In lieu of a traditional paper invite, this couple had an 8-bit video game wedding invitation created for them. Recipients/players have to clear all the stages in order to see all the pertinent wedding information.
Yeah, I’m addicted to BORDERLANDS. I play it at home, I play it online, I’ve downloaded both Zombie Island (and beat it) and Moxxi’s Underdome (looking for an online buddy to tackle this with me).
So you can imagine my excitement when I saw that the latest DLC is being released today. Say “hello” to General Knoxx.
Being stuck home sick while having to execute renders that range from 17 minutes to 26 hours gives one a pretty good excuse to waste a lot of time on the PS3.
For most of you, PORTAL was an “also includes” when you bought HALF-LIFE 2. When my buddy (and soon to be “hot s#!t” screenwriter) Jeremy let me borrow it, he said it’s like “Radiohead but as a video game.”
Naturally, I was skeptical. I play the puzzle shooter and found it fun. Once the puzzles got loopy, the game really got more interesting. And then once you think you’re done it kicks into this other place that’s pretty f**king cool. Yeah, I’m with Jeremy, I loved this game.
I should also mention that my buddy Sean, the one that got me hooked on BORDERLANDS, also let me borrow SPIDER-MAN: WEB OF SHADOWS and while it was fun web-slinging around Manhattan I found the narrative and missions too repetitive to recommend this game.
If you’ve ever met me in a bar or seen me in a decent restaurant and asked “what’s a good beer” then you’ve heard me give an impromptu lecture on brown ales or how a pilsener is different from a lager. Yes, I’m a beer geek and it’s all because of a documentary called BEER WARS.
This week, that documentary is available on iTunes (and apparently my PS3 too but I can’t stop playing BORDERLANDS to check–help). Don’t believe me? Here’s the proof.
(that’s the documentary on the “iTunes->Movies” homepage sandwiched between NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU and some Hulk cartoon while I download the latest FRINGE).
Of course I’m biased (dear FTC, I worked on it for almost three years but I am not being compensated for this mention… but if the director wanted to buy me some tasty cupcakes I wouldn’t say “no”) but I think it’s a pretty damn good doc. Also, the “making of” was mighty interesting so I can’t wait for the behind-the-scenes book (hint, hint; nudge nudge).
Since I review all the other media I consume, why should my PS3 be any different? Exactly. Glad you agree. Therefore, let me introduce you to the first game I’ve completed on my new system.
One thing surprised me: I don’t remember Lara killing quite so many animals in her last outing. Seriously, they could have called this “Tomb Raider: Nature’s Worst Enemy”.
Not everything about a reunion is roses. The graphics are just how I remember them… which means they could have easily been so much better. No, wait, they’re improved, I know that, but I feel like I’ve seen the PS3 do SO much better. Also, occasionally the controls conspire against you (or maybe I’m still figuring out how to use all 20 buttons effectively). Lastly, the stupid camera often screws you more than it helps. When I’m standing against a wall, why is it only showing me rocks? Why?!
But that’s me being nitpicky. The levels were expansive but the game was short and that suited me just fine. It was a great introduction to modern gaming without taking over my life.
Ooh, I also wanted to say that of all the things you can do in the game the best parts are swimming. I don’t know why but these levels were incredibly fun to play.
To wrap it up, this was a fun and great way to get me gaming without intimidating me. Thanks ya sassy lassy.
I didn’t quite make a deal with the devil but I did get a PS3 (it came free with another major purchase) so it’s kinda like I let a devil child into my home and he won’t stop wasting my time.
What’s worse, my buddy Pat warned me that I could spend years playing all the free downloadable demos from the Sony PlayStation Store. All I heard was “free downloadable demos.”
Argh! There goes my productivity. Now that I’ve downloaded a ton of demos allow me to share my abbreviated reviews.
Bayonetta – Um, this game is too… it isn’t for me. Plus I find it disturbing that you’re playing a gun-toting, uber-stacked version of Tina Fey that, when she performs certain combo moves, has all her clothes fly off. Very disturbing
The Simpsons Game – I think I can say the same thing about TV shows made into video games. It should have been more fun to play Homer and Bart but instead it was cumbersome. Plus it was difficult to figure out the level objective.
Wet – Think KILL BILL the video game. Yeah, I know, not very inventive but I kinda liked it. It might just be worth buying… if it were on sale.
Dead Space: Dismemberment – Not a particularly fun demo and after a couple of minutes I felt queasy. Just too gruesome for me.
The Last Guy – I tried this indie game based on a recommendation and while I kinda like some of the style and humor, it’s something I’d play for 5 minutes and then never play again.
Stranglehold – I am the target audience for this. Chow Yun Fat in a John Woo movie that I can play? This should be f**king awesome. Unfortunately, the demo loses sound halfway through and crashes. Boo! Still, I might rent this game (yes, I love John Woo that much and you should too. He’s easily one of the coolest action directors around.).
Iron Man – Did I say that the Lord of the Rings game was the worst? Well, it is, but this places a close second.
Trine – I heard good things about this 3D side scroller and they’re mostly right on. This pseudo-puzzle-game-meets-Castlevania is fun. I wasn’t addicted but I’d consider buying it for a discounted price.
The Bourne Conspiracy – You know what, I liked the simple brutality of this game. I’d buy it at a heavy discount.
Turok – I know folk loved the original but this incarnation is boring. How can killing dinosaurs be this tiresome? What a shame.
Red Faction: Guerrilla – I know some people love this game but it just didn’t appeal to me. It has a great premise and setting but after trying the first level and dying minutes later I wasn’t compelled to pick up the controller again.
Mirror’s Edge – This game gets big points for being a cool, different kinda game. I know, some of you are sick of Parkour but by moving the action into a FPS framework this game amps up the thrills. Absolutely worth a look
InFamous – All signs point to this being a great game. My only complaint was that I got killed so often that I grew frustrated with the game but maybe that’s just me. I haven’t owned a system since the original NES so I’m a terrible player.
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men – If HEAT were a video game, this would be it. Worth checking out, if only as a rental (I could see this getting monotonous).
Heavenly Sword – A decent hack ‘n slash (I’m not a huge fan of games with 200 combo moves, which this has, probably because I’m a terrible gamer; see above) but I do love Anna Torv. Therefore, I won’t outright dismiss this game.
Wanted: Weapons of Fate – What at first seems like the perfect comic/movie to port into a game gets butchered by lame controls and weak gameplay (hey, I almost sound like a real gamer).
God of War 3 – Now this is a crazy, bloody hack ‘n slash I could get into!
Phew, thank goodness I got that out of my system. Wait, not yet. I have one more demo to play but I got one problem. I really want to try the Army of Two: The 40th Day demo but I need someone to play with me. Want to play online? Hit me up.Want to come over? Just say when.
And I conclude this post with a trailer for a game that affected me emotionally. I… just watch it first.
I don’t know why that fusion of imagery and song hit me so hard but… ah, I know why. It’s been a hard few months and I’m particularly sensitive these days. I know, it’s kinda the anti-game, or game as art, but it looks like I’m gonna have to download it.
ANYWAY, what other games should I be checking out?
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