I’m not sure what happened this week compared to the last. I think those late nights and long gaming sessions finally caught up with me. Despite the setbacks, I got into a few new games. I even managed to get 1oo percent of the achievements in one. So there. I’m gonna sit here and stare into the computer screen with my tongue out. That’s right. Nothing you can do about it.
Xbox 360
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX
Pac-Man CE DX was recently voted to be a weekly deal on Xbox Live. Since it commanded the lead when the poll was live, I’ve been waiting for it to go on sale for over a month now. I promptly downloaded it the first chance I had on monday. Soon I was waist deep in ghosts, dots, and power pellets. Readers who’ve checked out my review know just how much I’m in love with this game. I did grab all the achievements in one 2 hour session, but that doesn’t mean I’m done. There is still plenty to do including climbing the leader board and competing against my friends. I’ll accept any challenge.
Beyond Good & Evil – demo
I remember a friend of mine praising this title when it was first released on Playstation 2. I sadly never played it , but I’m glad it has the chance to shine on Xbox Live. I understand why it has garnered such high praise over time: the story is interesting, it has a great visual style, and the gameplay is smooth. My only disappointment came when the demo ended. There is around 30 minutes worth of the game to check out, which should be enough to make the decision to spend ten dollars. This HD remake looks wonderful, making a successful leap from the last console generation to the current. If only its next leap will be to release a sequel. Trailers and the promise of “someday” won’t give me something to play anytime soon. Sorry.
Brutal Legend
Last week I was in a very metal mood and decided to pop in this game. I remember playing the demo and being impressed, but hearing about the real-time strategy portions scared me. That is part of the reason I’ve avoided starting Brutal Legend. I’m a few hours in (though the stats screen says I’m almost 50 percent complete) and I’m riding the line between hating it and loving it. I am annoyed by those large battles that play like tower defense games. There’s almost too much going on and I feel bogged down by the controls. I’m constantly dying and trying make the most of my battle units. I’ve failed a few times too. The rest of the game is excellent. I enjoy cruising the world and the small skirmishes that form the side quests. The references to all things rock, roll, and otherwise heavy metal are fantastic. The characters are interesting, even the cliche ones. I’m not sure what to think right now, but I understand the complaints. With any luck I’ll log some more hours and my opinion will be stronger in one direction this time next week.
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Does this game really need a demo? I think everyone who wanted to buy this, has. Except me. That is why I had to load it up to give it a shot or a hundred. This demo samples the WMD single player level. It offers a variety of gameplay including some recon in a SR-71, some sneaking, and loads of shooting. The gameplay is what players come to expect from Call of Duty: solid. I think the storytelling looks interesting and that is where they have me hooked. I want to see how it plays out. The multiplayer appeals to so many people, but I’d rather have a larger campaign. From what I can tell this entry from Treyarch could rival any offering that Infinity Ward has released.
iPhone
Street Fighter IV
After playing tournament mode on hard difficulty for nearly 100 minutes, I beat M. Bison. I’d guess I tried nearly fifty times to beat him. Most times he’d skunk me in two rounds. Every few matches the game would go to the third round where he’d win by the narrowest of margins. Timing was everything. Attempt an ultra and he’d ultra over me. Blocking was crucial. He would spam the psycho crusher a lot. I never thought I would beat him and he seemed so cheap after having little trouble with the other fighters in the tournament. Glad that is over with. Right now I’m working on the dojo with mostly Ryu and some Sagat. I think I’m gonna try some more tournament when I finally forget how much I hated it.
A Life of Gaming 