Games i've bought in 2008

***SPOILER***

Games i've finished in 08
***SPOILER***

• 22Sep 08

  LostWinds Review!

  LostWinds is definitely new. It arrived during Wii Ware's launch. It was one of the big titles, and had a bit of hype.Firstly, i'll get started on why.The hype was around Lost Winds pretty much because it looked fun, intuitive (and wii owners love new bold games) and had a nice art style.

  

  In LostWinds, you play as a boy named Toku. He wakes from sleeping in a nice lush valley with cherry blossoms. He soon meets Enrill, a wind spirit. He tells Toku (sounds like Tofu) to go and save the lands from another evil spirit. He does this by getting back powers of Enrill and then doing another fetch quest. Sounds very repetitious, but it's not, due to the puzzles and combat that you'll encounter.

  You move Toku with the nun-chuck, no surprises there. You point at the screen to control Enrill. When you press A, his gust move can make Toku jump by drawing a line under and to the side. You can also interact with items and water and fire, making some neat and shamely sometimes ridiculously easy puzzles. Enrill powers up however, and you can press B to perform a slip stream, which you can ride once you get an item but before that can be used in many puzzles. When you use these attacks, the game slows down into slow motion, which is kinda weird, and does break the already slow pacing.

  

  Combat is simple. A bit boring on occasions. Little black blobs and some varieties (including a fairly cool end boss battle) attack you, which is when you come in and wave them around with your wind, maybe throwing them into the ground or against a boulder. When you defeat them, little fairy like things appear. They are your back up lives, which make the game even easier. When you die (if), you can mearly shake the wind over Toku and he'll wake right up again. You can eat fruit to gain energy back as well.

  The music is this game is very calming. It loops continuously, with only 2 tunes, from memory. The music changes from its calming, tranquil state into a faster kinda drummy song when enemies are around. There is no voice acting, which doesn't matter too much, as not much dialogue is present. When it is, little boxes pop up.

  

  The graphics are eye catching, specially above ground. Very vibrant. Below ground, it's dark.. and cave like. The cave isn't nearly as eye catching, and the colours are boring in contrast to above ground. It still looks good, i'd just prefer to be above ground.

  One thing about the game that you may have guessed is that it's really slow. Toku moves very slow and chunkily, making the pace of the game slow. This could drive some mad, but others will like it's change of pace. It suits the game well.

  

  If your worried that the game is too short, don't worry. The 3 hour story has optional totems to collect, and if your a bit of a "must get 100%" kinda gamer, like me to some extent, you can go back and spend 2 hours trying to find that pesky last 24th totem.

  LostWinds will be getting a sequel on WiiWare, and i think the problems with this game, such as the shortness, the looping music and the pacing issues with the slowdown at attacking will be fixed. It's a great game though, and worth buying, especially if you like unique games. It's 1000 Wii points, and a unique, if not problematic, game.

  I give it a 7.5.

  ...

  So yeah, i wrote a review, did something on gamespot besides posting on forums again! Im not sure if this means im blogging again or anything, but thats about it.

  I never write reviews, so there's bound to be problems with it that i haven't noticed, but i would like feedback all the same. A thumbs up on my review would be good too!

  • Posted Sep 22, 2008 1:40 am PT
  • Category: Games
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• 14Aug 08

  In fair Verona where we lay our scene...

  And we're watching the saddest, most dramatic part of the movie. The climax. And so, of course, people in my class wont shut up.

  The teachers not saying anything.

  If i tell em to shut up, i'll miss it.

  I don't want to miss it.

  Her eyes are fluttering. He's kissing her, thinking she's dead. SHES NOT! I want to scream, i want to yell. I want it to end happily. I want it to change! But, it's been by the book so far, why would it.

  Her fingers flex.

  He gets up.

  She wakes.

  She puts her hand up to him.

  But it's too late.

  He's dying.

  ...

  At least, i think that's what was happening. Damn english class.

  In case you haven't noticed, my english class has been reading/watching Romeo and Juliet.

  My mum went to school with Baz Lurhman. It's a weird name.

  My little claim to faim right there. Also, Tim Bayley always mentions where i live on 10 news.

  I don't know how, but he always manages to fit it in somehow.

  Well, i've been listening to the soundtrack of Romeo and Juliet, as mum/sister (Not to say they are the same person! More so as in that i'm not sure who) had a copy lying around.

  In particular, i've been listening to "Talk Show Host" by Radiohead and "Local God" by Everclear.

  In the morning, Everclear.

  At night, Radiohead.

  ...

  I've been playing a lot of Metal Gear Solid 2. Spoilers abound.

  As in i got the play time from about 5 hours to 15 in about 5 days.

  I'm now versing Vamp. Dammit, keep dying. I'll work it out though. That's the thing i like about this game. You have to work things out for yourself, by being creative. It challenges you mentally, which is something games haven't been doing to me lately.

  I should play more stealth games.

  OMG, Plisken is Snake. What a surprise.. The story is confusing though. So much happens. And it happens all at once too.

  OMG, the "prez" is dead.

  I love how the story can be as complex if you want! I've spent about 2 hours alone on codex conversations.

  Snake's one about Vamp was awesome.

  "So, that's where he got his thirst for blood from?"

  "No, he's called Vamp because he's bisexual"

  Then talking about how Vamp went out with Fortune after he went out with Fortune's dad.

  ...

  I don't particulary think this blog is interesting, but i haven't written one in a bit and i feel lonely without my gamespot blog comments.

  • Posted Aug 14, 2008 5:01 am PT
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• 3Aug 08

  Just wrote a huge blog.

  Then bam!

  Safari has unexpectedly quit.

  I guess that show's i should make it in word first.

  So, don't expect a blog for a bit, when this happens it turns me off blogging for a while.

  Basically:

  Played Pyschonauts a lot. Really fun to play again. Up to Milkman level. "Look at those woman's breasts. They are large"

  Did assignment all today.

  I bought the De Blob ipod touch game, its awesome, super excited for Wii version.

  Got new tunes, really cool.

  School not so cool.

  Fight Club.

  Me being clever.

  No spelling mistakes.

  ...

  I think my eyes are playing tricks on me. But i've got an assignment to do now, at 12.30am. it's due tomorrow. I mean today.

  • Posted Aug 3, 2008 7:30 am PT
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