Generic Update Blog Title

Here's an update on things.

• I finally achieved my platinum trophy on Skyrim for the PS3.  For those that don't know, this means I got every other trophy in the game.  
• My yeard attempt is halfway through the first month.  The Yeard In Review is the name of my blog chronicling the attempt.
• Work still sucks.  Big news there.
• I finally got my Nintendo DSi XL.  My mom got it for me this Christmas.  Thanks ma!
• Here's a video from a band called Battles.  The song is weird, but worth listening to.

Wishlist 2/24/11

There are a number of new gadgets and games coming out in the coming months through the end of the year that I'm already beginning to drool over. Some of these I'll obsess over until I finally have them in my hands. Unfortunately, resources being limited, many of them will probably never be mine (unless Bill and I can find a wealthy benefactor to give us money just because we're cool...). Here's two of the things I'm most excited about.

1. Dragon Age 2 - This is the sequel to the console RPG Dragon Age: Origins, developed by BioWare. I downloaded the demo from the PSN last Tuesday, and it was such an improvement on the original. The graphics were updated, and the combat was streamlined and improved. I really enjoyed the original, but it felt sort of detached from the action. You selected a target for your attacks, pressed the action button, and you would auto-attack until the enemy died or you selected a special attack or spell. Dragon Age 2 plays more like an actual action RPG. Every press of the attack button translates into an attack on screen. And the animations of combos and attacks looks much more natural.

Another change I was happy with was the fact that you can now input commands for multiple party members at the same time. While the radial action menu is open, all action is paused. You can select spells or items to use, then close the radial menu and all characters will perform the actions you assigned. This makes combat much more efficient and less frustrating.

BioWare really seems to have taken fan suggestions and complaints to heart when developing this title. When you pick up loot, you see a notification detailing what you picked up. No longer do you get the obscure "Items Received" notice. Leveling up can now be done even in combat, and it's a lot more convenient. If multiple characters level up at the same time, when you finish with one, the next is automatically selected.

Luckily for me, I have this game pre-paid in full, including the collector's edition book. And because I pre-ordered early, I received an automatic upgrade to the signature edition. Dragon Age II comes out on March 8th, 2011. I can barely wait!

2. Sony's PSP2 - Codenamed Next Generation Portable, or NGP, this is the successor to the original Playstation Portable. An official name hasn't actually been announced yet, though many people, judging by the titles of a few upcoming games that have been announced for the system, think it may be called Playstation Next.

Whatever it's called, I want one.

I'm not really the most tech-minded person, though I love gadgets. So, I'm not going to list what CPU or GPU this thing has in it. I don't understand that sort of thing. I know it's a quad-core processor, so it's going to have considerable power. And some features have been announced, but no specifications given, such as the front and rear facing cameras. We know they're there, but we don't know how many megapixels they are. The 5" OLED screen is multitouch capable, and there is a touchpad on the back of the device as well, which evidently can have L2 and R2 controls mapped to it. Add on the full six-axis motion control, and the NGP can duplicate the full functionality of a PS3's DualShock controller. This means that a wider variety of games and genres can and likely will be ported to the system.

The NGP will use a combination of digital and physical media for games. But, unlike the original PSP, it will not use UMD format games. Instead, a proprietary flash based card will be used. There's not a lot of detail about the format as of yet. I've heard also that it has two card slots, presumably for both game cards and for expandable memory. I've not heard anything about internal memory, but I fear that it won't have internal flash memory like the PSPGo! had. Nevertheless, it should still be amazing. There's already a bevy of developers on board for NGP support, so there should be no shortage of awesome games to play.

I can't wait to get more information about the NGP. Most importantly is the price. Sony has yet to announce a price point for the system. I have read there will be two SKUs. One will be the standard version, which has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. The second is 3G compatible. People have wondered if there will be a data plan subscription required for the 3G option. I hope Sony does what Barnes and Noble did with the Nook 3G, whose access is maintained for free via Barnes and Noble. Either way, that's the version I'll be buying.

Of course, there are many more items that can go on my wishlist, but I'll save those for future posts.

Here is a short video showcasing the games in development on the NGP:

Buy This Game: InFamous

I know I said in a previous entry that X-Men Origins: Wolverine was the next game I'd buy, and I still intend to get it very soon. But we decided to get this game instead after playing the demo available from the PSN. It's a PlayStation exclusive, and it is the best sandbox style game I've played.
You play through the game as Cole McGrath, a bike messenger in Empire City who is caught in the center of a devastating explosion at the heart of the city. He awakens from his ordeal with a bevy of electricity related powers. He can shoot bolts of lighting from his hands, knock enemies back with electric shockwaves, and fall from any height without injury. And that's only the beginning. As you play through you unlock many more powers, and can upgrade the powers you have as well.
The story revolves around Cole's mission to restore power to the city, and, more importantly, to discover the cause of the explosion and who was behind it. A recent push in video games has been to add more choice into the mix, and to make those choices have consequences. This game gives you very tangible rewards for the choices you make. You get to decide between the path of a Hero or a Villain. As you gain or lose karma, you unlock different powers related to your moral compass. And shared powers upgrade in different fashions. For instance, the evil path involves more destructive upgrades, whereas the good path involves upgrades that can heal Cole, or restrain enemies.
If I had one complaint about the karma system, it's that it has little bearing on the story. The story missions remain basically the same whether you're a good guy or a bad guy. There are moments where you get to make a karma choice, and that determines some small aspect of how the mission is completed. For example, in an early choice, you need to get past a barricade. You can either charge ahead of the crowd and single-handedly attack the guards, or you can start a riot from within the crowd to distract the guards. The first choice, in this case, is a bit more difficult, but you are rewarded with positive karma. But, after it's done, there really is no difference in the end result. You get through the barricade, and the story continues. It would be nice to have fully branched storylines to really make you feel the repercussions of your choices.
The real draw of the game is your interaction with the city itself. A large element of the game involves urban exploration. The gameplay incorporates free running into the mechanic, and that's where the fun really comes in. Cole is able to jump and climb any surface that has a handhold. And because he can't be hurt by falling (unless it's into water...lighting + water = bad bad things), there is no downside to trying crazy stunts and jumps. I could literally do this for hours. The only frustrating aspect to this is that sometimes it is a little difficult to jump where you intend. The game will actually pull you toward the nearest object that you can grab or stand on. When you are platforming across vast expanses of deadly water, this is definitely a good thing. But there are times when you aren't actually aiming for the nearest ledge or handhold. But whether you intend to or not, the game will pull you to whatever's closer. This can lead to some of the most frustrating moments of the game, especially when you are doing a timed mission or are low on health. But really, this is only a very minor inconvenience in most situations.
Overall, this is one of the best games I've played in a long time. It's as enjoyable to watch as it is to play, so you can imagine that it's taken up quite a bit of our leisure time lately. There are three difficulty settings (Easy, Normal, and Hard) so it's playable by gamers of all skill levels. And, for the gamers obsessed with bragging rights, it is trophy-enabled as well. Voice acting is top-notch, the music is eerie and evocative, and graphically it's very pleasing to the eye. Definitely a keeper. So, go buy this game if you want to enjoy one of the most enjoyable games of the year.

Obsessions

It seems like I'm in a constant state of want. Every time we get caught up in our bills, rather than save any extra money we may have, we instead blow it on games. Of course, that's part of what I'm working for. Sure, I work so that we can have a place to live, food to eat, heat or A/C and all the necessities of life. But I also work so that we can have the little luxuries that make life just a little bit better.
So, here is a list of my current obsessions. I won't rest until we have them.

1. The Nintendo DSi

This little handheld system is my primary obsession. Like the standard DS, this one is a clamshell, with two screens, and touchscreen technology. It's Wi-Fi enabled, has an SD card slot, and has the ability to download games and DLC from the DSi store. It also has two cameras: the one on the inside enables picture chatting, and the one on the outside to take pictures at 3.0 Megapixel resolution. And, while it does not enable retro-compatibility with GameBoy Advance titles, like the standard DS, it does have enhanced features for certain DS games. I want it. Now.


2. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (PS3)

I downloaded the demo from the PSN for this game yesterday, and I was suitably impressed. It was developed by Raven Software, the people behind the X-Men Legends series and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, so they have experience bringing Marvel characters to life. The gameplay was intuitive and ridiculously fun. My favorite move is the lunge attack, which allows you to make flying leaps over long distances to take down enemies. I loved how brutally visceral the game felt. For the first time ever, Wolverine is unleashed, and the result is bloody, gory, and insanely fun. In previous games, either the blood was toned down or altogether absent, or Wolvie is doomed to take on wave after wave of bloodless robots. I can't wait to get this game and maybe give a full review.


3. A 1 Terabyte external HD

I don't have a picture of this one, because I haven't yet decided which one I'll be getting. I still have to do my comparison shopping, reading specs, and researching product reviews. All I know is that I want one. I've had more than a few people suggest that I don't need that much storage. But the way I see it, why not just buy one, and you should never have to buy another one. I'd like to have the room to back up the PS3. I would put all our pictures and videos and digital movies on there. And I...er... have a lot of porn. And, of course, Bill and I listen to a lot of music. I intend to have mixes for different themes and moods that I can swap onto my PSP at will. Will I use up the entire 1 Terabyte? Probably not. But I'd like to try.