Angry Videogame Nerd: Batman (part 1) - NSFW

Okie Dokie

What'cha Been Playing? Very Special Diatribe Edition

What a difference a week makes in terms of attitude. Over the past few editions, I have been down on a few titles that this week are seeing redemption: namely Penny Arcade Adventures (360) and Final Fantasy IV (DS). It's a lesson to us all: persistence sometimes pays off. There's another lesson in here as well: the opinions of game critics and other bohemians cannot be relied on.

While the general population and critics agree on the top and bottom percentile of games, you'll notice huge spreads either to the positive or negative for most others. Critics love it? General perception can be 10 points lower. Critics pan it, e.g., most JRPGs? Users can be 10 points higher. "Critical" opinions contain a lot of information to help determine if a game is worth your time. Though outside of a truly flawed experience, someone that gets their games for free and powers through the experience, likely isn't the best source of information on what's enjoyable and what's not. Enthusiast press INDEED!

I generally look at games for their entertainment value vs. price, as well as whether I'm into the genre and subject matter. For me, a game is worth its price if I play it enough to nullify the money I spent. 20 hours spent on a $60 game is a whooping $3 / hour, i.e., a single ice cream cone from The Flavor King truck when he stops by my neighborhood. I think I can swing the money, but do I have 20 hours to spend on a game? Not generally, that's why I'm so interested in deals -- money is not as much the issue, but time is!

Another way to look at gaming quality is "coolness factor". Does a game offer an enjoyable experience? Does it have ideas or a style that you want to be a part of? Games can be very much like good books, art, movies and music -- all rolled into one. Investment into such things is a personal affair -- much of which appeals only to specific crowds, transcends gameplay mechanics and perhaps won't have universal appeal. Shin Megmi Tensei anyone? What about Shenmue? A hallmark of these titles is a lower rating from critics and a higher rating from actual players.

Many gaming outlets are simplifying their review scores: 1UP / EGM went to the familiar letter score made popular by high schools everywhere, Giant Bomb has a five star scale and at one point Computer Gaming World did away with the score all together (I liked this model, may they rest in peace). While I've been known to cut a review in the past, I now only give impressions. My scale is as follows:

• Highly Recommended - Every gamer should try it.
• Recommended - Everyone who likes this type of game should try it.
• Not Recommended - I thought I would like it but was wrong. Perhaps you will learn from my mistake?

So. . .this is all great stuff. What have I been playing this week??? Let's explore:

• Penny Arcade Adventures: Episode 1 (360) - In the past I lauded this game's play mechanics but bemoaned its blah story and high price ($20 on Xbox Live). I've since changed my mind: I've nearly completed the game, and my son completed it and is on a second play through. The battles are a lot of fun and while the puzzles are easy, they end up being engaging. My new complaint about the game is there is really no reason that it HAD to be rated Mature. I believe its mainly for the cursing, which could easily have been cleaned up for a Teen rating with no impact to story or humor. Why do I care? I let my son play the game -- mind you, this game is no GTA, it's mainly loaded with potty humor and some cursing. With all hope the boy won't be scarred by the foul language. Recommended.
  
• Final Fantasy IV (DS) - Last week I was moaning about the game being too hard and I complained about its lack-luster graphics. Fortunately I pressed on and found another member of my party -- difficulty has ramped down considerably with this new guy in tow. I'm now stuck on a boss battle, but I'm confident I can beat it. FF4 is a good remake and is worth your time if you're into such things. Recommended.

What have you been playing?!

Weekly Deal Round-up for 8/17

It was a great week for deals, but a horrible week for getting the word out. Twitter removed my ability to send tweets via Gamedeals, so this Round-up is currently the only venue for communicating deals for now.

I'll be honest, I'm pretty peeved about this nasty turn of events. Twitter is such a fantastic delivery mechanism for little bits of information -- I really feel Deal Tweets make great use of their service! Since Twitter's availability issues are pretty well publicized -- I'm guessing accounts like Gamedeals with 100s (many others have 1000s) of followers fall outside of their operating assumptions and are a large contributer to the problems they have with their infrastructure.

I hope Twitter can resolve their issues in a way that allows my service to continue; or better, how bout they just fix my account? As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. I am exploring other options and I'm sure the Public Onion will prevail!!

On to this week's deals:

• SALE: Draglade (DS) now $10 reg $30 - A rhythm/action fighting game by Atlus; Metacritic User Score: 80
  
• PRICE DROP: Devil May Cry 4 (Xbox 360 / PS3) now $40 was $60- DMC4 was released only a little over a month ago, is a AAA title and should need little introduction -- 100% ACTION; Metacritic User Score: 9.2
• SALE: Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker (DS) now $17 reg $30 - A RPG by Square/Enix - The original Rocket Slime was unappreciated but highly recommended; Metacritic User Score: 8.9
• PRICE DROP: Blast Works: Build, Fuse & Destroy (Wii) now $20 was $40 - Katamari meets side-scrolling shooter; Metacritic User Score: 8.8
• PRICE DROP: Half Life: The Orange Box (PS3 / PC / 360) now $30 was $40 - One of the best games is 2007 and a steal at $60, let alone $30. Metacritic User Score: 8.9
• PRICE DROP: Stranglehold (PS3 / 360) now $20 was $30 - 3rd person action; Metacritic User Score: 7.6
• SALE: Xbox 360 Wireless Controller (Dark Blue) now $38 SHIPPED was $50
• PRICE DROP: Final Fantasy III (DS) now $20 was $30 - The famous RPG remade for DS! Metacritic User Score: 7.9
• PRICE DROP: Army of Two (PS3 / 360) now $50 was $60
• PRICE DROP: Baroque (Wii / PS2) now $30 was $40 - An RPG the critics hated, but the users loved; Metacritic User Score: 8.1
• SALE: Sandisk Sansa e250 2GB MP3 player now $30 was $100 - I picked up the 4GB version for my son, well worth the money.
• SALE: Asus eee PC 900 micro-notebook w/ 20G SSD $415 after rebate, reg $550 - I'm composing this blog entry on an eeePC 701. . .I love it.
• Don't Forget: No More Heros (Wii) $30 SHIPPED with coupon code SAVER - A great game that few people played. Quit complaining there're no good games on the Wii and spend the $30.
• SALE: Condemned 2: Bloodshot USED for 360 now $18 was $35- the price on this game seems to go down all the time; Metacritic User Score: 8.9
• SALE: Death by Degrees (PS2) now $6.66 was $20
• SALE: Dark Sector (360 / PS3) now $20 reg $40

LittleBigPlanet Pre-Order Deal ROUND-UP

As announced on Sony's Official Playstation Blog: there will be an assortment of kitschy LBP items available to entice you to pre-order the game:

• The Official Creator Guide by Brady Games -- Do you need a jumpstart with LBP's creation tools? I'm not terribly excited by this one. I remember pre-ordering Shenmue 2 for the Xbox because of the free guide; it turned out to be a pamphlet that gave me no more information than playing the game provided. Also, don't get me started on the Shenmue DVD that summarized the first game's story. GAhH! Thank god they haven't announced a LittleBigPlanet "The Demos" DVD or somesuch. . .
  
• LBP Sticker Book -- Now things are getting more interesting! From the gameplay videos I've seen, stickers are a big part of customizing objects. Perhaps this book would be useful if I were to start up my own LBP LARPing club?
• LittleBigPouch -- Yes yes! I could use this. Sony suggests that one use it to protect the game. I'd imagine its packaging does a fair job at that. I'm sure the pouch will be useful for other things. Is it time to retire the IstanbulPouch??? NAH, I'll keep thinking about it.
• Exclusive Nariko Sackgirl / Kratos SackBoy (Heavenly Sword / God of War) - I'm not too hip on getting a code as a gift. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but this ploy feels a bit cheap to me. I'm partial to real-world items like pouches, t-shirts and hats. The good news is these Sacks look pretty cool and certainly add some sass to the games! Don't go thinking you're in some kind of exclusive club though. . .
  

So, those are the items, but where can they be found?? What pre-order outlets are offering each gift? So far, here's what I've found:

• Amazon offer's the mini-guide
• Gamestop is offering the in-game Kratos Sackboy (code)
• (UPDATE) Game Crazy is offering the LittleBigPouch, though it doesn't appear online. At this time, you'll have to walk into a store to get it.
  

Well, that list was more of a letdown than I had intended. More is sure to be revealed as time marches on. LBP is scheduled for release on October 21st. . .who will get the pouch?! Time will tell.

Have any additional info?? Pass it along!!

Zero Punctuation Wednesday: Prince of Persia

Find out why Prince of Persia: Sands of Time falls just short of one of the best games EVER! I've not played it, so I'll have to take Yahtzee's word for it. . .

• Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (PS2 / GC / XBox) - from $6.60
• Prince of Persia 2: Warrior Within (PS2 / GC / Xbox) - from $13.69
• Prince of Persia 3: The Two Thrones (PS2 / GC / Xbox) - from $28.72

Angry Videogame Nerd: Indiana Jones - NSFW

Far away in the land of 1982, I was the proud owner of a truly remarkable game: Indiana Jones for the 2600. It pointed the way to what an adventure game could be and is likely responsible, in some part, for my love of the genre. Is that too much to heap on a game that is widely considered to be horrible? Perhaps, though at the time I really did love it.

Watching The Angry Videogame Nerd try and play this game, I have no idea how I figured some of that stuff out. I did, however, ultimately beat the game! Indiana Jones for the 2600 has to be one of the most excessively arcane games ever made. The design decisions made here are probably the only ones that could make a game with four screens takes weeks of playtime to solve. Enjoy!

Sleepwalking Away

tears that drip from my eyes
help soak this silky disguise
pull back my mask and watch me die

What'cha Been Playing?! A Week of DLC

I've heard many people say it, but I feel it bears repeating: downloadable content, specifically downloadable games have finally begun to fulfill their initial promises. Each service has their bright spots, and each is positioned very differently.

Until recently Xbox Live Arcade has been a junk-bin -- it had a few shining stars (Geometry Wars), but I gave up looking for good titles here around about the time Marble Blast Ultra hit the scene. Releases on XBL were slow in coming, rehashes of old games (usually badly emulated), or just plain over-priced. It'll be cool to see what the XNA Creator's Club will do!

PSN started slow as well. Sony appears to be more focused on quality and innovation, as they're actively seeking games that push the boundaries. Larger games, like Tekken: Dark Resurrection have a home on PSN, as do smaller unique titles like Everyday Shooter and the Pixel Junk series -- all good stuff!!

I have also been a fan of the Wii's Virtual Console -- without it, we'd rarely ever use our Wii. With all hope, WiiWare will begin to pick up the momentum Xbox Live and PSN have finally begun to exhibit. At this point, the professional eating games aren't cutting it.

It's very cool to see that these services are beginning to come into their own. So what have I been playing?? Let me see. . . .

• Pixel Junk Eden (PS3) - The Pixel Junk series has gotten better and better. Monsters did not hook me, but Eden is a no-brainer. I've heard mixed reactions across many podcasts, from elation to WTF. I can't speak to what the WTF crowd is thinking -- Eden is an enjoyable game. It's addictive, somewhat relaxing and I even got a trophy. Download the demo and check it out, I feel it's highly recommended.
• Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 (Xbox 360) - The original must-buy Xbox Live Arcade title finally has a sequal. Retro Evolved 2 adds all kinds of new modes, which really freshens things up, as does the sped up gameplay. This game is one of the best "twin stick shooters" out there. . .get it -- highly recommended.
• Penny Arcade Adventures: Episode 1 (Xbox 360) - Yes, I've picked this game back up and I've nearly finished it. It's a good game, however I still question the high price. As one progresses through the game, the depth of the combat system reveals itself and it's really quite fun! Recommended (but it should be less expensive).
• Final Fantasy IV (DS) - I don't get it. The reviews were positive, the hippy-themed Gamestop guy was raving about it, so why-oh-why does it seem like this game sucks?? Final Fantasy III for DS was hard but enjoyable. IV is frustrating, and the graphics seem like a step down. . .I have to be missing something. This game also adds insult to injury by ramping up the difficulty as your characters level-up -- you can't even grind your way out of a tough spot! Had I known, I wouldn't have gone near this game at its $40 price tag. So far. . .Not recommended.

Honorable Mentions & Look Ahead:

• Siren: Blood Curse (PS3) -- Like horror? Have a PS3? Get this game - it is awesome! The demo really doesn't do it any justice. I love the game's vibe and pacing. . .Its releases like this that set PSN apart. Highly Recommended!
• Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People (Wii / PC) -- I will be downloading this one as soon as I am able. Who doesn't love Strong Bad?!
  

So, what have you been playing?

GAMEDEALS: Weekly Deal Roundup

Follow GAMEDEALS on Twitter to get posts as they happen!

Deal summary for week ending 8/10/2008:

• SALE: Sandisk Sansa e260 4GB MP3 player - now $40, reg $150 - plays mp3, video, AM/FM tuner, and voice recorder. I felt compelled to take advantage of this offer. Many people prefer the Sansa over the iPod -- this is not a cheap knock-off.
• Price Drop: Clive Barker's Jericho (Xbox 360 / PS3) now $30 was $40 - horror themed squad-based shooter that I paid $60 for.
• PRE-ORDER BONUS: Get a Runner's Bag with purchase of Mirror's Edge - 1st person parkour? I'm in. That bag will come in handy once I'm inspired to hit the streets. . .release date is 11/11.
• PRICE DROP: Burnout Paradise (PS3 / Xbox 360) now $30 was $60 - This is a must-buy. Metacritic score 88. Free DLC continues to be released for this game which has extended its shelf-life considerably. Get!
• Price Drop: $10 off on all versions of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith (Wii / PS2 / PS3 / Xbox 360) - Rumor has it that this game isn't meeting Activision's sales expectations. Perhaps this price cut will address it? Perhaps not. . .where's my Rock Band 2?
• BONUS ITEM: Pre-order Mercenaries 2: World in Flames and get a M2 themed beanie along with a collector's edition book. You will look great in this M2: FiF beanie -- there is no question. Release date is coming: 8/31
• PRICE DROP: Resistance: Fall of Man (PS3) now $30 was $60 - If there was a time, now apparently is it.
  
• SALE: Xbox 360 Intelligent Remote now $7 was $20
• SALE: Xbox 360 Wireless Controller now $40 reg $50 - I could not resist this offer. I'll finally have a second controller to use with Geometry Wars 2.
• SALE: Xbox 360 Play & Charge kit now $13.99 was $19.99 - The whole kit is now almost the same price as the battery alone.
• Overlord (Xbox 360) $19.99 - I had never heard of this RPG for the 360. By the looks of the reviews its a lot of fun and the price is right at $20.
• Buy.com DoTW: 2GB Memory Stick PRO Duo (PSP) $15 reg $35

Sheila Liked The Rodeo

Krista quoted Castenada / She munched her cactus raw
The mescal worm would turn to mecca
And squirm towards the door
And one day she swilled the pill that pinned her to the floor
She spaced out in the closet / I adore her
She is perfectly preserved

Katamari Damacy (PS2)

Katamari Blockacy (PS2), originally uploaded by skinny coder.

The look on the Lego-people's faces here are priceless -- this is a true work of art. The complete gallery contains scenes from other classics such as Contra, Metal Gear, and Shadow of the Colossus. GO!