Four Days!!!
Archive for the Games Category
Borderlands 2: Four Days!
Posted in Blog, Borderlands, Game Art, Games on September 14, 2012 by slatemanPlanet Tony Hawk: Closed…Done…Forever
Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Games, Personal, Reflection, Tony Hawk Series on September 13, 2012 by slateman
Back in 1999 I started what would become the largest Tony Hawk-related gaming site in the world. I would peak at over a million hits a week. I created no fewer than 400 pages of articles, previews, reviews, guides, tutorials, images, videos and editorials about Tony Hawk, his line of games, his skating, and everything in between. It was my baby (along with Crumbling Flesh). It opened doors for me to go to California several times a year, meet new friends, make connections, grow personally and professionally and to meet Hawk multiple times. I had a good run. I had a damn good run.
So, when Skate came out after seven years of annual Hawk games, something was ready to give. Another entry got some good scores but that was the beginning of the decline. We saw Activision scramble to make a pair of peripheral-required games, a motion game on the NDS, numerous mobile titles and a new download-only game. The heyday is over. It has been for a while, but today was my eye opener.
As I received Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD a few weeks ago, I was psyched to get back to the site. I wrote a new FAQ, started making updates to my awesome Hawk History article and got ready to do some catch up. The problem was, I couldn’t log in. My email stopped working. No one would reply to my requests. I had that inspiration and it was burning bright. It felt like it did back in the old days. Gap lists for THPS. Stat icon locations in THPS3. My empassioned slagging of THAW. Even when it was bad, it was oh-so-good. I poured my heart into this site and I was tremendously excited to continue that devoted dedication.
Today I received an email saying that all Planet sites were archived and no updates would ever be made to them again. Wait…What? Yep. Archived. Closed. Done.
Wait…WHAT?!?! Apparently someone dropped the ball because I never got an email. Even in the midst of all the crap mail I get, I never came across a message saying, “Hey, your site, you know, the one you have worked on for 13 years of your life…yeah, that one. Well, it’s going to be closing.” I never got the opportunity to say, “Goodbye.” Just one day, it was inaccessible. Two weeks of emails and waiting yielded the news. “Gone. Closed. Forever.”
First of many meetings – NYC 2001
I interrupted the writing of this article to put my kids to bed. I held my son and rocked him to sleep, feeling his hands clench and relax on my shoulder as he dozed. Is this a big deal? Listen, my four kids have their health. I have a job. It is just a game and it really wasn’t my baby; my baby boy is my baby. This post is not to whine about how I’ve been wronged but rather to rue the loss of control over something special.
It is a premature and unexpected ending of a massive 13-year journey. It is painful to know I had no say in its fate. The money ran dry years ago but that excitement of updating something you’re so proud of remained…until I realized I could no longer share that passion.
Planet Tony Hawk was the source of great happiness and pride. It allowed me to do so much, see so many things and go so many places. I enjoyed almost every minute of it. It’s been a great ride. For anyone who took part in that adventure, you know what I’m talking about. And today, I’m done with that journey forever.
Games I’ve Beaten – 2012 Edition
Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Borderlands, Games, Lists, Portal, Resident Evil, Skyrim, Street Fighter, Uncharted with tags Resident Evil 6 on September 4, 2012 by slatemanAfter a few rough weeks, I’m glad to be back posting stuff here, even if no one reads this blog. I was thinking about the games I’ve completed this year and thought I’d write a few notes about them. How many have I finished? Well, these should be broken down into retail games and PSN games. Don’t think I got anything new on the 360, so that’s PSN and not XBL.
GameFly tells me I’ve rented the following this year:
- Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (later purchased)
- F.E.A.R. 3
- Street Fighter X Tekken
- Portal 2
- Uncharted: Golden Abyss
- SSX
- Sniper Elite V2
- Rayman Origins
- Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
- Binary Domain
Not a bad list and it really justifies the GameFly fee, seeing as how I’d not have purchased most of those. Of the 10 titles GF sent me over the course of 8 months, I only completed 4. But that’s not really bad seeing as how SFxT can’t truly be finished and my PS3 died before I could complete the fun Sniper Elite.
In addition, my friend and I love coop games, but both Ghost Recon and Binary Domain aren’t what we’re looking for (gotta pay for one, no campaign coop in the other), so I wouldn’t count either of those.
This leaves F.E.A.R. 3 which, by all measures, was pretty much crap. SSX just was absurd and I didn’t play that long before shipping that one back. It lost all the charm the old games had. Now, Skyrim is a big one, and I quite enjoyed what I played but I have yet to complete the campaign despite dumping scores of hours into it.
The games that I count are Rayman Origins which was a pleasurable platformer replete with collectibles and tons of replay value. Had I not been on vacation in the middle of nowhere (which is why I got the game to begin with, really), I would’ve written more about it. The handheld Uncharted was largely a success. In fact, it’s the best-looking handheld game I’ve ever played and it felt like Uncharted, itself a success!
Finally we have Portal 2. I’ve said it before and won’t hesitate to repeat it – Portal 2 is one of the most brilliant achievements in gaming history. Ingenious and clever and…well, no reason to do this again.
Now to PSN games. It looks like I’ve played the following this year:
- Outland
- Journey
- The Mysteries Of Little Riddle
- The Walking Dead (Episodes 1-3)
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD
I figured I must’ve beaten more than that…but I guess not. I’ve already professed my love for that game. As for Journey, I wasn’t entirely sure what I thought of it. The Little Riddle game was something fun to play with my wife, and The Walking Dead games…well, just read below. Playing through the three episodes was one of the of the most enticing gaming experiences ever.
I played, but haven’t finished:
- Batman: Arkham Asylum
- Just Cause 2 (PS3 died, lost save game)
- Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One (same)
- Lara Croft & The Guardian Of Light (same)
- Rochard
I’d like to get back to Rochard. Batman…I didn’t love that as much as everyone suggested I would.
Verdict: So…let’s face it…the reason for this article was to figure out what the best game was that I completed. Well, first off, Borderlands 2 comes out in two weeks and Resident Evil 6 in four. Those could very well be high up on my list, but from what I’ve done so far, Uncharted, The Walking Dead were the highlights. Rayman and Outland were fun, visually-impressive titles, but Portal 2 was the best.
Let’s see how BL2 and RE6 fare against such a juggernaut!
The Walking Dead: Episode 3…
Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Games, Reviews, The Walking Dead on September 3, 2012 by slateman
I simply couldn’t wait, so tonight I finished episode 3. This was the weakest episode in terms of exciting events. On the other hand, it was the single most powerful moment in gaming history.
OK, that may sound a bit dramatic, but (Spoiler-rific), when I heard the gun shot and ran into the woods…OMG. When I did what had to be done. OMFG. I don’t care that I knew it was coming. I FELT IT. That was painful.
I don’t quite know what to expect moving forward. It’s like my humanity is disappearing and if it weren’t for Clem, I’d be done. I think that’s why the TV show (comics?) have Rick’s family there. Without them, it would be so easy to lose what kept you together.
Anyways, the episode was a bit slow once you got to the train, but it was not without action and drama. I still can’t believe what just went down and I maintain its power was unmatched in gaming history. (And yes, I played Final Fantasy VII back in Sept of ’97 – 15 yrs ago this month…urgh!)
The Walking Dead: Episode 2…
Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Games, Reviews, The Walking Dead on September 2, 2012 by slateman
I’m having a tough time with this. Man, I love watching zombie movies. Action, suspense, RUN! It’s exciting, enticing and exotic. But rarely do these films truly touch upon the emotional portion of it all. Sure, you’ll lose a loved one. Of course difficult decisions will be made. But in The Walking Dead: The Game I find myself torn.
First off, I’m so glad this isn’t an action game, a FPS or anything of the like. The way this has been crafted is utterly perfect. It contains the exciting, enticing and exotic nature of zombie films and games before it, but only a few times in gaming history have I really cared so much for the protagonist. Few times have I felt so tied to my main character. In Metal Gear Solid 4 I remember tapping the triangle button as if my life depended on it (because for Snake, it did). John Marston’s suffering was my own in Red Dead Redemption.
I find myself having a tough time deciding when to be sympathetic and when to be stern. I want to protect Clementine but I don’t want to tiptoe to do so. I have to be strong to make the tough decisions, but I also want to try to keep peace. Things don’t work this way. The reviews I’ve read say the same…this is hard shit! I want to be loyal to Kenny…we are brothers here! But as each hour passes, these decisions become more and more difficult.
The first two episodes were free for PS+ subscribers and I didn’t even finish episode 2 before plunking down my $5 for episode 3. I must know how this pans out. Lee is the man, confident, yet reasonable. Was he a killer before? It doesn’t matter, he’s my hero now, saving those around him. This is as human a tale as I’ve ever encountered, truly only rivaled by John Marston’s. I simply cannot believe a cel-shaded point-and-click adventure based on zombies could be so deep, rewarding, intense and emotional.
THPSHD: FAQ Posted
Posted in Blog, Borderlands, Games, Guides, Resident Evil, Tony Hawk Series with tags FAQs, Resident Evil 6 on September 1, 2012 by slateman
The days of THPS are long gone, but with the release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD, I have to admit an excitement about the Hawk series not felt for the better part of a decade. Now, let’s not be hasty here, this isn’t pee-your-pants excitement like I’m feeling for Borderlands 2 and Resident Evil 6. Just sayin’. Anyways, I got a review copy of the game for both the PS3 and the Xbox360 and have gone through it mostly with the former. Of course, given my history with the game, I had to write a guide for it! Thus, we have my new THPSHD FAQ. I love writing guides so this was fun. Kinda looking forward to the THPS3 DLC.
Mini-Review: Outland – I Love This Game…
Posted in Blog, Borderlands, Castlevania, Games, Resident Evil, Reviews with tags Castlevania, Resident Evil 6 on August 18, 2012 by slateman
I think it was last year when I picked up Outland on the Xbox360. It was probably when my PS3 was dead and I needed something new to play. Of course, I LOVE Ikaruga, in fact, I have a section of one of my sites devoted to it. This game is an action/adventure homage to the excellent title and I love it.
Now, my Xbox360 doesn’t receive as much love as it used to. I don’t know why we all have our favorites but I much prefer the PS3 and its interface than Microsoft’s offering. Most of my gaming hours are spent on Sony’s platform and now that Outland was free for PS+ subscribers, why not nab this game again?
So, with brilliant Ikaruga-style mechanics, awesome visuals and a cool soundtrack, this game is a lot of fun to play. It’s not overly difficult, but boss battles can be very tough. I would love to find a complete set of artwork for Outland as it’s just marvelous. The color schemes, the details in the background, animations, enemies and most of all, bosses, all look spectacular and are deserving of their own art book or online gallery.
The gameplay is equally fantastic. It brings the aforementioned polarity to match the progress-and-return 2D method of Castlevania/Metroid/Shadow Complex. I love these types of games. I’m always eager to go back and collect what I missed, aiming for 100% whenever I can (or 200% in the case of the brilliant Symphony Of The Night!)
So, I should really just play the 360 game rather than going back to repeat all this. But it’s just so fun, I don’t mind. Will I finish the whole thing? Perhaps…but it’s definitely entertaining while it lasts! (i.e. until Borderlands 2 and Resident Evil 6 come out to consume all my time!)
Mini-Review: The Walking Dead – I Really Liked!
Posted in Blog, Games, Reviews, The Walking Dead on August 15, 2012 by slateman
While away I saw the first two episodes of The Walking Dead were free for ps+ subscribers. Having heard good things, and being a big fan of TWD, I was excited. The first few free nights, I got a few hours with the first game and walked away impressed. Of course this is not standard zombie fare. This is a moving game with its share of intense moments. As some choices were presented to me, I struggled with finding an answer that suited Lee. You have limited time on some of these. Do I speak the truth and trust in human nature? Or, do I tell them what they want to hear? Can I keep up with what lies I told one person? Which character do I save or back up? And getting back to Lee, he isn’t just the main character, he’s Lee…My Lee! I absolutely love the protagonist. His eyes are bright and revealing. His mysterious background is curious and compelling. I look at him as if he truly were a reflection of me. He can’t be a killer…right?
I look forward to playing episode 2. If it continues on this path, I’ll be forced to pick up parts 3-5! This is some cool stuff!
DDP:DFK New High Score (Arrange A – 36b)
Posted in Blog, DoDon Pachi, Games, High Scores/Accomplishments on August 2, 2012 by slateman
My PS3 reinstall has been the focus of much of my time lately, but today I wanted to get a few rounds of the good ol’ DFK. Instead of focusing on 1.5, I went forward with arrange mode A (DOJ mode). As DOJ is my favorite ever, it’s a great remix. Today’s score was all due to a great first level. This mode is so fantastic, it’s a new game in its own right. Now that I know the mechanics (oh right, someone wrote a great FAQ on the game!) I can work on score. I had another run afterwards which was bound for greatness…however some distractions (my son jumping all over me didn’t help) made me crash and burn early. I hope to get much more time with the game. We’ll see if I get lucky!
PS3 Re-Everything Log: Day #6
Posted in Blog, Games on August 2, 2012 by slatemanToday is a light day…but only in terms of quantity. The Choplifter HD PS+ freebie weighed in at a mere 1.5Gb, but it was Infamous 2 which took the cake. The 15Gb download took most of the day. The installation is going to take quite a while, I expect. I’m generally done with my catching up. I’m opting to skip some games entirely. Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One is a 14Gb game that, since losing my save game, I have little interest in revisiting.