What has everyone been playing this week?

[fallenangle]

Not sure if this counts more as retro now but I thought I'd play Xbox LoK Blood Omen 2. Put it off for years as I was a bit disappointed by Soul Reaver 2 (PS2) its chronological predecessor in the LoK games family.I'm nearing the end now and BO2 is another Crystal Dynamics game which like SR2, disappoints. Mostly linear, often dull level design, invisible barriers/inconsistent physics to prevent you going off course and generally not a patch on the best of the 'series' the original Soul Reaver. Inconsistency is the general theme though.When they've put some real effort into the level design and related puzzle elements those areas are really enjoyable to play through, The boss fights too are pitched at just the right difficulty for my taste. The general combat too is above average yet there's inconsistency here as well with some enemies you meet earlier in the game being considerable tougher than later ones.The whole game looks as if they've given the task of designing certain areas to different people/teams and then stitched the thing together without smoothing out the inevitable patchwork result.

[Salsa Party Animal]

At the moment I am playing Dead Space on PS3, new Batman and Fifa 2012 on XBOX 360. Can't play extended gaming on XBOX 360 due to power management issue on hardware. (Need repairs)

[Cepp]

Dead Rising 2: Case Zero. It was only 400 points so I gave it a shot and it's pretty good! My only issue is the load times really but I still enjoyed it enough that I played through it in one sitting and then went back for the achievements.

[nakamura]

Not sure if this counts more as retro now but I thought I'd play Xbox LoK Blood Omen 2. Put it off for years as I was a bit disappointed by Soul Reaver 2 (PS2) its chronological predecessor in the LoK games family.I'm nearing the end now and BO2 is another Crystal Dynamics game which like SR2, disappoints. Mostly linear, often dull level design, invisible barriers/inconsistent physics to prevent you going off course and generally not a patch on the best of the 'series' the original Soul Reaver. Inconsistency is the general theme though.When they've put some real effort into the level design and related puzzle elements those areas are really enjoyable to play through, The boss fights too are pitched at just the right difficulty for my taste. The general combat too is above average yet there's inconsistency here as well with some enemies you meet earlier in the game being considerable tougher than later ones.The whole game looks as if they've given the task of designing certain areas to different people/teams and then stitched the thing together without smoothing out the inevitable patchwork result.

I completely loved SR2, best in the series for me but I am yet to play Defiance. Mine keeps crashing!

Currently playing Metal Gear Solid 3 and I frankly hate it. It controls badly and has been a complete bore for the first hour. Not having a radar sucks too. I loved the first 2.

[Neon Ignition]

Which version are you playing? Subsistance has the redone camera which makes a huuuge difference

[nakamura]

Yeah the subsistance version. The old camera is virtually useless. It is a wonder the game got such high scores without it. Sneaking around is almost impossible when you have to keep switching to the clunky first person view.

Also, when laying on the ground in first person you cannot look up or down but equip the goggles and you can. Design flaw!

2 hours in and almost no gameplay so far.

[Fader209]

Finished Batman AC this week including all side missions, Riddler trophies, riddles, Catwoman riddles etc. Only 5 more combat Riddler challenges to do, New Game + and then to continue on with the challenge maps

The extra Joker Carnival map can go **** off mind....1000000 points?!?! I checked the online world leaderboard and someone had managed to get to 7 million!

[J0e Musashi]

Dark Souls mainly, but I've been playing Dante's Inferno on and off for months now. I decided to pick it up after completing GoW3 and I was after more of the same.

[fallenangle]

I completely loved SR2, best in the series for me but I am yet to play Defiance. Mine keeps crashing!Currently playing Metal Gear Solid 3 and I frankly hate it. It controls badly and has been a complete bore for the first hour. Not having a radar sucks too. I loved the first 2.

I was going to say that about getting the MGS: Subsistence too. I imported US NTSC PS2 MGS Collection just for Subsistence. The PAL version was, and I think still is, being sold at stupid prices on eBay (?50+ in some cases).

As regards Soul Reaver 2 - it had its moments and where CD put the effort in it was plenty good enough. But too often it was just mundane. Give me the original Soul Reaver, the DC version by preference, any time - a true classic of the PSOne generation.

Still to do Xbox Defiance myself also. It was far better received than SR2 or BO2 and since it appears to be the last LoK game we'll ever get I want to keep it for when I'm really in the mood for the final chapter of these entertaining gothic vampire tales.

[nakamura]

Well MGS3 is growing on me. It is as clunky as hell to play, even back in the day it would have felt poor but it is somehow compelling a times. There are just so many odd choices regarding the camera. Eating is rather fun though!

[Neon Ignition]

The back end of the game is pure

[nakamura]

Is the back end good because of the cutscenes or the gameplay? Four and a half hours in now and I am beginning to think it is one of the most overrated games I have ever played. It is so inconsistant it is untrue.

You get spotted and run, nowhere to hide and the guards follow you into each area, annoying.
You get spotted and crawl underground with the guards watching you and they seem to be unable to then find you despite watching you go in and eventually give up.

Always have to wait 1min30 for caution to vanish, too long. Game tells you to head north but no compass.

So far, MGS2 despite some dodgy story moments is a far far better game than this.

[Neon Ignition]

To try and avoid spoilers, you know how MGS1s back end escalated into bigger and bigger revelations and sequences? MGS3 is like that but on an epic scale

[warlike92]

I got a free Wii this week so I bought a copy of Super mario All-stars + japanese club nintendo famicom controller + Super mario galaxy 1&2 + Preordered Zelda Skyward Sword. So I think I have enough for these months, pretty much all the musthave wii games at once!

[Fader209]

I'm with Nakamura on the MGS3 front. First time around wayyy back on release it was decent enough with the story being fresh and exciting but I tried playing it only a couple of months ago and couldn't get into it. The cutscenes (esp the codec bits) are so dull and overly long that it kills the atmosphere for me.
MGS2 is a cracking game and I believe I prefer it over 3.

Warlike - Plenty of games to keep you going! I can't recommend SMG1 + 2 enough, sure they are similar to one another but the standard of gaming there is A+.