Tag Archives: multiplayer

BigBadBob’s 2011 Game of the Year Awards

0
Posted by Rob on December 14, 2011 – 3:53 pm
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Move over Spike’s VGA…you were and still are a whopping disappointment to the gaming community. Why you think I’d rather watch some jerk jump onto a Velcro wall or some deuche in a mouse helmet spin tunes rather than allowing the winning developers to give a one-minute speech that didn’t end in a tea-bagging incident is beyond me. But enough of that…this is my personal Game of the Year awards. These are the games I played and enjoyed the most this year, and some may be expected or a surprise. Just sit back, relax and enjoy.

Action/ Adventure Game of the Year: Batman: Arkham City

Batman: Arkham Asylum was successful in making a game in which you actually felt like Batman. It concentrated more on stealth, gadgets and puzzles than any other Batman game before. With Arkham City, Rocksteady Studios built on top of what it had already achieved and made it a bit better by adding a sandbox-style environment that the player could explore at will to uncover side missions and search for crimes in progress. The supporting cast of heroes and villains (and the voice actors that bring each to life) is phenomenal and despite all the baddies Batman faces the game never seems over-crowded. The combat is simple to learn yet complex to master and the urge to track down every last Riddler trophy is tempting (especially when the lives of hostages are on the line.) Batman: Arkham City makes for a fun romp through Gotham as the caped crusader and is easily the best Action/Adventure game of 2011.

Read More »

What’s the Deal with “Online Passes” in Today’s Games?

3
Posted by Rob on October 20, 2011 – 2:43 pm
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Within the past few months, more and more games are requiring an “online pass” to play online. Granted, the code is provided in all new packages of the game. So you run into this problem when you either buy a game used or rent a game, in that you will have to pay $10 (every one I’ve seen has gone for $10 so far) in order to play online. Is this fair to gamers? The game companies think so.

The Defense:

Game developers believe they have a right to charge people who did not purchase the physical game $10 to access the online co-op and multiplayer features. They argue that they should be properly compensated for the time and effort they put into creating and maintaining these modes.

My Argument: Read More »

Resistance 3 is Out, Dead Island Sneaks In

0
Posted by Rob on August 31, 2011 – 8:13 pm
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Believe it or not, after thinking about my choices and talking with friends, I’ve decided to scrap my pre-order of Resistance 3, and instead go for Dead Island. That may be shocking to hear, seeing how I spent so much time talking about Resistance and I’ve barely said two peeps about Dead Island. But in the end, it came down to replay value, and Dead Island will give me more game for my money than Resistance 3 will.

Resistance 3 offers a campaign that can be played either solo or with a friend, as well as a couple of the usual competitive multiplayer modes. That’s right…the awesome eight player co-op mode from Resistance 2 has been scratched. Now everyone should know by now that I’m not a fan of the multiplayer scene (because I suck), so I won’t be touching that at all. That just leaves a campaign, and it’s probably not too time consuming at all. So all in all, I’ll probably go through two playthroughs at most and then be done with it. Then it will just sit around, collect dust, and eventually be traded in for less than half of what I paid for it.

Then there’s Dead Island. Read More »

Closing in on Two More Platinum Trophies

5
Posted by Rob on April 4, 2011 – 4:25 pm
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I’m getting close to unlocking two more Platinum trophies, but I’m not sure which will be hitting first.

In WWE All Stars, I’ve unlocked the vast majority of the trophies. The only ones remaining are the online ones (win 10 matches, win 25 matches, win 50 matches, and win 10 matches in a row) and two massive ones; one requiring me to defeat the entire roster with Triple H and one requiring me to not only defeat the entire roster but also clear all three Path of Champions with Ultimate Warrior. Once I snag these, I will be in Platinum paradise. Read More »

Finally, The Rob, Has Come Back,To…Albany

3
Posted by Rob on March 17, 2011 – 12:47 am
Filed under My Personal Life
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s been a very busy, yet relaxing, couple of days, as I have been visiting with the in-laws in Las Vegas, NV (well, technically Henderson, NV, but it’s pretty damn close to Vegas.) Both of Shell’s sisters live out there so we don’t really get to see them too often…the last time we were out there was almost two years ago. So we decided to take a bit of a break and head out there for a five day weekend. We left from Albany on Wednesday at 11:55 EST and arrived at 2:20ish PST (thanks to Southwest it was a direct flight), so what was a five and a half hour flight technically got us to Vegas in under three hours.

Since this was more of a visiting family trip, we didn’t really hit the Strip. Shell and I did head down on Tuesday for a little while and checked out some of the casinos and what not. So while there wasn’t any gambling, there was a lot of good eating, as we went out for every lunch and almost every dinner. Some of the highlights included Sonic’s (I really wish one would open up near Albany…the closest one to us is in Kingston), Lucilles, The Yard House (which had quite a large collection of beers on tap…I went for the Spaten Oktoberfest), Raising Cane’s, and many more. Read More »

PSN Review: Hoard

0
Posted by Rob on February 17, 2011 – 4:51 pm
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Who doesn’t love the simplicity of top-down stick shooters? Now take that genre, and replace the gun-toting hero with a flying dragon, and you have Hoard. Hoard is a really easy to learn, challenging to master downloadable game that lets one to four players take control of a dragon and rain fire down on villages, castles, knights, and other dragons as well.

As the title suggests, one of the main goals of Hoard is to collect as much gold as possible. Using your fire breath (and a few different power-ups), you fly about the map and burn down structures for gold. You can burn down fields, towns, castles, human enemies, carts of goods, and more that all drop gold. You then pick up all the gold you can and fly it back to your lair, where you can safely deposit it to add it to your score (and regain any lost health), and then head out and get some more.  As your score increases, you gain xp which can be used to upgrade your speed, fire breath, maximum amount of gold to be carried, and armor. Your stats start at the very beginning each match, so there is no need to worry if you assign xp to a stat you didn’t want. There are a few different modes, and each one is a little different, so it will probably be best to go over each one separately.

Read More »

November 2011 is Gonna Break My Wallet

1
Posted by Rob on December 12, 2010 – 10:06 am
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

So I was kinda watching the VGAs last night, and what I didn’t watch I followed on joystiq’s live blog, and the game announcements for next year were epic. It’s not like there were one or two game announcements to get me excited…there were FOUR! Four games which come from some of my most adored franchises, and they all come out in November. This Fall season didn’t offer too many must-haves for me, aside from Fallout: New Vegas, but next year is a different story indeed.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception will be released on 11/1/11. I love the Uncharted series, and Uncharted 2 took the franchise to new heights by adding in some awesome co-op and multiplayer modes, which really added to the life and replay value of the game. I’ve got my fingers crossed that there will finally be some campaign co-op, especially since there are almost always two characters on screen at any given time in the games. Read More »

PSN Review: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

4
Posted by Rob on September 26, 2010 – 1:16 pm
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I was pretty unfamiliar with the whole concept of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. I had never heard of the graphic novel, and was not really interested when I heard about the movie. When I first heard about the game, I ignored it thinking it would be another cheesy movie/game tie-in. But then I started hearing good things about the game…it was a multi-player beat em’ up with  retro-esque graphics and soundtrack. The more I heard about it, the more interested I got, and after playing the demo it wasn’t long before I made the full purchase. I can’t say much about the graphic novels or the movie, but I can say that Scott Pilgrim vs. the World makes for one hell of a great downloadable video game!

The game does follow the basic storyline of the graphic novel and (I’m guessing) the movie: Scott Pilgrim is a kid in a band who meets and falls for a girl named Ramona. However, in order to date her, he must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends. Thus, you take control of Scott, Ramona, or two other friends who are in Scott’s band, and you take to the streets of Toronto to track down and defeat the ex’s. Right off the bat, from the main menu, the display, music, and sound effects all take you back to the hayday of the NES and Sega Master System. In fact, the game feels like you are playing River City Ransom, as you walk through town, beating up bad guys with your fists or weapons, and walking into shops to purchase health and stat upgrades. The main world map is extremely reminiscent of that of Super Mario Bros. 3.  Each level ends with you taking on the boss of the stage, who is one of the seven ex-boyfriends, and each one has some kind of unique power/ability that makes each fight a little different.

Read More »

PS3 First Impressions: Red Dead Redemption

0
Posted by Rob on May 19, 2010 – 7:17 am
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

rdr605159948_small

I got to check out the game for about two hours yesterday. While I had some friends playing online, I wanted to check out the single player mode first to get a handle on the game. I did not like GTA III and IV, so I never really got used to their controls, and Red Dead Redemption has similar controls. After playing in single player for a bit, I must say that the game is enjoyable, and I feel comfortable trading in an uncontrollable car for a solid steed.

RDR is a third-person shooter that takes place in the Ol’ West. Basically, your character is an ex-criminal who turns over a new leaf and settles down with a family. However, the government comes by, kidnaps his family, and orders him to rustle up some outlaws (his ex-partners) in order to free the ones he loves. The single player has missions that move this story along, but there’s plenty more to do. You can take on side missions from strangers, hunt animals and sell their hides and meat for a profit, pick wild plants, which can be used to make items or can be sold, play mini games (like poker at a saloon), tame wild horses, and other things as well. There are towns scattered across the world map where you can go to buy and sell supplies, weapons, outfits, or get a room of your own (which allows you to save and restock your ammo.)

red-dead-redemption-screens_11-13-09 Read More »

PS3 Review: Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce

0
Posted by Rob on March 3, 2010 – 6:08 pm
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

dynasty_warriors_strike_force_ps3_boxart

Once of my most favorite games from the PS2 was Dynasty Warriors 4. I had never played any of the previous games in the series, and it was by far one of the best co-op games the PS2 had to offer. It was a perfect hack-and-slash game where you and a friend could just run around with swords and cut up minions and tough bosses. I’m not joking when I say that one of my most fond gaming memories was when Steve and I first laid eyes on the badassness that is Lu Bu. That being said, I have played the older and newer games from the series, and I have always compared them to Dynasty Warriors 4. The older ones were a bit too slow, and the newer ones tended to focus more on strategy and unit management more than just tried and true mindless hack-and-slash action. Luckily, Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce is extremely successful in focusing a lot on the action, while at the same time intergrating a great RPG aspect, bringing the game to be the best in the series.

For those who are not familiar with the series, let me just take a moment or two to explain why it’s so awesome. Dynasty Warriors is loosely based on actual Chinese history, and you take control of one of many historical figures who were in China when the game takes place. To be more specific, it is based on the text “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” Now, I say loosely because there are near-invincible characters, magic, and, depending on which faction you play as, may not be entirely accurate (ex- your faction lost a battle historically, but you won that battle when playing.) So the game revolves around you choosing a faction (Wei, Wu, Shu), and taking their officers into battle against rival forces. Since it takes place in ancient China, the weaponry is basically swords, spears, bows, etc., with some other ones thrown in (like fans and clawed gloves.)

But enough of that. Let’s get into what makes Strikeforce such a great game!

dws

Read More »

Bioshock 2 = Great Multiplayer Experience

0
Posted by Rob on February 22, 2010 – 6:29 pm
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Now I know that in the past Ive said that I hate playing FPS in online competitive matches. This is due to the fact that I tend to just really suck. I don’t have enough experience playing against other players, and that leads to me generally getting killed more than I kill others. Now I received Bioshock 2 when it came out, but I had not checked out the multiplayer mode since I hate playing online. But I was bored last night, so I decided to give it a whirl. I was not disappointed.

Between last night and today, I have logged in close to two hours online. I have definitely been doing well, and often come in within the top three places in the team-based deathmatches. Since I do fairly well, I enjoy playing it. There are a few traits to the online mode which I think are what attract me to it.

Read More »

PS3 First Impression: Darksiders

0
Posted by Rob on January 7, 2010 – 12:37 am
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

darksiders1

I started looking forward to the game once I found out it was actually about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Ive been anxiously awaiting its arrival from Gamefly, and it came in today. I was able to get in a little over an hour, but it was enough to get me hooked.

The basic story of the game is that you play as War, one of the Four Horsemen. There are three kingdoms: Heaven, Hell, and Earth. There is a special council that ensures there is a balance between them, and they use the Horsemen to keep that balance. One seven special seals are broken, it is the Apocalypse, and the Four Horsemen will be summoned to punish enemies. The game starts out as the Apocalypse begins on Earth, so you run around battling demons and angels as you progress through a devastated city (it appears to be NYC, but it could be any generic city.) However, War is suddenly stripped of his powers as he was tricked into being summoned. The council sees him as a traitor, yet they allow him to investigate how the demons orchestrated this trick. And thus the game begins.

darksiders-war

The gameplay is very similar to that of God of War. You have your light and heavy attacks, and you can grapple enemies and items from the environment, such as cars and furniture. As you defeat enemies, you earn experience points (in the form of souls) which can be traded in to upgrade your character. War can learn a variety of special attacks and upgrade his weapons and armor. Visually the game is stunning, and there is a heck of a lot of blood and guts flying around as you dismember demons.

darksiders-city-2-article_image

Aside from combat, you will find yourself navigating large maps with the aide of a useful and clear mini-map displayed in the corner. You will also be required to perform many jumps to get to locations, and I will admit that I am still getting used to it. For some reason I find myself walking off platforms instead of jumping, so I have to get used to the timing. Gameplay wise there is nothing all that new thrown into the game, but it doesnt mess with a time-tested great combat system, so Im not complaining. Add in a killer storyline about the ultimate battle of good vs evil, trophies, great graphics, and superb voice-overs and you got yourself one heck of a great game. There is no multiplayer or DLC for the game, so it does have a low replay value. However, its definitely worth the rent. I know I wont be putting it down until I play through it.

darksiders-070308-490px-07

PS3 Review: Wolfenstein

0
Posted by Rob on August 27, 2009 – 12:28 pm
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

wolfensteincover1

So I just completed the single player campaign today. The story follows BJ Blazokwicz as he attempts to take out the Nazi’s plan to build a super weapon from another dimension. The game takes place in basically two areas; Midtown and Downtown. From those two areas, you interact with resistance fighters to accept missions, and then travel to a marker on the map to begin the mission. Along with interacting with them, you will also find black market dealers, who can sell you upgrades and ammunition for your weapons. Weapons range from tradition guns and grenades to advanced Nazi weapons like a proton gun (reminds me of Ghostbusters) and a large gun that disintegrates enemies.

As you travel through the city, you will run into Nazi squads which you will have to engage and take out. Also, you will be on the lookout for intellegince documents, gold, and hidden tomes. Both sections of the city have a set amount hidden throughout, as well as each mission. Finding these items not only will eventually land you a trophy, but you also collect money, which is used to purchase upgrades from the black market.

Read More »