HandsomeDead

I've played a bit this week so I'm doing this now while I remember. I've been playing a few WiiWare games this week, first I finally got round to finishing LostWinds, I don't know why I was so stuck before, I just wandered around a bit and found exactly where I needed to be. I'm all ready for the next one now. Bit. Trip Core has also seen a little more action, it's still much harder to get to grips with than Beat but if you get yourself in the mindset of it being a rythme-action gam it makes more sense, infact it does share similarities to the defensive parts in Gitaroo Man. Finally on WiiWare, I've been secretly playing Let's Catch. The mechanics are very simple, when the ball is thrown you press the A & B buttons catch it, to throw it you merely hold down the A & B buttons and do a throwing motion, no releasing needed, and you keep doing that and you are scored on how controlled you throw and the timing of you catch. I know what you're thinking, that sounds shit DC, who wants to play that? Well there is another thing that I found strangely compelling in the game, it has a story of sorts, and its one that is very similar to the side stories in the Persona games which I'm also very fond of. While you're playing the simple little game the other character starts chatting about little things but the more you play the more you find how all the characters are connected and the problems they have from a widowed bloke who is having problems with his daughter and a wee lad whos dad isn't about much etc. Its another game with a niceness to it, its not quite Flower but it still does a good job of bringing out a similar experiance. I'd fully recommend it if it was half the price but 1000 Wii dollers is a bit dear so as it is then I sort of don't. Since that game reminded me of Persona 4 I dug it out and decided I was going to finish it before the big rush, I am further through it and got to a boss and relalised I might need to grind a bit, when I do I can't see the boss being a problem. Also on my must finish soon list is GTA 4: TLaD, I'm a few more missions into it, it is much longer than I was expecting, its not that I'm not enjoying it and I want it to end, I'm just not used to this much content, maybe it is worth the 1600 M$ afterall. And finally I'm playing Sonic 3 & Knuckleson XBLA as it should be, stacked together. I've been waiting for that since these games started to turn up on compilation discs.

Sonic & Knuckles is out now so I have been going through 3. It's not as good as I remember, the first one is the most focused and is best for speed runs, though you have the usual score system it feels like more of an adventure game and the scoring side of it seem pointless now. Generally it all has the not as good as Sonic 1 & 2 thing. I used to be able to get all the emeralds before the second level but the 360's d-pad makes it a nightmare and I won't be seeing Sonic 3 & Knuckles bonus level at the end on my first play through. So far S&K is still great, its full of more original obstacles and better levels. If you play the games stacked you get no 'ments which is a little shit, I did get half the 'ments on the first level on Sonic 3 though.

Do the Lips mics work now?

I'm more interested in this as a Rock Band game rather than a tribute to The Beatles, from the songs I know from them I'm not expecting any Everlong or YYZ type note charts but alot of my favourite songs on RB2 are just the ones that are fun to play to rather than the most difficult (obviously the satisfaction thing comes with beating those). I only have one mic so I can't try the harmonies, maybe by the time I pick it up I will of acquired another mic.

I suppose I should thank it for keeping me sane during the 4 months I was unemployed. I've never been as good at games as I was then. Seriously, I could p0wn anyone at Soul Calibur and MSR.

Ed's track wasn't that bad, I've heard worse in the only club we have in my town. And with my choice, I get what Hendo was saying about the music being better than using funk guitars but I didn't notice the music during the sex scene (probably to busy looking out for side boob) but it was during the aftermath of the death scene I noticed the music and it seemed more fitting, I didn't mean to suggest it didn't work for the bit of 'how's your father'.

I've been trying to think my favourites but I literally can't think, so I won't think about it too much. Metroid Prime Mass Effect Fallout 3 Ninja Gaiden Burnout 3 Killer7 Psychonauts Persona 3 Rock Band Soul Calibur It's pretty much this off the top of my head.

I must of missed that thread, thats one to have a good think about. I've played some great games so far but my most anticipated games are yet to come. I guess its a good idea to remember these games released early in the year because they do get forgotten. I'll be back with a fine list.

Lies, I know someone who works there and they were going to get me it with the staff discount but unfortunatly it is £37.99.

Not much to say this week. The weekend usually sees friends coming 'round and we play Rock Band 2, we've hit a wall really but playing a bunch of songs we like is always fun, skimming through the DLC usually inspires playing it more too. The only other game I spent more than a few moments on is Flower, its great and I feel stupid for taking so long to get it. I wish I could put my finger on why I think its so good, why just floating around in these enviroments is so satisfying. maybe its just the way the music, graphics and sense of bonnie things comes together to make a chirpy and happy game.

Which is next month, I'm struggling to count today.

Oh fuck, I forgot about Uncharted 2. Might have to scrounge that one off someone as a present. I thought Forza 3 was next month?

Even when hastily thrown together it sounds pretty good. I think I might try and scrape something together to get Batman, it does sound like the type of thing I'd like but I thought it would be the type of game that would be discounted pretty quickly but since the critics are loving it and it looks to be selling pretty well, I think I'm in for a long wait for it to hit the magic £17.99.

I heard the name Okamiden thrown around and I assumed it would be on a home console. I'm not gonna knock this news though, some more Okami in any form is nice.

So what does this actually mean? Nothing bar money going in Walt's account when the next Spiderman film hits the silver screen?

I'm a little late with this one. I downloaded it on a whim and I have to say I'm pretty blown away by it. Everytime people talk about it they say how beautiful it is but even knowing all the praise it gets I still wasn't prepared for how lovely I found it. I think one of the reasons it took me so long to get it was the idea of controling it entirely with the sixaxis but thankfully it works brilliantly and I wouldn't want to control it any other way. I'm not sure abut the narrative either, I'm not sure what exactly but maybe I can make more sense of it on another play through which I will be doing because the Trophy list does point to a hidden level.

Both Gallaghers will still be doing some kind of project even if it is a proper split. I've never even owned an Oasis album so I can't say it effects me in any way.

I tried the demo and I have to disagree with the idea it takes no skill, granted, early fights were easily won by button mashing but later on you really need to be careful about your combos and use your evasive moves or you will get seven shades knocked out of you. Its not much of a beat'em'up too, its like some DMC type thing but with a less fluid JRPG type combat system. I like it but I rarely play my handhelds so it isn't worth picking up, I probably will though when I see it for about a tenner.

I finished Shadow Complex this week, its just the type of game I wanted to play, shame about the associated gay hate. I also completed Bionic Commando and mostly enjoyed it, its frustrating in parts but leaving it a day and coming back to it always did the trick. I can't decide whether I liked the quip he says when he encounters a particular boss. 'Is that a long health bar or are you just pleased to see me?'... no, I don't think I liked that. I've also been trying to play Bit. Trip Core on the Wii, I'd talk more about it but I can only last 5 minutes so I can't really say much except that it is much harder than Beat. Its just the simple fact that you have dots coming from four sides rather than just one. I'll play it a bit more to see if I can find some kind of zone to get into.

Oh fecking hell, make my decision harder won't you?

Triple postage. I came, I saw, I finished and I liked. The ending was nice and easy, it also made little sense. This is the first Bionic Commando game I've played and I'm now thinking of trying that remake kicking around in download land. It gave me my first gold Trophy too, nice.

The KoToR games had this arena idea as a sub-quest and I'm a bit gutted thats all there is to it. I probably won't bother if its broken aswell.

So I'm very near the en now, probably over 90%. The last sections I did were both amazing and frustrating. I see where the difficulty critacisms are coming in, sometimes its very easy to die but if you really keep your wits about you and use all you abilities you will be fine. I remember seeing some reveiws saying that you can get through the game just using the same move but thats probably why they found it so difficult too, using you brains a bit in this dumb action game will help, a good keen eye on what you can grab onto helps too. For me this game is sitting with Ninja Gaiden II, it can get unfair at times but its also all the more satisfying for it. Dare I say it but as a single player, dumb fun game I think I'm enjoying it more than the mighty Gears of War.

Could be, the 70's were crazy times.

I stopped paying attention to the story with its laughable idea of liberation, it all seemed a bit Ben10. I only finished it the other day and I can't even remember the story. I just went into it wanting a big area to explore with ability based puzzles to solve, it supplied that so I'm a happy bunny.