Ush's Videogames review thread!

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Ushgarak
A while ago I opened up my 'Final Fantasy games on the Playstation' review thread. This was always something I had en eye to continuing, and indeed in due course I shall be able to review FFX, man of the moment as I am.

But it seemed quite fun being able to ***** about things I don't like about games, and the reviews seemed reasonably well received, so I am now opneing the field to all of videogaming! FF gaming was a bit of a curiosity to me, after all. I am primarily a PC gamer, though Nintendo has recently won me over.

A relayed forum post in my magazine of choice, PC Gamer, had a comment from a gamer that said "After two decades gaming, my tastes have become so specific that I don't actually like anything any more." This struck a chord with me. When you play games for a long time, in my experience, you see a heck of a lot more that you don't like than you do, and you start seeing things you don't like in just about everything you play, with no game being able to live up to the impossible combination of all the best things you saw in your head that you WANT in a game. Bad for enjoyment, but great for criticism, and this is in a genre where solid criticism has actually helped improve things over time. Therefore, I take the view that me reviewing negatively is a public service. Woo!

I'm not a professional game designer, but that's because I think it is a mistake to make your hobby your job. There is no real course in good game design, it's really down to talent and practice. I actually like to think I am fairly good in this area, and I certainly have some twenty years of practice and experience in hobbyist game design and implementation. Feel free to think my game design views are crap, but I stand by them and would be willing to put some of my designs forward as proof of how some things could be done bettter. If you want a character referece, ask my RP crowd. Note this is entirely about rules concept and execution. I know bugger all about game programming.

I'll comment about games, leave a mark out of ten (with seven being the reasonable mark for enkoying a game), leave a closing summary, and will also list any cardinal sins the game has. Cardinal sins are othewrwise trivial problems with games (i.e. not being down to bugs or massive gameplay mistakes) that nonetheless cause great and continuous irritation. The best example of this would be Unskippable Cutscenes, one of the greatest gaming sins in the book.

Ushgarak

Ushgarak

TricksterPriest
Nice review. very detailed. I can tell you're a star wars fan and honestly trying not to bash the game. thumb up

Ushgarak
Thanks muchly.

You may note that in my 'earlier post' quote I do above I refer to 'both' games.

This is because the issue applies just as much to the sequel. having mentioned that, I'll do a quick review there.


KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC II- THE SITH LORDS

KOTOR II is very similar to the original, to the point where it should have been a data disc. Indeed, such things were released for both Baldur's Gater and Neverwinter Nights, and it is galling to see that this got a full price release.

You play a different character in KOTOR II, set a while after KOTOR with the main character from that game having gone missing. A few of the companions from KOTOR turn up either as cameos or, in the case of your droid, as a party member once more.

By this point in the plot, although the Revan wars are over, various other Sith Lords have virtually exterminated the Jedi and are poised to take over. I must say, the KOTOR writers have a VERY low opinion of the Jedi, who are constantly outmatched, both as warriors and, apprently, morally. They look like feeble imbeciles, really. Creatively I take objection to that- Jedi should look like a force to be reckoned with. Again, I think EU mentality is seeping in here.

But you are basically doing the same thing as in KOTOR- go around, fnd out about yourself (you are fairly clueless about the issues in your past again), level up, go Light or Dark, and have companions following your moral lead in the same manner, until the end where you have the power, pretty much, of a God and can affect the destiny of the Galaxy... err... getting the slightly repetitive picture?

KOTOR II has famously received a lot of flak for being unfinished. The game ends so abruptly that you feel you forgot to install a disc. The issues are more fundamental than that- many of the areas are lifeless and boring, with poor textures and no detail and not much plot. empty spaces seem to be the theme, with even Nar Shadda, a famous EU world meant to be a vast (and famously deep) city, a bustling amoral metropolis wheree everything can be brought and sold, is reduced to a few dark empty screens of vectory buildings with the occasional person wondering around. Criminal, really. It feels sterile and lifeless throughout.

It is indeed true that KOTOR II was rushed and came out before it was really done, although to be fair the detail of character interaction is even more in-depth than the original (their development and plot interest is still very low, though). Various people have tried to re-create the original intended experience, having found data files relevant to entire sections of the game cut out, and that made sense of apparently pointless things that happen near the end (they were simply left in unfinished).

Unfortunately this has given rise to the myth that KOTOR II would have been the best game ever if it had been properly finished. No. It could hardly have failed to help it, of course, but KOTOR II's problems are far more fundamental than that. It is simply NOT, in any way, an improvement on the original. All my above criticisms apply (if anything, it is even easier to rule abuse and hence have no challenge), and added to that are the criticisms of overpricedness, lack of imagination in trying to advance the franchiose... and it basically being sheer repetition. If the plot had been 100% finished, all these issues would still apply.

And so again, because many parts of the basic game design flow well and can be enjoyable, you are not going to gnaw your own hands off in sheer despair playing this game. But it's not good enough, and wehreas I can fondly remember KOTOR as a good game with flaws, KOTOR II is a botched opportunity, simple cash fleecing with no advance. Boo.

Rating: 6/10

Summary: Just as KOTOR. Loses a mark for being rushed and for repetition

§P0oONY
Hey, Ush? Can other members post reviews? I'd quite enjoy that.

Ushgarak
It might look a bit weird in my "I seem to hate all games" thread, unless you really dig my style. I guess there is nothing to stop you opening a thread of your own, though if it became crowded it would need its own section.

Lana should handle this one, of course. It's her section.

Lana
I quit KOTOR2 a quarter through because it was so boring.

Aaaaaaaaaaand I can certainly vouch for Ush's skill and talent in both game design and writing very good plots happy

And now I'm just wondering what game will be torn into next. Hehe.

And on the reviews thing (that's a lot of ands in a row), I think there actually was a game review thread at some point in time but I'm too lazy to look for it at the moment. So while I'd rather the forum not get too cluttered with review threads, I also can't be bothered to dig out the original. Meaning, I'll decide later what to do.

§P0oONY
Originally posted by Ushgarak
It might look a bit weird in my "I seem to hate all games" thread, unless you really dig my style. I guess there is nothing to stop you opening a thread of your own, though if it became crowded it would need its own section.

Lana should handle this one, of course. It's her section.

I like your style but it certainly isn't my own. I'll just wait for Lana's word on this one...

MadMel

BackFire
Ush, curious what games, if any, you'd give 10 out of 10, or 9 out of 10.

Ushgarak
They'll come!

BackFire
Doh, the suspense, and so on.

MadMel
bugga!
suspence always kills me..

WrathfulDwarf
Can't wait to see what Ush will say about FPS. wink

Lord Melkor
Interesting, have you ever reviewed Star Wars, LOTR or Matrix movies, Ush? And I would like to see your review of Baldur`s Gate 2 or Fallout.

And are new RPG`s worth upgrading my computer to play them?

Ushgarak
I'll be honest, I've not seen a "get a new computer" value RP for a while.

I've never done in-depth movie reviews, no.

Ushgarak

Ushgarak

§P0oONY
I agree with your last review 100%. clap

Ushgarak
Ta. Just added in a bit on the freeze time/respect points part.

Pulse2
I like your reviews, very interesting and unbiased, also very much true.

General Kaliero
Bravo, Ush. Your thoughts on Red Steel are pretty much mine.

And there's nothing quite like a casino filled with demented rabbits, burly men in schoolgirl outfits, explosives, and a whole team of wanna-be Zyurangers. That was my favorite level as well.

Lana
...wow, that alone would make me want to play it...

General Kaliero
It would, wouldn't it? stick out tongue

Lana
Bunnies and explosives is a combo that can only really end up in hilarity, unless you're blowing up the rabbits.

But yeah, that sounds REALLY amusing and we all know how I like bizarre and funny things stick out tongue

Spearhead
Originally posted by Lana
Bunnies and explosives is a combo that can only really end up in hilarity, unless you're blowing up the rabbits.

I dunno, there's something about cute and fuzzy things getting asploded that makes me chuckle confused

Anywho, nice work on the reviews Ush; haven't played RS yet, but I find myself agreeing with you more often than not on the KoToR stuff. I look forward to seeing more of your reviews.

Morridini
Have to agree with Ush about his Red Steel review, although he has seen a lot more bugs then me, the only bugs I got were annoying, and not game breaking. I only had the "aim jumping to middle" bug and at times the Voice acting disappeared but the subtitle remained.

Mišt
Originally posted by Lana
I quit KOTOR2 a quarter through because it was so boring.

Heh, me too, and I finished KOTOR half a dozen times over. KOTOR 2 is just waaaaay too same old, same old, and just seems to go so damn slow and bored me.

Ushgarak
Just a little busy with RP stuff right now to write reviews, but will pick up again soon.

Intending to do a load of Classic game reviews too, so you can get my feelings about things past. My loose definition of classic is anything from the last century

Currently on the 'to be reviewed' list!

Modern games:


Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (but I never review a game unless I have finished it, and I am taking this slowly)

Elder Scrolls: Oblivion (for which I will be crucified)

Medieval 2: Total War

Neverwinter Nights II

Civilization IV

Half-Life II


Classic games

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (looking forward to me tearing this one apart, eh? well, tough, I loved it)

Wing Commander III

Rocket Ranger

Lords of Midnight

Alpha Centauri

Midwinter I/II

Blade Runner

BackFire
Hey Ush, did you ever finish up FFX?

General Kaliero
I get the distinct impression I'm gonna love your Oblivion review, Ush. big grin

Ushgarak
Nah, still playing, BF. Balancing between it and Zelda and taking it slow on both so it's all going to last me!

FFX goes in on the to-do list as well. And in case I like it too much to tear it apoart, I have FFX-2 ready to do afterwards.

And yay! I can please GK.

AstroFan
Cant wait to see your Zelda reviews, especially TP since you loved Ocarina. stick out tongue

Lana
Yeah, you'll definitely tear apart FFX-2. Even I've torn that game to shreds and I liked it a lot.

And hey, didn't get crucified over the KOTOR reviews, and people like to hold those games up on golden pedestals, hehe. Oblivion review should be amusing though...

Ushgarak

Ushgarak

MadMel
liked your red steel review mate...summed it up in a nutshell...
cant wait for the zelda, TP one big grin..

General Kaliero
Excellent review of HL2, Ush. Once again, I find myself agreeing with pretty much everything. Scary. I usually argue with everyone. ermm

Lana
Except me!

I've never played Half-Life, actually. Maybe I should do that at some point?

And didn't we play Heretic over the summer?

MadMel
^ same...never played HL..

Ushgarak
Yes, but Doomsday has improved since then

BackFire
Haha, I remember Heretic. That game was neat, I really enjoyed it. Like you, Ush, I had the little shareware demo version, never got the full game but I remember playing the demo shareware version quite a bit.

And yes, Lana. You should definitely play Half-Life. It changed the FPS genre forever, and is still a damn fun game, even now almost a decade later.

Lana
Hmmmm, I must say that FPSs tend to not hold my attention for very long and they bore me fast, which is generally because of the lack of plot (say what you will about an FPS having a great plot, it's still not going to be terribly involved or a large part of the game, and that's just because of the nature of the genre), and it's plot that usually keeps me with a game.

BackFire
Half Life has a very strong plot, and the way it's told is very natural and organic. It enjoys a happy medium between plot, action and cerebral gameplay. Seeing as the game is so cheap now, you really don't have much to lose, even if you don't like it.

Smasandian
It's not really about the plot, more about how the developers told the story that makes it damn good.

I have to disagree about some of the things that Ush has said. More of personal preference really. I loved HL2 setting because it was more unique throughout the whole game and each level was pretty spetacular on its self. In HL1, near the end, I got the feeling of seeing the same things over again, and Xen is gotta to be one of the worst levels out there. It felt like Valve put it in there just to have something different.

What I really like about HL2 is all the small details in the world that brings it to life. Posters, sounds of distant battles, strider's over in the horizon, NPC's that bring life to the game rather than take away the experience like so many other NPC's in games.

Too me, there isnt any weaknesses that Half Life 2 had while it was better in terms of presentation. Its only problem is that its the sequel to one of the best games ever made. You cant fault Valve for that. You have to admit, it wasnt an disappointment and it lived up to the original.

Ushgarak
Err... (looks at my review)... frankly... no. I CAN fault Valve for it because they deliberately chose to take a less ambitious approach compared to what HL had been in development. As I said in my review, it is perfectly fair comment to point out that its vision was limited compared to HL's- and that other games have shown that it is perfectly possible for this to not be the case when making a sequel. I believe it would be objectively weak to score it the same, this being so. Half-Life advanced the very concept of the FPS genre; HL2 tried nothing but to tinker with what HL did. HL simply must be seen as the better achievement in that light, and indeed history holds it to be so. Hence I would entirely dispute your comment that it lived up to the original. Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time- here were sequels that lived up to the true impact of earlier works. They were much more fundamental and ambitious achievements than HL2 was. Not only did they improve all the presentational aspects of the original just as Half-Life 2 did, they also continued to fundamentally improve the genre, and I'll be damned if I rate HL2 on the same level on that when it did nothing even close.

All those things you mention about the background being nice- again, these were developments of things that Half-Life had already started, just done better. And part of the point is that lots of FPSs were doing that sort of thing by then, because they were also desperately copying Half-Life by then. In fact, there is an argument- with which I hold some sympathy- that Half-Life may have actually started a negative trend of FPSs looking to do flashy one-off set pieces at the expense of general gameplay; some of the Call of Duty style games were used as examples.

I also do not think I am alone in not liking the setting as much. I will admit finding it very hard to understand a point of view that puts HL2 on a higher pedestal as a gaming achievement than HL.

Game scoring is not something that can be seen as an absolute scale based on the same qualities, else I would have to score everything now out of 5 because the marks 6 to 10 would have to be saved for all the better games coming in future. If HL2 had come out at the same time as HL, if you can twist your head around that logic, then it would get the better score, sure. But it didn't, it came out later at a point where expectations had changed and certain things had already been experienced and already been done. My reviews, certainly, take this kind of thing into account- and with changed expectations comes changed enjoyment. HL2 did not do anything to make me enjoy it, or more precisely to engage me, quite as much as Half-Life did. And I am always going to rate a game based around the quality of gaming experience it provides relative to its situation because, frankly, that is the only important factor. A measure of pure technical achievement would be of little value and would discount the true value of earlier works.

It is simply not the gaming achievement the original was. Therefore it does not score as much. Simple as that. Frankly, it is irrelevant whether it is a sequel or not. It could be a totally different game with the same gameplay and I would score it the same. I'm a tough marker and I already gave it an 8; it should be damn happy with that.

Smasandian
Well, I got something completly different from you in terms of HL2.

Smasandian
Well, I got something competely different than you did in terms of HL2.

I dont really care what you give it as a score, or really didnt find it enjoyable as much as HL. All I'm saying is that I found HL2 more enjoyable, better to play and thats the reason I like it more than the original.

Is it as original as the first, no, but when has an FPS came out that has changed the way the genre is being played, but I dont take in account how much the game is original, all I care about is how fun it is. The last one FPS to be different has been the System Shock series/Dues Ex and Battlfield series in terms of MP.

Ushgarak
Well, I certainly think it is a big mistake to ignore the impact a game has on the medium of gaming itself, and not award kudos to a game for that. I think it is a very laudable thing for a game to do that, and games that do it deserve recognition for that. As the two Half-Life games were similar in all other ways, that HL2 lacks that particular kudos is the deciding factor in the original, objectively speaking, deserving a higher mark.

It's not about being original, it is about extending vision. Some games do it and some don't. Games that do it get the credit for it.

You damn well should have found it better to play. Companies that make sequels that are actively worse to play- especially after so much time- deserve bankruptcy. But that's par for the course. Like I say, take that line and I can't give any game a high score now because games might be more enjoyable in future. It's a ridiculous way to rate games. The bare minimum I would expect of a sequel like HL2 is that it has enhanced graphics and gameplay.

But it's all relative to time going by. For its time, Half-Life was a much better achievement than Half-Life 2 was for its time. It also achieved much, much more. People should want more games to be like the first than the second, because without such innovation gaming will die. You can't just keep refining.

So yeah, I find a mark down for that absolutely and 100% justified.

WrathfulDwarf
Keep in mind also that games review for a console to a PC will be different. It's like saying KOTOR is an average RPG for the PC but for a console is slighty better. Not saying console is better than PC. But ports from a console to a PC have been known to have differences.

Smasandian
Dont you find to a point that its harder and harder to innovate in the genre FPS than before. What really innovating ideas has companies produced in the FPS genre since the original Half Life?

I think in this month, Valve is going to release info about a new game than are publishing from Arcane Studio's about a game called The Crossing? It's suppose to be the new idea to come into the FPS genre in a long time.

Ushgarak
Then good luck to them!

And if it is genuinely impossible to have done something novel along the lines of HL, then they have my sympathy and as I said in the review, I'm not even saying they SHOULD have done something new because it might have been crap.

I am simply saying that I cannot avoid the fact that Half-Life was a greater achievement in that way, whatever the circumstances of that being true are.

Smasandian
I know.

Superboy Prime
Lightning doesn't hit the same place twice unless it's Zelda. <_<;

Ushgarak
I'll get onto Zelda soon...

General Kaliero
Take your time, it'll get a better review. stick out tongue

How far along are you, anyway?

Ushgarak
Err, not very far. I've actually been going through Raving Rabbids lately; I didn't feel like any game that would make me have to think.

Lana
Damnit I want that game.

I take it then you're not very far on FFX either? Hehe...

Ushgarak
Hmmm, what do you think... Modern or Classic review next?

General Kaliero
I say modern.

InnerRise
Modern.

anata wa wakarimasu ka.....

AstroFan
Classic, I want Ocarina. stick out tongue

§P0oONY
Classic.

§P0oONY
My comments as far as HL2 are concerned are this I was never a large fan of the original. It got all the hype and I personally thought it was too linear and predictable. It had a decent storyline but then, so did the 2nd. I liked both of the games and I don't really have a preference, neither game held me that well... I quit playing both and didn't finish them until about a year later.


Deus Ex > Half-Life
Half-Life > Deus Ex: Invisible War

Lana
Originally posted by AstroFan
Classic, I want Ocarina. stick out tongue

I agree with this comment!

Or maybe do Perfect Dark...

§P0oONY
Originally posted by Lana
I agree with this comment!

Or maybe do Perfect Dark...
I can see Perfect Dark as quite a predictable review... But then again, I assume OoT will be too.

Smasandian
I liked Dues Ex alot, but one thing I have to say about that game, it didnt age very well. Im not talking from an graphics standpoint, I'm talking about the horrible combat it had.

Great game, but not even close to Half Life.

Ushgarak
Oh egad yeah, Deus Ex was flawed in that department. Also they hadn't done their homework about the political philosophy; it's wrong right from the intro sequence.

I think my major obstacle to a Deus Ex review, though, is that I don't quite remember the details of it well enough. I remember what irritated me about it, though, was the way I would sneak up on someone, smash them full strength over the head with the baton, only to have them twirl around and shoot me. Compare Thief, where a decent sneaking gave you a guaranteed knockdown. It really just encouraged an all-guns approach. The learning curve was also broken- because you felt almost paraplegic at first, but acquired new skills quickly, the game was actually hardest at the start and easiest at the end. Don't get me wrong though, it was more good than bad. Not 100% my sort of game though, which is also why I start off with a bad attitude to Oblivion, just as with Morrowind before it.

Someone was working on a co-op conversion for DE. Never finished- shame, would have been great! System Shock II did it right in that department.

§P0oONY
Originally posted by Smasandian
I liked Dues Ex alot, but one thing I have to say about that game, it didnt age very well. Im not talking from an graphics standpoint, I'm talking about the horrible combat it had.

Great game, but not even close to Half Life. How was the combat flawed?

It's by far my favourite FPS though. Storyline was amazing and it was far less linear than titles like Half Life... And I've never really noticed that a covert approach doesn't work.... But that's because I never use one. Probably why Thief just pissed me off, especially on levels where you can't kill anyone.

Ushgarak
Well, I lost interest in the Thief franchise. I'm just not sure why Deus Ex bothered with that approach if it was going to disempower it.

Also that way that a tranq shot to the head was more effective than a bullet, early on. Hmm.

§P0oONY
Yeah, I noticed the tranq dart thing..... Head shots should have been a one shot kill with pretty much any gun. I don't generally take the melee approach at all in the game, so the stealth aspect worked for me.

Smasandian
Yeah, headshoots are brutal in Deus Ex. I just recently played it and I would hit the guy in the head with an sniper bullet, and he would turn around run around in different directions.

Also, the combat is boring. The AI is brutal to a point where you just kill a guy and they start running around and then stop, and just sit there for a couple of minutes.

Deus Ex is considered a great game because of its exploration, depth of gameplay in terms of how you can accomplish missions, and overall good storyline. What makes an good game, but not great, and never considered to be HL equal is the horrible AI, and awful combat, both in melee and weapons. Those two catergories are huge to an FPS.

BackFire
I was never able to get into Deus Ex or it's sequel.

I tried many times, but never succeeded.

Probably has something to do with the game being a ****ing system hog when it first came out, and not being able to run well on my computer at the time.

§P0oONY
Originally posted by Smasandian
Yeah, headshoots are brutal in Deus Ex. I just recently played it and I would hit the guy in the head with an sniper bullet, and he would turn around run around in different directions.

Also, the combat is boring. The AI is brutal to a point where you just kill a guy and they start running around and then stop, and just sit there for a couple of minutes.

Deus Ex is considered a great game because of its exploration, depth of gameplay in terms of how you can accomplish missions, and overall good storyline. What makes an good game, but not great, and never considered to be HL equal is the horrible AI, and awful combat, both in melee and weapons. Those two catergories are huge to an FPS.

Yeah, I see where you're going from now.... The game held me, I enjoy it to this day, so I still prefer it to HL. It had an awesome Mass_Spawn cheat as well.

Smasandian
Dont get me wrong, it's still a good game.

I just wish it had better combat, maybe in a few years from now, they do another sequel but with much better combat, or stealth.

Ushgarak
On the Twilight Princess front, a decision has been made/Lana imposed that I hshuld finish FFX first. That's fair- after all, this thread rgew out of my FF review thread.

Which reminds me, add FFT to the Classics list.

Lana
Oh yeah, put it all on me.

Though admittedly I have been pestering you to play FFX for a few years now. Hehe.

Kenshinswife
Your pretty brilliant Ush. Dont worry Lana, i have secretly been waiting for the ffx review also. stick out tongue

Ushgarak

Ushgarak

Smasandian
Is that suppose to be out of 20, or 10?

Ushgarak
Oops! Corrected via my modliness.

BackFire
I love Tactics, too bad I was never able to complete it.

I got to the same spot about 4 times, and each time my save file would get corrupted, really pissed me off.

I hear they're remaking it for the DS or something, can't wait.

InnerRise
I have Final Fantasy Tactics for the Game Boy Advance. I got it some years ago. (Whenever it came out.)

It was ok with it..............for a second.

I disliked it with a passion.

So recently, as in the last year or so I gave it another chance and actually got into it some more and it wasn't as bad as I had previously thought.

It didn't completely draw me in, but it was ok and playable for a while until I just got bored and I haven't played it in a while.

I may end up picking it up again some day though. Just not ahora mismo.

anata wa wakarimasu ka.....

§P0oONY
Originally posted by Lana
Oh yeah, put it all on me.

Though admittedly I have been pestering you to play FFX for a few years now. Hehe.
Why? It's not a great FF game... confused

MadMel
Originally posted by Lana
I agree with this comment!

Or maybe do Perfect Dark...
or goldeneye??? confused

BackFire
Originally posted by InnerRise
I have Final Fantasy Tactics for the Game Boy Advance. I got it some years ago. (Whenever it came out.)

It was ok with it..............for a second.

I disliked it with a passion.

So recently, as in the last year or so I gave it another chance and actually got into it some more and it wasn't as bad as I had previously thought.

It didn't completely draw me in, but it was ok and playable for a while until I just got bored and I haven't played it in a while.

I may end up picking it up again some day though. Just not ahora mismo.

anata wa wakarimasu ka.....

The Tactics for GBA is not nearly as good as the original.

Ushgarak
Yes, as I think my review made clear, do not mistake the GBA game for this one.

Lana

MadMel
Originally posted by MadMel
or goldeneye??? confused

Ushgarak
Hmm, is there really much to say about Goldeneye?

§P0oONY
Originally posted by Lana
Uhh, yes it is. As far as I'm concerned, it's the best of the series. And considering what I know about what Ush likes and doesn't about FF games, I'm fairly certain that he'll like it a lot.
I'd say it's my 5th favourite in the series... Wasn't really my cup of tea.
Originally posted by Ushgarak
Hmm, is there really much to say about Goldeneye?
Controls are unresponsive as hell now... Then again my N64 controllers may just be screwed from too much Mario Party. hmm

Totally Pawn-3D some of my friends though.

MadMel
Originally posted by Ushgarak
Hmm, is there really much to say about Goldeneye? just a couple of numbers and a /..
in other words 9.5/10 laughing out loud

Ushgarak
The controls in Goldeneye ARE slow. But the good thing was that the single-player game seemed built around that- it wasn't at the breakneck pace of other FPS games (including Red Steel, so the slow turning hurts more there), and that loss of speed seemed to not hurt the gameplay at all. It really was well designed.

In multiplayer the slow turning was more annoying but at least everyone was in the same boat.

MadMel
i liked the multi in red steel..
only because noone else could get used to the controls in time for me to shoot them..wasnt exactly fair..

Ushgarak
Oh man, I tried that on New Year's Eve, and it seemed like it SHOULD be fun, but the levels were too b ig and the damn phones wouldn't stop runing.

"Kill the Mystery Player"... just SHUT UP about the damn mystery player already!

§P0oONY
Originally posted by Ushgarak
The controls in Goldeneye ARE slow. But the good thing was that the single-player game seemed built around that- it wasn't at the breakneck pace of other FPS games (including Red Steel, so the slow turning hurts more there), and that loss of speed seemed to not hurt the gameplay at all. It really was well designed.

In multiplayer the slow turning was more annoying but at least everyone was in the same boat.
Yeah, what I meant is it seems much slower now then it did. I believe the game's game play has dated over the years. It's still a marvelous game but I'd not rate it as highly as I would have in the past. It's probably one of those things that should have stayed as a memory, rather than being dug out.

MadMel
hmm...
hope youve played conkers BFD ush...god id love to see a review on that laughing out loud

§P0oONY
I loved Conkers Bad Fur Day... It was such a bad-ass platformer, the game play was shoddy but I used to feel like a man playing it. It was like Banjo Kazooie on drugs...

MadMel
laughing out loud
gotta love the multiplayer...i was always greg the grimreaper laughing out loud...i owned with the throwing knives

Smasandian
Really, you thought the gameplay was crap for Conkers?

I thought it was excellent, a terrific platformer.

InnerRise
I would like to get a review on "Indigo Prophecy."

I don't know exactly how it did in sales, but it was a very good game in my opinion.

Very original and unlike any other game I've played.

It was short though.

The game was made in mind to be similar to a movie experience and it kind of was.

He's making another game, but it's totally separate from "Indigo Prophecy" but it's suppose to be similar in gameplay in some way.

It's going to be for the PS3.

anata wa wakarimasu ka.....

Ushgarak
Gahh, stop throwing old console games at me... it's far more unlikely I ever played them...

InnerRise
Excuse Me. mhm

anata wa wakarimasu ka.....

MadMel
Originally posted by Smasandian
Really, you thought the gameplay was crap for Conkers?

I thought it was excellent, a terrific platformer.
and funny as **** laughing

Smasandian
Yeah it was pretty funny.

MadMel
what theres a funnier game??
GIMME!!@

ESB -1138
Originally posted by Ushgarak
Gahh, stop throwing old console games at me... it's far more unlikely I ever played them...

Do a next-gen game already like Twilight Princess, Gears of War, or Resistance: Fall of Man. (notice I used Wii, 360, and PS3 from my favorite to least favorite)

AstroFan
I think Ush only has a Wii.




Originally posted by MadMel
what theres a funnier game??
GIMME!!@


The Mario and Luigi games, they may not be potty humor, but I find them funnier. stick out tongue

Ushgarak
I'll tell you what I forgot to add for Tactics- the control system is awful.

Would be much better with a mouse- or stylus, hint hint...

But it;s not just that, it's just needlessly awkward in many ways. I dunno if the Advance version changed that.

Ushgarak
Coming this weekend- my long overdue FFX review!

Lana
I was going to start pestering you about that...

BackFire
It's this weekend, where's the review, Ushy?

Lana
Weekend is almost over, for that matter...

Spidervlad
Ooh ooh, do Oblivion!!! It would suck if you gave it less than 9/10 thought =D That game had me literrally eat in front of the computer, while I was addicted to it. The twists, the storylines, the whole world, it's just so complex...

Alpha Centauri
Originally posted by Lana
I was going to start pestering you about that...

Hypocrite Harriet.

Every time me or VVD asked for your post in the albums thread, you put it off for about a decade!

-AC

BackFire
Originally posted by Alpha Centauri
Hypocrite Harriet.

Every time me or VVD asked for your post in the albums thread, you put it off for about a decade!

-AC

Hyperbole, she hasn't even been registered for a decade.

You're better than that.

Lana
Originally posted by Alpha Centauri
Hypocrite Harriet.

Every time me or VVD asked for your post in the albums thread, you put it off for about a decade!

-AC

But I got it done, didn't I? My putting it off was more due to indecisiveness than anything stick out tongue

Ushgarak

Ushgarak

Ushgarak

Ushgarak

Cloud_VII
HOLY GOD...that is a lot of writing.

Anyways, nice work. I would probably not have took the time to do that...although Final Fantasy X is one of my favorite games of all-time.

I really liked Final Fantasy X-2 by the way stick out tongue

Lana
And did I not say that you'd like FFX?

Yeah, you'd like FFXII a lot.

Cloud_VII
Me?

Lana y aren't u replyin to my message sad

Lana
...I don't generally reply to random PMs from people I don't know. Don't really care for them.

AstroFan
Ouch. stick out tongue

dirkdirden
USH are you writeing stuff down as you play the game or is your memory that good?

That is a very long review and I agree with most of what you said, but in the weapons, and armor part I think you were too nice on the game because I feel the weapon and armor were the worst part of the game and should have been totally redone. In an RPG I want a new weapon to make a difference but in this game you can use your first weapon all the way through the game, and changing your armor doesn't make much difference either.

Cloud_VII
*cries* i just sent you a huggy smilie!

*cries*

BackFire
Always fun to read your reviews, Ush.

Ushgarak
Yaaay!

Well, I did mention I was not happy with the weapons and I would have preferred something simpler, and indeed, they didn't seem to make a huge amount of difference, unelss you got the Ultimate Ones. But that wasn;t quite a big enough deal for me to make a huge fuss out of it. game mechanic wise the facade of the sphere grid got to me more.

Lana
Teehee.

I want to see how you tear apart FFX-2 (moreso than what you have to me over MSN, anyway).

Cloud_VII
Lana! eek!

dirkdirden
I smell Estalker.

Ushgarak

Ushgarak

Cloud_VII
WOOOOOOW

dirkdirden
so true such is the crap that was X-2

Lana
I think that was probably the most amusing review yet.

And you know very well what I think of the end of X-2 (the good/perfect one), which is why I pretend that it doesn't exist. Yaaaaaaay.

Cloud_VII
Final Fantasy X-2 rocks!

AstroFan
WHats the next non FF review? lol

Cloud_VII
USH should know.

AstroFan
Thats who I was asking. roll eyes (sarcastic)

Ushgarak
Zelda is still on the backburner.

I guess I could bite the bullet and do Oblivion.

Lana
Ready to be labeled a heretic by half the VG forum, then?

Ushgarak
Yup...

General Kaliero
Heheh. I must admit I've been looking forward to your review of Oblivion, Ush, having left and come back to it several times (currently haven't touched it in weeks).

Oh, and I didn't think it was possible to make me dislike the idea of playing X-2 even more. Congrats.

Ushgarak
What bits did I make worse still for you?

Cloud_VII
What's so bad about X-2?

- The gameplay is awesome

- The character designs are awesome

- The CG is flawless

- The plot is very captivating

- The game is really, really vast

- The fights are hard as hell

The only thing I find wierd about it is that there are all these pointless side quests. I also wish I could've played as Nooj or Baralai. Those guys were kickass.

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