Currently Playing

Currently Playing
Crush the Castle 2
Armorgames
Flash

Um, my favorite flash game ever now has a sequel.  Click the link and go play it.

Currently Playing

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Reflex
Wii
Half-Life 2
Steam

First of all, the Call of Duty update.  First of all, I got a five kill streak with my Gold Desert Eagle.  We were playing TDM on Bloc, and you know how Sniper happy everyone gets on that map.  I had decided to do a run through the building, and when I got to the end, guys kept running up the stairs.  I had already emptied my assault rifle on the run over, so I pulled out the Deagle, and somehow ran through 5 kills, until I ran out of ammo on that too.

I have discovered the trick to proper sidearm use is simply to aim down the site, for some reason it makes them almost perfectly accurate, even with the Deagle's high recoil.




As for Half-Life 2, I can't stop playing this game.  It really took a long time to get going, but ever since getting to the City 17 parts, and now the Citadel, I have trouble telling myself to quit when it is 2 in the morning and I have to be up early.

I will say, however, that this game does continue to make every effort to be un-enjoyable.  First of all, the ant-lion part is simply annoying.  Although the game does do the Portal-esque jump correction, it still is first person platforming.  I think the worst is when you try to stand on the wood pallets, and for some reason even after you make the jump, you sort of slide off.

But, then you get the control the ant-lions, and once again, the game is awesome.  Using those guys is way too much fun.

Then, you climb the mountains, go underground, etc, and the environments are awesome again.  However, you then start working with the squad...  They seem hell bent on dying, which is annoying.  And the fact that they only listen to your stay put order for 30 seconds before declaring "Follow Freeman!"

My other big gripe is that they don't explain some stuff that needs explaining, like that killing the snipers can only be done with grenades, and sometimes I have no idea where to run while some big, un-killable enemy, pounds away with its turret gun.

But of course, you then find the ammo supply crate, and taking out that big stalker is one of the more satisfying game experiences you can have.

Currently Playing

Currently Playing
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Reflex Edition
Wii

Played a few matches of team tactical the past two nights.  Really enjoyed both, until the lag snuck in that is.  I can't wait to get a better internet connection.

Something I was thinking about when discussing CoD4, as it is known to the rest of the world, was about Sabotage.  Obviously their version of capture the flag, they seem to have abandoned it for MW2.  However, I think Sabotage is really fun, and very frantic.  The one bomb idea is pretty nice, because it prevents people from playing stay at home defense, and it prevents "each time has the flag" standoffs.

This mix of fast moving offense and defense is part of the appeal.  On offense, you probably want ExCon, since the bomb doesn't reset when dropped, and since simply running past defenders makes sense.  But when it switches to defense, you probably want steady aim, deep impact, maybe even martyrdom.  On offense,  mobility is key, so unless you are a quick scope master, no snipers, and no LMGs.  But on defense, LMGs are really nice to have.  Defense might want claymores or C4, but these are useless on offense.

Also, the plant/defuse delay is a nice addition as well.  Even as the bomb is run into your base, you know you aren't finished yet.  Also, even when you think you are home free, there is always a chance for something to go wrong.  Two little points here.  One, most of the time, a plant is a score, I see defuses very rarely.  Two, it is really annoying when you can't plant/defuse because too many weapons are laying on the ground, and the game doesn't know if you are trying to plant or change weapons.

Having said that, I find that these games almost always end in the first 30 seconds.  Both teams rush, one team wins the firefight, then moves into the dead team's spawn, so by the time the they respawn, they are pushed into the field, and the game bomb is planted, game over.

The second problem, and this is what I ran into today, is that when your teammates don't know how to play, the game is terrible.  I was playing on what was probably the better team, but every time we got the bomb, the bomb carrier hung back.  I think he (or maybe she?) wanted to try and not die and take it all the way.  But the problem is, unless you are on a well coordinated team, this doesn't work.  First of all, noob tubes end up killing both you and your escorts in one shot.  Second of all, you have a big red target above your head, the only way to manage this is to keep moving. Third, one small mistake, and you drop the bomb, but instead of having moved it forward, it is now right in front of your base.  I even called in a chopper at one point, and we still hung around on our half of the map.

And the final move of supreme idiocy that anyone should be able to figure out.  When your teammate is defusing the bomb, DON'T STAND NEXT TO HIM!!! A grenade will kill all of you at once, especially since that is where the other team is aiming.  Also, instead, why don't you provide cover! I had the laptop out, although I really had a feeling I would die, but of course, the same grenade that got me killed three of our other guys as well...

Oh well, you play for fun anyways, and we never really got spawn trapped, and despite the lag I went 28-14, plus had some decent bomb runs.

Currently Playing

Currently Playing
Half-Life 2
Steam Mac/PC

Half-Life 2 celebrated the move to Mac with a decent discount, but honestly, I was buying this discount or not.  I am about 5 hours in, having just started the Ravenholm part.  I actually just got the Shotgun.

So far, the game is amazing.  Seriously, I am really, really enjoying it.  The environments are awesome, in my opinion, although at times a little lifeless.  The NPCs are very well done.  The weapons are fun, and I like that so far there are only 5.  The story is well told.  Also, the enemies are really cool.  I think the way the headcrabs and Civil Protection. React when getting shot and dying adds a lot.

So far, only one crash on my computer.  I am pretty excited to play more.  Currently, my only gripe is that a lot of the achievements aren't necessarily hard, they just require multiple playthroughs, since some require a choice and are mutually exclusive, while others you really have to know what you are looking for.  Nonetheless, I am currently playing on easy, but will go back for a normal, and possible hard, playthrough.

Currently Playing

Currently Playing
Madballs in...Babo:Invasion
PC/Mac/Xbox 360


I have been playing this game pretty regularly, after picking it up on sale, lured by the claims of strong multiplayer.  I have played through the first half of the campaign (it is divided into two factions) and found it to be passable, but nothing to write home about.  The AI is pretty boring, although the variety of weapons and character classes mean you can approach it however you want.

The multiplayer is a lot better, but still hampered by some major problems.  The first is the lack of support.  It is almost impossible to find, I kid you not, more than 12 people online at any one time.  If that server is in Europe, your ping will probably be too high to play, and you are out of luck.

The co-op, which was another selling point for me, is equally disappointing.  The only mode is to play through the ENTIRE CAMPAIGN in one sitting, ALWAYS STARTING FROM THE BEGINNING.  Why? This makes no sense, since the first two or three levels hardly have enemies.  It really is no fun rolling through a level with your friends without anyone to kill.  The only level I really want co-op for is the last one, but I don't want to have to spend a few hours clearing the game to play it.

Other issues include terrible design and balance choices.  For example, the speedy characters have so little health that they take one or two hits from ANY weapon.  The heavy characters can take damage all day, but struggle to roll up even the tiniest hill.  Also, the special abilities are not balanced at all.  They range from instant one hit kill to completely worthless.

Having said all that, the game does have some major redeeming qualities.  The persistent unlocking/level up system is nicely done.  It is shared across multiplayer and single player, so really you should spend some time unlocking in single player before jumping online, or you can just jump online at any time and play around.  Also, some of the unlocks appear for using specific abilities, some for using a specific character, some just for playing the game.   This system works well, the only problem is that you do need to spend time unlocking things before having a chance at playing online.  This is a small problem, as you can unlock most of what you need in about an hour.

My only hope is that I can continue playing this online, since I am enjoying the multiplayer.  I forgot to mention that the 4 player co-op survival is really fun, at least the two games I have played.  Maybe I can convince my brother to download the 360 version, as I am almost positive it supports cross platform multiplayer.

If you play this game, let me know your Steam ID or whatever other name you are registered under, I want to play with you.

Currently Playing

Torchlight
PC/Mac
View My Steam Achievements



Ah, Torchlight.  This game has been generating quite a buzz in the gaming community recently, or at least I feel I have been hearing a lot about it.  I picked it up on sale recently, as I do most of my Steam purchases.

First of all, a confession:  I never played, even once, Diablo or Diablo II. So I have little nostalgia for either game, or even really this genre.  The closest I have come to a real dungeon crawler loot fest is Dark Cloud for the PS2.  I enjoyed that game, but never really got into the deep grinding that was required just to clear the game, let along max characters and weapons.

But Torchlight was highly recommended, and it advertised a netbook mode settings, so I knew my computer would run it.  Needless to say, I have been devoting some serious time to this game as of late.

I have started off playing as a Vanquisher, which is basically a ranger.  There are only three classes, Melee, Caster, and Ranger, as it is.  There is some paper-thin story, that somehow I believe is unique to each class, but it really is no matter.  Fortunately, while the story is thin, it isn't annoying, awkward or childish.  It is just simple.  Personally, I think that is fine, the story is there but it never bothers you.

The gameplay is very similar to Diablo, you click enemies to attack them, but Torchlight allows for the holding down of the attack button to spare mice.  So far the gameplay is pretty good, I find the killing satisfying, the character movement fluid, and the spells and special abilities easy enough to access.  My only gripes here would be minor difficulties getting the running correct over elevation changes, and the way nothing is explained to you.  These game has almost no tutorial, which is fine, but is also lacking in in-game manuals.  To review the manual, you must exit out of the game, and then open the pdf file.

So far the loot gathering is fun as well, but again I don't always understand what I am looking for in the items.  They may be standard, have magical enchantments (like crit rate +2%), have slots for ember (which in turn gives stat boosts or added effects, like life drain), or they may be part of a set, (the more matching pieces, the bigger the bonuses) or they may be unique (haven't grabbed any yet).  My problem is that I do not yet fully understand the ember crafting system, whereby attaching gems is permanent, but later you can either destroy the item and get the gem, or destroy the gem and get the item.  So I am unsure if I should attach gems, and when I find a better item just destroy my current one to retain the rare ember, or if I should only use the lowest level gems, so that I could hopefully save better gems for end game items.

Anyone else playing this?  Let me know if you have any thoughts.

Currently Playing

And Yet It Moves
PC/Mac
View My Steam Achievements

I picked up this in the Steam Indie Games Pack that was available deeply discounted on the Mac steam release.  All the games are the play anywhere type, where you can purchase them once, and then play on PC or Mac.  I am pretty sure the entire pack was $20, although the total value was listed at $60.  It had World of Goo, however, which I have been dying to play for a long time, and Machinarium, which I had seen a quick look of on GiantBomb, and Vinny was pretty adamant that it was a good game, so I figured why not, I'll take the other three as freebies.

AYIM is so far, the most disappointing of all the games.  Although the art style is, quite simply, amazing, the rest of the game is so far lackluster.  The mechanics are cool, but there is a ton of trial and error, and the level design is uninspired.  There is a lot of guessing where to turn next (pun intended), although I will concede the checkpoints are very cool, and do provide some direction.

My real problem, at least early on, is that there are times when it makes more sense to reset the level because you hit a checkpoint, only to find out you need to go back four checkpoints earlier to grab a rock or bat you need for the next challenge.  In a game where moving through the level is the challenge, backtracking is an exercise in frustration.

I'll probably continue playing, however, as I only put in about a half hour, and the art is really something, plus there are steam achievements, but this is my early feedback.

Currently Playing

Cursed Treasure: Don't Touch My Gems
Flash
Play on Kongregate

Cursed Treasure: Don't Touch My Gems (CT) is a tower defense style flash game. I spotted it on Kongregate when it first came out, clicked on it, read Tower Defense, and clicked away before it even loaded up.

Then of course, I log in one day and see this:

Still, I was able to ignore it, but later, after a few hours of Portal, I couldn't help it.  I wanted the card...

For the record, I absolutely abhor TD type games, especially the million clones that aren't original in anyway.  ArmorGames put out an interesting TD game built around elevators, that also had a Hero element to it, and I admit I checked that one out.  But generally the tutorial levels are enough for me, then I am pretty much done.

But CT had a card, and the challenge took some effort.  You needed to get a perfect on 5 of the 15 levels.  Sure, there are two tutorial levels, but I didn't get a perfect on either the first time through.  Nonetheless, I set out to get it.

After about 30 minutes I surprised myself, as I was still enjoying playing.  I know, odd, right?  I was really actually sort of having fun (maybe).  I actually earned one perfect rating, and was really hooked on earning more.

I thought about it, and here is a brief, although somewhat unorganized, run down of why I enjoy this game so much.

1. The progression system of towers.  They level up both through experience, and money.  An interesting combo, where there is some benefit to having one tower do the work and level up, some benefit in having a ton of towers, and some benefit in saving your money, some benefit in spending it all.
2. The tower progression is both simple and elegant.  There are three basic types of towers, all of which are fairly similar.  Each type then splits into two variations at about the fourth level.  At the split, each tower specializes in a very different way.  So a total of 6 towers, each with a specialization.  Complicated enough for some depth, simple enough to understand without hours of trial and error.
3. The levels are short, and the speed up button is well implemented.  TD games tend to bore me after one hour of play time, but no real accomplishments.  Each map is small, the number of waves are fairly low, and the speed up button works perfectly.  You don't mind playing maps twice.

Overall character progression: A pinnacle of design so many other games should strive to achieve.  This gets its own category.  Regular readers will discover that I play games specifically due to character progression systems.  In CT, you gain EXP from every completed map, based on your performance.  Every map or two, you gain a level, and three skill points.  These skill points get split into the three categories of towers (basically earth/orcs, fire/demons, ice/undead).  Each of these has a skill tree, with some (but not much) branching.  They have different specialties, such as magic, money, and leveling up, as well as improving each type of tower and granting them added effects.  On top of that, every time you put a skill point in each category, it improves your range, fire rate, and damage.

Here is why this is so great.  On one hand, you are always getting inherently better, overall.  The damage, range, and fire rate are latently applied to all towers, every map, etc.  On top of that, it makes since to do some specializing in one category, because the higher up the tree, the better the skills.  The more you go up one, however, the more you are tied to that one type of tower.  The problem with this, however, is that each time you buy a tower, its price increases, so you cannot just spam one version.  Furthermore, you are allowed to pick and choose different categories here and there, as needed.

The major thinking comes in when you start down one tree.  You get three skill points per level, which is not really enough to make any major improvements.  But, you often find that once you are two levels down one tree, those three points can give you a nice bump, provided you stay within that tree.  But you already have nice magic, you now want more gold per kill.  Well, that takes 9 points in another three just to unlock, so not only do you know you have to wait a few levels, those 9 points invested in that tree are not going to help you much.  So do you just sock away one per level, and use the other two?  Or sacrifice all three to make it go faster? Or just ignore it until later?

I still have a few more levels to go, but this is a rare TD that I am really enjoying.  Worth a check.