Okay, so, I've got a good list of games to play from my other topic, so here goes!
Basically, I've never really gotten into this current generation of games, particularly due to the lack of storyline-based games. These days, it's a lot more about shooting everything, pretty graphics, and online play. Well, I've found that I pretty much do not enjoy a game unless it has an immersive and captivating plot with characters that I actually care about. I want to be glued to my seat as if I'm reading a book or watching a good movie, I just enjoy it on an interactive scale like video games.
Here is my current list of games to try. Bolded games, I've completed.
Immersive Video Games to Check Out - Alpha Protocol (PS3) - Bioshock (PS3) - Bully (PS2) - Catherine (PS3) - Dead Space (PS3) - Deus Ex: Human Revolution (PS3) - *Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem (GC) - Hotel Dusk (DS) - *Killer7 (GC) - Koudelka (PS2) - L.A. Noire (PS3) - Mass Effect 2 (PS3) - Max Payne (PS2) - *Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (PS2) - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (DS) - NIER (PS3) - Portal (The Orange Box, PS3) - Portal 2 (PS3) - *Silent Hill 2 (PS2) - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (PS3) - *Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3) - Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (PS3) - Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)
* Owned
Final Thoughts on Silent Hill 2: Interesting game. Compelling story, mainly in the latter parts of the game. The scene with the videotape was an absolutely wonderful piece of narrative tragedy. Buster Sword and Rod of Doom are awesome. I loved the voice acting for Mary during her reading of the letter at the end. Pyramid Head was very intimidating and very interesting and unique, I really enjoyed him. Or it. The atmosphere of the game was the BEST part of it, and I felt alone in this horrible place nonstop. What a great atmosphere and tension. However, I wasn't a fan of the voice acting as a whole, didn't care for the gameplay, it was pretty easy (and would have just been an absolute NUISANCE rather than actually "challenging" if I had stuck with the 3d controls). The camera was actually okay (I heard it wasn't great) for the most part. I wasn't quite as drawn in as I wanted to be, because it was difficult for me to care about James. The atmosphere itself was immersive, but I didn't really have a chance to REACT to this world like I wanted James to react. Everything felt sort of "this is happening because it's happening." Not "this is happening and HOLY **** this is happening." The game wanted me to accept it from the get go as what it it and what it would attempt to do, and I wanted it to draw me in a little bit more. I wanted to go from a guy suppressing his guilt looking for his wife to a guy realizing that monsters are trying to kill him to a guy slowly unraveling. I felt like the narrative was a little too "forced" in terms of point A to point B.
Overall, I liked the story, thought the gameplay as a whole was mediocre and way too easy, loved the atmosphere, loved the enemy designs, thought the characters were mediocre (but that's really just Eddie and Angela's fault), and liked the experience. Not my favorite game ever, but certainly one that should be played. Cool stuff.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves All right, so next up, I wanted something entirely different! So, Uncharted 2, here I come. I've actually "watched" most of this game before, as my ex-girlfriend played through it once. So, as I play, I'll probably be reminded of a lot. I know a great deal of the story. But I didn't play it and really get invested, so I'm looking forward to the experience! I'll keep this topic updated with my thoughts and reactions as I play. Starting... now!
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
What a way to start off the game! I remember this scene from watching, but there's nothing quite like playing through it. I feel like the train should have fallen with as long as it took me to get used to the controls--and to be be honest, the platforming is pretty easy, almost too easy, like Assassin's Creed--but luckily, I get out.
This is intense, ****'s burning everywhere, great graphics, what a smack in the face. Wonder what happened to this guy.
Back to the introduction, is it Flinn or Flynn? I have my subtitles turned off. Anyway, he's cool. Actually, this whole little gang is pretty cool. A nice change of pace from the normal brooding and / or badass cast of characters games typically throw at you. Chloe is way hot. There's no way in hell she's worth more than an overnight stay at a nearby motel or a perpetual "friends with benefits, I'll call when I'm feeling lonely" sort of arrangement. But, for that special night, she sure is a catch. Somebody needs to tap that, whether it's Drake or Flynn.
Ooh, a treasure hunting game. I really didn't know much about this game going in, especially considering that I watched most of it and really honestly forgot a lot. I remember most of the areas, I just don't remember why things are important or what's going on. Marco! Polo!
Back to the train. I get a gun! Damn, **** is intense. Wow, Drake can brawl. That's some pretty gnarly combat. Simple, yet effective. Who needs a gun when I just beat the ever-living **** out of people like that. I like how there's literally one guard in this whole area. Pretty easy. Things seem to fall RIGHT behind me, no matter how long it takes me to progress. Cool for the feeling of intensity and sense of urgency. Kinda not cool for the sense of immersion. But, hey, it's not a big deal. Some more platforming, pretty easy to control, so I approve. Drake is gonna have some boo-boos after this whole thing.
Cut back to boobs. Well, it looks like erg-ee-erg-ee is gonna happen. That didn't take very long. Also looks like Chloe and Drake have a bit of a history together. Didn't they just meet? I mean, the way she acts, I wouldn't be surprised... erg-ee-erg-ee-erg-ee. Looks like Flynn is expendable to these two. Personally, he's my favorite so far.
Also, is it just me, or is it sort of weird that everybody refers to the men by their last name and the woman by her first name? Drake. Flynn. ... Chloe? Wonder if this trend will continue. Men are clearly superior, thanks Naughty Dog.
More train wreckage craziness. Pretty intense segment, enjoying this. Graphics look great. More updates in a bit (I've played through Chapter 2 already).
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
All right, so after some crazy **** blowin' up and Drake being like well **** guys this sucks, I go back to 4 months earlier as the gang approaches the tower to find the lamp. I hope there's a genie inside. Would be way cooler than just some ol' map to some treasure and stuff.
Flynn is awesome. Love that accent. Actually, while I'm on it, the voice acting is really good. I don't feel bad at all not having the subtitles on. I feel totally immersed in the movie going on right now. Great stuff.
Now I'm in the sewers. How lovely. Chasing after Flynn, I wish I was as fast and cool as he was. Platforming, damn, looks like this game is all about platforming mixed with action. Interesting. How convenient that there is a ladder hanging just out of my reach for Flynn to help me grab. Actually, I remember now, later in the game there were these random ladders in mountains and forests, too. That's what we call a "convenience" sample, my friends. Also, it seems Drake is too cool for guns. Good, I don't want to kill anybody. This is a sneaking mission. Weapons and equipment OSP.
Let's do this.
Eventually, I come to some guards. Aww yeah. STEALTH SNEAK ATTACK. That's pretty cool. Being sneaky is fun. They're field of vision is pretty... suspect. It's like Metal Gear easy mode. I also noticed that when you die, you immediately start back, like, 2 feet before you died. That's rather handy.
STEALTH SNEAK ATTACK.
Some of these stealth knockouts are funny. Like, how does me flipping somebody over warrant a KO? It's like, one guy I strangle (overkill), and the next I pound against a wall (possible death), and the next I tap on the back and he falls down asleep. Drake, man. Take a number from Flynn here, watch how he knees that sum' ***** in the back of the leg and takes him down like a pro. Just because you are better at finding control panels doesn't make you better than Flynn~
I can drop pretty far distances without getting hurt. SuperDrake.
Ooh, an M9 Tranquilizer Gu-- I mean, a tranquilizer gun. The range on this thing is pitiful. I got found like 2 or 3 times during this segment simply because my gun wouldn't reach them as they called in an alert. Lamesauce. Welp, some more climbing, I save Flynn's butt at one point (nah, he would have found a way to save himself), and eventually, I come to the tower. Chloe turns the lights off (I'd rather her turn me on than off if you know what I'm sayin'), and here we are. The lamp.
OH HEY LETS JUST BREAK THIS THING AND NOT READ THE MONGOLIAN WRITTEN ON THE LAMP.
Why the hell.
Anyway, through some convenient National Treasure / Indiana Jones / etc. epiphanies, I realize that this game is about the TREE OF LIFE and SHANGRI-LA. Awesome. Now, let's just get out of here and NOOO. Damnit Flynn, I don't want to face you, I'll never beat you =( I really like Flynn...
Well, now it's time to RUN ***** RUN. Why these guys are afraid to shoot at me without getting an EXACT laser lock on me, I'll never know. No way in hell I should have gotten out of there alive and expected. Somehow, though, I'm gonna do it. Wow.
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
Oh. Nevermind. Hahaha, pop out of a sewer to 6 machine guns in your face, that's pretty intense...
Now I've been in prison for three months. Whatever! Don't phase me. I'm too cool for that. Sully thinks so, too, this jolly ol' guy. I like him. Apparently he has bad taste in women, but he brought Chloe, so I can't complain. I probably smell like some serious horse**** right now. Chloe's probably skanky enough to go for it, though. Go, Nathan, go. Revenge sex.
Also, they call Sully by his last name, too. The trend continues~
Now I'm off to the jungle to track down Flynn and his boss, Lazarovich (spelling?). I remember that guy, actually. He looks a bit like Volgin, from what I remember. Same kind of intimidation factor.
Chapter 3 commence!
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
This game is pretty difficult to, like, do writeups for as I play. I'm in Chapter 5 Urban Warfare now. Stuff happened. Flynn was being awesome and tried to catch me. Chloe pretended to screw me over but then, didn't. Now I'm pew pewing in the streets. Lol.
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
I won't have time to really continue this during the holidays, so just go ahead and let this one die. I might remake it when I play through it in the future.
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
Okay, that's a lie. I totally have time and am about to play the game. It's just that updating is really hard and annoying and breaks up the immersive experience! Lol.
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
From: futuresuperstar | #001 characters were mediocre (but that's really just Eddie and Angela's fault)
Angela is so awesome. ): I can't believe you put her in the same tier as Eddie. For the ridiculously small amount of screentime Angela has, she is really compelling.
Surskit posted... From: futuresuperstar | #001 characters were mediocre (but that's really just Eddie and Angela's fault) Angela is so awesome. ): I can't believe you put her in the same tier as Eddie. For the ridiculously small amount of screentime Angela has, she is really compelling.
Angela is way better than Eddie. I'll give ya that!
Right now, I'm escaping the big temple trying to rescue the camera guy on my shoulder. I enjoy the game. Gonna play some more. But yeah, updates just don't work for me, I don't think. I like to just sit and enjoy the game, y'know?
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
"Where am I?" chapter at the moment. Train sequence as a whole was bomb diggity. Good stuff. This game definitely delivers on action and intensity, let me tell ya!
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
About to finish the game, I think. I'm with Elena, just turned the big wheel on the ground with the key after revealing the secret passageway in the old monastery.
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
Beat it. 'Twas a very fun game. Such crazy intense stuff happened! I enjoyed it--I wouldn't exactly say it was the most plot-driven game, ever, but it certainly had fun and interesting characters. I was disappointed with Flynn's sendoff. I actually really liked him from the start and wish he hadn't gone off the way he did.
Chloe was cool. Elena was cool (though her voice acting in places was odd). Drake was fun. Sully was a boss, I wish I had more of him. Lazarovich (sp?) was pretty boring, overall, he couldn't decide between being threatening (killing the guard you take hostage, his talks about having will, etc.) and being a typical "I WILL EXPLAIN THINGS BEFORE I KILL YOU" boss. Was a little disappointed by him.
Great environments. The train sequence was great. I didn't enjoy the mountains as much as I did the urban environment prior to the train sequences. Flynn was definitely my favorite character. Not sure why, to be honest.
Good gameplay, if not a bit repetitive at times. The puzzles were very easy, didn't need a guide at any point, which was nice. Got like 24-25 treasures, I think, not bad for not looking for them at all. Favorite weapon was easily the Desert-5. I preferred handguns throughout, actually.
Fun characters, decent (but unspectacular) plot, fun but slightly tedious gameplay, great immersion. The only scene I downright did not like was when Drake and Elena's car goes over the mountain and they somehow managed to grab the ledge. Every other crazy stunt they pulled, I at least got to see how they did it and be wowed time and time again. That one was just silly.
I enjoyed this more than Silent Hill 2 and was more impressed by it--however, I think Silent Hill 2 had a lot more to "say," if you catch my drift. Very different games, both good, neither spectacular. Would give both of them somewhere in the range of a 6-8 out of 10. I'd probably give Uncharted 2 between a 7 and an 8. I enjoyed it.
What should I play next?!
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
LeonhartFour posted... I think you might be the first person I've seen who actually gives a crap about Flynn.
From: futuresuperstar | #035 Sully was a boss, I wish I had more of him. Well, I've got some good news for you...!
Flynn had a charisma about him that was just really fun. He was very unlike almost any other video game character. Drake was awesome, but he fit the bill of a fast-talking hero, y'know? I enjoyed the very upbeat personalities in the game, as a whole, but Flynn was that guy that I just wish was my friend. As an enemy, he still had a certain charm about him. His witty exchanges with Drake when jumping through the final road to Shambhala were so much fun. I also enjoyed how he had this layer of "I hate my boss, but uhh, **** working against him." And he still cared a little about others, as shown by his interest in saving Chloe from Lazarovich in Shambhala. Watching him go from that to "I have a grenade, haha Lazarovich beat you, neener neener" AFTER being shot by Lazarovich (unless I missed something, pretty sure that's what happened) just didn't seem to mesh. Nevertheless, I enjoyed him up through then.
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9
Killer7 is one of my favorite games but it is very much an acquired taste and not the most accessible game out there. Based on your two topics so far, I don't think that you will have much fun with it despite having an incredible cast of characters centered around an absurd plot
--
"Anybody interested in grabbing a couple of burgers and hittin' the cemetery?" -Royal "Oh sure, walk to the sun"- Guybrush
KCF0107 posted... Killer7 is one of my favorite games but it is very much an acquired taste and not the most accessible game out there. Based on your two topics so far, I don't think that you will have much fun with it despite having an incredible cast of characters centered around an absurd plot
Hmm, interesting. Hmm...
-- Women come and go, but Metal Gear is forever. And, then there were 9 ... ~ Noble 9