Damn, that's dedication.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Worth Waiting For [Tekken 6 Impressions]
Tekken 6 was released in JPN game centers in November 2007. Its update, Tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion, dropped in JPN game centers in December 2008. And after an unecessarily complicated delivery process, it is now in Jcasa ensuring the PS3 gets as little downtime as possible. So, really, this has been 23 months coming. Worth it?
Oh, fuck yeah it is.
This edition is 40 characters strong, with six new challengers: Bob, Zafina, Miguel, and Leo added in T6, and Lars and Alisa added in T6:BR. That's pretty damn impressive. BlazBlue brings only 12 fighters to the table, Street Fighter IV only boasts 25, and probably around 33 for the SuperSFIV update. KoFXII and MKvDCU both sport rosters of 22, the upcoming Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom console edition rocks 26, while Smash Brawl's impressive 35 characters was the biggest selection around until Tekken 6 (with the exception of MvC2). Namco's other offering, Soul Caliber, is pretty damn close, but that lineup's exact number is somewhat nebulous given all of the minor, modified clones.
Looks like there may only be 17 stages, which Lego finds a little disappointing, but I feel the interactivity of the environments goes a long way to liven things up. Oh, and the first person to get smashed through a floor was Rah Digga, so beer's on her.
Bob and Alisa are the real standouts of the new recruits, though Zafina is intriguing. On a more personal note, Dragunov gets a really robust makeover, with some handy new tricks and an overall faster and safer arsenal. A little bit of speed goes a long way with Drag, as being able to pressure a character makes all of his feints and grab setups more difficult to avoid.
Graphically, I expected a bit more over what T5:DR exhibited, but I think some news specs and a 1080p display may fix that.
Haven't gotten in any of the Scenario Campaign yet, and I've played but one match online. Stay tuned for more impressions or a Killa review a little down the road, or hit me up and come check it out for yourself.
Oh, fuck yeah it is.
This edition is 40 characters strong, with six new challengers: Bob, Zafina, Miguel, and Leo added in T6, and Lars and Alisa added in T6:BR. That's pretty damn impressive. BlazBlue brings only 12 fighters to the table, Street Fighter IV only boasts 25, and probably around 33 for the SuperSFIV update. KoFXII and MKvDCU both sport rosters of 22, the upcoming Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom console edition rocks 26, while Smash Brawl's impressive 35 characters was the biggest selection around until Tekken 6 (with the exception of MvC2). Namco's other offering, Soul Caliber, is pretty damn close, but that lineup's exact number is somewhat nebulous given all of the minor, modified clones.
Looks like there may only be 17 stages, which Lego finds a little disappointing, but I feel the interactivity of the environments goes a long way to liven things up. Oh, and the first person to get smashed through a floor was Rah Digga, so beer's on her.
Bob and Alisa are the real standouts of the new recruits, though Zafina is intriguing. On a more personal note, Dragunov gets a really robust makeover, with some handy new tricks and an overall faster and safer arsenal. A little bit of speed goes a long way with Drag, as being able to pressure a character makes all of his feints and grab setups more difficult to avoid.
Graphically, I expected a bit more over what T5:DR exhibited, but I think some news specs and a 1080p display may fix that.
Haven't gotten in any of the Scenario Campaign yet, and I've played but one match online. Stay tuned for more impressions or a Killa review a little down the road, or hit me up and come check it out for yourself.
The Wild West [Borderlands Impressions]
Anyone else think multiplayer Fallout would have been cool? Good news!
Big Sis Prinny implored me (and I don't just throw around the word 'implore', for real) to check out Gearbox's Borderlands. It is a loot-driven role-playing shooter set in a sci-fi Wild West. If that sounds like the sort of thing you would like, you may want to check this out.
So far my time with four player online play has been limited, but my impression is that it runs smoothly, and once the logistics of playing with friends on headsets is realized, I think it'll be fucking money.
In my solo escapades I've been able to bring my soldier character up to Level 11, giving me enough skill points to amp up the damage dealing capability of my Scorpio Turret, my class's special action, and to activate Metal Storm, a temporary increase to firing rate and decrease to recoil, every time I kill an enemy, which predictably makes mowing through multiple enemies pretty efficient.
Millions (literally) of possible weapons, vehicles, multiplayer arenas, one hundred-sixty quests, new game+, splitscreen two player coop, nice cel-shaded graphics, and four character types to use. Who are you to resist, eh?
Normally I try to space out new game purchases, but, hell, sometimes you've got grab life by the throat and spit in its mouth.
Big Sis Prinny implored me (and I don't just throw around the word 'implore', for real) to check out Gearbox's Borderlands. It is a loot-driven role-playing shooter set in a sci-fi Wild West. If that sounds like the sort of thing you would like, you may want to check this out.
So far my time with four player online play has been limited, but my impression is that it runs smoothly, and once the logistics of playing with friends on headsets is realized, I think it'll be fucking money.
In my solo escapades I've been able to bring my soldier character up to Level 11, giving me enough skill points to amp up the damage dealing capability of my Scorpio Turret, my class's special action, and to activate Metal Storm, a temporary increase to firing rate and decrease to recoil, every time I kill an enemy, which predictably makes mowing through multiple enemies pretty efficient.
Millions (literally) of possible weapons, vehicles, multiplayer arenas, one hundred-sixty quests, new game+, splitscreen two player coop, nice cel-shaded graphics, and four character types to use. Who are you to resist, eh?
Normally I try to space out new game purchases, but, hell, sometimes you've got grab life by the throat and spit in its mouth.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Get Ready for the Next Battle [Tekken 6 Release Hype]
Oh shit. Some logistical complications aside, I should be able to obtain my Tekken 6 Wireless Stick Bundle on the way home this evening.
W00t! This is the most hyped I've been since, well, SFIV came out.
First person to get slammed through a floor buys beer!
W00t! This is the most hyped I've been since, well, SFIV came out.
First person to get slammed through a floor buys beer!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Rush FTW [VG K9 Poll Results]
Leave it to the artificial dog and his artificial master to beat out all the rest of the fictitious canine companions.
I don't know who came out swinging at the last second to put Rush over the top, but I do like to see the best dog win. I mean, he can turn into a fucking jet, people. C'mon. A fucking jet! Can Dogmeat fly the Vault Dweller over an otherwise impassable spiked floor? Didn't think so.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Odds and Ends: Autumnal Edition
Mmmm... Nothing like enjoying a Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Latte with a Pumpkin Cake Donut on a cool Fall day...
Only like ten hours left to voice your opinion on the best canine companion in videogames. Looks like Rush and Fable 2's dog are in a dead heat for the title. Please note: If the votes are equal at the end of polling period, the title will be awarded to Fran from Final Fantasy XII.
Swapped out the Mame PC's PSU with the new one... Same problem as before... Which leads me to believe it may be the mobo... Methinks a new computer may be in order. No one has an old PC of which they're trying to get rid, do they? Hit me if you do.
Tekken 6 should be arriving @ J Casa Tuesday, so unless there's something going on that night I'm forgetting about, hit me up and come on over if you want to try your Iron Fist before Lego and I start flexing our 1337ness.
And oh yeah, what is everybody doing for Halloween? No crazy Jcasa party, so I'm leaning towards Cypress Hill @ 9:30 Club. Anything else going down?
Word is bond. Peace.
Only like ten hours left to voice your opinion on the best canine companion in videogames. Looks like Rush and Fable 2's dog are in a dead heat for the title. Please note: If the votes are equal at the end of polling period, the title will be awarded to Fran from Final Fantasy XII.
Swapped out the Mame PC's PSU with the new one... Same problem as before... Which leads me to believe it may be the mobo... Methinks a new computer may be in order. No one has an old PC of which they're trying to get rid, do they? Hit me if you do.
Tekken 6 should be arriving @ J Casa Tuesday, so unless there's something going on that night I'm forgetting about, hit me up and come on over if you want to try your Iron Fist before Lego and I start flexing our 1337ness.
And oh yeah, what is everybody doing for Halloween? No crazy Jcasa party, so I'm leaning towards Cypress Hill @ 9:30 Club. Anything else going down?
Word is bond. Peace.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
BlogoShock [Second Playthrough, Wrench]
Chapter VI: Recompense
Final Loadout for the second Bioshock run. Wrenched it up as much as possible. Please note: Wrench Jockey 1 and 2, Wrench Lurker 1 and 2, and Damage Research 1 and 2. That's a lot of damage. Thanks, Bioshock Wiki for teh secret formula:
* Standard Attacks:
The Wrench's base damage value is used for calculation (20 physical):
Wrench Jockey 350% + Wrench Jockey 2 550% + Research Camera bonus from Bouncer 50% = additional 950% damage (210 damage total)
Note: Damage bonuses gained from research and the Damage Research tonics are calculated with using the result value in the above equation as a base.
* Attacks Against Unaware Enemies:
The Wrench's enhanced damage value is used for calculation (base damage with enhancements):
Wrench Lurker 150% + Wrench Lurker 2 200% = 350% of enhanced Wrench damage (i.e. 210 damage + 350% unaware bonus = 765 damage total)
Note: Only the first attack on an unaware opponent will have the damage bonus applied.
* Attacks Against Stunned Enemies:
The Wrench's enhanced and unaware damage value is used for calculation (base damage with enhancements and unaware damage bonus):
Splicer shocked with Electro Bolt = 400% of enhanced Wrench damage with unaware bonus (i.e. 210 damage + 350% unaware bonus x 400% = 3,060 damage total)
Note: Only the first attack on an shocked opponent will have the damage bonus applied. This combination is called the "One-Two Punch" by Atlas.
Plus Sportboost 2 which allows me to swing the wrench faster, and Bloodlust, which gives me back a bit of Health and EVE every time I strike with the wrench. And consider Natural Camouflage for lots of easy Unaware damage bonuses.
I finished off one of the last Daddies with the wrench. It was truly the culmination of an elaborate scenario: I shot a Proximity mine onto the stairs from the upper level, hit the Big Daddy with an Incendiary Crossbow Bolt, quickly ran into a room wherein I could not be shot and placed another Prox Mine at the top of the stairs, meanwhile the Big Daddy runs up the stairs to pursue me, activating both mines, and then becoming ensnared in my Trap bolt electric triplines, at which point I began wailing on his oaf ass with the wrench. Nice.
For the final Daddy, during the Proving Grounds, I went for bust. Went toe-to-toe with an Elite Bouncer Big Daddy, Wrench versus Drill.
WRENCH KILL FOR THE WIN, MOTHERFUCKER.
HOW YOU LIKE ME NOW?
Got the evil ending and all that. Def done with the Bizzle Shizzle... So, yeah, when is BizzleShizzleTwizzle coming izzle?
Final Loadout for the second Bioshock run. Wrenched it up as much as possible. Please note: Wrench Jockey 1 and 2, Wrench Lurker 1 and 2, and Damage Research 1 and 2. That's a lot of damage. Thanks, Bioshock Wiki for teh secret formula:
* Standard Attacks:
The Wrench's base damage value is used for calculation (20 physical):
Wrench Jockey 350% + Wrench Jockey 2 550% + Research Camera bonus from Bouncer 50% = additional 950% damage (210 damage total)
Note: Damage bonuses gained from research and the Damage Research tonics are calculated with using the result value in the above equation as a base.
* Attacks Against Unaware Enemies:
The Wrench's enhanced damage value is used for calculation (base damage with enhancements):
Wrench Lurker 150% + Wrench Lurker 2 200% = 350% of enhanced Wrench damage (i.e. 210 damage + 350% unaware bonus = 765 damage total)
Note: Only the first attack on an unaware opponent will have the damage bonus applied.
* Attacks Against Stunned Enemies:
The Wrench's enhanced and unaware damage value is used for calculation (base damage with enhancements and unaware damage bonus):
Splicer shocked with Electro Bolt = 400% of enhanced Wrench damage with unaware bonus (i.e. 210 damage + 350% unaware bonus x 400% = 3,060 damage total)
Note: Only the first attack on an shocked opponent will have the damage bonus applied. This combination is called the "One-Two Punch" by Atlas.
Plus Sportboost 2 which allows me to swing the wrench faster, and Bloodlust, which gives me back a bit of Health and EVE every time I strike with the wrench. And consider Natural Camouflage for lots of easy Unaware damage bonuses.
I finished off one of the last Daddies with the wrench. It was truly the culmination of an elaborate scenario: I shot a Proximity mine onto the stairs from the upper level, hit the Big Daddy with an Incendiary Crossbow Bolt, quickly ran into a room wherein I could not be shot and placed another Prox Mine at the top of the stairs, meanwhile the Big Daddy runs up the stairs to pursue me, activating both mines, and then becoming ensnared in my Trap bolt electric triplines, at which point I began wailing on his oaf ass with the wrench. Nice.
For the final Daddy, during the Proving Grounds, I went for bust. Went toe-to-toe with an Elite Bouncer Big Daddy, Wrench versus Drill.
WRENCH KILL FOR THE WIN, MOTHERFUCKER.
HOW YOU LIKE ME NOW?
Got the evil ending and all that. Def done with the Bizzle Shizzle... So, yeah, when is BizzleShizzleTwizzle coming izzle?
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Seasons Drinkings [Pumpkin Spice]
| The union boss here at my Venue, Sweet, Venue doesn't drink coffee. That is to say, he doesn't normally drink coffee. |  |
 | Only during one part of the year is he so tempted he cannot resist. |
No can resist the call...
...of Pumpkin Spice.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
On Fluid Boss Mechanics [SMB2 X BioShock]
or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bombs
You know, two games can't be much more different than BioShock and Super Mario Bros 2 (aka Doki Doki Panic). Era, format, genre, mood, theme, control.
What is familiar with them, is the way that bosses are presented in a fluid manner. Now, I can't say there are a lot of games like BioShock that allow you to fight bosses wherever you want, although, --damn.. What's that one game? With the girl and the dog? ... Haunting Ground! That's it. I never played that, but you may have been able to do that in Haunting Ground. No clue, really. Did anyone play that? I might need to track that down.
Anyways, though SMB2 clearly does not allow you to fight boss battles wherever in a level you would like, it does stray pretty far from the idea of fighting Bowser on a bridge in a castle level, or Mega Man entering boss battles through those classic doors. But it did have you fight familiar bosses repeatedly on varied terrain, and with different strategies.
BioShock has a number of very familiar Big Daddy fights, like the first in Medical Pavillion and the one in the Farmer's Market. These tend to play out pretty similarly since the Daddy-Sister pairs tend to start in the same part of their route when you enter the area. Of course, you can wait, and lure them off their path with an ADAM-rich pile of corpses if you want to tilt the odds in your favor (or closer to a hacked rocket turret).
Using the same type of boss in different environments presents an interesting situation to players, wherein the knowledge of the enemy's tactics allows one to create new stategies for the encounter. This is dynamite bitchin' cool whether it be building a wall of blocks to hide from TriClyde's fireballs, or inviting a Sister with Daddy in tow to enjoy a freshly prepared corpse and proximity mine salad. Just as defeating enemies with different weapons or different characters expands a gameplay experience, so does facing them in different environments.
Not a fit for every game, but giving more control to the player while keeping tension high is always a good idea.
Hmmm... HebeGB doesn't check KB, but someone else may know... Resident Evil ever allow you to lure bosses into different areas?
Also, did you see the price of Haunting Ground on Amazon?! Gooodddd-ddaaaammmnnn.
You know, two games can't be much more different than BioShock and Super Mario Bros 2 (aka Doki Doki Panic). Era, format, genre, mood, theme, control.
What is familiar with them, is the way that bosses are presented in a fluid manner. Now, I can't say there are a lot of games like BioShock that allow you to fight bosses wherever you want, although, --damn.. What's that one game? With the girl and the dog? ... Haunting Ground! That's it. I never played that, but you may have been able to do that in Haunting Ground. No clue, really. Did anyone play that? I might need to track that down.
Anyways, though SMB2 clearly does not allow you to fight boss battles wherever in a level you would like, it does stray pretty far from the idea of fighting Bowser on a bridge in a castle level, or Mega Man entering boss battles through those classic doors. But it did have you fight familiar bosses repeatedly on varied terrain, and with different strategies.
BioShock has a number of very familiar Big Daddy fights, like the first in Medical Pavillion and the one in the Farmer's Market. These tend to play out pretty similarly since the Daddy-Sister pairs tend to start in the same part of their route when you enter the area. Of course, you can wait, and lure them off their path with an ADAM-rich pile of corpses if you want to tilt the odds in your favor (or closer to a hacked rocket turret).
Using the same type of boss in different environments presents an interesting situation to players, wherein the knowledge of the enemy's tactics allows one to create new stategies for the encounter. This is dynamite bitchin' cool whether it be building a wall of blocks to hide from TriClyde's fireballs, or inviting a Sister with Daddy in tow to enjoy a freshly prepared corpse and proximity mine salad. Just as defeating enemies with different weapons or different characters expands a gameplay experience, so does facing them in different environments.
Not a fit for every game, but giving more control to the player while keeping tension high is always a good idea.
Hmmm... HebeGB doesn't check KB, but someone else may know... Resident Evil ever allow you to lure bosses into different areas?
Also, did you see the price of Haunting Ground on Amazon?! Gooodddd-ddaaaammmnnn.
Blindsided [Half Minute Hero]
Sometimes seeing info on a new game is like getting T-boned in an intersection. Looks like WarioWare crossed up Final Fantasy VI(NA III).
High Res-titution
There. I regretted not having a higher resolution Houdini Splicer Icon. Took me a second to get back into PC mode and use PrntScrn. Enjoy.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
A New Challenger Approaches
Not only can you check out the furious crossover action of Tatsunoko vs Capcom in this clip, but you also get to see Zero in action. What?! Batsu from Rival Schools is his partner, and they throw down against a couple of Tatsunoko IPs, err, characters. Enjoy!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Teh S [SSFIV Roster]
Teh S is coming to Street Fighter IV; specifically the silver emblem of superiority. Super.
Super Street Fighter IV has been announced as a standalone title, and the webz are humming with the possibilities that brings. Most prominently, the roster of characters is the target of so much speculation it could make your head spin. Here's what we got:
The twenty-five returning from SFIV are Ryu, Ken, Chun Li, Guile, Dhalsim, Honda, Blanka, Zangief, Balrog, Vega, Sagat, Bison, Abel, Viper, Rufus, Fuerte, Akuma, Gouken, Seth, Fei Long, Cammy, Sakura, Rose, Dan, and Gen.
Confirmed as new additions are T.Hawk and Dee Jay, who complete the entire Super Street Fighter II Turbo crew.
Juri is the other so far confirmed addition, and the only new character confirmed so far. The South Korean TKD practitioner with the wacky eye implant, she likely has a connection to Seth and S.I.N. (Any tie to the Alpha Dolls is conjecture, but, for the record, I said it.)
Next up is Hakan the Arab grappler. A real scarcity of information on this fellow. No images, no official data, but since he's new and being mentioned in every list, it seems a safe bet.
The rough number eight was thrown out as the sum of the new entrants. So, after Juri, Dee Jay, T.Hawk, and Hakan, we've got possibly as few as four spots left. The top contenders from the rumor mill are:
Adon, Sagat's Starscream, was the penultimate opponent in the OG Street Fighter. Popped back up in Alpha with his Jaguar style involving many Muay Thai normals, the very familiar Jaguar Knee, and a lot of off-the-wall antics reminiscent of Vega(Claw). Though I did use him a lot in SFA3, I'm not a big admirer, and I'd love to see him left on the modeling room floor in lieu of some other additions.
Guy and Cody, the Final Fight crew that sprang up in Alpha. I was never big on them, but they are quite popular. I'm more of a Cody man myself, but I think the knife and rock shtick is pretty tired. Again, I could take them or leave them.
Ibuki, Makoto, and Dudley from SFIII round out the short list of popular assumptions. Of the three, Ibuki is the only one I'd really like to see in SSFIV. A lot of really fun EX specials and a cool character design FTW. Makoto feels too derivative to me, personally, as she is too similar to both Ryu and Sakura, even if this super tough karate girl's fighting style is significantly distinct. I like Dud as well, but I do not think another boxer is necessary, let alone another black boxer.
"Well, Killa, who would you like to see in SSFIV?"
Now that you ask, my picks beyond Juri, T.Hawk, Dee Jay, and Hakan, would be Ibuki, Birdie, Charlie, and Yun. Ibuki I have already expressed my desire for, so let me explain the other three.
Birdie is another SF1 throwback who reappeared in Alpha. The chain wielding Brit hoodlum is a great hybrid character with 360 throws and charge attacks, plus he has a distinctive character design and a mean brawling style, which, oddly enough, is a nice contrast to the recognized disciplines in SFIV.
Charlie was one of my Alpha faves, and I'd like to see him return, whether as Charlie or as his Marvel crossover alter-ego Shadow. There is some suggestion in the dialogue of SFIV that Abel knows him, and I'd love to see him come out of retirement. Just as you can differentiate Ryu, Ken, and Akuma with the subtleties of tatsumaki senpukyaku juggling or shoryuken priority, there is plenty of room to tweak the Sonic-Flash military moveset to provide a different experience than Guile. This one's a longshot, though. (Mayhap Shadow will be a secret boss?)
And finally, Yun. Yun is just a great character, and the best thing to come out Street Fighter III. Oh, and Genei Jin is the sweetest Super Art, like, eva.
But, you know, meh. Can't always get what you want.
Super Street Fighter IV has been announced as a standalone title, and the webz are humming with the possibilities that brings. Most prominently, the roster of characters is the target of so much speculation it could make your head spin. Here's what we got:
The twenty-five returning from SFIV are Ryu, Ken, Chun Li, Guile, Dhalsim, Honda, Blanka, Zangief, Balrog, Vega, Sagat, Bison, Abel, Viper, Rufus, Fuerte, Akuma, Gouken, Seth, Fei Long, Cammy, Sakura, Rose, Dan, and Gen.
Confirmed as new additions are T.Hawk and Dee Jay, who complete the entire Super Street Fighter II Turbo crew.
Juri is the other so far confirmed addition, and the only new character confirmed so far. The South Korean TKD practitioner with the wacky eye implant, she likely has a connection to Seth and S.I.N. (Any tie to the Alpha Dolls is conjecture, but, for the record, I said it.)
Next up is Hakan the Arab grappler. A real scarcity of information on this fellow. No images, no official data, but since he's new and being mentioned in every list, it seems a safe bet.
The rough number eight was thrown out as the sum of the new entrants. So, after Juri, Dee Jay, T.Hawk, and Hakan, we've got possibly as few as four spots left. The top contenders from the rumor mill are:
Adon, Sagat's Starscream, was the penultimate opponent in the OG Street Fighter. Popped back up in Alpha with his Jaguar style involving many Muay Thai normals, the very familiar Jaguar Knee, and a lot of off-the-wall antics reminiscent of Vega(Claw). Though I did use him a lot in SFA3, I'm not a big admirer, and I'd love to see him left on the modeling room floor in lieu of some other additions.
Guy and Cody, the Final Fight crew that sprang up in Alpha. I was never big on them, but they are quite popular. I'm more of a Cody man myself, but I think the knife and rock shtick is pretty tired. Again, I could take them or leave them.
Ibuki, Makoto, and Dudley from SFIII round out the short list of popular assumptions. Of the three, Ibuki is the only one I'd really like to see in SSFIV. A lot of really fun EX specials and a cool character design FTW. Makoto feels too derivative to me, personally, as she is too similar to both Ryu and Sakura, even if this super tough karate girl's fighting style is significantly distinct. I like Dud as well, but I do not think another boxer is necessary, let alone another black boxer.
"Well, Killa, who would you like to see in SSFIV?"
Now that you ask, my picks beyond Juri, T.Hawk, Dee Jay, and Hakan, would be Ibuki, Birdie, Charlie, and Yun. Ibuki I have already expressed my desire for, so let me explain the other three.
Birdie is another SF1 throwback who reappeared in Alpha. The chain wielding Brit hoodlum is a great hybrid character with 360 throws and charge attacks, plus he has a distinctive character design and a mean brawling style, which, oddly enough, is a nice contrast to the recognized disciplines in SFIV.
Charlie was one of my Alpha faves, and I'd like to see him return, whether as Charlie or as his Marvel crossover alter-ego Shadow. There is some suggestion in the dialogue of SFIV that Abel knows him, and I'd love to see him come out of retirement. Just as you can differentiate Ryu, Ken, and Akuma with the subtleties of tatsumaki senpukyaku juggling or shoryuken priority, there is plenty of room to tweak the Sonic-Flash military moveset to provide a different experience than Guile. This one's a longshot, though. (Mayhap Shadow will be a secret boss?)
And finally, Yun. Yun is just a great character, and the best thing to come out Street Fighter III. Oh, and Genei Jin is the sweetest Super Art, like, eva.
But, you know, meh. Can't always get what you want.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Big 5
No, I don't mean Kaiba Corp's malevolent board of directors, nor the dimensions of personality... In this case, I'm referring to the five... best... videogames.
I'm talking single player experiences here, also. So please, no hatemail about Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, Smash Brawl, or Team Fortress 2 getting left out in the cold. They're great games, but this list is going for the quality of narrative and gameplay in single player experiences. For this reason, most puzzle, sports, driving, and rhythm games are not in contention. (Sorry Pac Man, no cerebral resonance.)
Here 'dem is (in order of the character length of their familiar titles):
Controversial, I know. "No Zelda?" I'm afraid not. I'm a big fan of Ocarina and Majora's Mask, but those games don't have any real emotional value tied to their story. Zelda games are what they are, but I've never spent any time thinking about them after the fact like I have the list members.
Portal, if you have played it, is self-evident. An anti-shooter, if you will, it defies all convention. This first-person puzzler is so unique, and presents such a compelling plot even with the near total absence of other characters.
BioShock may seem like jumping the gun, as I obviously completed it pretty recently. But this really did edge out Half-Life 2 or Half-Life 2: Episode 2 as the best FPS I've ever played. Just check any of the BlogoShock posts to see why.
MGS 1 and 4 are also both great games, but Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater holds a very special place in my gamer heart. Definitely the most emotionally invested I've ever been in a game. Great characters, immersive atmosphere, and top-notch stealth action. (Man, I could go for another playthrough right now...) Solid Snake is a complex, beloved character, but he is no Big Boss.
Final Fantasy VII is a tough one to pick, as the gameplay has aged significantly. This one is a total classic, and the storyline, that is to say, the complete storyline, made this the definition of the word "epic" in the gaming lexicon. Breadth, depth, and scope all revolutionary for it's time. It is the kind of game, like Snake Eater, that is always worth a challenge playthrough, not just for the bragging rights, but to enjoy the experience all over again.
(I actually debated a lot between inclusion of Final Fantasy VII or X-2. X-2's gameplay I believe is the best in the series, and I am looking forward to a return to the formula for XIII, but VII's plot and characters outweigh X-2's frenetic battle system.)
Shadow of the Colossus... well, if you haven't played it, you need to. And once you play it, you know.
I'm talking single player experiences here, also. So please, no hatemail about Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, Smash Brawl, or Team Fortress 2 getting left out in the cold. They're great games, but this list is going for the quality of narrative and gameplay in single player experiences. For this reason, most puzzle, sports, driving, and rhythm games are not in contention. (Sorry Pac Man, no cerebral resonance.)
Here 'dem is (in order of the character length of their familiar titles):
Portal
BioShock
Snake Eater
Final Fantasy VII
Shadow of the Colossus
Controversial, I know. "No Zelda?" I'm afraid not. I'm a big fan of Ocarina and Majora's Mask, but those games don't have any real emotional value tied to their story. Zelda games are what they are, but I've never spent any time thinking about them after the fact like I have the list members.
Portal, if you have played it, is self-evident. An anti-shooter, if you will, it defies all convention. This first-person puzzler is so unique, and presents such a compelling plot even with the near total absence of other characters.
BioShock may seem like jumping the gun, as I obviously completed it pretty recently. But this really did edge out Half-Life 2 or Half-Life 2: Episode 2 as the best FPS I've ever played. Just check any of the BlogoShock posts to see why.
MGS 1 and 4 are also both great games, but Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater holds a very special place in my gamer heart. Definitely the most emotionally invested I've ever been in a game. Great characters, immersive atmosphere, and top-notch stealth action. (Man, I could go for another playthrough right now...) Solid Snake is a complex, beloved character, but he is no Big Boss.
Final Fantasy VII is a tough one to pick, as the gameplay has aged significantly. This one is a total classic, and the storyline, that is to say, the complete storyline, made this the definition of the word "epic" in the gaming lexicon. Breadth, depth, and scope all revolutionary for it's time. It is the kind of game, like Snake Eater, that is always worth a challenge playthrough, not just for the bragging rights, but to enjoy the experience all over again.
(I actually debated a lot between inclusion of Final Fantasy VII or X-2. X-2's gameplay I believe is the best in the series, and I am looking forward to a return to the formula for XIII, but VII's plot and characters outweigh X-2's frenetic battle system.)
Shadow of the Colossus... well, if you haven't played it, you need to. And once you play it, you know.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Odds and Ends: Oktoberfest Edition
Still need to get a new power supply for the Mame cabinet computer. Obviously we'll need that operational for the big Tekken 6 release fightathon. What's that? You are interested in the next fighting game competition? Well hit me then. I'm thinking I'll sacrifice BlazBlue from the lineup in order to keep SFIV. Likely it'll be T6, SFIV, SCIV, SSBB, MvC2, and SFA3 as the big six. Tiebreak suggestions?
Big Sis Prinny and I wrapped up a casual afternoon by knocking out the rest of the levels in the XBLA release Bubble Bobble Neo. I believe I have mentioned before how fond I am of Bub and Bob, those irresistable bubble-spewing dragons. A lot of fun, but, man, that Level 72! >.<
And last night I was cajoled into participating in a little No Limit Hold'em tourney. I've probably only played four times in the last two years, a drastic comparison to, say, 2006, when teh crew played every night for months on end. The heads up showdown ended up as a battle of the douche bags, and as you well know, no one can out-douche Killa. Walked away with $100... (toward a PSPgo?!)
Big Sis Prinny and I wrapped up a casual afternoon by knocking out the rest of the levels in the XBLA release Bubble Bobble Neo. I believe I have mentioned before how fond I am of Bub and Bob, those irresistable bubble-spewing dragons. A lot of fun, but, man, that Level 72! >.<
And last night I was cajoled into participating in a little No Limit Hold'em tourney. I've probably only played four times in the last two years, a drastic comparison to, say, 2006, when teh crew played every night for months on end. The heads up showdown ended up as a battle of the douche bags, and as you well know, no one can out-douche Killa. Walked away with $100... (toward a PSPgo?!)
Thursday, October 1, 2009
BlogoShock
Level 5: The Modern Frankenstein
Ken Levine had said that in retrospect he wished he had placed the dramatic confrontation with Andrew Ryan later in the game, as there is a fair amount of gameplay between that point and the final encounter. Good news for me, however, as I reached that point and knew I still had some wrench-bashing left to do.
I've completed the game now, as you may have surmised from the loadout post. A credit to 2K Boston's gameplay design is the way my abilities kept up with the steep difficulty. I poked around a little bit just after finshing to confirm there was no New Game+. (PS3 only it turns out.) Saw a few remarks about the difficulty in the game, especially people referring to Hard (which I played) as forcing you to play the game differently, using the environments and luring splicers into turret traps. Well, you know, that is true, but after concluding the run through, I'm pretty glad I did. I had a rocky start as you'll recall, before I adopted the kitchen sink approach.
By using everything at your disposal to kill enemies and clear areas as quickly as possible, I believe you really are playing the game the way it was meant to be played. Towards the end, also, Damage Research 2 and the defense boost you get from the *cough*cough* evened the playing field right before what was probably the toughest segment of the game, the obligatory escort sequence. (Don't get me wrong, it was cool. At least I wasn't dragging Eva's knocked out ass through the jungle...)
But I think I got just about everything out of this playthrough. I obtained (or had the option to buy) every plasmid and tonic in the game, bought every health and EVE upgrade, maximized research damage on all enemies except perhaps turrets and cameras, found a metric fuckton of audio diaries, and rescued all of the Little Sisters obtaining the "good" ending. I missed two weapon upgrades, one apparently because I killed Sander Cohen, and the other due to an oversight, though I wasn't overly interested in Chemical Thrower range and Crossbow Breakage chance. Oh, but I would recommend getting Pistol Clip Size early. Much more useful than I thought it would be.
But anyways, I believe I enjoyed the bulk of the intended experienced. If I were to do it differently, I would likely focus on Wrench tactics, and I'd probably give Hacker's Delight a try, since I did fucking hack everything. Oh, and it turns out, I never really understood Security Bullseye. Silly me.
But, in summation, Bioshock is a hell of a game. Upon completion I quickly indulged myself in the Bioshock 2 Big Sister and multiplayer trailers. Guess I don't have much to do except salivate until February 9th...
Ken Levine had said that in retrospect he wished he had placed the dramatic confrontation with Andrew Ryan later in the game, as there is a fair amount of gameplay between that point and the final encounter. Good news for me, however, as I reached that point and knew I still had some wrench-bashing left to do.
I've completed the game now, as you may have surmised from the loadout post. A credit to 2K Boston's gameplay design is the way my abilities kept up with the steep difficulty. I poked around a little bit just after finshing to confirm there was no New Game+. (PS3 only it turns out.) Saw a few remarks about the difficulty in the game, especially people referring to Hard (which I played) as forcing you to play the game differently, using the environments and luring splicers into turret traps. Well, you know, that is true, but after concluding the run through, I'm pretty glad I did. I had a rocky start as you'll recall, before I adopted the kitchen sink approach.
By using everything at your disposal to kill enemies and clear areas as quickly as possible, I believe you really are playing the game the way it was meant to be played. Towards the end, also, Damage Research 2 and the defense boost you get from the *cough*cough* evened the playing field right before what was probably the toughest segment of the game, the obligatory escort sequence. (Don't get me wrong, it was cool. At least I wasn't dragging Eva's knocked out ass through the jungle...)
But I think I got just about everything out of this playthrough. I obtained (or had the option to buy) every plasmid and tonic in the game, bought every health and EVE upgrade, maximized research damage on all enemies except perhaps turrets and cameras, found a metric fuckton of audio diaries, and rescued all of the Little Sisters obtaining the "good" ending. I missed two weapon upgrades, one apparently because I killed Sander Cohen, and the other due to an oversight, though I wasn't overly interested in Chemical Thrower range and Crossbow Breakage chance. Oh, but I would recommend getting Pistol Clip Size early. Much more useful than I thought it would be.
But anyways, I believe I enjoyed the bulk of the intended experienced. If I were to do it differently, I would likely focus on Wrench tactics, and I'd probably give Hacker's Delight a try, since I did fucking hack everything. Oh, and it turns out, I never really understood Security Bullseye. Silly me.
But, in summation, Bioshock is a hell of a game. Upon completion I quickly indulged myself in the Bioshock 2 Big Sister and multiplayer trailers. Guess I don't have much to do except salivate until February 9th...
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