Don’t judge me. If I had a problem, I would almost certainly admit it. Although I have absolutely no way of knowing for sure, I feel as if I am slowly approaching the end of this fucking game.
I’m well aware how possible it is that I will get to the conclusion only to be thrown naked in the middle of a forest having to essentially start the game over again. But it doesn’t seem like this is the case.
Much of the game looks like this...wandering from place to place...but it's totally worth it,
I haven’t actually reached the end yet, so I may be speaking too soon…but I’m finding myself slightly disappointed. If this truly is the end, what do I do now? There is no more map to explore, not really any more missions to accomplish…
…is life now obsolete? We’ll see. If there is no Part 6 of this stupid series of articles, you will know that I have gladly taken my own life rather than live one more miserable day in a non-Fantasy world.
After reading many reviews and playing this game so damn much–to the point that my eyelids reach unpleasant heaviness–it has become almost an essential part of my life. My version of the game came complete with two DLC codes…
One was for a free set of armor, which I can’t actually use until I reach some impossible level. The second was for the $15 Add-On,The Stone Prisoner. But I got it for free, so yous guys can suck my medieval balls.
Now, I’ve read many criticisms of the Dragon Age approach to DLC. If you haven’t heard this, I’ll enlighten you. When the game was released, two expansions were released with it. One priced at $15, and the other, around $7. I purchased the $7 release, but I was fortunate enough to have the $15 DLC included for free.
Some who bought the game were not so lucky. Not only are you essentially forced to buy these expansions in order to enjoy an “more complete” experience playing the game, but there are characters built into the game who you–when you approach–entice you to buy extra shit!
Rihanna's ass is NOT part of Dragon Age...but it certainly should be.
These are virtual salespersons for real life wares…and it’s somewhat frightening. “The shit on the other side of this bridge is fucking awesome…it’s a shame you won’t get to see it unless you fork over $20. It’s a fucking pity, really.”
Something about this approach seems a bit dishonest; however, for those who buy the game without expansions and are too cheap to purchase them, you’ll still get a ridiculously full game with almost unlimited hours of play.
So here’s the update…I’m talking so much about the DLC because that’s what I’m involved with right now. I just completed Warden’s Keep and I’m fighting my way through The Stone Prisoner.
Unfortunately, I am not a seasoned battle RPG player. I’ve never played World of Warcraft and I fucking blow when it comes to organizing attacks. This rarely seems to be too much of a problem–as I unwittingly play a fantasy RPG as a run-and-flail-at-enemies action game…but at the moment, I am certainly seeing the error of my ways as I am repeatedly handed my own dick on a silver platter.
After a long period of waiting around for a decent Batman game to launch after the disappointing Batman Begins clusterfuck, fans of the Dark Knight are finally rewarded. I’ve played Batman games before, but it has always felt like a typical action game featuring a central character wearing a Batman costume. Arkham Asylum created a lasting experience.
Let’s get a few things out of the way first…
–The graphics are phenomenal.
–The voice-over work is exceptional.
–The story plays out like a Batman mini-series rather than an actual film, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s more like the Animated Series that we all know and love.
–The controls are a little wonky, but once you train yourself to work past that, it flows seamlessly and effortlessly from then on.
–Sound effects are dark and often scary.
Whew…glad we got of that technical bullshit out of the way. I played through Arkham Asylum fairly quickly, but it wasn’t what I would call a “short game.” A short game can be completed by playing it 2 hours per day for about 3 days. A normal game should keep you busy for about a week…and a good game should create an addiction.
Arkham Asylum is a combination of Metal Gear Solid stealth and superhero game play. Most of the time, you’ll find yourself critically thinking out situations to eliminate all threats and remain completely unseen. Other times, you’re free to just leap into the middle of a room and kick some ass. The combination of these two seemingly incompatible game styles keeps the game interesting, flowing, and exciting.
The story, in case you didn’t know, is that the Joker gets loose in Arkham Asylum, releasing certain inmates that aid his plot to use a formula called TITAN to create a race of superhuman beasts. All of the villains in the game are used intuitively–by which I mean that at no point does a Batman nemesis simply “appear,” causing a “WTF?!” reaction. They all have a special place in the game…with the exception of Zsasz, but fuck it.
The environment is fairly “open,” but the story is linear…if that makes sense(?) You can go anywhere you like on the island to find extra trophies and solve (the Riddler’s) riddles, but there are no “side missions.” The game makes up for this by offering separate “Challenge Missions” where you can attempt high scores on various stealth or combat scenarios. Your Challenge Mode scores are then compared with others around the world.
Batman’s abilities and arsenal are updated throughout the game and through points earned by completing challenges, which has become a staple of any adventure game because it works. There are no distinct “BOSS FIGHTS” in the game, in my opinion. Every significant battle is played out through the game’s story. The game doesn’t really put you on hold for a “boss fight.”
Arkham Asylumisn’t perfect and it can often be frustrating (especially the virtually impossible Joker Challenges), but it will almost certainly be on your short list of top next generation games. The replay factor is extremely high, which is a plus for those who prefer to purchase games. It will not collect dust on the shelf for quite some time…
…but most importantly, it is the most immersive superhero game I’ve ever played. I loved Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, but this goes beyond the open world hero game. Arkham Asylum embraces the linear storyline and makes it its bitch. You will feel like you’re playing as the Batman, and not just controlling a character. You’ll have to think like Batman and move like Batman…and this game gives you every conceivable opportunity to do that.
If you haven’t played this game yet, you probably don’t like video games.
As most gamers have noticed, games are beginning to become more and more immersive. That is to say, video games are becoming more of an interactive and cinematic experience. The newest addition to the Fallout series, Fallout 3, confirms this trend.
Already proclaimed by many as the “best Xbox game” in 2008, this game does not disappoint. In my opinion, it is the best game made so far for the Xbox 360. If you have ever enjoyed playing an RPG than this would be the “holy grail” of RPGs.
The setting of the game is 50-plus years into the future, in a post apocalyptic wasteland that is filled with many unique dangers. At the start the game, you are allowed to customize your character’s skill set and appearance. It also takes the time to show you one of the coolest features in the game, a combat system that slows down the real time in the game called VATS.
VATS is activated by the press of a single button, and allows you to attack specific body parts of any visible targets. This system is of course controlled to prevent constant use, but gives the game a unique feature. Of course, if you do not want to use VATS, you can play the entire game as a first person shooter, one reason that makes this game so great.
Another reason this game is so good, is that it allows you to do almost anything and everything. From picking locks, to hacking computers, to killing whatever you want. The game however keeps track of the choices that you make along the way through a karma system. Giving you bad karma when you steal or good karma when you help someone.
Now, when you pair the ability to do anything with a huge unexplored map filled with lots of surprises, you get a game that has the ability to supply a tremendous amount of gameplay. This coupled with the unique combat system provides a game that is a lot of fun and is well worth the money spent on it.
Don’t judge me. If I had a problem, I would almost certainly admit it. Although I have absolutely no way of knowing for sure, I feel as if I am slowly approaching the end of this fucking game.
