The Bill's Now Playing Video Game Thread (Now with Bames)

[Spooky Apparition]

damn, these reviews are nuts. edge gave it a 10 too, and they're notoriously contrarian/tough. 10 from eurogamer and giant bomb too. might have to get this day one after all, which apparently is on a friday for some reason? that's cool with me

[Wang Mandu]

If both IGN and Jim Sterling give it a perfect score (I mean this in the sense that what one finds perfect, the other usually doesn't-- not that they're the opinions of any great weight), I would say there must be SOMETHING in this game for me.

I can't stand IGN's reviews and am starting to like Sterling's editorial stuff. His reviews still suck. Universal acclaim is hard to ignore. I'm sure it'll be good but certain studios get "best game ever!" awarded before the game even comes out. They'll suck off any big studio game that comes out.

Like Spooky said, I'm shocked by Edge's 10.

Edit: I'd steer clear of Metacritic...word is some of the quotes ruin or at least contain some small ending spoilers.

[Spooky Apparition]

i'm glad that basically every review emphasizes the game isn't just cinema -> clear room of bad guys -> repeat (like what wang said a few pages ago about uncharted). and aside from crafting materials to look for, there's actually collectible story-related items too... some people probably think that sort of stuff is just a distraction, but i love being able to fill in the backstory by finding things like that (like the voxophones in infinite). i always thought uncharted felt sort of empty from that perspective

[Wang Mandu]

there's actually collectible story-related items too... some people probably think that sort of stuff is just a distraction, but i love being able to fill in the backstory by finding things like that (like the voxophones in infinite).

I love that stuff. If I'm into the game like Bioshock or Dishonored, I love picking up journal pages or whathaveyou that fill out the world. My personal favorite is Demon's Souls / Dark Souls with loot having a story attached to it. So good.

I want to read some of these reviews but I've paid so little attention to this game, besides a few gameplay videos, I want to keep the blackout going. Happy it's coming out on a Friday but I went for a digital copy and I'm expecting the PSN servers to get hammered that day.

What was the general opinion of Uncharted 3? I kind of want to play it to complete the trilogy but iirc it seemed quite divisive.

[The Bill]

Goddamnit!!!

Here I am, perfectly acclimated to ancient graphics and what have you from those older games I've been mostly* enjoying, and this fancy pants new game has to come out. I predicted it would be good, but didn't think it would be Bioshock: Infinite level good. Damn. Alright. I task you people. TASK YOU! With a challenge. Tell me if this game is so frickin' good that I should play this rather than some of the best from the Super Nintendo AND Gamecube era. If it's that grand I'll jump on it right away. If not, BACK OF THE LINE!!!

Threw on Metriod Prime just to see how it looks on the HDTV with just component cables. I'm mostly impressed, especially with the little touches they threw on it. Game is ever so slightly muddled graphically, an issue I completely remember way back when when I attempted to play it on a CRT years ago, so I'm more convinced than ever that the Wii2HDMI purchase is going to be a grand purchase. Pop them colors a tad, sharpen that image a nudge, and we are golden.


*fuck Secret of Mana, I have no patience for this hit and run redundant combat. Hate that power bar so much.

[Spooky Apparition]

that's some serious overwriting

[spacehamster]

What was the general opinion of Uncharted 3?

I couldn't finish it. I really liked 2 when it came out, tbqh, because I was in the early stages of having come back to gaming and just really impressed with the sound and fury of it all, but 3 just alternated between pissing me off and boring me. Even when the game actually does give you free rein for a bit it felt restrictive, like the whole thing was a movie interrupted by a few QTEs and shooting galleries. Plus the floaty controls and the sub-Whedonian "clever" dialogue really bothered me after a while. Hence why I'm super-skeptical about TLoU.

[Wang Mandu]

for the UC3 opinions. I think I'll youtube the cutscenes if I ever get bored. Sounds like TLoU doesn't have the Uncharted wink wink nudge dialogue...could be a good or a bad thing. Also, I've heard the game just sounds amazing. I may have to get some sort of connector and play this one with headphones.

That Kotaku review... . I don't like reviews that rely on scores or how much power Metacritic has but when bullshit like that or reviews written by what seems like a 4th grader are the norm, gimme those scores averages.

[spacehamster]

Also, I've heard the game just sounds amazing.

Based on the demo, that's true, actually - the one thing I was most impressed by was the sound design. But that may also just be because I just bought new speakers.

[Wang Mandu]

I saw those speakers....jealous!

[The Bill]

Mygod does Kotaku suck. First two paragraphs of their Last of Us review:

SPOILERSPOILER_SHOW

On the street where you live, there's a house built out of zombie clichés. The porch looks like an abandoned quarantine zone, and the walls are covered with hastily scrawled graffiti. The roof is crafted from the finest wrecked national monuments, and the floors appear to be made of actual zombies.

And yet: Two people live in that house. They moved right on in and built a life, and everyone in the neighborhood got to know them and came to care about them a great deal. They had a hard time of it, in that zombie-house. We watched them suffer great loss and abandon hope, then lean on each other and persevere. We became greatly invested in their fortunes. Against the odds, their story moved us.

I don't think judging a book by it's cover...



... is always a bad idea.

[spacehamster]

I thought I was in the fedora thread for a second.

[The Bill]

Mygod does Kotaku suck. First two paragraphs of their Last of Us review:

SPOILERSPOILER_SHOW

On the street where you live, there's a house built out of zombie clichés. The porch looks like an abandoned quarantine zone, and the walls are covered with hastily scrawled graffiti. The roof is crafted from the finest wrecked national monuments, and the floors appear to be made of actual zombies.

And yet: Two people live in that house. They moved right on in and built a life, and everyone in the neighborhood got to know them and came to care about them a great deal. They had a hard time of it, in that zombie-house. We watched them suffer great loss and abandon hope, then lean on each other and persevere. We became greatly invested in their fortunes. Against the odds, their story moved us.

I don't think judging a book by it's cover...



... is always a bad idea.

There is a house on your block. It is made of insufferable douchebags in shitty glasses.

I bet this goober gave himself welts from all the patting himself on the back he did after he wrote that. "Ha, this will show my high school English teacher."

[Wang Mandu]

Rumors abound the next Xbox is going to be less powerful than advertised and the OS shown at their conference was total bullshit.

[Wang Mandu]

Only hurts us nerds. The mass market doesn't give a shit about 720p vs 1080p like us. If they get the price right, this thing is going to sell (in the US) even if it's a slightly more powerful WiiU. MS also said they're going to "kill" Sony at E3. I'm getting hard at a bloody console war, gloves off and everything.

[Wang Mandu]

Wikipedia says 77 million 360s sold worldwide (I wonder how many multiple console purchasers because of RROD ) so it has appeal beyond...fuck I hate saying this, hardcore gamers. Gotta wait for E3, I'm sure they'll be dropping some bombs and Sony will be as well. *fingers crossed* The Last Guardian on PS4

[Wang Mandu]

If I was in the US and the XB1 allowed me to completely bypass cable companies and choose channels a la carte for a small fee per channel or a number of different channel packages, I'd buy one on release. But you know that isn't happening. Cable companies

[storm shadow]

I had been kind of tuning out the Last of Us hype up to now since I'm a card-carrying member of the Underwhelmed by Uncharted 3 Association (I love the Vita Uncharted game though), but man, dem reviews.

Edge is one of the only review outlets I really take seriously, and a 10 from them is almost as rare as a 10 from Famitsu (which no baka gaijin adventure game will ever receive). And as others have said, the fact that it got 10s from both IGN and Destructoid is pretty noteworthy.

Will definitely be buying. And here I was thinking I had nothing to look forward to until Muramasa Rebirth at the end of the month...

[Spooky Apparition]

...but man, dem reviews.

it's up to 96 on metacritic... half of the reviews are perfect scores

now that I'm convinced I'm getting it day one, I'm trying not to overhype myself

[FVBTVS]

combat in last of us looks thrilling and brutal. a little bit like manhunt only.. better i guess..

[riley-o]

Stop it you guys

I have so many games i haven't even played yet

So many amazingly rated supposedly legendary games

Mass effect series
Ni no kuni
Twilight princess
Okami
bioshock infinite
Dark souls DLC
I've played like two levels of dishonoured
Maybe an hour of far cry 3

Just let me not buy this one ok

Just let me breathe for one game ok

[electronichamz]

Mass Effect bro......

Still haven't played ME3 because I refuse to get an EA Origin account

[storm shadow]

Okami

This is the only one on your list that I really think you must play. One of the best video games ever made. It's a better Nintendo game than anything Nintendo's done since the N64 era, and it's somehow even more refreshing and unique now than when it was released.

I would commit crimes against humanity for a proper, full-fledged sequel...or two.

SPOILERSPOILER_SHOW

In my mind it would be set during the late Edo period, as the old feudal order is passing away and Japan is beginning to modernize and open up to the west. Is there still a place for Amaterasu and her ilk in a world of steam engines and mustachioed imperialists?

Then the third in the trilogy would be set immediately after WWII, in the same milieu as early Kurosawa movies like Drunken Angel and Stray Dog. Ammy has to go around using her powers to rebuild the country and restore hope to a people whose lives have been turned upside down by war.

[doomeddisciple]

After I played the demo on the weekend I went and pre-ordered a copy.

I hear you Riley on the tonne of games left to play - I played ME2 for PS3 but after the hubris over the ending I never played 3 yet. Now you can get the box set of all three games for 50 bucks on PS3 I'm thinking I will go back and play from scratch.

I need to play Okami too.

I've gotten home late the last couple of nights and intended on knocking over Metro last light in the week leading up to The Last of Us coming out and I have literally fallen asleep with the controller in my hands two nights in a row as the opening story is relayed. I'm sure its good but have a 3 month old baby in the house is compressing time to do stuff.

[Wang Mandu]

combat in last of us looks thrilling and brutal. a little bit like manhunt only.. better i guess..

I loved that game so much, Snuff Film: The Game. The guns, the head smashes, lead pipe hits, etc all sound sick in TLoU.

Current backlog:
One or two more levels in Dishonored, halfway through Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light, 1-2 levels in Mark of the Ninja, The Darkness 2, Yakuza 4, Dark Souls, Crusader Kings II, STALKER: Call of Pripyat, Mirror's Edge, Half Life 2 + the Episodes, Portal 2, Legend of Grimrock, King Arthur II, Hitman: Absolution, Resident Evil 6, To The Moon, Lone Survivor, Hotline: Miami, Binary Domain, Batman Arkham City (this might get deleted because making it open world was such a bad decision), Civilization 5, Chronicles of Riddick, Alan Wake DLC + American Nightmare, Far Cry 3. Long term plans are replays of Planescape: Torment, Fallout 1 and 2, and the Baldur's Gate Trilogy.