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.

Xbox 360 "Ultimate Games Sale".. Increasing My Backlog

Today is day 5 of 7 of the Ultimate Games Sale on the Xbox 360.  Now I sort of know how Steam users feel.   My MSFT point (ok Xbox Credit) amount has taken a huge hit in the past few days (so did my available hard drive space).  I have been looking for sub $5 retail games (games on demand) and sub $2 XBLA titles


So what have I got so far...
* Mass Effect: $3.74 (a rebuy, previously traded in at GameStop)
* Bejeweled 3: $1.04
* Darksiders: $4.99 (a rebuy, previously traded in at GameStop)
* Walking Dead Season Two Episode 1: $0.99
* Viking: Battle for Asgard: $3.74

Titanfall... So i Tried the Open Beta

Recently Titanfall had an open beta. 


It in no way changed my perception of the game - I wasn't going to buy it, and I don't intend to now (unless a huge lottery win in the future, then I would buy almost all XB1 games).  So why wouldn't I buy this game?  Two reasons: I wouldn't buy a multiplayer only game (not a fan of what do you call them... people) and I suck at it (and shooters in general).  People always seem to be more unpredictable than AI.  Everyone said it was easy, I didn't find that to be the case. 


Other than no single player what problems did I have? 
* I hate their zooming mechanism (staring down the barrel)
* I frequently cannot see enemy pilots on the map (and they come up behind me), I need my little red dots
* I shoot them seemingly four times, they shoot me once (who dies?)
* Not sure how much of an impact "leveling" plays (does a "noob" even stand a chance)
* Little breaks while it is attempting to contact the servers (might be fixed in retail version). A few seconds or so. 


This seems like a fairly generic shooter (with a little wall running and Titans) with no real story.  Basically, all multiplayer modes for shooters ever.  For people who like multiplayer shooter modes (particularly stuff like Call of Duty) - you will probably feel at home in this game. 

Fable Anniversary (360) is Kind of a Frustrating Mess

So I recently got Fable Anniversary (I know it was released on February 4th, but I started playing today).  I remember this game being interesting (though Molyneux did "promise" more than he could deliver). 




In my memory, this was the weakest on the three Fable games (though many people say it was the best - and 3 is much maligned).  Yep, it looks like my memory was right again. 




Ok so what is ok....
* It's the first Fable (though I don't remember it being as hard as it seems to me now)
* Their are achievements
* The graphics are ok (and it's widescreen I don't remember if it was before)
* Includes "Expansion": Fable the Lost Chapters
* SmartGlass: not sure this adds a lot, but it is something.






However this game has problems (and annoyances)
* Freezes: this game seems unstable.  I had it hard freeze at least three times in about 8 hours today (where I had to unplug it because the holding the power button wouldn't even shut it down).  That is even worse than Morrowind or Oblivion. 
* Frequent load screens (could this have been improved if it would have released on the Xbox One instead?)
* They kept the stupid fishing mini-game (I really, really strongly dislike it)
* Sometimes for no reason the game seems to dim than re-illuminate then dim again (I don't think it was like that in the original)


* The enemies block way too much (don't remember if it was like that in the original)


- this game probably controlled better on "the Duke" than it does on the 360 controller (maybe i'll have to look at some of the settings)

GamerScore Video Game Resolution Complete

Well, I guess that was a little too easy.


I had a video game resolution to increase my GamerScore (GS) by 5,000 points in 2014 (from 62,683).  Well, here it is January 31, 2014 and my current GamerScore is 67,888.
So now, I guess I should try to reach...




* 5,000 cumulative GS on the Xbox One by the end of the year (though I don't currently have the budget for many games - come on Bing, give me some more 20 credit days).


* 66,666 cumulative GS for Xbox 360/Games for Windows/etc.  That seems do-able since I have two games pre-ordered (Fable Anniversary and South Park: The Stick of Truth) and I should have access to Games with Gold until at least September.  Ok, so that isn't a huge stretch since I am currently at 64,000 (or so for that grouping). 

List of Games Beaten in 2014 (through September)

I've decided to have a running post throughout this year for the games I beat (I am assuming that there might be a next year).  To qualify, the story/career mode/etc. must be completed within the calendar year 2014.  I could have started any game since the beginning of time, I just have had to beat the game to put it on the list.

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood Impressions (XB1)

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a $15 (or whatever other currencies may be) downloadable title (platformer) available on the Xbox One (coming sometime soon-ish to the Xbox 360).

So what are my current opinions of this game (based off of the levels I have "beaten" so far (about halfway through, I think: level 4-1, edit: now stuck on 6-3 where I will probably be until the end of time)?  


Updated: I finally beat the game (somehow), I hope I never see a vine again.