It's Game Time pt. 1/3

Guess who's back?  It feels like it's been far too long since I posted.  So far, with the job at Activision complete and week 2 is finishing here at school, I'm ready to start writing.  Without further ado, in no specific order, what I played this summer:



Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP

• + The most audio-inspiring gameplay felt in a long time.
• + Visual simplicity doesn't detract from sound design, but is unique enough to keep the player engaged.
• + Memorable villains and characters.
• + Calendar-based and rhythm puzzles keep the game fresh.
• - Calendar-based puzzles may cause frustration if game completion within a time-frame is wished for.
• - Some trial-and-error is required with fighting.

One of the most refreshing games I’ve ever touched.  What a calming, easy-going game to play; I enjoyed the soundtrack, gameplay, story, dialogue… Plainly, I enjoyed the entire simplicity of the game.  As it’s said, ‘perfection is in simplicity’.  It’s also a great game to play before bed!

Warhammer 40K Space Marine

• + Space marines feel heavy, like walking tanks.
• + Splatter-fests give a good outlet for aggression.
• + Voice-recordings of likely long-dead civilians and soldiers logging the horror of a planetary invasion is… chilling.
• - There is far too much running through empty halls from one encounter to another.
• - Getting stun-locked by repetitive mobs is never fun.
• - A limited enemy variety and short weapon list are quickly exhausted for player interest.
• - The dialogue writing and delivery are underwhelming at best.
• - The ending is not nearly satisfying enough for all the work taken to get to the finale.
• - Aesthetic diversity includes various shades of rust red and dust brown.

I looked forward to playing this game.  The first few levels really kept me engaged in finding new weapons, working out better and better ways to maul enemies, and generally surviving a full-scale planetary invasion.  However, it all becomes rather drab rather quickly, and the whole experience becomes more of an annoying chore to complete than a fun game to play.

The Binding of Isaac

• + Simple controls combined with complex survival interaction within the game world keep’s the player engaged always.
• + An immense number of power-up combinations makes play mysterious and exciting when a new ability is found.
• + Random dungeon generation and skill placement make sure that no dungeon-run is the same as another.
• + Difficult, quick play sessions keeps a gamer coming back for more.
• - Difficultly will allow very few of even the skilled from completing this game.

Good for quick pick-up-and-play sessions, don’t go to this game for marathon sessions of rich content.  Personally, I never reached the final level (too dang difficult), but I had good fun when I needed to kill 15 minutes.  The Binding of Isaac won’t win any rewards for redefining the game industry, but for quick, cheap, bloody fun, this title satisfies.

Since I won't keep you past your bedtime tonight, tune-in tomorrow at 8 pm central for part 2!