One of the best games of 2011 that I didn’t get to play til 2012

I picked up Gears of War 2 for my birthday last April. By then most people weren’t playing it as much, so I just ran through the campaign on my own. I never touched the Horde mode or any other online mode. But I felt like it was something that would be a lot of fun online. So for Christmas Gears of War 3 was on the top of my list, and Santa ended up delivering. However, I didn’t really start playing til this week after figuring out how to hook up the PX21 to the 360. Now that I started playing Gears 3 online, I’m pretty much hooked.

I met up with four other guys from Co-Optimus last night and they walked me through my first Beast Mode. I really, REALLY had a blast. If you’re not familiar with the game or mode, it’s basically a survival mode with a twist…YOU’RE THE BAD GUYS! You and up to four friends can team up playing as the Locust. You earn cash for beating up the good guy soldiers and heroes (like Marcus and Cole) and use that cash to purchase respawns of different Locust units, ranging from the usual grunts with guns to gigantic centipedes and beserkers. I’ve grown quite addicted to the Tickers, which are pretty much running suicide bombers. You use these little beauties to run up to enemy troops and with the tap of a button you explode, taking anyone nearby with you. Unfortunately there is a slight delay as you ignite, and it’s easy for enemy troops to evade the explosion. With some more practice I think I’ll get better at guesstimating their reactions and plan my explosions so they are more devastating.

Nothing’s more satisfying than blowing yourself away for the good of the collective

Then today I checked out Horde mode in a random public match. It’s the opposite of Beast mode, where you play as the good ol’ Gears and survive waves of Locust. Unlike Beast mode you use your cash to purchase fortifications and ammo, though if you’re playing with a bunch of tools who don’t like to revive you when you’re down (like I was today), you may be spending big money for a respawn. I had fun running around at the start of each wave placing barbed wire and decoys to help slow down the incoming swarms of enemies. The biggest problem I had, like I already mentioned, was playing with three other guys who 1. didn’t use headsets, and 2. didn’t worry about reviving their partners, despite the fact that I saved their asses plenty of times. I look forward to playing more Horde with the some of the guys from Co-Optimus over the weekend.

Both Beast and Horde mode have been successful in dragging me away from the PS3 for awhile, and just when I was getting into Dungeon Defenders and Payday. I guess getting to blow the crap out of “Cole Train” is simply more satisfying than robbing a bank, and that’s something I never thought I’d say.

]]> http://www.bigbadbob113.com/2012/01/20/hooked-on-gears-of-war-3/feed/ 4 http://www.bigbadbob113.com/2012/01/19/ps3-review-rayman-origins/ http://www.bigbadbob113.com/2012/01/19/ps3-review-rayman-origins/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:09:18 +0000 Rob http://www.bigbadbob113.com/?p=6105 PS3 Review: Rayman: Origins

Post from: BigBadBobs Wild World of Stuff

One of the lamest-looking WWE Platinums, and one of the most annoying to get

Gotta catch ‘em all: I have the Platinum trophies for Smackdown vs. Raw 2010, Smackdown vs. Raw 2011, WWE Legends of WrestleMania and WWE Allstars. Thus I was destined to continue the tradition and work towards the Platinum trophy in WWE ’12. It was a mediocre one…there were a lot of easy trophies, but two in particular were a real pain to snag.

“You’ve Got Fans” was a particularly difficult one to obtain, and it should not have been. The trophy requires you to upload something to the servers and then have five players download it. Well the big problem is that the servers were constantly down. If you’ve played WWE games in the past then you’re used to servers being down or laggy when trying to get an online match going. But the servers are so messed up in WWE ’12 that it took me a couple of days just to get on long enough to completely upload a CAW (create-a-wrestler.) So with me having a hard enough time just uploading, it took even longer for five people to find my CAW and then download it. The servers have been cruddy since the game launched in Novemeber, and to this day they have not been fixed. It’s a shame not only for people who want to get this trophy, but for others who just want to download a crappy Hulk Hogan CAW that has an overall stat value of 100.

The second trophy, “Master of the Brawl” was annoying and repetitive. This trophy required you to play at least 44 free brawl matches and KO an opponent at each of the 44 different finisher locations. These locations were all very repetitive, and finding them all was a tad annoying. It was a very boring time trying to track down all these locations, but I eventually discovered them all.

So that’s my fifteenth Platinum trophy. 0I can now say that 1/3 of my Platinum trophies are from WWE games. They really are fun games, and even though each new edition has it’s own set of problems, the improvements they make somehow win over in the end. I’m darn sure I’ll be getting Platinums for this years two WWE releases:  WWE ’13 and WWE Brawl (which might me a rental rather than a purchase, depending on how it shapes up.)

For Platinum # 16 I have my sights set on either Skyrim or Trine 2.

Better than the original

I enjoyed playing Trine, but with it’s lack of online co-op I was forced to play it single player. When Trine 2 came out, I was hesitant to make the purchase even though I liked the first game and the sequel sporting a shiny coat on online co-op. However, when two buddies of mine from Co-Optimus purchased it and told me they needed a third, I gave in to the peer pressure and made the purchase. I’m glad I did, because Trine 2 is definitely one of the best downloadable titles of 2011.

Let’s get a few things straight. Firstly, it is a sequel to the original game, so the knight, thief and wizard return to once again save the kingdom. As I already mentioned, Trine 2 supports online co-op, so up to three players can meet up online to take on the puzzles that the game throws at you. In case you’re not familiar with the Trine series, let me give you a brief rundown: there are three characters who each have several distinct skills that are needed to get through the puzzles littered about each level. Along the way you are on the hunt for XP potions which will enable your characters to level up and unlock addition skills that are needed to get through levels. The knight has a sword, hammer and shield and is good for blocking projectiles, breaking down walls and beating down the baddies. The thief has a bow which can be used to take on enemies safely from a distance and she also has a grappling hook which can be used to access areas that other characters cannot. The wizard is not what you would expect, as his spells are limited to creating wooden objects (boxes and planks) and levitating objects, including obstructions, other players, and enemies. The three characters have to work together to make it to the end of a given level, and often times a single puzzle may require several different abilities from each character. A great example I encountered when playing is that the thief (me) had to grapple onto a platform of water to make it spill to one side. Then the wizard player had to levitate a box he created to angle the water flow off to one side. Finally the knight had to use his shield to further direct the water onto a tiny little plant that then grew, allowing us to climb it to the next section.

The game is much prettier but this is the best image I could find with three players

Trine 2 doesn’t just improve on the regular formula by allowing you to play long distance (and supplying top-not voice chat quality) as there are several key improvements over the original game. One of the first things I noticed was the visuals and audio. Trine was one of the best-looking PS3 games out there, but Trine 2 even blows that away. The character models are nice and crisp and the environments are extremely sharp and colorful. It’s really quite an artistic treat and you will find yourself taking a break from the puzzles to take in the scenery. Another great improvement is that there is no longer a magic bar. In Trine the characters, especially the wizard, were limited in what they could do by having a magic bar that was expended as they used their skills. This bar is gone in Trine 2 so the wizard can make as many boxes as he is able to without having to worry about running out of magic. Also, there is A LOT more combat in Trine 2 which gives the game some exciting moments that were missing from the original game. Luckily all three characters can hold their own to some degree, even the wizard; he can levitate enemies and either move them in front of enemy archers or other environmental hazards to finish them off. Oh, and there are a number of boss battles in the game also, which is never a bad thing. One of the only things I can say that I missed from the first game are the artifacts that you could find to boost character stats and abilities. These collectibles have been replaced by concept art and weird poetry, which are great and all, but not as cool as finding something that helps you play the game better.

The colors, Duke, THE COLORS!!!

I already mentioned how the co-op is improved with the online capabilities, but I also have to give kudos to Trine 2 for making co-op trophies. These aren’t trophies like “complete x levels in co-op” or “you and a partner do this.” Instead, most of the trophies require only one character to do something, yet will reward all players with the trophy. For example, there is a trophy for doing a 360 degree grapple spin with the thief. I did it at one point, and as I got the trophy my two friends also received the trophy, even though they weren’t playing as the thief. Not only does this make the game a great co-op game, but I would have to say it’s one of the easiest games to Platinum on the PS3.

“You get that trophy, I’ll get this trophy, and we’ll all live trophily ever after”

Trine 2 is an example of a game that improved on a formula that seemed to be top-notch during it’s previous outing. The attention to visual detail, the inclusion of online co-op, the end of a magic bar and more combat are all the ingredients that Trine 2 needed to surpass the original. I’ll admit that it is a bit steep now at a price of $15, but if you have two friends to play it with I would say it’s totally worth it. It may not be the longest campaign (we probably finished it up within under eight hours) but it is a heck of a lot of fun if you’re playing with two partners that you know and get along with. If you want an artsy fartsy puzzler (with a ton of gold trophies and an easy Platinum) then Trine 2 is the game for you.

]]> http://www.bigbadbob113.com/2012/01/11/psn-review-trine-2/feed/ 0 http://www.bigbadbob113.com/2011/12/30/meet-the-turtle-beach-px21-headset/ http://www.bigbadbob113.com/2011/12/30/meet-the-turtle-beach-px21-headset/#comments Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:13:03 +0000 Rob http://www.bigbadbob113.com/?p=6020 Meet the Turtle Beach PX21 Headset

Post from: BigBadBobs Wild World of Stuff

 Not the best screenshot but if you click on the pic you will be it clearer

I was zipping about Amazon today and for whatever reason decided to look at Aliens: Colonial Marines. I was shocked to see a release date set there for March 31, 2012 (which happens to be my mother’s birthday.)It’s still officially set for “Spring 2012″ but could Amazon have leaked the release date details?

All I know is that this is a guaranteed purchase for me. Four-player campaign co-op from the Borderlands studio set in the Aliens universe? Sign me up to kill ‘dem xenomorphs! Who else is excited for this potential 2012 Game of the Year release?

It’s hard to believe that it’s been two weeks since I sent my PS3 back to Amazon after it got fried. In that time I’ve been keeping busy by playing on the 360. I rented Saints Row the Third and Warhammer 40K: Space Marine through Redbox, rented Dead Space 2 and Bulletstorm through Gamefly, purchased Crimson Alliance and played through Lord of the Rings: War in the North (which I won.) But I still missed the PS3, particularly Skyrim and Dead Island. Even though I got my $250 back from Amazon I still wanted to know I was getting a deal.

I finally found the deal I had been waiting for today on Amazon. They had the 160GB Harry Potter bundle for $250 with a $50 trade-in credit. So the way I see it, for $250 I get a 160GB system, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II on BluRay and a game of my choice for $260. That’s just the deal I was waiting for, and I’m pretty happy. The best part of it all is that I get to choose any game I want, though I’ll definitely wait until after Christmas. Maybe I’ll pick up WWE ’12 or Gears of War 3 if I don’t receive them for Christmas, or maybe I’ll save it for a future pre-order like Aliens: Colonial Marines.

Either way, I’m pleased as punch to finally get a PS3 back in the house. Worst part is that it must be on back order or something since Amazon is quoting me with a delivery date of Tuesday, even with my Amazon Prime two-day shipping. I can’t wait to get back to the ol’ PS3!

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.

Fighting Game of the Year: WWE Allstars

This one was a tough call in which I had to pick between WWE Allstars and Mortal Kombat. While Mortal Kombat returned of the klassics by paying homage to the origins of the series (and possibly the genre), one other fighting game demanded a tad bit more of my time. WWE Allstars is not your typical WWE game; it’s an over-the-top arcade button masher. Everything from the wrestlers themselves to their moves are all exaggerated in a major way with crisp, bright graphics. The combat is easy to pick up on and the fast-paced action make the game a lot more approachable to non-wrestling fans than any Smackdown vs. Raw game ever was. THQ also succeeded by implementing an excellent online server that allowed for lag-free online matches (the first time this could said) which only upped the replay value. All in all, WWE Allstars is a fast, furious and fun fighter that should not be ignored.

Sports Game of the Year: NHL ’12

NHL ’12 is the only sports game I played this year, and for me it’s the best. It seems that every year EA raises the bar slightly by implementing new features into it’s NHL franchise to make it a bit more realistic, and this year’s edition was no exception. For exampole goalies can bet hit and get into fights, nets can get knocked loose, the physics of being on the ice are more realistic than ever, and more. Throw in the variety of game modes ranging from exhibition to GM to Pro and even the complex online mini mode and you will be at it for quite a bit of time. NHL ’12 is an excellent hockey experience and a must-have for any fan.

 RPG of the Year: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

I had purchased Oblivion without knowing anything about it except that everybody and their brother told me what a great RPG it was. I was not disappointed at all and was instantly a fan of any future Elder Scrolls game. So when Skyrim was announced for release this year I was ready to pre-order right that moment. I have not been disappointed…despite the glitches, bugs and lags Skyrim still produces an in-depth, expansive experience that makes it hands-down the best RPG of the year. The ability to explore the huge (and diverse) landscape at will, create any character you want (since there are no classes to restrict what you can do) and the sheer number of quests to take on (be they engrossing or tedious) all amount to a great role playing experience. And if the fact that I pumped 80 hours into the game in about two weeks doesn’t tell you what an addictive RPG this game is, I don’t know what will.

Co-Op Game of the Year: Dead Island

The best part about Dead Island was that it was a very spontaneous, spur of the moment purchase. I had initially pre-ordered Resistance 3 but when it was indeed confirmed that the online co-op mode from Resistance 2 would not be making a return I began to question my pre-order. Then I realized that Dead Island was coming out at around the same time, and that game boasted a four player drop-in/ drop-out campaign. That, combined with the fact that several of my friends from co-optimus were also purchasing the game, made me decide to cancel my Resistance 3 pre-order and instead order Dead Island. It was a decision I do not regret as Dead Island has been the best co-op experience I’ve had this year (sorry Lord of the Rings: War in the North.) The ability to take your character, join any friend’s game, and take all weapons and XP you earned with you when you leave make it the perfect co-op game to start with. Add in the four players and the zombies and you have the perfect formula for an great time. Sure, the game was riddled with glitches that ruined saves and trophy progress early on, but the overall experience was more than worth it. If you have three other friends who like to slash and smash zombies you all have no excuse for not going out, buying this game and killing some zombies together.

Console-Exclusive Game of the Year: inFAMOUS 2

This was another tough decision with so many great exclusives being released this year, ranging from Resistance 3 to Gears of War 3. In the end I enjoyed inFAMOUS 2 the most. The story was spot on, the characters were fully developed, and being able to run through the sandbox-type city was a blast, especially with super powers! The addition of two allies who you had to choose between based on your preferred karma track was a huge addition from the last game. I played through the game twice back to back not only to snag the Platinum but also to experience the game from both karma views, and it was a blast each time. Throw in Sucker Punch’s decision to add in a mode where players could create their own missions and inFAMOUS 2 is enough to tempt even the most devout Microsoft fanboy.

Motion-Control Game of the Year: House of the Dead: Overkill- Extended Cut

One of the best Wii games I ever played (and still own) is House of the Dead: Overkill. Now take that awesome game and add on PS3-quality graphics, more levels, additional game modes and trophies…you have yourself one heck of an awesome rail shooter! In case you’re not familiar with the game, House of the Dead: Overkill is a rail shooter that has the story and dialogue of a cheesy B-Horror movie. It is a lot of fun to play through, and

Downloadable Game of the Year: Dungeon Hunter: Alliance

I love me a great hack-and-slash/ dungeon crawler, and there were quite a few of them released this year. By far the best was Dungeon Hunter: Alliance. It was short and simple yet fun enough to warrant various playthroughs on your quest to grind your character’s level and snag the best loot. Dungeon Hunter: Alliance didn’t really offer anything new or exceptional, but it did pay service to a great game genre without messing it up. Up to four players can team up with their warrior, wizard or rogue and take on hordes of enemies as they travel through different environments, picking up a ton of gold and weapons along the way. If you’re a fan of the genre this is definitely a game worth checking out.

Most Anticipated Game of the Year: Resistance 3

The Resistance franchise is one of the reasons I love the PS3. One of the first games I bought was Resistance: Fall of Man, and immediately upon beating it I ran out to pick up Resistance 2. Resistance: Fall of Man had a very solid and fun campaign but was a bit lacking as far as trophies and online co-op go. Resistance 2 took a step back with an under par campaign but one of the most fun online co-op experiences I ever had. I was hoping beyond hope that Resistance 3 could combine the two: a well-made, fun single player campaign as well as an awesome online co-op mode. What we got was a two-player co-op campaign, and while it was decent it wasn’t enough to surpass Resistance 2. I was a quite disappointed with Insomniac’s decision to not bring back the awesome eight-player co-op mode from Resistance 2, and I think this definitely put a hurt on the end game.

Best Trailer of the Year: Dead Island

Click here to view the embedded video.

This trailer debuted in February and it instantly made a huge buzz for the game on the interwebs. I dare anyone to watch that video and not say “that game looks pretty cool.” Of course the game doesn’t entirely become as awesome as the trailer makes it out to be, but the gritty trailer definitely succeeded in getting word out about the game.

Game of the Year: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

In the end, the best RPG experience of the year was my favorite game of the year. Skyrim really lived up to the hype of the series and provided an excellent RPG adventure. Despite it’s technical faults, the overall product simply blows away all other games released this year.

So those were BigBadBob’s Game of the Year Awards. If you agree or disagree, or want to give your own opinions as to what you felt was the game of the year, feel free to leave a comment.

That’s the Soul Siren, your arch-nemesis

I’m sure many of you fellow gamers are familiar with the hack and slash/ dungeon crawler RPG genre. Here’s the generic laundry list that typically defines this genre:

• Fantasy setting
• Two or more players
• Simple, button mashing combat
• Several different classes of character, each with unique skills
• Develop skills by assigning points to skill trees
• Grind to get XP
• Smash boxes and open chests to find gold and equipment
• Purchase new equipment and sell off old equipment

• Fantasy setting
• Two or more players
• Simple, button mashing combat
• Several different classes of character, each with unique skills
• Develop skills by assigning points to skill trees
• Grind to get XP 
• Smash boxes and open chests to find gold and equipment
• Purchase new equipment and sell off old equipment 

Seems like your everyday, run of the mill dungeon crawler 

As you can see, Crimson Alliance takes many of the features of a traditional dungeon crawler yet removes some of the core concepts of the genre. How is it that this game falls under this category yet has no xp or skill trees? What’s the point of the game if you’re not grinding to level up?

Crimson Alliance is an XBLA-exclusive that allows one to four players to control one of three character classes; the warrior, rogue or wizard. Each character has four main skills, each of which is assigned to the face buttons on the controller. The warrior has light attack, heavy attack, dash attack and shield bash. The rogue has light attack, stun attack, dagger toss and a dash attack. The wizard has fireballs, ice blast, lightning strike and teleport (and there is no mana/magic bar so the wizard can do as many of these attacks as he wants.) That’s it…they are all unlocked from the getgo and you never learn new ones. Also, you don’t gain XP for defeating enemies so there are no skill points to put into each ability. Instead, each piece of equipment you find will grant your stat bonuses to the skills. For example, a broadsword may add two points to light attack and one point to health. It is up to the player to decide which items to give the character that will result in the best skill builds for their playstyle. With my warrior playthrough I worked to max out the light attack so the shield bash and heavy attack were not all that heavily built up.

It’s hard to see but that’s the stats screen…the text is very small in the game

Crimson Alliance substitutes the traditional grinding with high scores and leaderboards. While this is nothing totally new, the fact that the game is centered around gaining as high a score as possible (and not worrying about spending too much time on character and combat customization) is what makes the game unique. I was a bit put off at first since I was unable to choose particular skills or see level increases, but after playing through a few stages I was working hard to get as high a score as possible. Your score for each level is rated on three things:

• Your combat rating. Basically the more enemies you kill without taking damage increase a multiplier that can rack up the points. For each hit your character takes you will lose one level of multiplier, so avoiding damage isn’t just about staying alive…it’s about maintaining that score boost.
• The number of secrets you find. Each level has a number of hidden areas that contain gold and equipment. The more you locate the bigger bonus you get to your high score on the level.
• The amount of time it takes to beat the level. The quicker you run through the level, the more of a bonus you will get.

You can compare your score with friends to see who’s the best of the best

In the end, the big question is if it works. Is the substitution of grinding and customization for high scores and leaderboards a good thing? The answer is yes, in this case. It is a very unique game style that forces a player to worry more about avoiding hits and finishing a level quickly then leveling up to unlock that next stat or skill increase. The thing is that I still found myself missing some of the more traditional aspects that were missing from this game, so I would not want to see this as a new trend for several more similar-styled games. A sequel is one thing (the game already has some additional DLC levels), but for other companies to jump on the high score bandwagon will be detrimental to the genre. Heck, I’m still waiting for a hack and slash/ dungeon crawler that proves to be a worthy predecessor to Champions of Norrath (Sacred 2 is the closest I’ve seen, but there were too many issues with it to make it perfect.) If you’re a stickler for grinding your character and cultivating that skill tree, I would avoid this game. However, if you like the genre and want to try something a little different then I recommend checking out the trial to see if you like it.

I generally love Gamefly, and most of the time they provide great shipping service. However, sometimes things take a bit slower than usual, and this week has been one of those times. I recently rented Lord of the Rings: War in the North and shipped it back to Gamefly. Now they had shipped it on a Monday (10/31/11) and I had the precious in my hands by Wednesday (11/2/11). A two-day shipping time is what I’m accustomed to with Gamefly. So after finishing it up I returned it on that Saturday (11/5). Then on Monday (11/7) my friend e-mailed me saying that Gamefly had just shipped his copy. I wanted to play the game online, so I decided to just re-rent it. They received my old copy on Tuesday (11/8)  and on Friday (11/11/11 AKA Skyrim Day) I received the e-mail that they had sent out my second request for War in the North. Problem is that as of today, 11/18/11, I am still gameless. I contacted Gamefly yesterday and they responded today saying they would send out another copy of the game whenever it’s available.

You know somethings wrong when it takes over a week to receive a game. I don’t know if the game was lost at the facility, lost in the mail, lost at the mailbox, stolen, or whatever, but all I know is that I haven’t had a Gamefly game in two weeks. Thank the gaming gods that I had Fallout: New Vegas to occupy me until Skyrim arrived or I would have been going nuts!

So Gamefly…you messed up this time ’round. I don’t appreciate the fact that I’ve been gameless since November 5th. Pick up the pace!