I do hope everyone had a good christmas, got what they wanted, and gave something that made someone else happy. I don't really have anything special planned or written in time for anything special here around christmas. Plus I've been sick to, and mostly spent the last few days leading up to christmas staring at youtube videos as I couldn't focus well enough to do more active things, including typing. I guess the closest thing appropriate for that I have was the GOTY stuff. However I'm getting better now, and with christmas around and considering this is a blog about my thoughts on gaming, I guess it wouldn't hurt to make a short note of what I'll be playing for a while now since I got some games for christmas. However I've got to note one pretty odd thing: Up until like Sunday or Monday I wont be able to update practically any of these. Comcast has some horrible service, and my PS4 wont even pick up on it half the time, and when it can its almost never good enough to download something on. I can't get any updates to even start when I try it at the moment, so I'm missing out on some of the free content and maybe even bug fixes that comes with some of these games. I'll have to wait until I switch over to my real home to get my updates installed.
Shadow Warrior
Fun little fact. I got the classic version (remastered on steam) for a dallor on the 22nd, right as I was getting sick sadly. Anyways now I got both editions around the same time to go through, the old, and the totally remade newer shadow warrior for PS4. I actually got to open this one up on Christmas eve, and was playing it just a bit that night. I think this is one of those shining examples of flawed fun. I love a lot of what this game has, even before I was actually playing it. I mean just go look into the options menu! Its got crosshair customization, a control scheme with toggle R3 aiming, multiple skin selections for the katana including the Serious Sam hammer, and there's multiple settings for the sword slashing to fool around with. Then the new game starts and... well that opening cut-scene is just perfect, with goofy 80's-like music and everything. The main character is hilarious, and honestly if the game just stopped there and was some generic military shooter I would have still probably played and enjoyed it because of how awesome the presentation, character, and option customization was. However its thankfully not one and has better gameplay, though that might also be where a couple issues come in. Its heavily focused on katana slashing melee action, which is sadly somewhat repetitive with a two button form. You need to sprint around and slash with normal hits, or charged attacks. There's also some over-complicated magic moves mapped to vary un-intuitive controls. I can only imagine its horrific on the xbox one, because the PS4 is only partially usable because of its touch pad. The pure button formula is like a specific double tap of the move analogue stick, which would not only screw you up in a fight, but is just plain difficult to get it to register even if you were just sitting there in some lonely corner. So anyways you have those move sets at the big focus, throwing stars that almost never hit where you're aiming, and then a gun system that honestly is floaty enough to make Dishonored look like a professional shooter. Speaking of which, maybe it could learn something by including the same targeting options. At the end of the day I really do enjoy this game. The complaints are almost too easy to make while taking a decent length to explain and the combination makes it feel like I'm talking bad about it, but really its just a somewhat flawed amazing FPS (with the S standing for slasher as much as shooter :p). Ultimately I really like it. Its got an advanced health system, interesting (even if flawed) combat, and a great sense of humor and presentation. I look forward to playing this more and seeing where it goes, and what the extra modes are like afterwards.
Shadow of Mordor
Appears to be a shadowy christmas so far, hmm? Anyways this was honestly my most wanted game for christmas so I'm happy to have gotten this wish. I love revenge driven plots (which I'll probably go into details about another time, I don't get why they're hated), I love the idea that the game has a dynamic system made for telling your OWN revenge plots, and I just really liked the look of this game. It all seemed like something was promising, but yet I was hesitating its initial release... mostly because of the batman combat system I'm not so fond of. I just can't see the praise in this system, its just not that great. However I was proven that it could be made into something grand with this game, because after putting a bit of time into it I think this was just a great game. Its actual surreal how fast you can just run around and explore the game's nemesis system yourself, as soon as I was done with the tutorial I was already stumbling into patrols and beating them around from a pretty good distance from my main objective. After I did the first Golum based mission I just kind of let myself get lost in wandering and attacking groups, and gathering intel so I could chip away each mysterious orc member and now I have almost all the lower chain on my map and about a 3rd of them have their info out as well. I just love being mischievous on these guys though, toying with the tools I have, and different combos, and occasionally something lines up just perfectly or goes horribly wrong in a spectacular way. Despite my sickly conditions I was having so much fun I wound up cracking jokes to myself and voicing my enthusiastic thoughts out loud, which is the sign of either a really chaotic and fun multiplayer match or a really good single player game. In this case its quite obvious which this falls into. I'm actually going to probably hold off on doing much more until early next week though, I really want to grab the updates before I continue further. As for any flaws with this game, I'd say the stealth is a little weird. Hiding in bushes is almost useless as they somehow find me through the bushes. Another thing is that despite being absolutely off the grid with this one, its one of those loud examples of split content as before I could even begin the game I was already moving through menus where locked downloadable content was spilling out around where you're supposed to be going into a new profile. I knew this was a thing before, but I never saw it quite like this while being offline. Screw you for this move warner bros. If only more games could be like shadow warrior with a smaller install size and excessive and ALL content put with the game right where it ships like it belongs. The main game is still great though, love it.
Watch Dogs
Nope, I'm still not doing that underscore crap. Anyways this game is one I've already beaten really, it was just that I did so as a rental through PS3. Now I own the PS4 copy (which really isn't any major graphical leap), and I'm ready to take it on again. I really enjoyed this game more than I probably should have the first time around. However I believe I'm a good critical thinker when it comes to most things, and I was willing to bet that despite how I thought the main character was incredible, and the gameplay surprisingly fun, I still had doubts that maybe I was somehow jaded or in a real good mood. Is that the case though? Nope, past the prologue stadium mission and I'm already getting this strong sense of comfort being back in that trenchcoat and with a super phone in my hand. I actually had to find a good stopping place and remind myself to cut it off, because I feel like if I kept going mission after mission I wouldn't be giving my newer things the right amount of justice. I really don't know too well why I love the game. Fine I can analyze and adore the story, even despite some flaws, but even without that the gameplay on its own is more compelling than say... the objectively greater GTA5. Is this really a case of context, where I actually do like the story so much that it makes me feel better just to play in that world? I dunno, if not that then I have no idea. Its a clearly mediocre game, but one that still resonates and clicks with me for some weird reason. Even though it feels weird, I'm kind of glad its that way because its honestly better to like game than to hate it. I'm actually going to consider grabbing the season pass for this down the line, but I'm not so sure yet. I'll probably beat it a 2nd time before deciding that for sure.
Infamous: Second Son
Yeah, open world gaming christmas for the most part. Anyways I really like the game so far, but its also one where I feel like I can predict it bugging me at points. The main character is a mixed bag for a start, being a punk kid that wants glory as a hero and will try his hardest to be argumentative with his brother. I don't hate the guy, but at the same time he feels like he's made to really irk me and deliver some conflicts to the plot that just don't need to be there. I can't hate him though because its still a written attempt at a character, and one that works in the context of this kind of game. Anyways gameplay is pretty good, and I love the AI improvements. however unless my memory is too faded, I thought infamous had a cover system where as this one lacks it. It really needs it to, because as it is now I'm forced to sprint around and hide behind giant buildings whenever I take a bit of damage. That's almost all you can do, just keep moving, and hide behind giant chunks, because the MANY waist high things around the area are only there to get in your way as you get gunned down. The health, enemy fire, and areas appear to be designed specifically for a cover system that doesn't exist as far as I'm aware and that's annoying. I guess its to make you use the teleport power, but that only does but so much for you. Outside of that things are good, and despite the main character's attitude I love the way the supporting cast stays around him. Its a great twist that his brother is cop, the D.U.P army is interesting, and this world of conduits is a cool idea. Overall I feel like I haven't quite gotten enough out of the game yet to say much. Its enjoyable, but I do hope there's some kind of cover system that I'm just missing right now.
DuckTales: Remastered
Yeah here's the oddball of the lot. My sister got me this one, and its a pretty neat thing that is quite unique compared to the rest of the things I got. Its DuckTales for the PS3, and just typing its name is getting that show's theme song stuck in my head. I love the older disney cartoons, and DuckTales is no exception, and the game is one of the few liscenced products fit to be worth a fan's time. I'm not a major fan of 2D platformers, but this one feel set up pretty well for me. Its got an easy setting, you can screw up and still move along, you have a good presentation to cheer you up and keep you going, some little extras to fool around with, and the whole game is kind of short from the looks of it meaning I don't have to feel forced to rush this whole thing to get the full experience. Its a good casual play. Oh, and one of the best things is you can literally go swimming in gold, because of course you can.
Anyways that concluded the list and first impressions. I may end up reviewing or further discussing some of these another time, but for now this is all I wanted to do for here. Hope everyone had a good christmas, and I hope for a happy new year.
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