Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Batman Arkham Assylum (Xbox 360)

Have you ever played one of those highly rated/regarded games and it left you unimpressed?  Well, Batman Arkham Asylum GOTY of the year was one of these for me. 

What I was ok with:
* "puzzles" (though many of them were the same thing over and over)
* Exploration
* Upgrading equipment

What I didn't like so much:
* Part of the game that mimics what happens before one of my past Xbox 360s red ringed (color, pixilation, etc).  I thought my system was having graphical issues. It took me 2-3 times of that scene before I let it go all the way through 
* The Scarecrow levels: I hate these
* The combat:
* The Camera
* Indirect "boss fights"  (I wish "action" games would limit this)
* Sometimes the controls seem "floaty" or not as responsive as I would like

Played:
* Difficulty: Easy
* Died: a bunch of times
* Achievements: 590/1,000 Gamerscore
* Collectibles/Riddles: All
* Challenges: none (I tried 1 or 2, but it was some of the worst parts of the game, to me, like combat)

Saturday, February 16, 2013

My Month in Video Games

So what have I been playing since I last checked in?  Games, apparently

my Gamerscore is currently at 52,013.  Odd, huh (thank Mortal Kombat, XBLA for that non-0 or 5 ending)

Let's see I have been playing
* Darksiders 2 (beat on easy, i'll do a collectible run someday)
* Forza 3 - finally finished "Solid Gold" achievement
* Forza Horizon - finally finished the "story" on easy and all single player achievements except the one for doing all PR stunts.  Why would someone pay $20 for the Rally add-on/expansion, when many people got the game for $30 or less? 
* Forza 4: there is a "Bucket List" achievement, nooooooooo!  We'll see if I get my first Unicorn car this month.  This is going to take a while (50+ hours and only 31% done).  I wish the career and event list would have synched better (or at all). 
* Red Dead Redemption: has anyone else in the history of gaming got stuck in the first horse race section.  I keep "falling off of the path" by bridges.  I can't move both sticks at the same time and the fire markers aren't exactly really easy to see.  Has there been a single game this generation where the camera hasn't sucked?  I can't think of one.  And I really wanted the Snidely Whiplash achievement in this game.  Maybe later. 
* Midway Arcade Origins: it is no Game Room.  It is ok to have a retro games compilation, but I really miss the medals and the leveling up system.  That is probably why many of these arcade compilations seem so flat to me now. 
* Gunpowder: I found this to be an interesting game on Windows 8/RT (I have it on my surface).  You essentially draw lines of gunpowder and place explosive barrels so you can blow a safe.  I just wish it would be a little easier.  I have only completed the first chapter so far. 
* Viva Pinata: finally finished the retail version 50 hour achievement.  I think it is at 250 game days.  I tried to finish up the Games for Windows version, but for some reason it won't load (conflict with display settings?)

What games am I looking forward to this month?
* Capcom Arcade Cabinet:  it is a little expensive.  So maybe just the "trial/400 point version.

Retail:
Nothing for a while.  No to BioShock Infinite (BioShock 2 was disappointing), I have no interest in Tomb Raider or Metal Gear Rising Revengeance, Gears of War Judgment (wait until inevitable $20 price tag later in the year, though I am not big on shooters). 

I am pretty sure that I will not be going "next-gen" unless I were to win the lottery.

The only retail game I was interested in was South Park: The Stick of Truth - and that got kind of pushed back with the THQ situation.