Welcome to the first ever midnight posting (PST) of BUI!
I'm up so late in large part because I was too sick last week to keep up with my work, so it piled up this week. Oh well, I'm feeling pretty good right now, so it's no bother to be up so late. I prefer staying up late, actually, so it's no big deal.
I'm finally over my debilitating cold, but sadly, work is still overwhelming, so not much time has been devoted to anything but work. I didn't get a chance to come on here and respond to any comments on my last blog, and I apologize. If any of you asked me any questions, feel free to leave them here, and I'll be sure to answer.
Soon this absurd amount of work will be over with, and I can resume normal duties here at Gamespot, catch up on my gaming -as well as sleep- and get back to a normal routine. Two or so months to go, and I'll be back!
Drink of choice for this blog:
Coffee with Baileys Irish Cream
I'm writing this blog very late at night, but I have work to get finished before morning, so I'm up really late. Coffee with Baileys is quite tasty, is rather sweet, and will help keep me awake long enough to finish working. Don't worry about me drinking while working. Baileys isn't too strong, plus I just put in a dash...or three.
Purchases:
Playstation 3:
- Army of Two - $60 (picture 1)
- Pre-order for Dark Sector - $5
Nintendo Wii:
- CIassic Controller - $20 (picture 2)
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Virtual Console game from the N64 era - $10, (1000 Wii Points)
- Super Castlevania IV - Virtual Console game from the SNES era - $8, (800 Wii Points)
Xbox 360:
- Project Gotham Racing 4 - $20 (picture 3)
PSP:
- Grand Theft Auto Vice City Stories - $20 (picture 4)
While not the most expensive week, every system got some love which makes this week particularly nice. I intended to come home with some Wii games, but the store was sold out of every game I wanted.
I was also looking to add another Xbox 360 game to that list (Call of Juarez), but the only copy in stock was used, missing the box and instruction manual, and worse, it was scratched all to hell, and yet GameStop thought it fair to try and take $30 from me for this mess. No way, jose. I'll search it out in other stores, or wait until they have a buyable copy in stock.
A bit of history with PGR4. I had PGR4 when it came out last year, but with my continued problems with Microsoft, I sold this game, as well as the few others I had. I've missed it since, and I was looking for sales on this game when I found it on sale at Radio Shack -of all places- for $20. It sells for $40-$60 every where else, so for $20 I had to jump on this one. I arrived just in time to buy the last copy in stock.
Recently played:
Playstation 3 - Army of Two
Nintendo Wii - Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Sports, Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Castlevania IV
Xbox 360 - Project Gotham Racing 4
PSP - Grand Theft Auto Vice City Stories
Quick impressions:
**editor's note: I'm only giving impressions for games that are new. Games listed in 'recently played' that aren't listed here are games I talked about last week, or are too old for me to bother talking about**
Army of Two: EA's latest game, Army of Two, is a third person shooter based around the idea of co-op. Whether playing online, or by yourself, you'll always have a team mate. Of course, having a friend be that team mate ups the fun-factor big-time, but the AI partner still holds his own really well.
An aggro system rewards aggressive play (my specialty), ie continuous firing, grenade throwing, chaos causing, etc. What happens is, when your aggro meter fills, you'll glow red, causing the enemy to go after you, mercilessly, allowing your partner to sneak around and flank foes. Likewise, if you sit idly by and command your partner to be aggressive, he'll get 'aggro', freeing you up to be sneaky and flank. A tremendously useful, almost necessary, tool.
Co-op play is extremely important, especially when in trouble. This is no more apparent then when you're in danger of dying. When you get beaten down too much, you'll fall to the floor, unable to move, though still being able to shoot. Your partner is then charged with dragging you to safety so he can resuscitate you. This adds quite a bit of intensity, as the partner is left with a choice: run into open fire to save you, effectively risking both your lives, or does he clear the area before he comes to your rescue. A great addition.
Combining the great aggro system with the co-op play is great, but Army of Two also features a great story, colorful characters, lots of weapons to buy and upgrade, armor to unlock, and masks to purchase. The graphics are quite good, and the colorful banter between the characters mid-battle, while corny, is entertaining.
While not amazing, I'm very pleased with this game, which admittedly was an impulse buy, but one I'm glad I made, nonetheless. A solid buy for anyone interested in third person shooters, especially one with co-op. It took me about an hour or so to really get into it, but when I did, I really fell for this game. Bravo EA, bravo.
Project Gotham Racing 4: Since PGR has been around for a while, I won't spend much time talking about it. There is a demo for it on the XBL Marketplace for all who are interested.
In short, PGR4 continues PGR's long standing tradition of excellence, fine-tuning it's stylish handing which blends sim and arcade, and bringing with it the best weather effects yet seen in a game. Rain, fog, snow...it all adds to the game, big-time, and it looks beautiful to boot. With excellent graphics, sound, handling, and cars, PGR4 is a fantastic game, and one I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys racing.
GTA Vice City Stories: I don't think I need to explain GTA to anyone. It's just as the previous GTAs before it. It's set in Vice City, it has a new story, and it's GTA. 'Nuff said. It amazes me how well a 3D GTA can be done on the PSP, with it's lack of buttons, but Rockstar delivered a console-quality GTA on the PSP. Simply an amazing game that any fan of GTA would love. For $20, buy it.
Weekly Rock Band and Wii Sports update:
Rock Band - I didn't play Rock Band this week, and thus there is nothing to report.
Wii Sports - A new high score in Wii Bowling was attained - 266! A nice score, and a 20 or so point increase from last week. I love this game, and I suspect I'll play it every week for a very long time to come.
I also played Wii Tennis, drunk, for a couple of hours straight one night. I was yelling and cursing -in a light hearted, friendly, buzzed manner- at the game, as I wasn't doing too well, but I was having a blast anyway.
Why bother pre-ordering?
I've been asked this question a lot this week. Some people actually had a problem with the fact that I pre-order games I really want. It makes no sense why it would actually ruffle one's feathers, but I suppose some people need drama in their life.
As for why, it's simple. Some games sell out. Now, this is most common at places like GameStop, but this is also where I do 99.9% of my game buying. It's literally 3 minutes of driving time from my house, and with my busy schedule, this is where I like to shop. I could hit up WalMart, Target, Circuity City, or Best Buy, but they are much further away. GameStop is very convenient for me, so if there's a game coming that I want, what's the harm in pre-ordering?
None.
Some people argued that games don't sell out, even at GameStop, but in my area, that would be a very incorrect statement. If I don't get a new release early on day one of it's release, I can count on waiting, something I'm not good at. History proves this. Some people are also under the impression that it costs extra money to pre-order, when in fact, it does not.
$5 secures your copy, and when you pick-up your reserve, that $5, or whatever amount you put down, goes towards the purchase price. Doing this guarantees that I'm not left without 'insert game here' on day one. When looking at the benefits and taking into account the convenience of shopping mere minutes from my house, the question now becomes, why not pre-order?
Food for thought.
Until next time:
Well, it's been nice bloggin' for you all, but it's now time to finish working.
I'm aware that I neglected my comments section last week, and again, I'm sorry, but I'll be watching this one. Again, this nasty amount of work will only last through next month or so, then it's time to begin a new, highly opinionated reign of terror.
One last thing. Since I'm posting this half a day or so earlier then usual, if I happen to find my way back to GameStop, or if something happens I wish to throw in for good measure, I'll update the title of the blog.
Enjoy your weekend, everybody, and take care.
- Daniel
Comments
Just kiddin'. I pre-ordered RSV2 a few weeks ago and paid it off in full. So no, there's no reason not to pre-order. Like you said, it's convenient. I can just cruise to Gamestop on release day, in and out, back at home playing. Don't have to call numerous places to see if they have it in stock.
As for Army of Two, I think you know where I stand on that game, since you commented on my blog. Like I said, it's a good game, but it could've been sooo f-ing awesome.
For some reason I feel the need to play The Godfather, but I really don't want to spend $29 on a game that's been out forever. I might trade in some crap and pick up Bully SE, since I never finished it on the PS2 back in the day. Hmm.
Anyways, good to see that you're feeling better.
Later!
I have been keeping my eye on army of two and decided I'll give it a rent since by friend really want to play it. I figured I'll give it a shot since it has co-op.
I'll share my thoughts on it later next week. I do prefer single player games most of the time and sometimes I'll jump online with friends mostly.
Right now I'm waiting for Crisis Core more then anything and my eyes are on Rainbow Six Vegas 2. That is until mid of April which I specifically took vacation for Grand Turismo 5 Prologue arrival!
The only problem I see with giving my opinion on how songs play is that since I play on medium and hard, most people I know play on expert, they only care about impressions on their level, you know?
Also, I haven't really bought too many songs for Rock Band. I've bought a few, but not much. I'll see how it goes, bud. Thanks for the suggestion!
Enjoy Rambo (again), and I hope you can get into the Orange Box soon.
@ MercilessNinja: I hear you about the Wii. Honestly, the price tag for the Wii is much higher then it should be, considering the Wii, spec wise, is a turbo charged GameCube it would seem. But, Nintendo does it because it's a different way to play, and people are intruiged by motion controls. In other words, they charge it because they can, and they know people will buy it.
I must say, higher price then it should be or not, the Wii has done a lot for my gaming. Often times I get in gaming funks, and the Wii gives me something different to do. It's made me appreciate my PS3 and 360 even more, honestly.
I feel it's the perfect compliment to the PS3 and/or 360. If you get it, I hope you enjoy it!
@ Hazelnutman: Army of Two is definitely good for co-op play, no doubt. I'm hard pressed to recommend it, for the simple reason that there's been a lot of backlash regarding it. Lots like it, but lots don't. I will say that it seems, based on my findings, that many people who are dissing it haven't even played it.
I say that because they can't even answer the most basic questions about the game, which leads me to believe they dismiss it because it's made by the "evil EA".
You may want to rent it first to see if it's worth your cash, especially if cash is light, or there's a lot you want to buy soon. Enjoy it, either way.
@ xwest06: Thanks, bud. Good luck with your 360. Been there man, I've been there. Hopefully it works out for you, soon.
@ EnderSR388: I appreciate your thoughts on Army of Two, and I agree with your more then you think. While I do enjoy it and I think it was a good buy, there's a lot of potential left on the table. I think we can agree that for a new IP from EA, Army of Two is a good start, and a sequel, with some fine tuning, could be awesome.
@ Soko: Probably a safe move, man, honestly. Army of Two has been met with varying criticism, some good and some bad, so I understand giving it a rent. I, too enjoy single player gaming, loads more then online gaming, but I have a soft spot for online co-op. Still, I'll take single player over multiplayer, any day of the week.
Enjoy your upcoming games!
@ Zeke: Thanks for the heads up on the aggro. I'm still learning the ropes.
I can't wait for Condemned 2, Dark Sector, and Haze. They should be awesome!
Enjoy 'em all when you get 'em.
Thanks everybody.
Congrats on the games! You seem to have gotten some good ones!
Are you getting God of War Chains for the PSP? That'll be next on my list.
Good blog! Peace!
It's more a matter of when, as opposed to if. I'm really struggling to find the time to play what I have, as I've neglected many games that I love to play.
My time will get all the more limited by the arrival of Condemned 2: Blood Shot next week, as well as Dark Sector at the end of March.
Back to God of War, have you downloaded the PSP demo? It's really awesome, and games like God of War, and the two GTA games on the PSP prove that when devs take time, the PSP can put out some sick games.
See ya, bro!
I don't know why, but I'm guessing that you really dug the first Condemned. One of your personal favorites maybe?
Hell effing yeah I downloaded the GoW: CoO demo!
I actually had it since Feb 15 when I preordered it and got it a demo disc! I can't the game yet, but I have played through it about 15 times if not more...
Since you mention GTA, I gotta confession. I have never played one. Not once. I don't know why. Am I missing a bunch? They have looked like great games, I just always forget about them. Maybe when I get a summer job I'll pick it up.
Do I have to have my "gamercard" revoked?
You never played a GTA game? Damn dude, I'm tempted to mail you a copy.
Anyway, yeah, GTA III, GTA Vice City, and GTA San Andreas are among the greatest games ever made. I don't know if the impact would be as great for you now as it would have been back in the day of their release (GTA III, specifically), as they are quite ugly by today's standards, but they are amazing games.
GTA III is largely credited as being the reason for the PS2's dominance. It ushered in many new gameplay ideas, and for me, even to this day and judged by today's standards, they all still stand the test of time. GTA III really put the PS2 on the map back in October 2001, and definitely have lots to do with the PS2's inevitable dominance.
If you want, you can get the GTA Trilogy for the PS2 for the bargain bin price of $30. The package includes GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas. A phenomenal package, regardless of era.
Maybe it's the Bud Light talking, but what do you mean, '"Do I have to have my 'gamercard' revoked"?
I'm not quite sure what you mean.
*passes out*
Vice City Stories is also one of many games I plan to get for my PSP *eventually.* The list includes FF: War of the Lions, GoW: Chains of Olympus, MGS: Portable Ops, Killzone: Liberation, Patapon, and Crisis Core: FFVII.
I've also been looking forward to Army of Two and sadly this is a game that will just have to wait because I'm very low on cash, and it certainly isn't at the top of my list.
Also, as to why people keep having problems with you for bull**** reasons, whether it's because you prefer to buy certain games on your PS3 as opposed to your 360, or because you pre-order games, I think people are just jealous of you're awesomeness.
To them, you're the perfect person to hate on because you rarely lose your cool and you've always got the right thing to say. It's seriously becoming almost like a competition to see who can actually get to you and piss off which is extremely pathetic of those people who choose to have a problem with what you do.
Anyway, just keep doing what you're doing, man. I think that I speak for everyone who comments on your blogs when I say that you'll always be appreciated.
Peace
I guess you must be right. I've noticed so many people try and start crap with me over the tiniest things. I guess people are trying to get me to lose it, and while I've been close, nobody has succeeded.
I suppose it would be sad for me to lose control on a forum or on the internet, but when people keep pushing your buttons, it's hard not to. Oh well, nobody will succeed in getting me banned. I'll be here for a long, long time.
Also, I agree with you. I'm pretty freakin' awesome!
J/K
Anyway, thanks for the support, Patrick. You're pretty freakin' awesome yourself.
Good to see your back to 100% again
What I meant by, "Do I have to have my 'gamercard' revoked?" is that since that I haven't played it and it is considered the greatest game by some, does that make me not a gamer any more? Does my gamerness decrease?
I was kidding anyways!
Quadrifoglio
I had a question for you in the last blog: What if you listed your weekly DLC from Rock Band on the blog? That way, you could give us some impressions on the songs and stuff. I definitely will enjoy my weekend. I'm going to see Rambo again in a couple of hours, and when that's done, I'll sink some more time in to The Orange Box. To tell you the truth though: I don't really care much for the game. Again, I've only spent 4 hours or so playing Portal, TF2 and Half Life 2, so the game(s) will probably pick up at one point or another.
-Casper