Current Mood: productive
Current Music: "Blood Stained" by Judas Priest
I wanted to mention video games in my last post, but when I got down to listing some of the video games I was looking forward to or would like to try, I decided it warranted separate mention.
Recent video game accomplishments of note:
*Have resisted falling back to WoW over the summer
*Finished Resident Evil 4 on professional mode with the default start, and my final stats were: 25 deaths, 78% hit accuracy, 979 enemy kills, play time of 14 hours 39 minutes
*Made a clutch shot on Wii Play (target practice) at the last second, sniping a duck that was bolting across the screen for 15 points, which put me 1 point ahead of Jenny for the win
To do:
*finish PS2 Shadow of the Colossus (I borrowed it from a friend and had to give it back before beating the final boss - does anybody have a copy I can borrow?)
*complete PS2 Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (it's back with Bradley)
*get past the first level of Wii Splinter Cell: Double Agent (really. hard.)
*finish Wii Trauma Center: Second Opinion (very fun! much more challenging but less informative than this)
*medal up more on Wii Play, specifically get to level 100 on Tanks!
*grow a pair and start the GC remake of Resident Evil Zero
*get 2 more Wii remotes and 3 nunchuks for the apartment
*take Wii Play and Trauma Center pictures
*probably get an XBox 360 (see below)
Some games to consider purchasing:
-> must get
GC Resident Evil remake (any)
->Wii Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Wii Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles
->Wii Super Paper Mario
Wii Guitar Hero III
Wii Marvel Heroes
->Wii Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
->Wii Super Smash Brothers Brawl
Wii Transformers
Wii Pokemon Stadium
Wii Madden 08
->PC Starcraft II (holy. shit.)
PC Hitman Series (any)
PC Sniper Elite
PC Left 4 Dead
PC Spore
PS2 Indigo Prophecy
->PS2 Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80's
XBox 360 Dead Rising
->->XBox 360 Rock Band
Some notes...
*many of these aren't out yet
*currently at the apartment we have Wii, GC, PS2, and an XBox
*I'll probably want some classic games to be purchased on the Wii
*prices go down for older stuff
*note that none of them are PS3, which can disappear off the face of the planet for all I care - games are meant to be affordable, damnit
And then there's a few things I'd like to mention
Gamefly
This is a Netflix-style service, where you pay a flat monthly fee to have video games shipped via US mail to your house. Depending on how much you pay, you can have a certain amount out at any given time. Now, I have not myself tried the service (so don't think this is a sales pitch), but I've known friends who have it and are reasonably satisfied with it, and others that say it's too slow and expensive. I think it sounds good for a number of reasons:
1. You can return games at your pace, which gives you that extra day to beat a game that perhaps you might not get at a rental store
2. It becomes more cost effective (on a monthly fee) to rent more games, which encourages you to try games you might not normally, or take a chance on a mediocre game you aren't 100% you'll love
3. Specialty rentals, like party games, a game for a friend, or a friend's system
4. Convenience - I don't have a car, and the nearest Blockbuster is 30 minutes across town, so mailing things and paying online is a lot easier than buying brand new games
5. Parents may be able to control (through ESRB ratings) what video games their kid rents
6. Large distribution centers may have games your small town EB doesn't, or is out of stock
7. The service could be a good gift idea
And some down sides:
8. Cost
9. Waiting for the mail
10. Games out of stock
11. No older systems!
12. Little problems can magnify when you have to mail things or call tech support
Next, we come to a small matter of, oh, about $700 to purchase an XBox 360 and Rock Band. I really really really want this. Guitar(s), drums, and a microphone all set up with the successful formula of Guitar Hero, with online play and downloadable content. This means I can rock the fuck out on XBox Live with Eric or Greg or Bradley...or all three. Yes, it's expensive, and yes, I wish it was for the Wii. But I've never owned a video game console in my life and I think this honestly may be the game to break that cycle, even if I have to sell a kidney.
Speaking of the Wii, I would like to lastly mention that I think Nintendo has done a fantastic job of being a broad fun machine. What do I mean by this? Advertising for the Wii has focused on including more than just people my age and gender into playing. I think video gamers have a sterotype about them, and even beyond that, that Nintendo consoles are thought of as kid-centric (not true- Capcom is developing a Wii-only Resident Evil 4 remake, in addition to many other "mature" titles for the Wii). Where I'm going with this is that usually I don't bond well with others playing video games unless they are my age and typically male. This isn't always out of dis-interest or malice, but sometimes skill. Not so anymore! Jenny and I are enjoying some Wii time lately. And I couldn't be happier about it. I have always tried to avoid getting so wrapped up in a game (especially 1 player games, or even moreso, MMORPGS like WoW) that I ignore the people around me, and I think the Wii makes it easier to share the fun without a steep learning curve.
"According to Natsuki Isaki, next-generation tech has allowed the team to make even more massive and devastating machines of war than before. We’re crossing our fingers for a giant flying mechanical squid that shoots lightning and devours helicopters for fuel. That would be sweet."
-Game Informer magazine
What about you? What games are you currently enjoying or waiting for?
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Some notes:
ReplyDelete-I recently looked up Gamefly (possible gift idea for my brother), and I also thought it was cool that you can buy games from them- but they have sort of a 'try before you buy' policy. So you can play the game, and *then* decide if you want to keep it. They're used, but still. A good idea.
-I also second the games-in-stock thing. When my brother first got his XBox360, he rushed to the video store to rent a game... and they had very few games for the 360, and almost all of them were rented. (And stupid Blockbuster doesn't let you rent them without a credit card.)
-I think it helps that Wii requires less video-game-specific skills. In lots of other games, I'm not accustomed enough with the basics of moving with a joystick and that alone makes it hard for me to succeed- just because I don't have that much experience playing video games. I mean, I know the simple answer to that problem is just to play more, but still.
-I really don't mind you getting a little absorbed in video games, especially if I don't mind watching some of the play. There have only been a couple of times that sort of thing has bothered me at all. But I do appreciate you not wanting to ignore the world (and me) because of video game obsession.
-...You had to mention that damn duck. Grr. :)
Full ACK on Twilight Princess. I've got the GC version, and it just may be the best Zelda game ever.
ReplyDeleteZelda was an amazing experience. I played with Bradley... had I known you were getting a Wii, I wouldn't have sold it back so quickly. (Game resell prices degrade so fast!!)
ReplyDeleteI still have Super Paper Mario... if you guys want to buy it, I can cut you a good deal ($30? $25?). I want to get SOME money back out of it... I bought it at full price ($50) because I'm insane. But if you want to buy it for halfish price, and I can get halfish back (about what I'd get at GameCrazy anyway), then doesn't everyone win?