Xbox One: The Current State of My Experience: Launch to February 2014

That is a wordy title, so what does it mean.  Well, this is my monthly(?) post about what I have been up to on the Xbox One.  This is the first so, it is since launch.  Time spent is according to SmartGlass.  For some gameplay or other clips check out my Game DVR post.

Retail

1) Ryse
- One of two Xbox One launch title I haven't traded in for credit at GameStop (couldn't pass up their $30 credit for games).  Short, but I am hoping for a sequel.  The multiplayer is ok (2 person co-op on maps, with goals to accomplish)


Time Spent: 22 hours
GamerScore: 840/1,000


2) Dead Rising 3
- So much better than Dead Rising 2.  Yes, there is a timer but it gives you plenty of time.  It is also nice that you can make combo weapons on the fly and can make weapons at safe houses (without recollecting all of the supplies).  It is one of the games I had to level up a couple of times to get into the flow of.  There are a couple annoyance points for me that almost caused me to quit: the biker fight (early on) and the end sequence (lots of swearing at the end boss).  I guess it can get annoying in the later "chapters" when there are so many zombies impeding your progress.


Time spent: 58 hours
GamerScore: 875/1,000 (since added DLC)
Reason why traded in: $30 credit at GameStop, I had all achievements but two (PP Trials and Nightmare ones).  I wasn't even going to try nightmare mode (timed and like DR2, though I was level 50+) and the PP trials would have taken a long time.  I wasn't going to get the DLC anyway
Would Repurchase in the Future:  $25 including all DLC 




3) Forza 5
- Another Forza game, and one of the weaker ones at that.  I feel like it controlled the worst since Forza 2. 


There are numerous things I don't like about this game
* Drivatars: they seem to be there to try and spin me out.  Really, it is hard to do anything in the beginning of a race.  Why?  Well, the tend to start me (at least me) in 13th out of 16 and it can be annoying to get around/through/past the other cars at the start (and the race tracks feel kind of narrow).  Yes, I feel that 16 cars is too many
* Mulitplayer: it is bad enough that so many of the achievements are focused on multiplayer (like leading multiplayer races for X miles), but the multiplayer itself is kind of lame.  It is basically where you start that determines your chance in the race - and if you can survive other cars seemingly going out of their way, at times, to hit you. 
* Payouts are Pathetic: in previous Forza games it feels like you could be swimming in money.  Without Forza Rewards, I don't think I could have afforded 75% of the cars I needed to complete career mode.  I think the single highest payout in any race is something like 9,300 credits.  The payout for leveling up (at least they kept is at almost the same amount for every level) is like 35,000 credits.  I only got 17,500 for my first 80 or so levels
* Lack of  Race Tracks: after a while it felt a bit "samey"  it felt like you were racing the same 10 (or so) tracks over and over again. 


Time spent: 135 hours (that can't be right), Driver Level 221
GamerScore: 600/1,000
Reason why traded in: $30 credit at GameStop, finished career mode, couldn't afford last car (Shelby Daytona) for achievement, didn't feel like doing tons of online races.
Would Repurchase in the Future:  $15


4) Lego Marvel Super Heroes
Yet another LEGO game.  This plays similar to the last several (hub areas, etc). 


Time spent: 52 hours
GamerScore: 960/1,000
Reason why traded in: $30 credit at GameStop (wanted South Park: The Stick of Truth), only had one achievement left (and I hate flying in this game, especially the "races"). 
Would Repurchase in the Future:  $5


5) Zoo Tycoon
To be fair, I haven't played this much.  I got this at launch and spent time on other Xbox One games and Xbox 360 games.  From what I played, it was Ok.  I expect someday I will get back to this, but I still have some backlog games to get to first.  I didn't trade this in because I haven't played it much and plan to do so in the future (maybe when something like Witcher 3 is getting to me and I need a change of pace 


Time spent: 10 hours
GamerScore: 165/1,000


6) Kinect Sports Rivals (Pending)
i wanted at least one Kinect game (and this really seems to be the only early choice, still hoping for Kinect Adventures 2).  i have the demo, but i haven't really played it (or got it to work).

Downloadable:

Powerstar Golf:
The first downloadable game i purchased (i just wish i would have got it for $15 instead of $20).  It is ok for what it is (and arcade type golf game).  I'm just not really that good at it (and hate putting).  At least i got a hole in one.  i will probably play this off and on for a while.  i kind of got stuck trying to unlock the magician (just barely missed winning that event).


Time spent: 6 hours
GamerScore: 195/1,000


Peggle 2:
Am i the only one who finds Peggle games to be kind of frustrating?  Well, this game gives you several new masters (i think the electric gnome is my favorite) to use to clear the evil blue and orange pegs.  If you played Peggle, you know what to expect (annoying bounces, etc).  This was the single cheapest game so far on the Xbox One. 


Time spent: 1,537 hours (that is definitely wrong)
GamerScore: 445/1,000




Killer Instinct:
i bought the semi-full version because i thought it would get me 3 free months of gold (under a dashboard promotion), but it didn't.  Might as well have a fighter for my Xbox One portfolio.  i find this game kind of hard (no way i'll ever win an online match) and really struggle to do combos.  i worry that if i play this enough my controller may not survive (i still find it hard to use the d-pad). 


Time spent: 4 hours
GamerScore: 185/1,150




Max: The Curse of Brotherhood:
i have a post on this game where i say that i find it frustrating - i still do.  According to SmartGlass, i have only died 749 times (it feels like so much more), but i still have some eye/amulet collecting to do.  This game had the possibility to be more fun, but lessened my enjoyment by adding timing elements to it (like chase scenes, on free fall where you have to draw the right power in time).  i feel that it could have benefitted by an easier difficulty with an auto draw feature.  i guess i like more leisurely collect-a-thon platformers.   


Time spent: 12 hours
GamerScore: 525/1,000

Apps:

NFL:
Ok, so i used this during the NFL playoffs (way to go Seahawks!!!) to do their pick thing.  i was limited to what i could do (fantasy stuff) because it was late in the season and i wasn't going to pay the NFL for a subscription.  i kind of hope there'll be a free MLB app too (not likely)


Time spent: 26 minutes
GamerScore: 0 available (but achievements)