Games Played 04/28/2009

Dino Crisis - PlayStation
Guild Wars - PC*
Resident Evil 5 - X-Box 360
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel - PC**

*I shouldn't have put too much hope on Guild Wars. I was getting into it a bit but the friend who suggested that I play that game with him already switched his attention to Resident Evil 5 on X-Box 360 and we have been playing co-op on it. What a strange turn of events! He is still going to check out the Sacred 2: Fallen Angel demo but I am not expecting much from that.

**Finally, my Dryad is starting to look a little bit more kick-butt.

RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


Iridion II (2003)
Developer: Shin'en
Platform: Game Boy Advance
Purchase Date: 11/19/2003

The "3D" backdrops are absolutely stunning as they are deviously clever in their mechanics.

Iridion II is a conventional little shoot-'em-up but the genre's rarity on the Game Boy Advance really made this into a must have title. You can collect multiple weapons that can be powered up for your ship and there is a slight degree of strategy when it comes to using the appropriate weapons during the appropriate enemy formations. The many boss fights are the highlight of the game because during the long stretches of time flying through the stages, the small enemies and environment obstacles are repetitive and uneventful. Iridion II has a striking 3D look to it and it uses many different graphical effects to accomplish that feat. The confident, polished visual presentation is impressive to behold even to this day. The game has several extra features to unlock besides the default Story Mode. The only thing that's unfortunate about the game is the lack of in game save that could have helped with the game replay value - shoot-'em-ups are always about finishing them again and again to improve your previous performances.

LIBRARY STATUS: 3 out of 5

Games Played 04/27/2009

Cannon Spike - Dreamcast
Resident Evil 5 - X-Box 360
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel - PC


RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


Dino Crisis (1999)
Developer: Capcom Co., Ltd.
Platform: PlayStation
Purchase Date: 10/16/1999


You know that bad things are going to crash through those big glass windows.

With Dino Crisis, Capcom attempted to recapture the magic of their Resident Evil games by creating something so similar yet somewhat different at the same time. Their hard work did pay off since this game turns out to be scarier than the survival horror that inspired it. Mixing story elements from RE and Jurassic Park, you take on the role of Regina of the special military task force who is assigned to infiltrate a high-security base on an isolated island only to face hordes of dinosaurs once she and her team got there. The rigid controls and the tacky puzzle solving are copied straight from RE but what is unique about this game is that the backgrounds are constructed in real time 3D compared to the 2D backdrops found in the first two Resident Evil games. They are still static for the most part to accomplish the game's claustrophobic mood but the 3D surroundings allow the developer to create some interesting camera movements during gameplay. Zombies are always the more interesting enemies compared to dinosaurs but the latter are smarter and faster, thus they are more threatening. The tension is always high and the T-Rex scenes are very well thought of. I noticed that there is a crack on the jewel case cover for this game and it is much larger than the one seen on Cannon Spike yesterday. Because of the Resident Evil 3: Nemesis demo disc that comes with the game, Dino Crisis uses a specialized jewel case and I cannot find another one that would fit the case properly to replace it with. Why does it have to be so fragile?

LIBRARY STATUS: 4 out of 5

The Great Stylus Mystery

On Saturday last week, I took my significant other out to an appointment and knowing that I had to do some sitting and waiting, I brought along my Nintendo DS Lite for the ride. I had started playing The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass on and off since late last month and if you are familiar with the game, you know that it can only be played using the stylus. So I turned on the DS and reached for the stylus slot on the side just to find out in horror that it wasn't there.

No! It can't be! But how?

I always and I mean ALWAYS slide the stylus back into the slot after I am done playing with the DS so the fact that it was missing from where it was supposed to be was just a bit too shocking for me. Thankfully, the appointment didn't take that long but as soon as I got home, I frantically looked for the stylus where I know I have sat down and played my DS: the bedroom, the video game room, and the living room. I looked between the folds of blankets and futon cover, braved through mountains of dust-bunnies, and yes I even dug through the bathroom trashcan because I could have mistakenly dumped it there, thinking that it was a q-tip (I know). Why go through all this trouble when the Nintendo DS Lite actually comes with an extra stylus? Well, the first one was special... Now, I feel like I am missing something from the whole packaged product. Maybe it's the whole notion that you will always remember your first? The funny thing is that I have many other alternatives to use as a replacement stylus:

I could use the feather stylus specifically made for Phantom Hourglass...


...or one of these but color-wise they just won't match my Polar White DS Lite...

...but there is no way I am going to use the old DS stylus. Too bulky!
Yeah, I actually bought these for the original Nintendo DS that I still own.

It really kills me to think that I have lost the stylus and I suppose it could happen again. This is not as bad as the missing game dilemma last year but at least that one was resolved. I hope that I will stumble into the missing stylus one of these days, maybe as I am packing my stuff to move to my new place which could probably happen very soon. Where the heck could it be hiding?

ha ha u will never find me*


*Not the real missing stylus.

Games Played 04/26/2009

Firefighter F.D.18 - PlayStation 2
The Mark of Kri - PlayStation 2
Resident Evil 5 - X-Box 360
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel - PC
Tekken 4 - PlayStation 2

RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


Cannon Spike (2000)
Developer: Psikyo
Platform: Sega Dreamcast
Purchase Date: 11/21/2000


Not the Street Fighter reunion that fans were hoping for apparently.

You know that a game can't be named Cannon Spike without actually having Cammy from the Street Fighter series as one of its playable characters. In the far future, a gang of terrorists is wrecking havoc around the world and its up to 6 nostalgic and "Motor Boots" strapped Capcom characters to stop them. One thing that I can surely conclude from the plot is this: Capcom characters apparently never age - I can understand Mega Man staying youthful and fresh but Cammy, Charlie, and B .B. Hood? Never mind. Cannon Spike is a Psikyo shooter, so the stages are very short - they mostly involve clearing one small room before the bosses would pop-out - and the entire game can be completed very quickly. All the characters have a couple of long range weaponry as well as powerful physical attacks (Cammy has her "Cannon Spike" move of course). Your can shoot at a 360 degree angle but you are given the ability to lock on to a specific enemy to make it easier to focus your attacks. The mechanical bosses are cool looking but the humanoid ones are a bit boring. As I was preparing to play this game, I noticed a large crack in the front of the game's jewel case on the bottom right hand corner and that made me a bit upset. Maybe it was caused by the pressure of having 10 other games stacked on top of it due to the design of the CD Wave Tower that I used to hold some of my games. I immediately looked for the solution:

Much better now. The emergency transplant was successful, thanks to the below donor.


Sorry Mr. Cole. I just had to do it!

LIBRARY STATUS: 4 out of 5

Games Played 04/25/2009

Resident Evil 5 - X-Box 360
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel - PC*

*So far, so good. This is a screenshot of my third Dryad character...
I deleted the first two when I made decision mistakes during the level up process.


RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


Tekken 4 (2001)
Developer: Namco Ltd.
Platform: PlayStation 2
Purchase Date: 09/29/2002


Want a winning strategy for Christie? Alternately press the two kick buttons
quickly and repeatedly until your opponent is beaten down to a pulp.

Tekken 4 is my least favorite game in the series because it had the unfortunate luck of being the follow up to the masterpiece Tekken Tag Tournament. Even though this game can be played in 4:3 progressive scan, it doesn't look as good as the interlace-only Tournament. The problem is simply this: The Tekken series has always been a flashy button-masher. The button mashing has always been shallow and the games have been fun because of their powerful looking combos. Tournament was able to provide the needed depths to the series by adding the 2-on-2 gameplay to create a more interesting dynamic and fighting strategy. By going back to 1-on-1 fighting, the series' rigidity becomes apparent again. The only thing new that Tekken 4 adds into the series is the fully realized 3D stages. Unfortunately, they are more beautiful than they are functional because these battlegrounds are so big that it's hard to get the fighters close to the walls and slopes to actually manipulate those environmental objects. What Namco needs to do is totally revise this series' stiff gameplay mechanics just like what they did when they made the sequel to the repetitive combo-fest Soul Edge in the form of the ultra-refined Soul Calibur. The Soul Calibur series is definitely much better than Tekken in every way even though Namco has recently become a bit lazy with that series too.

LIBRARY STATUS: 3 out of 5

Games Played 04/24/2009

Baku Baku Animal - SegaSaturn
Incredible Crisis - PlayStation
Resident Evil 5 - X-Box 360
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel - PC

RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


Firefighter F.D.18 (2003)
Developer: Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo
Platform: PlayStation 2
Purchase Date: 2004


It feels good to be able to get to the survivors even though some of them are thankless.

In real life, there is no denying that firefighters are mostly unsung heroes who risk their very lives in the continual efforts to fight fire and save the lives of those endangered by it. To turn this into something that would hold your interest in a video game is not an easy thing to do, especially when you try to make that game grounded on reality. I like Firefighter F.D.18 a lot because it is a successful game that is careful not demean its source of inspiration while adding imaginative elements to make the whole occasion exciting and most importantly, playable. The game's major focus is on saving the survivors of the fire and this is a very smart move by KCET. If the game was designed around fully extinguishing all the visible fire in sight, it would have been mercilessly boring. You have to find ways to get around to the survivors before they perish and if you fail to do so, it's game over. There are interesting "boss" flames that you do have to extinguish and their sparseness make each encounter memorable. The game also has a touching little story to it involving a serial arsonist and it's more moody than it is cheesy. Think of this game as the more realistic version of Burning Rangers on the SegaSaturn.

LLIBRARY STATUS: 4 out of 5

Games Played 04/23/2009

Psyvariar 2: The Will to Fabricate - Dreamcast
Resident Evil 5 - X-Box 360
Titan Quest - PC

RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


The Mark of Kri (2002)
Developer: SCE Studios San Diego
Platform: PlayStation 2
Purchase Date: 08/06/2002


One is missing a body and the other is missing a head. What bitter irony.

It's funny to think that when I first played this game back in 2002, I thought its violence was a bit shocking. When I first picked it up, I didn't notice that it received a "M" rating and the first time I actually chopped off an opponent to pieces, I got a bit sick because I wasn't expecting for that to happen in a game that looks so cartoon-ish. The Mark of Kri is an action adventure game with that usual quest to save the world from destruction storyline. The most prominent features of the game are your ability to lock on to multiple targets at once who can then be attacked using the corresponding buttons they are assigned to and the ability to scout the surrounding areas using your pet bird named Kuzo. I like how the game uses sketch arts as the transition mechanism from the loading screen to gameplay because they really show off how closely the 3D graphics are able to replicate the beautiful sketches by the game's artists.

LIBRARY STATUS: 3 out of 5

New Game Alert!

I didn't plan on making a game purchase today so this came as a nice little surprise. I went out with my significant other and just happened to find the PlayStation 3's Alone in the Dark: Inferno for $19.99 in a bargain bin at Walmart. I don't go into a Walmart unless I absolutely have to (I hate the claustrophobic store layout with a vengeance) but I am glad that I did so today.

Whoever designed this cover art must have done so when he/she was alone in the dark.

New Game Alert!

I finally received Sacred 2: Fallen Angel for the personal computer today. I ordered the game from Amazon.com earlier this week. The installation and the patch took a while to complete but it was truly worth it. The game looks better than the demo and runs blazingly fast at true 1080p even with V-sync on, which I would recommend because without it, the screen tearing becomes unbearable. I am glad that I waited this long though because looking at the patch note, there were definitely some serious issues that existed in the prior version. The most exciting addition to the game with the latest patch is the dynamic implementation of nVidia-PhysX technology. It's supposed to impact particle effects from spells but since I am still a lowbie, I have not witnessed that yet. What I have seen though are individual leaves blowing in the wind and get scattered when you walk on them. Beautiful stuff. The latest patch also introduces an achievement system for the game. The achievements are not linked to the X-Box 360, like the Live enabled Fallout 3, but they are still viewable by the Sacred 2 community. This is one of my happiest purchases in a long while. Let's hope that the gameplay will hold up.

Waiting to compare the game with the console versions was a great idea!


I'm playing the Dryad first. She's not fully clothed yet. Not sure if that's a good thing.

Games Played 04/22/2009

G-Police - PlayStation
Groove On Fight - SegaSaturn
Guild Wars - PC
Kaitei Daisensou - SegaSaturn
Titan Quest - PC

RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


Incredible Crisis (2000)
Developer: Polygon Magic, Inc.
Platform: PlayStation
Purchase Date: 09/08/2001


You need this relaxing exercise because the rest of the day will be very, very taxing indeed.

Incredible Crisis is basically a collection of 24 randomly varied mini-games. What makes it very special is the way all of these mini-games are scattered across the game's totally wacky story mode. Here's the premise: you get to control all of the individual members of the Taneo family as they each struggle, and I mean STRUGGLE, to get back home safely to celebrate Grandma's birthday. Grandma even insisted that they all come home early for the celebration. The death-defying scenarios they encounter are hilarious, even when some of the mini-games are just too unforgiving. You will be hooked from the start with the first mini-game: a rhythm action dancing/exercise routine that soon leads to an Indiana Jones-inspired boulder chase before a heart-stopping elevator ride from hell. The mini-games can be played individually after they are unlocked through the story mode but playing them separately like that is no fun because they become totally out of context. It's worth repeating playing the story mode just for the zaniness of it all.

LIBRARY STATUS: 4 out of 5

Games Played 04/21/2009

The Bard's Tale - X-Box
Kill Switch - X-Box
Spectral Force 3 - X-Box 360
Titan Quest - PC

RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


Baku Baku Animal (1995)
Developer: Sega
Platform: SegaSaturn
Purchase Date: 08/02/2002


Those animals are really hungry. Don't stick your fingers in there.

In Baku Baku Animal, you have to match animal blocks with their proper food blocks to clear them from the screen. It's deviously simple but highly fun, especially when you are aiming to pull off a high amount of combo count. There are 5 different animals/food types in all: rabbit/carrot, monkey/banana, panda/bamboo, dog/bone, and rat/cheese. Strangely, more common animals like a cat or a bird are not included. The unique thing about the way the blocks are cleared when the match happens is that the blocks do not have to be aligned specifically in a vertical nor horizontal fashion. It's more like a combination of both. There is also no set number of maximum blocks that needed to be matched, which means that as long as the food blocks are connected to each other, an animal block would clear all of them. The game has a lot of charms to it and whenever the animal head lands next to the appropriate food, it becomes alive, munching the food blocks away, complete with the exaggerated munching sound. Cute and addictive, Baku Baku Animal will sure to please any puzzle fans.

LIBRARY STATUS: 4 out of 5

Games Played 04/20/2009

Grabbed by the Ghoulies - X-Box
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel Demo - PC
Titan Quest - PC

RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


Psyvariar 2: The Will to Fabricate (2004)
Developer: Skonec Entertainment Co., Ltd.
Platform: Sega Dreamcast
Purchase Date: 2004


This big guy is the most anti-climactic shoot-'em-up boss ever made. Still a great game though.

The Psyvariar games have always bear some similarities with the Shikigami no Shiro series where instead of trying to avoid incoming bullets shot by the enemies, your goal is to try and get as closest as possible to them to properly play the game. Things are a bit more complex in the Psyvariar games though - just like the original, Psyvariar 2 uses the "Buzz" system where constant grazing against enemy bullets will eventually fill your level up meter and when you level up, you gain temporary invulnerability. During this short period of time, it becomes easier to level up because you can pretty much ram your Mech against huge chunks of bullets as long as you can keep replenishing the shield by chaining your level-ups. It sounds complex because it is and the game will take a lot from you before you can master it, especially with the other little subtleties found within. Once you are comfortable with the gameplay system, the initially impossible-to-avoid bullet patterns by the bosses suddenly become great opportunities to maximize the buzz mechanics. Surely one of the most unique shooters ever created.

LIBRARY STATUS: 5 out of 5

Games Played 04/19/2009

SingStar - PlayStation 3*
Too Human - X-Box 360
Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom - PlayStation 3


*I just love me some Santogold!

RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


G-Police (1997)
Developer: Psygnosis
Platform: PlayStation
Purchase Date: 12/18/1997


The only thing worth experiencing in this game is its incredible CG movies.

G-Police has some great ideas behind its creation but it is just a total failure in its technical execution. You play as a a new "Government Police" pilot who actually joins the organization to investigate the suspicious "suicide" of his sister. The futuristic storyline is told via beautiful cut scenes with a moody yet perfect voice acting of the main character narrating the unfolding events. The missions involve you piloting a gunship around 3D landscapes. The game is action heavy and the controls are great. The main problem here is the totally incompetent graphics and you know the graphics are bad when the game actually allows you to choose between optimizing the "View Angle", the "View Distance", and the "Frame Rate" in the options menu. It is hard to see what's going on for the most part and since there are a lot of flying involved, it's extremely hard to navigate your aircraft because most often than not, you can hardly tell what's around you. It's really a shame actually because the game definitely has a lot of potentials. Some games are just impossible to be made without the proper technology to back it up. G-Police is one of those games.

LIBRARY STATUS: 1 out of 5

Distractions, Distractions

Just as I was beginning to really enjoy playing Titan Quest, an old friend of mine whom I met while playing World of Warcraft asked me earlier today if I would play Guild Wars for the personal computer with him online. I have been trying to get him to play Resident Evil 5 with me recently but he doesn't find RE5 that fun. He just purchased his X-Box 360 late last year and he doesn't seem to be enjoying the life on Live that much. Just like me, he is also craving for some fun multi-player role playing action. I told him that I have ordered the PC version of Sacred 2: Fallen Angel and that I would be playing it as soon as it arrives but he was sceptical about the game. He informed me that he was looking for something that's closer to WoW versus something that is a Diablo clone. I agreed to play Guild Wars with him after we discussed other alternatives - Maple Story? Heck no! I thought it wouldn't hurt since I did buy all of the expansions to Guild Wars anyway when they came out (back then, I was hoping that buying them would enable me to pull myself away from WoW but it didn't work). I must say that so far, the experience has been very pleasing and we had a blast during our first two hours of play. I urged him to still get Sacred 2 and suggested that we could both rotate between that game, Titan Quest, and Guild Wars. Hope this is going to last!

Since I was a priest in WoW, my friend decided to become

a monk this time around to return the favor. Heal me, darn it!

Games Played 04/18/2009

Crimson Tears - PlayStation 2
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection - PlayStation 3
Too Human - X-Box 360

RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


Kaitei Daisensou (1995)
Developer: Sims Co., Ltd.
Platform: SegaSaturn
Purchase Date: 05/08/1997


This epic stage completely and utterly destroyed the Saturn.

Just like Irem's R-Type series, Kaitei Daisensou - also known as In the Hunt - is a deliberately slow paced shooter. In this game, you control a submarine that can be equipped with a variety of torpedoes/missiles/mines and though most of the threats come from underneath the ocean, there are times when you have to destroy enemies that are located out on the land and in the air. The game is beautiful with detailed 2D backdrops, creative bosses, and fantastic animations but this arcade port suffers a tremendous amount of slowdown, especially when there are too many things are happening on the screen. The third stage where you are chased by a giant stone creature is almost unplayable because of this. I am sure that the SegaSaturn is capable of handling this monstrosity and I believe that the blame falls upon developer Sims that handled the port. Kaitei Dainsensou is not the best shooter from Irem but it should have been as entertaining as it was in the arcades.

LIBRARY STATUS: 2 out of 5

Games Played 04/17/2009

Nanobreaker - PlayStation 2
Too Human - X-Box 360
Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade - PSP

RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


Kill.Switch (2003)
Developer: Namco Hometek Inc.
Platform: X-Box
Purchase Date: 03/26/2004


Take Cover. Take Aim. Take Over. Repeat. Over and Over and Over Again.

If not for its engaging storyline, Kill.Switch would have been one of those games that I just don't find to be particularly engaging. It is a third person shooter with that typical high-tech military overtone and by-the-number action set pieces. Interestingly though, the most dominating gameplay element found here is its "Offensive Cover System". It's all a matter of finding a place where you can take cover and then strategically returning fire to dispatch your enemies. The easiness of having your character stay behind cover with a press of a button and the responsiveness of the control while covering are reminiscent of Gears of War but that game made everything much more simplified. The game's graphics are pretty average at best and the whole thing looks like as if they were going for the "realistic" feel to the environment. The lack of any definitive style has aged the game tremendously even when it is compared to other beauties found on the X-Box and the PlayStation 2.

LIBRARY STATUS: 3 out of 5

Games Played 04/16/2009

The Urbz: Sims in the City - X-Box
Pac-Man Championship Edition - X-Box 360
Uno - X-Box 360
Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade - PSP

RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


Groove On Fight (1997)
Developer: Atlus
Platform: SegaSaturn
Purchase Date: 08/27/2002


Her organ playing is so bad, it could kill you.

Groove On Fight is a 2-on-2 fighting game that originates from Atlus' own Power Instinct fighting game series. You can switch between the two characters on the fly and there are eleven playable fighters to choose from. It is fun and extremely offbeat, featuring a strange ensemble of characters who seem to each come from different parts of the universe. If you just take a look at the game's cover art - yes, that is just too revealing of an outfit - it should give you an idea of how odd things can get in the game. My favorite characters are two old sisters - played as a single character - who are tied to each other's back and they use each other's bodies (as well as their flying dentures) to beat up their opponents. The game can be used with the optional 1MB cartridge but it could have benefited from the 4MB cartridge if it was released just a little bit later in 1997 when X-Men vs. Street Fighter brought about that innovation. As a result, the game has an unfortunately long loading time in between battles that becomes a bit of a frustration. Still, this is one of the best fighting games that's not made by either Capcom or SNK and that to me is always a major accomplishment.

LIBRARY STATUS: 4 out of 5

Games Played 04/15/2009

Champions of Norrath - PlayStation 2
Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows - PlayStation 2
Go! Puzzle - PlayStation 3
OutRun 2 - X-Box
OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast - PlayStation 2
OutRun Online Arcade Demo - X-Box 360
Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade - PSP
Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom - PlayStation 3

RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


The Bard's Tale (2004)
Developer: inXile Entertainment
Platform: X-Box
Purchase Date: 2004


Not even innocent domesticated animals can escape the Bard's playful nature.

The Bard's Tale is an action role playing comedy filled with many crude and memorable jokes that sometimes overshadow its overall gameplay. The game doesn't take itself seriously and it likes to poke fun at the role playing genre conventions. It is self-aware that it's a game and this makes for some clever and unexpected things to happen as you are playing it. The game starts off with our unconventional hero, a travelling Bard, trying to score some food from a bar by tricking its beautiful owner into believing him to be a caring, brave man but this leads to a shocking confrontation with a monster. With the help of a mysterious old man type, he is able to defeat the creature and afterwards, the promise of more power convinces him to embark on a quest to obtain them. The storyline is nothing special except for the consistent successes with the humor. Most often than not, you are given the option to choose a "snarky" or "nice" response when interacting with the other characters and this sometimes alter the progression of the game. Don't worry, even the "nice" responses pack some serious comedic punch. The action is what you may get from a typical hack-and-slash but the summon system where the Bard can conjure many different creatures keeps things interesting.

LIBRARY STATUS: 4 out of 5

Games Played 04/14/2009

Champions of Norrath - PlayStation 2
Deathrow: Underground Team Combat - X-Box
Gun - PlayStation 2
Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom - PlayStation 3

RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


Grabbed by the Ghoulies (2003)
Developer: Rare
Platform: X-Box
Purchase Date: 02/14/2004


Some parts of the game are pretty spooky and rip-roaringly hilarious at the same time.

The title Grabbed by the Ghoulies sounds more like an accurate description of Rare's acquisition by Microsoft: This was their first game released under the big M's banner. It is a fun haunted house adventure that contains heavy action elements coupled with subtle scares and offbeat humor. You control Cooper whose girlfriend has been kidnapped by ghosts at a gloomy looking mansion when they were trying to take a shelter there from a rainstorm. Cooper has to investigate the many rooms found within the mansion, each with its own challenge that must be conquered to open the next area. For the most part, you just have to clear the enemies that occupy the room but there are some unique variations of this thrown into the mix. There are many objects that cooper can use as a weapon and the majority of the furniture are fully destructible. The game has a very smooth, cartoon-like quality to it and the use of moving comic-strips to progress the story is fun to watch. Ghoulies is also very funny and even though the action gets repetitive, the unique looking rooms and the large amount of Rare self-references scattered throughout the mansion truly make the game a worthwhile play. As a side note, I didn't have this game listed on my game library before so I have added it tonight, bumping the number of games I own up by one.

LIBRARY STATUS: 3 out of 5

Back to Questing, Titan Style

I have been craving for some serious hack-and-slash role playing action since sometime last week: this was triggered by multiple play sessions of the mediocre Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom for the PlayStation 3. Since then, I have been trying to find good people to play Champions of Norrath, Champions: Return to Arms, and Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows for the PlayStation 2 with but thus far, the result has been unfavorable. Earlier today, I re-downloaded the demo for Sacred 2: Fallen Angel for the Personal Computer just to satiate what has now become an uncontrollable appetite.

It's still a goofy game but Diablo III may not be released until World of Warcraft
is dead and that is going to take a while...

I would have to be stupid to not get the PC version of this when I have a capable PC for it.

I still found Sacred 2 quite mediocre but I have now decided to pick up the PC version of the game after the latest trailer/screenshots for the X-360 as well as the PlayStation 3 versions failed to impress me. Making the decision easier, I also found out that for the consoles, the players have to share the screen while playing with others just like how things are in Fable 2 on the 360. This is not the case with the PC version where all the players can freely go anywhere they want to individually during multiplayer. The impressive 16-player support is also severely reduced to only 4 on the console versions. The game is hard to find at retail so I may have to order it online soon. I can definitely wait to get the game though because I started playing Titan Quest on the PC again today and so far, I am really getting into it.

I have a bad habit of deleting old characters that I haven't used in a long time.
Thankfully, one level 16 survived. I believe my highest level at one point was 25+.

Titan Quest is still a very good looking game and that makes me even happier.

The last time I played this game was in September of last year. I am currently experimenting with the melee classes and I found them to be more compelling than the casters. I am really serious about going all the way to level 75 (I have the Immortal Throne expansion) and getting a nice gear set at the end of it all. The community is not as vast as it was last year but there are still many people playing this online. It was funny to see a game room that was called "Cheaters Only!" but at least the cheaters know that most people really hate ruining the game for themselves. Who knows, I might meet some fun new people playing the game this time around.

Games Played 04/13/2009

Champions of Norrath - PlayStation 2
Champions: Return to Arms - PlayStation 2
Deathrow: Underground Team Combat - X-Box
Phantasy Star Portable - PSP
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection - PlayStation 3
Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom - PlayStation 3

RANDOM GAME OF THE DAY:


Crimson Tears (2004)
Developer: Spike/Dream Factory
Platform: PlayStation 2
Purchase Date: 2004


I present to you, the state-of-the art Random Dungeon Creator/Transporter!

Crimson Tears is a dungeon crawler at heart but it plays mostly like a beat-'em-up. The game takes place in the future where you get to control three bio-engineered humanoids who are out to save the world from some sort of spatial dimension anomaly. The plot is paper thin and just trying to think about it gave me a serious headache. All you need to know is that there are randomly generation dungeons to conquer and characters to level up. There are many weapons that you can equip your characters with and you can can build up their attack combos. If the high repetition doesn't bore you to death, the game has a lot of depths and even though you can only play as one character at a time, the other two will always gain a good percentage of the experience points that are accumulated by the selected character. This really encourages you to switch between them without losing the progress that you have made in the game. Later on, you can unlock additional costumes for the characters though I really wish that their looks were fully customizable throughout the game. The main problem I have with Crimson Tears is that the camera zooms in too close to the action and this makes it difficult to anticipate the approach of the off-screen enemies.

LIBRARY STATUS: 3 out of 5