Definately agree with you there and one additional point. In the first one, when you got caught in a big group of people it tended to just turn into a wait-till-guy-attackes-then-counter-and-kill mode. There was hardly any skill whatsoever in those fights but in the second one, you are given more options to kill with, plus some guys you can't use certain weapons with. I found it great that I could sneak up behind 5-6 guys, poison one guy to get everyone weirded out. Then the heavy-armored guys came out, I threw a smoke bomb to distract them, then systematically went behind each and slit their throats. In the first one, I'd only get the first guy killed unseen then have to "fight" for 10 minutes for it to be over.
This was one of the problems I had with the gameplay. They were close to making this a reality, but I never needed to use anything but my hidden blades and the disarm tactic for the heavy armor guys. Although I do like the fact that you can unlock new weapons and new maneuvers, I just felt that many of them were pretty superfluous and not integral to beating the game.
Assassin's Creed II was a definite improvement upon the first one, but I wasn't impressed with either game. The physics and fight animations in the second one are hilariously bad, (the punches remind me of a girl trying and failing to throw a baseball overhand) the story becomes repetitive and grating, assassination missions are boring, simplistic, and repetitive, (but still better than the ones in the first AC!) and it features one of the all-time easiest and most disappointing final bosses ever. I've never understood the hype behind these games; Arkham Asylum did stealth and "assassination-style" gameplay WAY better than either AC, and that was only a part of its appeal.
You do make great points KIMaster, those all were a bit of a problem for me but not enough to take me out of the game. I don't know why, but I really enjoy games where there are a lot of sidequests, even if they are repetitive, just so I can finish the game 100%. If I know I have an hour to play and I don't have the interest to jump into the main storyline, I pick something (Assassinations, Tombs, art pictures, anything) and then do as much of it as I can. Speaking of side quest games, I do have to credit the board for getting me to actually try Mass Effect. Saw the second one was out and everyone praised it so I picked up the first one. Mainly because I heard it carries over to the 2nd so it would be helpful to do it. Holy balls what a good game. I did the first run through in about 25 hours and I still feel like I skipped a bunch of the side quests I could've done. On my second playthrough now and it's amazing how much more options you have after you've beaten the game and leveled up. I plan on getting this 100% before I get number 2 but I doubt I will wait that long. Question though, in the achievements, it has a few of them as "Turian Alley" or "Krogan Ally" or something like that. How do I play as anyone other than Shephard? I don't get that. How do I get these achievements?
in unrelated news, I am out of my mind hype for Super Street Fighter 4 and am desperately waiting for amazon to ship me the bloody game. Marvel vs Capcom 3 also makes me a happy little fighting game nerd.
I've gotten a chance to play it a little last week from a friend who got it early. GREAT game; love most of the new characters, there are a bunch of neat changes to the old ones, and unless they find something completely broken in the next few weeks (always possible, but highly unlikely), it's superior to the first iteration. Hakan is very unique and interesting among the new ones I tried, although Makoto seems crappy. (Nowhere near her abilities in 3s)
Just a heads up to all the 360 owners out there. Amazon's gold box deals of the day is 360 focused all day. Right now they have Bioshock2 for $40 and Battlefield 2 for $46, but that will change every couple hours. One coming up looks like it'll be Mass Effect 2, but otherwise I'm not sure what they'll be.
So, I'm looking into upgrading my PS3 HDD, and I found this site, which explains how to do it very well. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with this, and if so, do I need to buy an external drive to transfer my old save files and stuff, or will I be able to just plug the old drive in through the USB and transfer data that way?
Finally picked up and started playing Demon's Souls and I am having way more fun with it than I thought I would. I can see what all the hype was about. While playing through the first part of the first world I kept thinking "this isn't that hard, I don't know what everyone was talking about." Then I got past that part and started exploring other worlds. Fuck me this game can be hard. Finally got my Star Craft 2 beta key through a preorder. I've only played once so far and got thoroughly trounced, but I'm wanting to play some more if anyone on here wants to play some. I'll also be playing the Halo:Reach MP Beta next week, probably constantly, so if anyone wants to get together online for that let me know.
Getting psyched for Undisputed 2010. Really hope that the sway system is effective. Nothing pissed me off more than being unable to do shit because some jackass spams the same combo, making the fights nothing but a mash fest and removing all strategy. I also can't wait to put someone in a gogoplata
Big news in video gaming: Bungie signs ten year deal with activision: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-20003777-52.html Does this mean we could see we'll be seeing Halo on PS3? It seems a little murky in the article. They retain their intellectual property but are developing new property for Activision. Honestly though, it seems like Bungie will be making Blockbuster Halo sized games, I'd like to see a return to games like Myth for them. Also, Cod Black ups trailer released:
Microsoft retained the Halo IP, and put another studio (343 Industries) in charge of it. Bungie won't be making another Halo game. That being said, we could see them making a Call of Duty game in the future, but I'm fairly certain their next project will be something original, and probably not an FPS.
One of the kids up the street loaned my oldest son Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes for the GC. Is there anything so objectionable that I shouldn't let him play it? Thanks for any guidance you care to give!
This was a graphical updated remake of the first Metal Gear Solid. The original an absolute classic. Your kids are already looking at endless amounts of internet porn and violence on prime time TV. At least let them experience a game that is a true classic.
They do have a ratings system for video games which are published- "E" Everyone is allowed to play it because it's either educational or a chick game like Barbie or Dora. Avoid these games at all cost unless you want your boy to grow up questioning his sexual identity. T "Teen"- If your son is into smoky mascara, pursing his lips 24/7, and watching Twilight, this is as edgy as you want him to go. If he ignored the ratings system and went above this, he might get fucked up as Kratos on God of War 3, and wet himself. M or Ao Mature or Adults only. I don't really know what the difference is. If you're mature, you're an adult, right? Then why have two fucking ratings? To scare off the teen wannabes from getting their ball stomped by GTA4. Stay away from this unless your son has masturbated like David Carradine. Then he's ready. I hope this little guide helped you. Next time, look at the fucking box.
Damn! Pent up much? If you had read my previous posts, you might have gotten a grasp on this. My 11 year old, who is more mature than most (and yet still looks like a 9 year old - mother nature is so cruel), has played a decent number of M-rated titles (and seen his fair share of R-rated movies). He is/was looking for some war games, as he has recently gotten into them. I have been asking for advice from you guys because I don't play war games and I don't want him running into a Kratos-style fuck session yet. He's already weird enough, thank you. I would also rather not have him learning that much about drugs just yet. Those are my only concerns. Thus, I don't give a shit what rating is on the box. I just pretty much want to avoid those two scenarios. I'm not some prancy little soccer mom who doesn't know what the fuck she's talking about. I am a gamer too and I'm just looking for a quick answer about a genre of games I know very little about. If you think parenthood is as cut-and-dried as reading a rating on a box put there by useless bureaucrats, you are not only terribly disillusioned, you are in for a nasty awakening. Good luck with that! *edit* Thanks for the other answers. As disturbing as mullets can be, we do live in Virginia. He's well versed in the way of the redneck by now.
I've been playing M rated games for almost 75% of my life, beginning at the age of 7 (Mortal Kombat 2 and Doom 2. So good.) I have to say the key isn't what is in the game necessarily, but how you approach the fact that the game is not real life, and should not be a basis for what goes on in real life. My parents emphasized the fact that video games were just that, games. They were not something I should be using to learn what goes on in the real world. As long as you make sure he understands that distinction, he should be fine, no matter what kind of content the game contains. Also, you aren't going to find any seriously sexual content in a game that isn't rated AO. And as far as drugs go, I'm finding myself hard pressed to think of any games that have serious drug content outside of the GTA series. Even then it's more of the distribution side as opposed to using.