2009: The Year to Clear the Backlog of Games

• 3Dec 09

  Left 4 Dead 2 and Mario Bros Wii Impressions

  Mornin', GameSpot!

  It's a slow morning in the office today, so why not blog something a quick about my 2 new games: L4D2 and New Super Mario Bros Wii.

  LEFT 4 DEAD 2

  

  Last year, I was bummed that I didn't get to play the original Left 4 Dead. The game seemed like it was made for me. Not only am I a huge zombie fan, I'm also ahuge co-op fan. Unfortunately, I never got around to playing L4D.

  So I was happy with VALVe announced L4D2 earlier this year. I knew I had to play it. I bought the game for $35 on Black Friday

  My L4D2 First Impressions:

  • This game is tough by yourself...even on Normal difficulty. I like it!
  • Melee weapons (esp. the ax & sword) are effective....probably better than dual-wielded pistols.
  • Audio is superb. You can hear zombies coming from all around you.
  • Graphics are okay, nothing special. Still good enough to create a desolate mood for the game.
  • Voice acting is pretty darn good. I've LOLed a couple times.

  That's about it for L4D2. I've only played the first campaign ( Dead Center) by myself so far. I do plan to play some co-op this weekend.

  NEW SUPER MARIO BROS WII

  

  What is there to say about NSMB Wii? Regardless of age, any gamer should know what this game is all about. Again, this game seems like it was made for me. I love 2D platformer and co-op games.

  My NSMB Wii First Impressions:

  • 2D platforming perfected. Nintendo's long history with the genre is evident here. Stages are brilliantly designed.
  • Co-op is both exciting and frustrating. This game needs to be played in co-op.
  • Love how the controls are justthe Wiimote used like the old-school NES controller.
  • This is game is all about nostalgia. From old-school audio effects to the boss battles, this game rarely treads new water. NSMB Wii is Nintendo showing the industry they are still the best at 2D platforming.
  • The Ice Flower costume looks great on Mario.
  • Penguin suit is really useful and fun to use.
  • This game can be difficult.

  The wife & I are playing this game together with a game-guide. We like to "conquer" Nintendo games by finding all the hidden stuff. So I imagine NSMB Wii will take us a while to finish due to busy schedules & such. I only plan on playing this game co-op with my wife.

  BELLA AT 1 YEAR

  

  Bella is actually 16mos old right now. She's growing up so big!

  Well, that's it until I blog again with a game review. There are the game I'll be playing until then:

  • L4D2 (X360)
  • Mario Bros Wii
  • Modern Warfare 2 (X360)
  • SFIV (PS3)
  • Madden10 (X360)

  THANKS FOR READING MY BLOG!

  • Posted Dec 3, 2009 6:34 am PT
  • Category: Editorial
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• 24Nov 09

  NCAA Football 10 Review, MW2 Impressions & Other Stuff

  It's a slow morning in the office today. My bosses are gone for the week and there's only 3 other people here right now. So why not blog?

  Onto business....

  NCAA FOOTBALL 10 REVIEW

  

  College athletics are unique because of the attachment you, the student / alumnus, have with the academic institution. If you attended a "Football" college (and have an interest in sports), then Saturdays in the Fall were probably day-long parties.

  NCAA10 was made for that crowd, just like Madden10 is made for the NFL fan. There is a lot to like in this game if you're a fan of the sport.

  LOVED

  It's College Football: Sure, this is an obvious point to make, but it needs to be made because NCAA10 is made for a certain type of gamer. If you're acollege football fan who likes to game, then thisgame isfor you. NCAA 10 has weekly polls, Heisman race updates, recruiting, conference rankings, etc....all the info a fan would want in real life. This is College Football!

  Online Dynasty: This is college football truly realized in video game form. Up to 12 gamers participate in an online dynasty where you play through your team's schedule and battle for recruits. EA has givethe commisioner more control over scheduling and rules. Every game AND recruit counts. There's no quitting...and no room for babies. If you want to get Hardcore with this game, this is the mode.

  Gameplay: Each year EA Tiburon refineshow this game plays and NCAA10 is their best offering yet. While not much is different from NCAA09, the game does feel more fluid and there are new animations.

  Online Rosters: Thanks to some dedicated fans, you can download full rosters for nearly every team in the game. And they are accurate.

  HATED

  Presentation: ....or lack thereof. Compared to Madden10, this game is barren when it comes to presentation.

  Custom Soundtracks: I don't care whose (Sony or EA) fault it is, but the lack of custom soundtracks on the PS3 version is inexcusable. Not being able to listen to my music deters from my enjoyment.

  Erin Andrews: I don't care about her or that she's in the game. Other than being attractive, there is nothing special about her. And I wouldn't even mention Erin if the game didn't remind you, the gamer, that she is in the game so damn often.

  CONCLUSION

  If you enjoy college football, then NCAA 10 was made for you. The game has everything a fan would want, including an Online Dynasty that can keep you busy until NCAA 11 drops.

  However, NCAA 10 treads no new ground and is basically just NCAA 09 with a fresh coat of paint. Sure, NCAA 10 does everything better, but it does nothing to distinguish itself from the previous iteration.

  SCORE: 8.0 / 10.0

  TIME PLAYED: About 30hrs

  Trophy Detail: 38% Collected

  

  WORK-OUT UPDATE

  

  Not doing good right now. I've had a head cold and some chest congestion for the last week or so. Basically, I've just been slacking lately. My diet has been OK, but I haven't been exercising enough.

  Gotta try harder....

  GAMING UPDATE

  My newest game is:

  

  Modern Warfare 2 is a game I bought mainly because a ton of my XBL friends are playing it. I enjoy FPSs, but I prefer Halo3's sty1e of gameplay the most. However, Halo3 is old and I wanted something new.

  So far, I'm really enjoying the SP campaign. Due to time restrictions, I've only played about 4hrs or so into the game. The Airport Massacre lived up to the hype for me. I was literally speechless while it happened and for a few minutes afterwards. Kudos to IW for putting it in the game. I have no complaints with the campaign so far. It's a thrill ride.

  I haven't tried the online MP yet, but I'm expecting great things. Spec Ops should be really fun.

  So until I start the next game in my backlog (Dead Space), these will be the games I'm playing:

  • Modern Warfare 2 (X360)
  • Halo3: ODST
  • Madden10 (X360)
  • SFIV (PS3)

  THANKS FOR READING MY BLOG!

  • Posted Nov 24, 2009 1:19 pm PT
  • Category: Games
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• 3Nov 09

  Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Review & Other Stuff

  Another game cleared from THE BACKLOG !!

  Onto business...

  UNCHARTED: DRAKE'S FORTUNE REVIEW

  

  Uncharted 1 is a game I played back in 2007 over Christmas vacation at my bro's house. I remember having a good time, but not much else. With Uncharted 2 out, I decided now would be good time to re-familiarize myself with Nathan Drake's first adventure.

  DISCLAIMER: This is 2009 review of Uncharted 1. Meaning that I'm reviewing this game with today's price ( $20 or so ) and current games in mind.

  LOVED

  Narrative: Uncharted's tale about a treasure hunt does not tread any new ground, but Naughty Dog did an excellent job making it entertaining. Uncharted plays out like a Summer Blockbuster movie, full with ( tons of ) action, comedy, and a little romance. Just a well-crafted story that's easy to enjoy and not confusing. The voice acting is also well done.

  Visual Design: Most of Uncharted takes place in and around ancient ruins surround by a tropical jungle. A great setting for displaying the PS3's graphical prowess. Lush jungle vegetation, detailed & crumbling ruins, gorgeous oceanic vistas, realistic lighting effects, and detailed character models all make Uncharted a treat for your eyes. A true showcase for the PS3's potential.

  Gameplay: Uncharted has 2 aspects to its gameplay; Platformer and 3rd Person Shooter. I wasgoing to list just Platforming here, but I did enjoy the shooting too, just not as much. The platforming segments are never difficult, but always fun. The shooting segments can be frustrating, yet still enjoyable. All in all, Uncharted is just a fun game to play. Very few parts are frustrating.

  Audio Design: An audio treat for anyone fortunate enough to own a sound system capable of receiving a DTS ( or higher ) signal. A great use of blu-ray extra storage capacity.

  Trophies: ....lots of them. Uncharted doles out Trophies early and often. It's great.

  HATED

  Button Mapping: ....or lack thereof. Why oh why do PS3 devs map shooting to the R1 button when R2 is more akin to a trigger? And really, how difficult is it to allow custom button mapping for a game? This complaint is a pet peeve of mine, but any gun shooting on PS3 should automatically be mapped to the R2 button.

  Replayability: Unless you are captivated by this game, you'll find there's little replayability to be had. The only reason this is a complaint is because Uncharted can be completed in under 10hrs (with a max of 12hrs). It's like a rollercoaster: Very fun, yet over too quickly.

  Sponge Enemies / Gun-Play: The enemies Nathan faces are some tough dudes. Some of them literally take half an AK-47 clip to die. So what happens in the numerous gun fights is you exhaust your current weapons' ammo and then round around (while being shot at) searching for more ammo or new guns. I dunno....something just felt "off" about Uncharted's gun-play to me. Still enjoyable, just not as polished as it could've been.

  Grenades: Powerful, yet almost useless. Throwing grenades is done by holding down the L1 button while tilting the controller up or down (for distance), then pressing R1 to throw it. Horrible, horrible implementation of SIXAXIS controls. Thus, I rarely threw grenades in this game.

  CONCLUSION

  Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is a proper showcase not only of the PS3's potential, but also of Naughty Dog's talent. For the 10 or hours the game lasts, you'll be treated to gorgeous graphics, superb DTS audio, fun gameplay, and an entertaining story that will keep you glued to your HDTV. Unfortunately, once that 10hr thrill-ride is over, there is little to come back to.

  An excellent start to the franchise...

  SCORE: 8.5 / 10.0

  Time Played: About 10hrs

  Trophy Detail: 52% Collected

  
  

  GAMING UPDATE

  Now that Uncharted 1 is finally done, the next game up is.....

  

  Yeah, I'm a Halo fan who still loves Halo3 MP. So Halo3 ODST was made for a gamer like myself. I've had this game since launch, but I've only played the Halo3 MP disc. With Modern Warfare 2 coming out next week, I figured I should finish ODST's campaign before I become engrossed in MW2 for a while.

  I plan to play on Heroic, which, according to the reviews, should take me about 7hrs to finish. I should have this done before MW2 drops next week.

  WORK-OUT UPDATE

  

  Still going fine and losing weight. I've lost about 10 lbs so far! My work-out schedule has stayed roughly the same: Gym 3x a week, Racquetball 1x a week and running every morning before work.

  Hopefully, I can lose another 5 lbs or so by January.

  Well, that's it for now. Until I blog again with my ODST review, these will be the games I'm playing:

  Halo3 ODST - Heroic solo playthrough

  Madden10 (X360)

  SFIV (PS3)

  Modern Warfare 2 (X360)

  RE5 (X360 co-op only)

  THANKS FOR READING MY BLOG!

  • Posted Nov 3, 2009 12:56 pm PT
  • Category: Games
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