSED TO WAIT FOR 5 YEARS TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS!? FUCK OFF! I'M DONE WITH YOU!

AND LEFT 4 DEAD SUCKS!

[brighteye]

Originally Posted by Junkenstein

Well. Finished Half Life 2 : Ep 2

FUCK. YOU. VALVE.

YOU DONT TAKE OUT A PLAYER'S HEART AND STOMP IT LIKE THAT! I DIDNT KNOW!

AND I'M SUPPOSED TO WAIT FOR 5 YEARS TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS!? FUCK OFF! I'M DONE WITH YOU!

AND LEFT 4 DEAD SUCKS!

Valve should really look at Bioware, imagine the outcry if they finished ME1 with , what happens in the first 5 minutes of ME2 ? Instead they started ME2 with a cliffhanger and we dont have to wait years to find out what happens.
Just finished the single campain on Bad company 2, Dice have taken notes from Bioware for sure. You really feel for the characters , and this in a mainly online multiplayer game, i wish Valve had done something similar for L4D 1 and 2.