Sadly the video-gaming fairy didn’t visit me this week to bestow me with lots of spare time so once again all I’ve managed are a couple of sessions of Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer with some friends. Despite my doubts and concerns about ME3’s multiplayer it’s surprisingly good fun with a group of friends working together. The abuse starts flying when we don’t though…
Skyrim’s Dawnguard expansion has been driving Peter batty. He’s been flitting between the two branches of the story and ultimately found it “quite enjoyable but not really large or different enough to make it essential”. He’s also been playing Gravity Rush on his PS Vita having first managed to unlock the bronze trophy Find A PS Vita Charger.
Speaking of trophies, a dual platinum quest has seen Josh restarting both L.A. Noire and Uncharted 3. Treasure hunting in Crushing mode doesn’t sound like my idea of fun but then again neither does trying to perfect cases where you need to guess whether an imperfect digital character is lying or if it’s just a graphical glitch.
[drop2]Aran’s been bargain hunting and managed to get hold of a cheap copy of the Assassin’s Creed: Revelations Collector’s Edition. He’s only dabbled with that free-running murder sim but is enjoying it so far. When not swan diving off buildings, he’s been kicking Covenant ass in Halo 3 which “looks good and plays well”.Returning to some older games brought the sudden realization to Alex that save games aren’t immune to PS3 death. So he found himself starting LittleBigPlanet 2, Gran Turismo 5 and Portal 2 from scratch. “Gutting”, he says, “but also somewhat liberating”. Forewarned is forearmed they say so he “knew what I’d have to get through to get to the Community section, to buy a decent car, to unlock the director’s commentary, but it was still a relatively pleasant ride knowing the bits I could fast forward.”
How were the restarted games then? “LBP 2’s still brilliant, of course, GT5’s still a horrible grind through nasty UI and dodgy graphics and Portal 2’s still sublime.”
Despite having been “entirely” put off by the multiplayer beta, Jim has played through SOCOM 4: Special Forces. He says the multiplayer remains unconvincing, though the strength of the co-op and campaign somewhat make up for it as does the “accurate PS Move integration”. Because one FPS is never enough, he also played Spec Ops: The Line which improved following a “dull opening”.
He’s had “a good romp” through Rayman: Origins on the PS Vita. Although he found it a “little repetitive and bare-boned” at times, he enjoyed it enough to see it through and adds that “the music is fantastic”. Aside from those he’s played Wrath of Heroes, Magic 2013, the Wii remake of Fatal Frame 2 and The Secret World.
Lastly this week I’ll let Kris tell you about his terrible rash lizards.
Oh man I’ve been playing Warpath: Jurassic Park. It’s amazing. AMAZING. So, on Monday it was my birthday and this meant I watched Jurassic Park and The Lost World: Jurassic Park; I assume everyone does this. I mean why wouldn’t you? There are dinosaurs in it, and the T-Rex busts out of his fences and Site B and WHY WOULD YOU BRING A T-REX TO SAN DIEGO? Also who kills the crew on the boat?
Anyway, I decided to buy some of the games. I’ve played The Lost World: Jurassic Park on the Game Boy way back when, but not much since. This leads me to Warpath: Jurassic Park.
So imagine a fighting game, but instead of humans, who are weak and fragile, you have dinosaurs and they bite each other and slash with claws, that kind of thing? Are you imagining it? Because you should be, it’s awesome.
Warpath lives up to that picture, and once you get used to some slightly clumsy controls (although it’s a PS1 game and going by memory it actually feels about right for games of the time) it’s great. Dinos have their own unique move set, and, in general, the relative sizing is about right.
They even handle how you’d expect: the Raptor is quick and agile, the T-Rex is slow and chomps you a lot and there’s an Ankylosaurus that smashes you with it’s tail – it’s great. They’ve gone so far that dinosaurs have their own stages, and there are destructible environments and environmental damage.
For a game that could be terrible, it’s actually surprisingly competent. If you like dinosaurs and fighting games then you can pick it up pretty cheap second hand (I got it for about £2).
I also learned about a new dinosaur called the Gigantosaurus, which is my new favourite dinosaur name; it really gets over what it needs to. It must have been kind of a bummer for Rodolfo Coria and Leonardo Salgado, who named it, that it’s not actually the biggest land carnivore, although it comes close. With a name like Gigantosaurus you really do want to be the biggest though don’t you?
Now I’m just waiting on the home console version of The Lost World: Jurassic Park to arrive, which I’ve heard is a special kind of awful. Hopefully I’ll report back next week.
I’d say it’s a pretty poor show for a dinosaur fan to have made the layman’s mistake of confusing the Giganotosaurus with the Gigantosaurus, but he’s only young bless him. [Curses! – Ed] Somebody find him a dancing game.
Assuming you’re sufficiently well-versed in dinosaur lore to be up to date with the latest scientific thinking on whether Iguanadons were bipedal or quadrupedal you’ll have had plenty of time for gaming. That being the case what have you played?
Taylor Made
All my gaming are on the vita lately….
Been playing metal gear solid sons of liberty, the game is painful the controls are just outdated, I don’t mind it on the ps3 but on the vita awful. Also
Played some rayman personally I don’t see the hype & I agree with the fact that it can be repetitive at times but my gf loves it so all good.
Youles
Shame to hear that – I hope MGS3 is ok as that’s the only game I haven’t played and the reason why I bought MGS HD on Vita.
Taylor Made
MGS3 is stunning no complains about it, it’s just MGS2 sometimes it’s pain, it’s still visually beautiful just the controls let it down.
Youles
Oh ok – might keep that for PS3 then. Looking forward to starting MGS3!
colmshan1990
Odd. I can’t stop playing Metal Gear Solid 2 on the Vita- it took me a little while to get used to the controls, but I’ve completed it three times in a week now, haven’t even started Snake Eater yet.
Sons of Liberty is just too good, it keeps getting me to play it again and again.
Youles
I shall defo give it a go, I’m usually pretty adaptable to controls. I just think I’ll go for MGS3 first since I’ve never played that one, despite owning it on PS2 and PS3.
Youles
Not much for me this week, a little bit of DiRT 3 Cat n Mouse with fellow TSAers which is always fun, as was last Friday’s WipEout 2048 Meet. I played Noby Noby Boy (man that game is crazy – over 500Mb update to patch farting and various soundtracks); an 100%’d the Gravity Rush Spy DLC; a bit of WipEout 2048 HD DLC; a few levels of Sniper Elite V2 on my “Sniper Elite” playthrough which I’m really enjoying; and about an hour of MW3 multiplayer.
I was going to play the Rainbow Moon demo, although I couldn’t find it on the Store, but I’ll have another look later, I’ve probably just missed it.
McProley
Rainbow Moon is still there mate, I found it threough the PS+ tab as its discounted
Youles
Is that the demo though? I don’t want to buy the full game without trying it first.
McProley
Yeah, its done as a trial and unlock
Youles
Weird – I must have missed it. I was pretty tired. Cheers
R1MJAW
There is no seperate demo though, for some stupid reason.
McProley
Really? Thats odd. When I purchased it, it gave me the Trial and the Unlock Key to download. So I just assumed there would be a trial available to everyone
R1MJAW
Yeah, it’s very strange, why have it as a trial and unlock if you’re not going to let anyone access the trial separately.
Youles
Turns out I wasn’t going mad then.
freezebug2
Anything planned for tonight to replace the Sniper Elite co-op sessions?…….then again that’ll be for next weeks “What we played” :P
Youles
Oh yes, I should have given you a mention for your superb help with V2 co-op, or was that last week, I’m so tired this week – but thank you!
Actually McProley and I are going to play a bit of DiRT 3 multiplayer this evening (7pm-9pm)! You’re welcome to join us – we’re probably going to play some Cat n Mouse, although sometime we just create our own private lobby and have a chat whilst winding through the mountains in Monte Carlo, racing each other for Fans. You still not tempted by the DLC in the current drought of new games – could assist you with the trophies?
freezebug2
Thanks mate, but at the moment during the drought of new games has appeared a flash flood of R&C trilogy, as well as the free Plus stuff that I’ve yet to start. I also have the Monday GT5 tournament race to maybe practice for…..meaning tune the car a bit more :P
Youles
No worries mate, good luck with GT5!
LTG Davey
Another week of variety for me this week, mostly focussing on some of the older games in my collection:
Continued playing through Lego Batman2 with the Mrs – Storyline completed and we are now just flying round Gotham collecting red/gold bricks. As always, simple yet highly addictive stuff.
Put an hour into GRAW2 and finally finished my “Elevated risk” playthrough – As great as I remember, albeit a little clunky by today’s standards
Picked up a copy of Perfect Dark HD after a mate of mine gave me loads of XBL points as a late birthday pressie – Haven’t played too much of it yet (I’ve mainly just been shooting meat sims in the combat simulator) but, again, its as great as I remember when I played it back on the N64
I also played through the first couple of chapters of Gears1 after remembering I’m playing some at a LAN next weekend but I haven’t touched a Gears game in well over 12months
Finally a mate of mine has let me borrow his copy of GR:Future Soldier so I’ve played the first couple of levels. Really hoping it improves as it seems so dumbed down in comparison to the GRAW series atm :( Shame
KeRaSh
Played some Grand Slam Tennis 2 this week. Wanted to continue playing Oddworld: Abe’s Exodus at my friend’s house but his HDMI to Display Port cable failed to transmit a signal to his monitor…
Picked up FFV-IX during this weeks sale so I’ll be ready when the next Vita firmware comes out. I hope they are already working on getting FFV,VI,VIII to work. I’d like to play V, VI or VIII first because I haven’t played/beaten those three yet.
freezebug2
Brilliant start to the week with the 2nd installment of the Jambo returns tournament races, this week being a SPA showdown of GTR’s…….spectacular race, absolutely neck and neck between 4 of us……magnificent!!
The rest of the time has been spent playing through Ratchet and Clank (of the Trilogy) to completion and platinum……absolutely fantastic game, missed when released on PS2, games are rarely made of that quality these days!!
Made a start on Ratchet and Clank 2, which is looking rather good so far…..what an awesome HD Trilogy ;)
element666
I managed to bag lego batman 2 platinum! I finished episode 2 of the walking dead which was great (despite the wait!) , I started Ratchet and clank and lollipop chainsaw which i’m both enjoying :)
Vita wise I finished gravity rush which was awesome,though i’m finding the challenges that awful they are making me hate it! I’ve also been playing dungeon hunter and the odd bit of TOM blitz and velocity.
Youles
Ah yes, the Gravity Rush frustrating challenges :O
McProley
Ive been playing some more Dirt 3 multiplayer this week grinding for the Plat. Along with the weekly tournaments on TOM Blitz, Ive been playing some more Golden Abyss for the Plat on that. Got to the last boss on crushing and don’t have the patiece for him yet. The Vita screen doesnt seem to like the commands i put it even though they are correct when the game prompts me.
Oh, Ive also0 started playing the attrocity of a game that is Warhammer 40K: Space Marine. Its awful.
Walking Dead ep2 this weekend and maybe some Deus Ex if I can get around to it
McProley
Forgot Rainbow Moon this weekend too.
Mundham
Played the Lego Batman 2 demo, which wetted my appetite for a full purchase. A bit of Magic 2013. A random game of Killzone 2 (needed to shoot somebody in the face, thought it best that it was a digital somebody…) and my son introduced me to split-screen Zombie mode on Blops (don’t worry, he’s 19). Also played through the second episode of Walking Dead last night, good lord that’s a great game!
SavageOranges
Been playing a lot of The Binding of Isaac lately, great little game would recommend it to anyone. €5 on Steam ;)
Also been playing a good bit of Garry’s Mod because I needed a game with no goals :P
Dom El
This week I’ve not got loads of gaming in – and when I have it’s been mostly Vita based. Finally picked up Rayman Origins and it’s as good as I was hoping it would be – the graphics look great on the smaller screen! I also picked up The 3rd Birthday in the Square Enix sale and it’s been fun so far, think the second analogue stick probably improves it greatly over playing it on the PSP.
Other than that I think I managed a tiny bit of VF5 Showdown on the PS3 – hopefully this week I’ll get Uncharted 2 finished and make a start on 3 – then perhaps I’ll crack on with Deus Ex!