102 replies to this topic

[Thom Wade]

Same here...plus I am not through Modern Warfare 2 yet either.

[Jason Panella]

What I'm playing now:

-Borderlands — Kind of an update on the Diablo game model (kill stuff, loot, etc.), it's still working for me. In fact, this game works where something similar like Hellgate: London fails. You're trying to find 'the Vault' on an alien planet. Lots of shooting results. The plot is pretty paper thin and the non-stop drab exterior locations get kind of old, but those concerns go out the window when I realize the mutant slug I just ran over dropped a shotgun that shoots waves of acid.

-Fallout 3 — I'm a Fallout fan from way back (played through the first two four and seven times, respectively). I waited a while to get this one; I wanted the price point to drop, and I also upgraded my processor over the summer so it can handle cool games now. Loving it so far...the change of location (from the US west to the DC area) was a nice move, and it has the same dark humor and worldbuilding that I love from the first two, just with the Oblivion engine.

I also set aside a few games during the summer, but I'm going to pick up where I left off:

-Mass Effect — A great sci-fi RPG discussed at great length on A&F. I'm excited to start playing this again; I didn't get too far in, but I still remember most of the plot elements. BioWare knows what's up.

-Elder Scrolls: Oblivion — Though I never got into the Elder Scrolls games, I'd heard enough about the sandbox aspects of this game that I HAD to get it. It's awesome! And tough. I feel like my character is advancing his skills so fast that I can't catch up in other areas.

[winter shaker]

I was playing New Vegas until the fall semester started. I didn't finish the game but I almost maxed out the character's levels. Just as good as its predecessor and I like the companion system a lot more.

[opus]

Jason Panella, on 31 January 2011 - 01:47 PM, said:

-Elder Scrolls: Oblivion — Though I never got into the Elder Scrolls games, I'd heard enough about the sandbox aspects of this game that I HAD to get it. It's awesome! And tough. I feel like my character is advancing his skills so fast that I can't catch up in other areas.

I picked up a used copy of this with some birthday money, but really, it's just to kill time until Dragon Age 2 comes out.

[opus]

I'm about 20 hours into Dragon Age 2 and so far, I've been pretty underwhelmed. I agree with nearly every criticism in Kirk Hamilton's review:

Quote

When it comes down to it, Dragon Age 2 simply feels flat, unfinished and short on soul. In many ways it combines the advanced graphics of a current-generation videogame with the tedious inconsequentiality a casual Facebook title, and it seems expressly designed both to be accessible to newcomers and to easily accommodate post-release downloadable content. Its main storyline is a sloppily scripted tease for a grander tale that has yet to be told, and its side stories feel empty and pointless.

Ah well... I guess there's always Mass Effect 3.

[Jason Panella]

opus, on 21 March 2011 - 02:49 PM, said:

I'm about 20 hours into Dragon Age 2 and so far, I've been pretty underwhelmed. I agree with nearly every criticism in Kirk Hamilton's review:

The AV Club had a surprisingly positive review (or not surprising, since their game reviews are often counter to public opinion). I have no opinion, since I've not played either Dragon Age game, but I am a BioWare fan in general. The comments on the review are the best part, though, and really worth a read; many posters talk at length about the pros and (mostly) cons of DA 2, and it's pretty engaging.

[M. Leary]

This is going to sound goofball, but bear with me.

I am an avid Fantasy Baseball player (ESPN head to head). I play Fantasy Football every year as well, but I am really captivated by FB. This last year I was quite successful at fantasy sports. Here is how it works for me, which is related to this thread:

1. I love FB because it is the best way I know of to keep up with the daily minutiea of the baseball season. I love all these arcane stats and projections. But this is because I embrace every baseball season like a new epic story, in which the narrative is the progression of team statistics. There are injuries, slumps, streaks, internecine contract disputes and trades. Beneath the pinstripe veneer of America's favorite pastime is an annual Shakespearean drama.

2. So FB to me is very much like any RPG. I have a select squad of characters that each have special talents and roles. There are times in which characters need to be replaced, because somewhere along this year's baseball story... a new hero appears! I daily orchestrate their positioning to achieve maximum effect against a number of teams with different skill sets. Think of other teams like bosses with unique characteristics. That is how I roll.

3. So the point is, I play FB very much like I play any other RPG. Let's see if it works again this year.

Edited by M. Leary, 22 March 2011 - 09:59 AM.

[Jason Panella]

M. Leary, on 22 March 2011 - 09:57 AM, said:

3. So the point is, I play FB very much like I play any other RPG. Let's see if it works again this year.

This reminds me of a miniatures wargame, even.

[opus]

M. Leary, on 22 March 2011 - 09:57 AM, said:

3. So the point is, I play FB very much like I play any other RPG. Let's see if it works again this year.

Your "confession" reminds me of this Penny Arcade strip. Now, if only I could convince my friends, co-workers, etc. that there's very little difference between sports fans and "true" nerds.

[Jason Panella]

opus, on 22 March 2011 - 11:38 AM, said:

Your "confession" reminds me of this Penny Arcade strip. Now, if only I could convince my friends, co-workers, etc. that there's very little difference between sports fans and "true" nerds.

There are a group of students at Geneva who regularly LARP outside, and they're often treated terribly by the sports fanatics on campus. The irony.

[Andy Whitman]

I plan on using the "Shakespearean drama" line on my wife midway through the eight consecutive hours of basketball I will watch on Saturday.

Edited by Andy Whitman, 22 March 2011 - 05:38 PM.

[Jason Panella]

I finally beat the single player game of Borderlands the other night. It's a rare that I play a game and immediately want to play it again. Thankfully, Borderlands has an option that lets you play through the game again from the beginning (with the same character), just upping the difficulty of everything to match you character's level. This game is a blast.

[M. Leary]

Just picked this up on your recommendation. Thanks for the nod.

[Jason Panella]

M. Leary, on 31 March 2011 - 09:40 AM, said:

Just picked this up on your recommendation. Thanks for the nod.

It really is a lot like the Diablo games — kill stuff, get randomized loot, repeat. But the cel-shaded graphics and not-horrible story (as tacked on as it may feel) are worth noting. The weeeeeeird sense of humor might take a while to get used to, but you seem like you'll be fine, Michael.

[opus]

I recently finished Dragon Age 2, which I found surprisingly unsatisfying given my love for all things BioWare. I've posted a few thoughts here.

[M. Leary]

I picked up the old Chronicles of Narnia game that came out around... 2002ish? I believe it came out in tandem with the first film.

I thought it would be fun to play with my daughter, as she gets to be Susan and Lucy while I am the boys. It is a blast. The game basically follows a storyboard that leads up to a battle with the White Witch. You purchase different skills for each of the characters after collecting coins and things. The only problem with this game is that if you are not playing two player, you have to toggle between the four characters to accomplish different tasks. On top of this, the PC controls are really complicated. This makes the experience of playing very frustrating at certain bosses and stages because it is impossible really to solo through this content having to toggle back and forth and keep up with all the different command cycles.

So I do skip levels using a cheat I found so my daughter doesn't: A. Get bored. B. Learn all the Frustrating Boss words that Daddy shouldn't be using. Doing this, playing through a fairly seamless storyline has been a lot of fun for us. She really enjoys the RPG elements as well.

[David Smedberg]

Last night I played through the first 6 chambers or so of Portal 2. I am so stoked to be able to burn the turrets with fire and the other innovations that I've gotten to are cool too. But most of all I am just enjoying a good, solid puzzle game, there are not enough of these and Valve does puzzles so well.

[David Smedberg]

David Smedberg, on 20 April 2011 - 12:55 PM, said:

Last night I played through the first 6 chambers or so of Portal 2. I am so stoked to be able to burn the turrets with fire and the other innovations that I've gotten to are cool too. But most of all I am just enjoying a good, solid puzzle game, there are not enough of these and Valve does puzzles so well.

Oh, and did I mention that it is hilarious?

"So, how are you holding up? Because I'm a Potato."

[winter shaker]

I finally finished New Vegas. I sided with the NCR but I have to say, the ending for it was lame. My friend told me the alternate endings are a lot better.