Category: Video Games

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Video Games

Halo 4

Halo 4Just finished up Halo 4, and while I’m not sure exactly whom I was shooting since I hadn’t played the previous 3 I do know that I did somehow save humanity. So I feel kinda good about that (in a fake video game way).

The campaign was mighty impressive, and I know I’ve stated this many times but am in awe of the amount of production value that goes into a major video game these days. The sound, story, voice acting, etc. are all as good if  not better then a blockbuster Hollywood film. Very impressive amount of work and polish on display.

I think I was most impressed by the sound and graphics. The music was pretty awesome, and does an amazing job of getting you into the game whether you intended to or not. Some very dramatic stuff.

The pacing of the campaign was really impressive too. I’m not the type to sit down for hours and play in one sitting. The auto-save made it easy to play and little here and a little there and pick right up where I left off.

I also was genuinely bummed at the end when you lose a friend. While it wasn’t quite as sad as Marley and Me, I do tip my hat at a game that could make me care for the characters involved.

This was a pretty amazing game. Well done 343 Studios.

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Video Games

Pokemon White Version 2

Pokemon White Version 2I’ve never played a Pokemon game, but was always wondering how they were since they’ve been around for quite some time. There’s no way kids would keep picking up installments of the franchise year after year if it wasn’t any good, right?

So I finally cracked and decided to pick up a copy of Pokemon White Version 2. When I bought it I did kinda act like I was buying it for someone other than myself, I was a bit nervous.

I fired up my trusty 3DS (it’s technically a DS game) and gave it a shot. I gotta admit, it’s quite the addictive game. I can see how kids get hooked. It has a simple story, with a ton of collecting and leveling up like a traditional RPG like the one’s I grew up playing.

I choose Oshawott as my starter Pokemon. I think she was a litter otter or something like that. While that alone is pretty awesome, she was holding a shell which sealed the deal for me. I accidentally named her Steven, not realizing the gender until later in the game, but I stuck with the name Steven as it would eventually grow on her.

I won’t get into just how many hours I wound up spending on this game, but I did eventually become the Pokemon Champion and crazily felt good when I did. That final battle was tough and took several tries.

What a great game, and I now understand why it’s been such an amazingly successful franchise for so long.

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Video Games

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

Transformers: Fall of CybertronI was eagerly looking forward to playing this one (kinda like little kids levels of eagerness) after I played the pretty amazing first one about a year or so ago. Transformers: Fall of Cybertron did not disappoint.

I’m still impressed at how much they are able to capture the awesomeness of Transformers from when I was in third grade and not so much of the recent movie stuff. They people who made this clearly grew up playing with the toys and watching the cartoons as I did. Very good stuff.

The ability to play as both Autobots and Decepticons as the story unfolds is great. There’s so many different characters throughout the story, each character being a bit unique. The Brutucus and Grimlock chapters stood out for me. It was surprisingly fun to smash stuff.

Even the closing credits were pretty amazing. With “You Got the Touch”, blasting it brought back the absolute cheesyness of my youth.

A very fun game that lived up to the high hype I bestowed upon it.

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Video Games

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop DistanceA few weeks ago I figured I’d pick up a new video game to play since I had just had some elbow surgery done and would be sidelined from doing much for quite a bit of time. A new Kingdom Hearts game was just recently released for the 3DS which would be preferable for me to play since I’m in some bionic looking arm brace for much too long.

Not only did it seem like something entertaining to play, but Target was also offering a $10 gift card if you bought it that week. That was a deal that I just couldn’t pass up (I’ve become such a frugal shopper) and I picked it up on a lunch break.

The Kingdom Hearts games are pretty unique in that they feature characters from Disney and Square. A strange combination on paper, but it does work and work well.

The Fantasia and Tron levels were especially impressive to me. The music, graphics and atmosphere were all very well done. While Fantasia may’ve put me to sleep the last time I tried to watch it, playing an entire world of it was pretty cool. The boss fight again Chernabog (arguably Disney’s most evil character ever) was amazing. He was always a favorite growing up and used to spook me a lot. Some great stuff going on there.

While I was a bit confused early on in the game, once I figured the whole game play out it was very cool and took up a good deal of my downtime (which is a bit more than usual). Great game and a fine purchase.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_QzJlSBPEQ

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Video Games

Metroid Fusion

Metroid FusionOne of the free games that were made available through the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador program that I was looking most forward to playing was Metroid Fusion. The original Metroid for the NES way back in 1986 was one of my and my friends favorite games when it was released. It was so cool and different than anything else we’d played at that time.

I’ve since tried to play the majority of it’s sequels over the years. However, I never did get around to playing Metroid Fusion when it was released for the Game Body Advance in 2002. So when I found out that it would be available and for free nonetheless I was excited to finally play it.

Despite being 10 years old and for the Game Boy Advance originally, it’s held up really well over the years. I really enjoyed it, it was true to the side scrolling adventures I used to enjoy so much growing up.

Challenging, but not impossible this has given me something to entertain myself when I need some down time. It was nice to face off against arch-nemesis Ripley yet again (surprisingly that hasn’t gotten old to me), and battling a clone of yourself was strange as well.

They really did a great job of keeping that creepy aloneness feeling that has made so many of the installments so great. This was definitely a fine installment in the series and I’m glad I finally got a chance to play through it (I still have a battle or 2 for finish it).

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Video Games

Resident Evil Revelations

Resident Evil RevelationsJust finished up the campaign mode on Resident Evil Revelations for the Nintendo 3DS. It was great, going back to the creepy roots that the earlier Resident Evil games used to be. With the same guy saying the title (if you played any of them you know what I mean by that).

The quality of this one by the folks at Capcom was top notch. It was a full Resident Evil title and not a scaled down portable game. The graphics were better than what I’d of thought the 3DS capable of, and the 3-D was very well done, but not to the point where it ever felt forced.

The story was a bit confusing and cheesy at times, but what else would you expect from a proper Resident Evil?

The whole mood and atmosphere was expertly crafted. There’s many times where you can hear something, but not quite see it and it really gets you into the game. I really enjoyed playing this on the 3DS, because you do seem much closer and into the action than if you were comfortably seated on your couch several feet from your TV.

The game was great, and quality wise what I would expect to play on a console. This was extremely well done, and a must buy for any Resident Evil fan. Even worth picking up a 3DS to play on as well. Hopefully other titles of this quality can continue to be released.