Monthly Archives: January 2012

Driver: San Francisco

I rented Driver: San Francisco after seeing it show up on a number of best of 2011 lists, and I have to say, I just don’t quite get it. For the most part, the game is a competent open-world driving game. There are two unusual aspects to it: the shifting mechanic that allows for taking over different cars on the fly, and that it’s a driving game that actually makes an attempt at having a story. And while the core gameplay is solid and both these ideas are implemented pretty well, the whole thing never really clicked with me. Continue reading

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Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood: One Last Time

So I played one more mission, and then decided to just pack it in. How this got a reputation as a competent shooter, and why anyone had any positive expectations for The Cartel, is hard to figure. I suppose it’s possible that the story of three brothers got to the like of Justin McElroy. But I’ve got brothers of my own, and the story did nothing for me. Anyways, I took some more notes. Enjoy! Continue reading

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Miscellaneous Links!

We open with an article describing one of the most bizarre scientific lectures ever. “[The professor] stepped around the podium, and pulled his loose pants tight up around his genitalia in an attempt to demonstrate his erection.” (via BoingBoing) Lots … Continue reading

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Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood 2

Played another 90 minutes or so. Still don’t like it very much, but to some extent I think it’s because I’m being hyper-critical since I got off on the wrong foot with the game. Anyways, I took some notes while I was playing, and here they are: Continue reading

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Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood: Early Impressions

So this is a really premature judgement on my part. I’ve only played the game for an hour or so, entirely on the first level, but it did not make a good first impression.

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Bastion

I love Bastion. What an absolutely magical, generous game. The folks at Supergiant really outdid themselves. I had expected was something in the Braid model, a quirky indie game built around the premise of exploring one or two core ideas. And while the narrator is certainly a stand-out element of the game, it’s only a part of what makes the game amazing. Continue reading

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Miscellaneous Links! Sad and Bizarre Edition

It’s that time again. Continue reading

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Batman: Arkham City

I know I’m in the minority, but as I laid out in my last entry, I did not particularly care for Arkham Asylum. It was well-crafted, but it failed to engage me. So I did not have high hopes for Arkham City, the sequel. But it turns out I was in for a surprise. I enjoyed it a lot. So much so that I blew through it in only a few days, without even meaning to. Continue reading

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Batman: Arkham Asylum

Certainly this is an exceptionally well crafted and technically accomplished game. That said, I’ve pretty much been having just barely enough fun and little enough frustration for me to keep playing it. The first and third Scarecrow bits were neat, I’ll grant. But the actual gameplay does almost nothing for me. It’s such a stiflingly linear, guided experience. The base combat system is good, but all the extension of it feel so artificial and game-y – These guys you can’t counter, and must stun; These guys you can’t hit, and must dodge; Here are some cool moves you can do, but only when your combo meter is high enough. Continue reading

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Miscellaneous Links

I’m still catching up with archives, so a few of these links are old, but they’re still good. Continue reading

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