Chambers 21st Century Dictionary defines “raise the roof” as either “to make a great deal of noise or fuss” or alternatively as “to become very angry”. There have been times when either could be validly applied to our venerable lord and master Peter but this week he provides a third definition.
You see, his Minecraftian “huge feast hall now has a roof”. Up next on his list of building tasks is to lay a nice wooden floor and we can only hope he won’t be off to a virtual Wickes for a bulk buy of cheap laminate. We expect nothing less than the finest oak, lovingly polished to a spectacular hard-wearing sheen.
When not building a stately pile, no doubt replete with a pair of golden thrones, he has appropriately been playing New Soccer Star on his iPad. The RPG-like career mode has proved “very compelling” despite some “questionable design choices”.
[drop]”Such as?”, I hear you ask. Peter? “Like how the option to have a girlfriend is entirely based on how many expensive items you’ve bought.” Anything else? “Keeping her happy consists of buying her gifts and taking her on holiday.”The cynical side of me suggests that’s may not be entirely unrealistic. One thing I’m not sure I want to know how he discovered, and which will probably keep Tuffcub from playing the game, is that “there’s no option for having a boyfriend at all”. Oh. Moving swiftly on.
Despite having avowed to clear his gaming backlog and continuing to make some headway with Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom a leisurely stroll down the high street has left Jim with six new games to play. Of those six Starhawk and Dragon’s Dogma have received the most attention.
Starhawk measurably improved once he realised that it “favours the tactician and not so much the skilled marksman”. Investing in the build side of the games Build and Battle system has seen him “enjoying [the game] a lot more”.
Dragon’s Dogma similarly hasn’t been a perfectly smooth ride with “an abundance of absent features and difficulty spikes” doing their best to mar a game that has otherwise been a pleasant surprise. “It’s a unique action RPG with plenty of potential leading into next gen” he concludes.
His AS exams behind him, Toby has “dived back into Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception“. Though the hidden, bullet-absorbing, kevlar weave concealed beneath some of the goons’ suits “occasionally irritates” (perhaps they shop somewhere like this?) he’s finding the characters very engaging.
Cutter’s “typically British cockiness” and Chloe’s “Australian loveliness” are singled out for a special mention, as are the way characters’ relationships develop throughout the game. He rates it “up there with Among Thieves” so far and “given that I’m yet to stumble across that boat level, I have a feeling that things can only get a whole lot better”.
[drop2]Aran’s Mass Effect 3 multi-played Turian soldier has been getting plenty of exercise as he raised his galactic readiness all the way up. Playing a soldier hasn’t worked in Aran’s Insanity play through though, as he’s now been stuck unable to progress on one particular mission and is considering a restart with a different class.For the first time in a few weeks I can report that Chris has actually been playing games. Well, a game at least:
This week I’ve been playing Reprisal Universe, it’s a god game created in homage to Populous. Obviously you’ve got to manipulate the land to enable your people to flourish, but three other warring tribes stand in your way of global domination.
As a free Flash game I wasn’t expecting much, but surprisingly (for me anyway) it’s excellent, featuring lovely pixel art and great chip tunes. It’s kept me gripped to about halfway through the game where sadly my tribe keeps getting wiped out.
Sorcery picqued my own interest with that reveal but the waits really not been worth it. After a few hours play, aside from shinier graphics, it’s not doing anything Wii games haven’t been doing for years. Fun, but not the PlayStation Move killer app we hoped.
Treasures of Montezuma Blitz continues to get regular play on my PS Vita whenever I find myself waiting for something for a few minutes. I’ve had the PS Vita’s Everybody’s Golf since launch but never really got into it. That’s changed this week though and it’s hard to put my finger on why but I’m loving it, either playing a few holes at a time or, during the weekend’s Monaco Procession Grand Prix, a couple of 18-hole rounds in quick succession.
And you’ve played?
minerwilly
Played nothing but NSS (New Star Soccer) on my phone for last week and a half , got all the lads playing it too in work now ! Got to the point where last night i bought (yes bought) Football Manger Handheld 2012 for my Xperia S .
NSS is so addictive and id urge anyone who hasnt to check it out , i beleive there is a trial for those of you whove got iphones not sure why there isnt a trial for android but its not something youll regret buying anyway. One of the lads in work hates football but hes hooked on this .
Rocket_345
Got the platinum on Sly 2 and currently working through Sly 3. Played a bit of MW3 earlier in the week but thats about it.
TSBonyman
Hardly any gaming this week for me, too hot and i’ve plenty gardening to do :/
I’m also possibly the only person who’s not really keen on the TomBlitz update.. i dunno, i’ll give it a few more goes i guess.
Origami Killer
Im finding it way too easy atm. I used to rarely get over 300,000. Now 300,000 is a bad round tbh. lost the sense of challenge.
colmshan1990
I don’t like it as much either.
It IS too easy, and the trophies don’t work (much more frustrating than an absence of trophies).
Very poor quality for an update, I’m surprised this got past Sony actually.
TSBonyman
I skipped playing it yesterday, started it up today and it said ” You have not been around for 169 days, hope you are well” and gave me 169 hearts and 50700 xtals…. ridiculous.
colmshan1990
TOMB, Modnation, FIFA, Uncharted, Gravity Rush demo, and my slow wifi is downloading the Resistance trial (up on the store today, 3gb) right now.
The Vita is awesome, PS3 got turned on once this week (to transfer a PSP game over to the Vita).
That said, I’m downloading the Humble Bundle right now, and planning to return to Skyrim (hunt down that platinum to go with my already maxed out character), Borderlands and Red Dead Redemption/Fallout 3 on PS3 this week.
colmshan1990
And I don’t know how I forgot- I bought SEGA Mega Drive Collection for the Vita, it’s awesome (PSP version, €10 on PSN).
TSBonyman
Ooh, Resistance trial – thanks for the heads-up!
element666
Well i have attempted resistance burning skies multiplayer which i cant get on as yet :(
Finishing up 100% on borderlands, bioshock 2 and LA noire.
Vita wise modnation,wipeout and my new found love for tom blitz lol. Oh and i finally did my challenge playthrough on escape plan!
Youles
If you need a hand getting the DLC multiplayer map wins on Bioshock 2, let me know. Me and McProley have the DLC, and you can start an ADAM Grab game with 4 people, and we could guard you! ;)
I had a quick black on Burning Skies multiplayer, it was quite amusing. I just find the sticks are too small! Easiest Gold trophy ever.
Youles
*blast, not black.
element666
Awesome mate thanks. That would be grand, i’ve played loads of matches and not even been on a new map yet! lol
and agreed on easiest gold trophy, one 30 second round of survival lol
gaffers101
Still mainly playing Skyrim (trying to get the Platinum Trophy), also got Mortal Kombat on the Vita which is great and playing even more Treasures of Montezuma Blitz since the update.
blast71
Still trying 2 get the mighty Shamrock Rovers through the group stage of Champs Lge on PES2012 Master League, played a bit of Flow last night as well. Damn PES 4 keeping me from getting through my pile of shame that’s building up!
Dom El
This week I’ve been playing a lot of Vita including the LittleBigPlanet Beta (which is fantastic), some Treasures of Montezuma, a bit of Modnation Racers and the Gravity Rush demo (which is also fantastic). I also played Lair on the PS3 and Vita just to try remote play and realised it’s like playing Onlive with a poor internet connection (it might be better if it was a good game too). On top of that I played a little Starhawk, although that was scuppered by wanting to play when the servers were down (typical!).