Games Beaten 2014

[REPO Man]

We need a GTA-style game set in a Jetsons-like universe with flying cars and buildings on giant stilts.

And maybe a stone-age GTA-style game.

Oh, and a steampunk GTA-style game.

[BogusMeatFactory]

We need a GTA-style game set in a Jetsons-like universe with flying cars and buildings on giant stilts.

And maybe a stone-age GTA-style game.

Oh, and a steampunk GTA-style game.

We have, The Simpsons: Hit & Run. What more do you need!?

[Cronozilla]

San Andreas just came out at the wrong time for me. I was too busy to get into it, and I never actually owned it until last year. Wasn't a taste issue or anything like that, just by the time I had any time for a GTA, I had GTA4 on PC.

I really liked Simpsons Hit and Run. But even at the time, the world did feel a bit secluded.

[Sload Soap]

Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars (360)

I was a bit disappointed with this. I did like the game for the majority of the time I had with it but I feel it (and Red Alert 3) are both steps backwards in the C&C series from some of the stuff introduced in the C&C: Generals spin-off.

Whereas Generals had three armies that favoured different playstyles and invited experimentation, Tiberium Wars has three armies that are still reliant on the tank rush tactics that defined its forebears. Even though early missions (which tend to be more scripted) show signs of promise, towards the end of the game nearly every mission for each of the three sides is won purely by how quickly you can pump out the top tier tank/mech/Wellsian Tripod and send them headfirst into the enemy base. It's like nothing has moved on since 1995 in the Tiberium universe.

Yes it's three sides this time as the long hinted at alien faction becomes playable at last with the Scrin. And they're, well, a bit shit to be honest. Firstly they feel out of place, looking like Starcraft rejects that got lost on their way back to the zerg hive. Secondly, although we're told schtick is that they use tiberium in ways the human factions can't conceive of they don't play any differently from either NOD or GDI. And thirdly they are the most teeth grindly irritating enemy to fight in the later levels having an infuriating aerial/mortar type vehicle.

It's a shame because the presentation is great with the cheesy cutscenes C&C is known for made even cheesier by having actors like Michael Ironside, Billy Dee Williams and Tricia Helfer given free reign to munch their way through the scenery. The graphics are pretty good still and there isn't much slowdown even in some of the more hectic moments. It's still C&C you know? It's still fun even if it isn't very modern.

Just as an aside as well, I'd recommend the PC version. I know that kind of goes without saying as far as RTS is concerned but there were certain actions that simply cannot be done on the 360 pad. That and it has a more temperamental drag and select action than the PS1 version of the original which is sort of mind boggling really.

VVVVVV (PC)

Bought and beat on the same day VVVVVV is put simply a fantastically hard but also fantastically playable indie platformer. It uses a gravity switching gimmick similar to Metal Storm or Wendy Every Witch Way but does some very creative things with it.

Like Muri, it knows exactly how long to go on and when to call it quits and I really admire that from an indie dev. It's short but it's the perfect length for going for perfect runs and finding those damn shiny bits.

Terry Cavanagh's games usually have a very minimal graphical style emulating a C64 game but they also have very cool bit tune soundtracks. He's a talented developer and I'll be checking more of his work beyond this and Hexagon.

If I had one complaint it'd be that the control is occasionally too slippery. In contrast to C&C, platformers really are best played with a controller so the default keyboard set-up might not be quite accurate enough for some especially considering how crazy some of the platforming gets later on.

Great game.

Diablo 3 (360)

A PC game that does work very well on console, Diablo 3 is a blast from start to finish. It's got that perfect balance of questing and looting so that, unlike some other games I could mention, you never feel like you have to just grind your way to victory, at least on a normal play through.

I went with a Monk, having already tasted the barbarian in the demo. I called him Wibble and he kicked all kinds of demon ass. There are so many skills and modifiers to unlock it really feels like there's a genuine reason to level up and Blizzard have done exceedingly well to dole out these upgrades at a steady pace.

A good sign for a game like this is the desire to try out new characters or builds and there doesn't seem to be a class that seems boring or not useful. While I was confused at first as to why a Monk could happily equip a sword in one hand and an axe in the other, the class specific weapons and items that do exist help to define classes and builds while having a base pool of armour and weapons helps to not punish new players into playing in ways they might be uncomfortable with. It's a lesson Destiny and Skyrim would do well to observe as it keeps classes distinct but not narrowly focused.

For some reason I had a misconception that Diablo games were just dungeon crawlers so it was a happy surprise the game had a nice selection of environments to loot through from crypts to deserts to the heavens themselves. And the plot, while not very original, is engaging and helps flesh out the world of Sanctuary, elevating above the usual dark fantasy fare.

I also think it works really well with a controller, with the right stick used to dodge attacks and the various skills assigned to face buttons. If you've played a Ultimate Alliance or Dark Alliance game (alliances being a big thing in the mid-nougties) then you'll be at home. It's cool and makes the game surprisingly noob friendly so much so that I could badger my videogame indifferent girlfriend into picking up a controller (for about 30 minutes anyway).

I thoroughly recommend Diablo 3 and I haven't even played the best version of it yet. It's the sort of thing you can dip into with friends during the course of a week or marathon over a weekend with a stack of beers. It's got enough depth that you can obsess over the minutiae of class builds and gem harvesting without those aspects ever being overwhelming. Also, it has some really flashy CG cutscenes. Very lavish production values.

As much as I enjoyed Destiny's shooting and PvP earlier this year, Diablo 3 shames it with the amount of pure content and customisation it offers out of the box and how it glides effortlessly between the casual and the hardcore. Top stuff.

[REPO Man]

We need a GTA-style game set in a Jetsons-like universe with flying cars and buildings on giant stilts.

And maybe a stone-age GTA-style game.

Oh, and a steampunk GTA-style game.

We have, The Simpsons: Hit & Run. What more do you need!?

We need a GTA-style game set in a Jetsons-like universe with flying cars and buildings on giant stilts.

And maybe a stone-age GTA-style game.

Oh, and a steampunk GTA-style game.

[Cronozilla]

I'd settle for a GTA where cop response time made sense and you weren't automatically the target. It really cuts down any sort of interesting strategies you might play with in the game.

[Damm64]

1- Metroid Confrontation
2- Red Dead Redemption (PS3)
3- Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare (PS3)
4- Bayonetta (PS3)
5- Doom 1 (Ps3) (BFG Edition)
6- The Last of Us (Ps3)
7- Condemned 2: Bloodshot (PS3)
8- Resident Evil: Revelations (Ps3)
9- King of Dragons (PSP)
10- Mercs (PSP)
11- Silent Hill: Downpour (PS3)
12- Dead Space (PS3)
13- Thief Gold (PC)
14- Crysis 3 (PS3)
15- Silent Hill Homecoming (Ps3)
16- Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion (3DS)
17- Pokemon Y (3DS)
18- Dead or Alive: Dimensions (3DS)
19- Mario & Luigi: Bower's inside story (DS)
20- Siren: New Translation (PS3)
21- Super Princess Peach (Ds)
22- Warhammer 40.000: Space Marine (Ps3)
23- X-men Origins: Wolverine (PS3)
24- The Darkness (Ps3)
25- Bioshock (PS3)*
26- Metal Gear Rising Revengence (PS3)
27- New Super Mario Bros 2 (3DS)
28- The Darkness 2 (PS3)
29- Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS)
30- Shadows of the Danmed (PS3)

31- Alice Madness Returns (PS3)

Well this was a game i had a hard time gettin and also i was hyping myself each time i saw a gameplay of it. Now with thar out of the way the game is definetly enjoyable, Chesire cat is still the best thing ever i just love that bloody thing, and the actors of the original, Alice and the cat, are back and they a perfect match for the characters.
Going a bit technical about the PS3 port sometimes is a hit or miss, framrate issues on some section (the start of chapter 3 is a great example) and also the textures some of them are just awful and when Alice, a model that is highly detailed, walks next to them the contrast is even worst.
The combat in the game is fairly simple you get 4 weapons your vorpal knife being the main weapon, a horse that is used for heavy attacks, a pig pepper as a machine gun, and a teapot cannon. The combat is hack n slash not as deep as other games but defintly serviceble and when diferent types of enemies are present it becomes a good challenge, and they do that quite a bit. But each of these weapons are not limited to combat alone they can be used to find secret paths and to solve some of the zelda stule puzzles of the game, shoot this to this platform appear kind of puzzle.
The game is also full of collectables that unlock character bios in the extra menu, this are certainly interesting if you're really into the narrative, there's also a sort of challenge room where you are rewarded with a petal to gain a extra slot for health, get 4 and make a new rose... like zelda again, but the game is completly linear and has a auto save system that can really screw you over if you want to get 100% on your first playthrough since it leaves with almost 0 options to backtrack to another place and check if there's secrets in it.
The platforming is enjoyable but feels a bit easy, it combines a lot of elements invible platforms that you can only see when Alice is small, preasure plates that are only active for a limited period of time, etc. Even with those the game tends to drag a bit re-using some "special stages" far too much, chapter 3 had a 2D stage that gets used a total of 3 times and chapter 5 has a head doll pinball that is not so fun.
Overall i had a good time with the game, but the save system definetly annoyed the hell out of me.

[Exhuminator]

it knows exactly how long to go on and when to call it quits and I really admire that from an indie dev.

I believe this is one of the biggest problems with modern game design in the past decade. Too many developers do not understand the concept of quitting while you're ahead and leaving your audience wanting more. I understand studios try to create game length to justify game cost, but I'd rather see that extra time put into polishing a shorter game than padding an overly extended one. I believe older games, especially games of the 90's, were much better about having proper game length.

[Luke]

I'd settle for a GTA where cop response time made sense and you weren't automatically the target. It really cuts down any sort of interesting strategies you might play with in the game.

No sir-ree-bob.

Yes, in some missions, you are screwed and your traps and devices magically disappear. But nine times out of ten, you can create roadblocks that are extremely effective.

Basically, you have three acts:

Join the mafia
Join the yakuza
Kill all of 'em

In each "final act" you can build roadblocks that are effective and allow you to "spray" if you'd like. That or just drive through a tunnel. You're pretty much home free when in a tunnel.

[Cronozilla]

I'm not talking about inside missions. Inside missions the triggers work differently because things have been scripted in most cases.

I'm talking about during sandbox play.