Uncharted 2 is nothing short of whatever I believe “rollicking” to mean. It thrust me from my comfort zone and directly into its universe.
The most important aspect of any game is the gameplay (duh), and Uncharted 2 is solid-as-dick in that regard. The level designs integrate an even balance of platforming, shooting, and puzzling, all of which are executed well and accessible to all types of gamers. For me, my strong suit is solving puzzles and I’m decent at platformers, but playing a shooter is agonizing. However, I didn’t dread those moments as much as I tend to that I stuck around to beat it.
After gameplay comes the script, which Uncharted 2 is also y’know. The actual story doesn’t pull anything crazy, but that’s what I’m into until games can prove they can do plot twists properly (Heaving Rain). There’s more to it than “thanks for not fucking up,” though. The dialogue is where it exceeds expectations. What you witness from the relationship dynamics to how Drake reacts are so much fun. I swear to God, if there’s a zombie around the next corner …
The best part is that those two elements are woven tightly into an action-packed experience. It’s like you’ve got strands of hair that you braid until you’ve got three braids, then you braid the three braids into a mega-braid. By the way, that third braid is art because, man, Uncharted 2 is one pretty baby. Okay, I don’t know where this analogy went, but this is where we are now and I am done with the “30 Days of Gaming Challenge”! Play Uncharted 2 co-op with me!
I’ve got longstanding issues with Pokemon. While I can see the appeal, my brother’s obsession with it was a constant annoyance and its despicable business model (ALL THE POKEMON CAN FIT ON ONE CARTRIDGE, YOU GREEDY FUCKS!) made me quick to dismiss anything with its name on it. Pokemon Snap was an easy target of my ire because the idea of taking pictures of them just sounded lame.
Of course, my brother had to play it. He rented it one weekend and I watched so I could rag on it to get him back for all the times he irked me. My crosshairs zeroed on Todd. Who the fuck is this Todd guy?! IT SHOULD BE TRACEY! It ended there, though, as observing Pokemon in their natural habitats enchanted me.
We ended up binging the entire weekend on it since it was too short to warrant a purchase. But years later, I couldn’t pass on a $5 used copy. I also bought it on Virtual Console, but can’t figure out how to export the photos. (HELP!)
Not only is the localization of Radiata Stories on point, so is the voice acting. It’s an incredible feat because there are around 200 characters in the game and many of them speak. The voice actors convey the dramatic personalities of Japanese media without causing an aneurysm, which has yet to become a standard.
Major thanks are in order for Steve Kramer, Yurika Dennis, Ezra Weisz, and Gerard Jakubowicz for a job well-done like a tasteless steak.
I’m only counting what’s in the near future and not part of my backlog or what’s expected of me. So my work recently upgraded my PC and sources say it is beastly. I want to test it out on Brink since I’m late to Team Fortress 2. Although my shooter inabilities are widely ridiculed, I’m certain I’ll have an easier time of it on PC even if everyone is that much better.
LA Noire is another one. I’m banking on Steven to buy that. He can do the shooting and I can do the sleuthing.
I’m not gonna front like I even accomplished anything in Super Mario 64. There’s way too much and some of it is sooo haaard! Despite that, I still find this game downright magical and it’s old enough to be considered classic (geez, 15 years). Not only did the Mario games evolve with this, so, too, did the entire industry. Even today, this holds up as the best Mario platformer.
The level design is so expertly crafted. You could jump into the same portrait multiple times and play variations of the level without them ever feeling repetitive. I really liked how the Tiny-Huge Island room was laid out so you could choose what size you wanted to start out with. Nice one, dudes.
What I love most about the game is how you’re not pressured into saving Miss Princess. If anything, her waiting to be rescued just means it’ll be a bit longer before she’s kidnapped again. Fuck that, I’ma explore the castle grounds a bit and enjoy myself.
And did I ever! My goodness, the concept of playing the game, but doing nothing to progress blew my mind. Sure you could do that in other games, but they were limited to walking and talking to NPCs who recycle their lines. That’s not as gratifying as triple jumping through fields of grass, swimming in a moat, or busting out flares in the foyer.
Come what may, 2D will always be my prime eye candy and Ghost Trick seems like it’ll rest comfortably at the top with Inspector Cabanela dancing on the highest peak until maybe a sequel. But it shouldn’t be a true sequel. Definitely should debut a new cast with some loose cameos …
Good citizens of the Internet, I eagerly await your ripping of the sprites.
This isn’t unplayable, but it’s a keloid on the Ace Attorney series. The plot is utterly contrived and the humor is an insult to the audience’s intelligence. At times it was uncomfortably incestuous and pedophiliac even for my dark sense of humor.
A game capable of making me feel sad, deserves this award. There were a lot of funny parts to this, too, and I appreciate any story that can trigger different points on the emotional spectrum.
It’s been eons since I played it, but I don’t remember any plot holes so that’s a mega plus. Granted the story didn’t take major risks with plot twists, but it’s very neatly contained. I find it more irksome when a story takes you on a complex journey only to leave you hanging by its frayed ends. Burn the tips if you must!
If you have any recommendations, holler@yourgirl.com.
That’s not a valid genre, but I’m carrying on anyway.
I’m a team player and will endure any type of game if it means experiencing it with a friend, with greater weight if we are in the same room. From wholesome fun (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in TIme) to inhumanely sadistic (Donkey Kong Country Returns), we will triumph/commiserate together.
Typically after the events in a game, the crisis is barely averted and the world is in dire need of repair, but not in Final Fantasy VIII! In the end, there was minimal damage and the problems were tidying up swiftly. So long as I could avoid Rinoa and Zell, it sounds like a mighty fine world to live in.
Also, the world of Final Fantasy VIII is fairly close to our current development, which I am quite fond of. It has fantasy and sci-fi elements with modern sensibilities. I’m all for incorporating magic and advanced tech in my usual routine.
The real draw, though, is Triple Triad. *clap clap*
Runner-Up: Timber’s Island from Diddy Kong Racing.
Even though he resembles Nick Lachey, Drake’s charm won me over. He’s a cunning guy and I appreciate his penchant for finding humor in any situation. (I do that!) He’s also talented at climbing. That’s cool.
Radiata Stories is a silly, pretty game. I could go on (for days!) about its superb attention to detail, but I’ll stay on topic for this category by mentioning the real-time cut scenes. In these, Jack dons whatever armor is equipped. During my second playthrough, he either wore the Robot Suit (self-explanatory) or Recruitment Suit (business suit with glasses and slicked back hair) for my amusement. I laughed a lot harder than warranted. Good times.
