Back on Blogger
I went on Tumblr for a while to try it out. I think I prefer Blogger, so I'm coming back here for now. All the stuff from the last week or so is here.
Diablo 3
I started playing Diablo 3 again with Linda (I'm bored of Lost). We're starting over from level 1, so still trying to rush through Act 1 right now.
I also played my lvl 60 a bit. The game seems much easier now, I was able to plow through the stuff I was stuck on before. The auction market has also changed, high level items seem more expensive than ever, but mid-level stuff seems a lot cheaper. I managed to get a bunch of upgrades really cheap, even two new weapons for 100k each when upgrades were 4m+ before. I think I might be geared enough to beat Diablo now. I need to get to him first, obviously.
I also played my lvl 60 a bit. The game seems much easier now, I was able to plow through the stuff I was stuck on before. The auction market has also changed, high level items seem more expensive than ever, but mid-level stuff seems a lot cheaper. I managed to get a bunch of upgrades really cheap, even two new weapons for 100k each when upgrades were 4m+ before. I think I might be geared enough to beat Diablo now. I need to get to him first, obviously.
Humble THQ Bundle
THQ put together a 'pay what you want' bundle, so I snagged it. For under £4 I got like 6 games including Saint's Row 3 on PC, Metro 2033, and Darksiders. Oh, and Titan Quest. I've a bunch of other stuff to play right now, but it's nice to have it there should I want it.
Mercenaries 2
I finally got around to reinstalling the game. It's one of the really early next-gen titles, so it kinda looks and plays like an HD remake of a PS2 game. The graphics look dated, the cutscenes look worse than modern in-game stuff, the writing and acting are awful, etc. The gameplay is still intact though, it even has better driving than Just Cause 2. It's also a lot of fun. Stupid, ridiculous fun.
Just Cause 2
I've been meaning to replay Just Cause 2 for a while now, I was a long way into the game when my old PS3 died and I lost the save. The reason I'm doing it now is because Far Cry 3 reminded me of it. But now I want to replay Mercenaries 2 because JC2 reminds me of that. I'm going to end up playing older and older games as each reminds me of another, culminating in Space Invaders on the 2600.
Anyway. People are saying that Journey is the most beautiful game of all time. I don't agree for two reasons; it's not a game, and Just Cause 2 is much more beautiful. So is Uncharted 2, in places. Journey is more 'picturesque' than 'beautiful'.
Now I want to play Uncharted 2 again. Dammit.
Anyway. People are saying that Journey is the most beautiful game of all time. I don't agree for two reasons; it's not a game, and Just Cause 2 is much more beautiful. So is Uncharted 2, in places. Journey is more 'picturesque' than 'beautiful'.
Now I want to play Uncharted 2 again. Dammit.
Legend of Grimrock
I finished Legend of Grimrock today. It was really good, totally enjoyed it. It got a little frustrating part way through (Yes, giant crabs, I mean you), but by the end it was good again. I really want to play more games like it, but nothing exists that doesn't run on DOS.
One game that's a little similar is Malevolence, which is like a normal dungeon crawler, but the dungeons and the overworld are procedurally generated so it's literally infinitely big. Like an infinite roguelike. The game doesn't use a random seed though, so everyone is playing the same world. All the quests are procedurally generated also, so I'm not sure if it'll be able to hold anybody's attention long-term, but it should be fun for a gaming session or two. The game has like zero hype though.
Nothing really to do until that comes out, so I guess I'll keep plugging away at Far Cry and Just Cause and Assassin's Creed 2.
One game that's a little similar is Malevolence, which is like a normal dungeon crawler, but the dungeons and the overworld are procedurally generated so it's literally infinitely big. Like an infinite roguelike. The game doesn't use a random seed though, so everyone is playing the same world. All the quests are procedurally generated also, so I'm not sure if it'll be able to hold anybody's attention long-term, but it should be fun for a gaming session or two. The game has like zero hype though.
Nothing really to do until that comes out, so I guess I'll keep plugging away at Far Cry and Just Cause and Assassin's Creed 2.
Journey
Finished Journey. It was pretty good, but it isn't really a videogame. I don't think there's a word for what it is, though.
Onto the other five games, I guess.
Onto the other five games, I guess.
Journey
Finally got round to buying Journey. It's the GOTY edition, so it's six games in one, plus some other fluff. Not nad for a half orice game.
Still, I'm expecting the game to be pretentious, arty, emperor's-new-clothes rubbish. Time will tell, I guess.
Still, I'm expecting the game to be pretentious, arty, emperor's-new-clothes rubbish. Time will tell, I guess.
Legend of Grimrock
Last night, I did something I've been meaning to do for a while, and that's play some Legend of Grimrock.
It's an amazing game. I'm actually enjoying it a lot more than Far Cry 3 or Just Cause 2.
Far Cry 3 feels like a jungle-themed theme park. Just Cause 2 seems to really want to impress the player (and it's successful in doing so). Grimrock just feels hostile.
There's a glimmer of hope in the form of cryptic dreams promising escape at the bottom of the dungeon. Is it a way out? Or is it yet another trap? I honestly don't know.
Last night I spent an hour, maybe a little more, solving a huge, intricate puzzle. After all that, it opened the wrong fucking door. I got some fancy new greaves, sure, bit I'm still trapped in the dungeon with no idea how to get to the next level. I love it.
It's an amazing game. I'm actually enjoying it a lot more than Far Cry 3 or Just Cause 2.
Far Cry 3 feels like a jungle-themed theme park. Just Cause 2 seems to really want to impress the player (and it's successful in doing so). Grimrock just feels hostile.
There's a glimmer of hope in the form of cryptic dreams promising escape at the bottom of the dungeon. Is it a way out? Or is it yet another trap? I honestly don't know.
Last night I spent an hour, maybe a little more, solving a huge, intricate puzzle. After all that, it opened the wrong fucking door. I got some fancy new greaves, sure, bit I'm still trapped in the dungeon with no idea how to get to the next level. I love it.
Journey
With the end of the year comes a million fucking GOTY awards, and threads, and videos, and shit.
One game that keeps getting mentioned is Journey. I'm gonna have to check it out, I think. Looks like an art game, which doesn't interest me at all, but so many people are talking about it I want to see what the fuss is all about.
There's actually a bunch of indie games I've been checking out for my Gaming Gap Year thingie. I'll write up a more detailed post another time, maybe tonight if I can avoid being sucked into Far Cry 3 for an hour or two.
One game that keeps getting mentioned is Journey. I'm gonna have to check it out, I think. Looks like an art game, which doesn't interest me at all, but so many people are talking about it I want to see what the fuss is all about.
There's actually a bunch of indie games I've been checking out for my Gaming Gap Year thingie. I'll write up a more detailed post another time, maybe tonight if I can avoid being sucked into Far Cry 3 for an hour or two.
Far Cry 3
I've had a bit of a change of heart with Far Cry 3. I still say that unlocking the map and fast travel points is fucking tedious, but once that's done it gets pretty good. I'm just about to unlock the second island, hopefully the scenery will look a little different over there.
The game really makes me want to play Just Cause 2 again.
The game really makes me want to play Just Cause 2 again.
Far Cry 3
I was going to spend the day on the game as it's raining, but it's too repetetive. For every mission, there's a radio tower to climb (which reveals the map) and 1-2 enemy outposts to clear out (which prevents enemy patrols).
The game is good, don't get me wrong, but it involves spending a lot of time doing the same thing over and over, in the same environment each time.
It's a 'play an hour a day' kinda game rather than a 'blitz through in a weekend' kinda game.
The game is good, don't get me wrong, but it involves spending a lot of time doing the same thing over and over, in the same environment each time.
It's a 'play an hour a day' kinda game rather than a 'blitz through in a weekend' kinda game.
Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3 is here. The final game of 2012. I'm almost relieved, I've bought so many games this year that I've rushed through most of them so I can finish it before the next on comes out. Even so, I have over 20 unfinished PS3 games to get through, and fuck knows how many on PC.
I'm thinking of taking a gap year from the new release scene. Just finishing off all the games I've started, replaying some old classics, trying out some smaller games I've missed. There's a few exceptions on the horizon such as GTA V and Carmageddon Reincarnation and whatnot.
The main reason is the Saints Row 3 complete edition. Including over 30 pieces of DLC for the same price as the vanilla game. The game is just as good now as it was last year, but you pay a premium for hype. I'm not gonna pay for hype any more. New releases are a mug's game in today's market.
The game also comes with a Far Cry bottle opener thing, not sure why but at least I have a miniature saw now.
I'm thinking of taking a gap year from the new release scene. Just finishing off all the games I've started, replaying some old classics, trying out some smaller games I've missed. There's a few exceptions on the horizon such as GTA V and Carmageddon Reincarnation and whatnot.
The main reason is the Saints Row 3 complete edition. Including over 30 pieces of DLC for the same price as the vanilla game. The game is just as good now as it was last year, but you pay a premium for hype. I'm not gonna pay for hype any more. New releases are a mug's game in today's market.
The game also comes with a Far Cry bottle opener thing, not sure why but at least I have a miniature saw now.
Rasslin
I'm pretty far behind on wrestling. It's that time of year when a bunch of good videogames are released in a two month window to maximise Xmas sales, so I've been busily trying to keep up with the release schedule.
I've half an episode of RAW to watch and I'm up to date with WWE, but I'm like a month behind on TNA. 5 Dollar Wrestling is all up to date, obviously.
Nothing very interesting is happening. Cesaro is having a cliche, America-hating foreigner title run, Sandow's tag partner is injured so he's doing nothing special, Team Hell No is old now but they won't let it die, it's obvious Punk won't lose the belt before the Rumble so his feud with Ryback is just a string of screwjobs.
I'm going to keep an eye on Ambrose and Rollins, lots of people online love them but I haven't had a chance to make my own mind up yet. If they're as good as Cesaro and Sandow, this will be the best WWE roster in a long time. For me, at least.
I've half an episode of RAW to watch and I'm up to date with WWE, but I'm like a month behind on TNA. 5 Dollar Wrestling is all up to date, obviously.
Nothing very interesting is happening. Cesaro is having a cliche, America-hating foreigner title run, Sandow's tag partner is injured so he's doing nothing special, Team Hell No is old now but they won't let it die, it's obvious Punk won't lose the belt before the Rumble so his feud with Ryback is just a string of screwjobs.
I'm going to keep an eye on Ambrose and Rollins, lots of people online love them but I haven't had a chance to make my own mind up yet. If they're as good as Cesaro and Sandow, this will be the best WWE roster in a long time. For me, at least.
Far Cry 3
The game has been released on the torrent sites. I am going to resist the temptation to download it, and wait a couple of days until release. Because I really care about Uplay points. Yep.
Max Payne 3
I finally got round to playing some more Max Payne 3. It's really good, I dunno why It never clicked the first time. Probably because Max is so out of place in Brazil, being a moody introvert works well in New York but here it's not a great fit. In the first two games he was cool, now he's the weird guy who doesn't like the party but is still there anyway. Literally, in several cases.
Also finding the late game enemies pretty tough, they have body armor so only headshots kill them, plus some have helmets so they need two headshots, plus their guns can seemingly strip an entire health bar in less than a second. It's not hard to progress because each time you die the game gives you more health items and ammo until you get to the next checkpoint. It seems difficult because you die a lot compared to other shooters, but actually you can't fail. It's an interesting system.
I should finish it tonight if I don't end up watching more Lost with Linda. It started out good, then went shit, now it's good again.
I also played a fair bit of Anno 2070 and 1404 over the weekend, but there's not a lot to say about them. They're micromanagement intensive city builders. They're engrossing, but not interesting to talk about, really
Also finding the late game enemies pretty tough, they have body armor so only headshots kill them, plus some have helmets so they need two headshots, plus their guns can seemingly strip an entire health bar in less than a second. It's not hard to progress because each time you die the game gives you more health items and ammo until you get to the next checkpoint. It seems difficult because you die a lot compared to other shooters, but actually you can't fail. It's an interesting system.
I should finish it tonight if I don't end up watching more Lost with Linda. It started out good, then went shit, now it's good again.
I also played a fair bit of Anno 2070 and 1404 over the weekend, but there's not a lot to say about them. They're micromanagement intensive city builders. They're engrossing, but not interesting to talk about, really
Hitman Absolution
Finished the game. I was enjoying it while it lasted, but now it's over I feel like it was pretty shit. Probably because the levels at the end of the game were really bad. The very last level especially was total shit, you have to kill three dudes and there's nobody else in the level whatsoever...and then 47 kills the main bad guy in a cutscene. What were they thinking. A third mission in Chinatown would have been better that that.
It's really just a stealth game, not a puzzle game like the rest of the series. A shame, but Far Cry 3 is just round the corner, so who gives a shit?
It's really just a stealth game, not a puzzle game like the rest of the series. A shame, but Far Cry 3 is just round the corner, so who gives a shit?
Hitman Absolution
In the last cutscene I was walking away from a burning town, now I'm driving the streets of Chicago in a hearse. No idea where he got the hearse. I care more about that than the storyline of the game, which is just the tired old 'damsel in distress' cliche.
I did find some Easter eggs though.
I did find some Easter eggs though.
Hitman Absolution
I keep meaning to write a big effort post about the game, but can't be bothered. Bottom line is, despite mixed feelings I'm enjoying the game.
They seem fixated on Christianity though, so far I've escaped a massacre in a convent/orphanage, done a mission dressed as a priest, killed an assassin hitsquad who were all dressed as fetish nuns, and the last thing I did before switching off for the night was shoot a guy who'd taken a priest as a human shield in front of an entire church congregation. It wouldn't surprise me if the pope was the final boss, but Assassin's Creed already did that so maybe not.
I can't wait to finish the game so I can try again without worrying about a Silent Assassin rating. So many guns, and I never get to use them.
They seem fixated on Christianity though, so far I've escaped a massacre in a convent/orphanage, done a mission dressed as a priest, killed an assassin hitsquad who were all dressed as fetish nuns, and the last thing I did before switching off for the night was shoot a guy who'd taken a priest as a human shield in front of an entire church congregation. It wouldn't surprise me if the pope was the final boss, but Assassin's Creed already did that so maybe not.
I can't wait to finish the game so I can try again without worrying about a Silent Assassin rating. So many guns, and I never get to use them.
Hitman Absolution
I somehow managed to get #8 in the UK for one of the missions...total fluke, I'm sure, but I get to brag anyway. #60 globally, which is still pretty good I guess.
Hitman Absolution
The game just crashed and erased my savegame. I'm not all that fussed because I don't mind replaying it, but if it happened on the last level I would be pretty mad.
Update: turns out it's the hard drive, not the game. Fuck.
Update: turns out it's the hard drive, not the game. Fuck.
Hitman Absolution
Just bought the game on PS3. I wanted it on PC, but the console version came out a day earlier. Plus I kinda like my cellphone screenshots, PC ones are too perfect.
I'm expecting it to be a good game, but a bad Hitman game. Like XCOM but balder.
I'm expecting it to be a good game, but a bad Hitman game. Like XCOM but balder.
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