A Solution to Boredom http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog Something for when I am not at a loss for words... Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:02:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 Batman: Arkham Asylum http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/09/16/batman-arkham-asylum/ http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/09/16/batman-arkham-asylum/#comments Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:01:38 +0000 Pat http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/?p=102 Having played the demo for Batman: Arkham Asylum I knew that I had to buy the game.  The game takes place on the island that houses Arkham Asylum.  Arkham Asylum is the high security prison where the “super criminals” of Gotham are kept under lock and key.  Batman has captured the Joker and takes him to Arkham only to realize that the Joker has plans for him and the jail.  This game provided the perfect amount of action, puzzles, and variation in game-play.

The action in this game is just purely amazing through the use of the Free Flow Combat System.  With skill the player can move between opponents punching, stunning with Batman’s cape, using gadgets, throws, and take-downs.  By stringing the moves together you can get huge combos for purely awesome scenes and extra experience.  On top of that you can also use stealth to perform moves such as the inverted take-down.  While hanging upside down from gargoyle fixtures one can perform an inverted take-down by dropping down, pulling up the opponent, and hanging them from the gargoyle.  To hone your combat skills you can also unlock Challenge modes through solving the Riddler’s puzzles.  These Challenges also have leader boards for added competition.

I find that in puzzle style games there is often either too little or too much action.  This Batman game provides the perfect amount of action to satisfy the player in between puzzles and plot.  The puzzles in this game are primarily related to a “riddle grid” supplied by no other than The Riddler.  There are three types of puzzles which involve finding hidden trophies, solving riddles that lead the player to objects that need a “picture” taken, and killing all the joker teeth in an area.  Of the three types, the riddles are probably the most difficult because they actually require thinking.  The most difficult riddles involve finding a spray paint question mark (?) that can only be found while using the detective view.  Detective view allows the player to see things that are not visible to the human eye.  Usually the top part of the question mark will be in one location, which is easily found, and the bottom part (.) is somewhere much more difficult to find.  Other riddles require the user to find an object visible to the eye.

Many games lack variation that adds to the overall experience.  As I am at a lack of a good example of a game that has almost no variance let me use a game that I liked but lacked a wide amount of variance.  That game is Assassin’s Creed.  Now hold on… I realize you probably liked this game and wonder how it is I could possibly have something negative to say about it but this review is not about Assassin’s Creed.  Anyway, my point is merely that in AC there is very little change in game-play.  Yes you get knew equipment and new areas are unlocked but every area has the exact same types of missions.  In Batman: Arkham Asylum the mission types follow a very nice story like flow which keeps the player guessing at what will happen next.  There are also new types of enemies at many points during the game which require different combat styles to defeat.  Add to that the unlockable equipment upgrades and combat upgrades and the game constantly changes.

This review comes after I completed the storyline to the game.  During the time I also solved all the Riddler’s riddles, which honestly were not that hard.  I still think that I will have fun playing the game as I would like to try it on a harder difficulty as well as play through some of the Challenges modes.  If you are even slightly interested in what I have talked about I would highly recommend playing this game whether it requires purchasing, renting, or just borrowing the game from a good friend.

Share/Bookmark Related Posts Related Websites ]]> http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/09/16/batman-arkham-asylum/feed/ 2 Game Demos: X-Men Origins: Wolverine & Red Faction: Guerrilla http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/05/14/game-demos-x-men-origins-wolverine-red-faction-guerrilla/ http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/05/14/game-demos-x-men-origins-wolverine-red-faction-guerrilla/#comments Thu, 14 May 2009 17:06:54 +0000 Pat http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/?p=75 Welcome to the first post on game demos.  This wonderful little package is full of not one but two game demo reviews.  Hope that you enjoy them!

Linked from gamecrazy.com

Prior to even seeing the new X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie I downloaded the Xbox 360 game demo.  I had read good things about it via Twitter from Gabe of Penny Arcade Tim of CTRL+ALT+DEL.  As soon as I started the demo I was excited.  Okay… maybe not right away, but as soon as the opening cut scene started I sure was!

I will not give away the opening as it is pretty cool.  Overall the graphics are good as the game uses the Unreal 3 engine.  For those of you who have played X-Men Legends as Wolverine the combat style is very similar.  You control Wolverine from a 3rd person perspective looking down at the ground for the most part.  There are two basic attacks as well as a grab which, when used in the various combo moves, that can be unlocked, can unleash some crazy moves and tons of damage.  Attacks can also be upgraded with points gained at each level and more combos are opened up after leveling.  On top of that you can get what I believe were called orbs that will add stats to various skills.  Examples are quicker rage build up or faster regeneration.  Unless you have some good memory that game becomes a bit of a button masher or you’ll just find a couple moves that work for you and use them over and over.  The ability to use the environment to slay your enemies added to my enjoyment of the game.  In the demo you can impale enemy soldiers on spikes, which I of course did a couple times for effect and once completely by accident.  You not only can pick up an enemy near a spike and slam them onto it, but it appears that you can also throw them across the room onto spikes.

On top of all the fun hacking and slashing to the enemy there are also some really cool things that happen to Wolverine.  Things not meant for small children to see.  No, I’m not talking about sex…. Blood man, blood!  As Wolverine takes damage his clothing will shred up and wounds will appear in his flesh.  If he gets hurt really bad you can even see down to his adamantium skeleton and then watch as the wound heals back together.

All together I really enjoyed the demo.  From reading about it elsewhere it sounds as though while a majority of the game is hacking and slashing there are some puzzle solving elements to break it up a bit.  So long as there is a decent amount of plot and said puzzle solving I think that the game could be a lot of fun.  I most definitely recommend downloading the free demo and giving it a try.

When I first saw the demo for Red Faction: Guerrilla waiting for me to download it I was instantly taken back to high school when I played Red Faction for the Playstation 2.  While I did not believe the original was really all that great, my brother, friends and I definitely enjoyed blasting apart the environments on the multiplayer maps.  We used to enjoy tunneling into the walls to create bases.  Somehow I completely missed Red Faction 2 so I will not comment on it.

Continuing with that great idea of enabling the player to destroy the environment Red Faction: Guerrilla has recently been released.  Through the use of the Geo-Mod 2.0 engine almost any man made structure can be destroyed.  I am not sure if you can destroy the terrain as I do not recall seeing it happen.  However, even if you cannot, the engine handles the destruction of structures so well that I do not think I would care.  You can blow the crap out of buildings using explosives, drive right through them in a vehicle, and even walk/hit them while in a mechanized construction suit.  At one point I even drove through a support for a bridge, after which the bridge promptly fell down along with the guys standing on it.  I was in pure glee after causing all this destruction.

The perspective is in 3rd person, unlike Red Faction and apparently Red Faction 2.  This seems to work out pretty well for the game as it has in many games like Resident Evil 4 & 5, Gears of War 1 & 2, and Mass Effect.  It does make it easier to see enemies immediately behind or to the side of you which is nice.  You also get to see yourself carrying around all the crazy weapons which is pretty cool.  The weaponry includes  shotguns, rifles, pistols, rocket launchers, proximity mines, arc welders, grinders (it shoots sharp discs that later can explode on impact), and remote mines.  There will also be a ton of vehicles including trucks, tanks (I think), and mech suits.  The map is huge, much like Fallout 3 which means plenty of space to use the weapons and vehicles to destroy things.

I have also read that there is  a multiplayer mode.  According to what I have read it would appear that you can choose between different sets of gear for playing multiplayer.  The gear will be for different types of play such as heavy weaponry, explosives, stealth, etc.  If pulled off properly I think that the mode just might catch the interest of people who enjoyed playing Halo or, going further back, Tribes.

This game looks like it could quite simply be amazing.  I really look forward to blowing the living daylights out of things in Red Faction: Guerrilla.  Hopefully when I get around to playing the game I will manage to actually do the missions instead of just walking around blowing up anything in sight.  Check out the really cool trailer below.

By the way…. For any of you who enjoy reading my posts, or don’t, you should check out my friend Pat’s “videotized” blog at http://superpatquest.blogspot.com/.  His posts are quite funny and yet quite informative on comic related topics.  His post on X-Men Origins: Wolverine is absolutely hilarious and also filled me in on some questions I had after watching the movie.  Before you ask, yes, I am the one with the shades on in the JibJab Sendable.

Share/Bookmark Related Posts Related Websites ]]> http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/05/14/game-demos-x-men-origins-wolverine-red-faction-guerrilla/feed/ 5 Resident Evil 5 http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/04/19/resident-evil-5/ http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/04/19/resident-evil-5/#comments Sun, 19 Apr 2009 15:30:25 +0000 Pat http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/?p=49 Ever since my childhood when I first saw the game Resident Evil on the Sony PlayStation I have been intrigued with the series.  What started off as more of an interest in watching my younger brother play the game turned into me playing the game.  It took awhile, six games to be exact, before I really got into playing the games myself.

With the release of Resident Evil 4 I quickly became a fan of the new play style incorporated into the Nintento GameCube release.  Moving from an ammo conserving puzzle game it morphed into a less ammo conserving more quick reactions type of game.  In reality, it turned into more of a shooter which is one of my favorite game types.  While plenty of ammo is found in both 4 and 5 it still is possible to be tight on it if you do not have good aim or never use physical attacks.  Another huge change was the ability to change your view instead of being locked into one camera angle set for each area.

Linked from http://www.hd-report.com

Continuing with that great new recipe Capcom has released Resident Evil 5.  In this game they have taken it a step further with the addition co-op play.  I played the first couple stages by myself and the game was still quite fun.  When playing solo you still have the second character there, they are just controlled by AI instead.  The best experience however is definitely playing co-op.  While playing together one player gets to control Chris Redfield, that’s right the guy from the original Resident Evil, and another controls the new character  Sheva Alomar.  My friend Pat and I have been playing online together and it has been a blast.  With the co-op play you can complete combos together.  To do this you must first shoot an enemy in any one of the various spots that causes them to be stunned and then get close and use a physical attack.  These physical attacks can then be chained by alternating attacks between each player.  This is a great way to deal large amounts of damage and conserve your ammunition.  Watch the video below from YouTube that shows how awesome these combos can be.

The in game graphics are also just about as good as the wonderful cut scenes.  Yet again, do not think that cut scenes are times to relax as they often will require some quick button pressing to ensure that you make it through the scene.  From watching a scene where “Majini”, the infected, attack on motorcycles to dodging giant tentacles during game play, you must always be ready to press a button as soon as it flashes on the screen.

I highly recommend that you play this game if you enjoy shooting games or have enjoyed previous Resident Evil titles.  As usual, please leave comments with your thoughts on the game whether you agree or disagree with my opinions of the game.

Share/Bookmark Related Posts Related Websites ]]> http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/04/19/resident-evil-5/feed/ 2 Halo Wars: The First Console Only RTS http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/04/17/halo-wars-the-first-console-only-rts/ http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/04/17/halo-wars-the-first-console-only-rts/#comments Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:48:28 +0000 Pat http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/?p=29 As many of my friends know, my lovely wife pre-ordered the Halo Wars collector’s edition for me as a Valentine’s Day present.  Knowing that I have loved the 3 main Halo games she rightly assumed I would want Halo Wars even though the game play differs from the typical Halo FPS.  She had also heard me talking about the demo which I downloaded off of Xbox Live for free.

In all reality it was quite a gamble for her to get the game for me as I probably did not seem to have that many good things to say after playing the demo…  In case any readers have not played the demo, it contains the two in game tutorials (basic and advanced) as well as a the first couple missions of the game.

Now before I go into my opinions on the game play let me preface it with the fact that I have only played about 8 or so missions into the game and only played one online match.  At this point I still have not gotten 100% used to the controls nor do I have a firm grasp on the upgrade structure of units and buildings.

First of all I feel as though the developer, Ensemble Studios,  have done a good job at making many of the tasks performed by a typical RTS (real time strategy) player easy.  This is not necessarily an easy task as RTS game have usually been solely built for play on computers.  Reasons for this include the use of a keyboard which has many more buttons than a console controller and the use of a mouse which is much easier to maneuver.  One must wonder why it is that consoles have still not allowed the use of a keyboard and mouse in game play…  To make it easier to select units in a variety of ways the following methods were created which are similar to what has been used in computer gaming.  Left Bumper (LB) can be used to select all units under your control.  Right Bumper (RB) can be used to select all local units, or those which are currently on your screen.  Holding the A button will create a circle, call the “paintbrush” which can be used to highlight all units you wish to command.  Last but not least, placing the cursor over a unit and pressing the A button twice will select all units of that unit’s type.

Although the methods for unit selection are great, there are a couple things I cannot figure out.  How to select multiple units of different types from within a cluster of units is one such thing I just cannot figure out.  You can try to use the paintbrush method but it the cursor just gets to big for fine picking of units.  Another and possibly even bigger loss is the group selection that I miss from games like Warcraft and Starcraft.  If you are unfamiliar with what I speak of then let me explain.  In typical computer RTS games there is usually the ability to select units and then bind their group to a number key on the keyboard.  That way when you press a number it centers your screen on that group and highlights them all so that they are ready to be commanded.  In Halo Wars the only way to do this is to use down on the analog pad to cycle through your groups of units.  This is not nearly as efficient as pressing a single key, but I suppose is the best you can do on a console.

All said, I do enjoy the game.  If you like RTS games and/or the Halo plotline I definitely recommend that you either buy, rent, or better yet, borrow the game from someone you know.  With stunning cutscenes and pretty decent in game graphics it is quite a beauty to look at.  From what I have seen so far it adds a decent amount to the Halo universe.

Share/Bookmark Related Posts Related Websites ]]> http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/04/17/halo-wars-the-first-console-only-rts/feed/ 2 Video Games & Far Cry 2 http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/02/22/video-games-far-cry-2/ http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/02/22/video-games-far-cry-2/#comments Sun, 22 Feb 2009 20:55:47 +0000 Pat http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/?p=9 If you have ever met me you know that I am quite the gamer.  I love video games.  For the last several console generations I have owned each of the major consoles.  Currently I own the Xbox 360 and the Wii but not the infamous Playstation 3.  Lately I find that I have mostly been playing my 360 as the console, in my opinion,  has some of the best FPS games out there.  Speaking of which, let me delve into my most recent favorite game, Far Cry 2.

Although I never played the original Far Cry I decided to try out Far Cry 2 as the game sounded very interesting.  At the time I was playing Fallout 3 which in its own is a great game.  I saw Far Cry 2 while I was at Gamestop and decided to check it out when I got home.  The game’s trailer, see below,  had me interested as soon as I watched it.

As you see in the trailer, if you watched it, there are a lot of cool explosions which spawn lots of beautiful fire.  In the world of Far Cry 2, which like Fallout 3 is a huge world ready for you to explore, there are varying environments.  You go from damp jungle terrain to dry grasslands to desert.  In the dry grasslands you have the chance to create some rampant fires by blowing up vehicles, propane tanks, using Molotov cocktails, or even the flamethrower!  You cannot possibly understand just how well the game engine handles it unless you play but let me give you a good example of something so simple but so cool.

Jungle from Farcry2. Linked from http://www.mad-dos.net63.net

Jungle from Far Cry2. Linked from http://www.mad-dos.net63.net

Grassy plains from Farcry 2. Linked from http://news.cnet.com

Grassy plains from Far Cry 2. Linked from http://news.cnet.com

I was playing the game and for the mission I was on needed to destroy a tanker attached to a train.  My brilliant idea was to get up on a hillside and fire a rocket at the train from a safe distance.  So I get on a hill, line up my sites, and let the rocket fly.  As I sat watching an amazing explosion unfold ahead of me I started to get hurt by something.  Looking around I saw no gunfire and could not determine what was hurting me, that was until I turned around…  The backfire from the rocket launcher had caused the grassy hill to catch fire behind me and was toasting my backside.  Yes I know that is not that amazing but it is just one small example of the detail that Ubi put into the game.

Now I realize I have had nothing but praise for the game but there are a couple things the game lacks…  The game play consists of about four or so mission types strung together.  That means the missions can get a little boring. That being said, the AI of the NPCs is quite good so no mission plays out exactly like the last.  Another issue is that the AI is not very good at using their vehicles in combat.  It seems like if they are in a vehicle with a weapon the driver just drives up and stops while the gunner just pumps you full of lead.  A little driving around while doing so would be just a little more realistic.  Those criticisms aside, the change in terrain, the way the AI responds to combat, and the various weapons at your disposal has kept the game interesting through the fifty-some-percent of the game I have played.

Share/Bookmark Related Posts Related Websites ]]> http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/02/22/video-games-far-cry-2/feed/ 5 My First Post http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/02/20/my-first-post/ http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/2009/02/20/my-first-post/#comments Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:19:24 +0000 Pat http://asolutiontoboredom.com/blog/?p=3 Hello all!

This is my first post to my new domain and the blog on it.  I chose to use GoDaddy as I had heard a lot about it and knew that it was reputable.  Recently I had also heard about WordPress from my father-in-law.  Purchasing the domain and having WordPress installed was surprisingly easy.  Now, I know that I work with computers for a living but it was actually incredibly easy.  The instructions on WordPress looked quite daunting but using GoDaddy I simply had to tell it to install the application, enter a couple answers and I was up and ready to go!

Purchasing this domain and setting up WordPress is all a sort of experiment.  I wanted to experience what it would be like to do so.  Being someone who has set up and managed domains I have never actually worked with a website outside of creating a very simplistic site in college.  So, this is my entry into the world wide web to see just what I can do.

Do not expect too much to come out of this blog.  As I am not sure where I am going with it I cannot say how often it will be updated nor what the content will be yet.  For now I will be playing with WordPress to see what I can create as well as what fun addons there are out there to use.  Check back from time to time to see what is going on.

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