Critical Gamer

Overhauls

2011-01-17T02:23:00.000-05:00

In the next couple days I'm making some big changes to the blog. These will include:

A second writer, who has been eating video games for breakfast since he was 5. His name is Chris, and he is my older brother. He is also quite the wordsmith, so all y'all are in for some good readin'.

A new look. This thing uglier than a really ugly thing, and that will change soon.

Also, we will be doing a larger variety of writings, such as mini reviews (like those in my last post), full game reviews, and some thoughtful pieces about gaming, the industry as we see it, and whatever else we feel like because we run this blog, goddammit.

Keep checking us out for loads of new stuff coming soon!

Been a while...

2011-01-16T19:32:00.000-05:00

Wow, I forgot I even had this thing.

My biggest fan (my mom) told me that I should start writing again, so here it goes...

First of all, I'm currently playing 3D Dot Game Heroes, Fallout: New Vegas, Red Dead Redemption, The Saboteur, and FF9 again (HELL YEAH). I'm thoroughly enjoying all of them for the most part, and here's what I think about each of them individually.

3D Dot Game Heroes:

It's an extremely visually pleasing homage to the classic Zelda games of yesteryear. It plays exactly like you would expect an old Zelda game to play, but strangely it's a ps3 exclusive. I'm really curious as to whether Nintendo was contacted about this game being created. Like I said, it plays EXACTLY like a Zelda game. It filled me with an awesome sense of nostalgia, and it's good for a chuckle or two, as it doesn't take itself too seriously. Anyone who's played a Zelda game past the Wii and DS titles will notice many little things pulled right from the series. You even have a fairy companion who says "Hey! Listen!". I lol'd. Honestly I have nothing bad to say about the game. It did make me notice something kinda weird, though. If a game completely rips off another and does it well, it's an homage. If it does it poorly, it gets called out and shat on. Just a thougt.

Fallout: New Vegas:

Pretty much Fallout 3, with minor tweaks to gameplay. For example, YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE THE IRON SIGHTS OF A GUN NOW! FUCK YEAH! That was a huge issue I had with FO3. It just felt like lazy animation in the last game. Fixed now though, so moving on. Perks are slightly different from the last game as well. I do have some issues with this title, too. It's riddled with glitches that are so frequent you can almost predict. Being attacked through objects is a major one. It can be infuriating. Also, layers will take their sweet time rendering, or just decide not to show up at all sometimes. That aside, it is a very fun game and anyone who likes the last title will most definitely like this one, too. Some say it feels like it should be dlc, but I disagree. It is its own game, with its own story and unique location. Effort was put into this title.

Red Dead Redemption:

I haven't spent much time with this one, but I can say that I really want to. The characters are all believable, especially the protagonist. He is the definition of bad-ass cowboy. I didn't realize how awesome the wild west was until I played this game. The bullet time, or "dead-eye" feature is cool, but I feel like it can be overused, detracting from the challenge somewhat. The landscapes and locales of the game are amazing. It really makes you want to just explore the map. Oh, and you can hunt. Like, anything you see, you can kill... for fun and profit! There are challenges for killing certain creatures in certain ways, that give you perks. Its actually really fun and addictive. I also used it to gross out my (girl) friends. Try calling someone into the room just as you start skinning a horse. Hilarity will ensue, I promise. Also, it has zombie dlc. Yeah, cowboys and zombies. Can't get much more rad than that.

The Saboteur:

I personally never heard much about this game when it came out, but my brother was raving about it for weeks, and thanks to him my parents bought it for me for X-mas. It's awesome. Think GTA in Nazi-occupied France. If you haven't guessed yet, you play as a saboteur (dude who fucks shit up, generally with explosives). The main character is a mechanic from Ireland, turned race car driver, turned resistance fighter. It sounds a little far fetched but the game does a decent job of making sense of it. The characters in this game are also really great, especially the main. He's got a sense of humour and a penchant for swearing like a trucker, which makes him more believable, in my opinion. The gameplay is solid across the board. Shooting and driving are really tight, and the sneaking is fun without feeling forced. It's generally a good idea to try to remain unseen, but if you feel like going in guns blazing, you can without dieing every time. It lets you play how you want for the most part. Pick it up, its a lengthy and entertaining game.

Final Fantasy 9:

This is one of my all-time favourite games, hands down. I feel like I can't do it justice with words, but I strongly urge anybody with the means to play it to do so immediately. The story is great, the characters are lovable and quirky, and the gameplay is some of the best in the genre. It's Square Enix (Squaresoft back then) at its finest. The best part is, its only like ten bucks on the PSN store. I put over 99 hours (it has a counter that maxes out at 99 hours) into it when I was a kid, and I plan to do the same now. <3

I just beat the Scott Pilgrim vs The World game, which is a fun beat'em up, which will be further appreciated by those who like the comics/movie. I fall into that group. Don't think it'll be a walk in the park though. It can be pretty challenging. Anyways, I'm going to try to update this thing once a week, so if anyone is actually reading this, tune in next time for my reviews of Red Faction Guerrilla, Demon's Souls, and MAG. I hated one of them, but its a secret until next time.

Laters, yeah?

Console Exclusivities (First Post!)

2009-10-25T16:01:00.000-04:00

Is it just me, or does the xbox 360 get undeserved credit? Being a "core" gamer owning both the top of the line consoles right now, I find that when I buy a game that's available for both, I consider the following:

Does it have multiplayer? If so, then I am more likely to get it for my 360, simply because most of my friends own one.

Does it have DLC, or good potential to get it? Again, I'm more likely to buy it for my 360, because it gets more support in that regard.

After I consider these factors, I will most likely make the purchase for the 360, but I come away from it feeling confused, and almost dirty. Why do gamers flock to the 360? Xbox Live, while being an amazing service, costs some serious money to keep active. Most of the gamers I know are in my age group (16-20), and aren't pulling in much dough from paycheck to paycheck. Yet they still primarily play on the 360. Most of them are also well aware that Playstation's online service, Playstation Network, is free, but when I ask them why they don't own a PS3, I get blank stares, or worse, epic fanboyism. One could argue that Xbox Live is a better service, but having used both, I can't say I agree, and PSN cards just became available in Canada. However, Im aware that XBL boasts some features that PSN doesnt, they just dont interest me, such as netflix or facebook.

This consideration eventually led me to a revelation. Microsoft, being a software company, has a more developed and thought out GUI. Sony, being a hardware company, has a machine with more horsepower, it is capable of better graphics rendering, and all around larger, more complex games due to the blu-ray format. So each console has its pros. The 360 is a somewhat easier platform to develop for, and is more accessible to people who arent as technologically inclined. The PS3 is a more powerful console, with features that make it a great value, such as blu-ray and free online play.

And that rant leads me to my main point. Most developers dont give the PS3 the time it deserves. This is aparent in cross platform titles such as Fallout 3 or Bayonetta. Both these titles look better on the 360, but for no definable reason accept for developer laziness. Why does the console that has more horsepower not get to show it? Looking at PS3 exlusives such as Uncharted 2, Killzone 2, inFamous, or even LittleBigPlanet, one would think that the PS3 versions of these games should be visually on par, if not better. I have played Gears of War 1 and 2, and Halo 3, and they just do not impress me visually compared to those PS3 exclusives. They dont impress me gameplay wise either but thats another story.

I long for the day when developers will take advantage of the PS3 and all it has to offer, so that I dont feel cheated when I pick up a copy of Fallout 3 or Oblivion for my PS3 and have to wait months for the DLC after its been released on the 360. And if I cant have that, I want them to at least come forward and explain their strange phobia for making money through the PS3.