Welcome one and all, its that time of year again when I recap all the new gaming experiences ive taken part in.For reference heres the past two years to know what your in for:2009,2010
This is mainly the biggest games I played, whether they were new this year or old titles i missed out on. So since i dont have much typing room (Thanks for nothing gamespot), I have to split this into two blogs which i dont really like to do but i guess i must. I had to leave a few omissions but I think i have the majority of everything right here. Now without further delay here we go!
Infamous (PS3)
Like everyone else i got this game for free when PSN was ko'ed earlier this year. As a fan of action adventure games i thought it was somewhat decent, but I'm not that big on open world titles in the long run which is probably what held this title back from being truly awesome. Sure the powers and exploration were fun but their were far more headaches in this game than i care to remember. Being constantly shot while running through the city gets tiring as do the repetitious missions. But otherwise the game had a pretty good presentation with excellent comic book cut scenes and some interesting ideas. The powers were diverse but in the end all you need is the fast bolts since they can be spammed a lot. As for the story it was alright, the comic book scenes were well done but i felt like it jumped around a bit too much for my liking.
Final Score: 8
---------------------------------
Sengoku Basara Samurai Heroes (PS3)
As most of you know hack and slash warrior type games are my gaming guilty pleasure. This time around I was surprised it was a capcom title that really upped the stakes in this genre which is normally dominated by koei and the DW games. Sengoku basera adds some much needed awesome to the stale nature of these games, with dynamic aspects such as giant tigers and different military traps and a number of other stage hazards or conditions. Like other games in this genre it mainly boils down to taking over enemy territory or defeating generals. This time though the characters are pretty diverse and eclectic, each territory has tons of hazards and characteristics all its own that usually mirror the characters who inhabit it. Rivalries between characters take center stage and are usually the final conflict in an effort to conquer midevil japan, its definitely welcome since it gives the world more personality. I also read up on a lot of JP history while i was playing this game so thats a positive too.
Final Score. 7.5
------------------------------------
Dead Nation (PSN)
This is another title i got for free from PSN, mainly to enjoy with my buddy. All in all id say its quite a solid online arcade game. Nothing too special here other than horde mayhem with a few upgradable weapons and elements thrown into the mix to keep things interesting, definitely worth a look see. Had fun with it overall and you cant really be too hard on something you get for free right?
Final Score: 7
-------------------------------
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS)
Whats left to say about this timeless gem? Well plenty id say, and this version of it would be the most definitive version yet. With better textures, updated character models, and a few other tweaks all round out the full package that this game is. The story is timeless and it appears the mechanics and everything hold up quite well too, it even smooths out the infamous water temple this time around and also creates a fantastic new item interface which streamlines the whole process. This came very close to being my game of the year but since it was essentially the same game i decided to let another game shine this year.
Final Score: 10
------------------------------
Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3 (PS3)
Third times the charm as they say and I'm inclined to agree in this case. Adding a slew of new mobile suits and a somewhat suitable online mode this was probably the game i put the most time into all year. 00 Raiser was my suit of choice and i put it to good work taking down zeon and any other faction in my path. More so than any other series in the DW linage this one has more combos and combinations than any other and upgrading said moves with new parts and gear only sweetens the deal. I wasn't really a fan of the more closed in level design but i was still given enough room to wreek havoc so its not too much of a drawback. Gone are the previous game modes such as the normal UC history mode, in their place is a new stand alone story mode that connects all the characters in one scenario. While it is ambitious in that aspect the story falls pretty flat, luckely they do have a few modes that mimick the original story mode to an extent. This is the first game i ever got a platinum trophy for, it was hard work but im glad i can finally say that i got one.
Final Score: 7
---------------------------------
Catherine (PS3)
Sometimes trying something new will reward you greatly and Catherine's strange take on relationships and puzzle based nightmares is one i surely don't regret taking a shot at. The story is very intriguing and will keep you engaged the entire time, at points i felt the game used this as a carrot on a string tactic but thats pretty much the point. The theme of the game is upward and onward, and the puzzles obviously display that, quite deviously i might say. The puzzle aspects were think on your feet kind of moments and resulted in a lot of deaths on my part but nothing that would stop anyone in their tracks (well except for one near the end). Its got a lot of nice little touches, like beer trivia, an arcade game and a number of branching scenarios and outcomes. Im glad i gave this game a shot, its strange, funny, deep and has a feeling all its own, atlus has definitely made me a fan.
Final Score: 8
-------------------------------
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle (Wii)
Ive wanted to return to santa destroy for some time, and this was that year. In this games case more of the same is a good thing, more assassins to take care of, and more variety all around. Some have said they did not care for the more linear approach this game took compared to the last game, but I actually like that much better since more time can be focused on the main aspects while refining them as well (and getting around is much faster). The wacky off the wall villains and humor make this series excellent, and the 8 bit sidequest games were excellent and really captured the 8 bit era in all its glory. Suda is a very strange designer but after playing a number of this titles, i wouldnt have it any other way.
Final Score: 8
-----------------------------
Bleach: Soul Resurreccion (PS3)
After playing some of the better hack and slash titles this year, i was hoping to enjoy this one as well since i was hoping it would reignite my enjoyment of the bleach series. Well needless to say it didn't, DW games are shallow but this one took that to a wholeother level. The game pretty much consists of a story mode and challenge mode, both are really straight forward and both are rather lackluster in challenge and content. Each character only has about two or more combos, thats all, and for a game that mainly consists of killing hoards of creatures like that it begins to wear thin really quick. One thing i can say for it though is that it captures the look and feel of the series and design quite well.
Final Score: 5.5
---------------------------
The ICOand Shadow of the Colossus Collection (PS3)
Having recently played ICO back a few years ago i thought id rather relive one of my favorite games ever, so i only played shadow of the colossus in this collection. Its held up pretty well overall and with the upgrade to HD the framerate and detail have become quite sharp. This game would have been a 10 all over again if not for sony opting to port the European version from what ive read. This version seems to have caused the slipping animations to be far more unforgiving then they were in the original release, and the invert being non invert for the camera controls was quite bothersome, other than that its a great game but id say thats the only thing holding it back from being the end all be all.
Final Score: 9
---------------------------------------
Starfox 64 3D (3DS)
As another remake for the 3DS i feel this one didn't get the love it deserved, i mean come on its star fox! Compared to Ocarina of time this game got a huge overhaul, visually and nearly every other aspect. The game has all new 3D models and voicework, but it still manages to capture the magic we all felt for the original game, so id say its a success in that aspect. Other than that its the same game we all know through and through. One thing I did like was the added online play and the ability to choose an alternate previous path you might have wanted to take before the next stage, a save feature between stages would have been nice though.
Final Score: 8
Well thats it for this one guys since thats all i could fit on here, but stay tuned for part two next week where i will finish this out with the next part and my game of the year. Thanks again for reading and see you guys next time.
