A Gaming Diary
Archive for October, 2007
Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground (PSP)
Oct 31st
Finally got round to playing this again. Only had enough battery left to play a single day, but I expanded the second floor of my dungeon, completed a side quest and bought some new corridor decorations, which I’m looking forward to putting down.
I really need more magical power and I’m not getting it. Hopefully some new animal-type enemies will appear soon which I’ll be able to make new magic-raising dishes from.
Scrabble Interactive 2007 Edition (DS)
Oct 31st
Well, with Zelda annoying my pants off, it was time to play something else for a while. So, for a change of pace, Scrabble.
There’s not an awful lot to say, as based on four games against rubbish opponents, this seems to be fine. Using the stylus to place words works fine. Opponents don’t often play ludicrous words (though it does happen).
One nice feature is that the game gives a definition of the main word played each turn. It’s a pity you can’t get definitions for the weird little two-letter words that the AI sometimes uses to be able to place its main words, though. And every now and again there’s a definition missing.
Also, if you place a word that doesn’t exist then you just get to try again, which makes things a bit too easy, I think. I’m trying not to abuse it, but it’s hard. Last night I put down QUINS, which I wasn’t sure would be allowed, but it let me have it. (No definition, though.) If I’d have been penalised had it not existed I probably wouldn’t have risked playing it. (In another game I also tried QUIMS, which was allowed and had a definition. There is a tick box on the player profile screen to say if you’re a Junior player or not, I guess ticking it would disable that type of thing.)
One last thing about the AI, now that I think of it- they don’t play tactically. They’ll happy place words near the triple letter score and won’t place a low-scoring word over one to stop you using it. Doesn’t feel like playing a human at all, in that respect.
Anyway, so far it seems to do what it should. I’ll probably play through the career mode until I get to timed games – I’m a slow, slow player – and then just play quick matches when I feel the need for some Scrabble. (Oh, and there are some other mini games which I’ve not investigated yet.)
The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass (DS)
Oct 30th
I think I’ve played it too much in a short space of time. Got up to the Ice Temple last night. Got a couple of rooms in and realised I just didn’t want to play any more. Prior to that I’d just guessed my way through a multiple-choice “find the imposter” quest because I couldn’t be bothered to work it out.
I used to love the sailing, but last night it started to annoy me. Just watching the screen and idly tapping on any enemies that come near. And that Jolene woman is a real annoyance.
I just can’t face another puzzle-filled dungeon with an annoying boss at the end. The last boss I did took me far too many tries. If it hadn’t been a handheld game I’d probably not have bothered getting past it.
And I certainly don’t want to go back to that timed temple again. If I never see that place again it’ll be too soon. I hates it. It puts a downer on the whole game for me, knowing it’s there and that I’ll have to go back.
But, hopefully, if I leave it for a day or two then I’ll start to miss it and enjoy it when I pick it up again. Hopefully everything will seem less of a chore.
The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass (DS)
Oct 28th
I’m a few hours in now and certain aspects of the game are harder to enjoy than others. By “certain aspects”, I obviously mean “The Temple of the Ocean King.” It’s timed, it’s repetitive and it can be hideously annoying at times. I’ve just forced myself through it again and I’m not looking forward to going back.
Now, though, there’s a boss fight before I can reach Goron Island. Luckily, bosses so far have been something the game’s done right, so it shouldn’t be too painful. (Unless my touch screen messes up again – yesterday I seemed to spend more time in the calibration screen than in the game.)
The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass (DS)
Oct 26th
This doesn’t make my head hurt, despite my illness.
Typing, however, does, so I can’t give this the write-up it deserves. Suffice to say, this is absolutely marvellous and everything about it seems to work perfectly. Glorious.
Eternal Sonata Demo (360)
Oct 26th
Very pretty.
Great combat system.
Lovely music.
But who’s got the time and money for an RPG round about now? Not me.
PixelJunk Racers (PS3)
Oct 26th
Based on first impressions, I’d have more fun eating the £4.99 this cost a penny at a time than playing this.
It’s a top-down racing game where you can only move between lanes, rather then freely across the track. It just feels clunky and I have the same problem with it that I’ve always had with these games – my brain can’t handle having the movement controls working relative to car, not the screen.
Sega Rally (360)
Oct 26th
Possibly the best racing game ever? Well, I think it’s probably up there with OutRun 2, based on the hour or two I’ve spent with it so far. No great surprise, given that I’d played the demo, but it’s nice to have it confirmed. It’s fast, gorgeous, it sounds wonderful, has perfect handling and the track deformation makes a far bigger difference than it does in Motorstorm.
It also seems to be rock hard. I got thirty out of thirty points in the first event on my first try, but haven’t been able to in any of the other events so far.
I’d have played it more, but I’m sick at the moment and after a few minutes it makes my head want to explode. Annoying, that.
The Orange Box (360)
Oct 20th
Half-Life 2 today. Just an hour of it, so I’ve not got far. The only gun I have is the pistol. It does look very nice on the 360 and plays fine, too, but it’s not been very exciting so far. If it doesn’t pick up I may just skip it and go on to Episode 2.
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Demo (PS3)
Oct 19th
What is the world coming to when we get a demo of a demo?
Anyway, I only managed one race which I had to pause every ten seconds because the kitten kept trying to grab the needle on the speedometer. Weirdo.
First impressions, though? Well, it’s Gran Turismo again. And that’s it.