but with a massive I've always seen the Call of Duty franchise as games stuck in one of the world wars without accurate accounts and over the top American propaganda. I was planning on ignoring COD4 as well but a out roar on the internet claiming it the best game ever made I decided to pick it up. I'm Thoroughly glad I did now too.
The game consists of you quantum leaping between a British SAS soldier conducting covert operations and a US marine taking over a town by force with guns blazing and very little organization. The two force end up united as the story progresses to find some lost nukes.
Now here's the thing, even though the game is full of propaganda crap and I can't imagine the amount of idiots joining the Royal Army or US Navy based on this bullshit but the game does have some deep moments where it shows death and suffering of war out side of the pride and heroism. For example you quantum leap into a president of a overthrown country as he is being escorted to his execution. There are quite a few moments like this that keep the story rather interesting.
The controls are near perfect and the mechanics work brilliantly for perfect killing.
The game isn't extremely long, in fact it's length is below average in my opinion with little replay value. But it does give that nice fuzzy satisfied feeling once you have completed it.
Now I was going to trade it in but with the Internet going crazy about it's online play being fantastic. Heck, the Xboxers where saying it's better than halo! So I gave it a go.
Now this is where the game excels its self! It's simply great killing other players! It works so well! It's amazingly fun and stable (I still can't believe the lack of lag you get on PSN).
But that's not all, it has a kind of rpg mechanic! When you first start you are level one with next to no weapons and only one type of match available. You gain XP through the score of matches, eg; 10 xp per a kill plus you get a match bonus at the end. As you advance through ranks you unlock weapons and perks that you can use to make custom classes. You also unlock challenges as you work your way up that get you more XP when you complete them. The weapons have their own challenges that when completed don't just give you xp but also parts and camo for your weapons.
I'm still playing COD4 online, on and off. I'm currently LVL 36 :Major II.
I wouldn't say this is the best game ever (I have yet to find a game that fits that title) but I would recommend this game and I dare ya too find me online. You can guess my name easily.
Come get me cowboys!
~ L ~
Saturday, 17 May 2008
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Claymore
"In a world rife with deadly creatures called "youma", a young silver eyed woman, Clare, works on behalf of an organisation that trains female youma halfbreeds into warriors with the ability to destroy these creatures. Considered a rogue for picking up a stray child & almost losing herself to her youma side by "Awakening", she is constantly assigned rather dangerous missions..."
~ Anime New Network
Lots of blonde female warriors with demon blood in them fighting with big swords against demons and each other. What more can you ask for? A story? ... What the hell is wrong with you >_<>
The story is actually pretty deep and enjoyable. Most of it is unpredictable with some of the common "duh" predictable elements, "No way! Your actually saying the antagonist and the protagonist fight! Say it ain't so!..." ...Come to think of it...I dont know who the true antagonist is, hmmm.
Anyhoo, this a fantasty adventure anime with fighting, grrr. No comedy, next to no romance. It's basicly about trying to find something to fight and live for. For revenge, for loved one, for the dead, for those who still need you, for survival, etc.
The characters are very interesting and animated. You'll grow a real like for most of them (besides the annoying little rakki who's only reason to exist is to drive the plot!), and a hatred for the arseholes!
~ Anime New Network
Lots of blonde female warriors with demon blood in them fighting with big swords against demons and each other. What more can you ask for? A story? ... What the hell is wrong with you >_<>
The story is actually pretty deep and enjoyable. Most of it is unpredictable with some of the common "duh" predictable elements, "No way! Your actually saying the antagonist and the protagonist fight! Say it ain't so!..." ...Come to think of it...I dont know who the true antagonist is, hmmm.
Anyhoo, this a fantasty adventure anime with fighting, grrr. No comedy, next to no romance. It's basicly about trying to find something to fight and live for. For revenge, for loved one, for the dead, for those who still need you, for survival, etc.
The characters are very interesting and animated. You'll grow a real like for most of them (besides the annoying little rakki who's only reason to exist is to drive the plot!), and a hatred for the arseholes!
It is beutifully drawn with alot of it having a dark tone to go with the rather dark story. And animated with great detail and quility.
I watched a subtitled version of the show which was translated and presented brilliantly and professionally by Eclipse Productions. Kudos to them.
The anime is 26 episodes long which in my opinion is around the perfect length for an anime. The ending is left open for the story to continue and while part of me is full of glee praying for a second series the intelligent side of my mind shakes it's head and hopes there won't be. The anime is pretty much perfect as it is and a second series could potentialy ruin it.
Overall, I advise all to check it out! Here's the torrent I used. Enjoy.
Till we meet again.
~ L ~
I watched a subtitled version of the show which was translated and presented brilliantly and professionally by Eclipse Productions. Kudos to them.
The anime is 26 episodes long which in my opinion is around the perfect length for an anime. The ending is left open for the story to continue and while part of me is full of glee praying for a second series the intelligent side of my mind shakes it's head and hopes there won't be. The anime is pretty much perfect as it is and a second series could potentialy ruin it.
Overall, I advise all to check it out! Here's the torrent I used. Enjoy.
Till we meet again.
~ L ~
Saturday, 10 May 2008
Armored core 4
I'd like to say I never understood the thrill about mechs but suddenly a childhood memory of watching power rangers rises from the depths and I have a second look at a lot of the anime I've been watching, so I'll say instead that I don't understand some mecha merchandise. For example, the Gundams, I can't get into the games or the anime. It just seems too daft.
But with Armored Core 4 it all made sense!
This is the first time I've played a Armored Core since they seem to of flown under my radar. This one only grabbed my attention because of a free demo of it on PSN.
I didn't really get the story of it that well, but basically your a pilot of a armored core who works for a type of manufacturer of cores and a mercenary company. You sent on missions...or rather dropped on missions that generally involve wiping out a terrorist units under the guidance or the voice of the never seen female CO. Until something happens which sparks off a war between the big companies including yours. Each mission has a certain story to it which your CO tells. They're not always deep but decent enough.
I'm sure there's a lot more it than this but as I said a lot of it I didn't get. According to AC fans, From Software handed the English dubbing to a different company to the one used in previous titles who went on to mess it up.
Playing the missions and controlling your core is IMHO fantastic. It's easy fairly simply to handle, and fells and acts like how you'd imagine a mecha to be. It's very satisfying skimming across plains, water, ice and deserts with your boosters on or having a mid air battle which is rather difficult. Some battles are simply destroy every thing that moves which all your need is firepower while some, mainly the ones when your versus other cores, require you to step back and think of away to out maneuver your opponent.
But your only as good as your core which you build and customise when out of missions with the money you earn from missions and parts you unlock various ways.
Now this is where you'll really get into the game. the possibilities are quite frankly endless. not only is there plenty of parts and weapons to choose from but you can also finely tune your machine so that it handles how you want. So you can create a craft that works perfectly with your fighting style...or build several to fit different types of battles, ie close-quarters slice and dice, sniping, speedy air battle, etc. But wait, that's not all! Your can also paint your craft, with great detail then slap an emblem on it's shoulder. You'll spend the majority of the majority of the game work on improving your mech or in a test battle or in a VR sort of, story less battle vs the other pilot for money and parts, which isn't a bad thing if your having fun, right?
{ Pic is from Google. My mech was fair better. no pic of it because I've traded in the game }
I was pretty impressed with the graphics. I can't really say much else about them.
I gave the multi player a quick sample test. It seem a bit lacking but decent enough to put your AC against a friends to see who builds the best. Online didn't seem to be working by the time I got this game but on some fan sites they still set up matches.
Overall AC4 is a solid game whose only possible handicap is the need for more missions and maybe longer missions as well. Then again AC4 does have a certain replay value of trying to unlock all the parts and get more money via hard mode which doesn't just make the bad guy stronger but also change the scenario of most of the missions.
It's made a fan out of me and I'm looking forward to Armored Core: For Answers
Good shooting all.
~ L ~
But with Armored Core 4 it all made sense!
This is the first time I've played a Armored Core since they seem to of flown under my radar. This one only grabbed my attention because of a free demo of it on PSN.
I didn't really get the story of it that well, but basically your a pilot of a armored core who works for a type of manufacturer of cores and a mercenary company. You sent on missions...or rather dropped on missions that generally involve wiping out a terrorist units under the guidance or the voice of the never seen female CO. Until something happens which sparks off a war between the big companies including yours. Each mission has a certain story to it which your CO tells. They're not always deep but decent enough.
I'm sure there's a lot more it than this but as I said a lot of it I didn't get. According to AC fans, From Software handed the English dubbing to a different company to the one used in previous titles who went on to mess it up.
Playing the missions and controlling your core is IMHO fantastic. It's easy fairly simply to handle, and fells and acts like how you'd imagine a mecha to be. It's very satisfying skimming across plains, water, ice and deserts with your boosters on or having a mid air battle which is rather difficult. Some battles are simply destroy every thing that moves which all your need is firepower while some, mainly the ones when your versus other cores, require you to step back and think of away to out maneuver your opponent.
But your only as good as your core which you build and customise when out of missions with the money you earn from missions and parts you unlock various ways.
Now this is where you'll really get into the game. the possibilities are quite frankly endless. not only is there plenty of parts and weapons to choose from but you can also finely tune your machine so that it handles how you want. So you can create a craft that works perfectly with your fighting style...or build several to fit different types of battles, ie close-quarters slice and dice, sniping, speedy air battle, etc. But wait, that's not all! Your can also paint your craft, with great detail then slap an emblem on it's shoulder. You'll spend the majority of the majority of the game work on improving your mech or in a test battle or in a VR sort of, story less battle vs the other pilot for money and parts, which isn't a bad thing if your having fun, right?
{ Pic is from Google. My mech was fair better. no pic of it because I've traded in the game }
I was pretty impressed with the graphics. I can't really say much else about them.
I gave the multi player a quick sample test. It seem a bit lacking but decent enough to put your AC against a friends to see who builds the best. Online didn't seem to be working by the time I got this game but on some fan sites they still set up matches.
Overall AC4 is a solid game whose only possible handicap is the need for more missions and maybe longer missions as well. Then again AC4 does have a certain replay value of trying to unlock all the parts and get more money via hard mode which doesn't just make the bad guy stronger but also change the scenario of most of the missions.
It's made a fan out of me and I'm looking forward to Armored Core: For Answers
Good shooting all.
~ L ~
Friday, 9 May 2008
GTA:IV
I never Planned on getting GTA:IV since I've always been wary of the series, but with the help of a cheap Limited Edition Box...thingy through HMV those scottish devils managed to tempt me into forking out the money for it.
Now, all the big gaming sites went all out on this game with very few of them even mentioning one bad thing. All giving perfect scores. It kind of scared me ^_^
The game starts with a ship coming in to....blah blah blah...if you've played previous GTAs you can guess the story of the game driven by fucked up family issues, drugs, gangstas, mafias, violence ect. The writers can't be compared to those of Lost. But no one buys GTA for story.
Gameplay is the same as always. open world with plenty of cars to steal. missions to do which involve taxiing people around, eliminating certain people and going on dates....yea they dress it up and mix it up, but it come's down to those three.
Gameplay mechanics is basicly your phone. It appears in the bottom left hand corner and is quite hard to read on SD TVs. NPCs that you meet will always be calling you and pestering you. Frankly, this mechanic is one of the reasons GTA failed to impress me.
The AI is basicly the same stupid fuck from san andreas with idiotic drivers weaving all over the place.
Graphics wise Im hugly dissappointed. With all the delays and artsy screen shots plus the fact that this is the next gen I expected a bigger leap. But in my eyes they are a baby step from san andreas. Infact, in some places it seems to be a step back. heck the buildings looks like google earth in 3D mode. And dont get me started on the faces.
Though I do like the crash animation. The way you go flying through the windscreen when you crash at high speeds and you head and limbs react to smash against the floor is almost poetic. Though it gets annoying during motorbike chases where you keep fly yards away from the bike when you just tap an object. Overall, the graphics are acceptable....if it's on the 360. Heck, I'd bet the original Xbox could handle these graphics. But for the PS3 it's fucking insulting!
Character development is the same as in previous titles, though I see a reversal of roles. Normalling I hated the main character(damn CJ ><) but like the other. But in IV I find my self like Neko but hating everyone else in the world. This may have something to do with me not understanding a damn word they say even with subs on. I also blame the writers for this as well as the voice actors.
Fun and humour was non-existent for me in this game. I think R* must of hired new writers for this game because it all sucked. I liked the not so witty humour in SA. The radio is crud and the police don't hurl insults anymore.
All the things I found fun in SA to do when not doing missions seems to be removed from IV. No aeroplane to ply under bridges then jump out of at high altitude to free fall then parachute. No combine harvester to mince the local village. No farm vehicles at all. No Tanks to go on riots with. No country side to go exploring.
All in all I found Rockstars Grand Theft Auto IV to be a big let down which I traded in a week after release...kept the extra stuff though.
If your a 360 user then I advise getting this, especially with live.
PS3 users I advise only getting this if SA was your fav game on PS2 and you speak gangsta.
*looks at clock* ...this counts as Thursdays post.
Happy cruising
L
Now, all the big gaming sites went all out on this game with very few of them even mentioning one bad thing. All giving perfect scores. It kind of scared me ^_^
The game starts with a ship coming in to....blah blah blah...if you've played previous GTAs you can guess the story of the game driven by fucked up family issues, drugs, gangstas, mafias, violence ect. The writers can't be compared to those of Lost. But no one buys GTA for story.
Gameplay is the same as always. open world with plenty of cars to steal. missions to do which involve taxiing people around, eliminating certain people and going on dates....yea they dress it up and mix it up, but it come's down to those three.
Gameplay mechanics is basicly your phone. It appears in the bottom left hand corner and is quite hard to read on SD TVs. NPCs that you meet will always be calling you and pestering you. Frankly, this mechanic is one of the reasons GTA failed to impress me.
The AI is basicly the same stupid fuck from san andreas with idiotic drivers weaving all over the place.
Graphics wise Im hugly dissappointed. With all the delays and artsy screen shots plus the fact that this is the next gen I expected a bigger leap. But in my eyes they are a baby step from san andreas. Infact, in some places it seems to be a step back. heck the buildings looks like google earth in 3D mode. And dont get me started on the faces.
Though I do like the crash animation. The way you go flying through the windscreen when you crash at high speeds and you head and limbs react to smash against the floor is almost poetic. Though it gets annoying during motorbike chases where you keep fly yards away from the bike when you just tap an object. Overall, the graphics are acceptable....if it's on the 360. Heck, I'd bet the original Xbox could handle these graphics. But for the PS3 it's fucking insulting!
Character development is the same as in previous titles, though I see a reversal of roles. Normalling I hated the main character(damn CJ ><) but like the other. But in IV I find my self like Neko but hating everyone else in the world. This may have something to do with me not understanding a damn word they say even with subs on. I also blame the writers for this as well as the voice actors.
Fun and humour was non-existent for me in this game. I think R* must of hired new writers for this game because it all sucked. I liked the not so witty humour in SA. The radio is crud and the police don't hurl insults anymore.
All the things I found fun in SA to do when not doing missions seems to be removed from IV. No aeroplane to ply under bridges then jump out of at high altitude to free fall then parachute. No combine harvester to mince the local village. No farm vehicles at all. No Tanks to go on riots with. No country side to go exploring.
All in all I found Rockstars Grand Theft Auto IV to be a big let down which I traded in a week after release...kept the extra stuff though.
If your a 360 user then I advise getting this, especially with live.
PS3 users I advise only getting this if SA was your fav game on PS2 and you speak gangsta.
*looks at clock* ...this counts as Thursdays post.
Happy cruising
L
Thursday, 8 May 2008
Come back!
OK...so I've not written anything for some time, sorry about that, now I have plenty of material and I plan to write a review every day - 3 days....Hopefully I can't put letters where my mouth is :D
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