Video Games - The Big Ones

Arkham Asylum is great fun. Your comment about Oblivion got me thinking about Morrowind, and I was wondering what mods were available to modernise it. I found Morroblivion.com which updates the graphics, though you need both games to install the mod, and it's not going to be Morrorim (perhaps fortunately), though Oblivion itself could do with some Skyrim enhancements.

In the meantime Skyrim is already the best bits of Mo and Ob, and much improved, and with much more. My advice would be to hold out for it - I mean you realise that both games take up a lot of time, and having both running would kill your social life for decades.


Oblivion is merely great. Skyrim is greatest.

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Originally Posted by Paulclem

I got Arkham Asylum for Christmas from my two kids. I had asked for it - as they never know what to get me. I had a quick go and it was really good. I was interested as it had a really good rating. Yee haa

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Don't ignore the side quests. Lots of famous (or not so famous, and hence even more fun for Batman nerds) villains to square off against from those.

Absolutely - the Riddler was a personal favorite/obsession.

I've been playing Human Revolution again, and I must say that the sneak aspect is much better implemented than in any other game I've played, always with consequences for being detected. If it's pure sneak you're after, Human Revolution is the one.

Silent - you may want to investigate a game called Amnesia - really scary!

I just picked up Human Revolution, but haven't started it yet. I've been replaying The Darkness. It's an early X360 game, so the graphics are no great shakes, but the writing is good (a credible romance and a genuinely saddening character death), the demon powers are fun, and the in-game television is awesome. You can actually sit with your girlfriend in the game and watch the entirety of To Kill a Mockingbird if you want. Other TVs you come across show a Frank Sinatra movie, a Sonny Chiba movie (names escape me), a Flash Gordon chapter, music videos, and Popeye cartoons.

I'm working my way through the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection currently. Made my way from 2 (played before) to 3 (never played) and will work on Peace Walker later. But for now MGS3 has me completely addicted. I'd say I'm about 2/3rds of the way through the game (I've defeated The Fury and found Sokolov in the base), and as far as I'm concerned it's the best in the series thus far (I haven't played 4 or Peace Walker). The environments are beautiful and the boss battles are great. I also love the camouflage, medicine, and stamina stuff. I was concerned about them, but I can't help but feel that they add to the immersion, in particular camouflage. The fight with The End is my favorite boss battle in recent memory. I also like the idea of having one game in the MGS series where the plot is reigned in to an extent. I definitely see myself replaying this to perfect my technique and get plenty of trophies. I can't believe I missed this game back in the day when it came out. I even had the MGS 1/2/3 collection and managed to never get to this game.

I've been playing Silent Hill lately. I can't believe I haven't played one before, they're great. You've got to wear headphones though, or the sounds in the background just sound like muffled random noises instead of creepy as hell.

I don't like creepy games, mostly because I'm a pussy. Though, I loved Dead Space, but I couldn't play it in the dark. No ****ing way.

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Originally Posted by MystyrMystyry

Silent - you may want to investigate a game called Amnesia - really scary!

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I second that, it was one of the best mental thrills I've seen in the world of video games. I really wish for a sequel.

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Originally Posted by Mutatis-Mutandis

I don't like creepy games, mostly because I'm a pussy.

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I'm mostly the same way. I was concerned about trying out Demon's Souls or Dark Souls (difficult action RPGs) because they were likened to survival horror games, but I've found that I'm alright because the sense of tension and fear comes from knowing that you're going to die if you're stupid because the game is intended to be played methodically rather than in a hack 'n' slash fashion, rather than from creepy **** jumping out at you.

I played Demon's Souls. Didn't get very far. That game is hard as ****.

I haven't found the game as difficult as it's made out to be. You just have to take your time and be cautious, and do the occasional grinding.

I didn't care much for Dead Space or Condemned just because they're so relentlessly unpleasant that there wasn't any actual fun happening. Horror games like F.E.A.R. and The Darkness are fun, and I'm happy to pick them up again occasionally.

Dead Space not fun? You tactically shoot limbs off zombie aliens. That's a lot of fun in my book. :nod:

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Originally Posted by Mutatis-Mutandis

Dead Space not fun? You tactically shoot limbs off zombie aliens. That's a lot of fun in my book. :nod:

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No disagreement there; I was talking about the whole experience. You like dark and grim a lot more than I do, even if you :yikes: easier. :D

I was having such a great time playing the new Zelda game, Skyward Sword by I got carpel tunnel, not because of the game, just 'cause apparently, so I had to quit. I finally got the surgery about a month ago and now it's not healing well and the controller sits in exactly the wrong place in my hand so I still can't play it. I think at this point, if I can ever play the dang thing again, I'm going to have to start at the beginning because I have no idea what I was doing. :p

I was considering buying The Darkness on my last trip to GP, but it looked a bit more like an action-ey shooting type game whereas Silent Hill is more of a creepy puzzle game, so I picked Silent Hill. Is The Darkness any good?

I'm working my way through Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (HD Collection version) right now. The enemies are dumb as rocks, but I'm greatly enjoying the boss battles and the army building elements. I also have it on PSP and I'm pretty sure the army building elements will lend some excellent replay value to it.

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Originally Posted by JuniperWoolf

I was considering buying The Darkness on my last trip to GP, but it looked a bit more like an action-ey shooting type game whereas Silent Hill is more of a creepy puzzle game, so I picked Silent Hill. Is The Darkness any good?

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I like The Darkness a lot. I talked about it a bit in post #84 above, but I'll add that while it is primarily an "action-ey shooting type game", it does have horror aspects (your character has two extraneous demon arms which can scout ahead (including up and over walls and through vents), pick up objects, and most important, eat the hearts of your enemies (living or dead), which confers darkness-powered abilities like the excellent Black Hole. There's also an otherworld you spend some time in, which is kind of an unreal-nightmarish World War I-ish setting.

Here's a link to the Metacritic review collection page:

http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/the-darkness

Ooo, that sounds like Devil May Cry (except the WWI nightmare-land bit, that sounds more like Silent Hill or the film Jacob's Ladder - I love nightmare-land games). I think I'll give it a try, but I'll wait until I'm in a city where I can rent it first.

That does sound fascinating, in particular the idea of the nightmare world and sending the arms out ahead of you to detect stuff.

I've finally moved away from the Metal Gear Solid collection after getting the platinum trophy for 2 (HINT: It is ridiculously hard), and decided to move onto other things. I'm currently playing the Shadow of the Colossus and Ico collection. Ico was fun the first time through. Beautiful game, interesting puzzles. It's a bit tedious now that I'm trophy hunting, but once that's done (and it shouldn't take too long), I can move onto The Shadow of the Colossus and then Okami HD.

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Originally Posted by Dark Star

I'm currently playing the Shadow of the Colossus and Ico collection.

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The kid recently beat Shadow of the Colossus and intends to go back to it again once he plays Ico, which will be sometime in the future after he's tired of Dark Souls. Colossus is a gorgeous looking and sounding game with a well-executed story to boot; it's one of the few that has made me sorry I don't like action/fighting games. Definitely a good argument for video games as Art.

Yes, Shadow of the Colossus definitely he,ps the video games as art argument. It's such a beautiful game, and so much fun to play. It's brilliant in it's simplicity and minimalism (minimalism in the sense that there're no thousands of grunt monsters to hack and slash your way through--the Colossi are definitely not minimalist). The story is actually quite poignant, one of the few stories I've really emotionally connected to in terms of video games. SPOILER: when the horse died, I literally had tears in my eyes. And it's always sad when you kill a colossu--that you can work for hours to I'll this one thing and then feel a bit bad when the deed is done is a testament to how well made the game is. Add to that that there is nearly no dialogue whatsoever and the story is almost wholly interpretive, and yes, you have a great piece of art on your hands.

Plus, I don't even consider it an action game. There are elements of action there, sure, but it definitely plays more like a puzzle game with a heavy emphasis on exploration (you'll spend just as much, if not more, time tracking down each colossus than actually fighting it) and platforming. Any video bam enthusiast should play it.

I've never played Ico. Is it worth picking up? I'd love to replay SotC, anyways.

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Originally Posted by Mutatis-Mutandis

I played Demon's Souls. Didn't get very far. That game is hard as ****.

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Loved this game. Loved it. After sitting through a 3 hour class on The Critique of Pure Reason twice a week, no other game would do.

Too old for video games now, but 'Demon's Souls' was the only way this reader survived Kant.







J




EDIT: Well, that and Johnny Walker Black.

EDIT EDIT: Used to play 'Ico' during those times, too. It was really good. Didn't like the ending, though.

I gues Kant can really bring out one's inner masochist. :lol:

Spoilerish

In one bossfight, you have to kill a nun who's gone insane/depressed in a swamp because she's discovered conclusively that there is no god in the game's universe (not to mention the plague babies). That's kind of what it feels like when you're reading and talking about Kant for about 3-5 hours a day, five days a week.

It also makes you want to either kill a lot or die a lot, it no longer matters which. So 'Demons' Souls' is a perfect fit.

Those were dark times :'-(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9wJVpldUPU

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Originally Posted by Mutatis-Mutandis

I've never played Ico. Is it worth picking up? I'd love to replay SotC, anyways.

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Ico is definitely worth playing. Not as good as Shadow of the Colossus, but a beautiful, interesting minimalist work. Not to mention, as you said, Shadow of the Colossus is worth replaying.