Random thoughts while trying to figure out why the blogging muse has taken a sabbatical:
-The more I hear the advance buzz about Metal Gear Solid 4, the less I want to play it. Pre-release 10/10s and "game of the year" accolades have become a warning sign. I don't care how good it ends up being, when I'm sitting through a 60-minute cutscene, I'll be thinking: "Is this the game of the decade, like GamePro said?"
-I haven't played Grand Theft Auto IV since filing my review. That would seem to undercut the basis for giving it a 9.0.
-The thought of playing games online with strangers makes me nervous. I try my best to avoid it.
-For all the smart things Nintendo has done in the past few years, I can't figure out why they don't price Wii points on a sliding scale. It's ten bucks for 1,000, twenty bucks for 2,000, thirty bucks for 3,000, and so on. I have 200 points sitting around, and I needed 1,000 to get LostWinds. The game costs 1,000 points. I would like to take advantage of that remaining 200 somehow. If I could have gotten 2,000 points at even a slight discount -- say, $18 -- I probably would have. But there's no incentive to pay more. What are they thinking? They're handicapping their own revenues here, which is not something Nintendo usually likes to do.
-I think if you read between the lines of most of the reviews I write, you won't learn whether the game is good or not. You'll learn whether I was good at it or not.
-I scored Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin too low (8.0).
-I scored Manhunt 2 too high (1.5).
-Sometimes I wonder if I should hold shorter, downloadable games to different standards. Then I remember Portal.
-Which is the most aggravating to follow: video games, politics, or sports? They all come with so many douchebags.
7 comments:
"-The thought of playing games online with strangers makes me nervous. I try my best to avoid it."
Good to see I'm not the only one then. I generally won't play a game online until I am able to do so with friends. Case in point being GTA IV: I have finished it 100% (completionist here) so all that's left is to play multiplayer for some fun and achievements but I haven't tried it yet because I'm too scared (I guess) to go into the various multiplayer modes by myself. If I had a friend to go in with then everything would be sweet but for some reason I just can't bring myself to do it on my own.
If I had already experienced some of the multiplayer modes then maybe it would be easier but since I haven't it is unlikely to happen until someone agrees to come in with me. It's weird though, I can talk/play with strangers without a problem when I'm with someone I know but put me by myself and I just go quiet. When I played Gears of War regularly for the Seriously achievement (because I'm insane like that) if I was playing by myself I wouldn't even use the headset.
Actually now that I think about it, not using the headset made it easier for me to play by myself. Weird. Anyway enough of my random ramblings.
"-The thought of playing games online with strangers makes me nervous. I try my best to avoid it."
Wow.. So apparently, I am the complete opposite. I usually try NOT to get too into games that I CAN'T play online.
A response point-by-point:
-I've just recently killed off most of the RSS feeds in Google Reader in an effort to reduce the amount of bullshit many pre-hyping websites expose you to. As such, I refuse to read anything on MGS4 and calmy anticipate it's release. In the meantime, I'm ploughing through DMC4 on Dante Must Die and love the fact nothing of real value has been released in the past month.
-I haven't played GTA IV since the first day it went online. This is in no small part due to the fact a scripting error on the final mission is prohibiting me from completing the game. The helicopter keeps exloding on the last rocket leading immediately to death. Also, I refused to review it full stop.
-I played Halo 3 online again recently and found it to be a pleasant experience, mainly because the players left seemed to be relaxed. Competitive but not abusive. I figure the majority of live has skipped over to GTA IV. Although, I tend to agree. (BTW, add me again to PSN - StolenName - the damn invite ran out last time).
-I'd also like to wonder why when purchasing credit via PSN, despite the fact they use real dollar amounts instead of points, that I'm unable to simple purchase a game. If it's $4.95, just charge my credit card $4.95.
-That would explain your One Picture Review of Sins of a Solar Empire :P
-Haven't played it.
-Haven't played it and it's banned in Australia so I can't unless I illegally import.
-And what of games such as Rez HD and Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode 1 (which is about as annoying to write as S.T.A.L.K.E.R. even though it has no STOPS '.')? They're both short games which I found immensly entertaining.
-Recently, I've founnd myself disliking more and more everything I read online. No matter what the subject matter. My most recent blog post sums up the case nicely - http://graffitigamer.com/?p=150
You aren't the only one who has been talking about re-evaluating Grand Theft Auto IV after playing more of it. Do you think this hangover will lead to a real sober reconsideration of the true worth of this game, or will everyone simply elect to not think about it and quickly move on?
@matthew - Thank you for the link my friend.
I don't doubt that GTAIV will still show up on lots of top 10 lists, and probably win all the aggregate game of the year awards. But I really wouldn't be surprised if you saw a few minor mea culpas come year-end. Along the lines of "Okay, we got a little carried away, but it was still top 3 of 2008!"
Human beings almost always make for better opponents.
Having finished the campaign, I've found the online modes to be engrossing. I'm not sure how long GTA will hold it's appeal though. I've enjoyed it most while playing with my best friend and he likes it a lot less than I do.
As far as the "GTA effect" goes, the population in Call of Duty and Halo is declining. Those players that are left are the hardcore. They play their respective games every day and they make for formidable opponents.
It kind of reminds me of the dinosaurs and the comet theory. GTA came along and wiped out all the herbavores. Now, the carnivores have no choice but to feed on each other.
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