[The video game thread]

Savannahtron · Post by **Savannahtron** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:51 am

I bought Aion ("a" is silent) and have been playing. Game just launched yesterday, but NCSoft offered a head start for pre-orders. Queue times have been 3+ hours so far on my server of choice (Triniel), but NCSoft states they are actively tracking server activity and do not want to add new servers arbitrarily, for fear of creating low pop/unbalanced servers.

The game is pretty dynamic for an MMO. Same MMO formula quests, gather x, kill y, visit z. The game has both pve and pvp features (player versus environment or player interacting with the computer versus player versus player).

I like PVP, and this game offers a twist where end game content will have PVE content controlled by PVP. Into the mix enters a 3rd PVE faction which will kill players when the balance is heavy for the other team. So if you are on the underdogs side, the NPCs will help you kill opposing factions.

Overall the game is great with really nice graphics. I just hit lvl 10 and am able to fly now (part of the lore of the game) and trying to get the controls down. I accidentally flew into a lake and was not able to swim out, so I died for the first time.

I made a fan site http://www.israphel.com if anyone is playing. I'm actually playing on Triniel (EST) server as a Spirit Master (a mage with elemental pets) as Legionnaire. Hit me up if you want to go questing

secretcode · Post by **secretcode** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 1:06 pm

burnitall wrote:Me too, ODST.

It's an odd game. It certainly does feel like a Halo game, but the atmosphere of the game (mainly as The Rookie) is so damn depressing. I've yet to try Firefight though.

electro girl · Post by **electro girl** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 2:38 pm

Gonna try and find an old gameboy/colour link cable and some money to buy one.

Sunstreaker2 · Post by **Sunstreaker2** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 2:41 pm

Who the hell has money to buy games on a weekly basis?

Springer85 · Post by **Springer85** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:58 pm

Going to get Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 on Friday.

Sixswitch · Post by **Sixswitch** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 4:35 pm

Batman: Arkham Asylum. Get it, or you're a bloody fool.

Fact.

secretcode · Post by **secretcode** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 6:28 pm

Sunstreaker2 wrote:Who the hell has money to buy games on a weekly basis?

Depends on the price of the games/How much money they make.

HeavyArms · Post by **HeavyArms** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 8:42 am

Playing Batman: Arkham Asylum, should be close to finishing it, spending a fair amount of time finding the riddles and stuff.
Also, bought Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 with Juggernaut unlock code and Halo 3: ODST with ODST special edition controller and Sgt. Johnson unlock code.

moonbaseone · Post by **moonbaseone** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 7:11 pm

I mostly rent games but I will be picking up CoD MW2 when it comes out.

Just rented/beat Fracture. OK game. Could have/shoud have been better.

Skidmark · Post by **Skidmark** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 8:02 pm

Any thoughts on Sims 2 for DS? I'm thinking of using my Gamestop card that's been rotting in my wallet for a about a year.

secretcode · Post by **secretcode** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:59 pm

Oddly enough I used to have that game. It's pretty solid, but not for more than $15-20.

Ackula · Post by **Ackula** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:07 am

I actually purchased video games for the first time in about 7 months. I bought the two best games on the Nintendo Wii. King Of Fighters Collection, and Metal Slug Anthology. I win.

I have also "acquired" the last 20 or so Dreamcast games I did not already have, that are worth having. Including all the official Japanese releases that have came out from 2001-2007. Yes the Dreamcast is still very much alive as well, as there is a brand new release to just come out as well, Last Hope: Pink Bullets Edition. Gaming is so much fun when you need an escape from shit, including the internet...

Heinrad · Post by **Heinrad** » Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:21 am

Just bought and downloaded Thexder Neo for the PSP. It's a great update of the original and Windows 95 versions. I think SquareEnix may have a future designing side-scrolling platformers with giant robots.....

It looks like they might have used the NES version of the game as their basis, because the PC version, while it does have the ability for you to generate a forcefield, only lets you do it once. The NES version lets you use it again and again, as does the PSP version. My only worry is that, while I'm currently using the Easy mode, I'm still pretty much out of energy. If Normal mode is anything like the original, I'll never get to, let alone past, level 2. It took me years to get to level 2 on the PC version, a couple of days on the NES version(let's hear it for emulators), but I haven't gotten past it on either of them.

The Windows 95 version I made good progress on, mainly because you can actually save your game.

EDIT: Just beat it on Easy mode. Mainly because the final boss doesn't shoot his claw upwards. Or fly. But then, if it did, it wouldn't be easy. The multiplayer's pretty fun, but seems woefully underpopulated.

Skidmark · Post by **Skidmark** » Sun Nov 15, 2009 2:52 am

I had no idea Arkum Asylum was available for PC so now that's on my Christmas list along with Burnout Paradise PC

electro girl · Post by **electro girl** » Sun Nov 15, 2009 1:31 pm

What with being an impoverished student and all I can't really afford to buy new games willy nilly but fortunately it's my £1 PS1 to the rescue. Fifa 2001 for 99p? yes please, it even has a scratch and sniff disk. Also got myself Micro Machines V3, Spider-man 2 Enter Electro, Simpsons wrestleing, NHL 99, F-zero GX and Rogue Squadron 2. And I'm perfectly happy ith all of them (well maybe not Spider-man but it was only pitence)

ganon578 · Post by **ganon578** » Sun Nov 15, 2009 9:10 pm

Managed to get a couple things thanks to a recent birthday:

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles (Wii)
Excitebike: World Rally (WiiWare)
New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii, duh)

RE UC is great in short spurts, and I enjoy seeing and experiencing the RE locations as an on-rails shooter. Pretty fun. Excitebike is basically an updated version of the NES game, and for $10 it's not bad at all. Very fun, and stuck to the old gameplay. Would have been better for ~$8, but it's still a nice download. And I haven't played New SMB yet (just picked it up this morning on my way to work) but I'll give it a go this evening.

Also I recently picked up Rogue Leader, Rebel Strike, and Jedi Outcast for the GameCube. I think I may only keep Rogue Leader. Rebel Strike is OK, but it's all the same as Rogue Leader, and the 3rd person levels are almost laughable. Jedi Outcast is OK too, but after playing Force Unleashed for the Wii, I realize how damn clunky those controls are. I hope that one was WAAAY better on PC.

I still have 1000 Wii points, and I'm thinking I will download Castlevania Adventure Rebirth when it's released. It looks fun!

Sir Auros · Post by **Sir Auros** » Sun Nov 15, 2009 9:40 pm

I just finished Dragon Age: Origins last night after putting 44+ hours into it. It's very oldschool Bioware, and generally brilliant. I just picked up New Super Mario Bros. Wii today, and I'm getting Left 4 Dead 2 when it comes out this week. The only games I planned on buying this month were Dragon Age and L4D2, but I bought New Super Mario Bros. Wii on a whim today. It's like Uncharted 2, a game I really wanted, but was waiting to buy later because it's not like the developers will need my sale in the first month.

ganon578 · Post by **ganon578** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:29 pm

Got some time to play a little New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and I must say I'm quite impressed. True, it is somewhat of a letdown that it is a suped up version of New SMB for the DS, but there are alot of cool gameplay elements along with some fun level designs. It really feels like the worlds and levels have been expanded greatly past the DS game. One thing that is very interesting is the option to 'purchase' gameplay videos (purchase meaning using collectible coins in the game) that feature some pretty sweet gameplay sections of different levels. One day I might be able to play like some of the experts that made these. Anyways, New SMB Wii is a great game and is loads of fun. I whole-heartedly recommend this to anyone who owns a Wii.

Auntie Slag · Post by **Auntie Slag** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:42 pm

electro girl wrote:What with being an impoverished student and all I can't really afford to buy new games willy nilly but fortunately it's my £1 PS1 to the rescue. Fifa 2001 for 99p? yes please, it even has a scratch and sniff disk. Also got myself Micro Machines V3, Spider-man 2 Enter Electro, Simpsons wrestleing, NHL 99, F-zero GX and Rogue Squadron 2. And I'm perfectly happy ith all of them (well maybe not Spider-man but it was only pitence)

Aww Enter Electro is pretty good! I'm not a Spiderman fan but I was utterly compelled to complete Spiderman 2 on the Gamecube as it was so much fun being Spidey in that luscious GTA way.

I love picking up PSOne games too. Most recently I got Final Fantasy VII and Metal Gear Solid for £1 each (charity shops) and a whole stack for 5p each from Gamestation:

- C:12 Final Resistance
- Millennium Soldier
- Fighting Force
-Road Rash
- Soviet Strike
- Rayman
- Warzone 2100
- Star Wars Demolition
- Sheep
- Simpsons Wrestling (it's godawful though, Can you believe people paid full price for it in their droves when it came out one christmas?).

and loads more.

Also Pitfall 3D: Beyond the Jungle is a funky game featuring the voice of Bruce Campbell everywhere. It's great fun and doesn't take itself seriously at all. I love the little PSOne, so many great games.

I also bought Elite Beat Agents on DS for the third time so now three people in my family have it. It really is a fantastic little rhythm action game that every DS owner should have.

Neuronutter · Post by **Neuronutter** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:00 pm

Auntie Slag wrote:
- Soviet Strike

Ah, the strike games. God, I loved those. Desert and Jungle. Never got Soviet as I never had the console but played it on a friends and it was damn hard. I should pick that up at some point.

Time for a relaunch of the strike games on current consoles?