| Games Beaten in 2009 |
[Dec. 28th, 2009|05:03 pm] |
This year has been a lot slower than last year for a couple of reasons, most notably my workload increasing exponentonally at work and I finally made good on my promise to myself to sit down and play through more RPGs and longer games. Cleaned out some outstanding titles off of the pile of shame from all generations and while the year isn't QUITE over, I feel comfortable calling an end to the running game completion tally (since there's no way in hell that I'm going to beat Assassin's Creed II in the next 3 days).
Final count is a pretty healthy 61 titles, a sharp drop from the 80 last year, but still well above the "target" of 52. Well ok, not really a target, but a generally attainable goal. Wouldn't be too surprised to miss it next year with the way work is looking, but hey, in the last 4 years I've knocked out 255 titles from start to finish. That's something I'm pretty proud of, especially with the diversity of the games I've worked my way through (oh, and some of them certainly were work).
Full list of games completed in 2009
Breakdown by System
17 PC
10 360/XBLA
08 Genesis
07 PS3
05 PS2
04 PSP
02 Xbox
02 PS1
01 NDS
01 NES
01 GB/GBC
01 iPhone
01 n-gage
01 Game.com
Breakdown by Month
02 Jan
02 Feb
10 Mar
03 Apr
04 May
06 Jun
10 Jul
06 Aug
05 Sep
05 Oct
03 Nov
05 Dec
Oldest Game Beaten: Duck Tales (January 26th, 1989)
Newest Game Beaten: Borderlands (October 26th, 2009)
Notable Awards and Stats
Worst Game Played All Year: El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera (PS2)
Worst Game With an Awesome Aggregate Score: Medal of Honor: Frontline (PS2) (88/100; game sucks)
Most Annoying Protaganist That You Keep Hoping Dies: Luke in Tales of the Abyss (PS2)
Most WTF Game World: Zeno Clash (PC)
Best Game Not Targeted Towards Middle-age Males: Nancy Drew: Danger on Deception Island (PC)
Most Curiously Bad Despite Being From an Awesome Developer: Tribes: Vengeance (PC) (Irrational Games)
Most Brutal Ass Beatings: Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3)
Shortest Game: World of Illusion (Genesis) (45 minutes, start to finish/no continues/first playthrough)
Runners Up: Duke Nukem 3D (Game.Com) and El Tigre (PS2) (1hr each start to finish/no continues/first playthrough)
Best Downloadable-only Game: Shadow Complex (360/XBLA)
Best Obviously Unfinished Game: Borderlands (PC)
Most Fun Despite Rampant Slowdown and Last Gen Graphics: Godfather: Don's Edition (PS3)
Reminds me of Incredible Hulk Mixed With The Punisher: Crackdown (360)
Best Game Ruined By a Crappy Run Up to the Endgame: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PC)
Most Radically Changed the Way I Felt 2.5d First Person Shooters Should Be Played: Wolfenstein 3D (XBLA)
Biggest Improvement Over Its Predecessor: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC)
Number of Licensed Games Completed: 15
Most Common Publisher: Microsoft (09)
Modern Collections
NGC: 83 (+06)
PS2: 523 (+71) (same number it went up in 2008!)
Xbox: 199 (+14)
PS3: 63 (+38)
PSP: 53 (+17)
360: 55 (+47)
In case you're curious, here's the writeups from 2008, 2007, and 2006.
Back to playing Assassin's Creed II I go. Over the next few days I need to flesh out the list to add links and Game Rankings scores to the last 18 months worth of games in addition to finishing up this magazine scan I'm doing.
I love this time of year. |
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| About time for end of year stats |
[Dec. 27th, 2009|03:39 pm] |
Year is closing down quick and I doubt I'm going to beat any more games :(
Right now I'm clearing my backlog of scanning stuff, but after about another 100 pages I'll totally do my writeup. Well, after I scan 100 pages and play some more Assassin's Creed II, which is really quite fun so far (though I have no idea if it will stay that way or nosedive like the first one did).
I finished Deus Ex: Invisible War last night, clocking in something like 8 1/2 hours, though I believe there was another hour or two there not counted from dying/reloading/experimenting. Started off weak, ended weak, had some neat stuff throughout the middle. The interface for the game never really got tolerable and I'm still struggling to understand why they made some of the decisions that they did (especially with regard to the inability to holster a weapon, the way you manage your inventory, biomod selection/deselection, etc).
They simplified the RPG elements to make it more accessible, bringing it closer to an action/adventure...but the levels were so constricted and small that it totally negated the adventure element. The game didn't work well with an action-centric focus either, so the only thing it really had going for it was the ability to accomplish missions in a number of different ways.
If you're a fan of Deus Ex, I'd recommend against checking the game out. It's not that it's outright bad, it's just that it's a major step down in pretty much every way short of the graphics (I really do not like how they handled the Templars in the story, btw). It's not really a good introduction to the series, but I guess if you have zero intention of ever playing the first game and you're interested in checking out an FPS that does it all a little different, maybe you'll dig it. Personally, I think Project Snowblind was a much better attempt at taking Deus Ex and turning it into an action game.
Oh, and that Steam sale? It's killing my wallet, bro :( |
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| Invisible War |
[Dec. 24th, 2009|03:32 pm] |
Man, I am not feeling this game at all. 30 minutes in and I'm debating on just shelving it. Levels are too small and claustrophobic (I seriously thing the reworked PS2 version of Deus Ex had larger level chunks), the load times still suck 6+ years after release, and the interface is just shit. Managing your inventory/mods/whatever is a total unintuitive mess.
The more I think of it, the less I want to play. What a colossal disappointment of a game compared to the first one and it comes as no surprise that Harvey Smith, after botching this project, has had trouble getting back into the mix. I mean, between blowing this, running Area 51 into the ground and then shittalking his employer.
I really hope Deus Ex 3 doesn't suck. |
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| Stalker for $2! |
[Dec. 22nd, 2009|07:49 pm] |
My god. The Steam and GOG sales going on right now are fucking. Insane.
I'm serious, do not visit either page. Do not do it right this instant. You will buy and you will buy a lot. The deals are flowing like water, baby.
STALKER is $2 on Steam right now. Mirror's Edge is $5. Unreal Collection is like $13. The entire Telltale catalog for $50 (75% off). The Witcher for $13. Indigo Prophecy for $3. |
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| Hello Again! |
[Dec. 21st, 2009|04:45 am] |
I returned from my vacation with a clear head and a heavy heart.
One - Despite all my taciturnity I will divulge a little. I am selling my business to fund my endeavors of an education. My lifestyle will change (does anyone want to buy a Mercedes) as I become a broke college student to study rocks and environmental stuff.
Two - The boy and I are through, again. Que sera, sera.
With little words, I will leave you with a couple photos from one of my many adventures abroad.
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| White Elephant 2009 |
[Dec. 19th, 2009|07:41 pm] |
I participated in the White Elephant on Shacknews this year (first time doing so since 2006) and I was more than a little nervous about it. On one hand, was the person I was giving free stuff to going to dig what I sent their way? On the other hand, what the sweet hell was I going to get in my mailbox? How was I going to do a writeup of whatever I got? If I got some really thoughtful, cool stuff, how was I going to do justice to the sender with a rambling writeup that everyone was just going to click past?
My solution was to make a slideshow, and it seems like people really enjoyed reading it. Thank god, because it took like an hour and a half to shoot with the cats constantly deciding that the toys belonged to them and that they were going to go play under the bed. Armorhide is still fearful of the siamese cat of death.
Tons of really, really awesome stuff in the haul and I'm exceedingly thankful to Dahanese for the goods. Likewise I had a ton of fun building a box for Deathlove and was happy to know that he was able to give a good home to the stuff I had festering in the garage. |
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| Eventful week! |
[Dec. 19th, 2009|12:34 am] |
I've had such an eventful week this week. As most of you who follow my twitter know, I finally bought myself a new car! I am so in love with it and don't regret it at all. I ended up gettin my Audi Q5, black on black baby!! Everyone thought I was a freak because I was so calm (and still am) about buying my car and not like OMGWTFBBQ about it. I've worked really hard and saved up a long time, and its finally sitting nicely in my driveway. :) Surprisingly I didn't experience buyers remorse like I normally do - this time I just felt hesitant telling people that I bought the Audi... I really didn't want to feel like I was rubbing it in their face, that is totally not me. Everyone keeps reassuring me that I've worked hard for it and I deserve it (even my boss said so! lol), so I'm just letting it sink in. I sooo have the best lights in the neighborhood! lol Wish I had pics - still trying to get used to my Nikon DSLR.. Will post some soon, hopefully! I'm busy enjoying driving it! :D
So I was approached earlier today about another job position within my company. I guess the CEO and EVP love me and wanted to take me out from my bean-counter corner, and put me in a different position. I had to kindly decline it - it's not for me. I dedicate a good amount of hours for my work already, and work odd hours due to Intl operations, but I can't do the 24 hours thing. I want to enjoy my life. It's comforting to know that words like "intelligent" "smart" "kick ass" are associated with me. LOL The CFO joked and was like "it's good to be loved eh?" lol. I felt really good leaving work and a bit flattered. All my hard efforts are paying off!
I cant believe its Christmas and 2010. My bro and his family are coming down this Christmas, I'm SO excited, I miss the kiddies. :P Excited for everything that's to come! Wishing you all the best for this Holiday! *hugs* |
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| this. . . |
[Dec. 18th, 2009|02:34 pm] |
is not the end. we will hold your hand and walk with you onto a road unpaved and untouched by each of us. we will know we are a strong singular entity unbreakable by the lows life can bring, and together we will face this reminder that our reality is what lies in front of us. we will pave the road, on our own, with our hearts next to one another's. we do not accept this challenge, because it is only a hello at what has been hidden away by denial all these years.
i wished, and we all wished the same, that we did not need this difficult time to bring out the best in us nor to open our throats to express our gratitude and feelings. our minds have been freshened, and it is now that we start living like we were supposed to in the first place.
i am grateful, although this lesson was learned with heavy hearts in such gravity and at your expense, that we have been so lucky to be granted a chance to share a light that will carry us through the future like feathers floating still on troubled waters.
we will all find peace, just as you were hurried to do so. you can rest your shoulders now as you have recognized that all you had to do was walk out of yourself and we were there waiting, already, with arms to carry your burden and mouths to whisper away your worries.
i will be better, we will all become better. we have all asked the universe to show us a miracle, and we've got a miracle! if you will more time, it will happen. we all have faith in this intangible power we have generated and the capabilities of our love. i can see that you are not afraid and so i shall rid my fears in respect for the strength that you have.
every word that you've spoken, is cherished and remembered. we have never forgotten, the attitude and sincerity you have upheld for the things that you do and believe in. you have not just changed with this newfound self, but you have impacted all of us. you are a child, a lover, a father, a partner, a mentor, a believer, and a gift.
i love you. |
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