Video Games What video games are you currently playing?

[Squee]

I've just installed Mass Effect 3.

Later, bitches!

[mcbpete]

I'm such a Silent Hill whore, I've got so much love for the series that it makes me so sad to see how the film and Homecoming completely missed the point. Downpour looks shambolic beyond belief.

Absolutely spot on.

 

It's definitely worth giving Shattered Memories a try, for me it was like the polar opposite to Homecoming - returning the series to somewhat Lynch style weirdness. Plus not being able to attach any of the enemies and knowing that they'll only appear in specific moments in the game really switches up the pacing of the game.

[Blir]

My problem with the film was for several reasons. The music was one of the issues, because they seemed to crowbar so many of the tracks into the film, they hardly had any silence with just ambient sounds. Nice to hear the tunes, but bad placement.

 

Also I disagreed with changing Harry to a woman. Weirdly Harry is a character in the new SH film coming out, not sure if it's Harry Mason or not but it's heavily implied to be.

 

Overuse of CG - especially in the shifting world sequences, which removed the mystery of the dimension shifts.

 

Making it so the air raid siren was played from the church was a terrible idea. Part of the reason it was so terrifying is because the sound came from nowhere, we're practically instilled with the notion of panic when we hear an air raid siren, so having it come from a non specific location in the game gave it that much more impact. The film explained it away and ruined it.

 

The major complaint I had about the film was crowbarring Pyramid Head in there. Anybody who has played SH 2 would know that Pyramid Head is very much essential to that story and having him as some generic monster completely devalues the character. If they ever made a Silent Hill film revolving around the plot of 2 (which IMO would have been the much more logical choice to adapt to screen) then suddenly Pyramid Head becomes incongruous.

 

Although I will say that they did a perfect job of creating Silent Hill. And it's all thanks to that short fat woman whose name I forget right now. But she did an incredible job of set design. It blew my mind when I found out the scene with the car broken down by the cliff edge was created in a studio. Utterly amazing.

 

[Edit] Sorry Usagi, not trying to shoot you down or start an argument about the film, just stating why it disappointed me!

[mcbpete]

The section that really irked me about the film (yeah I said 'irked' what of it) was the whole exposition section about the burnt child in the hospital. Just no neeeeeeeeeed.

[Squee]

My problem with the film was for several reasons. The music was one of the issues, because they seemed to crowbar so many of the tracks into the film, they hardly had any silence with just ambient sounds. Nice to hear the tunes, but bad placement.

 

Also I disagreed with changing Harry to a woman. Weirdly Harry is a character in the new SH film coming out, not sure if it's Harry Mason or not but it's heavily implied to be.

 

Overuse of CG - especially in the shifting world sequences, which removed the mystery of the dimension shifts.

 

Making it so the air raid siren was played from the church was a terrible idea. Part of the reason it was so terrifying is because the sound came from nowhere, we're practically instilled with the notion of panic when we hear an air raid siren, so having it come from a non specific location in the game gave it that much more impact. The film explained it away and ruined it.

 

The major complaint I had about the film was crowbarring Pyramid Head in there. Anybody who has played SH 2 would know that Pyramid Head is very much essential to that story and having him as some generic monster completely devalues the character. If they ever made a Silent Hill film revolving around the plot of 2 (which IMO would have been the much more logical choice to adapt to screen) then suddenly Pyramid Head becomes incongruous.

 

Although I will say that they did a perfect job of creating Silent Hill. And it's all thanks to that short fat woman whose name I forget right now. But she did an incredible job of set design. It blew my mind when I found out the scene with the car broken down by the cliff edge was created in a studio. Utterly amazing.

 

[Edit] Sorry Usagi, not trying to shoot you down or start an argument about the film, just stating why it disappointed me!

 

My memory is a bit hazy when it comes to Silent Hill, but wasn't it the movie that introduced the new designs to the nurses? Why on Earth would they do that? And why are the nurses all of a sudden dressed in a very revealing uniforms? I mean, Silent Hill isn't exactly the sexiest place to begin with...

I also didn't like the backstory in the movie, mainly because they just kinda gave it all away in one big flashback sequence, whereas the first three games did this magical thing where they somehow didn't need to explain too much and for some reason the player didn't really ask any questions either. Things just happened and the player accepted it without sparing a thought - at least that's how I and a lot of my friends experienced it. Plus, the whole church thing, the people thinking the girl was a witch, Pyramid Head skinning a girl alive, and acting were all things that put me off. What a waste...

 

The section that really irked me about the film (yeah I said 'irked' what of it) was the whole exposition section about the burnt child in the hospital. Just no neeeeeeeeeed.

 

Yes!

[hexagon son]

Actually, yeah. I think being able to revisit SH 2 and 3 via the HD collection may be better than getting "Downpour". Why the fuck aren't they making SH in Japan anymore? I also rue that they never gave the Fatal Frame for the Wii a western release. I mean, I live in Japan, but any game where I need to really get into the story I need in English really. I frequent the arcades here all the time, most of the games require little or no Japanese language knowledge. This is why I love my Famicom.

[Blir]

To be honest, the SH movie just needed to be slow, subtle and disturbing. Basically it needed to be a really arty film.

 

They made it too Hollywoodized and bombastic.

[Ego]

Getting impatient for Diablo 3 so playing some Divine Divinity. Fun dungeon crawler, a bit too easy.

[Guest viscosity]

The only Silent Hill game I've played is the 4th. Got fairly far in it but then it began backtracking (I think I was being chased by something in a park? I forget). anyway, going to give 2 and 3 a go as consensus says they are the best in the series, and from what I understand 1-4 are from the original developers before it was handed to a 3rd party

[Blir]

Yeah, the serial killer starts hunting you down and it's a pretty frustrating and off putting part of the game I think.

[Squee]

Me playing Mass Effect 3.

[Tessier Ashpool]

I'm such a Silent Hill whore, I've got so much love for the series that it makes me so sad to see how the film and Homecoming completely missed the point. Downpour looks shambolic beyond belief.

Absolutely spot on.

 

It's definitely worth giving Shattered Memories a try, for me it was like the polar opposite to Homecoming - returning the series to somewhat Lynch style weirdness. Plus not being able to attach any of the enemies and knowing that they'll only appear in specific moments in the game really switches up the pacing of the game.

My problem with the film was for several reasons. The music was one of the issues, because they seemed to crowbar so many of the tracks into the film, they hardly had any silence with just ambient sounds. Nice to hear the tunes, but bad placement.

 

Also I disagreed with changing Harry to a woman. Weirdly Harry is a character in the new SH film coming out, not sure if it's Harry Mason or not but it's heavily implied to be.

 

Overuse of CG - especially in the shifting world sequences, which removed the mystery of the dimension shifts.

 

Making it so the air raid siren was played from the church was a terrible idea. Part of the reason it was so terrifying is because the sound came from nowhere, we're practically instilled with the notion of panic when we hear an air raid siren, so having it come from a non specific location in the game gave it that much more impact. The film explained it away and ruined it.

 

The major complaint I had about the film was crowbarring Pyramid Head in there. Anybody who has played SH 2 would know that Pyramid Head is very much essential to that story and having him as some generic monster completely devalues the character. If they ever made a Silent Hill film revolving around the plot of 2 (which IMO would have been the much more logical choice to adapt to screen) then suddenly Pyramid Head becomes incongruous.

 

Although I will say that they did a perfect job of creating Silent Hill. And it's all thanks to that short fat woman whose name I forget right now. But she did an incredible job of set design. It blew my mind when I found out the scene with the car broken down by the cliff edge was created in a studio. Utterly amazing.

 

[Edit] Sorry Usagi, not trying to shoot you down or start an argument about the film, just stating why it disappointed me!

 

I love you Obel. Just want to say that up front. . .

 

I really quite enjoyed the film for what it was - agree, it would have been better served if it had gone more "artsy" but I also feel like there was enough pleasure to be found aesthetically to make me overlook some of the more glaring problems (the Pyramid Head one is pretty glaring though). One of those movies where, if I hadn't been a huge fan of the games, I would not have gone to see but also probably would have enjoyed more, because I wouldn't have had any expectations to be let down from. The first half did a good job of setting up some suspense, but the over explanation of certain things ruined the tension - almost like that movie started off with one director and then halfway through they decided they needed to stupid it up for the masses. (Also, can you imagine what David Lynch would do with something like this? Man, that'd be a pairing).

 

Overall - though - for what it was I really enjoyed it. . . the end scenes in the church w/the razor wire? So deliciously over the top violent. Felt like the atmosphere was there, just that it never was fully realized as a good "film"

 

Also - I have to call myself out - on first playing Homecoming I was really pleased. . . was singing its praises, it was scaring me, I was freaked, it felt like it was going to be a return to form - then the first 20 minutes ended and everything else was just shit. Utter shit. Soulless, lame, shade of what Silent Hill used to be.

 

Downpour looks equally as dull and lifeless - have like 0 confidence it will even be worth a redbox rental someday. But one can always hope!

[Joyrex]

I DL'ed Strider for Genesis on Wii VC last Saturday as it was oringinally an xmas present for me when I was 12. I clocked it on factory settings after 3 tries. Good times once again! My goal is to "one-man" hard mode. I'm also working on doing a speed run for Super Adventure Island for PCE/TG16. As for new games, I think I will pick up Silent Hill : Downpour on payday.

 

the PS1 version of Strider is arcade-perfect, and comes bundled with Strider 2 - both excellent games, and one of my favourites of all time. I could play it in the arcades on 1 token and beat the entire game.

[data]

can't decide whether to get journey or i am alive. ign gave i am alive 4/10, while pretty much every other gamesite is giving it 7-8/10, edge, gamespot, eurogamer etc are all giving it fairly high scores. journey looks really good though.

[logakght]

super mario bros meets portal

[baph]

I can't imagine spending time on a game that doesn't have about a 9/10 consensus (by whatever system of review matters to you; or if every rating system is fatally flawed just a consensus among trusted reviewers/players that it's one of the best games of the year).

 

Man, most games suck. It's like settling in for some good hard SF novel and getting worse than Randian prose.

 

I know I need to lower my expectations. This is why I'm not a hardcore gamer. Also why I hardly read my favorite genre any more.

 

LIFE IS AWFUL

 

 

edit: I don't mean that as an attack on anyone's choice in games

[Guest iep]

I can't imagine spending time on a game that doesn't have about a 9/10 consensus (by whatever system of review matters to you; or if every rating system is fatally flawed just a consensus among trusted reviewers/players that it's one of the best games of the year).

 

Man, most games suck. It's like settling in for some good hard SF novel and getting worse than Randian prose.

 

I know I need to lower my expectations. This is why I'm not a hardcore gamer. Also why I hardly read my favorite genre any more.

 

LIFE IS AWFUL

 

 

edit: I don't mean that as an attack on anyone's choice in games

 

 

wtf does ratings out of 100 has to do with it.

 

 

i like japanese turn based rpgs with bizarre humor, like disgaea,

 

 

or fast (FAST) fps multiplayer games like q3/warsow,

 

 

and also ikaruga, mars matrix, and other shmups

 

 

what are they rated? who knows? what does it all mean?

[baph]

I can't imagine spending time on a game that doesn't have about a 9/10 consensus (by whatever system of review matters to you; or if every rating system is fatally flawed just a consensus among trusted reviewers/players that it's one of the best games of the year).

 

Man, most games suck. It's like settling in for some good hard SF novel and getting worse than Randian prose.

 

I know I need to lower my expectations. This is why I'm not a hardcore gamer. Also why I hardly read my favorite genre any more.

 

LIFE IS AWFUL

 

 

edit: I don't mean that as an attack on anyone's choice in games

 

 

wtf does ratings out of 100 has to do with it.

 

 

i like japanese turn based rpgs with bizarre humor, like disgaea,

 

 

or fast (FAST) fps multiplayer games like q3/warsow,

 

 

and also ikaruga, mars matrix, and other shmups

 

 

what are they rated? who knows? what does it all mean?

 

Yeah, I realize a numerical rating doesn't mean fuckall, hence the parenthetical.

 

If you have a particular need for a particular type of game, go for it. I'm basically just outing myself as not a real gamer. I want everything to be close to perfect before I spend more than 30 minutes of scant free time on it. It's my problem, I'm sure. I'm not being sarcastic (and this sentence shouldn't be construed as sarcastic either).

[data]

tech demo for quantic dreams new game, looks interesting i guess but i didn't like heavy rain much at all with all its preachy morality and "choices" that weren't really choices and what not so i dunno ..

 

[youtubehd]sr0wzpN0o1k[/youtubehd]

 

 

 

 

 

[hexagon son]

I DL'ed Strider for Genesis on Wii VC last Saturday as it was oringinally an xmas present for me when I was 12. I clocked it on factory settings after 3 tries. Good times once again! My goal is to "one-man" hard mode. I'm also working on doing a speed run for Super Adventure Island for PCE/TG16. As for new games, I think I will pick up Silent Hill : Downpour on payday.

 

the PS1 version of Strider is arcade-perfect, and comes bundled with Strider 2 - both excellent games, and one of my favourites of all time. I could play it in the arcades on 1 token and beat the entire game.

Yeah, I used to one-coin Strider in the arcade back in the day. I actually used to own that PS1 Strider 1 and 2 game back when I lived in the UK. Agreed, both excellent games, which they need to get out on the Playstation Store!

[Joyrex]

tech demo for quantic dreams new game, looks interesting i guess but i didn't like heavy rain much at all with all its preachy morality and "choices" that weren't really choices and what not so i dunno ..

 

[youtubehd]sr0wzpN0o1k[/youtubehd]

 

 

 

 

 

 

That was... amazing. They really are pushing the boundaries between art and simple video games. I passed on Heavy Rain - I might go back and give it a try.

[mcbpete]

tech demo for quantic dreams new game, looks interesting i guess but i didn't like heavy rain much at all with all its preachy morality and "choices" that weren't really choices and what not so i dunno ..

 

[youtubehd]sr0wzpN0o1k[/youtubehd]

 

 

 

 

 

So what's the tech that's being demonstrated - is the guy's voice meant to be the player and you're able talk to the robot? Graphics wise there doesn't seem to be anything new, so I'm a little confused at the tech innovation is ...

[Dan C]

Want to play Journey, but don't want to pay for Playstation Plus.

 

Fuck dat.

[mcbpete]

Want to play Journey, but don't want to pay for Playstation Plus.

 

Fuck dat.

What the hell, you have to have Playstation Plus to download Journey ?!

 

(Not that it matters at the moment as my Playstation has helpfully decided this week to give me a YLOD )

[Dan C]

You don't, well you do if you want to play it today.

 

I think it comes out for the little people on the 14th or something